New Life,New Rules (chapter 2)

Next day as I head home I am nervous because Baba will be back and he will be at home right now. I get out of my car in my starch white uniform. The nervousness is making me perspire. I get out and go straight to the hall. I greet Baba, but he seems upset from me. I am guessing my complaint has already been made.

“What is this Rabya, your mother punished you, and you didn’t comply. You must do everything she says.”

I looked down. Then when he had finished I said, “But she was giving me an age inappropriate punishment, Baba.” After some explanations and pleads Baba seemed content. But when she showed up, Baba asked her is the punishment still on. His response shook me, I thought he had betrayed me, just like when he betrayed me by doing another marriage. Of course she said the punishment was still on and I should become a murga for half an hour, since its my first time, otherwise she would have made me for whole hour.

“Okay, let me change and get some rest first, after that I will become murga in my room only. Not outside.”

“No way, it is a punishment, you don’t get to negotiate. You will become murga right here, in the hall and right now, in your uniform only.”

“Curse you, hag.” I thought to myself.

She pointed to place beside a sofa. I walked over and stood.

“You know how to become murga, do you?”

“yes.” I said, with a look of disgrace and nausea.

I bent down and took my hands around my thighs to catch my ears.

“Mehreen, come here and look upon Rabya aapi while she is punished, make sure she does not leave her ears.”

Both Mehreen and Zara came to the hall and sat on the sofas to watch over me. I guess they must be excited to see their elder sister, who scolds them all the time in murga.

“Do you want me to make sure that she keeps her buttocks up also?” Mehreen asked.

“No, since it is her first time let her relax her legs, only take care of the ears.”

Then she left the hall and went to the kitchen.

“you are so lucky aapi, when ammi makes us murga, she does not let our legs relax, she just wants our buttocks up all the time.” Mehreen said.

“whatever.” I said, the words hardly escaped my mouth because of the humiliation and embarrassment.

Few seconds now even seemed hours.

This is when the bell rang. I hoped it were not guests. But to my bad luck, they were. It was her sister. I could hear them both at the door.

“Zunara, how’s it going?”

“I’m fine, how are you my sweety, Malika.”

As soon as I heard that they were coming to the hall, I stood up.

Malika, my new aunt had a daughter also, Saba. Saba had tried to befriend me, I didn’t bother. Saba was about my age.

Saba was accompanying her mother and they were headed for the hall. I started walking towards my room when she called me from back.

“Rabya where do you think you are going.”

“To my room , to complete my punishment, there are guest here.” Her sister and niece were standing at her back.

“You are going nowhere, become murga back here, in front of the guests.”

As soon as she said this I could see Saba and Malika had a smile on their faces.

I went back to being murga. They all sat on the sofas.

“So, you have started your new daughter into this already, she is old Zunara, at least spare her this punishment.” Malika said.

“No, not at all, I treat all my daughters equally, she has got poor grades in O’levels, she must be severely punished.” That ended the talk on me. They chatted for a while then they went to the kitchen, leaving Saba, Mehreen and Zara in the hall.

“How much more time to go?” I asked.

“About 15 more minutes.” Mehreen answered.

“What?!” I could not believe it, it seemed like eternity and I was only half way through my punishment.

This is when the bell rang again. This time I could not hear who it was. Zara had gone to open the door. Then I heard her voice from the kitchen,”api’s friend is here, what should I say to her ammi?”

“Tell her Rabya is punished right now and still has about 15 more minutes on herself. If she can wait then come inside or come back later.”

I could not believe my ears. My social life had ended. When my friends would find out about this they will laugh their pants off. The whole school will laugh at me, all my A’level life is destroyed. It was probably Sofia, and she must be now updating her facebook status that I am punished in my house. But to my horror she came inside. She came to the hall and said,”I’ll wait for you in your room Rabya.”

Her voice sounded light, she would probably make fun of me when I go back to my room.

to be continued.......