Third Person's POV:
"Hafsa! Hafsa! Come here right now!" A shadowy figure standing near the balcony of a dimly lit room turns her head towards the noise coming in her silent room from the hall through hallway. As the noise stops the figure once again turns, her round close set eyes fixed out at the bustling road again where time seems to stand still and the world outside fades away into the gentle embrace of twilight. Then, she brings her phone to her ear, continuing her conversation again.
"Okay, Mr. Shaha, I'll provide all the reports and documents by tomorrow. If you need any additional reports or documents, please don't hesitate to contact me. Thank you, and have a great day." In her professional tone, she stated before she ends the call, With a deep inhale, she raised her shoulders and exhaled loudly with a sigh. Closing all the work documents, she once again heard the voice calling for her to come out of the room.
"Hafsa! Get out of your room!" Hafsa let out an annoyed sigh and called back, "Coming, Ammi" (mother), as she placed her phone on the bedside table. Walking towards the door, she exited the room. Moving through the beautiful hallway adorned with green leaves and flowers, she finally entered the elegantly classic hall, which exuded an earthly vibe. Upon entering, her gaze fell on her mother, seated on the couch in the soft glow of the sunset while the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the sky in shades of orange and pink, deepening the sense of a peaceful state. Her mother was busy cutting vegetables for dinner. Sensing her presence, her mother turned to look at her with a mildly firm expression.
Looking at her mother's furious face, she senses danger so she stands at the end of the hallway and guttural "what is it, mom?"
Her mother raised the knife in the air and shook it from side to side, grumbling, "What is it, huh? Do I really have to tell you how you embarrassed me? Huh! What did you say to Aftab?"
After a few moments of silence, Hafsa crosses her arms over her chest and turns her head away.
"What wrong did I do?" she snapped. Of course, every child's ego hurts when their mom takes the other child's side. But for Hafsa's situation, it was not just the ego of her mother taking the side of the other kid; she was also siding with this society where you have to maintain a good reputation with false people, give up on your own rights, and ignore others to satisfy this society. Which Hafsa's mother desperately wants to maintain a facade reputation for the society.
"I don't want to hear about who's right or wrong here. If your answer was no, then why didn't you say that from the beginning when they came asking for your hand?" Hafsa's mother dropped the knife she was using to cut vegetables, letting out an irritating sound as she gave her daughter a disbelieving look.
"Kyunki ammi pehle mujhe nahi pata tha ki wo 1.5 lakh dahej maangne wale hain. Agar maine unhe dahej se zyada haq-mehar mangne ki farmaish kar li to is mein kya burai hai, jabki mangna mera haq hai." Hafsa brings her eyebrows together and said in a calm voice trying her best to not disrespect her mother by raising her voice." Hafsa brings her eyebrows together and said in a calm voice trying her best to not disrespect her mother by raising her voice.
( Mother, because earlier I did not know that they were going to ask for 1.5 lakh dowry, not even a small amount. Then what is wrong with asking more haq maher [ the gift or dwory which husband has to give his wife ] than dwory when it's completely my right to ask. )
Splitting her true answer to take out the feeling of her burning burden from her heart, but was it in favor of conforming to society? The feelings she couldn't share with anyone, of being a daughter who wants to laugh out loud care freely but being told to stay quiet and calm, because if she did otherwise, she would be considered ill-mannered unlike a lady in the perspective of society.
"Hafsa!-" "Bas! karo akhir kab tak apne bachi ko har baat pe daat togi, ab badi ho gayi hai vo."
( Just stop , for how long will you scold your daughter on everything, now she has grown up. )
Both mother and daughter stop as soon as they hear a grumpy and whiny voice shouting sending chill down to both of their necks , they look at the source of the voice standing at the entrance taking out his shoes. He walked into the house with his shoulders held high up in the air as if announcing that the hero of his little girl had come to rescue her.
"Hafsa's father, don't take your daughter's side when you already know what wrong, she did."
As she hears her husband's defending words for their daughter, her voice quickly emerged in an annoying yet calm tone, complaining about her daughter's behavior—more like complaining about behavior opposing society's standards.
A clink sound rings in the silent air as he kept the key on the table. He ignored his wife's words and came towards his little world and patted her head with a proud father's love as if telling her that he'll help her to get out of this situation soon just patiently for a few more minutes, he turns around and walks one of the chairs in the hall, taking a seat.
"So what!? She's the daughter of 'Iban Ahmed Sayid,' and this Iban didn't educate her just so she couldn't stand up for her own rights. She's educated so she can correct the wrongs, and what she did was right."
He turned away from Hafsa to face his wife, his expression serious and his voice filled with pride. And why wouldn't he be proud?. When his daughter she is a successful is a self employed CA ( Charted Accountant ) , , graduated from a well universe may not with good marks and earns well on her own . Of course, he'll take his daughter side by standing for her to show her how a good man should be standing for his woman or his little girl. He knows, he is doing right for the welfare of his own daughter so that she ends up with a good guy and if she doesn't then at least she should know how to standing up for her own self. Without any fear because she knows her father is standing with her no matter what anyone says. That's how their father-daughter relationship was a mutual pride, proudly proclaiming each other's names when asked about their family. He set the standards of her before she knew standards even existed.
"Bahut padhi likhi hai na tumhari beti tho jao aur iski shaadi dusre desh mein kara do kyuki yeah tho nahin hone wali." Her mother throws glare at her daughter who was still standing at the end of the hallway with unknown emotion on her face keeping her head down.
Of course, here, Hafsa's fault was for being "The Educated Lady" not the societal expectation "Educated Lady". Who prioritize their roles as caregivers and homemakers, even after receiving education. Then why would the toxic society let sons to marry women who focus on taking care of the home rather than pursuing their own careers. While here their own sons are the perfect example for women to not marrying these types of men.
"Good, because I don't want those ugly ducks for my beautiful daughter." pride never leaves his voice.
"O ho, as if your daughter is Miss world or something." with a sarcastic tone, Hafsa's mother picked up another potato and began peeling it off.
"Oh don't you compare my daughter with that. She is more beautiful than the miss world, she is goddess, ok."
After hearing her father's strike defense, she heard a voice in her head saying... "Hafsa, do you think you're a goddess or something to whom's feet people will bring their sons and beg you to marry them without dowry."
That harsh voice repeated in her head but soon she came back from her space out self at her father's brash voice.
"Just because they are your relatives, I didn't said anything. Ignoring the amount of dowry, I told myself at least my daughter is going in a familiar house, my heart will be at relief that she is safe. But no they're more poisonous than a strange family-"
As father was bursting his wife cut him off.
"Hafsa's father, why do you always go after my family!."
"I did not mention your family here, Afreen."
Hearing her husband call her by name made it clear he was angry. She fell silent and began chopping potatoes aggressively. Now, the only sound in the hall was Hafsa's mother's rough chopping, while Hafsa still stood with her head bowed. After a moment of staring blankly at the TV in front, her father continues speaking.
"Wait till I marry my daughter to a man a thousand times better than that boy Aftab. That'll be the perfect slap to their faces after insulting my daughter. They think they can get away with it? Just wait."
The room fell silent until Iban spoke up, then the room surrounded by silence once more when he stopped, with only the sound of the clock ticking away filling the space.
"Now do you see how sweet they are, how sweet their family is, while they insult your own daughter." The old man said, panting as he ran out of breath in anger. Because his wife was brainwashed by their fake sweetness. We're your family, how can we be haughty? We don't wish bad for you, that's how it's always worked.
" Why didn't you say, when they were insulting your daughter. Which daughter wants her parents to pay a huge amount of dowry?'"
Hafsa swiftly lifted her head, as if she finally got a warm blanket on a cold night when those words left her father's mouth. She felt so restless that she would break right there into many pieces under the 'Burden of Society' after realizing she failed to hide her emotions, which she doesn't have to conceal from her own family. He turned his head towards his daughter, looking at her mournful state; soon his own face sorrowed. To help his daughter escape this situation before it got worse, he spoke in his warm and soft voice, as if nothing had happened.
"Hafsa, beta, jao chai banakar lekar lao tho, aaj bahut thak gaya main ; dukaan mein bahut hi kaam tha aaj. Jao jaldi jao."
( "Hafsa, my child, go make tea and bring it; I'm very tired, there was a lot of work in the shop today. Go quickly." )
Coming out of her zone, she hurled her legs to towards kitchen with instinct feeling of sadness and remorse. Drifting through the hallway towards the kitchen, she could still hear her parents arguing. As she entered the kitchen, she saw a tall figure standing in front of the refrigerator, looking like he had come out for some water after being packed in his room all day playing games.
"Kya chahiye tujhe?"
( What you want? )
It was silent in the air. The figure to whom she was talking didn't say anything, as if understanding why that figure was not responding to her. She sighed before turning on the lights in the kitchen. As the lights turned on, the figure standing in front of the refrigerator came into her sight: baggy light brown trousers, a white t-shirt, and headphones around his neck. It was her brother.
"You don't have to worry. I'm ok" .
After stating, she stood for a few seconds before starting to move her hands. She was silent, but her mind wasn't; it kept recalling the incidents that had happened a few moments ago and the ones that had caused her parents to argue. The more she recalled, the more remorse and regret she felt, wrapping around her heart.
"Do, i really have to tell you how you embarrassed me." Her mother's words keep relaying in her head while she kept saying to herself, "That wasn't my intention." Each time she repeated it, the inner voice grew louder and louder, almost bringing her to tears. However, she managed to control herself to not do that and let out only a small whimper.
"Appi~"
"Hmm what is it?"
"..."
She turns her attention towards her brother, who was still in the kitchen. Looking at her with hooded eyes, which barely held any emotion but were filled with misery for his miserable sister, she sighed.
"Saddam, jaa apne room mein. Main teri chai lekar aati hun."
( Saddam, go in your room , I'll bring your tea. )
"No wait don't go take this to Ammi Abbu."
He stopped midway back to his room and turned towards his sister. He raised his eyebrow and put one hand in his pocket, but then the incident from a few minutes ago strike his mind. Understanding his elder sister's situation, he didn't say anything and stand there. Placing the chai strainer over the cup, she tilts the pot over the cup and strainer and pours chai into two cups and places it on a wooden tray. She turns to her brother and handles the tray to him. He didn't want his sister to get trapped again in that situation after his father had rescued her.
"What are you giving me as commission in exchange of this?"
He knew his awkward voice wasn't going well with his tayal of lighting up his sister but still felt a little relieved after seeing her annoyed face and hearing her bitter voice with a sarcastic look.
"I'll make you notes of business Accounting, happy?" Despite suppressing her anger, she noted.
"Sacchi? Appi app jaise bade logon ka bahut bhala ho."
( Really? May people like you, elder and wise, be greatly blessed. )
He exclaimed with happiness forgetting the purpose of his joke for a moment. However, his smile dropped as sister pointed with her eyes towards the tray which was in his hands now.
"Yes! Yes, I'm going." he took to his heels from the kitchen. He may not fully understand her feelings at the moment due to being unfamiliar with the situation, but Saddam knew one thing for sure: he didn't want his sister to feel any kind of grief. That's why he didn't say anything because he knew he can't bring any comfort words to her that's all he can do.
Finally, night arrives. Hafsa leaves her room trudging towards the kitchen to fill her starving gut with simple rice and dal. Hafsa turns on the lights as she approached the kitchen, silently she takes a plate from the steel rack attached on the wall, the entire house was covered in silence, her breath audible in the stillness. Each silence formed needles of every word in the darkness, surrounding her to attack all at once, piercing her with emotions of regret, melancholy, frailty, helplessness, and self-loathing. Overlooking her inane sensation, she detachedly shifts her presence to the dinner table eating with an empty mind.
Getting into her balcony, but sadly, the busy road is now empty. No beeping cars, no people shouting; it's just silent everywhere, making her feel more uneasy as her ears ring louder and louder with each flashback she gets.
"What? What did you just say?"