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Chapter 10: Love finds another tale

"That Mubeena lady thinks she has scored a jackpot by making Afreen her daughter in law," Zainab started. "She knows that we're not happy with this, but instead of taking hints and speaking to us, very conveniently she's ignoring everything and pretending like everything is great. When I go to look for a wife for Ahmed, do you think I'm going to proceed with a proposal if the girl's mother is not interested in giving her daughter to us? Better still, do you think I'm going to only see to it that the girl comes from a big house and be happy? Mubeena did not wait to see if she liked Afreen as a person, she didn't even introspect on her manners or if she has good knowledge about deen and is a practicing Muslim. All she cared about was that she comes from a rich family. Why am I talking about Ahmed's wife, we have Tammara's case right before us. When you told us you wanted to marry her, we agreed because we liked her as a person, she had such excellent characteristics, to this day people compliment me on what a wonderful daughter in law she is. That's how you go ahead with a proposal, by seeing the person and her heart, not her family's bank balance. "

His lips tilting into the slightest smile upon listening about Tam, Raiyyan questioned, "Mamma, I do understand all this, but what has this got to do with me gifting a car to Afreen?"

"I feel Mubeena is marrying her son to Afreen thinking she's going to get luxuries home. Let's see if she still accepts Afreen with all her heart if she doesn't bring with her massive dowry in marriage."

Tilting his head in thought, Raiyyan prodded. "And what if you're wrong? What if she accepts Afreen irrespective of her not getting all this with her?"

"If Afreen can survive six months in that house with no complaints, then your dad can gift her properties he has in her name and you can gift her the car. But as of now, I want to see, are they getting Afreen home only because their son is in love with her, or are they making her their daughter in law for their gain. What's Afreen's will stay hers; I'm just withholding it for the time being."

"I'm not sure they can pass this challenge, Mamma," Raiyyan spoke frankly.

"I agree," Ibrahim replied. "Even the richest of the rich expect weighty dowry which they label as gifts from the girl's family, as for these people..." He trailed off.

Raiyyan looked between his parents, aware they were right in their way, but almost hoped they weren't. He was so glad that despite her personal opinions, Tam chose to stand beside Afreen and her decisions, because honestly, to a large extent, he didn't think his whole family together could ever do for his sister what his wife was doing for her at the moment. Since Zainab had taken a backseat, it was Tam assisting Afreen in all her affairs, from shopping to even selecting the baskets in which they'd be sending gifts to Zubair's family, he could see how much effort she was putting into it, just for Afreen's happiness. She had told him that her logic was simple, none of them wanted it but now that it was happening, they might as well put Afreen's happiness over their own advices. He admired her for her theory and how nicely she stood true to it, but only time would tell if all this was worth it.

Raiyyan didn't know what was right or what was wrong, but what he did know was that he hated that his parents were on one side and Afreen on the other, while the brothers stood in the middle torn between giving in and letting go.

***

"Rufaida, what is this that I'm hearing?"

Rufaida winced at her Nani's tone, and pausing in combing her hair, she quietly turned around, welcoming her rage.

"Nani, honestly, I must tell you, I was helpless, it's not in my hands," she justified, a poor excuse for her choices.

"This is not done," the old lady scolded. "Couldn't you postpone the dates?"