The Dawn Is On Us

C H A P T E R 0 7 | T R A N S L A T E D |

S O U N D of the tight slap echoed throughout the small house. The intensity shaking the window panes. It was a slap of justice. An outcry from a father who could see the future of both his children in doom. Jamal had never felt a sense of hopelessness so strongly. Not even when his first wife had died in his arms. He did not know where he went wrong or what wrong did he do in the past to be given such a destiny.

"BESHARAM! SHARAM NAHI AAI TUJHE? JAB TERI WAJA SAI EIK BAAR PHIR TERI BEHAN KO KOI TUHJRA KAR CHALA GAIA?!"
[Shameless. Did you have no shame? When because of you once again someone rejected your sister?]
Jamal grabbed the collar of his son, Ali, who did nothing to say in his defense.
What could he say? All was out in the open. Perhaps had it been the first time he could have expected his father to show him a little bit of mercy but it was the third time his actions had reflected on his sister.
"Abu mujhe maaf kardein. Ainda aisa nahi ho ga,"
[Dad forgive me. This will not happen again]
Ali spoke weakly, still not believing that a slap was all he would get for his actions.
"Ainda ka kia matlab? Are jo barbad hona tha woh tou hogay na hum! Ab bata konsa sharif khandan banay ga isko apni baho?"
[What do you mean next time? What had to be destroyed, is destroyed. Now which respectable family will make her their daughter-in-law?]
Jahan-ara stepped into the father son debate. She knew her husbands weak resolve. A plead or two and all would be forgiven.

"Aur aap Jamal sahab. Kin sochon mein gum hain? Aray iss baat ka yakeen kar lein keh yeh ladka haaton sai bahir nikal chuka hai. Isko bhattay par bheja tha na tou phir yeh wapis uss juway keh aday par kaisay ja pohncha?"
[And you Mr.Jamal In what thoughts are you lost? Now belive this thing that this boy is out of our hands. You sent him to the brick kiln right? Then how did he end up with the gamblers again?]
Jahan-ara pointed fingers at her husband, it was his leniency that had turned her worries into a solidified reality.
"Jahan-ara ab sabr karo. Jo hona tha-"
[Jahan-ara have patience. What had to happen-]
Jamal tried to cool down the situation.
"Kia matlab jo hona tha? Uss bachi keh toottay khwab nahi dikhtay aapko? Saari zindagi ussi ki kamai sai ghar ka pahiya chalain gai? Jo khud kama kar haath mein rakhte hain woh tou jawaan jaahan beta aiyaashi mein uda deta hai. Isko smajhain baap ki sugar mill nahi hai!"
[What do you mean? Do you not see that poor girls dreams breaking? Do you want to run the household with her earnings for the rest of your life. What you earn yourself, your young son wastes in the wrong things. Tell him that his father does not own a sugar mill]
Jahan-ara huffed and left from there. Had she stayed a minute longer, her son or her husband would have been beat by her.