Longing For Paradise

Chapter 8

And even in the dream of a dream,
you come to me like a cloud of bliss.
And in that dream you ask me
what can I do for you.
Ask me what I can't do for you.
Ask me what I won't do for you.
That would be a shorter list.

- Ghalbani bid Dhar

"Noor if you don't come in here this second, we won't have a house to live in anymore." Noor heard Layla scream from inside. Drawing up her skirt, she rushed toward the kitchen, Ferdous hot on her heels.

They were greeted by a thick cloud of smoke, watching servants disappear into it with pails of water.

"Noor," Layla grabbed her friend's arms, "your mother's still in there."

"How did this happen?" Noor demanded.

"I don't know, we were talking and there was, there was a large open fire and I was about to pour oil into the pan but it I was talking, and I didn't," Layla broke, "I didn't see. Noor," she bit her lip, "Auntie pushed me out and told the servants not to let me in. I have, I have no idea what's going on in there." Her grip on Noor's sleeve tightened.

"I'll go in and check," Ferdous said, nodding at Noor and heading straight into the blanket of smoke.

He was gone before Noor could say anything and all she could do was stand by Layla as two servants guarded them under watchful eyes.

With every ticking moment, Noor grew worried. She forbid herself from thinking the worst but the thoughts weaved into her her repeated 'no's, itching to latch onto the one thing that might unravel her, and a shivering Layla wasn't helping her case.

The maidservant put in charge of watching her did not bother offering her a kind word. She was, after all, not Noor's biggest fan, but she still wanted her madam to return from the kitchen. Surely they were safe. She knew her madam well.

A sigh of relief escaped the maidservant's mouth when she saw Noor rush to embrace her mother as soon as she emerged. She had pull Noor apart to allow her madam enough space to breathe as she guided her outside.

Half the house gathered around Mrs. Al Ansari, making sure to bring her water as Noor fanned her with her shawl.

"Take deep breaths, Mama," she instructed her mother as Layla stared at her, balling her fists as if to make Mrs. Al Ansari take deeper breaths by willing her. Layla bit her lower lip from which the sorry hung, not sure if it would be said or swallowed back. Mrs. Al Ansari didn't look like she could take in a sorry, she didn't look like she could take in anything for that matter. She struggled to breathe with her eyes closed, occasionally coughing up soot which prompted her daughter to soothe her back.

Firdous watched on, not knowing if he was allowed to get close. Mrs. Al Ansari had pushed him away when she first saw him amidst the smoke.

"I'm here to get you out. You must get out," he had told her but she was still reluctant. Fatima had to think. She had to think if it was alright for her to hold his hand, it was an emergency situation after all. But he was a man, a non-mahram, a stranger who was by every mean an enemy of hers when it came to her daughter's situation. She had to think of it even as the fire engulfed the outer shelf.

It was Firdous who grabbed her hand and apologised. "I'm sorry but the you'll be swallowed by the fire if I don't do anything," he said and dragged her out. Of course, he was careful not to let her bump into other things on the way and especially be careful with the other fiery objects. He had not thought of the breach, or of any breach that mattered until they had gotten Mrs. Al Ansari outside and her head cover was removed.