string,
nallah
, holding the
shalwar
in place around her waist. Once opened, she glanced down at her body, her heart full of dread and expectations.
She closed her eyes, feeling faint. It was what she had feared. She leaned against the tiled wall and shower head. What did one do in this sort of situation? Go and squat on the toilet bowl or go and lie down. She found the former option distasteful. If she went to lie down, she would draw attention to herself. She didn’t relish that. They would ask as to what was the matter with her. Oh God, above all, she couldn’t let her mother-in-law find out.
For a few minutes, she stood against the bathroom wall with her eyes closed, and her heartbeat accelerating by the minute. She didn’t want to spell out the words in her mind - that she was losing the baby. It couldn’t be! God couldn’t be so unjust! Then she remembered the guests.
She washed herself, and changing into different clothes, she returned to the kitchen to finish making the remaining
chapattis
. She then whispered into Kaniz’s ear that she was tired and wanted to lie down.
“Of course, my dear, go and lie down. You should have told me earlier, Faiza darling.” Kaniz looked at Faiza indulgently. The look cut Faiza to her soul. Oh God she doesn’t know and she wants the baby so much. Please God help us.
Quietly Faiza slid away to her room and lay down, not bothering to change. Putting on an old sheet on the bed, and an extra layer of quilt padding in the middle, Faiza lay and waited. She was still getting wet.
Her husband, Ali, having returned from a visit to the city, came to visit her. She pretended to be asleep. He went away and returned later and lay on the single bed in the room and went to sleep, having switched off the light.
Through the window she saw the stars in the sky. Three of the guests had wanted to sleep in the courtyard in the open on
charpoys
, wooden cane beds, especially as it was so warm. One elder gentleman was still puffing away at the
hookah
, its base still making a gurgling noise in the silence of the night, as he half reclined on the
charpoy
. The other, in the nearby
charpoy
, was snoring away.
Faiza tossed and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. Then at about three o’clock in the night, her abdomen wall seemed to somersault into action as she felt a strong spasm of pain. Before she knew it she had let out a high-pitched scream. It broke through the silence of the night awakening everybody with a start.
She clamped her hand on her mouth, but it was too late. Lights were switched on everywhere, and the shuffling of feet could be heard. The first person to appear at her bedside was her husband, and then came her mother-in-law, standing near the bed, shock and concern mirrored all over her face. Her father-in-law switched on the light. They stared at her sweat-beaded face and her bent body.
“Are you alright, my dear? What is the matter?” Kaniz’s voice shook with fear.
Faiza shook her head and pointed to her lower body.
Kaniz’s eyes widened in shock and horror, her mouth dropping open. She shook her head from side to side, one hand held against her chest. Then collecting her wits about her, she gestured to her husband and son to leave the room. After they had gone, Kaniz stared pointedly at Faiza’s pain-racked face.
Gingerly, and with trepidation, Kaniz lifted the quilt off Faiza and glanced down at her body. Then she dropped it as if it had burnt her. She stepped back in horror and shock, with one hand clasping the back of her head and the other at her throat. Then before her eyes, Faiza bent double with pain, and she let out another scream.
Through clenched teeth, Kaniz called her son to go and call the
dhai
, the village midwife.
She perched herself on one corner of the bed and rocked herself back and forth as if in a trance. Then she came to herself. She reached out to Faiza, and gently massaged her head and shoulders to soothe her.
Rocking Faiza’s body
nallah
, holding the
shalwar
in place around her waist. Once opened, she glanced down at her body, her heart full of dread and expectations.
She closed her eyes, feeling faint. It was what she had feared. She leaned against the tiled wall and shower head. What did one do in this sort of situation? Go and squat on the toilet bowl or go and lie down. She found the former option distasteful. If she went to lie down, she would draw attention to herself. She didn’t relish that. They would ask as to what was the matter with her. Oh God, above all, she couldn’t let her mother-in-law find out.
For a few minutes, she stood against the bathroom wall with her eyes closed, and her heartbeat accelerating by the minute. She didn’t want to spell out the words in her mind - that she was losing the baby. It couldn’t be! God couldn’t be so unjust! Then she remembered the guests.
She washed herself, and changing into different clothes, she returned to the kitchen to finish making the remaining
chapattis
. She then whispered into Kaniz’s ear that she was tired and wanted to lie down.
“Of course, my dear, go and lie down. You should have told me earlier, Faiza darling.” Kaniz looked at Faiza indulgently. The look cut Faiza to her soul. Oh God she doesn’t know and she wants the baby so much. Please God help us.
Quietly Faiza slid away to her room and lay down, not bothering to change. Putting on an old sheet on the bed, and an extra layer of quilt padding in the middle, Faiza lay and waited. She was still getting wet.
Her husband, Ali, having returned from a visit to the city, came to visit her. She pretended to be asleep. He went away and returned later and lay on the single bed in the room and went to sleep, having switched off the light.
Through the window she saw the stars in the sky. Three of the guests had wanted to sleep in the courtyard in the open on
charpoys
, wooden cane beds, especially as it was so warm. One elder gentleman was still puffing away at the
hookah
, its base still making a gurgling noise in the silence of the night, as he half reclined on the
charpoy
. The other, in the nearby
charpoy
, was snoring away.
Faiza tossed and turned in her bed, unable to sleep. Then at about three o’clock in the night, her abdomen wall seemed to somersault into action as she felt a strong spasm of pain. Before she knew it she had let out a high-pitched scream. It broke through the silence of the night awakening everybody with a start.
She clamped her hand on her mouth, but it was too late. Lights were switched on everywhere, and the shuffling of feet could be heard. The first person to appear at her bedside was her husband, and then came her mother-in-law, standing near the bed, shock and concern mirrored all over her face. Her father-in-law switched on the light. They stared at her sweat-beaded face and her bent body.
“Are you alright, my dear? What is the matter?” Kaniz’s voice shook with fear.
Faiza shook her head and pointed to her lower body.
Kaniz’s eyes widened in shock and horror, her mouth dropping open. She shook her head from side to side, one hand held against her chest. Then collecting her wits about her, she gestured to her husband and son to leave the room. After they had gone, Kaniz stared pointedly at Faiza’s pain-racked face.
Gingerly, and with trepidation, Kaniz lifted the quilt off Faiza and glanced down at her body. Then she dropped it as if it had burnt her. She stepped back in horror and shock, with one hand clasping the back of her head and the other at her throat. Then before her eyes, Faiza bent double with pain, and she let out another scream.
Through clenched teeth, Kaniz called her son to go and call the
dhai
, the village midwife.
She perched herself on one corner of the bed and rocked herself back and forth as if in a trance. Then she came to herself. She reached out to Faiza, and gently massaged her head and shoulders to soothe her.
Rocking Faiza’s body
Similar Books
