The next day, the house is bustling with happiness, as mom and Maha excitedly talk about how amazing and successful Khizer is, Maha reading every single article there is on him, and Father adding in his own knowledge here and there, as he helps mom prepare breakfast.
“It says here KMC is one of Pakistan’s biggest infrastructure companies!” Maha squeals. “Apa, you’re going to be rich!”
I look up from the file I’m perusing. “I already am.”
“Sure, not that I would know. You never use any of it. Plus, Khizer is ????? rich! Do you even know his worth?”
I raise an eyebrow. “He has a worth?” She nods excitedly. “Good for him I guess.” I mumble, turning back to my file.
The door bell rings, making me jump.
I’ve been extremely jittery since morning. I’m going out of the house after two whole days, and the warning I was given on Friday hasn’t yet left my mind. Even the slightest abnormality is making me jump out of my skin. It’s scary and disgusting.
“Get the door Maha.” Father flips the eggs. “Mansha, can you help with setting the table please?”
“I can’t, I have to-”
“It’s Aunty Sugra!” Maha shouts from the doorway.
What’s she doing here so early?
She comes bustling through the entrance, zooming past me, heading straight for the kitchen.
“One would think as my cousin and sister in law, you would have the slightest sense of consideration for me!” She shouts as she goes.
Both mom and father look up from the stove, with matching perplexed expressions.
“Excuse me?” Mom frowns.
“I think you should breath first.” Father adds. Maha comes and stands near me, stiffling a laugh.
“Oh don’t act so oblivious! I know everything that’s going on in you two’s minds! ?? ?????? you’d think of your own child before mine! Why would you care about ruining her life, if your daughter is oh-so-happy at her expanse!” She shrieks.
Mom rushes out of the kitchen. “What are you talking about Sugra? What happened?”
“Your daughter happened!” She yells.
Mom turns to Maha. “What’d you do?” She snaps.
“Not her, ???!” She points to me. All eyes turn my way, and mom frowns. Aunty glares at me with fire in her eyes. “Your daughter ruined my poor Sara.” She says with a shrill voice.
What?
“What the hell are you going on about, can you please tell already?” Father snaps at her, coming out of the kitchen, obviously frustrated. “And stop screaming for heavens sake.”
A little of Aunts fire dies down upon seeing father angry. “Mansha,” She bites out, in a much less loud voice. “Is engaged to the man who proposed to my daughter first! I agreed to getting them married, and then two days later I find out he’s ??????? to your daughter.” She laughs. “And I don’t even find that out from ???. Maha told Sara last night! Imagine what my poor daughter must have felt!” Her voice gets teary. “She had already begun making plans. And then she finds out her very own cousin stole him from her.” She turns and glares at me. “I get that you’re getting old and are desperate for a man, and I really sympathize with you for that, but that doesn’t mean you can go around stealing other people’s fiance’s.”
“Mansha didn’t steal anyones man.” Mom snaps. “What does Khizer have to do with Sara anyway?”
Aunt scoffs. “The extent to which you will go to-”
“Mom doesn’t know.” I interrupt sharply. Her harsh gaze turns to me.
“Oh look who’s suddenly talking now.” She sneers.
“Sugra calm down.” Father says.
“Don’t you dare tell me to calm down. Let me see how well you calm down after Khizer leaves Mansha!” She bellows.
“Khizer will never leave Mansha! He loves her!” Maha shouts from besides me.
Whats she so pissed off about? She’s the one who caused this mess.
Aunty Sugra laughs wickedly. “You and your delusions.” She wags a fingers at both of us. “No man ever loves a woman. It’s all the sweet imaginings of you young girls. They take what they want, then they leave. Wait a few years, then we’ll see how much he loves your sister.”
“You fucking make no sense, do you know that?” Mom intervenes angrily.
“Well maybe your daughter will be able to explain what I mean. She understands perfectly, don’t you Mansha?” Aunty turns to me.
I frown. So very like her to fight her own family over a stupid male.
I look at my parents, both of whom are staring at me impatiently. “Before Khizer confessed his feelings for me, his grandma made him go to dinner at Aunty’s house. His grandma is the one who wanted Sara to marry Khizer.” I eye my Aunt. “And that same night, Khizer expressed ??? wish to marry ??. He never wanted to marry Sara in the first place.” I get up, collecting the files spread all over the table. “If you think I stole Khizer, feel free to take him back. But before that, do make sure he wants to come with you. Kidnapping and forced marriage is against the law.”
“Are you mocking me?” Aunty snaps.
“What does it look like?” I say impatiently.
“Mansha!” Mom warns.
“See? Is this what you’ve taught your daughter? Haven’t even taught her to respect her own Aunt. It’s all because you’ve left her so free to do whatever she wants. The ego has gone to her head.”
I clutch the files tightly in my hands, trying to hold back a retort. “Mom, I’m leaving, I’m already a bit late.”
Mom opens her mouth to reply, but Aunty speaks first. “You can’t just go! You’re the one who created this mess.”
I pick up my phone. “Very respectfully, I didn’t, you did. You’re the one who showed up early in the morning, screaming your head off, ruining the happiness we all were feeling at me finally finding someone eligible to spend the rest of my life with. You ruined our mood, blamed me for something I didn’t do, screamed and disrespected my parents, all for a man who never agreed to, nor even talked to your daughter. It’s foolish and shows what you truly think of us.”
“Mansha! Don’t talk to your Aunt that way.” Father growls warningly.
Aunt has tears in her eyes. “Is this all you’re going to say to her, for all her insults? To me, who took care of her ever since she was born? I’m almost like her second mother.” Tears started flowing down her red cheeks.
“Mansha say sorry!” Mom rushes to her, rubbing her shoulders consolingly. “Maha bring your Aunt some water.” Maha rushes off to do as she’s told, and Mom and Father glare at me, waiting.
“Apologize for what I said or for stealing Sara’s supposedly future husband?” I ask.
Aunt cries more loudly.
Father clenches his fists. “Mansha.” He says furiously.
I purse my lips. “I’m leaving for work, I’m late.”
Before either of them can say anything, I grab my purse and leave the house, leaving mom and father to console my Aunt.
I walk to the elevators and press the button, fuming. What the fuck is wrong with Aunty Sugra?
More importantly, what the fuck is wrong with Khizer, didn’t he clear things out with them before coming to my house?
Tucking the files carefully in my arm, I unlock my phone and call Khizer.
He picks up at the fourth bell. “Just because we’re engaged doesn’t mean you call me so early in the morning. It’s inappropriate.”
“Did you or did you not tell my Aunt you did not wish to marry Sara before you came here last night?” The elevator doors open, and I step inside, pressing the button for the basement.
“I did not.”
I squeeze my eyes shut in frustration. “Why the hell not?”
“Granny did say something about giving her a call, but I don’t know what happened afterwards. Why? Did something happen?”
“It did. Aunt came to our house today shouting about how I stole you from Sara.” I say, irritated.
“Yes, I hate you for that too. We were soulmates you know.”
The elevator rings to a stop in the basement, and I get out. “It was just ridiculous, she was-”
I come to an abrupt stop, chills running down my spine.
I open my purse and take out my car keys, then keep walking.
“She was being very ridiculous.” My voice quivers. I swallow hard. “She said I stole you from Sara.”
“Yes, you already told me that. What’s with your voice?”
I grip the phone tightly in my palm, taking careful even steps towards my car when all I want to do is run. My gaze travels to the shadow a few feet behind mine.
“Khizer, she’s being so dumb.” Resisting my instinct to take flight, I raise my arm slowly instead, praying to God it isn’t shaking as much as I think it is. Fear clogs my throat as I press the button to unlock my car, walking between two cars, only a few cars away from mine. “She was being so ridiculous, I wanted to run.” My voice sounds like I’ve been running for miles.
I would have thought it to be just another resident if I hadn’t glimpsed them on my way out of the elevator. If I hadn’t seen a glint of what he was gripping in his hand.
“Mansha?” Khizer asks carefully.
I force myself to laugh loudly. “She was so mad at me, if someone had given her a knife then, she would have plunged it straight through my heart!” My voice turns shrill, and I’m so close to my car, instinct kicks in and I finally increase my pace, my arm extending to grab the car handle.
I hear the footsteps a second before I feel something sharp sink into me. A surprised shriek escapes my lips.
“Mansha where are you?” Khizer snaps.
On instinct, I twist, slamming my purse into the man’s head. The knife plunges deeper into me, and my vision goes black. “Parking lot.” I say. Or at least I hope I do.
The man slams a fist into my face. I stumble back, my back hitting the door of my car, the knife pressing deeper into me. Its splitting my body into too, and I scream in agony.
A blurry figure stomps towards me. My back has gone numb, even though it’s burning. My entire being is burning. I wonder what’ll happen if I just let it continue for a few more seconds. Maybe a minute. Thats the maximum amount of time it’ll take for him to finish me off. It’ll be so much easier. Their isn’t anywhere to escape to anyway.
The pain is extreme. I can feel the knife slowly sinking deeper, it’s hilt pressing into my back. It’s the only thing I’m conscious off.
The man grips my throat tightly, choking me. My hand reaches up and scratches his face, my fingernail sinking into his eye. He screams, his hand gripping my wrist and twisting it away. Another scream reverberates in my ears, the pain shooting up my arm and making my knees buckle. The only thing that’s holding me up now is the hand gripping my throat.
A gurgle escapes me, my brain throbbing, and I think my face is about to pop from my neck. My bladder threatens to losen up and I pound my fists on the car, more pain shooting up my arm.
Where is all this pain even coming from?
I need air. I need to breathe. I need to fucking get some air. I claw at his hand, at his face. I try to kick him, punch him. I want to fucking murder him.
But each movement makes something in my back sink deeper into me. It’s frustrating. I need oxygen, I can’t afford to focus on my back pain right now. I reach behind me, pulling it out, and the pain is so sharp I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out.
I slash at the hand blocking my air supply.
The hand vanishes and I gasp, taking in all the air, a little of my vision coming back. The hand comes back for me.
I slash again, and my vision darkens with black spots.
Another scream.
I feel for the car door, my vision coming and going, like I’m blinking fast. I fumble with the car handle and tug it open. Another shot of pain, another scream.
I hurriedly get in, all the while tortured cries leaving me, all of them cut short as I take in big gulps of air. Someone grabs at my hair, pulling me out. I slash with the knife again.
Another scream, this time more intense. I slash again, and again and again. I wave the knife around, each movement making my entire body burn and break, making my vision dark to the point that I can’t see.
I hear footsteps, I hear screams, but I’m no longer sure if they’re mine or his. I wave the knife until my arm aches, and my body numbs with the pain. Until there’s more black in my surroundings then white, and I can’t tell the sweat from the blood. Until I can’t hear and can’t see.
Until I can’t feel.