That evening was silent like any other day. The sun was setting in the sky, orange light was spreading outside the window. That light was filling Mehrin's small room with a strange, sad beauty.
Mehrin stood by the window for a long time. This window seemed to have become her only companion in life. From here, she saw the outside world, the normal life of people—and felt the abnormality of her own life more clearly.
She was standing the same way today.
There was a small shop across the street. People were drinking tea there, talking. Some young people were laughing and talking. The sound of their laughter occasionally reached this room through the air.
Mehrin closed her eyes for a moment when she heard that sound.
She felt that everyone in this world was a part of some story.
Only she… as if she was a character stuck in the middle of a story.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Mehrin was startled.
Usually, no one comes at this time.
He slowly walked towards the door. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Rashed standing there.
Surprise flashed in Mehreen's eyes.
"You?" she said slowly.
Rashed looked tired. There were dark circles under his eyes, a look of fatigue on his face.
"Won't you let me in?" she said softly.
Mehreen quickly stepped aside.
Rashed went inside and sat down on the sofa. As if resting after a long walk.
Mehreen went to the kitchen and brought a glass of water.
"Drink some water," she said.
Rashed took the glass and drank the water slowly.
A strange silence fell in the room.
This silence was not new to Mehreen, but today it seemed a little heavier.
After a while, she dared to say—
"Are you okay?"
Rashed nodded.
"Yes... a little tired."
Mehreen sat down in front of him. She could tell—something was going on in Rashed's mind.
But she couldn't quite figure out what it was.
After a moment of silence, Mehreen slowly said—
"I want to ask you something."
Rashed looked.
"What?"
Mehreen's heart began to pound.
She had been hiding this question inside herself for a long time.
She couldn't do it anymore today.
"Will you ever introduce me as your wife in front of everyone?"
As soon as she said this, the air in the room seemed to stop.
Rashed remained silent for a few seconds.
Her expression changed.
"Are you starting this again?" she said in a slightly irritated voice.
Mehreen looked down and said—
"Because it hurts me a lot."
Rashed sighed.
"I told you—I'll tell you when the time is right."
"But when is that time?" Mehreen slowly asked.
Rashed didn't seem to have the answer to this question.
He remained silent.
This silence was piercing Mehreen's heart like a thorn.
"I don't want much from you," Mehreen said again.
"I just want you to accept me."
Rashed stood up now.
He walked to the window and looked outside.
The last light of the sun was slowly fading.
After a while, he said slowly—
"Not everything is that simple, Mehreen."
Mehreen looked surprised.
"Why not simple?"
Rashed didn't answer.
His silence gave rise to a strange suspicion in Mehreen's mind.
She suddenly felt—there might be some truths hidden in Rashed's life that she didn't know yet.
And those truths might one day change their relationship completely.
That night, Rashed didn't talk much.
And Mehreen could also sense—a strange distance was forming within this silence.
Before she fell asleep, a thought was running through her mind.
Maybe the story of his life is not what he thought it would be.
Maybe there is a bigger storm waiting ahead in this story.
And when that storm comes—
then his life could change completely.