Prologue

The distant call to prayer echoed through the quiet village before dawn.

Beside Asha's bed, the alarm clock continued its relentless ringing.

Outside the room, another familiar sound followed.

A loud knock on the door.

"Are you girls planning to get up today, or should I break the door down?" Rasheda Begum shouted in annoyance.

It was the same routine every morning.

Asha set an alarm every night with the intention of waking up for Fajr on her own. Yet somehow, she could never remember a single day when she had managed to do it without her mother's voice dragging her out of bed first.

The alarm finally stopped.

"Well? The alarm's off now. Get up."

Muttering to herself, Rasheda Begum grabbed her miswak and headed toward the water area for ablution.

Asha groaned and sat up.

Every day she promised herself she would wake before her mother and surprise her.

Every day she failed.

Beside her, Rini remained fast asleep, completely unaware of the chaos around her.

For a moment, Asha considered letting her sleep.

Then she sighed.

If Rini missed Fajr again, their mother would be even angrier.

"Rini," she called softly. "Hey, Rini."

"Hmm...?"

"Aren't you praying today? Mom's been calling us forever. She has probably finished her wudu already. Come on, get up."

"Hmm..."

"Please, little sister. We'll pray and then you can go back to sleep."

That finally worked.

Rini rubbed her eyes and slowly climbed out of bed.

The two sisters grabbed their miswaks and walked together toward the water area.

After performing ablution, they prayed Fajr.

The moment it was over, Rini hurried back to bed.

Asha smiled.

Some things never changed.

While her younger sister disappeared beneath the blanket again, Asha sat down with her books.

She had recently started her first year of college in the Humanities department.

Life was simple.

At least, for now.

---

That afternoon, Asha returned home earlier than usual.

One of her teachers had fallen seriously ill, and the other instructors had gone to visit him.

Classes had been canceled for the day.

Entering her room, she placed her bag on the table and changed her clothes.

After washing up, she went to the dining area and drank a glass of water.

"Asha, come help me for a minute!"

Her mother's voice came from outside.

Rasheda Begum was already carrying a large basket toward the family's vegetable garden.

"You go ahead, Mom. I'll be there."

Instead, Asha sat on a chair on the veranda.

Her eyes drifted toward the road.

She was waiting for Rini.

The house never felt complete when her little sister wasn't around.

Rini adored her.

She listened to everything Asha said and followed her everywhere.

Every request, every wish, every secret eventually found its way to Asha.

And somehow, Asha always managed to convince their father to fulfill those wishes.

Their bond was unbreakable.

"Mom," Asha called out, "I didn't see Dad this morning. When did he come home after prayer?"

Without looking up from the vegetables she was gathering, Rasheda Begum replied,

"He came back late today. Ate in a hurry and left again. Didn't even say where he was going."

Asha frowned.

That was unusual.

The family owned a modest but comfortable home.

Rows of vegetables grew beside the house.

Red spinach, water spinach, Malabar spinach, bottle-gourd leaves.

Enough for the family and enough to sell at the market for extra income.

A small pond behind the house provided fish throughout the year.

They were far from wealthy.

But they never lacked what they needed.

As the afternoon faded into evening, Amjad Hossain still hadn't returned home.

For the first time that day, worry began to settle over the household.

Lunch was always eaten together.

Always.

Yet the food remained untouched.

Rini had already eaten after Asha insisted.

But Asha and her mother continued to wait.

Watching the road.

Listening for footsteps.

Wondering when Amjad Hossain would finally come home.

Or if he would come home at all.

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