Excerpt:

“If you lose hope now, you’ve already lost. Give me your ID card, and go back to get your passport from the office. Hopefully, you can return before it’s our turn,” Khadija encouraged, grabbing Haya’s ID and rushing ahead.

Summary:

In this episode, Haya’s tumultuous journey continues with a frantic morning, as she struggles with the realization that she doesn’t have her passport. The night before was restless, and she barely managed to get any sleep. Before the call for dawn prayer, she reached the diplomatic enclave, driven by the urgency of Khadija’s incessant calls. Upon arriving, Khadija’s anxious demeanor only heightened Haya’s stress. Dressed in a simple shalwar kameez and a black jacket, Haya’s composed exterior masked her inner turmoil.

Khadija and Haya’s plan involves taking a shuttle to the Turkish Embassy. However, an elderly couple also hurries towards the shuttle, prompting Khadija to rush Haya, emphasizing the importance of being among the first fifteen to arrive. Amidst the rush, Khadija asks if Haya brought her ID card and passport, only for Haya to realize she had forgotten her passport due to the previous night’s disturbances. This oversight puts their entire plan and Khadija’s scholarship in jeopardy. Khadija’s disappointment and frustration manifest in a heated outburst, leaving Haya, typically proud and composed, in tears.

Khadija eventually calms down and devises a new plan. She takes Haya’s ID card and instructs her to retrieve the passport from the office in Rawalpindi, hoping Haya can make it back in time. Despite the daunting task and the heavy morning traffic, Haya decides to push forward, driven by Khadija’s encouragement and her own resolve not to give up easily.

Haya’s journey to Rawalpindi is fraught with anxiety and impatience. After an agonizing wait outside the passport office, it finally opens, and she secures her passport. Just as she’s about to head back, Khadija calls from the embassy, informing Haya that she has managed to get them into the queue and Haya’s number is fifteenth. Haya rushes back, navigating the heavy traffic, and finally reaches the embassy by 11 AM.

At the embassy, the scene is tense but hopeful. The lounge is adorned with Turkish decorations, and Khadija anxiously awaits Haya’s arrival. When Haya finally joins her, they are called for their interview. The Turkish diplomat, recognizing their names from a pre-approved list, informs them that their visas will be stamped by the next day. Overwhelmed with relief, both Haya and Khadija apologize to each other for their earlier outbursts, their camaraderie solidified.

After the successful interview, they leave the embassy, planning to do some shopping. Their bond strengthens further as they navigate their way through Islamabad, dealing with the aftereffects of their stressful morning. Later, Haya reflects on the future, her excitement about going to Turkey mingling with the challenges she anticipates facing.

Back at her uncle’s house, Haya confronts another layer of her complicated life. Her uncle’s traditional views contrast sharply with her aspirations, and she struggles with the expectations placed upon her. In a moment of privacy, she discovers a secret about her cousin Aram, finding a romantic message on Aram’s phone, hinting at a hidden relationship. This revelation adds another dimension to Haya’s already turbulent life, as she grapples with her own dreams and the complexities of her family’s expectations.