Mehr-o-Mah | مہر و ماہ ✓

Riwayat- Pt 6

Zaahira stilled, finally getting a hint of where all this was going and needless to say, she wasn't pleased, not even in the slightest.

"Aunty, main aur Dilawar-"

"Ghar ke log maan jayenge, lekin yeh jo aas paas ke hai unka kya? Naam bol bol kar aur taane mar mar kar zindagi haram kar denge. Duniya ka shawk ban chuka hai logo ki izzat ke saath khelna. Aur h-hum apne kh-khnadaan ki yeh halat hote nahi dekh sakte."

Her voice cracked towards the end. The severity of the situation finally spiralled in Zaahira's head and assumptions as such whispered in her ears like voices she had never heard and most likely, ones that didn't exist.

A young girl and a man, alone at night?

Hand in hand, her wrapped in his shawl?

Goodness, what has the world come to?

Have they no shame or respect?

Zaahira remembered vaguely the time she had decided on being a travel blogger. The news elated her family members but the same couldn't be said about the people or her distant relatives who found it easy to judge rather than understand.

"Akeli ladki, anjaan jagah mein?"

"Khuda, aise waise kaam karne lagi toh?"

"Yeh traveller blogger hota kya hai? Aaj kal ki ladkiyon ko toh sirf bahane chahiye aiyashi karne ke liye."

"Agar kisi ladke ke saath bhaag gayi thi? Izzat le dube gi ye!"

The words were not said loud but she had heard them, registered the stares and the words that were depicted in their eyes. She had even thought of letting her dreams go if not for her parents and her taya abbu and ammi. Her confidence may have dwindled by the society's gaze but the foundation of her existence and the trust that they had in her was stronger than her own faith in herself.

"Haath jod rahi hu tumhare aage beta, nikah karlo mere Dilawar se."

And the world came crashing down on her.

Zaahira stumbled back, pulling her hand away from Ruqayyah. A horrified expression took over her face as she tried to get her breathing stable. The recollections of the past words and Ruqayyah's pleas set her soul on fire, something that didn't physically hurt but had started burning ever so slowly.

"A-aap k-kya.."

Her words were unable to flow. Shaking her head, Zaahira took a few steps back and watched as Ruqayyah's face fell.

Taking a few deep breaths, Zaahira tried to reason with the old woman.

"A-aap meri baat sune. Main aaj hi chali jaungi yaha se, phir kya baatein. Kuch din mein log bhul bhi jayenge is baat ko. A-aap-"

"Agar kisi aam ghar se hote toh shayad jo tum bhol rahi ho woh ho jaata lekin yeh is gaon ke nawab ka ghar hai bache. Siyasi baatein agar zor daal kar boli jaye toh unpe yakeen karna mushkil nahi hota. Ek galat baat, aur pura Kazim khandaan kisi mazak se kam nahi rahega."

"Siyasi baatein? Should've known."

Zaahira whispered the last part to herself, finally realising that it was all just a part of power play.

"Aunty, bura na maane, lekin mera is sab se koi rishta nahi hai. Mujhe siyasi khel mein nahi padna aur na hi kise se nikah karna hai. Khuda ke vaaste samjhe meri baat ko."

Zaahira pleaded with an agitated look. This was getting too intense for her liking. Too many expectations and assumptions and the last thing she'd want for herself is to be thrown into a mess of politics and rumours and a marriage with a person who was not even past the line of a stranger.