HEALING TOGETHER - A Meerasim Short Story

THE WEDDING

"Main Murtasim se shaadi krungi lekin iss ghar se nahi aur na hi Meerab Anwar Khan bankar. Main usse shadi karungi apne Karachi wale ghar se aur Meerab Waqas Ahmed bankar. Agar aap logo ko ye manzur hai to sahi hai warna..."

She was interrupted by maa begum before she could complete her sentence. "Meerab, pagal ho gayi ho tum? Ye kaisi baate kar rahi ho?" She heard her roared in anger.

"Warna ye shadi nahi hogi. Aap logo ko jo karna hai kar sakte hain. Mujhe iss ghar se nikal dijiye ya phir maar dijiye." She put forward her condition with her heart thumping loudly in her chest. She was not scared of death. It's the ultimate reality. But she was really afraid of being taken away from her parents. That's the main purpose of her being agree to this proposal so that her parents wouldn't abandon her. The Khans would not kill her that she knew. Instead they would stop her from meeting her parents caging her in this haveli. How would she live if she couldn't meet or talk to them? The fear of abandonment gripped her heart so tightly that she couldn't refuse the proposal, not anymore. She still remembered how she felt when she was told that she was not Meerab Waqas Ahmed but Meerab Anwar Khan. The knot in her heart was so painful that she didn't want to feel that again.

"Meerab, tum...." Maa begum was interrupted by Anwar's firm voice. "Jaisa tum chahti ho waisa hi hoga. Bas tum shadi ke liye maan jao."

Though Anwar had given his consent, Meerab looked at her father or should I say her foster father to see whether he agreed or not. She could see her father's face relaxed a little bit after hearing her agreeing to this marriage yet there was a little hesitation in his eyes. May be it was because Salma Begum hadn't had given her approval yet. She hoped in her heart that her father could at least keep this request of hers without caring about maa begum.

The room fell into a strange silence as everyone was trying to think what to speak. But there was one person who stood there dumbfounded. Did he hear it right? Or was it just an imagination? But the biggest question was why did she agree all of a sudden? He couldn't remember anyone pressurizing her after her little stunt then what changed? However, before he could ponder over his thoughts, his head snapped to his mother as she spoke, "Waqas, apni beti ko khuch zyada hi bolna sikha diya hai tumne. Agar ye meri beti hoti to ek baar mein hi seedha kar deti ise main".

"Bhabhi begum, Meerab ki tafar se main maafi maangta hun. Lekin iss waqt ye shadi zyada zaroori hai. Aap please maan jaiye. Shadi ke baad apne saanche mein dhaal lijiyega. Par iss waqt haan kar dijiye." Everyone looked at maa begum and breathed of relief as maa begum nodded her head a little indicating her approval.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Meerab closed her eyes tightly as a lone tear escaped. Two weeks had passed but seems her tears had no intention to stop. She wiped it off quickly as she heard footsteps outside her room. After a minute or two, her mother Anila and her would be sister-in-law Maryam came to her view. They came to take her to the stage for the impending marriage. She was afraid all of a sudden. She could hear her heart beating loudly. But why was she afraid. Was it because of her uncertain future in this family, or because of her unfulfilled dreams, or simply because of seeing him for the first time after her declaration of marrying him? Yes, after that day she didn't meet or talk to him. He had tried many times to speak to her, to have a word with her in private regarding their marriage, regarding her sudden approval of this marriage but she didn't spare a glance at him let alone talk to him in private. And now, when the moment had finally arrived, she was scared to face him.

"Chalo beta, sab intezaar kar rahe hain." Anila spoke softly. She loved her daughter wholeheartedly. If it was in her hands she would have never let this marriage happen against her daughter's will. But she was helpless in front of this family and mainly in front of her husband. She tried to speak to them not to force Meerab but when had this family ever listened to her? She sighed and kissed her daughter's forehead wishing and praying for good. Meerab hugged her mother tightly. She looked around and it dawned on her that it was the last time she was in her room wherein lied her whole existence. Yes, she was in her home in Karachi as per her condition. Anila patted her back before breaking the embrace and wiped the tear which was about to roll down her cheeks. She shook her head indicating her not to cry. Meerab nodded and they left for the garden to do the rituals of the marriage.