Mirror Mirror

Grand Che Aters Hotel ✈️

Reflection of the past:::: you're not alone!!

A short story to promote awareness about abuse, neglect and responsibilities one may experience along the way.

A woman went back home with her to sons to her homeland. Her husband went with them as just to accompany them get there safely. The couple were in a process of separation at the time, the woman still took the responsibility to keep him safe in her homeland as much she could, because at the time on that part of the country, civil war is at large.

They booked themselves in a grand hotel in the city for three nights. So the kids can have some time to adapt to the climate and people of their mother’s native ground.

Their relatives came to see them everyday for the two days. Then they stayed with them for the last night.

The first two days and nights had been quite eventful.The father behaved himself and didn't drink too much, he was able to join in with the boys outings. Although he did his own thing at day time most of the time, while the relatives who came to see dotted on the boys. As they think, that children who are born with a foreign blood is a Demigod. And that their nephews are just visiting for a short time. So why not make the most of it.

The third night, the husband didn't turn up for dinner. He left very early that morning she assumed, because when the boys asked where daddy was at breakfast, he didn’t came down neither. But when her brothers and nephews turned up, all was forgotten. The day went on as usual. Went back to their own room, freshen up before dinner. The family got worried as he wasn't answering his phone. The brothers went to look for him all over the place. The search lasted until midnight. The woman just about to give up searching and sat with her eldest son on the lobby sofa of the hotel. She wondered where could he be? Her brothers knew all the places to look for him. They wouldn’t have left a stone unturned, but they weren’t in luck. They couldn’t find him, went back empty handed. And so she said they could go get some rest and look again in the morning.

She was worried about what would his family think if her something bad had happened to him. She thought of many horrific things that could have happened to him. Being a foreigner, someone could have mugged him, or he is hurt somewhere.

She couldn’t bear it if something horrible happened to him, she didn’t hate him that much. She was about to get up and have another search for him, but then her son gently touched her on the arm and said “ mommy I’m hungry”. She smiled longingly at him, and as she stood up, picked her son up and gave him a big embrace and a gentle kiss on the cheek. She loves her boys..... they came first before her own. And this Little Man is half of her most precious possessions.

And she walked over to press the elevator’s button on to go back up to their room. Her son settled himself better on his mother’s hold and put his little arms around her neck. The down arrow light of the elevator flashed. Someone was on the elevator, as a common etiquette, move aside and let them out first. Her eyes were looking down. She could hear laughter inside. She assumed must be a couple. It never came to expect what is about to happen. She slightly turn her head to look as the elevator’s door slowly opened. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t believe what she’s seeing, the couple’s laughter she was admiring she recalled, as her husband just about to step out of the elevator with another woman. There eyes met, frozen gazed. When she finally collected her senses together. She confronted him that she have had a search party for him because we haven’t seen him all day and he didn't turn up for dinner. She explained to him that didn't care less seeing him with another woman. She said, I was just worried of what your family would think of me if something bad had happened to you. You are my responsibility while you’re here.

But the husband turn red faced, he grabbed her by the throat and ushered her into the elevator. Her son shrieked as he fell on the floor. As he got a hold on her throat and pushed her on to the elevators wall, he said to her ” we are not together anymore, I do what I want and go as I please”.

The woman was nearly out of breath by the time he let go of her. And he left with his woman, and he was about to kick his son on his way out but the security came to check what the commotion was. When she caught up with her breath, she picked her son up still crying on the floor and comforted him, said sorry she lost her grip and dropped him. As her son is yet too young to understand what is happening.

The woman pleaded to the security not to make a fuss about it. She wanted not to let her family know what just happened. And went on back to her room with her son on her arms. She sat him on the kitchenette bench, and went to grab the bottle of milk and a tub of yogurt. She brought it over to him and draw an imaginary halo above his head with the bottle of milk. This has been her tricks to divert her sons attention when he hurt himself from falling when he was learning to walk. After she put the milk bottle and tub of yogurt beside her son, she smile and made a little dance and softly sang” you are my Angel my darling angel” with that he was smiling again. She gave him a glass of milk and a spoonful of yogurt, brushed their teeth together and put him to bed.

She haven’t had a wink all night, there was nothing particularly in her mind. Just couldn’t sleep.

When it came to light, she went to have a shower first before her son wakes up. Give her time to get ready herself. After shower and dried herself up, she walked over to the mirror, the red marks from last night’s event starting to show. As normal, she didn’t want anybody in the family got to know, she concealed the marks with a scarf. When her son woke up, dressed him up for breakfast with the family at the restaurant downstairs. Her two year old son was already been tended by her nephew to feeding him when she got to the breakfast table. She gave her little boy a kiss on the forehead and sat herself down. Her nephew got her big boy to seat beside him. As she was picking on the fruits and bread, her brothers were looking at her questioningly. Her brothers wondered and asked why she wears a scarf in the middle of summer. But she only said, she just felt like wearing a scarf. Her husband wasn’t even thought of that morning.

The family visit is for three weeks, although her husband accompany them until they arrived on their hotel, he didn't go with the family until two days after.

As the bruises had now shows badly on the woman’s throat, she still wore a scarf. And or something that cover up her throat. But her nieces loves to pamper her everytime she went back home. One of them offered to give her a massage, she started on her head, and started to relax, she had forgotten about what she had been concealing under the scarf. As her niece took the scarf out, she shrieked and everyone in the house gathered around to see what it was. Everyone went awfully quiet, they were waiting for her to say something.

At that moment, the husband came out of his room as well to know what was it all about.

She picked the scarf up, and wrapped it back around her neck. As her tears fell from her eyes, she took a deep breat and let it out, she couldn't described how she felt at that moment. She felt embarrassed, exposed and worried and angry at the same time. She didn’t know how to begin. She didn’t utter a single word. She just let her tears out. As it’s always been, she just cried everything out. In her mind, she's strong, everything will workout well in the end.

Her boys started crying when they saw their mom’s tears. Even the family were crying, wasn’t a crying time session was it? No one utter a word, not a sound, just tears shared among them.

Her brothers didn't have to asked what had happened, how she got those bruises. Their eyes turn red, clenched fingers and ready to kill feeling is clouding their good natured personality. They felt terribly angry and pained for their little sister. Their expressions spoke louder than any words could describe. They looked over to their brother-in-law and back to their sister. The husband didn't think twice, he exited quickly as he could, as he knew what will happen to him once she start to speak.

Her father was devastated of such abuse, in their culture, once you’re married, they can’t get involve or go in between a husband and wife’s squabble, but he was calm and advised her to stay strong for her children. And so that’s how it was, and left it at that.

So as their booked holiday approaching, they enjoyed themselves. Although she didn’t want to leave her family she needs to take her children back. Back to her hidden purgatory. She was glad that her brothers didn't touch a hair of her chikdren’s father. They didn’t leave the country altogether coming back, he paid for a visa to stay for another week longer. She’s one not to share such personal events to others. But she gave more to others, more than she could keep for herself. So everyone thought, she was doing well and happy, little they know she kept it all to herself because she was raised to do just that. She is well equipped with good intentions and self discipline to get over anything.

She didn't go back home for few years after that event. She busied herself with her children's education as a father and a mother at the same time. Although it was hard, she tackled all hardships for her children's sake.

Year's went by, she finally gathered her might to raise the children on her own. If only, she knew better then, or even had all resources to help her. She distanced herself from her friends and avoided social events, things may have turned differently if didn’t do that. It might not had been so bad if she had someone to confide to. But she went through the life’s battle that made her stronger at heart. Alone!!

She coped all the physical and emotional abused without anyone knowing. But when she finally gathered all those bruised emotions in a heap, she was glad to get away. Experiences made her stronger, and yet stayed kind. She knows where her loyalty lies, she knows her place and most of all, she knows her true self.

It wasn't all that bad that she got cheated on for a few times, and collected bruises, she was happy to be alive and that she was given another chance to raise her boys up with her love for them. And still had the chance to start over again.

”Happiness doesn't have to be expensive, she didn't need much, laughter is free. Just be yourself. Sorround yourself with genuine being, they will be your golden shield in times of need”

There are so many women’s group and organisations that help women who are experiencing and in similar situation. You are not alone!!!

Regards to

M.F.Basalo

LR2020