After I had written Too young to wed and was agonising about all the child brides and how helpless I felt, it occurred to me that there was another side to the story - the husband's side. I had to write another story just to look at things from his side too. I confess, I couldn't see very clearly (being female and not being from that culture).
THE SAVOUR
(110 word flash fiction)
Khalid flops to his side. Lovemaking with Saida is always dissatisfying. Firstly, she doesn’t move. Then, she is so small. Guilt stabs at his heart. He shouldn’t have married someone so young.
But, her uncle had begged until he had relented. After all, he was saving her from possible rape and ruin. He had given her a ‘married woman‘ status. And now, the chance to be a mother.
Smug satisfaction wipes away the guilt. Saida gets up and leaves. ‘Ungrateful wretch! Crying all the time.’
Sleep clouds his brain as clouds obscure the moon just as the thought is forming that his child and wife could both go to school.
~~~
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