The sun was high over Hyderabad, the 01:26 PM heat shimmering outside the dining hall. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of spices and the underlying tension of a mother’s worry. Sameera, Zainab, and Rubina were a silent statues of silence, setting the table for lunch.

​Sameera carried a heavy rice bowl from the kitchen, her movements careful, while Rubina set the plates with a rhythmic, right positions. Thud. The last plate hit the wood with finality.