Tangled Hearts

Caged dreams

As Inaya finished reviewing a report, a knock on her office door pulled her out of her thoughts. It was Zaid, holding a neatly organized stack of worksheets she had assigned to him the previous day.

"Ms. Siddiqui," Zaid said as he stepped inside, "I've completed the worksheets you requested."

Inaya nodded, gesturing for him to place them on her desk. "Thank you, Zaid. I'll review them shortly."

Zaid placed the papers down with a careful precision, then stood back, waiting for further instructions. Inaya glanced at the first few sheets, noticing that the work was thorough and well-organized. She appreciated his attention to detail, though the uneasiness she felt around him still lingered in the back of her mind.

"This looks good," she said, keeping her tone professional. "I'll go over everything later, but from what I see, you've done well. I'll let you know if there's anything that needs revision."

Zaid gave a small nod, his expression calm and composed. "Thank you, Ms. Siddiqui. I'm glad to hear that."

As he turned to leave, Inaya caught herself watching him a moment longer, still unable to shake the sense of familiarity and the odd discomfort that came with it. Once he was gone, she shook her head, trying to clear her mind and focus on the tasks ahead.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of meetings and paperwork, and by the time the clock signaled the end of the workday, Inaya felt drained, both mentally and emotionally. Gathering her belongings, she headed home, preparing herself for the usual routine of silence and tension that awaited her there.

As she stepped through the front door of her house, the familiar sounds of her parents' voices reached her ears, but this time, there was something different about their tone-an urgency that caught her attention.

She hesitated in the hallway, straining to catch their words.

"... It's time we settled this, once and for all," her father was saying, his voice firm.

Her mother's voice followed, tinged with determination. "She's of the right age, and we've already delayed this long enough. We can't let her continue this way-working like this, as if she's a man."

Inaya felt her heart drop as the pieces fell into place. They were discussing her marriage. Though she had feared this conversation for a long time, hearing it unfold was a stark confirmation of what she had been dreading.

She knew her parents had been considering proposals for her, but she had hoped they would give her more time. More time to figure out her own life, more time to maybe even find love on her own terms. But it seemed that time had run out.

Steeling herself, Inaya entered the living room where her parents were seated. They looked up as she walked in, their conversation halting abruptly.

"Inaya," her father began, his voice carrying the weight of authority, "we need to discuss something important."

She nodded, trying to keep her expression neutral. "What is it, Baba?"

Her mother's eyes met hers, and Inaya could see the resolve in them. "We've received a proposal for you. A good one, from a respectable family. It's time for you to think seriously about your future."

Inaya's stomach tightened. The words felt like chains, closing in on her, threatening to lock her into a life she hadn't chosen. She wanted to protest, to tell them that she wasn't ready, that she wanted to focus on her career, but the words stuck in her throat.

Her father continued, "We're meeting with the family soon. This is an opportunity you shouldn't pass up. It's time for you to settle down."

Inaya could only nod again, the familiar feeling of being caged settling over her. She had been through this before, her dreams and desires pushed aside for what her parents believed was best. And now, it seemed, history was repeating itself, with her future once again being decided for her.