Enwrapped

Chapter 05

Saboor had taken no time to say yes from her side, but her father and mother definitely had taken time. It took them an entire week to send a 'yes' to Mazhar uncle.

And she thought that she was indecisive.

The next big event in her personal life was going to be her engagement. To communicate without restrictions and societal taboos, they ultimately needed to be bound by the cloak of relationship. It was in her father's and Mazhar uncle's hands, as to when they wished to conduct the proceedings.

That morning, Saboor woke up for the fajr prayer before the alarm rang. The reason? An open window of her room had splashed rain water on her, waking her up.

"What's this? Such stormy rain..." Saboor mumbled as she rubbed her eyes. This terrible weather was a new surprise.

"It's been like that since four in the morning, I could barely sleep," Feroza said in a conversation between the two. Both, the mother, and daughter held their prayer mats in their hands after the prayer and still had their heads covered. They were busy chit-chatting at the door of Saboor's room.

Saboor looked at the rain streaming down relentlessly down her windows. "I hope this clears out soon, or we'll have to make adjustments in the restaurant's outside seating."

Feroza nodded absently, lost in her own thoughts. "I hope the garden is okay, the plants might need some extra care after this downpour."

Saboor glanced at the clock. "It's quarter to six now. I'll sit with some accounts." Feroza walked out to her room, and Saboor continued to babble to herself. "Why does this never end..."

~

About three hours later, the rain hadn't stopped. In fact, the harsh blitzing winds worried Saboor, for she wondered if she had to call and tell everyone to not come to work. That moment, Nida, her employee, called her.

"Ma'am, I don't think I'll be able to come for work today-"

"That's fine Nida, but can you do a small favour for me?"

"Yes ma'am, do tell."

"Can you please call up and check who can come and who cannot? I'll decide for a holiday accordingly. You see, we had some tables and all outside, and I can't risk damage."

"As you say ma'am, I'll call up and check."

As the call finished, Saboor breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn't have to call up some thirty people and waste a good two hours. She was already dressed up in a simple warm salwar suit, and whether anyone was able to come or not, she would have to go.

"I would need a raincoat," she murmured, and began fishing out for one in her closet.

The rains had lessened, but the winds had been terrible. As she finally found her raincoat, she folded it up neatly and put it in a case, and then, kept it beside her work bag. She heard some faint clang sounds, and stood up, confused.

At that moment, her mother came running to her room. "Oh Saboor, you haven't gone yet? Can you go and close the terrace door? It's been thudding since when, and I didn't even remember! Go now!"

Leaving everything aside, Saboor ran up the terrace steps. As she did, she slowed down, seeing the water seep down the stairs. Finding an old towel in the corner, she placed it above the water, letting it absorb.

As she reached the terrace floor, she had to squint her eyes. The water droplets, small but sharp, hit her right in the eyes, causing her to raise up a hand in protection.

"Allah, Allah, look at this mess!"

She wondered who had gone last to the terrace, and realized it was her father, who had begun to forget closing doors and switching off lights, courtesy his growing age. Barefoot that she was, she tried hard not to slip, and closed the door. Its metal thudded and banged along the frame in rebellion, and she had to pull it with quite a force to lock it up.