Story: The Best B-Day Present

 

One distinct memory was my tenth birthday...

"Happy tenth Birthday!!" Papa yelled in the morning at 12:00 am. 

My father was always so excited for my birthdays. My mother on the other hand was less excited. 

"Ten years ago, God cursed me," she would say. She ALWAYS wanted a son, and she often forgets that I exist. I already have a brother though. Let me explain from the beginning. 

My father is married to two women. Many people have misunderstanding about historical polygamy. It's unusual, but in many cases was permitted due to war in which many men died which led to a shortage. Thus, men would marry more than once as long as they could treat them equally and the wife agreed.

I have two mothers. My biological mother, Rani, had me ten years ago, and my father had a second wife, Rooafzah. Rani was jealous of Rooafzah, not only because she had to share my father with her. Also, Rooafzah gave birth to a son, my younger brother Rayan. He is thirteen now, handsome (because obviously he looks like me ;) )  and he has always been a sweet brother. 

Back to my birthday...

On my tenth birthday, Rani decided to give me the worst birthday present. 

"Let's go get Rajakanya a birthday present," she exclaimed to Rayan.  

My mother has never given me a birthday present, so I was intrigued when Rayan told me about this. 

Rayan discussed his skepticism with me. I remember him asking me, "Is she okay?" 

I decided to sit in the car while they picked out "my birthday present." My mother didn't like the idea of me in the car because obviously this was my birthday present, so this was supposed to be a surprise. I went anyways. She decided that she should go alone with my brother in the store while I waited in the car. It made sense in the moment.

Time passed on and on. I got tired of waiting. It felt like an hour and a half. I decided to get up and found Rani right in time walking back from the store with a bag in her hand. 

"Let's go," Rani commanded as if she did not go into the store with my brother. 

"Where is my brother?" I asked with no reply. I was furious, but what could I do? 

He was gone. I got out of the cart and looked everywhere for my brother.  

It was the worst birthday present ever that Rani gave me that year.  It was a rotten apple. She said it reminded her of me. What was even worse was that my beloved brother was missing.  

Two weeks later...

I stumbled across a well in which I heard a familiar voice. It was one too familiar. It was my brother. I was sure of it. I grabbed my phone and called the police, and they were able to find someone to help get him out. 

I pleaded that he should go back home and see Papa and Rooafzah.

"I wouldn't and couldn't," Rayan explained how this was not the first time Rani had done something like this before, and this would not be the last. 

"I would be able to stay alive only if he lived away, got a job, and kept my head down," Rayan suggested. 

I wished he got justice or revenge. Rayan being the sweet guy that he is explained, "she will have that son she always wanted,  but watch, that son is going to be a nightmare," 

Authors Note: This story was based on Raja Rasalu's  The King and his Two Queens. Overall, I kept the story very similar but added more of a backstory to many of the elements I thought needed to be expanded. In the original story, the King was married to two women which I kept similar. I gave a backstory to why he had two wives. In the original, the queen without the son tries to kill the other son, and he is in a well. She thinks he is dead, but he survives. I created a similar scenario as well but again gave more of a backstory to why he didn't go back.  The one without a son asks for a son from the son she tried to kill in the original, and she doesn't recognize him. He recognizes her and says that she will have a son, but he essentially make her cry as much as his own mom cried because his mom thinks he is dead. I made him less revengeful, but he is also still upset and hopes that her son will be a nightmare. I altered the story a lot by adding a sister who was there all along and was not included in the original story.  I also made it a birthday story which was not part of the original. I chose this image because it depicted South Asian jewelry, and they were wearing an outfit called Anarkali's which I thought was cool. It gives a picture to the scenario.  This story's purpose is to give a background on the narrator's point of view. Many people do not support polygamy. Regardless of my position on polygamy, I understand its historical significance and wanted to help others be more aware of why people historically did that. 

Image Source: "Mughal Princess;" Web Source: Wikimedia

 

My changes: I changed a lot about how I discussed polygamy. I think I discussed it too casually. I don't agree with polygamy nowadays unless it is consensual. I wanted to get that across. I also altered a couple worded areas that sounded strange to me or repetitive phrases. I can't believe how weird I worded the polygamy section. I am slightly embarrassed. I think I was trying to go with a chill vibe, but it just sounds like I am very weird which is not wrong. However, I don't know if the class is interested in that.