Bruises that actually aren't

 In her early years of marriage she noticed bruises and wondered how they came about. She didn't remember knocking against anything. She reasoned that since her pace of walking was fast and because she was plump the fat must have cushioned the knocks. Till her husband began to notice and vented out his suspicious nature on her. She was appalled at the accusations. He would then abuse her leaving her battered. Poor thing suffered. In spite of being educated she assumed it was a norm in marriage, maybe she deserved it, she couldn't tell her parents etc etc.  The bruises were not a regular occurence.

A few decades later and after her second marriage to a health care professional she was told  casually that it could be a vascular issue like purpura/ ecchymosis or petechiae. Her first shock was that he was so casual. There was no suspicion of any other kind. Ah. it was a revelation. The bruise like spots come occasionally thigh or upper arm. Small,no pain with purple-blue discolouration. The causes are many- from vitamin deficiency to ageing etc. Today she looks at them without fear or terror. If it increases she will check with a hematologist.

I was more concerned with the fact why she had not reacted in her first marriage. Was it patriarchal conditioning? Was it the poor self esteem? Was it because 'marriage' was highly glorified and sanctified then? Was it about what 'others' would think? How many women must have silently suffered or how many would have actually thought it is part of marriage, part of life to the extent that their status quo remained unchanged?