Hope

One fine day, my cousin from the US, who was a doctor visited our house. She was a unicorn in our family. She was independent whereas all other women in our family were housewives: my mother, aunts, grandmoms, elder sisters, everyone. They got married after a certain age, became moms, and took care of their marital homes, a predicament, decided at birth.

This also meant that girls were unwanted, as they were seen as burdens, who would need dowry to get married. Also once married, they would take care of their in-laws rather than their own parents. Hence, everyone wanted boys, to receive dowry and ensure they were cared for in old age. My family was no exception, and my parents had four of us girls, in the hope of getting a son.

But that visit by my doctor cousin gave both me and my mother a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, I could become independent and the pride of my family.