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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*****
Ziah woke up with an unpleasant feeling surrounding her form. It had been less than 24 hours since she was in this haveli and not a single positive thought or feeling had knocked in her mind.
The room that she had called hers for more than a decade felt unfamiliar, as though she were new to her own home.
The windows of the room were open. The monsoon had been generous to where she lived and it had been drizzling all night after a heavy downpour in the evening.
Trying to shake the unsettling feeling in her stomach, she took her sweet time in taking a shower. She hadn't conversed with anyone, not like she had someone to pour her heart out to in the first place but when Khurshida begum had invited her in with her cunning smile, she left for her room with a curt nod at the mother and son duo.
Changing into a pair of comfortable blush pink cotton kurti and cigarette pants, Ziah wrapped the thick chadar around herself to secure a sense of safety. She felt as though she was walking on shards of glasses, each step pricked her albeit lightly.
"Uth gayi? Acha hai, aao, nashta karlo."
Khurshida begum called out upon seeing her walk down the stairs. The khat she was sitting on was filled with steaming hot food but Ziah didn't have an appetite.
"Bhuk nahi hai. Aap khale."
Khurshida begum scrutinized her for a moment before humming in reply and continuing her meal.
Ziah rubbed her left elbow while gazing at the main door of the haveli. Just past the gate that was at a distance, the streets were bustling like usual with passersby and sellers.
"Acha, woh tumhari dost hai na, Mali-"
"Malak."
Ziah tasted the name that sounded so sweet to her. It had been ages since her friend of long had been mentioned and her once dim eyes lightened up a little.
Khurshida begum disregarded the correction and spoke further,
"Haan wahi. Maine use bolaya hai tumse milne. Kuch der mein aa jayegi tumhe madad karne ke liye."
At this, Ziah frowned in confusion. Turning her gaze at the old woman who was nonchalantly chewing the morsel she had just consumed, Ziah spoke,
"Kaisi madad?"
"Nikah ki tayyariyon mein."
A stunned silence ringed next to Ziah's ears as her face lost all the remaining colour. Her eyes blinked a few times to clear the deceitful haze and she focused her vision on the woman who seemed unaware of the havoc that she had caused not seconds ago.
"A-aap-"
"Parso ki tareekh nikali hai maine. Chaho toh apne woh dusre dost jo tumne banaye hai, unhe bhi bula lo."
