Bismillah hir Rahman Nir Raheem.
Entwining her hands with Saad's did she feel herself as complete.
With hardships, comes ease.
This was her ease. She knew it, deep down in her heart. Allah guaranteed us about one thing with surety, to maintain patience over the calamities that fall upon us and we would reap the immense rewards at the end. If He closes one door, He does open the other even better than the one that got closed.
He does everything for our benefit. He removes what wasn't meant for us, to give something even more valuable. All we have to do is tie the rope of trust with firmness and watch our blessings swing towards us.
Maahi walked behind them, for them to lead the way, toeing behind protectively. Despite herself, she smiled.
After her acceptance, the whole family was so happy that they had gone out for dinner. And now, Shabna was going to leave Saad back in the orphanage to take him tomorrow legally.
Kissing the boy to sleep and pulling the blanket over his chest she turned around to retire back to the car. She locked the door and looked up at Maahi who was standing a few feet away from her.
"Are you sure you are not turning a blind eye towards me?" she asked, it doesn't mean she didn't believe him, but still she felt all this was some sort of a dream, so surreal.
" Like what?" He questioned her back and resumed walking.
"I mean your decision to marry me. I am asking about it. Are you sure? You don't have to do this, this is your life--" Her question laced with a tinge of doubt.
"Shabna! It's alright to feel insecure, given your situation. Trust me, I never felt that, us", he pointed his hand back and forth, showing him and her, "will be a mistake. And when I put forth the proposal in front of your parents, the sweet tears that they shed and the dua's they made with so much earnestness made me feel a hundred percent sure of my decision.
"All my life, I have lived to make the people around me happy. It makes me feel content. After seeing your parents, and you, I really felt my heart fill with joy," he smiled even though he didn't turn around to show it.
" What about your happiness? Are you happy?"
"Shabna! When Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) married Khadija (R.A) wasn't he happy?" Listening to this, she stopped in her tracks.
"He was just 25! But she made him feel like the happiest man in the whole world. She lit his soul to shine. She gave him the shoulder, he so badly needed. Above all, she gave him her trust. She trusted him when he wanted it the most. Guided him to spread the message of Allah. When she died, he mourned for losing her. Even after so many years later, he sent presents to her friends. He protected her necklace. Ayesha (R.A) his most beloved wife, would feel jealous of the love of the Prophet towards Khadija (R.A). He unraveled so much from her because of one thing, which, do you know what?", He didn't wait for her reply, instead, he added along, "It's because he didn't mind her past, he saw her as a person and I am seeing you as just the same."
She remained quiet as she walked ahead. Her heart was sure of one thing, if she hadn't seen this man on the train and fell for his looks, had a crush to last for an eternity, now knowing him personally, she fell for his pure heart, harder than the last time.
After knowing for sure that she had buckled up the seat belt, he ignited the engine of the car, "You people take time longer than you should," Fathima poked her face between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, "You know that right?" She asked.
Shabna blushed and Maahi turned to face his sister, "Seriously Fathima! I think you are keeping your face so close to my side only because you like my cologne a lot more than Ali's," He joked.
Fathima made a face and when Maahi turned to see her scrunched up face, he laughed, "Accept it finally."
"Oho! Maahi turn your attention towards the road. I don't know why Sameer trusted you with his car, for I am sure now you are going to break it."
"I drive this car more than Sameer does, okay?," he fidgeted on the side and held a card, "This is my driver's license if you want to see," He threw it over to the back seat.
"How come you have a license in this city?" Shabna turned curiously.
"Well! To be precise I finished my University here and my internship before I moved to Cali."
" Oh!" Shabna wondered, surprised.
"Yeah! Now, this makes me wonder, How come you both haven't seen each other back when you were here?" asked Fathima and Shabna turned towards the window.
We have met once.
She replied in her brain.
.....
"You are the one behind all of this, right?" Shabna plopped beside Jesima on her bed.
Jesima just kept her mouth shut. "Why did you sound happy all of a sudden?" she asked instead.
"Happy?" Shabna leaned on one hand, " I am floating in the air" She sighed dreamily.
"Oh! Really?"
" Don't you have any doubts at that."
The exact time Sarah entered the room and instantly Jesima got up."Sarah! Haven't you taken all the makeup and thrown it in the dust bin?"
"Why would you do that?" Shabna got up by her side, perplexed.
"Yeah! I did." Sarah said, taking a seat beside Jesima.
"And have you given that dress filled with flowers of rhinestones for charity, right?"
" Yes! It was top of my to-do list today."
"Ya Allah! Then what do I wear on my Nikah?"
"Pajamas", both Sarah and Jessie replied in unison making Shabna glare back at them.
"You people are so mean. I want to look pretty that day," Shabna said the end part with dreamy eyes. "So this meeting with the Groom changed your backward thoughts I see!" Sarah said aloud.
"Yeah! Yeah!" Shabna laid down again, "He made me go swooning on him."
"You know! I did all of that to see you like this," Jesima side hugged Shabna," You are finally happy."
"I am Jesima! Jazakallahu Khairan for lighting my life. I am forever grateful to you".
Jesima replied gleefully.
After they had retired to bed switching off the lights, Shabna glanced in the direction of her cousin and her friend and asked aloud, "You people were joking before, right?"
"About what?", asked Jesima with a sleepy voice.
" About the dress and makeup. I really want to look pretty that day," her voice lacing with worry.
And the other two started laughing out loud.
....
Shabna looked at her red henna stained hands and the diamond stoned white ring, which shined bright with the lighting of the room. Her vision traveled to the adjacent mirror and she took a peek at her face. The makeup was elegant, not too much, but it uplifted her facial features a bit more prominent. Her Kohl lined eye stared back at the ones in the mirror. The brown iris was glimpsing even better and it laced with golden specks of joy.
The pink blush wasn't necessary so it was cut off, but her face had a natural crimson color coloring her face and made it look even more gorgeous.
Her pink lips were given a tone of gloss to look shinier.
She was the epitome of happiness at the moment.
Mubeena entered the room and took ahold of her daughter's hand and led her into the hallway of the orphanage and the small hall was filled with a few of their close relatives and she made her sit on the small red velvet sofa on the stage.
Shabna clasped her hands as she held her simple but ethnic ghagra as she made herself comfortable on the seat. In a few minutes, their nikah is going to commence.
"Mamma! You look.." Saad climbed up the stage and stood a few feet away from her, thinking for the right word to praise his Mother, "Beautiful ", Asad added, putting a hand over the little boy.
Shabna gazed at the three munchkins standing before her, clad in suits that were all similar. They looked stunning.
"Thank you," she smiled as she called the boys to come near her and they happily obliged. "Maam! You are looking so good," said Samad while his ears colored a tinge of pink.
"Thank you, Samad, and stop calling me Maam."
"Yeah! Call her Bhabhi from now on," told Fathima entering the stage, and she was looking very lovely in her purple maxi dress.
"Bhabhi?" asked Asad aloud.
" Yes. Maahi is your Bhaiya and his wife should be called Bhabhi. You don't give him respect by calling him Bhaiya, but at least call his wife Bhabhi."
"Of course we would give Maam our all respect," said Samad, "Bhabhi sounds good."
Shabna smiled at their antics and her heart was feeling delighted each passing moment.
Then the sound of the mike from the speaker invited everyone's attention. Her heart started beating furiously, for the moment of await, had finally arrived.
Saad sat beside Shabna and she held his hand with hers. She felt blessed and she couldn't thank Allah for more.
After a few seconds, she saw her Baba and her paternal uncle walk up to her with a note in hand and she happily signed the paper, making the man of her dreams claim her body and soul to be his for eternities to come.
"Innal Hamda lillahi, nastaeenuhu wa nastaghfirhu, wa naoozu billahi min shorrori anfusina. Man yahdihi Allahu fala mudhilla lahu wa mayn yudhlil fa la hadia lah. Wa ash hadu al la ilaha il lal lah wa ash hadu an na Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu," the Imaam started and she felt herself go stiff.
"All praises are for Allah. We seek Guidance and forgiveness from Him. We also seek refuge in Him from the evils of our ownselves. Whoever Allah guides, no-one can misguide him. Whoever He lets go astray no-one can put him back on track. We testify that there is no god but Allah and we testify that Muhammad is Allah's servant and His messenger." The Imaam recited the meaning of the above Arabic words and started the Nikah sermon.
"Believers! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and see that you do not die save in the state of submission to Allah. (Quran 3:102)," he quoted a verse from the Quran and she rubbed her other hand on her dress for it had become sweaty all of a sudden.
And when she waited for Maahi to say his acceptance aloud, "Alhamdulillah, I accept," the chambers in her chest where her heart resided, jumped with joy. His voice and the love that dripped could be felt even though he was far away from her. Tears of joy fell on her lap as she broke into a sob.
"May Allah bless your marriage with the beauty of the marriage of Ayesha and her husband, may Allah be pleased with her."
"May Allah guide you both on the steps of Taqwa and may He provide the two of you with good communication in your relationship. May Allah bless the earth with your progeny who we pray will be better than us toward their Creator and His Creation."
"May Allah help us all reaffirm our commitments to each other. May Allah give Barakah (blessings) to the families of the bride and groom. May Allah bring them closer. May Allah make you a model family that will invite humanity to follow the guidance of its Creator."
"Allahumma taqabbal minna innaka antas Sameeul Aleem. Wa tub alaina innaka antat tawwabur Raheem. Allahumma Salle Ala Syyedena Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sallam." The Imaam concluded his dua and she told ameen so many times that she lost count.
Finally, he was hers and she was his.
Everyone recited Takbeer and the Dua for the couple and she was engulfed in a warm embrace of her mother and relatives.
...
Shabna clutched Saad's hand when the door of the room where the two of them were seated, opened. And in walked the protagonist of our story, finally standing on the lead, finally owning her to himself, finally making their love fantasy become reality, finally getting the Queen for his Kingdom.
" Assalamu Alaikum," he kneeled beside them and she answered the salaam within her heart. He placed a hand on her head and read the dua, and she felt all but warmth creeping her soul. Her heart beats filling up the room and her head bowed down.
"Saad! What happened to your Mom?" Maahi asked to try his hands in making her jumbled nerves to retaliate to their usual calm self.
" I think she is being shy."
She blushed under her hijab and the treacherous creature on her rib cage went fluttery.
"How to make her come back from being shy?"
" You don't know Dad?" Saad asked.
"No! I don't!" Maahi shook his head.
" Kiss her."
"Saad! Who taught you this?" Maahi asked dumbfounded and despite herself, Shabna's amused gaze traveled to the sweet little boy seated beside her.
" Asad."
"Ya Allah! And what else did he teach you?"
"Nothing much. He told me when you and Mamma will be left alone, you would kiss her." Saad's innocent reply made her go red.
"I am not going to leave Asad this time. All his supply of gummy bears would be cut off."
"Daddy! What about mine?" Saad inquired with shock and the couple in the room burst out laughing at his innocence.
When the universe made their gaze meet, the world came to an abrupt stop, the time went flying through the window, every feature of his she adored can be seen with no limit and he shouldn't have to lower his gaze from now on.
The two people, across the globe, were meant to be together and Allah made it happen.
A sincere dua, made on an occasion of travel, found solace in the heavens.
"Saad! Technically Asad was right. I am going to kiss your Mother," Maahi said, breaking his gaze from her and making her eyes go wide, "But differently."
"How?" the boy asked.
"We are going to be playing 'passing the kiss' game and I will kiss you and you should pass my kiss to her, alright?"
"Yay! Right," he squealed.
Maahi eyed Shabna while his eyes were on her and kissed the boy on the cheek with so much adoration that for a moment she felt her heart completely stop to beat.
Saad immediately kissed Shabna and the latter's gaze made her face burn like fire and her heart soared to no limits and she clutched her eyes shut.
Finally
The stranger she wanted
For herself
Washers
Making her world,
Complete.
Finally
The lone Orphan
Found his family
In the embrace of her presence
Making the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle,
Stick together.
Finally
The love fantasy
Of this book
Has been fulfilled.
But,
This is not the end
Rather the beginning of a whole new era
Filled with love, joy, and glee.