By the Bay Ch. 08

Meera had insisted that she would help take care of Jay. Anita assumed her sister volunteered to do so only because she felt guilty for her actions. And although Anita had forgiven her, she welcomed the company at night when Meera would sit with her as she made sure Jay slept well.

She was thumbing through the cook book, looking for an interesting recipe to read about, when she came across the recipe for chocolate cake. Almost immediately, Sami came to mind, and his words haunted her.

Nineteen and educated. You better get her married off quickly.

She looked up at Meera. Her sister was curled on another chair, scribbling in one of her notebooks. Her unbound hair fell over her shoulder and draped across the arm of the chair.

"Meera," Anita called softly so as not to wake Jay.

Her sister looked up, eyes slightly unfocused. She blinked several times before responding. "Yes?"

Anita put her book down and walked across the room. Meera uncrossed her legs to make room for her sister on the large chair. When Anita sat, Meera put her pencil between the pages of the notebook and turned her body towards her sister.

"What is it?" she asked, a slight frown of concern creasing her features at the serious look in Anita's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I just have to speak with you about something important."

"Like?"

"Your future."

Meera nodded. "What about it?"

"In a week, you'll be finishing school, and in a few months, you'll be nineteen. I think it's time we started talking about your marriage."

"My-." The soured look on Meera's face was almost comical. She froze in shock for the whole of ten seconds before she shook her head vehemently. "No, no, no, no."

Anita frowned. "What do you mean, 'no'?"

"'No' as in never. Why would you want me to get married?"

Anita reached out and touched her sister's hair. What a beautiful color. "Because that's what women do when they turn of age, Meera. There is nothing more I desire than to see you wedded with a dozen children at your feet."

Meera paled. "No... I can't."

Anita frowned yet again. "Why can't you?"

"I don't want to be married."

"Well, why not?" Anita asked, clearly shocked.

"Because marriage is a way for men to domesticate women and make them their slaves."

"Meera, that is absurd!"

"That is true. I will never be married to a man."

"You say that as though you expect to be married to a woman."

"It would be better than marrying a man. Especially if it's a man whom I'll never meet until the wedding."

Anita sighed. "Not all men are bad men, ma," she reasoned.

"Perhaps. But I assure you that most of them are."

"People will speak badly of you if you don't get married."

Meera turned reproachful eyes to her sister. "Why do you care what others think, ka? Isn't my happiness more important than that?"

"You will be happy once you have a houseful of children. It is every woman's happiness."

Meera stood. "Not mine."

"Where are you going? We haven't finished this discussion."

"I have nothing more to say, ka. I really don't want to be married."

Both sisters stared at each other until Meera sighed and turned away. "I'll be in my room."

Anita watched her go, feeling something in her heart breaking. The dream of Meera surrounded by a roomful of kids was evaporating, and it crushed her. All her life, Anita had hoped that one day her sister would wed, but now it seemed like it would not happen. She would not give up speaking to Meera about it, however. She didn't want her sister to end up like her.

Her gaze slid to Jay, who still slept deeply. In need of comfort, she rose from the chair and slid into the bed beside him. As she curled herself around his body, a hand reached out and pulled her closer to him.

He buried his nose in her hair and murmured her name, sending a burst of joy spreading through her heart.

*