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Within The Confines Of Your Gaze By JRK

Translated by INKY WHISPER

Chapter Two

Sikandar Ali and Najeeb Ali were the only brothers. After the demise of their parents, Sikandar Ali took it upon himself to give Najeeb a better life, bearing all the expenses of his education. There was nothing left to inherit from their ancestors except a legacy of honesty, faith, and love.

No matter the circumstances, Sikandar Ali never compromised when it came to his younger brother. He never let his struggles show, nor did he allow them to affect Najeeb’s studies. Meanwhile, Najeeb lived a carefree life, unaware of the burden his elder brother carried on his shoulders.

Sikandar fulfilled every promise he had made to his parents, more than anyone could possibly expect. After completing his studies, Najeeb moved to Canada. What began as an effort to gain experience soon turned into success, as his hard work and intelligence earned him recognition in the business world. Eventually, he started his own clothing business and established himself.

He settled there permanently and married a Pakistani-Canadian girl, with no intention of returning to his homeland. The first call he made after that was also his last. He informed his brother of his marriage and then never called again, never once looking back to see how Sikandar was surviving. The same brother who had sacrificed everything to give him the life Sikandar himself deserved.

Later, Sikandar Ali married his cousin, Sheher Bano, a humble and grounded woman who knew how to adapt to life’s hardships. Together, they moved to Lahore to start a new chapter. Having spent everything on Najeeb, Sikandar was left with only a small piece of land in the village, his last hope in a harsh world.

Yet, he had two treasures he held above all else: his daughters, Maheen Sikandar and Hina Sikandar. His greatest concern was to see them succeed in life. He never paid attention to societal pressures when it came to their well-being.

His trust became the ladder that allowed his daughters to rise and because he believed in them, they were now fulfilling their dreams.

***************

“Hina, you take so long to open the door….”
She stopped mid-sentence as soon as she saw her mother.

“Assalamualaikum, Maheen. It was you? I thought it was the neighbor’s child knocking so loudly.” She had hurried to open the door because of the constant knocking.

“Wa alaikum asalam, Ami… yes, it was me. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was knocking that loudly.” Maheen felt embarrassed and quietly followed her inside.

“What happened, Maheen? Is everything alright?” Her mother looked at her closely, noticing the unusual slowness in her demeanor.

“Yes, Ami… it’s just a headache.” She paused for a moment, then quickly added, “Has Baba come home?” trying to shift the topic.

What could she say about what had happened at the university? It had become a place for far more than just studies. She didn’t want to answer questions she couldn’t explain.

She didn’t want her parents to worry. Her father had never listened to anyone when it came to educating his daughters, he had stood firmly by their dreams. She couldn’t risk ruining his trust… nor her own future.

“Oh, he went to the masjid. He hasn’t returned yet, you know he spends this time there,” her mother said while entering the kitchen.

“Hina… Hina, please give me some food and a cup of tea,” Maheen called out to her younger sister as she sat down on the sofa.

“Hina is probably studying… or maybe she fell asleep while studying, you know her habit. I’ll get you something to eat, and tea as well,” her mother replied from the kitchen while making rotis.

“Okay, Ami.”
Maheen lay back on the sofa, something completely against her usual habits.

“Maheen, what happened to you, child? Are you really feeling unwell, or is something bothering you? Come on, get up, put your things in your room, and wash your face…you’ll feel a little better,” her mother said, standing at the kitchen door, watching her closely.

“No, Ami, don’t worry. I’ll take medicine after eating something…it’ll get better. I’ll go freshen up.”
She picked up her things and went to her room.

She knew she wasn’t acting like herself today but what could she do? Her mind was somewhere else, tangled in thoughts of her dreams slipping away, mixed with fears she couldn’t even put into words.

There was nothing she could do right now…
except carry it all quietly, on her own.

***************

“Maheen… Maheen, where are you lost? I’ve been calling you for ages. I don’t even know which world you’ve disappeared into. Come on, take this cup, it’s hot, my hand is burning!”

Sidra spoke in a hurry, shifting the cup from one hand to the other as the heat started to sting. She had grown up in a very different environment, one where she never had to do things like this herself. Everything had always been done for her.

Even now, she could barely tolerate the warmth of the cup.
But living with Maheen had changed her, at least a little.

She had made tea for Maheen without being asked… and now, despite calling her repeatedly, there was no response.

“Ah… yes..oh! I was just thinking. Give me that.”
Maheen quickly took the cup from her without looking at her. “Now tell me, what were you saying?”

Sidra sat down beside her.

“Nothing. I just brought tea for you. The weather is nice, so I thought we could enjoy it.” She paused, then added softly, “You drink… we’ll talk. And please…don’t talk about studies.”

Sidra finished her sentence and joined her hands in a playful pleading gesture.

But Maheen still wasn’t looking at her.

“Okay, drink this tea and tell me what you were thinking. You weren’t listening to me… this has never happened before. Tell me the truth, what’s the matter? I’ve felt for the past few days that you’ve been behaving strangely.”

When Maheen didn’t reply, Sidra continued, sharing her own thoughts instead.

“Today Zaman stopped my way. After two weeks, he came in front of me again, and all the worries I had buried in my heart have resurfaced. I just hope I won’t have to leave my dreams because of him.”

Maheen finally spoke, unable to hide her concerns from Sidra. And now, she shared her own worries too.

“This means you haven’t told anything at home?” Sidra questioned her.

“No,” Maheen replied briefly.

“But why?” Sidra asked again, even though she already had an idea, she still wanted to hear it from her.

“If I tell my family, it will create problems. My father went against everyone just so I could complete my studies. And if those people find out, they’ll talk behind his back. You know our society… even if someone doesn’t commit a mistake, people still ruin their reputation with their nonsense.”

Maheen knew what Sidra’s response would be, yet she still hoped to hear something positive.

“But Maheen… this place is not safe for you either,” Sidra said worriedly.

“Hmm…” Maheen only replied, and silence fell between them.

To be continued…..