Jahaan-Ara

Chapter 12: Who are you?

I listened for the bell
to ring below; I listened for
Leah coming up with a message; I fancied sometimes I
heard Mr. Rochester's own tread, and I turned to the
door, expecting it to open
and admit him. The door

remained shut; darkness only came in through the

window. 

-Jane Eyre 

______________________________________________________________

After a sticky and sleepless night, Jahaan-Aara washed and prayed to a morning filled with surprises. It began with the sounds of heavy footsteps marching up and down the staircase and along the corridors. Jahaan-Aara sat in her room listening to the loud, thick unfamiliar voices echoing in the corridor, waiting until they abated. Only then she left the security of her bedroom room.

Outside, she noticed black wires stretched along the corridor, down the staircase. When she stood on the landing and looked outside the window there were rows of boxes with cable wire neatly stacked in circles. Juffu appeared carrying a pile of fresh bed sheets.

"Asslamalikum." Jahaan-Aara greeted her.

Juffu peered behind but didn't turn to respond to the greeting.

"What's going on?" Jahnaa-Aara asked.

Juffu muttered under her breath and ignored Jahaan-Aara leaving her in a knot of confusion with her cold attitude. So, Jahaan-Aara made her way downstairs to investigate further. Outside a group of 6-10 workmen dressed in brown salwar kameez , ankle length boots, holding the brown boxes and shouldered the cable walking past Jahaan-Aara. Jahaan-Aara called to Gul Bahar Khan but like Juffu, he ignored her.
Am I invisible?

In the kitchen, Bibi Firdousi and Thoona poured the tea into a tray of cups.

"Khala, what is going on here? What are all these people doing here?" Jahaan-Aara looked around.

Bibi Firdousi continued the task in hand, pouring the tea carefully making Jahaan-Aara wait. Once she was done she looked at Jahaan-Aara in contemplation.

"Take these." Bibi Firdousi ordered Thoona who took the tray.

"Did you sleep well?" Bibi Firdousi asked.

"Yes." Jahaan-Aara lied. The night was anything but peaceful. The smell of smoke lingered in her nostrils

"That's good." Bibi Firdousi began to wash the cups. "It's all change at the haveli. Things will never be the same.
Jahaan-Aara couldn't agree more, but for a different reason. Jahaan-Aara took out the dish cloth and began to wipe the plates. "Why?"

Bibi Firdousi turned to her. "Didn't you know? We're getting electricity. It's a new dawn for us." It was strange the way Bibi Firdousi informed Jahaan-Aara, like Jahaan-Aara had an equal charge of haveli.

"It's all go! Rohail Saab ordered for a transformer to be installed close to the haveli. They will extend the cables from there to the house. Whilst that takes place, the workmen will do the wiring in the haveli. Every single room will have electricity. Finally it will be cool in the summer and warm in the winter and I can watch the popular dramas." Bibi Firdousi ended in a sing song, deliriously happy.
"That's fantastic news." Jahaan-Aara replied with renewed enthusiasm.
"It's a long job, so you must be patient whilst the work takes place." Bibi Firdousi advised and stacked the plates in the cupboard.
However, there was no sign of Rohail Saab. Jahaan-Aara felt a coupling of relief and melancholy.
"Rohail Saab will be very busy." She thought aloud. How would she face him after last night?
"Oh, didn't you know?" Bibi Firdousi stopped in her tracks. "Rohail Saab has gone."
"Gone?" Jahaan-Aara's heart plummeted. "Gone where?"
Bibi Firdousi wiped the counters as Jahaan-Aara followed her impatient for answers.
"He's gone to Islamabad to meet his old friends. Well, I think it's more likely to see Komal Imitaz. He's known her for years."
Komal Imtiaz. Her name sounded beautiful.
Jahaan-Aara bit her nails listening to Bibi Firdousi praise the mysterious lady-friend of Rohail Saab with splendour.
"She is a daughter of a famous politician. Have you heard of her?" Bibi Firdousi looked to Jahaan-Aara who shook her head in reply. "She is a stunning woman with a beautiful voice. She can mesmerise people with her voice, like an angel. You see-" Bibi Firdousi opened her arms explained their history.
"When Rohail Saab went to England to study he formed a group with Komal Imtiaz and few others. They toured all over Europe, but then Rohail Saab had to return and stay here."
The death of his father; Jahaan-Aara recalled.
"His dreams shattered, he had to stay here. I don't think he got over that, he's probably bitter that he had to sacrifice all that."
"Rohail Saab sings?" Jahaan-Aara asked to which Bibi Firdosui chuckled. "Oh no! He plays the piano; I must say he's quite good." Jahaan-Aara agreed. She'd heard Rohail Saab play quite frequently.