GOLDEN SUMMER – The nightmare begins

INTRODUCTION

It was a Golden summer with soaring hot temperatures of 35 degrees, its June 10th 1958 in East Pakistan in a town called Srimangal

(A town known for its tea plantations and bungalows) built by the British.

Mr and Mrs Chowdhury were a happily married Muslim couple with 8 healthy and beautiful daughters.

Every year Mrs Chowdhury would get pregnant, the couple were desperate for a son Finally after having 8 daughters and the long wait, Mrs Chowdhury was expecting a son,

Could this be a dream come true and the bundle of joy that she had been waiting for or a tragedy that’s about to unfold?

Chapter 1- My mother’s last breath

it’s 10am in the morning, Mariam was sleeping in her bed with the bed sheet over her head. She could hear the rooster making its call that indicated it was morning time.

Mariam has 4 older sisters and 3 younger sisters. Mariam is 9 years old.

“I have to get ready for school!” Says Mariam feeling excited about her day.

She then remembers its Saturday and she starts to relax. The Sunshine blazes through the blinds and it's very humid. The table fan rotates slowly with no cool air coming through, Mariam changes into a white cotton dress.

The mid wife had arrived early that morning and was holding Mrs Chowdhury’s hand, Mariam could hear her mother’s scream in the next room as she was in labour.

All the sisters were born at home, this delivery was no different.

“Come now, just push” says the mid-wife

“I can’t do this, it’s too painful” Screams Mrs Chowdhury with beads of sweat pouring down her face.

Half an hour later, a baby starts to cry with its umbilical cord still attached!

“Well done my love, meet our baby boy” says Mr Chowdhury with happy tears rolling down his cheeks. He holds the baby wrapped in a white towel.

"I feel so tired and very weak,” says Mrs Chowdhury with a faint voice.

The Mid wife looks at Mr Chowdhury with a frown on her face.

“I can’t take out the placenta as its stuck and your wife is bleeding very heavily, we need to stop the bleeding immediately,” says the Midwife shouting

“Please don’t shout, keep your voice down as my children can hear you in the next room and there must be something you can do to save my wife! Says Mr Chowdhury with panic written all over his face.

“I will pay you good money, please just help her” says Mr Chowdhury with tears in his eyes.

After a few minutes have passed, its so quiet that you could hear a pin drop!

“I’m not going to make it, please take care of the children and our baby boy my love, I love you.” Says Mrs Chowdhury whispering into her husband’s ear with her last breath.

“Sshhh my jaan, please don’t talk like that” says Mr Chowdhury

Mrs Chowdhury’s grip weakens as she lets go of Mr Chowdhury’s hand

“No, please don’t leave me,” Screams Mr Chowdhury sobbing loudly as he holds his wife to his chest.

He recites something in Arabic as his wife has passed away.

Mariam runs into the room shocked to see her father sobbing and stroking her mother’s hair and the sight of so much blood makes her feel sick.

“Daddy, what’s going on.” Shouts Mariam rubbing her eyes and yawning.

“Your mother’s dead go to the other room and stay with your sisters.” Says Mr Chowdhury with a solemn looking face.

Mariam can feel the tears running down her cheeks. She puts her hand over her mouth and runs out of the room.

In the dining room, the sisters are unaware of what has just happened,

“Where’s mummy? I want some food as I’m so hungry!” Shouts Faridha who’s 4 years old.

“Come and play with my Dolly, why are you crying” Says Rehana who’s 6 years old.

Mariam looks frantically for her oldest sister Fouzia who is 15 years old.

Fouzia has found out the sad news and is sobbing into her dupatta and trying to console her other sister Atiya, the nightmare has just begun as family life has been turned upside down.

The baby is crying, and everybody can hear Mr Chowdhury shouting at the mid wife and blaming her for Mrs Chowdhury’s death.

“I need to go and get the baby, he’s probably hungry.” Says Fouzia rushing to the other room.

Mariam starts to sob; all she wants is a hug to ease away the pain.

Mariam runs out the house pushing the metal gate open. She feels her stomach twisting tightly as she vomits near the gate, The servant calls out her name, but she continues to run down the road as fast as she can, not bothering to look back. The beads of sweat start to fall down her face, she can hear the rickshaws riding past her and the cars vibrating, she feels confused.

She runs into the field where there are brightly coloured marigolds growing. The filed is scattered with orange and yellow flowers. Her tears start to roll down her cheeks and her eyes become blurry!

She feels tired and out of breath as she trips and falls onto the ground hitting her for head on the ground.

Chapter 2- The Guardian angel

Mariam lands on the grass face down, the orange and yellow marigold petals fall on top of her head and onto her back.

She feels a light touch on her arm, as she turns around, she is surrounded by a vision of an Angel in bright white light and wings. She squints her eyes because of the bright light.

“Don’t be frightened my child, my name is Nora, I’m your guardian angel, why did you run away from home?”

“Mamma’s dead because of my baby brother, he killed her, who’s going to look after us now mamma has gone?” "I hate my baby brother!" Says Mariam sobbing.

“Don't hate your brother, he's only a baby and It was your mother’s time to leave this planet. I can tell you she’s in a better place as she’s in heaven where she’ll find peace. She’s given me a message to give to you.” Says the Guardian angel with a warm smile on her face.

Mariam can’t control her sobbing as she looks up at the Guardian angel’s bright aura.

The Angel calmly places a hand on Mariam’s shoulder.

“Don’t cry my love, the pain will go away as time is a healer of pain, your mother is saying you’re a very brave and special little girl. You will find comfort from your sisters and your father. You also need to take care of your baby brother."

"Every day (from now on) you need to give him a kiss and hold his hand and tell him how special he is!” Says The Guardian angel

Mariam feels an instant release of positive energy running through her body as the Angel’s hand rests on Mariam’s shoulder.

“Your Father is already upset for losing your mum and he will be very worried if you don’t go back home. Remember the message from your mother, be brave, look after each other and take care of your baby brother by giving him a kiss and holding his hand.” Says the angel with a warm expression

“Yes, I will look after my brother, thank you Angel” says Mariam smiling from ear to ear.

As she looks up, the Angel has disappeared.

“Is this really happening to me or is this a dream? Says Mariam to herself. She pinches herself to check! Maybe she hit her head a lot harder than she thought, she rubs her for head but can’t feel anything strange!

She stands up and shakes the marigold petals off her body. She plucks one of the flowers to take home. She places it in her pocket of her cotton white dress.

She rushes back home, as she walks into the house, there are strangers walking in and out of the house paying their respects and condolences to the family.

A lot of her relatives look at her with pity in their eyes.

Aunty Ayesha has arrived (She is Dad’s younger sister) who’s married and lives on the next road called College Road.

The adults are talking about the funeral arrangements whilst Fouzia sorts out lunch and takes care of all the younger siblings.

“Go and wash your face and hands, lunch is almost ready.” Says Fouzia looking at Mariam with a stern look. The servant gets the table ready.

“I’m not hungry, the angel said we need to take care of each other and our baby brother.” Says Mariam

“What was that?” Asks Fouzia who’s too busy preparing lunch.

Before Mariam can answer, the baby starts to cry.

Mariam runs into the bedroom to go and see him, Aunty Ayesha comes to the rescue by picking him up, He is wrapped in a clean white towel,

“Don’t cry baby brother, everything is going to be okay” says Mariam kissing the baby’s forehead and holding his little hand.

“Asalamu-alikum Aunty,” says Mariam looking at Aunty Ayesha lift the baby into her arms. She gives Mariam a gentle hug.

“Walikum salam betty, yes everything is going to be okay. I’m going to be looking after the baby until your father is ready to take him back."

"Your family have been through enough trauma and stress for one day and your father is in no position to look after the baby” says Aunty Ayesha with a big smile on her face revealing her brown coloured teeth after chewing beetle nut.

“The Angel said I have to take care of my baby brother,” says Mariam with raised eyebrows

Aunty Ayesha starts to laugh and pats Mariam on the head

“You’ll be able to look after him whilst he has grown up, in the meantime, take care of each other.”

“Bye my darling baby brother, I love you,” says Mariam kissing her brother’s forehead and squeezing his tiny hand.

The baby makes a cooing noise.

Aunty Ayesha whispers a few words to Mr Choudhury and rubs his back to comfort him.

Mr Choudhury sits slouched on a chair in the corner of the room with blood shot eyes. He’s too traumatized to speak and doesn’t notice as Aunty Ayesha leaves the house with the baby.

“Now remember Mariam, you can come and visit your brother any time and make sure you stay safe, and you pray for your mother, I will come and visit you all after the funeral. Take care my darling.” Says Aunty Ayesha as she waves goodbye.

As Mariam stands at the front gate watching Aunty Ayesha walk off, she notices her guardian angel and her mother dressed in white.

Mrs Chowdhury smiles at Mariam.

“Everything will be okay Mariam.” Whispers Mrs Choudhury

Mariam turns around to see if there’s any body standing behind her to notice this vision, but no one is there.

As she turns around, the angel and her mother have disappeared!

She can smell a strong scent of Marigold flowers which were her mother’s favourite flowers.

Mariam feels a sense of relief, she runs into the house to tell everyone about her vision, but no one believes her, would you?