Leilah Usman awaits an acceptance from a university abroad so she can leave the country she never loved when she stumbles upon an ancient diary. Through the eyes of Mahrosh Irfan, she finds herself in a world so completely different from hers.
One w...
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It was custom for Eid celebrations to last three days in the subcontinent; as strange as an outsider might find this, the locals would invite him to their homes and the rush and liveliness of the guests would convince him that even three were too little for these people. And when he would eat the delicacies the women cooked in their kitchens, he would wish for the celebrations to continue for a little longer.
Mahrosh spent Eid with her entire family. They attended Eid salah, savored homemade sawaiyan and dressed up in their Eid clothes. Walid bought gajray for everyone; Dadi, Ammi, Mahrosh and Aleena, and the women put mehndi on each other's hands; enjoying their noon tea and visiting their neighbors.
On the second day, they received an invitation from Ammi again. The house bustled with relatives and neighbors, and the table was almost always filled with several dishes that one couldn't tire of eating. Mahrosh found herself in a predicament when Ammi asked her to stay for the night, and her cousins begged her not to go.
"It's alright, you can stay," Walid said when she went to ask him.
Mahrosh looked uncertain. "Are you sure?"
"I am," Walid chuckled. "Are you?"
Mahrosh looked torn, confused with what she wanted till Walid gently flicked her forehead. "It's just for tonight, jaan. It's alright."
Their gazes met, and she smiled sheepishly. "Okay, I'll stay."
The night flew by, and Mahrosh realized that her hesitation was unwarranted. Her younger cousins insisted upon staying up the entire night, sharing jinn stories until a creak downstairs frightened them and they huddled into their mattresses, swearing never to share horror stories again.
The following morning, as the last of the guests departed, a heavy silence replaced the liveliness.
"How come you did not wear the dress I bought for you?" Ammi glanced at Mahrosh as they cleared up the kitchen together.
Mahrosh smiled, looking down at her simple white dress. "Do you like this? Walid got it for me."
Ammi raised an eyebrow, biting back a comment about its simplicity. Perhaps the glow on Mahrosh's face compensated for the plainness of the dress, and Ammi couldn't help but notice how mature Mahrosh suddenly appeared, finding her style within her husband's preferences and budget.
The celebrations seemed to have ended, and Ammi was prepared for a day of rest after hosting so many guests, but Dadi had other plans. She burst into the kitchen with a beaming face, "Let's go to androon Lahore today. We can shop and grab some food!"
Dadi's plan came as a welcomed surprise. It was Abbu's last day off work and he was quick to agree, proposing to include Walid and Aleena in the trip. Abbu called for his car, and they set out to pick up the siblings before they could head out as a family.
