"Your value stays constant whether it is seen or not..."
H E looked at the beauty in front of him who was smiling unware of his gaze. She was sitting with the bride on the swing while 'looking' in front of her and teasing her friend - the bride. She was looking breathtaking. He knows it was wrong to stare at her like this but he couldn't avert his eyes from her. It was like she was pulling him like a magnet...
~ ~ ~
She folded her prayer mat and wiped her tears. She sat there, on the floor, completely numb. She never considered herself disabled or unlucky. It was a blessing to be blind for her, Allah has blessed her. She couldn't sin with her eyes, see what people do and that was a blessing for her.
But today, she questioned her whole existence because of some worthless people. Words can either inspire or destroy and when they destroy it's a deep cut in the soul. And in Maheen case, they destroyed her peace.
• FLASHBACK •
A few hours ago ,
She applied a nude shade lipstick and asked her mother how she was looking. "How am I looking Ammi ?" Dressed in long white dress with golden embroidery she was looking like an angel. "Beautiful. My Mahi is always looking beautiful." She didn't know how she was looking but she trusted her mother words.
Sherbano applied black khol behind her daughter ear to prevent her from evil eye. She kissed her forehead lovingly. "Ammi, aaj hamari bat pakki ho jayigi na ?" She asked with hope in her voice. She has been rejected several times because of her blindness but her mother never told her that, to afraid to hurt her precious daughter.
Sherbano always told Maheen different reasons of her rejection. Like - they didn't want a girl from a different status, when a very rich guy came for her. Or when a handsome man came for her, heedless of her disability and was ready to marry her but rejected her at the last moment because of this. But Sherbano just told Maheen that Suleiman - her father, rejected the guy because he wasn't deserving of his daughter.
And indeed the last part was true, a person who judges an another by their looks or disabilities ignoring their pure hearts didn't deserve a pure and joyful soul like Maheen Suleiman.
"Ji beta, of course. Who will reject my daughter ?" Sherbano said in a chearfull voice hiding her sadness from her twenty five years old daughter.
"I am going downstairs and when I call you, you can come." Maheen nodded and went to her bed and sat there, she didn't need a cane in her house because she grow up in this house and she knew every corner of it like the back of her hand. So she only used a cane outside of the house.
She tapped her foot several times, feeling anxious. She was having a bad feeling about all this. If only she knew the storm that was coming towards her.
A few moment later, Sherbano called her daughter from downstairs and Maheen anxiously wrapped a duppatta around her head and descended the stairs, like a normal person would. She was guided to the living room by her elder sister - Marwa who was a married woman and loved her younger sister a lot. Despite having an elder sister, Maheen also has a younger brother with whom she has a very special bond. Even if Maahir was younger than her he was very protective when it comes to his elder sister.
Maheen sat on the sofa and was welcomed by an elder woman around the age of fifties. She supposed it was her soon to be mother-in-law. The woman kissed her forehead and blessed her lovingly. From the voices she would hear, Maheen knew her phuppo and her daughter were also here. And it was not a good thing at all. The both women were like snakes in Maheen's life.
"So, beta, what's your graduation ?"
Asked the grey haired woman.
"I did masters Aunty." She said politely.
"Ammi she is not that pretty..." She heard a very faint feminin voice from not so far, she supposed it was her soon to be sister-in-law and her words were pretty much rude.
"Don't talk when the elders are having a conversation." Her soon to be mother-in-law murmured quietly.
They talked for a while and the moment came when everything was about to be finalised. "I guess, you already know that Maheen is blind. She can't see anything. Not even you or your handsome son." Her cousin - Irfaa interrupted at the end, talking in her sugar coated voice. She was acting nice but really wasn't in reality.
Maheen thought they already knew so she didn't have any problem if Irfaa spoke in between. But much to her surprise, they didn't. "What ? Are you for real? Mama apne mere liye andi larki chuni hai? Kiya apko puri duniya me yehi mili thi? Aur iski chakal dekhi hai apne? Koi jannat ki hoor nahi hai jo mai isse shaadi karon ga." The man exclaimed, not knowing how much his words shattered Maheen pure heart.
[Did you choose a blind girl for me? You only found her in the entire world? Did you see her face? She is not a fairy from paradise that I will marry her.]
A lone tear left her eyes but she wiped it off immediately. "Muhje nahi pata tha beta. Warna mein khabi bi tumahere liye is andi larki ko chunti. Mera shezadon jessa beta hai iss batsurat or mazoor larki se me tumhari kabi bhi na shaadi karun." Her words were like venom spit from a snake tongue. [I didn't know son. Otherwise I would've have choose this blind girl for you. I have a prince of son, I won't marry him with a disabled and ugly girl.]
"Stop. Don't you dare talk about my sister like that!" Maahir raised his voice, he was controlling himself from doing anything wrong as they were still his guests, his parents had thought him some rules and discipline, he knew better than to disrespect elder and guests. But then, no one has the right to talk to his sister like that.
"Kiran bhaji, apki beti ki shaadi abhi nahi hui na? Ap apni hoor jessi beti ka hanth meri bete ke hanth me dete." The woman was now turned towards Maheen phupo and her daughter. Kiran smirked and Irfaa hid her smile. This handsome man didn't deserve that whore. She thought satisfied of herself.
[Kiran sister, your daughter isn't married yet? Will you give your beautiful daughter hand for my son?]
"GET OUT OF HERE. RIGHT NOW." Suleiman Shah lost all his patience as he yelled making everyone quiet and the three people leave this house. He glared at his sister and niece as they headed to their room. He sighed, he failed as a father. He was a loser. A loud sob made him chain of thoughts cut short.
His Mahi, his little princess who he raised with soo much love was a crying mess and a sad Sherbano and Marwa were trying to calm her. She just pushed them away and ran to her room locking the door behind her. She slid down the wall and cried for what felt like hours. Her disability was always a blessing for her. She was definitely different from others, she didn't have a childhood like other kids but she was unique in her own way.
Today, she also questioned her looks. Wasn't she pretty ? But her mother always told her otherwise...Maheen wasn't someone who didn't care about other people words. She did, because she was innocent and she was raise in a lovely environment that whenever someone will tell her harsh words, they will hurt her. But today they stab her heart in no way.
All her confidence faded...
• FLASHBACK END •
"Mahi, please open the door. I am worried. Please yaar." Maahir pleaded her, he wanted to look strong but his voice cracked at the end - betraying him.
"Lea...ve...me..-bhai." She managed to utter. She sobbed loudly but put a hand over her mouth to not worry her sibling.
"Please, Mahi..." He said again banging the door several times. She sighed and stood up. She opened the door, making Maahir appear with a red nose and swollen eyes just like her as he hugged her tightly. As if he wanted to take her pain away.
"I am sorry, I failed to protect you, I failed as a brother. I know their words hurt you but you're strong Mahi. People like them don't matter, they are worthless." Maahir pulled back and wiped her tears.
"I know bhai. But as much as I try, I can't. People don't release how much words can hurt someone..." She sniffed and sat on the couch. Maahir took a seat beside her.
"No matter what, your value stays constant whether it is seen or not. Your disability is not your weakness but your strength. I won't say how much you're going through because I can't even imagine. Your life is though but if Allah choose you Mahi it means you can do it. Remember "Allah does not burden a soul more then it can bear..." He kissed her forehead and left the room leaving her some personal space.
Maheen sat there and thought about her brother words and a smile made it way on her lips. He always managed to boost her confidence and make her feel good just like today.
~ ~ ~
Rahim mansion,
"Why are you smiling like an idiot ?" Said Anfal Rahim, frowing at her brother who was staring at a empty space and smiling - lost in his world.
"Kis ke kwaabo me ghum hai app ?" She snapped her finger in front of him and asked suspiciously.
[In whom thoughts are you lost ?]
"Kitna bolti ho, koyi kam wam nahi hai tumhe ?Jab dil jahan muh utakar ageyi." He raised his brow and completely ignoring his sister last question. [You talk too much, don't you have work ?]
"Tell me. What's her name ?" Said Anfal elbowing Moussa on his arm, she smiled teasingly.
"I don't know, but she is gorgeous..." He answered absentmindedly.
"What the heck ?" He said as she screamed her mother name telling that her bother found a bahu for her.
Moussa's mother - Rabia beghum hurriedly exited her room upon hearing her daughter voice. "Aye, meri dil ke armano ko chor chor kar diya tumne Moussa." She paused dramatically. "Chalo batao meri bahu ka naam." She rubbed her hands together. [You've crush my heart Moussa!] [Now tell me what's my to be daughter-in-law name ?]
"Mom, she is talking rubbish." Moussa defended himself nonchalantly and gave a glare to his sister who just grinned in response.
"Anfal, you go in your room I will talk to your bother." Said Rabia beghum not before giving her daughter a knowing wink. Anfal went upstairs and Rabia beghum said next to her first born. She knew every of his move and from the last one week she was observing her son. Since they came from her friend son wedding, he was always lost in his thoughts and she often saw him smiling like an idiot looking no where. And she came to only one conclusion.
"Moussa, do you trust me ?" She asked him placing a hand on his shoulder. Moussa turned to his mother bewildered, what type of question was it ? Of course he does !
"Yes mom, I do trust you !" He smiled at her and grabbed her hand and squeeze it, giving her assurance.
"Then tell me the girl name." She said knowingly. She knows what her son has got himself into.
"What girl ?" He said trying to hide the truth.
"The one who invaded your thoughts day and night since the wedding ?" She said more like questioned.
He stayed silent for a while and finally spoke not wanting to hide anything from his beloved mother. "..I saw her at the wedding. I don't know her name but I do have a picture of her from the group photo. She is very precious and special Ma. I didn't even talk to her but I heard her voice, she looks like a hoor. She is like a fairy from Jannah. She is beautiful from outside but I know she is also beautiful from inside." He spoke out everything from his heart for the first time after a week.
He saw her at the wedding. She is the sister of his friend but he doesn't know that. He unknowingly fell in love with her. Love at first sight. He saw how her family treated her soo nicely. He knew she was blind from the way she walked carefully and how her eyes were dimmed of any emotions. He didn't care of her disability at all. There is a lot of things he did not know but one thing he knows is that she is the one he will marry and be the mother of his children. The only girl he will cherish and love all his life.
"Show me her picture." Rabia beghum demanded to her son.
Moussa took out his phone, searched for the picture from his gallery and zoomed on her petite figure. She was wearing a pink floral lehenga and not a lot of makeup. Her long brown hair falling on her back like a waterfall.
"I know her. It's Maheen. She is my best friend daughter! I love her! She is beautiful and she is soo pure. I love your choice Moussa! I will talk to Sherbano ASAP. But you do know she is blind ?" She asked uncertainly.
"Ma, itna barosa to apni tarbiyat par kar leti. Muhje usse koyi problem nahi hai. She is Allah's creation, His beautiful creation that I have no right to judge." He smiled at her and said. [Mom, you should at least trust your upbringing. I don't have any problem.]
"I am proud of you Musi." She called him her favorite nickname which Moussa hated royally !
"MAAA." He whined but hugged her tightly. Rabia beghum silently thanked her Lord for giving her amazing kids.
Soon, both of their fate were about to be tied with eachother...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As-salamu alaykum readers !
So here is the first chapter of the first short story !
How was the chapter ?
I hope you liked it !
Do remember me and our Ummah in your prayers !
Till next update Allah Hafiz ! ❤️