The Dawn Is On Us

C H A P T E R 2 6

C H I N A cups were brought out from behind. Hoor could only imagine that the kitchen was that way. She had arrived at this place, that she would now call home around thirty minutes ago. Since then she had been sitting in the living room, listening to the family talk and create laughter. She would occasionally laugh with them, still feeling the awkwardness radiate from everyone's behaviour. Well except for Mustafa and Alia auntie's family. They had been doing all that they could to make her feel at home.

The maids placed the tray on the expensive glass coffee table. Serving everyone tea, asking the amount of sugar each person required as they were served. Hoor had never seen anything so lavish. At most she had seens sugar being served along tea, never had her eyes seen people pour in your sugar for you.

All of this was new to her. The realisation of her and Mustafa not belonging to the same world becoming magnified times ten. She cursed herself in her heart, wondering why fate had played such a cruel joke on her. Perhaps her initial feelings of reluctance when Rehman asked for her hand in marriage, were infact true and not just another "brides nerves".

"Baaji kitni chamach?" The young girl stared at Hoor.
Hoor was shocked at first, never having been addressed so formally.
"D-do kaafi hain," she whispered.
Her heart was beating a mile a minute. She knew that in the upper class of society where money rolled out of their pockets as effortlessly as cheap cigarettes did from the pockets of the lower class, a fitness regime was mandatory. She could not help but be hyper aware of the gazes that were cast towards her. Making her shiver deep to the bone.

Luckily, as she was handed the fine china cup, no one made any comment. Making her relieved. The white porcelain cups that had the famous blue pottery designs, looked royal. A stark contrast to her, a peasant. The cups were hand crafted in Multan and were part of her mother-in-law's wedding gifts. Atleast that was what Alia aunty had told her. And Hoor had no reason to believe that the kind woman would lie to her.

"So Hoor what did you study at university?" One of Mustafa's distant cousin asked.
The look of arrogance in her eyes was a dead give away to the fact that the question had been asked deliberately, so that she could humiliate herself.
"Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aai," Hoor gave her a sheepish smile.
Feeling her palms sweat up with anxiety. Allah, what had she signed up for?

"Lagta hai aap parhi nahin hai," the same girl replied.
Hoor nodded her head in agreement. Feeling the tears fill up her eyes.
"Chalo saarey koi aur baat karo. Yeh kaisi baatein le kar beth gai?" Alia steered everyone away from the topic.

Hoor was grateful and gave her a smile. Before finally taking a sip of her chai. The milk tea rolled into her mouth as she took a small sip. The hotness of it causing a momentary burn to the tip of her tongue. Hoor savoured the taste. It was exceptional. One like she had never had before. She could identify the hints of the daar cheeni and saunf that had been added. She sighed in content. Feeling the fatigue of the day wash away.