The Tangled Webs We Weave

Chapter III

It seemed like a long night. Longer than the ones she had spent waiting for miracles, waiting for some angel to come and take her from here when she came to this haveli two years ago. She tossed and turned on the cotton mattress laid on the floor beside the dingy bed. It wasn't the discomfort of sleeping on the floor or the cotton in the mattress that needed to be changed. She was used to the malaise she'd been subjected to at this place including sleeping on the floor. She had never been fond of sleeping on the bed and sharing it with three other girls. No matter how skinny they were, Mahpara despised being sandwiched between them.

Rather it was this strangeness that captivated her heart and not letting her sleep. It had been two weeks since she visited Farhaad. Two weeks since she last saw him or heard from him. Shamsher Seth had not visited the haveli in these fourteen days either and Ambreen had left no stone unturned in annoying Mahpara, constantly nagging her, and questioning her about the letter, whether it reached Seth or not.

"Mujhay ab nazil thodi hoga Apa ke usne khatt bheja hai ya nahi. Mein apke kehne pr usay de to ai th, ab ye uska deen emaan hai aglay ki imanat mein khiyanat na karay," She told Ambreen when her introspection started getting on Mahpara's nerves.

When Ambreen interrogated her again about whether Farhaad could be trusted or not, Mahpara snorted.

Wasn't Ambreen the one staying here longer than she was?

She did not know. She did not know anything. Heck, she did not even know if he was doing fine after that night or not. Whenever she'd close her eyes, her eyes displayed a nasty picture of his wounds. She'd hear him wince in pain when sleeping and wake up in fright.

None of it made sense to her.

This is what happens when you let someone take over your thoughts. Serves you right. She told herself.

Sneaking out of Haveli once again, that too without having a backup unlike last time was a terrible option. Last time she knew Ambreen would cover up but this time she'd be on her own.

If Saleem, Nigar Begum's righthand found her missing, she knew he won't let her die peacefully in fact he'd happily torment her until the angel of death would come himself to take her soul.

Farhaad had been out of the scene for weeks, even months before. But this time was different. Earlier she wasn't aware of the fact that he was hurt. Previously they hadn't even shared a moment like that. This time, it was different.

She recalled touching his lips, their flakiness under the softness of her fingertips. His confused gaze melted into hers and his hilarious expression somehow motivated her to take matters into her own hands.

She shook her head feeling her cheeks turned warm.

Tomorrow. She told herself. If by tomorrow there's no sign of him, she will take the risk and look out for him. What if he died in his room and no one knew? That was the last crazy thought that crossed her mind and she decided to look for him, even if it meant inviting Saleem's wrath and Nigar Begum's beatings.

.

He wasn't home. There was no use in banging the door and hurting her hand or waking up the neighbourhood, the huge lock dangling in front of her was enough to tell her that.

At least he wasn't dead.

It was beyond her imagination what activities he was involved in, what tasks Seth handed him over but she had heard from Ambreen Apa and other girls of the haveli that he was not only his closest but the most reliant man who was handed over the most difficult things to do. None of them had seen it, but they had seen him returning after weeks and months with bruises and dry wounds.