The Fallen Widow

Chapter 13: Gunshot!

"What's going on here?" Shahgul interrupted rudely.
Hoorayn pushed Shah Nawaz's arm, but he contained her in the tight spot turning to the side.
Hoorayn flushed with embarrassment standing close to Shah Nawaz in his mother's presence. She draped the black shawl over her head and pushed his arm away stepping to the side.
Shahgul stepped in and Hoorayn rushed to the fridge eager for the cold air to cool her burning face.
"Come ammi." Shah Nawaz beckoned her in. "I will cook you, you're favourite."
Shahgul looked around the room. "If you were hungry, I could have woke Emaan. She is here to serve you."
"Remember when you came to visit me-" He began to chop the bottle gourd. "I cooked the best haleem for you." He poured the chopped pieces in a bowl ready to wash.
"You are the King of Jahanpur, you do not cook- you have women to do that for you." She took the bowl away from him.
"Eman is your future." She reminded him.
Shah Nawaz ignored his mother referencing to Emaan, he didn't want to give in to her provocation.
"Cooking is a life skill ammi, you taught me that." He sat at the table and Hoorayn came over and providing him with a glass of milk. Shah gul wasn't happy seeing them together. Making her way over the table. She pressed her fist on the table.
"I will not let you fail on the last hurdle. That girl is now devoted to you. Your name is in her kismet. She will provide your heirs."
Hoorayn felt a sting right in her chest. She knew her place.
"She is a pure virgin bride; from the clan; from our lineage."
" She is a traitor, blood of Muzzamil." He pressed his hand on her hand. "Your plan is not my plan."
She glared at Hoorayn. "What is your plan?" She turned her nose up at Hoorayn.
"Don't let me, your father and your forefathers down. I have worked hard for this day."

Shah Nawaz looked up at his mum. Her eyes were stern, her face serious. They held the obstinate stare for a few moments.
"Be true to your blood. You are a Choudhary." Her voice strong and regal, ordering her son to accept Emaan.
It was Shah Nawaz who turned away first then Shahgul walked off. Hoorayn dwarfed into a corner of the kitchen after Shahgul's words. She had no value. No honour.

Once Shahgul left, Hoorayn threw in the onions in the pan as the oil sizzled.  The pressure crushed Hoorayn from all sides. The sizzling of the onions amplified Shagul's word's tore through her. 
Virgin bride. Heirs. Serve. 
She turned around to Shah Nawaz who chopped the fresh corridor fighting his own demons.
"I can't bear this anymore- I can't." She said turning to Shah Nawaz.
"You can't keep me locked up forever. What will you do to me next!?" She revealed her scared wrists. "Look! This is cruel!"
Shah Nawaz necked down glass of milk.
"I had a life in the city." She stepped closer. "I had a job. Friends. I was free. I was happy." She pleaded to return to her life.
"Friends?" He put down the cup. "Like that kid who tried to fight me?" He finally looked up at her.
"Who?"
"Who was he? You already found your fancy man?"
Hoorayn was confused. Which man? It then hit her, Jamal who was keen on her.
"So what? If I did, who cares? He didn't capture me and tie me up. He didn't lock me in a room and steal my liberty." Now her hands were on the counter. The onions sizzled loud with a burning stench filling the kitchen.
Shah Nawaz sniggered and took a fresh apple from the basket.
"I would have snapped his neck." He bit into the apple with a loud crack.

"I won't stay here whilst you get married and have a shed load of children." She chocked. "You can't do that to me- you can't." Finally, she aired her worst fears. It was too much to bear. Leaving the onions to burn, the food uncooked and deserting a hungry Shah Nawaz, she couldn't bear the heat and ran making her way to the courtyard. The constant reminder of the virgin bride being plucked, pruned and marinated for Shah Nawaz troubled her. She stood outside under the velvety dark sky dotted with stars like diamonds. She rubbed her hands over her face to her neck, the place where he bit her. The walls were high. If only she was a bulbul, she could fly out of this prison. Moments later, Shah Nawaz approached her wiping down his moustache and beard and flicked over his shawl standing behind.
"Whatever you want from me take it." She opened her arms wide and stripped her chador from her chest. "One night. Two night. But please let me go." She could not stay in Jahanpur a day longer.
"This place, these people; everything. It burns me from inside." She touched her throat.
Without speaking, he marched to Hoorayn, grabbed her arm and made his way through the courtyard.
"Where are you taking me now?"
Shah Nawaz took her to the SUV and opened the door pushing her into the passenger seat. It was nearly dawn; where were they going?
Hoorayn pressed for answers, but Shah Nawaz drove nosily biting chunks out of the apple. The car rocked on the potholed riddled path. Darkness around them with only his headlights lighting up the pathway. Her stomach filled with knots. What was his plan?