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Chapter 28: Awaiting Miracles

Zainab glimpsed at her youngest son in disbelief, and said, "You better not tell me you're planning to refuse this proposal too, Ahmed. I think you're being rude, you didn't even speak to her. What is the basis of your judgment?"

"I heard her speak to you and Tam," Ahmed reminded. "I found her a little childish, she lacks the level of depth that I have in my mind."

"Ahmed?" Zainab exhaled. "This was the first official meeting with her, what deep conversations were you expecting from her? Did you want her to talk about science and the cosmos, or did you want her to speak at length of Aakhiarh and the day of judgment. No, really, what did you want her to speak about except for the brief formal conversation we had?"

"It's not that," Ahmed justified, growing slightly frustrated. "In the way she answered your questions, I felt she lacked the maturity that I was looking for. It's not her fault, she was good the way she was, she just didn't fit the image I have."

"You're being unreasonable," Zainab pointed out.

"Besides, I didn't like the amount of make-up she had used," Ahmed went on further, ignoring his mother's previous statement.

"It was minimalistic, all girls use make-up these days," Zainab clarified; horrified that Ahmed actually said this. "Afreen uses make-up, so does Tammara, what exactly are you trying to say?"

"Look Mamma," Ahmed started, his patience wearing thin. "I said I didn't get the vibe, you could just leave it at that and drop it. But if you're going to ask me for reasons, I'll have to point out things that didn't agree with me, and then you're going to make it seem like I'm finding excuses and putting her down. So let's just accept that there was nothing wrong with Zara and I'm the one at fault for setting these standards, okay?" He asked, agitated.

"Now that you have agreed that the fault is in you, instead of hailing yourself, you should probably try to do something to correct it. So how about I invite them home next week and this time you talk to Zara and try to look at things that you may like in her?"

Ahmed sighed at the suggestion, and stretching his arms straight on the steering, he turned to his right, staring outside the window because he was so done with this conversation.

Looking at her son's attitude and the lack of a response on his end, she asked, "Tammara, do you have something to say?"

If she was being honest, Tammara found Zara good-natured and amicable, and as alarming as Ahmed's behavior was, in a way, she understood what he meant, although the way he put it across was strange.

"I personally liked Zara, I've met her before too and she's a great human. But I sort of understand where Ahmed is coming from because Zara is a little childish and just... if Ahmed is particular about a sorted and mature wife, I guess his answer is valid."

"Thank you, at least someone gets it," Ahmed sighed, his face still somber.

"At this rate, you're not going to find anyone to get married to," Zainab reminded, sick of her son's reasoning, and now he had more leverage, for even Tam had subtly sided by him.

Ahmed smiled, and replied, "At least don't curse me, Mamma."

"My duas are always with you, Ahmed, you're my son. Cursing you would be like cursing myself, if you were to be in pain, I would be in more pain. I'm just stating facts," Zainab explained.

"I don't know, Mamma. I don't know," he confessed, unsure what to say. He knew his mother was praying for him, she always did, but what if her prayers were creating more obstacles in his path? What if she was asking Allah for him to forget Rufaida, what if she prayed for him and Rufaida to never be together, what if the duas that she was making for him were the reason for his heartache?