"I want to marry your son, Mrs. AbdurRahman,"
"Alhamdulilah," She hears Ameena, thank The-All Mighty.
"I will be proud to have you, as my daughter-in-law," A small blush creeps onto Noor's face.
"We will have the engagement; one month, from today,"
"In sha Allah,"
~~~
Ameena's happiness knew no bounds. Her grandchildren would now, be quite real. They wouldn't be captivated, as the children, in her dreams.
She had always worried for her son. Who would marry him? He had interest, in none of the single girls, she usually kept showing him, from the time he had turned, 25.
~~~
She opens her mail. Her eyes trail down her inbox, upon reaching a mail, with the subject – Help!
She opens it.
Ma'am,
I want you to do something. Ms. Shelly keeps degrading my work. She doesn't let me participate.
In private, she calls me a female dog! I don't know, what I did to her... I don't want to resign, I want you to fire, Shelly.
Regards,
Nimra (Accounts Department)
Her eyes, widen, in shock. She replies, immediately.
Thank you, Nimra, for telling me, this. I will look into the issue, pronto.
Regards,
Noor Ahmed.
~~~
"Shelly, I need honest answers. Even if, you tell me the truth or not, I am going to fire you,"
"Why is that?"
"I need honest answers, Shelly. You are not to ask me any questions! Is, what Nimra saying, true?"
"Yes. But, I have a reason,"
"And, that is?"
"She keeps wearing that ugly thing, on her head," She blurts out, and then shuts her mouth, with her palm.
"Please get out. I don't need you here. Go on; the door's right there,"
~~~
A month passes by, in a blink of the eye. Today is Noor's engagement. And, she is working, today!
Nobody knew, accept Amy, Jennie and Sahil.
The last thing on her agenda, is moments away, from being ticked off, before she is can finally go home, to get dressed, and be prepared.
The last thing on her agenda, is a meeting with Samuel John, the head of the Advertisement Dept.
Amidst their discussion, about, hiring a new Head for the Accounts Department, Fahad enters, with his briefcase, as if, he were going somewhere.
"Asalamualikum," He greets Noor.
"Walaikumasalam," She replies. "Are you going somewhere?"
"I am. Can I leave early, today?"
"And, why is that?" Samuel asks, out of curiosity.
"It's my engagement, today."
Noor sucks in, a deep breath.
"Oh, Congratulations," He hugs him. "With whom?"
"Oh, you know, someone really close to my heart," He winks at her.
Noor looks down. She is supposed to be the one, leaving early, Not him!
"Did you finish organizing my schedule, for tomorrow?"
"I did."
"Ok, You may leave. But, you will have to work, past your normal time, tomorrow,"
"Alright," He leaves, but, not before flashing her a smile.
"Be a little gentle on your, going-to-be husband, Ma'am,"
~~~
Dressed in a boysenberry purple gown, which is clenched in the side; her curls expressing their full length, Noor looks at herself, in the mirror.
"Ma sha Allah," She mutters, to herself, before reciting Ayat-al-Kursi.
She puts an earing, in each of her ears, before putting on, a diamond necklace.
The well-sculpted diamond pendent rests in the hollow of her neck. She smiles, as the bell rings.
Amy and Jennie come through the door.
They squeal, like teenage girls, while hugging her, carefully.
On the next bell, the guests, arrive. They weren't many, except for Ameena's close friends and Shahina.
They drop their phones, on the entrance, because Noor's didn't want pictures, since she wasn't in her hijab, or niqab, today.
~~~
Ameena feeds Noor, a little of the Afghani-sweet, she had ordered, from her home town - Nuristan.
A band of gold, glitters on Noor's left ring finger. A surreal feeling of warmth surges her into Ameena's arms.
"JazakAllah Khair, Ammi ,"
~~~
Fahad sits, with an Xbox controller, in hand. Sahil has the other one, in his hand.
While Noor is all decked up, and emotional; Fahad enjoys his countable moments of freedom.
Who knows what would 'his love' do, to him, after marriage?