When Minah was twelve years old, she had the responsibility to help her parents to feed her other seven siblings. Therefore, at the very young age she started to work at Madam Basri’s shop. Minah was an obedient and hard working little girl. Soon, she became Madam Basri’s right-hand girl. But then, thing was turned upside down.
The other day, Madam Basri came back from her five days sojourn and found out that the emergency money that she put in the locker was missing. Minah was became the prime suspect. Without thorough investigation Mdm Basri punished her; Minah had to stand still, half naked in the middle of the market for the whole day. That was the day where never be forgotten for the rest of her life.
Few days after the incident, she left her home town and lived her life alone in the big city challenged this cruel... cruel... cruel world. Humiliation, tortures from the human and nature were her endless companion. But, the determination to keep her parent and siblings happy was built with a strong concrete deep down in her heart.
At the age of eighteen, she was a well-known calling girl. She spent the money that she earned mostly for her siblings’ education. Over the years, finally her family’s life was gradually getting better. One by one, her sibling got a secure job once they graduated from the university. Until then, she decided to settle down to be a mistress of a rich tycoon. She enjoyed the luxurious of life beyond her dream.
After two decades, Minah decided to visit her home town to see everybody she knew when she was little. The old memories came to her mind: the suffering, the hunger that she endured in that very land. The surge of curiosity to see Madam Basri was unstoppable in spite of no a particular intention, whether she would taking a revenge or a reconciliation.
Minah found herself in front of a skinny old lady who was sitting on the edge of an old bed. The room was unfurnished, musty and filled with the smell of tobacco. She tried to move closer and said, “Emak...It’s me Minah”. Suddenly, Madam Basri’s hands were shaking and her body was trembling as she trying to reach and figure out where the voice and the fragrance of Minah’s perfume coming from.
Hesitantly, Minah held Madam Basri’s hands and then stroke them gently. Long ago, Minah ever had a dream to kill her as she was the kind of person who was means, difficult to deal with and like to belittle other. But now, she was a helpless blind person.
The rich Minah hugged Madam Basri as she told her that she was forgiven and she would like to send her for eyes surgery to give her another chance to see her face again. But, with all her mighty strength Madam Basri pushed her to the ground and yelled, “Go away! You are a little whore!”
Fiction by Hayati
