❝ I know. I could be happy until midnight if I wanted to. But what about after midnight? What about two AM? What about four AM? What about months and even years later?
I don't want to let him in knowing sometime in the future I'd have to let him go...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Daneen had only just thought of voicing her proposition when the door to Ammi Jaan's room clicked open and in walked the one person Daneen had already presumed to be fast asleep.
Fareeda.
Her eyes travelled from Ammi Jaan's carefree expressions to Daneen's books, and then up to the girl's barely concealed surprise. Her hair tied behind her in a loose braid, mascara smeared under her eyes, Fareeda didn't need to think of a reason why she was being gaped at so incredulously.
"Who gave you permission to—"
"Ammi Jaan herself," the very woman spoke.
Fareeda narrowed her eyes. "She is a servant, Ammi! It would fare well to treat her like one!"
"Either way, she's not yours to command."
"What's going on here?" Tabish questioned, the voice reaching the ears of the three women, yet none of them able to see him. "Daneen, do you have your scarf on?"
Fareeda pushed the door open to reveal Tabish, catching Daneen by surprise once again. Daneen slipped her auburn hair under the shawl, messing it in the process.
"The two of you have spoiled her to the extent that she's forgotten her status," Fareeda sneered at her son.
"Tabish, come in here and get Daneen." Ammi Jaan spoke with authority. "Take her downstairs. Daneen, go."
Daneen turned her head up for just a second to lock gazes with Ammi Jaan. Where Daneen previously saw nothing but irrefutable love and strength in those eyes, that night, all she saw was was fury. And it scared her down to the very bone. The night wasn't going to end well and no one could tell her otherwise.
"Go," Ammi Jaan pressed, wounding a tight grip around Daneen's arm and jerking her towards Tabish.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
