New Life, New Rules.

I come home to my new family, yes new family, I don’t know these people. Not even my  father. He has become a complete stranger. He never does the things he did for me when my mother was alive. My mother died last year and my father has already married, two months before my mother’s death anniversary. My new mother is a complete gawaar, desi type of Punjabi. She is so backward. You can see in the way she talks, she dresses, she laughs, she cooks, in everything she does.

She has brought along two of her young daughters. They are twins and just six years old. I just cannot stand looking at these three strangers living in my house. This woman cannot take my mother’s place. I can’t accept her standing in the kitchen, on the dining table, everywhere.

I have got my O’level result today. I have got 9 D’s. Very persistent I am in getting D’s. I don’t bother telling my new mother the grades as I don’t acknowledge her at all. I will tell to Baba directly. When I got my three subjects result last year, 3 D’s, Baba did not say anything. I got a little scolding from Mom though. I wish Mom was here to scold me again.

I go straight to my room. I don’t even greet her. I used to always greet my Mom by a peck on her cheek and she used to peck on mine. We were like friends, more than just mother and daughter. Although my new mother is not a harsh type of step-mother who hates her step-daughter, she is very caring and kind, but I hate her still. I avoid talking to her in every way possible. I even avoid her daughters. They are always running around and making noise in the house, I hate their sounds and whenever I get the chance I shout at them, to keep down.

“You must have got your result today, beta Rabya.” It’s my stepmother. I do not intend to tell her. She is standing right outside the door.

“I’ll tell you when I come out, I am getting ready.” I lie; I am just lying on the bed. I cannot be rude to her and disrespect her, because my father does not like it. Once I misbehaved with her, my father gave me two slaps on my face and made me apologize to her. That was the most humiliating day of my life. I have never apologized to anyone in my life, never said sorry, even when the mistake was mine.

I feel hungry and must eat. Regardless of the fact that I do not want to see her today I go down in the hall to have lunch. She has cooked curry. I eat.

“What was your result?”

“I got all D’s, just like last year, this makes a total of 9 D’s.” I say carelessly, I am least bothered about her reaction to this. I am still looking at my plate, not looking at her, not wanting to look at her.

“All D’s. That is terrible Rabya, how could you be careless about it, look at you, not worried a bit about your grades.”

“I am fine, thanks.”

“You must be punished for this, education is really important. A careless attitude towards education in my house will not be tolerated.”

Her words bit into my flesh. She dares to say I must be punished, she dare say my house her own. I grind my teeth but say nothing, caged in by Baba’s slaps.

“Finish your lunch, and then I will punish you.”

I stand at once. ”My mother never punished me, so you cannot punish me either, let Baba decide what shall be done, not you, thank you very much.”

I choose my words with a lot of precaution, as I knew if she gets the feeling that I am being disrespectful, my Baba will beat the shit out of me, as he had threatened to break my legs if I ever misbehaved with her again.

“Sit down and finish your lunch, lady, otherwise you will receive a slap.”

I had never heard this kind of tone in her voice. It was stern and it shook me a little.

“Since you are my daughter now, you will be treated the way my other daughters are treated. If your mother did not punish you, let me get this straight, you will be as I am your mother. New rules will be implied in your life now.”

There was so much steadiness in her voice that I couldn’t do anything but just sit down. I sat but did not eat. I don’t know what kind of sick punishment she will give me.

After she had eaten lunch she asked me to come with her to the hall. Both her daughters, Zara and Mehreen also came. She sat on the sofa, I remained standing in front of her. I had no idea how she punished her daughters, I had never seen it. And by the way, I had never been punished by my mother. She had only scolded me in her life. Although my father had beaten me when I was a child, and lately given me slaps because of her.

“Since you have gotten bad grades in O’levels, which are the finals, you must be punished severely. Become a murga.”

“Did I hear you correctly, I think you said become murga?”

“You heard correct, become murga.”

“I am a girl, 16 years old, it’s a boys punishment and for small children.”

“Who told you, it is a punishment for girls also, I got this punishment when I was in matric, class 10, 15 years old. Become murga quick.”

“That is old times, nobody gives this punishment anymore.”

“Just become murga before a raise my hands on you.”

I didn’t knew what to say to this. If she raised her hands on me, I would not be able to hold myself back, I will hit her back. And certainly I am not ready to become murga in front of her at any cost.

“Look, I am not becoming murga in front of you. Let Baba come, he will decide what should be done. I am too big for this.”

“So you are disobeying me.” She stood up while saying this. Her voice sounded threatening.

“Yes.” I said, mustering up all the courage I had. She had came up close to me. Is this the moment I thought, will she get physical with me. If she gets, I will too. This will be the end of the new family my Baba had tried to forge. If this happens I don’t know what will be next for me. I don’t know what will Baba do with me. But she did not hit me. She just told me that I will become murga when Baba comes back, that will be tomorrow when I return from school. Baba was out of city now. I know when Baba comes I will come out of this situation as he will understand. We do not do these kind of punishments in the house. I will plead to him and he will let me go, I am sure.

to be continued..................