Inem

1
The story is being told by a six year old boy, Gus Muk. He is the son of the Inem’s master. The story begins with a hardworking girl, Inem, who lives with Gus Muk’s family as a servant. The daily tasks for Inem are helping Gus Muk’s mother with cooking and watching over Gus Muk and Gus Muk’s younger brothers and sisters.

2
One day, when Inem is heating water in the kitchen, she talks excitedly with Gus Muk.
Inem: “Gus Muk, I’m going to get married.”
Gus Muk: “You’re joking!”
Inem: “No, the proposal came a week ago. Mama, Papa and all the relatives have accepted the proposal.”
Gus Muk: “What fun to be a bride!”
Inem: “Yes, it’ll be fun, I know it will! They’ll buy me all sorts of nice clothes. I’ll be dressed up with powder and mascara. Oh, I’ll like that!”
Inem is looking forward to her wedding happily.

3
Inem’s mother is a worker. She makes a living by doing batik work. She provides good batik printings for the villagers.

4
On the other hand, every villager knows about Inem’s father. He is a criminal, robber, and gambler. Everyone scares of him. He keeps gamecocks. All he likes to do is to wager his bird in cockfights and play cards with neighbours for a cent a hand.

5
One afternoon, Inem mother makes her way to Gus Muk’s house to request the permission to bring the daughter, Inem back home.
Inem’s mother: “Ma’am, I’ve come to ask for Inem to come back home.”
Gus Muk’s mother: “Why do you want to bring Inem back? Isn’t it better for her to be here? You don’t have any of her expenses, and here she can learn how to cook.”
6
Inem’s mother explains her intention for bringing Inem back is to marry Inem off to a well-to-do man’s son, Markaban after the coming harvest. Gus Muk’s mother has tried her best to dissuade Inem’s mother but it all comes to a failure. Inem’s mother feels lucky that Markaban wants to marry with her daughter and insists to bring Inem back.
Gus Muk’s mother: “What? Inem is going to married at only 8 eight year old?”
Inem’s mother: “Yes, ma’am. We’re not from upper-class people, 8 year old is old enough to be married now. If Inem gets married, she’ll be able to help out with the household expenses.”

7
Gus Muk’s mother calls Inem who is working in the kitchen to come out.
Guk Muk’s mother: “Inem, do you want to get married?”
Inem says softly as to be most inaudible while bowing her head: “Yes, ma’am.”.

8
Inem returns to the kitchen and continue does her work. Gus Muk’s mother is still not satisfied with Inem’s mother intention for Inem to get married off. Inem’s mother is surprised with the Guk Muk’s mother’s saying.
Guk Muk’s mother: “It’s not right to make children marry now, children will be stunted and their health will be affected. Especially if the husband is also a child”
Inem’s mother is silent.
Guk Muk’s mother: “Since you’ve made up your mind to marry Inem off, I only hopes that she gets a good husband who can take care well of her.”
Fifteen days after visiting, Inem’s mother fetches Inem home.

9
From the day Inem leaves Gus Muk’s house, Gus Muk feels lonely as loss of Inem’s companion. Gus Muk used to go to Inem’s house and played with her. Gus Muk’s mother was angry when she found out.
Gus Muk’s mother: “Gus Muk, what can you learn at Inem’s house that’s of any use?”
Gus Muk’s mother: “What’s the point to play with her? There are lots of children can play with you. What’s more, she’s a woman who is going to be married soon.”

10
After Inem’s mother fetches Inem home, Inem’s family makes their preparation for the ceremony.
The house is decorated with constructions of banyan leaves and young coconut fronds. On each wall there are crossed tricolor flags encircled by palm leaves. All the house pillars are similarly decorated with tricolor bunting. Inem’s family engages a troupe of dancing girls
.
11
Finally, Inem and Markaban get married. When the bridegroom comes to be formally presented to the bride, Inem, who has been sitting on the nuptial seat, is led forth.

12
Back to his home, Gus Muk recalls that Inem was crying during the wedding. He asks his mother for the reason of the bride crying. His mother mentions it may be due to the typical feeling of the bride, but actually Gus Muk’s mother is wrong. Gus Muk finds Inem had been crying is due to she had to urinate, but was afraid to tell anyone.

13
After wedding, Inem’s mother and Inem herself go on doing batik work-day and night. And if someone went to their house at three o’clock in the morning, that person would be likely to find them still working.

14
Once, when Gus Muk is sleeping with her mother on their bed, a loud scream awaken him: “I won’t! I won’t!” The screams are repeated again and again, accompanied by the sound of blows ad pounding on a door.

15
Gus Muk wakes his mother up.
Gus Muk: “Mama, why is Inem screaming?”
Gus Muk’s mother: “They’re fighting. I hope nothing bad happens to that little girl.”
Gus Muk: “Why would anything bad happen to her, mama?”
Gus Muk’s mother: “……”
16
One day after the wedding, Inem goes back to Gus Muk’s house to approach Gus Muk’s mother. Her face is pale bloodless. Before saying anything, she sets the tone of occasion by crying in a respectful way.
Gus Muk’s mother: “Why are you crying, Inem? You have been fighting with your husband again?”
Inem: “Ma’am, I hope that you will be willing to take me back here as before, will you?”
Gus Muk’s mother: “Inem, but you’re already married, aren’t you?”

17
Inem cries and sobs some more.
Inem: “Ma’am, please take pity on me. Every night all Markaban wants to do with me is wrestle, ma’am, I really can’t stand it anymore.”
Gus Muk’s mother: “Can’t you say to your husband, ‘Please, dear, don’t do like that’?”

18
Inem starts to plead Gus Muk’s mother.
Inem: “I’m afraid, ma’am. I’m afraid of him. He’s so big. When he wrestles he squeezes me so hard that I can’t breathe. You’ll take me back, won’t you, ma’am?”
Gus Muk’s mother: “If you didn’t have a husband, Inem, of course I’d take you back. But you have a husband…” Inem: “Ma’am, I don’t want to have a husband.”
Gus Muk’s mother: “You may not want to, but the fact is that you do, Inem.”
Then Gus Muk’s mother tells Inem the ways to be a good wife. After finishing, Inem slowly rises and walks home.

19
After Inem leaving Gus Muk’s house, Gus Muk approaches his mother.
Gus Muk: “Mama, does daddy ever wrestle you?”
Gus Muk’s mother: “No, your father is the best person in the whole world, Muk.”

20
After 1 year later, Inem goes back to Gus Muk’s house again on a certain occasion. In the course of a year she is apparent more mature, although only nine years old. Inem goes directly to where Mother is and sits on the floor.
Inem: “Ma’am, now I don’t have a husband anymore.”
Gus Muk’s mother: “You’re divorced?”
Inem: “Yes, ma’am.”

21
Gus Muk’s mother asks the reason that causes their divorce. She reckons that Inem has failed to do the jobs as a good wife.
Gus Muk’s mother: “Did you fail to be a good wife to him?”
Inem: “I think I was always a good wife to him, ma’am.”
Gus Muk’s mother: “Well then, why did you separate?”
Inem: “Ma’am, he often beat me.”
Mother is silent. Her eyes scrutinize Inem.
Gus Muk’s mother: “He beat you?”
Inem: “Yes, ma’am – he beat me just the way Mama and Papa do.”
Gus Muk’s mother: “Maybe you failed in some way after all in your duty to him. A husband would never have the heart to beat a wife who was really and truly a good wife to him.”

22
After Inem has expressed her doing, she starts to ask Gus Muk’s mother for given the opportunity to do as the servant at her house again.
Inem: “Ma’am, would you be willing to take me back again?”

23
Without any hesitation, Gus Muk’s mother replies to Inem and rejects her.
Gus Muk’s mother: “Inem, you’re a divorced woman now and there are lots of grown up boys here. It wouldn’t look right to people, would it? I’m sorry that I can’t take you back.”

24
Inem remains sitting on the floor, and has no intention to leave Gus Muk’s house. At this moment, Gus Muk’s mother goes up to Inem and pats her shoulder consolingly.
Gus Muk’s mother: “Now, Inem…the best thing for you is helping your parents to do the work for earning a living. I really regret that I can’t take you back here as a servant anymore.”

25
After the request being rejected, Inem gets up and goes back lonely to her parents’ house.

26
From that day, Inem is seldom to be seen outside her house. Since Inem is nothing but a burden to her family, she can be beaten by anyone who want to hit her such as her mother, brother, uncles, neighbours, and aunts. Although she has a hard life, but she never approach to Gus Muk’s house anymore.

27
Every night, Gus Muk can hear Inem shouts for pain. He feels afraid but cannot do anything to help Inem. Gus Muk can just cover his ears with his trembling hands.
The story comes to the end.