Chapter 11

Naira pushed open the wooden gate of her house, the soft creak of the hinges breaking the quiet of the lane. Inside, the living room light spilled faintly into the hall where her father’s muffled snoring came from the sofa. She climbed the stairs quietly, her saree’s pleats brushing against the steps.

In her bedroom, she placed her handbag on the table and let out a slow sigh, shoulders loosening from the long day. The night breeze drifted in from the open window, carrying the scent of wet earth from the distant fields.