SHE WOULD MARRY A

SHE WOULD MARRY A MAN EXACTLY LIKE HIM. I HAD ONE SECRET. ME: FEMALE, 28. ME: FEMALE, 28. I'M WRITING THIS FROM A SMALL ROOM IN A CITY MY HUSBAND DOESN'T KNOW EXISTS. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN A SON, SIX, AND A DAUGHTER, FOUR. THEY ARE NOT WITH ME. YOU WHY I GOT MARRIED AT 19 LET'S NAME HIM AHMED: HE WAS FROM MY VILLAGE EVERYONE SAID HE WAS A GOOD MAN OUR WEDDING WAS REALLY NICE AND LOVELY. BUT THE PROBLEM STARTED AFTER THE FIRST TIME HE I WAS 20 AND PREGNANT WITH OUR SON. HE APOLOGIZED FOR A WEEK, HE CRIED MORE THAN I DID. FORGAVE HIM BECAUSE I WAS YOUNG AND PREGNANT AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE I DIDN'T WANT MY SON TO BE SEPARATED FROM HIS FATHER IT NEVER STOPPED! FOR NINE YEARS, HE CONTROLLED EVERYTHING. HE TOOK MY SALARY THE DAY I GOT MARRIED AND NEVER GAVE IT BACK. NEVER GAVE ME ANY MONEY HE HELD MY ID CARD IN HIS DRAWER HE GAVE ME A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR GROCING AND COUNTED WHEN I CAME HOME FOR NINE YEARS THIS WAS MY LIFE. HE TOLD THE WHOLE VILLAGE I HAD MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, SO NO ONE WOULD ASK WHY I NEVER OR FAMILY GATHERINGS. MY OWN MOTHER HE DIDN'T LET ME VISIT MY OWN SISTER WITHOUT HER BEING WITH US TWO WEEKS AGO, HE BEAT ME IN THE KITCHEN BECAUSE THE TEA WAS TOO COLD. MY DAUGHTER WAS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY WATCHING SHE DIDN'T CRY. SHE DIDN'T SCREAM. SHE THE MOMENT I KNEW IF I STAYED, SHE WOULD GROW UP THINKING THIS WAS NORMAL SHE WOULD MARRY A MAN EXACTLY LIKE HIM. I HAD ONE SECRET.