Manzil

Chapter 6 - Forced to take the bitter pill

Only most of the elderly women and a couple of cousins including samina Aunty and Nabila aunty would be coming to today's function.

The nikkah would be on the baraat day which was right after the mehndi.

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Shahzaib's POV:

"Ammiii finally! Meine apko bohaat miss Kiya." I said while running to her and hugging her.

I had just arrived home alongside Adil and bhai from Islamabad, I missed home and it felt great to be back. Ammi was really happy. I couldn't help but notice that the house looked quite different.

"Humne bhi tum logoun ko bohaat miss Kiya." Ammi said on behalf of herself, Abba and Nabila chachi who was sitting beside Adil.

"Lagta hai Ghar phir se renovate karwa Diya hai." I commented.

"Haan tumhare Jane ke baadh mein bohaat se kamoun mein busy ho gaiy thi." Ammi said while serving me tea.

"Kya matlab?" I asked

"Mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hai lekin abhi tum Aram karo shaam mein aram se baat kartay Hain."  Ammi said hesitantly.

She was acting weird, like something wasn't right, maybe she was hiding something from me.

"Theek hai," I replied anyway.

"Apne dadu se mil lena woh apne kamre mein rest kar rahay hain, lunch kar chuke hain isliye hume join nahi karein gaiy." She said to me.

"Jee acha." I said while getting up to go meet dadu with Adil while the ladies headed to the kitchen.

Soon after a short meeting with dadu since it was his nap time. We all had lunch except baba who wasn't home, apparently busy with some work, Adil and Nabila Chachi left for their house and I went straight to sleep.

It was late that evening when baba and mama broke the news to me.

"What?" I screamed.

"Awaz nechay rakho." Baba ordered me.

"Apne Meri Shaadi mere Marzi ke beghair tey kardi aur Ap mujh se keh rahay Hain ke mein shor bhi na machaoun?" I said frustrated.

"Humne Jo bhi Kiya hai tumhari behtari ke liye Kiya hai, Zara jesi larki Hume dhoondne pe bhi na milti, un logoun ka khandan, chal dhaal sab humse milta hai, rishtay apni barabari mein he karne cahieye." He tried to reason for the one hundredth time.

"Nikkah parson hai, Kal mehndi hai, aur ye sab mujhe ab pata chal raha hai. Isiliye ap sab log itna ajeeb act kar rahay thay." I said angrily.

"Ap unhe phone Kar ke Mana Kar dein, aisa kuch nahi hoga. Meine Koi Zara wara se Shaadi nahi karni." I said trying to end whatever nightmare this had turned into.

"Shahzaib tum pagal tou nahi hogaiy Kya? Card distribute Kar chuke Hain, tayariyan ho chuki Hain, puray khandan ko pata chal Gaya hai, sab ke samne hamare kitni bezati hogi jantay bhi ho tum?" Mama said as if i grew two horns on my head.

" Hum unhe zabaan de chuke Hain aur isse pechay hargiz nahi Hun gaiy, behtar hai ke tum bhi izzat se man jao warna mujhe apni baat manwana bhi ati hai." Abbu said sternly

That's what he always did, I've always been an obedient kid, even if I could whine and complain in front of mom I could never say anything to Abbu, due to that I've always respected every decision of his for me since he was the wisest and strongest man to me but today he had crossed the limit of unjustness.

"Ap log mere saath aisa karein gaiy ye mein soch bhi nahi sakhta tha, hamesha apke baataiy huwe naksh o qadam par calha hun, hamesha ap logoun ki izzat mein sar jhukaya aur ab mujhe apni he Zindagi ka faisla karne ka bhi koi haq nahi?" I said upset and disappointed.