1 The beginnings

Start of the new beginning

Pari suddenly wakes up terrified. Her eyes are heavy and the only thing she can see is almost complete darkness. But she smells freshness and light scents. Her head is spinning and aching. She can hear some low voices in distant background. She tries to move her head and limbs, but it seems like the pain is not only in her head, but everywhere. Her arms are heavy and it seems like they are connected to some kind of wires. Her eyes are gradually getting used to be open, and she noticed that the room is not in complete darkness, but the lights are dim. She tires to look around without moving her head and is in a bit of awe of the luxurious and modern feeling of the room, the little she can see of it. It doe not seems like to be an hospital. Has she been into an accident? She tries to think, what happened to her. She had some kind of accident. Is she hurt? Is this the end? In a second hundred of thoughts are coming in her head and her head starts spinning harder and harder. And even though she tries, she cannot overcome the overwhelming tiredness and started falling into sleep. But just before she could feel some warm hands covering her cold hands and some gentle whispers.

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Start of the old beginning

Pari was around four years old when she started realising that she was born into a poor family of farmers. Most of the families around them, were like them. Being a kid, she did not know what is what like to be different. She was content and happy as long as she got food, and a hug when she cried. Life was nothing but roaming around in the little village behind her elder siblings. And her being the youngest one, got most of the attention from her elder sister. Her mother seems to have little time for her, and her father almost no time at all. But she was a happy child and did not mind. She did not know antything else.

It was a day after she turned four she saw the landlord family. They were on a visit, and her mother had dressed her into a new frock which she has sew with old garments which were too small for her elder sisters. She loved the forck with old laces and different colors. Her mother had an sewing maschine, which she used often. She also sew clothes for others to get some extra income. Sarah tought she looked lovely with her two poney tails tied with pink laces. Her hair was comed and oiled and faced washed with soap. She felt like the prettiest gir lon the planet hearing all the compliments around her given to her parents on her beauty.

Pari's family was blessed with good features, but the poverty always leave its mark. So they never stood out in the community. But was like a different creature. With big black eyes and shiny black hair, and porcelain skin with pink cheeks and lips, she was like a doll.

The family of landord was just coming for a short vacation trip in the town, and to show a warm gesture, they decided to have a small trip around the village to greet all the workers and farmers there. Paris big eys widened when she saw the ladies in the family. They wore the brightest colors she had even seen, the softests fabric she had never touched, and their jewellery was something she could never imagened. The gold bracelets sparkling in the sun from their wrists, their necklaces hiding the necks, the ears full of heavy earrings dangling down to the neck. Their lips shining of different colors, their eyes heavy with kajals. Pari was memorized. She wanted to know where these kind of women came from. Why were they so pretty, and how could they be so extravagant and different.

Some of the ladies from the landlord family sees her and stops while pointing at her and talking between them. Slowly with elegant steps, minding their clothes and shoes on the rocky and dirty way, they come and stop by her. Pari had her mouth open while looking at them, they just didnt look good, they smelled like jasmine and rose and lillies. - What a pretty little girl you have their, one of the old ladies say with a low and calm voice. -She is truely something, lady behind her remarks. And so the praises go on. Her mother bows her head and smiles and takes all the kind words and good wishes politely. But among all the praises and voices Pari sees somone and her eyes are glued. It is a boy with big hazel eyes, looking at her. He is some years older than her, but it is like something is dragging her towards him. Pari is paralized and awstruck. She can't move and her eyes are frozen. It is like she has known him for a long time. She is so young and cannot understand the feelings. She sees him disappear with the family but he occasionally stops and sees behind his back looking for her and she sees him disappering.

Pari's spellbound is over as her mother hugs her when she sees that the nobel family has gone. They have given her some money and one of the ladies have taken down her own gold earrings for Pari. They insisted that Pari should get her ear pierced and her mother should make her wear the gold earrings. They were old, but heavy and was worth more than Paris mother could ever afford of luxury items.

Looking at Pari her mother Rekha had several times thought that a beauty and brains like her does not desever the life they will provide her. But she had dismissed her thoughts several times and made her self busy not to dwell over these kind of thoughts and voices in her head disturbing her. Now when strangers had praised her daughter the thoughts came back. Pari was still so young, but daughters grew up so fast. Pari was the smartest of her children, being only four she had already learnt math from her older brothers and sisters and could read. She deserved to have oppertunities to get an education, but her mother was in doubt. Was it right for her to give Pari the oppertunities of a brighter future when she wasn't able to give the same chances to her other children? Would her siblings mind that? And why shouldn't the oppertunity of education go to her son Jay. He was not as smart as Pari, but he was a boy. Someone who will be there for his parents when he gets old and can provide for them. But it was something that worried Paris old mother. She was almost 40 when she gave birth to Pari, and the love she had for her, was different. Still she never allowed herself to complety love and cuddle Pari as she wanted. She wanted to keep a distance. She did not understand her feelings, but deep down she knew that Pari was not meant for her. She would fly away like the small birds who fly away and leave their nests and never look behind.

That night she talked to her husband, Paris father about her thoughts and the low voices in her head telling her that Pari could not stay there with them, she belonged somewhere else. Her husband seems like he was not listening. After a hard day labouring in the hot sun, he was always tired in the evening. He used to like sit with friends and have tea time after dinner, but even that he wasnt able to take time out for. Life was nothing but hard work, he did not have time to enojy it for a second. The only thing he wanted after dinner, was to lay down and sleep. But he listende to his wife. They had decided that they will do the investment of educationg in Jay. They could only afford one child, the other children had not shown interest in school of any kind. Even though Jay was not the brightest one, he enjoyed school. Paris father closed his eyes and thought about when he was young and just got married. What a happy time he had. It was maybe the only happy time he had. With seven kids to feed, the burden was getting heavier and heavier even though the eldest ones did help him.

The birth of Pari was not something he was looking forward to. He was blessed with children, both daughters and boys. His house and hands were full. But he did forget all his worries the first time he saw Pari's innocent face and beauty.

-Are you listening, Pari's mother exclaims. Yes he was indeed listning. He opened his eys and said to her, let me think about it for a day or two, and I will let you know. Rekha lowered her eyes and said, I have an idea. But we have to swallow our pirde. She was willing to do whatever it took to give Pari a future she herself never could have.

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