Jalal was commander of the house. Without having served in military, he acted like a Colonel or General. His family to him was below him and they needed to obey his orders as if they were in military. He showed no emotion for the suffering of Mehri or his children. He believed that his second marriage should be accepted as a normal act by his first family. He had changed over night. He was now in that constant mood that had always frightened his children; but in past his children knew that kind of state of mind was temporary. Having a double personality, these days he chose the temper that was hated by his family and was loved by his second wife, Sima.
The second wife, Sima was a miracle to him. She poured light all around him and herself; like making an invisible wall between the two of them and the first family. She called his first family "The Rest" audaciously. Neda, who used to be his light and comfort, as she was to her grandparents, being the youngest of all the grandchildren from both sides, was not allowed to enter his study anymore. The grandchildren were all boys except Neda and Maryam, the daughter of Mehri's brother. Maryam, her cousin, was Sohrab's age; however, she was Neda's best friend. She told Neda one day:
"If you're waiting for your father to change and this love affair loses its color, you're waisting your time..."
How well Maryam knew her family and her. Neda was certain that Sima was poisoning her father's mind against his first family. Neda was not allowed to criticize her father for what he had done to them all. How could it be possible for a man like her father to change this much and this quick almost over night?
The very first day when father brought Sima home without even being embarrassed, Neda's heart pounded violently. She just could not concentrate anymore on her writing or school. One thing father did though that seemed almost fair in their situation. He let Mehri, his first wife to keep their bedroom on the first floor. This was the bedroom they shared for over twenty years. He furnished a room on the second floor for his new bride. This room was across from his study. Neda's room was next to his study. They practically never used this room and within years it had become like a storage room. He hired some people to clean up the room and painted it and used one of his most beautiful Persian Rug in there. He bought a very beautiful bedroom set for this room. Nobody knew it was him that choosing the color or it was his new bride that was telling him since she had never been in the house until the day the room was completely finished with furniture, red covering for bed, and dozen of red roses to finish it up. They used the second floor's hallway as a second living room with antique furniture. This was not a normal hallway but it was square shape with window which faced the garden area.
The day that he, single handily finished all the work on the second floor, he slept in this new bedroom by himself. The next morning was the day he brought home his second wife. He began sharing this bedroom with Sima and never went to see Mehri, his first wife again as most men with more than one wife do. The Koran said that a man who was financially capable, could have up to four legal wives as long as he treated them all equally. He was financially able, thanks to Mehri's money, but there was no equality in his behavior and the way he treated his two wives.
Neda longed old days, her rapport with her father, his love for her, his passion for his family, and above all his allowing her to use his books and to talk to her about them. They were all gone. Memories of childhood and her father's interaction with all of them, brought Neda a strange and poetic touch and a relationship with Mansour, one of her father's friend, who also helped him in the business. For some odd reason, Mansour visited them almost every evening now, and even for more astonishing purpose, father did not mind this visits. He rarely came to their house before. But now he visited them almost daily. Neda and Mansour were becoming close to each other. In fact, father was encouraging it.
Her mother noticed everything and knew exactly what was happening. One day, she took Neda aside to have some privet conversation with her.
"I see that you and Mansour are always talking with each other." Mehri began, trying not to irritate her opinionated daughter.
Neda thought for a moment. She knew that her mother was right, yet since it was her mother who was giving her a warning, she objected it as most teenagers her age would do.
"Yes, we're not doing anything wrong. Dad is not objecting it. We just talk!"
Mehri responded as if to herself:
"Don't you see what your father plan is? He wants you to fall in love with Mansour so he can marry you off. You're the only one who makes him uncomfortable!"
Neda broke in rudely:
"Mom, you're paranoid. Since you can't do anything about your situation, you think everyone has a plan. I don't think dad is having Mansour to come here for this reason! He used to come here before."
"Not every evening sweet heart! Don't you see how your father is pushing you two together. You're only fifteen years old. Mansour is twenty years older than you. He doesn't have a real job. He hasn't finished his college. He still lives with his parents. He..."
"Mom," Neda broke in: "I really like him. You're just so delusional..." Then she left her mother and went to her own room.
To Be continued
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