Her sister's off in jail somewhere, got charged with prostitution. Two months. Z told me not to go to her house anymore. That if I want to talk to R, have her come to their house. S says they need to run away. R needs to go off to Agadir or something and find a job.
I just came back from R's. Her mother was fanning the flies off the face of her grandchild, her illigitimate grandchild. And now she cries nightly, daily about how her family could possibly be falling apart like this.
When her sister ran away the first time, taking her mom's money wrapped up in a scarf, she ran off to a house in this village for five days. Then she took a taxi to Tata.
When questioned if she stayed at the man's house, she said yes. When they asked if he gave her money, she said yes. And though he gave her money and she stayed at his house, and that's all that happened, they call it prostitution.
She won't talk. She's quiet anyway, shy, keeps those brains all locked up in her head and doesn't share 'em with anybody. She isn't defending herself.
S says, "Yeah. And her other sister doesn't even live in that house. She and her baby are in another house."
I just came back from R's. Her mother was fanning the flies off the face of her grandchild, her illigitimate grandchild. And now she cries nightly, daily about how her family could possibly be falling apart like this.
When her sister ran away the first time, taking her mom's money wrapped up in a scarf, she ran off to a house in this village for five days. Then she took a taxi to Tata.
When questioned if she stayed at the man's house, she said yes. When they asked if he gave her money, she said yes. And though he gave her money and she stayed at his house, and that's all that happened, they call it prostitution.
She won't talk. She's quiet anyway, shy, keeps those brains all locked up in her head and doesn't share 'em with anybody. She isn't defending herself.
S says, "Yeah. And her other sister doesn't even live in that house. She and her baby are in another house."
"I know," I reply.
"You know?"
"Yes, like four months ago she moved there."
S looks surprised. "Well I just found out yesterday. How is it you know more than I do?"
"There's no man in the house, that's why," he continues. And just a couple of days ago Liz was recollecting all the girls she knows that are strong, speak their minds, do what they want, get into trouble, and there's no man in their houses either.
15 days, Z says, R and her mother have been having it out, fighting all the time. Momma raised her girls to be strong, stand up for what's right. But what's right? And so she rubs her fingers ever so softly along her necklace of prayer beads, pleading to God to care ofr her and her poor children asking, "Why have you brought this to me when I've tried to do good?"
R curses it all. She's got that brain racing. She's saying you mother fucking family, why'd you have to go and fuck it all up for me? I had my true love waiting to marry me, and now, now I have a sister that went and fucked a whiter man, giving us this bastard child, and another one that's gone off to prison because she won't open her mouth and tell her story.
I remember when the letter came. She tore it up right after she read it, the letter saying he didn't want her anymore.
"You know?"
"Yes, like four months ago she moved there."
S looks surprised. "Well I just found out yesterday. How is it you know more than I do?"
"There's no man in the house, that's why," he continues. And just a couple of days ago Liz was recollecting all the girls she knows that are strong, speak their minds, do what they want, get into trouble, and there's no man in their houses either.
15 days, Z says, R and her mother have been having it out, fighting all the time. Momma raised her girls to be strong, stand up for what's right. But what's right? And so she rubs her fingers ever so softly along her necklace of prayer beads, pleading to God to care ofr her and her poor children asking, "Why have you brought this to me when I've tried to do good?"
R curses it all. She's got that brain racing. She's saying you mother fucking family, why'd you have to go and fuck it all up for me? I had my true love waiting to marry me, and now, now I have a sister that went and fucked a whiter man, giving us this bastard child, and another one that's gone off to prison because she won't open her mouth and tell her story.
I remember when the letter came. She tore it up right after she read it, the letter saying he didn't want her anymore.
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