Love Bites

As she came out of the bedroom she could feel a searing pain and humiliation seeping out of every pore of her body.

The women, and there were seven of them including three housemaids, looked at her. They could hardly suppress their sniggers. With their eyes mocking, they were all sharing jokes amongst themselves. They were all talking in hushed tones. But she did hear two words spoken clearly and tauntingly. Perhaps they wanted her to hear those words, ‘love bites.’ 

Pain and humiliation became unbearable for only she knew that the man could only bite.

“How come brother allowed you to come out of the bedroom? His first wife could leave only after five days….and nights. He was madly in love with her but still that wench….,” her sister-in-law stopped mid-sentence when her mother-in-law glared at her.

She was stunned to learn that she was the second wife of the man. Her father had all along been extolling about her in-law’s wealth and land and property and social status. But he had not uttered a word about his first wife.

But what can a poor man do when he has four daughters to marry and has arranged dowry for none?

‘What was she trying to say?  Perhaps they know what type of man he is?’ she could only wonder.

“He is shouting for you, go to him….quickly; don’t ever keep him waiting,” mother-in-law ordered, politely.

But fear had made her feet immobile.

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A post for A to Z April (2015) Challenge.

L for Love Bites

I have one more post on letter L

L for Lie