Amal Unbound

The other servants are impressed that Amal stood up to the police. Bilal thanks her personally. He and Nabila offer to cover for Amal, alerting her of Jawad’s movements, so she can return to the library and borrow books. Amal is suspicious, but Nabila apologizes for making things hard for her in the past and insists that Amal is now one of them. Amal worries Jawad would notice books missing, but Bilal and Nabila show her a file cabinet pushed up against a bookcase. Jawad would never see if books behind it were gone. Amal knows she is taking a risk but cannot refuse the opportunity to keep learning.

Amal safely borrows books again from Jawad’s library. She reads to Fatima and encourages her learning. Amal takes her mother’s words to heart and makes peace with Nabila as they take a break and listen to Mumtaz talk about her life. Mumtaz suggests that Nabila learn to read, but Nabila is noncommittal, turning the conversation instead to Jawad’s search for a wife. Allegedly, Jawad was engaged to be married but the girl backed out when she learned about his temper. Mumtaz thinks the girl was foolish: she would have been smarter to figure Jawad out and enjoy a life of wealth. In contrast, Amal is glad someone finally stood up to Jawad.

Nasreen takes Amal shopping with her in Lahore. As they drive through Amal’s village, passing the market and her home, Amal feels as if she is losing herself. The big city is like nothing Amal could imagine; crowded, noisy, and filled things Amal has never seen, like a protest that stops traffic. Nasreen buys many costly items. On the way home, Nasreen mentions that Hafsa’s oldest sister, Shabnum, is getting married. Nasreen is surprised that Amal had not heard this news, then discovers that Amal doesn’t have a phone and has not even called home. Nasreen gives Amal three days off to attend the wedding and visit her family. Amal is grateful beyond words.

Amal is so excited to go home, she jumps out of the car when Ghulam stops briefly and runs the last block to her house. Her family is thrilled to see Amal: the little girls talk excitedly, Seema hugs Amal, and her mother breaks into tears. Amal does not cry until her father, his own face wet with tears, holds her in his arms. Only Lubna is shy and does not remember her. Though Amal wants to tell Amma about her trials and heartache, she does not want to burden her mother. Amal joyfully drinks in the loud family chatter at dinner, but is hurt when Amma refuses Amal’s offer to help, calling her a guest in the home.

Amal and Seema dress for the pre-wedding festivities, including the mehndi, a celebration where the women decorate each other’s hands and feet with henna. Seema has a new outfit instead of one of Amal’s hand-me-downs, and Amal realizes that Seema has taken her place as eldest daughter. Hafsa is happy to see Amal until she realizes Amal is only visiting. Their conversation stalls. Hafsa shares that the new building the Khan family constructed in town is not a factory, but a literacy center set to open the following week. The villagers plan to avoid it, wanting nothing to do with the Khans. Amal realizes that Hafsa’s life is moving on, while her own future has been derailed.

Amal’s family attends the nighttime mehndi celebration. The bride, Shabnum, sits veiled on a small stage in the middle of the festive tent, getting henna designs on her hands and feet. Seema puts henna on Amal’s hands. Hafsa and two of Amal’s old classmates, Farah, and Nasreen Baji’s niece, Sana, perform a dance. Neighbor women question Amal about Jawad’s estate. They gossip about Nasreen and ignore Amal when she protests that Nasreen is kind. Amal understands that her servitude makes a great source of gossip, but the women have no idea of the difficult life she now must live. 

Before Amal returns to the Khan estate, Fozia brings her a box of sweets and tearfully asks her to intercede with Nasreen on her family’s behalf. They borrowed money from Jawad and are paying as fast as they can, but it is not fast enough. Amal knows she cannot help, and Amma admonishes Fozia for asking. Amal sees that her mother’s gold bangles are gone: She sold them to try and earn money to pay off Jawad. Seema explains they tried everything they could think of but cannot get the money to free Amal. Amal knows she will never come home for good and is angry at Jawad for harming so many people.

Nabila and Fatima welcome Amal back to the estate. Nasreen wants details about the wedding. Amal mentions watching Sana dance, and is shocked when Nasreen reveals she has not seen her niece in eleven years. Nasreen desires to see her family, and she visited when she was first married, but Khan Sahib does not want her interacting with the villagers. Jawad is frustrated at Khan, who orders him to get people into the literacy center, which is vital to Khan’s reelection campaign. Now, since no one attends, the teacher threatens to leave. Jawad and Nasreen decide to let Amal attend once a week. Amal is thrilled at the opportunity to work with a real teacher again.