Posheeda (پوشیدَہ) -
Concealed; Hidden
*****
Marwan Qureshi, a commando in the Indian army had two goals set in life. One, not to let his father's poisonous words get to him and two, spend the rest of his life serving his...
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*****
*Part of the past*
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Ziah had once heard from her mother that the only soft place in this cruel world was the prayer mat spread ahead for the ibadah and to think that her words were nothing but true made it a necessity for her to spend more time sitting on the mat than necessary after her prayer was finished.
Gently untying her dupatta that she had tied in a hijab, Ziah looked outside the haveli's large window in hopes of seeing something to brighten the start of her day. It was yet another one of those summery mornings that reminded her just how harsh the sun's rays could be and she didn't dare stand too close to the window.
Her eyes peeked at the bustling street a few gates away from the haveli's entrance, a small smile spread across her lips when she saw a woman clad in black abaya holding a knitted bag in her hands making way to the residence she was in.
Ziah stopped herself from squealing and quickly darted out of her room after placing the jah namaz at a nearby chair. The day had just begun and Ziah loved the way it started.
"Oye ladki, aise kaha bhagi ja rahi ho?"
The cold tone of Khurshida begum made her stop at the last stair. Her fists clutched the ends of her dupatta tightly and she took in a shaky breath, ready to open her mouth to reply but before she could, a soft knock on the huge oak doors made her sigh in relief.
Khurshida begum's scrutinizing gaze followed Ziah's moves. Her forefinger tapped gently on the ends of the hukka that she was smoking, something she was addicted to since a young age. Disregarding the young maiden when her eyes fell on the familiar hooded figure of the woman, she looked back into the newspaper for the daily updates.
Ziah's smile couldn't get anymore wide as she looked at the woman who took a step inside and lifted her niqab. The familiar blue orbs that resembled the clean flowing waters filled with glaciers twinkled with delight while her relatively small and thin lips pulled into a smile.
"Malak! Khudaya, mujhe toh bhul hi gayi thi tu."
Ziah hugged her tight, eliciting a giggle from the young woman who couldn't be anymore happy. The gloominess that surrounded her 24/7 was only rid off when she was in the presence of Ziah, someone she had started considering as her elder sister.
"Andar aao, upar chal kar baat karte hai."
Ziah took her hands in hers, both wrists equally fragile and dainty. An assuring squeeze later, Ziah guided Malak towards the staircase but froze when Khurshida begum snickered humorlessly from the charpai that she was seated on.
