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Chapter Forty one

A/n: [Dadima = grandma. Bhai= brother.  Bhabi = sister in law.]

Soha's point of view:

We were waiting for grandma to join us at the breakfast table. Abbu and khala talked as the rest of us were bored.  We couldn't even use our cellphones because it was prohibited to use cellphones while having a meal with grandma. Yeah, she was strict.

My final exams were over. Valentine's day was only ten days away. I didn't have any plans for that day. I only remembered it because Rahat was coming to Bangladesh the day after valentine's day.

That means 15,840 minutes!

Grandma came and took her seat. We waited till she took a spoonful of oatmeal, and smiled at us. Everyone started to eat silently.

My grandmother came to visit us once in a year. She usually stayed a month with us, then went to visit her other five sons. She spent six months with her six sons. And the rest of the year, she travelled the world.

"Ahem ahem." Someone coughed, and I looked up from my plate. Grandma looked at our chef Ruhul who was standing not so far from the dining table. He left the hall with a nod.

"Soha, your exams are over, right?" Grandma asked even though she knew that it was.

"Yes, dadima."

"When I told your father to ask your opinion on a marriage proposal, you said you didn't want to talk about it until your exams are over. So, I think we can talk about it now." Dadima finished talking without looking anywhere else but me.

I took a sip of my apple juice but it got stuck in my throat. I couldn't cough it out nor swallow. Mihad patted my back. Khala and abbu rushed to my side while dadima drank her coffee without a concern. After a few minutes, the feeling went away.

"Now that you're feeling better, let's resume to our discussion." Grandma said as she pushed the coffee cup to her left. "As far as I'm told, you don't have a boyfriend. So, I think you should meet this guy. He's the youngest grandson of Mrs. Haq."

"But I. . ."

"You what?" Her voice boomed out with such sternness that made me stop saying anything else.

"Other people don't want to get married because they want to build up their career first. You already have one. You're one of the most successful businesswomen in the country."

Now her voice turned softer.

"It's not like I've anything against arrange marriage. I just don't want to get married right now. I'm only twenty three."

I voiced out my thoughts. I never had anything against arrange nor love marriage. I wanted someone to love me too. But I knew no one would love me for the real me.

"I got married to your grandpa when I was sixteen and he was nineteen. Was I imprisoned? No."

"That's not what I'm afraid of." I told her.

"Then what are you. . . Oh! About that? I told Mrs. Haq and her grandson about it. They don't care about the past." She smiled.

I sighed knowing that this conversation wasn't going the way I wanted it to.

"Just meet him for once. You don't have to marry him right away. Just meet him, get to know each other. And we'll see." Before I could comprehend fully what grandma just said, she walked out on us.

Rahat's point of view:

Have you ever been tricked by your own family? Well, I have. And it wasn't a good feeling.