Salma asked Sadat, "what are you doing Sadat?" He replied, "Mom, I was tired, wanted to have a cup of tea, just went to check if Shabo was awake so she could make me a cuppa." Salma was not fully satisfied with the answer but since she had not seen anything herself, she could not reprimand her son on mere suspicion. She still however told him that instead of going there, he would have better awakened mommy.
The next day Salma asked Shabo if Sadat had happened to her room. She denied. It was impossible now for the two to talk or sit together now, given the new incident which had taken place. The next week the family was going to attend a wedding and Sadat was not going. Her mother always believed it was good to keep her son from being seen by other relatives unnecessarily as he might be struck by the evil eye (nazar). She was reluctant to let Shabo stay behind but she had to since she could not trust the other maids fully.
It was a golden opportunity for Sadat and Shabana to meet up. As soon as the family had left, Sadat asked Shabo, who had been dusting one of the rooms, to come over to his room. Shabo came to him. At first Sadat was very angry and annoyed, but later when Shabo told him that she had been a tremendous problem in her life and that she was still suffering from its sequelae, Sadat's attitude changed. He was not able to decide what to say. He told her she should have informed him. Shabo kept crying and Sadat tried to console her.
Sadat was not very happy when he was leaving. His mother asked him why it was so and he told there was nothing like that. Shabo too was upset but being a maid she had no right to express any dismay.
Sadat wondered about what happened to Shabo. He felt as if he was to blame. For the first time, it occurred to him that we had been doing was sinful and shameful. He started to feel guilty. He felt as if he had done a wrong that could never be undone. Once he just asked, Moazzam, his best friend in college, what he would do if he had been in a situation like his.. He did not mention that the guy was him and the girl was his maid Shabo. Moazzam told him the best course of action would be to get married to the girl and give the story a happy ending. "If it was only so easy!" wondered Sadat, without making the remark out loud.
Sadat wondered how it would feel to have Shabo as his wife. He thought it was impossible because all the odds were against it. First and foremost, he had a cousin, Zareena, and, although Sadat was never attracted to her, and found her rather a plain girl, she was promised to Sadat ever since the two were children. Sadat had heard his mothers and sisters talk sometime about their marriage. Second, she was his maid and none in his family would agree to this marriage. Last but not least, Sadat was sure Shabo was loyal to him, he had his suspicions.
Salma asked Sadat, "what are you doing Sadat?" He replied, "Mom, I was tired, wanted to have a cup of tea, just went to check if Shabo was awake so she could make me a cuppa." Salma was not fully satisfied with the answer but since she had not seen anything herself, she could not reprimand her son on mere suspicion. She still however told him that instead of going there, he would have better awakened mommy.
The next day Salma asked Shabo if Sadat had happened to her room. She denied. It was impossible now for the two to talk or sit together now, given the new incident which had taken place. The next week the family was going to attend a wedding and Sadat was not going. Her mother always believed it was good to keep her son from being seen by other relatives unnecessarily as he might be struck by the evil eye (nazar). She was reluctant to let Shabo stay behind but she had to since she could not trust the other maids fully.
It was a golden opportunity for Sadat and Shabana to meet up. As soon as the family had left, Sadat asked Shabo, who had been dusting one of the rooms, to come over to his room. Shabo came to him. At first Sadat was very angry and annoyed, but later when Shabo told him that she had been a tremendous problem in her life and that she was still suffering from its sequelae, Sadat's attitude changed. He was not able to decide what to say. He told her she should have informed him. Shabo kept crying and Sadat tried to console her.
Sadat was not very happy when he was leaving. His mother asked him why it was so and he told there was nothing like that. Shabo too was upset but being a maid she had no right to express any dismay.
Sadat wondered about what happened to Shabo. He felt as if he was to blame. For the first time, it occurred to him that we had been doing was sinful and shameful. He started to feel guilty. He felt as if he had done a wrong that could never be undone. Once he just asked, Moazzam, his best friend in college, what he would do if he had been in a situation like his.. He did not mention that the guy was him and the girl was his maid Shabo. Moazzam told him the best course of action would be to get married to the girl and give the story a happy ending. "If it was only so easy!" wondered Sadat, without making the remark out loud.
Sadat wondered how it would feel to have Shabo as his wife. He thought it was impossible because all the odds were against it. First and foremost, he had a cousin, Zareena, and, although Sadat was never attracted to her, and found her rather a plain girl, she was promised to Sadat ever since the two were children. Sadat had heard his mothers and sisters talk sometime about their marriage. Second, she was his maid and none in his family would agree to this marriage. Last but not least, Sadat was sure Shabo was loyal to him, he had his suspicions.