You will both be sentenced to two years each in jail. Your baby will be born in jail. This is what you have done to yourselves and you only have yourselves to blame.

Bloody hell, I whispered.

That’s Syariah for you. No mercy.

What about the kid?

The kid will be fine. Two years in jail, then they come out and get married. Sorted.

The two teenagers were led off separately, she to serve her time in a female prison and he, in a male one. Who knew of the kinds of horrors they would encounter in those two years? Would their love survive? There were no tears for this young couple, no family who pleaded mercy for them. They had probably been disowned by their families, shunned by their villages, cast out like lepers.

Sumi and I looked at each other, wordless.

Then Marina was called.

Rashid bin Husin. Kesalahan Section 28 dalam undang-undang Wilayah Persekutuan, Kuala Lumpur.

Marina stood tall. Her lawyer, diminutive, beside her.

The magistrate softened when she spoke. She must have seen multiple cases like this. I will let you out on bail this time. But see this as a warning. If you are arrested again, you will not get off. Faham?

Then she sighed and shook her head. And took one last glance at Marina before she turned back to the stack of files in front of her. Next!

We were elated. Marina was going to be let out on bail.

Wait, no second hearing? I asked.

Let’s ask her lawyer, Sumi replied. Like I said, I am not sure how this works.

We both rushed out the courtroom and almost bumped into Marina’s lawyer.

We both thanked her profusely and took turns hugging a much-relieved Marina.

Aren’t you happy? I asked.

This happens over and over again, you know. It’s not like the law is going to change. We need to challenge it. It’s not just about me, you know. There are so many of us. And how many more times does this need to happen?

Marina stood there, impassioned, eloquent, her hands expressive.

Her lawyer spoke quietly. You need a lawyer who will fight this for you. I can’t do this pro-bono. This was a one-off Marina, I can’t. Sorry.

It’s okay, I will figure this out. Marina smiled widely and said, Thank you, darls, you are both angels for being here!

Marina was tired that day, but she woke up early and called for a taxi to Damansara Heights. It was the day of the wedding and she was to be the Mak Andam, responsible for the hair and make-up for the bride. She was no expert but her skills were good enough, and Del had insisted.