Sadia was left high and dry by this message. On the one hand, she did not get any solid reply from Kamal which just added to her already teeming uncertainty. On the other hand, she was puzzled by the problem Kamal was going through. She sympathized with the girl who was to become a scapegoat for settling a family dispute. But she did not know what to say to Kamal now. It had been so many days almost a month now Sadia had not slept with her doll folded in her arms. Perhaps life was teaching her how to behave more maturely: perhaps the mental upheaval was making it impossible for her to enjoy life in her usual way.
One morning while Sadia was getting ready for school, someone called on her home landline. She received the call, it was Masooma Auntie, she asked Sadia to call her mother. While mom was talking she could deduce that Masooma auntie wanted to visit that afternoon. In fact, it was something to do with Sadia because she heard her mother saying, “oh yes, she is back by 3 oclock but you better come early so you can have your lunch with us.” Sadia was not surprised. She could know from the looks her cousin, Farhan, Masooma auntie’s son, gave her every time he saw her, that he was interested in her. Farhan was a shy person like Sadia and probably never had the courage to speak with Sadia. He did say hi-hello to her occasionally though. But she had often caught him, staring at her, very meekly and cleverly, and the way he would lower his eyes quickly upon being caught clearly suggested, he had something which made him nervous.
Sadia could not concentrate on the lesson in her class. Miss Aasia was very crossed at her when she asked her to read a question, and she only kept staring at nothing in particular. She told her it was very unlike her and that she should be very careful as the principal and all the teachers had such high hopes of her to get a top position in the upcoming boards examination. It was after being grilled by miss Aasyia that Sadia realized how she had forgotten completely about her exam. She thought if she had not been reminded, probably, she would have not remembered the whole two remaining months.
All the day Sadia kept on thinking about the expected visit of Masooma auntie. She was almost certain that the purpose of the visit was her proposal. She did not know how her parents would respond. She started praying in her heart. She prayed that her parents decline clearly if there is any proposal from Masooma auntie’s side.
It did not take long for her suspicions to be confirmed. The person who opened the gate for her, her maid Lalina, a thirty five year old chatter-box, to her everything as soon as she opened the gate. “Sadia baji (baji is ideally used for someone who is older, out of respect, but since maids are thought of as too low, out of respect they would call even a 19 year old a baji), some people are here to ask your hand in marriage. I cannot wait to see baji’s hands made beautiful with henna. My cute baji is going to get married.” Without saying anything to Lalina, Sadia went straight to her room and plunged to her comfortable bed, face down almost burying herself there for a moment. She still had her shoes and white school uniform on as she lay there for some time, completely lost.
Sadia was left high and dry by this message. On the one hand, she did not get any solid reply from Kamal which just added to her already teeming uncertainty. On the other hand, she was puzzled by the problem Kamal was going through. She sympathized with the girl who was to become a scapegoat for settling a family dispute. But she did not know what to say to Kamal now. It had been so many days almost a month now Sadia had not slept with her doll folded in her arms. Perhaps life was teaching her how to behave more maturely: perhaps the mental upheaval was making it impossible for her to enjoy life in her usual way.
One morning while Sadia was getting ready for school, someone called on her home landline. She received the call, it was Masooma Auntie, she asked Sadia to call her mother. While mom was talking she could deduce that Masooma auntie wanted to visit that afternoon. In fact, it was something to do with Sadia because she heard her mother saying, “oh yes, she is back by 3 oclock but you better come early so you can have your lunch with us.” Sadia was not surprised. She could know from the looks her cousin, Farhan, Masooma auntie’s son, gave her every time he saw her, that he was interested in her. Farhan was a shy person like Sadia and probably never had the courage to speak with Sadia. He did say hi-hello to her occasionally though. But she had often caught him, staring at her, very meekly and cleverly, and the way he would lower his eyes quickly upon being caught clearly suggested, he had something which made him nervous.
Sadia could not concentrate on the lesson in her class. Miss Aasia was very crossed at her when she asked her to read a question, and she only kept staring at nothing in particular. She told her it was very unlike her and that she should be very careful as the principal and all the teachers had such high hopes of her to get a top position in the upcoming boards examination. It was after being grilled by miss Aasyia that Sadia realized how she had forgotten completely about her exam. She thought if she had not been reminded, probably, she would have not remembered the whole two remaining months.
All the day Sadia kept on thinking about the expected visit of Masooma auntie. She was almost certain that the purpose of the visit was her proposal. She did not know how her parents would respond. She started praying in her heart. She prayed that her parents decline clearly if there is any proposal from Masooma auntie’s side.
It did not take long for her suspicions to be confirmed. The person who opened the gate for her, her maid Lalina, a thirty five year old chatter-box, to her everything as soon as she opened the gate. “Sadia baji (baji is ideally used for someone who is older, out of respect, but since maids are thought of as too low, out of respect they would call even a 19 year old a baji), some people are here to ask your hand in marriage. I cannot wait to see baji’s hands made beautiful with henna. My cute baji is going to get married.” Without saying anything to Lalina, Sadia went straight to her room and plunged to her comfortable bed, face down almost burying herself there for a moment. She still had her shoes and white school uniform on as she lay there for some time, completely lost.