Child Brides of India

By C. Stanton Leman

Chapter 29: Aleeya’s Wedding (Mgg, rom, cons)

I awoke with Priya still on top of me with her arms around my chest. In her sleep, she was still slowly massaging my dick within her.

I rubbed her back and she awoke, lifting her head and smiling softly at me. She said softly, “You make a wonderful mattress, I’ll have to do this more often,” and giggled.

We got up, showered and dressed, and before we started morning prayers, I said to her, “We’re going to pray fervently about this matter and if there’s any hesitation at all, the whole thing is off. Do you understand?”

She lowered her head and nodded. We knelt together and began our prayers. We prayed for almost an hour and when we were finished I felt an unusual peace. Priya looked at me and said, “Allah has spoken to my heart and this is right.”

I replied, “I feel the same. Let’s go to breakfast.”

The girls had taken that day, Friday, off of school in preparation for the wedding. We ate breakfast and as usual before a wedding, that was the topic of discussion. Everyone was relaxed and happy, even Priya.

Dad went off to work, I took the day off, but Mom and Priya began to get ready to go to Adib’s and help Salima and Me Ma with the last minute preparations. I called the Imam and confirmed everything for the following day and then we said our salaams and goodbye. After everyone had left, I was all alone to reflect on the events of my life, and what the future would hold.

I thought, ironically to myself that the ‘college of hard knocks’ was a much harder degree to earn than simply memorizing facts from a textbook.

I thought seriously about my faith. Having been raised a Baptist and later converting to Islam, I agreed within myself that God, whether He’s called Jehovah, Christ or Allah, was all the same Supreme Being.

I thought about the various figures in the Bible that were chosen by God to lead His people: most notably David, Solomon, and Mary, the mother of Jesus. Solomon had over three hundred wives and concubines with documented debauchery. David had many and even stole a man’s wife after he had her husband murdered. Mary, by all historical accounts was probably only about twelve when she became pregnant by God’s own power.

Throughout the Bible, it’s revealed that even men of God’s choosing had sinned, some more grievously than others. In the end, they were no more holy or genuinely devout than Mohammad and his pedophilic marriage to Aisha.

It seemed to me, that God has ways to bring people together in His own way when He feels it necessary to do so. I sensed that His plan (at least my part in it) was to give a small few love and hope. The most valuable thing every human being, young or old, holds most precious is that they are loved. And hope: hope that that love can move us to love and save another.

I felt in such awe that there was a God who created the emotion we call love. It’s such an amazingly simple and powerful force that even a child who takes its first breath can understand it and yet, so deep and infinitely complex, scholars the world over cannot define it.

As I pondered these things, I thought of the people in my life. My parents… I have always felt loved and held a special closeness to my mother. They have, throughout these past several months supported me, helped me and their values had even helped me help others.

Priya… all her young life wanted a love of her own. She sought a love that overcame the slings and arrows of prejudice and hate. And Aleeya, poor Aleeya: even at four, she knows what love is, and that it’s her God given right to be loved.

I thought of my wife, my selfless wife, who truly loved me unconditionally. I felt in awe of her. She’s twelve years old, and yet, with the wisdom of a queen. She’s so much stronger and wiser than me, and after seeing her fears and weaknesses last night, I thought of marriage. Isn’t that what marriage is really supposed to be? Complementing each other’s weaknesses with our own strengths to shelter each other from the cruelties of the world?

Priya and I were learning fast that the direction we thought our lives would take and how we dreamt they would turn out, only took turns that brought us to a path we didn’t expect to travel.

The more I seemed to realize, the more questions arose in my mind. At the end of the day, before everyone was due to return home, I simply surmised that our path in life was to try our best to follow God’s lead, give as much love and hope as we can to others in the way we best know how, and hope… hope that we’ve somehow touched people’s lives in a positive way and made a difference in the world.

Everyone got home about the same time. Dad arrived about five, and then Priya and Mom arrived about thirty minutes later. We all went upstairs to get ready for dinner. Priya and I said evening prayers.

At dinner, Mom said everything was ready at the wedding hall. Priya said that since there really weren’t any guests from my side of the family, she would play the sister teasing us with the baton.

Mom said Aleeya is getting a little jittery about making a mistake, and not being a good wife at the ceremony. Mom said she told her, “I wouldn’t worry about it, Poppy was crying so much he almost said he was marrying the minister!”

We all laughed and I asked Dad, “You did?”

Chuckling, he said, ‘Yeah, I was so nervous and felt so much love for your mother I was crying. I didn’t repeat the minister’s words correctly. Everyone snickered and we went on with the ceremony.”

After dinner, we sat and talked a little while about the wedding and decided it best to go to bed and get an early start for the next day’s events.

The next morning, Priya and I showered together playfully and after dressing, said our prayers. Before we went downstairs, Priya kissed me passionately, and said, “Promise me that you’ll make this day as beautiful for my sister as you did for me. Be gentle and kind and above all, treat her as your wife as you’ve treated me: with understanding and care.”

“You have my solemn promise, my beloved,” and I kissed her again with passion.

I changed into the same wedding garb that I wore at Priya’s wedding while everyone else got dressed and soon we were ready to go.

We arrived at two thirty. The wedding was supposed to start at three, but all of Priya’s family was there already and Aleeya was already inside, I didn’t even get a glimpse of her.

When it was time, the band of musicians began to play and announce the groom and his entourage. We entered the hall with Priya poking, teasing and tickling me, Mom and Dad with her flowered baton. Everyone was already seated and separated by sexes as we entered.

Me Ma brought little Aleeya from behind a screen and I saw her for the first time. I began to cry she looked so lovely. She had on a lemon yellow lengha and matching short choli with short sleeves that came right below where (on a grown woman) the bottom of her bust would be, exposing her midriff. It had the same amazingly beautiful embroidery work, sequins and stones as Priya’s had been.

Her head was covered in a turquoise crepe, translucent, almost transparent dupatta trimmed in lemon yellow with the same detailed embroidery work, sequins and stones as her lengha.

Looking through her dupatta to her turquoise tinted face, Aleeya was smiling from ear to ear and she appeared to be adorned with Priya’s wedding jewelry on her forehead, ears and neck. Her tiny feet were encased in turquoise blue slippers covered in sequins and stones.

Salima placed a wreath of flowers on each of our heads and we were led to the area were the ceremony would take place. Aleeya stood to my left, with Mahmoud to her left and Priya stood behind Aleeya, with Dad standing behind me and Adib behind Mahmoud.

Again, after a litany of prayers and readings from the Koran, Imaam looked at Adib, he said, “Today we will witness a solemn pledge between Sean Michaels and Aleeya Haaseem. I ask you now in the presence of God and this congregation to declare your intent.”

Mahmoud began, “I have given my only virgin daughter, Aleeya Haaseem to Sean Michaels in marriage.”

Imam to Priya, “As first wife, do you give your consent for this marriage to take place?”

Priya to Imam, “I have given my consent and blessing with joy.”

Imam to Aleeya, “Do you accept Sean Michaels as your husband with the dower that your father has agreed upon for you?”

Aleeya replied, “I have accepted and married myself to Sean forever and ever.”

Everyone laughed softly, even the Imam. She should have said, “Espoused.”

Imam asked me, “Do you accept Aleeya Haaseem as your wife?”

I replied, “I have accepted her as my wife.”

The Imam asked Aleeya, “Do you understand the duties of a wife and consent to the consummation of your marriage?”

Aleeya looked at him and said, “Forgive me, Imam, I do not know what constumashun means.”

Priya stepped between Aleeya and me and bowed to Imam. She said, “Your holiness, I have been the one to instruct Aleeya about such things. If I may, I will question her and she will give you the proper consent,”

Imam cautioned Priya saying, “You may proceed, but do so with discretion.”

Priya bowed again and answered, “Yes, Imam.”

Priya turned and bent slightly to Aleeya and spoke clearly to her for Imaam to hear, “Aleeya. Do you remember me telling you about your wedding night and the secret things that husbands and wives do together?”

Aleeya said nodding, “Yes, I remember.”

Priya continued, “And that your body belongs to your husband and only your husband can do these secret things with you?”

Aleeya replied, “Yes, only with my husband.”

Priya asked her, “And do you understand what some of these secret things are and that you want to do them with your new husband?”

Aleeya nodded and said, “I promise to do all those secret things only with my husband. Only he can touch my secret parts.”

Priya smiled at her and looked at Imam for approval, and he nodded.

Imam said, “You have been a very loving and caring sister. You have proven yourself to be a true Muslim wife and faithful teacher to your sister wife.”

Priya responded by saying, “All my wisdom has been given by Allah. All praise, glory and honor are His, Imam.”

Imam responded, “Praise and glory to God.”

We finished the formalities with me, followed by Mahmoud and the witnesses signing the Nikaahnama.

Imam said some more readings and the blessing of the ring and necklace I wasn’t expecting a ring from Aleeya but he blessed the necklace that I’d given Aleeya and the ring Aleeya was giving me. He nodded to me, and I took the necklace from my dad, and repeated after the Imam:

“Aleeya, I give you this necklace as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. With this necklace, I thee wed.”

Aleeya then took my ring from Priya and repeated after Imam, “Sean, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. With this ring, I thee wed.” She then placed it on my finger in front of Priya’s: they were the same exact rings.

After some more readings, the Imam finished with, “In as much as you have each pledged to the other your lifelong commitment, love and devotion, I now pronounce you husband and wife, In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder. God bless you and the congregation”

Aleeya uncharacteristically stepped up and hugged Imam around the legs and said to him, “Today is my birthday!”

He smiled and patted her back and replied, “Happy Birthday, little one.”

With that, everyone clapped and cheered. All the guests were separately seated for dinner by sexes. We sat and ate the lavish meal, as is the custom, with music and jovial conversation. After we’d finished eating, Aleeya whispered something to Priya. Priya came to me and said that Aleeya was hot and becoming uncomfortable because of the weight of the bridal clothes. She asked me for permission to take her aside and let her change and I agreed.

Priya returned with Aleeya dressed in a lavishly hand painted lemon yellow sari with her head still covered with her dupatta.

Then, Aleeya and I were snatched up by Aleeya’s female relatives and seated on pillows about three feet apart with the Koran placed between us. Me Ma said “You remember what to do. Look at her only with the mirror” then moved away.

Under the direction of Imam, all the women prayed for me and offered their salaams and I returned their salaams.

We then stood and Mahmoud took Aleeya’s hand and placed it in mine, and said, “Son, I give you my baby girl. I know you will treasure her always.”

Smiling at Mahmoud, I replied, “I will treasure her for all of my days.”

When it was almost time to leave, Mom and Priya left for home ahead of us. About twenty minutes later, we were told we could leave.

Holding my tiny bride’s hand, she looked up at me and smiled. I said to her, “Are you ready to go home and begin your new life as a married girl?”

She nodded and said, “My dream has come true and I’m yours forever and ever, right?”

I laughed and replied, “That’s right, Darling, forever and ever.”

We got into the limo to the cheers and clapping of the family and left for home. On the drive home, Aleeya climbed up on my lap and mashed her mouth to mine and said, “That’s my first kiss for my husband, and I want lots and lots every day, okay?”

Laughing, I said to her, “You haven’t been married for two hours yet and already you’re telling me what to do! Are you taking lessons from Priya?”

She giggled and said, “No, I don’t need lessons on how to show you how much I love you. My heart knows that!”

I started giving her little pecking kisses all over her face and began tickling her. She squirmed trying to evade my tickling fingers, and said, “If you make me pee myself, I’ll stick that big, fat cobra in your hand!”

I stopped tickling her and said, “Oops, we don’t want any cobras on our wedding day.”

She sat on my lap the rest of the way home with her head on my shoulder and just kept whispering, “I love you, Husband.”

I whispered back, “I love you, Wife.”

When we pulled up in the drive, Mom and Priya were standing in the doorway, and Mom was holding the same leather bound Koran she’d held just months ago when I brought Priya home.

When the car stopped, I opened the door and went around to the other side and opened Aleeya’s door. I reached in and scooped her up in my arms and said, “Honey, we’re home!”

She giggled and said, “Forever and ever, right?”

“Right!” I replied.

As we stepped through the door, Both Priya and Mom held the Koran over her head. Aleeya being smaller, we didn’t have the near entangling problem when I carried Priya across the threshold.

Once in the hallway, Mom kissed Aleeya and said, “Welcome to your new life.”

Priya kissed her softly on the lips and said, “Welcome, Sister, let us live our lives loving our husband together.”

Aleeya looked at her necklace again and said, “I really am a wife, aren’t I?”

Priya said, “Yes you are, Little One, and a good wife you’ll be!”

Like a child, Aleeya openly blurted out, “I gotta pee really bad,” and tore off towards the powder room. We all laughed and went into the living room.

When Aleeya came into the living room with us, she was still fumbling with her sari. She finally gave up, crawled up on my lap and laid her head in the nape of my neck, kissing me with little pecks. Mom and Priya looked on with smiles, and Priya said, “Seeing her like this only reaffirms my belief that this is right in God’s eyes.”

Mom looked at Priya and said, “I hope you’re right, Baby, I hope you’re right. We’ll see tomorrow morning if she realizes how much her life is changed forever.”

Aleeya was running on pure adrenaline and was still excited even after being home an hour. She didn’t talk much as the three of us conversed, but she was openly affectionate with me and unabashed. She seemed to be the calmest when I just rubbed her back and occasionally gave her a gentle hug.

I asked her, “Are you tired or sleepy?”

‘No,’ she replied. “I’m thinking about how much I love you and how safe I feel when you hold me. I’ll get to feel this way for the rest of my life and I’m happy: very, very happy.”

She slid out of my arms onto the sofa and looking up at me said, “Now, you have a job to do.”

We three looked at each other a little surprised, thinking she’d made a double entendré, so I asked, “What’s that?”

She giggled, scooted a little away from me on the sofa and turned her palms up. I said, “Oh, I see. I’m supposed to find our names, right?”

She gave a quick affirmative downward jerk of her head and said, “Right!”

Because her hands were so small, it only took me about ten minutes to find both names. I said to her jokingly, “What now? Am I supposed to take you upstairs and do all kinds of nasty things with you?”

She suddenly got shy, pulling her shoulders inward and blushing a light pink giggled and asked Priya, “Sister?”

Priya, enjoying her shyness answered, “Don’t look at me, this is your wedding night. Tell your husband what you want.”

She peeked up under her lashes with a shy smile and asked barely audibly, “Are you gonna teach me those secret things now?”

I smiled softly at her and replied, “If that’s what you want.”

Aleeya looked at Priya, then at Mom, then at me and whispered, “Okay, but don’t tell anyone.” (Mom and Priya heard it).

I whispered back, “I won’t tell a soul. It’s a secret, remember?”

She giggled and jumped back onto my lap. I scooped her up in my arms to go upstairs. Mom was crying and Priya, with tears in her eyes, smiled and nodded. I turned and carried my tiny, five year-old bride upstairs.