"Aiden sir is someone I know as my senior. Furthermore, we have never spoken to each other, not even for intellectual reasons." She replied confidently, looking at her Taya.
"He came to ask for your hand in marriage without knowing you or having a conversation with you. Do you want me to believe that, seriously?" He asked in an impolite and mocking manner.
"Isn't it enough proof that I disagree with this proposal?" She looked into her father's eye as she spoke. Even though she was aware that her father didn't play a significant part in family matters and that her uncle made all the decisions, she still wanted her father to act as her guardian, even if it meant asking the same question Taya had. It didn't matter if he needed to ask her to prove herself; he just wanted him to act like the father for once in her life.
Instead of her uncle's brother, she had always desired her father to be her father. However, he remained silent as usual, which crushed her heart more than Taya's inquiry.
"I understand that you don't want to accept this proposal, but he must have had a reason for asking for your hand in marriage. Nobody came at this point without any sort of hint."
She was shocked by what he said and could not believe what she had just heard. Was he accusing her? If so, why without any proof?
"If simply knowing someone has been sufficient to give a hint, then I am sorry having to tell you Taya, that your daughter, must have also given him a hint."
Fearfully, Amirah turned her face first toward her and then to her father. Feeling anxious, Tayi Jaan moved to face her daughter.
"You ignorant child, how dare you insult my daughter?" He got up from his chair and walked over to slap her, shouting from his throat.
"Likewise, you had enough courage to insult someone else daughter, Taya Jaan." Her tone wasn't impolite, but it was bitter.
"My daughter is not like you, so don't compare yourself to her." He spoke while letting go of his shoulder from Bari's grip, who griped in order to stop him from beating her, her only younger brother, who often defended her despite spending a lot of time at boarding school. He was the only person Taya could not harm and sometimes listened to him, even though he did not like him. But he sent him to Boarding school in order to keep him from participating in family matters.
"Indeed, you are correct. We are not comparable in any way, because regrettably, I have no one to defend me the way you defend your daughter." Tears of anguish filled her eyes as she gazed at her father.
"Let go of pretending to be innocent. If you were truly innocent, he wouldn't have come here for you. Amirah went to the same university, but no boy dared to come here for her because she had never done anything to catch their notice." His tone was one of severe insults.
How can one criticize another person's daughter so openly and fearlessly? Does their tongue not stutter? Are they not afraid of Allah? They have a daughter, don't they? Can't they imagine how they would feel if their daughter experienced the same thing?
"I" Previously silenced, Aliyan Sahab looked at her daughter and spoke, "I would like every one of you to conclude this inquiry, since I am going to accept this proposal as her guardian." However, he was not looking at her exactly; rather, he was looking for his sister in her, her adored one, who was being questioned in the same manner and at the same spot while she was defending herself, the 26 years ago.
When they heard this, everyone was taken aback and displayed various kinds of expressions on their faces.
Taya, who was furious, turned to face him abruptly and asked in a shocked voice. "Guardian? Aliyan, seriously? Then who am I?"
"I need to speak with Bhai Jaan; kindly excuse us and allow us some privacy." Aliyan Sahab asked to everyone to go from here as he wanted to have some conversation to his brother.
"Abbu? You know.... I don't want to" Hessah said abruptly looking at her father. "You can't do t
"Hessah go.... I will talk to you later"
"Bhai Jaan, I acknowledged that you had done all for my children that I ought to have done. Therefore, I have never prevented you from making decisions for them."
"Then what are you doing now?" Taya Jaan spoke while staring at him.
"Bhai Jaan, Bari was sent to boarding school by you. I kept quiet. I remained silent when you prevented Hessah from staying at her Nani home. You stopped her from traveling out of state to study, and I remained silent at the time also. As the senior member of the family, I have given you complete authority over all decisions pertaining to my child. But since now, I don't want history to repeat itself, I will make one decision for her today as her father: I want my daughter to marry him."
"If your objective is to prevent history from repeating again, I have one condition before that."
.......
After searching for this particular classroom for a long time, she finally made her way here.
"May I come in Sir?" She asked, panting for breath.
Every student's gaze was on her, and she could feel it.
The professor, who was about to begin the lecture, looked at her and then at his watch, replied "Yes you may, for today. But from now on, you'd best be on time for my class. Because I value discipline."
"Yes Sir, sure. Thank You" She went in and took a seat next to an attractive young woman who appeared to be an amiable individual. Because she was grinning warmly at her while she sat next to her.
Despite his friend's constant chatter surrounding him, Zulfi, who had previously been entirely focused on the upcoming lecture, abruptly turned to face her upon hearing her voice. A warm smile appeared on his lips, and he murmured under his breath, "So, we will be seeing each other frequently."
"Is this a question to ask, of course?" At his mutter, his friend, absorbed in their own ceaseless chanting, paused. Thinking that he had gone insane, one of them responded.
He grinned at his own thoughts while glancing at his friend and responded to them in a mocking manner, "Ah, And I believed that you folks would finally quit pestering me this time. How unlucky I am."
"What?" His all three friends shouted together. The look on their face after hearing his response was dramatic.
"Silence!" The professor yelled back at their loud voice and continued, "No more noise now"
Zulfi just gave them a wink at their angry faces.
"Every class has its share of idiots, so congratulations to us for finally having ours." Smiling in response to Cristy's comment, she turned her head to look at them. When she saw him staring at her with the same irritating grin on his lip, she abruptly stopped smiling and turned away.
"Weirdo" She murmured in low voice.
"Hmm?" Cristy asked, thinking that she might be talking to her.
"Nothing" She replied nodding her head.
......
Even though she really hoped that this day would never come, it did, with all its sad and terrible aspects. Her nikah was performed by a Quari Sahab a short while ago. It was her nikah, nevertheless, or the funeral of her all-dreaming. It wasn't that she didn't want to get married. Like many girls, she also aspired to have a happy family with her soulmate and children. She just didn't want this, though, and in this manner without accomplishing her goal first.
And Nikah, was this a really nikah? No, it was not. A nikah is supposedly a lovely day when two souls finally accept one another with whole hearts, with the elders' blessing, and with their genuine, joyful consent. However, it wasn't like that because no one was truly happy about it here, neither she nor her parents truly wished her luck, and she didn't want this to happen, this way. Their reputation was more important to them than other people's happiness.
It was her Rukh sati moment, and two females each accompanied her, supporting her by holding her hand. She was wearing a large beige embroidered chiffon veil that effectively concealed her face, and it was swaying little with the wind. A sudden gust of wind caused her veil to come off, revealing her face entirely. Her beautiful face with little makeup was revealed to everyone in the family. As the intense wind forced her to, she closed her eyes, then opened them a little. She opened her luscious lipstick-coated lip to let out a sigh.
He, who was standing in front of the car, looking at her veil face constantly, got stunned.
"Whose face is this?" This was not the face he had chosen for his bride. It wasn't her. That girl was not Hessah Aliyan.
"Who was she?" As he was completely flabbergasted to see that girl standing in front of him, as his bride, he asked his father. "Dad, I am asking. Who is she?"
Every member in attendance at the moment, including Hamid Sahab, was taken aback and perplexed by his response. A few of them had even begun to engage in mutual gossip.
"Aiden, what happened, Son? She, your bride." He chuckled bewilderedly and carried on, "Quit being so dramatic. I am aware that everyone seemed surprised and couldn't identify their girl as a bride in some makeup."
"Can't identify? She is not the person I wish to marry, Dad. I want to marry Hessah Aliyan. And where is she?"
Aiden's question made Hamid Sahab perplexed and turned to face the girl dressed in bridal attire.