Jaan

Part 21- Almost

"So, now that my daughter is here—I'd like to know what made you think that she is the one for you?" Ammi Jaan proceeded to ask him.

"There's no other girl, it has to be her, we met in school and I was just a dumb kid trying to make it out of there but when I met her—my whole life just changed" he said making me feel butterflies. I hate myself at this point.

"You think you'll be able to handle her? She's a girl who needs attention, care and love, can you really give that to her?" Ammi asked in all seriousness.

"Yes I can, it might not seem like I can but I know that I can, she's precious to me" he said. I really can't take it. He needs to stop with his sweet words.

"Okay, now I need to ask what actually really matters, can you bet on your life that you will be able to protect my daughter? You will never let her get hurt, you won't hurt her feelings? Will you never dare lay a hand on her unless she gives you her consent? Can you do that for my girl?" Abbu asked with his eyes fixed on Aslan. I never heard my father speak in this tone.

"I bet my life that I can and will protect her with all my might, I'd never dare hurt her" he said making my heart skip a beat. Ammi jaan and Abbu looked at each other for a few seconds before turning their heads back at him and then at me.

"The decision is yours" Abbu said to me. I looked at them and then at him.

Honestly, his promises sounded genuine and if he were the same guy I knew first back then I would be dying to say yes at this moment. But the truth is that he isn't. And all I can think about right now is that he might hurt my family if I say no. It took me at least a minute. The next minute, I agreed and saw my parents smiling and hugging in joy. This feels wrong and right but now, all I know is that I'm about to become somebody's wife.

***

A week later

I was in my room packing my suitcases. The wedding is next week. All the invitation cards have been sent today. We also did the mehndi session today. My arms and feet are fully and beautifully decorated. I truly feel like a bride.

From Pakistan to the UK, everyone will be present. I've been putting on an anxious smile all along. I don't know what I'm doing anymore. Whether it's right or wrong.  When I tell you, Ayla almost choked on air when I told her everything. She can't believe anything that's happening although her attention is more hooked on the fact that Miran also owns a gun. She 100% thinks that they are a bunch of gangsters coming to ruin good girls' lives.

I still had to create a lie to make her believe that I like Aslan so that she agrees that I'm marrying of my own will. If I tell her otherwise, she will do everything possible to stop this marriage and on the other side, my family will get hurt. As for my brother, he apologized for not being able to attend now but he will certainly be present on the wedding day. Back then, he knew I was mainly sad because of Aslan but I never actually told him the real reason why.

When he asked me to explain myself clearly, I just replied with a simple answer that I was not feeling well and that he had nothing to do with it. I lied because I really just wanted to forget about Aslan and I didn't want my brother to do anything to him. This time, when I mentioned Aslan's name to him he was shocked at first but then he chuckled. He didn't ask too many questions. Only one which was the following: Do you see him as the father of your kids one day?

The answer was an obvious no. I would never want my kids to have a dad who indulges in wrong things. I would never want them to feel scared. Still,  I hesitated when he asked me. I keep wondering what he would actually do if I were to call off the Nikah now.

Lost in my thoughts, Ammi Jaan suddenly came into my room.

"Adalina, are you okay?" she asked in a soothing voice taking a seat on my bed.

"I'm fine ammi" I lied.

"I know you're tired, rest well tonight because tomorrow we're going to try on your wedding dress.!Abbu and I met with his family today before your mehndi ceremony—he only has his father and they seem to be nice people. You think you'll be okay?" she asked.

"I'll be...okay ammi don't worry, I just want you and Abbu to take care of yourselves" I genuinely said.

"Let me see your mehndi" she said grabbing my arms and taking a look.

"Mashallah, it's bright" she noticed. There's this thing that if the mehndi is bright, it means the future will also be.

"Your Ammi needs a favour from you" she added.

"Anything for you" I replied.

"If there's anything that goes wrong, you will come right back here and we will help you, I'm giving you away but you are still my child—no matter what, you have to promise me that okay?" I feel like crying. I hugged her tightly.

"I will, I promise" I said as she hugged me back.

Even though I'll come back to see them from time to time, this feels like goodbye and I'll miss my parents immensely.

***

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