Predestined

| Sarib |

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Song Recommendation: Aye Musht-e-Khaak OST. Some words are truly applicable to Mishal and Sarib.

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Rohail

The café smelled strongly of coffee and freshly baked croissants. Shelves after shelves were lined up with cakes and pastries behind glass, each item more tempting than the other. 

I glanced at Mishal, who sat across the table from me, once again tapping her fingernails, this time against the table. Maybe it was a habit of hers when she got nervous? She wore a maroon long kurta with matching chudidar, with a net dupatta with a gorgeous maroon floral border. I hadn't seen her in eastern wear too often, but it suited her.

I felt nervous, as if this was my first marriage. But, even though it wasn't my first, there was something more special about this time, but I couldn't exactly explain what it was. "So..?" I cleared my throat after the waiter had left our placing our order of coffee with almond croissants in front of us.

Her hair was in a braid, giving her a more innocent appearance. "Rohail. I don't know how to say this." 

I didn't allow myself to be overwhelmed by the sudden and huge amount of disappointment. Instead, I kept my expressions calm, reminding myself that I'd promised her that there would be no resentments or hard feelings.

"This is going to sound odd." She continued. "But right now, what I really need is a friend, someone I could turn to in time of need, or to have a heart-to-heart with on a regular basis." 

I nodded. "I understand." 

She looked up at me. "But, I also respect our culture and religion, and there are rules regarding the friendship of two non-mehrams." She paused. "I... I have a proposal of my own." 

"A counter offer from a lawyer?" I smiled weakly.

She smiled back. "Something like that." She was now playing with her bracelet. "I sort of got this idea from my sister Tara and brother-in-law Zain Bhai. When they got married, they considered each other friend-spouses. The marriage was an arranged married basically, based on friendship. I would like to propose the same. I want the same thing. Rohail, I can't promise love, I'm sorry. If Allah wills, it will happen. But if we go ahead with this, I don't want to give you false hopes or expectations. I loved Sarib with everything in me, and I believe that love like that only happens once in a lifetime." 

I almost began to second-guess my decision. Would I really want to marry someone who loved her late husband so much that it was still clearly visible in her eyes?

But then I focused on her words. She was blatantly telling me herself that this was about friendship, and if I was being honest, after my experience with Alizay, I had no idea whether I was ready for love and romance as well. "Okay." 

"Okay?" She looked a little taken aback.

I sighed. "I think, we're basically looking for the same things, Mishal. I'm not sure if love is generally in my agenda either, but yes, I want a good friend and a companion, preferably bound by Nikah." 

"It's not going to be easy at all." She added. "But I promise you, Rohail; if I sign a Nikah Nama with you, I will fulfil it with full honesty and loyalty." Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "I think in order to move on with life, it's important for me to make efforts myself as well."