Zarina

Messed up Marriage

Zarina stepped out into the warm sunlight, her thoughts consumed by the gentle clucking of the chickens as she fed them.

Her mind was a thousand miles away, lost in thought, when Nimrouz's playful voice broke the spell. "Don't overfeed them, Zarina, we don't want obese chickens!" he said with a chuckle.

Zarina's hand instinctively covered the grain, her thoughts snapping back to the present.

"I..." she began, but Nimrouz cut her off, "Get ready, we're going to Uncle Ibrahim's for dinner tonight."

Zarina nodded, her thoughts already turning to the evening ahead. She slipped into a simple yet elegant black dress, tied her hair into a neat bun, and added a touch of kajol to her eyes. With a quiet sense of purpose, she prepared to face the evening ahead.

They arrived at Ibrahim's house, where Angeza and Ibrahim welcomed them with smiles that seemed a little too wide. As they entered the guest room, the air was thick with the aroma of food and secrets.

Zarina felt a gaze piercing through her skin, and she knew she was right - Angeza's eyes were fixed on her with an unnerving intensity. Angeza's thoughts were a jumbled mix of sweet and sour, thinking to herself, "If only Zarina would disappear, Nimrouz would be mine to claim."

"Zarina, please have some meat," Angeza said with a smile.

"Thank you, Angeza, but I'm already full. Everything was delicious..."

Nimrouz interrupted, his tone laced with skepticism, "Zarina, don't you eat more at home? How come you're full already? Or are you just pretending?"

Zarina's eyes widened slightly before she replied, "No... I'm having a stomachache."

Angeza's voice dripped with sarcasm as she added, "It seems the farmer's daughter has grown accustomed to indulging in all the delicacies of her new lavish home, to the point of overindulgence... and now her stomach protests."

Zarina pushed back the cushion and stood up, her eyes locked on Angeza for a moment before she turned to Ibrahim. "Thank you, Ibrahim uncle, for dinner. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and need some fresh air."

With that, she excused herself and walked out of the room, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake.

As Zarina stepped out into the cool night air, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. But before she could take a deep breath, Nimrouz followed her out, his expression stern and angry.

"Zarina, what do you think you're doing?" he hissed, his voice low and menacing. "You embarrass me in front of my friends, and then you walk out like a spoiled child?"

Zarina felt a surge of fear mixed with defiance, but Nimrouz's next words made her heart sink.

"Listen to me, wife," he said firmly. "You will smile and make nice, and you will not shame me again. Do you understand?"

Zarina nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. With a heavy heart, she turned and went back inside, Nimrouz's warning echoing in her mind.

After a while, Nimrouz and Ibrahim stepped outside for a smoke, leaving Angeza and Zarina to their green tea.

As they sipped their tea, Angeza chatted about her latest shopping trip, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she described the vibrant fabrics and sparkling jewelry she'd acquired. Zarina listened politely, nodding along, but her mind wandered back to the suffocating feeling that had settled over her earlier.

Just as Angeza was launching into a detailed account of her new silk dress, Zarina's gaze drifted to the window, where a small bird perched on the sill, its wings fluttering in the gentle breeze. She felt a sudden longing for freedom, to soar beyond the confines of her life and discover the world beyond the tribe's restrictive boundaries.