Child Brides of India

By C. Stanton Leman

Chapter 66: Becoming Parents (and More?) (Mgg, rom, cons)

We arrived home from Adib’s about five-fifteen. Leeya and Attiya were playing out back. I asked everyone to step into the study and once seated, I turned to Priya and said, “Priya, you made the comment about me being honest and keeping my word. I believe that I have proved my honor by saving Faatina’s life from her father and it’s not necessary to keep a promise of marriage made to a would-be murderer. I did what I had to do to get him to agree to sign that document tomorrow. Once he signs, I’ll give him his blood money then she’s mine legally and there’s not a damn thing he can do about it.”

Looking at Mom and Dad, they were both smiling in assent as I continued, “Look at me, Priya. If a rapist took you hostage and threatened to kill you if you didn’t have sex with him, understandably, to prevent him from killing you, you’d agree to have sex with him. Now, you manage to get away. Do you go back and keep your word and have sex with him or do you run for safety?”

“I see your point,” Priya said. “It’s not necessary to keep a promise made under duress in order to save a life, right?”

“Right,” I confirmed. “He subtly threatened that she would die if I didn’t marry her. The police would offer and promise anything to someone with hostages in order to get the hostages released. I won’t rest easy though until that document is signed and registered with the court.”

“Amen to that,” Dad replied.

“What are we gonna tell Leeya about Faatina living here?” Priya asked.

“I’ll talk to her.” I said. “I’ll tell her the truth: Faatina’s coming to live with us - plain and simple.”

I called Pita and asked her to find Leeya and send her in. A few minutes later, a ragged looking Leeya came into the study gasping for breath. She wiped her brow and said, “Whew! We were playing hide and seek, what’s up?

“Come here, Munchkin,” I said as I motioned her over, I’ve got some good news for you.”

Hopping on my lap she asked, “What kind of good news?”

”Tomorrow,” I began, “Faatina is coming to live with us. She’ll kind of be like my daughter.”

“Really?” she said as she thought about what I’d said then asked me, “If you’re gonna be her father… well, wouldn’t that make me and Priya her mommies?”

Nodding at her deduction I replied, “Yeah, never thought of it that way, but yeah, you’re right.”

“Boy!” Leeya replied, “I’m gonna be a mommy at five! That means (giggles) I had my baby when I was one!”

With all of us laughing at her math, I quipped, “you’re a very precocious little girl, aren’t you?’

Leeya nodded as she giggled and said, “Told you I was a lotta woman for five!”

That cracked the whole room up with laughter.

“One thing though,” I warned, “No one can know just yet. I’ll tell you when, okay?”

“Sure! Can I tell Tiya that Tina’s coming to live with us tomorrow?”

“Uh huh,” I answered.

“I don’t have to change her poopy nappies, do I?”

“Sure do!” I said teasingly.

“Oh yuck!” Leeya shuddered, “Do I hafta, Priya?”

“No, Baby,” Priya said. “Sean’s just teasing you. Sean and I will take care of Faatina. All you have to do is love her and teach her to learn how to do things alright?”

“I can do that!” Leeya affirmed.

We ended our family meeting on a much happier note than it begun. As we were sitting for dinner, the phone rang. Dad was closest to the phone so he picked it up. It turned out to be the lawyer telling Dad that he was on his way over with the guardianship papers.

We ate quietly and Leeya was telling Attiya that she was going to be a mommy, but Attiya just looked at her like she was crazy. We were just about finished dinner when the attorney showed up. Dad looked at the document then showed it to me. I read the words “I, Amaad Hirsi and Alpa Hirsi do hereby irrevocably relinquish all parental rights…” and said, “Yes!” to myself.

After dinner we said our good nights and went upstairs for prayers. After prayers, we three took a group shower and I helped the girls wash and condition their hair. Once back in the bedroom, I had the pleasure of brushing and drying my wives’ hair. Both Priya’s blue-black mane and Leeya’s dark brown were both luxuriously long. Leeya’s was at the middle of her back when we married but had grown about an inch or two. As I gently brushed the tangles from Leeya’s hair, I leaned over, kissed the top of her head and whispered, “You’re so beautiful, Sweetheart.”

She blindly reached back and taking my hand replied, “No I’m not. I’m just an average girl, but you make me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world when you tell me that. I love you, Sean; my heart just bursts with love for you.”

After my five year-old was finished, it was now the “old woman” of twelve’s turn to be pampered. After detangling Priya’s hair I began to brush through it as I waved the dryer. I pulled her luxurious veil of hair from her neck and nipped her in her nape. She cocked her head a little and said, “It’s a shame you’re off limits. I’ve missed our wild intimate nights. I need one soon, very soon or I’ll just bust.”

“Another week, Baby,” I said, “just one more week.”

“God, Sean,” Priya said, “starting tomorrow, we’ll be parents. I’m really frightened that I’ll fail her in some way.”

“Don’t feel bad,” I tried to comfort. “I think every parent in the world is afraid of the same thing.”

After a surprisingly good night’s sleep I woke at my usual six. For some reason, I was very excited and anticipating bringing Faatina home today. Maybe it’s that idealistic and romantic picture we have of a child with their loving parent but I was looking forward to holding her in my arms.

I guess the girls weren’t as chipper as I and when I tried to roust them awake they returned answers mixed with grumbles and growls.

“Up we go girls,” I said cheerily. “Today’s the big day we become mommies and daddy!”

Priya grumbled and replied, “I’ll sleep: you get the first feeding.”

I gave her a shove and she chuckled as she rose. Leeya was compliant and sat up also and warned, “Remember, I ain’t touchin’ no poopy diapers!”

We said morning prayers, went downstairs and had an early breakfast. We were ready to go by eight-fifteen. As we readied to Leave, Leeya wanted to go to the hospital but I told her I had to do some mean business with bad ‘ole Uncle Amaad and she readily agreed to wait at home. Dad said he was going to the office and that we didn’t need him.

Mom, Priya and I readied to leave at eight-thirty. Dad dropped us off at Adib’s at a couple of minutes to nine telling us the limo would return and be at our disposal. After exchanging salaams, we moved to the dining room to transact the “sale”.

I laid the guardianship papers on the table and told Amaad, “Here is the legal document giving me guardianship of Faatina. If you do not understand them, what they basically say is that you and Alpa give up your rights forever as Faatina’s parents and give me sole custody and legal rights to act as her guardian and parent until she reaches eighteen. Do you understand?

He nodded and asked, “Her dower: what’s her dower?”

I said to him, “I will give her what I’ve given Priya and Leeya: a trust fund of ten million U.S. dollars that she may spend as she sees fit.”

Pulling out my checkbook, I said to him, “Are you and your wife ready to sign the agreement?’

He looked at her sternly and she reached for my pen. I handed it to her, smiled gently and pointed to the several lines, one by one, where she should sign. I pushed the papers the papers to Amaad and pointed out the places he needed to sign. Everyone held their breath until Amaad had signed in all three places and I put the document in my breast pocket.

I said to them, “You both know that now, your daughter is no longer legally yours but I have stipulated in this agreement that Alpa has unlimited visitation rights. We would very much like Alpa to continue to help with her care and give her daughter her love.”

Amaad had a silent chiseled look of victory on his face while Alpa covered her face with her hands and wept at having given up her child.

Mom and Salima took Alpa to the living room while Priya sat with Adib and me to finish our business. I asked him, “How much?”

He told me through Adib, “$17,870 U.S.”

I wrote the check, tore it from the book and handed it to him. I stood and motioned for Priya to follow. When I entered the living room, I asked Alpa if she wanted to go to the hospital with us. She nodded yes but wasn’t sure if Amaad would permit it.

I returned to the table and asked Amaad if Alpa could accompany us to the hospital and he waved his hand as is to say, “Go ahead.”

Nodding to Mom, Alpa picked up a worn satchel that contained Faatina’s clothes and we left to pick up Faatina. We arrived at the hospital about eleven-thirty and the driver let us out at the main entrance. When we entered Faatina’s room, she was sitting up in the crib sucking on a bottle. I looked at Priya and sighed. I thought to myself, How am I gonna do this? How can I be a father to an infant girl? The task seemed so daunting and difficult.

Mom saw my apprehension and said to Priya and me, “I know that you’re frightened, you should be. That little bit of fear will always keep you vigilant to give your child the very best within you to give. You’ll always ask yourself ‘Am I doing the best I can?’ Being a parent is the hardest job you’ll ever do but in the end, it’s the most rewarding and fulfilling.”

Priya showed Alpa how to lower the side of the crib and she reached in and scooped up her baby girl. I had to leave the room because watching her hold the baby she’d given to me was too much to bear.

After calming myself and washing my face in the restroom, I returned to see Priya rocking Faatina in her arms. It looked so strange to see my twelve year-old wife holding a child to whom she was about to become its mother.

Priya stood, cradling Faatina under her arms and handed her to me. Faatina turned and looked up at me and smiled. That did it. My heart instantly melted and I felt an immediate connection to her. I smiled back as I rocked her in my arms and whispered in her ear, “Daddy’s gonna love you forever, Baby, it’s gonna be alright.”

I carried my new daughter to the nurse’s station and asked the attending nurse if we could get Faatina’s discharge papers completed to take her home. She told me that the doctor would be in soon to talk to us. Only the doctor could write her discharge. I asked her to page Dr. Gupta.

I took the baby back and we waited for the doctor to arrive. Alpa practically kissed my feet with gratitude for taking her daughter. She said that she’d try as much as possible to see Faatina and thanked me for allowing her continued contact. She also said that she’s afraid of Amaad, and that she hates him because he’s a cruel, callous and brutal man: not only physically, but mentally also. He even hurts her when he takes her for sex.

She said her days are filled with anguish because she bore him a beautiful daughter and he’s looked upon her from birth with disdain. I asked her what Faatina’s name meant and she replied, “It means captivating one.”

The women decided that after we left the hospital, we’d return to Adib’s and the women would go shopping for new clothes, diapers and things Faatina would need. Mom quipped, “Well, ‘Daddy’, looks like you get to get to know your daughter while we women go shopping!”

Although now quiet and cooing, I suddenly had visions of soiled diapers, a screaming child and not knowing what to do. I said, “But, but…”

“But what?” Mom asked. “You’ve got a piece of paper saying that you’re now Mr. Mom, so deal with it.”

I was awakened from my “nightmare” when Dr. Gupta arrived. He was sullen at first, thinking he was releasing his patient to an uncaring man only to brighten up when he found out that Priya and I would be taking over her care.

He said, “The only instructions I can give you are to train her like an infant and give her lots of love and encouragement. Let nature take its course and she’ll be alright. Just be aware that she may learn slowly so exercise patience. Pay close attention to her. If she appears to try and wants try to do something, say stand or walk and she’s just not capable, call me and we’ll see if physical therapy might be helpful. Pay very close attention to her: she’ll be like all infants. They have quick hands, are inquisitive and can get into a dangerous situation very suddenly and easily. She’ll want to get into everything: that’s how a child learns. Just childproof the home and keep dangerous objects or chemicals out of reach because they tend to put everything in their mouths.”

Mom was chuckling the whole time and I turned and asked, “What’s so funny? Why are you laughing?”

Priya and I looked at her as she said, “It’s payback time kids! Now you’ll find out what we went through with you two! Ha, ha!”

Priya and I smirked at each other and she uttered, “Great!”

Just then, said little “captivating one” peed all over my jacket. Dr. Gupta looked at the wet spot on my jacket, smiled, and said, “I’ll leave you to it. I’ll just go fill out her discharge,” and left chuckling.

Laughing, Mom said, “Oh isn’t that sweet, she loves you! Now that you’ve been christened, you’re a real daddy now! Here, I’ll change her.”

“A chip off the ‘ole block I’d say,” Priya quipped.

“Huh?” I asked unknowingly as I handed her off to Mom.

“Well,” she replied, “you do like water sports!”

Mom about choked and dropped the baby she started laughing so hard. Alpa, not speaking English, stood confused.

With everybody dry (except me), we walked to the nurse’s station: me displaying my new badge of fatherhood. The nurse saw it and just smiled. She handed me the paper and said, “Dr. Gupta had discussed everything with you I presume?”

“Yes,” I replied, “all except surprises like this (pointing to my jacket).”

“When you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go,” she reminded me.

We made it home without any more tokens of love from Faatina and arrived at Adib’s at two. We were sitting in the kitchen talking and Mom asked Adib, “Where’d the asshole go?”

Adib smirked and said, “He went to cash his check and pay his debts I presume.”

I was bouncing Faatina on my knee and she was cooing and gurgling as we talked. About five minutes into our conversation, we heard an enormous wet fart emanating from the ‘captivating one’s’ nappy. There was silence, followed by uproarious laughter.

All of a sudden, I along with everyone else smelled this horrendous odor and leaned back. Holding her at arms length I cried, “Mom????”

Priya thought that she might have to do the honors and looked at Mom with extreme trepidation. Mom took a sniff and said, “Well, who da daddy?”

Pointing to me she said, “You be da daddy? Go do the daddy thing!”

“Mom!” I whined like a little boy, “Help me!”

I stood holding the defecating urchin at arm’s length and walked to the living room. Mom laid a blanket out on the floor, withdrew a new nappy along with the wipes and said “There. Everything you need, except maybe a clothes pin for your nose.”

“What do I do, Ma?” I whined again.

“First you have to lay her down, dummy and open the diaper.” she instructed.

I laid the soiled little princess on the blanket. After pulling her pants off, I tentatively pulled the tabs one by one on her diaper and slowly pulled it open to reveal the arduous task at hand.

The sight before me was horrendously disgusting! She had that odiferous mess spread from mons to tailbone! Being a newbie, no one reminded me that the mess before me was made by a living being with moving extremities and that I should restrain said extremities from spreading this mess beyond the confines of the diaper.

Faatina had her finger in her grinning mouth and began kicking her legs. The more she kicked, the more she squished the mess into her little coochie. I turned my sour face in disgust and cried out (to everyone’s amusement), “Oh God, Mom, How do you clean this mess, it smells so God awful disgusting!”

Mom kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear, “What’s the matter, ‘Daddy’, finally found a tiny pussy you don’t know what to do with?”

“Funny, Ma, real funny!” I retorted.

Mom turned to the audience and they were all almost on the floor in hysterics and she said, “Well folks, should I relieve his misery?”

This was the first time I’d ever seen Alpa smile and she was now doubled over in laughter. Salima pointed to me but couldn’t speak she was laughing so hard and finally blurted out, “Please, Joan, I’ll pee myself if you don’t!”

“Oh alright,” Mom sighed. “First, grab her feet.”

I grabbed an ankle in each hand and she said, “No, Daddy, take both ankles in one hand like this (she put both ankles in my hand).”

“Then push down a little bending her knees, like this (directing my movements),” she continued, “so that you spread her legs open, see?”

Just then the squirming creature added a hand to the mix - right into the middle of the mess. Mom quipped, “Didn’t the doctor tell you she had quick hands? Now you’ve got to clean her hand or she’ll put it in her mouth.”

“Holy cow, Mom,” I childishly whined, “I’ve only got two hands (voice cracks)!??!!!??!”

Mom placed Faatina’s soiled hand in between my fingers and said, “Get her other hand or you’ll be saaww-rreee.”

I trapped her other hand in my fingers and thought that I could now clean her up. Murphy’s Law states that whatever can go wrong will go wrong and at the least opportune moment.

Where and how did this child remember learning this? Evidently, the “captivating one” decided she didn’t like being held in a hog-tied fashion and started squirming and lifting her butt off the floor.

Mom said, “Be quick because she’s getting frustrated, you’re taking too long (I’m taking too long? Why doesn’t she co-operate?). Take the wipe and begin cleaning downward. That’s the way. With a girl, always wipe down; otherwise, you could get some fecal matter inside her vagina and she’ll get an infection.”

As I wiped I said, “Great, Mom, now you tell me I could kill her changing her dirty diaper.”

“I’m not joking about this, Sean,” Mom said. “It’s just a simple matter of anatomy. Okay now. Once you’ve got her relatively clean (four wipes later), let go of her hands and legs, open her little lips and make sure she’s clean inside. There, there’s still some under her hood. That’s it, good. Looks like you got it. Now lift her up by her ankles: that’s it, check and make sure she’s clean in back in between her cheeks. There. She looks clean. Now, put the clean diaper under her and fasten it and you’re done.”

To add insult to injury, my “captivating one” decided she wasn’t finished and began to take a leak. She released her bladder and began squirting all over the place: including me, while she squirmed.

“Boy!” Mom observed, “She’s really giving you a hard way to go, isn’t she?”

Mom reached in the bag and retrieved another dry nappy while princess peed on me. “She must really love me!” I replied.

Mom chuckled and replied wryly, “You’re lucky she’s not a boy or she’d have gotten you in the face: girls pee mostly down, boys pee up.”

Once my new daughter had thoroughly put me through the paces, I managed to get the damn diaper on her and fastened.

When finished, I raised my hands in glorious victory as if I’d just wrestled the biggest steer at the rodeo. Everyone clapped their approval, but I forgot something…

Although diapered, the “captivating one” was rolling away, still not dressed. Mom pointed and said, “She’s getting away!”

“Damn she’s quick!” I noted.

I grabbed her ankle and pulled her back as she giggled. To her, this was a game, to me it was a matter of male pride and she was kicking my ass!

I pulled her to my lap as she squirmed and giggled. I snagged one foot and got it in the leg hole of her pants. I grabbed the other foot and she started kicking and trying to roll over.

Fighting to pull a pair of pants up a twisting kid’s legs isn’t easy: let me tell you!

Once I had her pants up, it was time for revenge! I flipped her over on her back, trapped her hands in my left hand and pulled her arms up over her head. I held her squirming legs down with my right upper arm and pulled her shirt up to expose her tummy and began blowing zoobers all over her belly.

She was laughing and twisting and started to pant when Mom said, “You’d better stop or you’ll be changing a wet one for your folly!”

“Oops, didn’t think of that,” I said as I let her up.

Faatina lay there, just panting and looking at me with a smile on her face. Her eyes sparkled and again, she just melted my heart. I scoped her up in my arms kissing her cheeks and she laid her head in the nape of my neck. I carried her back to the table where everyone was seated and Mom said, “Just one more thing to do, Son. Take her to the sink and wash her hands with soap then wash yours. Always wash your hands and hers if she gets them in the way whenever you’re finished changing her.”

I took her to the sink, bent and raised my knee against the sink and sat her down as I turned on the water. I let her splash as I soaped her hands and after rinsing and drying her, I set her down on the floor. As I washed, Faatina grabbed my leg hugging me.

Priya and Alpa began to softly cry at the sight. I gently picked her up and hugged her to me and moved to sit with her at the table. Alpa gasped when she saw Faatina gently rub her cheek against mine.

We turned and Salima asked her what was wrong. Alpa spoke and Salima said, “She said that Faatina used to do that to her when she was an infant, but hasn’t done it for years.”

That tiny action brought all of us a glimmer of hope that trapped inside her brain was memories from the past. How many more, we could only hope would soon be revealed.

Priya rubbed my back and remarked, “Sean, I’m so very happy right now. I knew you’d be a good father and she loves you already. I’m so proud of you!”

Alpa, still sniffling remarked, “My heart soars with joy at seeing a man show my baby love. I know she’ll be all right. When will you arrange the wedding?”

We looked at each other in silence and I said to her as Salima translated, “What if I told you that there wasn’t going to be a wedding?

“No wedding?” she asked surprised.

“You and Amaad,” I replied, “have given me complete and total guardianship of Faatina. I am now her parent. Amaad no longer has the right to give her hand in marriage and he cannot tell me what do with my child. I cannot, in good conscience, marry Faatina in her current mental and physical state. What she needs now is love and encouragement like a parent would give her and teach her how to be a little girl and hopefully become a woman.”

Alpa silently gave a soft smile and said, “You tricked him into believing that you would marry her didn’t you?”

Nodding I replied, “Yes I did.”

Looking at Salima she said, “He’ll probably beat me for this you know.”

We looked at each other in sadness of her revelation and Mom said, “Alpa, do you think Sean’s doing the right thing by not marrying her?”

“Yes and no,” she replied. “Yes because she’s too young and incapable of understanding and no because I know that Sean would always cherish her no matter whatever becomes of her.”

“But don’t you understand?” I asked, “I’ll love her no matter what as her father. I don’t have to marry her to love her unconditionally.”

Alpa got serious and said, “No, you don’t understand, do you?”

“What?” I asked, “What’s there to understand?”

Alpa, being very devout, was well versed in Islamic law said, “According to Islamic law, you entered into a legally binding contract of marriage with Amaad, Faatina’s father and legal guardian or Wali Al-Amr. He made an offer of marriage, no matter how cunning and you accepted in a single sitting being witnessed by two or more witnesses. Since Faatina cannot speak for herself, her father has the right to do so. Regarding her infirmities, you knew before you accepted his proposal her age and that she had an infirmity so it cannot be used to nullify the agreement. You accepted her as she is and stated that you would take her into your house and that the wedding would be scheduled at a date to be set. I think your words were “…after all the arrangements can be made.” He will contend using Islamic law, that you deceitfully conspired to steal his parental rights and took his daughter away from him and knowingly committed a sin”

We were all dumbfounded as we looked at each other. Alpa said, “This is not just my opinion. It is required of Muslims that they comply with any agreements that they enter into. Marriage is a holy contract and not like the sale of property or an item in which the buyer may change his mind before consummating the transaction. I can think of several scriptures that apply.

Allah said, {Yaa ayyuhaa alladhina aamanoo aufoo bi al-'uqood...}

{O you who believe fulfill your contracts...} Al-Ma'idah:1

And, "Al-muslimoona 'alaa shurootihim."

"Muslims are bound by their stipulations." Abu Daud & Al-Hakim (sahih)

Also, the Prophet said: "Ahaqqu maa aufaitum min ash-shurooti maa istahlaltum bihi al-furooj."

"The conditions which you have the most duty to fulfill are those by which you have made marital relations lawful."

Finishing her point, Alpa said, “You also offered Faatina a dower of ten million dollars along with a gift to her father. You consummated your agreement by paying him the gift, which he accepted. This fulfills all the requirements of a legally binding contract of marriage according to the Koran. He will bring you before the Imam and state his case and he will win. The Imam will require you to return Faatina to her father and punish you by whipping or you may honor your contract and marry her.”

It felt like I’d been shot between the eyes and Mom and Priya were dumbfounded. Adib and Salima looked at each other then Adib said to me, “She’s right, Sean, You could be labeled an infidel and banished from Islam.”

Alpa said, “If it were possible, there’s nothing more I’d like to see happen than for you to raise her, but if he regains custody of her, I hate to think what might happen to her. To force your hand, he would notify the authorities that you have an illegal relationship with Aleeya and you would then be civilly prosecuted for child abuse.”

“Heaven forbid!” Mom exclaimed.

Priya said, “He doesn’t know what Sean’s real intentions are, right? Sean, if you follow through with the contract as agreed, all of this can be avoided, can’t it?”

Looking around at each other, Alpa, Salima and Adib nodded while the three of us sat silent. Faatina sat playing with my nose, distracting my concentration, oblivious to the serious discussions about her fate.

I looked at her lovingly as she smiled innocently at me and I wondered what I was going do. I sighed and said out loud, “Boy, I really screwed up didn’t I?”

Mom soothingly said, “Sean, you did what you thought was right and it was worth the effort. I don’t see any way around it: you’ll have to marry her. If you go to jail, your family will be destroyed. You can marry Faatina and still raise her like a daughter. The only problem that will arise is when she’s old enough or mentally capable of understanding her true relationship with you.”

“What if I call the Imam and plead my case before any of this comes to light?” I asked openly.

“Depends,” Adib said. “He’ll tell you the truth. There’s still time to fulfill your obligations and he will probably tell you that. Either way, you will have to keep the contract or possibly face prosecution.”

“Well,” I said, “none of this is helping Faatina. Why don’t you girls go and get what she needs. I’ll call the Imam. By the time you get back, I’ll know what to do.”

Grudgingly, everyone agreed and started to rise. Mom said, “I’ll take Faatina with me, you need to concentrate on your discussion with the Imaam.”

“No,” I said solemnly, “she’ll be all right here. I’ll watch her. You guys go and get back as soon as you can. Without her, you can get things done much quicker anyway.”

Agreeing, the women rose to leave. Priya kissed me and said, “I’ll be all right. We’ll raise her and love her and take things as they come. The good thing is, she’ll be cared for and loved no matter what.”

Rubbing my back Mom tried to soothe me by saying, “Priya’s right, Son, she’ll have a life and know she’s loved.”

With that, the women left to do their shopping. I called the Imam and explained Faatina’s illness, her brain damage and her father’s intentions and what I’d done to avert Faatina’s demise. He asked me if I could prove any of this and I asked him how could prove a crime that I’d averted from happening?

He told me that that was the problem: I can’t. There’s no way to know what Faatina’s fate would have become because the conditions no longer exist for that to happen.

He basically told me that what I did was very serious. Just by me telling him, he could have me punished, but said that if I agreed right then and there to him to fulfill the contract I’d made, he would consider the matter closed. I told him that I would keep my word and thanked him for his advice and time. We exchanged salaams and disconnected.

Adib looked at me expectantly wanting to know the crux of the conversation. I sighed and said to him, “Looks like I’m gonna have a three year-old infant wife.”

“I’m sorry, Sean,” he replied, “but look at the positive side: if Alpa wouldn’t have brought this up, in a week or so, you’d be standing before a judge fighting for your freedom.”

“Yeah,” I said sadly, “I guess you’re right. I just hope Allah will give me the strength and conviction to do the right thing for her.”

Grabbing my hand firmly, Adib said, “Sean, you’re a very loving man and will do what’s right for her. She somehow knows that: see how she looks at you with affection? She knows she’s safe. It will all work out, just trust in God and He will help you. Salima and I will tell Me Ma and the rest of the family. Don’t worry, everything will work out.”

I played little tickle games with Faatina on the floor and about an hour later, I checked her diaper: whew! Dry (thank God)! I’d called Dad and informed him of my dilemma and he wasn’t happy. I told him that we’d be late for dinner and would be home soon after the women arrived from shopping. About two and a half hours later the women returned about six.

From the description of what they’d bought, it sounded like they’d bought out the shopping center: dresses, shirts, PJ’s, pants sets and jumpers, shoes, shampoo and conditioner, some medicine in case she ran a fever along with diapers and wipes (of course).

I told Mom and Priya I’d told Dad of the situation and that we should be getting home. Alpa said that Amaad would probably be contacting me soon about a wedding date and that she’d keep quiet about our discussion. We said our salaams to my in-laws and left to take Alpa home.

I felt sad when we dropped Alpa off. She lived in an area not much better than a slum and the conditions looked horrid. Although bad, it seemed that a great deal of the city’s population lived about this way. We left for home, sad to leave Alpa in those conditions with a brutal and uncaring man. She is a kind, loving good woman.

We arrived home about seven. Dad and the younger girls had eaten, so we sat and had dinner. I spoon-fed Faatina as she sat on my lap. Surprisingly, she co-operated and ate pretty well. Leeya looked on and we could see the sadness on her face as she looked at her now infantile cousin eating and cooing.

After dinner, I asked Leeya if she would play with Faatina in the living room as I talked with Priya and my parents. After a capsulation of the day’s conversation for Dad, I informed everyone of my conversation with the Imaam and the resulting agreement that I would follow through with the marriage.

Mom said, “Well, I guess I’d better make arrangements for Faatina’s wedding clothes then shouldn’t I?”

Dad replied futilely, “Yeah, why not. Not much else we can do, he’s got Sean over a barrel.”

“Now,” Priya said, “we’ve got to inform Leeya she’s about to have another sister wife.”

With that, we silently rose to go say prayers. I scooped up Faatina as the girls followed behind to say evening prayers. Faatina rolled around, playing with our shoes as we prayed. When finished, I asked Priya to look after Faatina while I talked to Leeya.

As Priya and Faatina played on the floor, Leeya and I sat in the sitting room. I said to her, “Leeya, my darling, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What’s that?” she asked plainly.

“I cannot take care of Faatina as my daughter like I’d hoped,” I explained. “In order for her to live with us and get the love and care she needs, I’ll have to marry her. I made a promise to her father and I have to keep it or I could go to jail.”

“I understand,” she said as she looked down, “But if you marry her, will you do those secret things with her and sex her”

“No, Baby I won’t.” I replied. “She’s too young and small and she can’t make any decisions like you did to do those things. I would be very bad if I did that to her.”

“Good,” she replied, “She’s just a baby and I think it would be bad touching if you did.”

“That’s right,” I agreed, “It would be bad touching. Even though she’ll be my wife, I’ll treat her like a daughter.”

“What if she gets better and wants to do secret things?”

“Well,” I answered, “we’ll just have to wait and see. That day may never come.”

“But what if it does?” she asked.

“We’ll discuss it when or if the time comes.” I replied. “We just can’t say now.”

“Alright,” she said, “I’ll love her like a sister. Can I still be her second mommy?”

“Sure, Sweetie,” I said, “I think she’d like that a lot.”

“I still don’t want to change her poopy nappy though,” she advised.

Chuckling I replied, “That’s okay; I think Priya, Momma and I can handle that.”

“Good.” she agreed.

Priya changed and readied Faatina for bed as Leeya and I did the same. We crawled into bed with Leeya on my left and Faatina between Priya and me. Priya turned on her side and cuddled Faatina to her. Leeya went to sleep within minutes and as Faatina fell off to sleep, Priya “Eeek’ed” out in surprise.

I turned and asked her what was wrong. She giggled and replied, “She’s asleep and nursing on my breast!”

I chuckled and quipped, “Well my dear, welcome to motherhood!”

As Faatina suckled in her sleep, I kissed my Beloved goodnight and we fell off to sleep ourselves.