a perfect marriage is just
two imperfect people who refuse
to give up on each other
~
"How can I help you, Ma'am?"
The receptionist asked Muntaha when she went to the front desk. She had sharp features but her face was caked with make-up. Muntaha noticed her perfect winged-eyeliner and got a little jealous as she couldn't even put on mascara because of her trembling hands.
"I am here to meet Faris. Uh- Faris Zayyad Khan." She told her with a polite tone.
"Sorry ma'am but this is lunch time. He is not available." The woman said with a tight liped smile.
"He knows I am coming. Just ring him once." Muntaha was already so nervous and this lady was making her more anxious.
"Okay. Your name please?" The receptionist was reluctant because everyone knew about their boss's strictness but this girl had a soothing aura. It didn't seem that she was lying so she decided a call won't hurt.
"Muntaha Saleem."
The receptionist ringed Faris and he asked her to have Muntaha escorted to his office. The receptionist was surprised at the gentle tone of her boss at the mention of Muntaha and her curiousity grew about who the girl is but she didn't question him.
"You can go to the third floor. His PA will escort you to his office." The lady said with a professional and perfectly practised smile and Muntaha returned it with a nervous one of hers.
She thanked the girl and went to the elevator. When she reached the floor, a man who introduced himself as Faris's PA took Muntaha to his office.
When Muntaha entered his office he was sitting behind the desk reading a file. She looked aroud the office. A large window on the wall to the right of his desk with two couches arranged in L-shape and a centre table. The wall to the left of his desk consisted of bookshelves lined with files.
"Nice office." The first thing Muntaha said after greetings. She was sitting on the couch and Faris was sitting to her right on the other couch.
"Yeah. For the time being. I'll move to Baba's office after taking over the company."
"You are not going to practice medicine?" She already knew the answer, she was just trying to stall.
"I will. I'll be practising in our hospital. And before going for speacialization, I'll train Abdullah to take my place."
"Nice." She hates this word. It shows complete ignorance to the other person but she was just getting more anxious.
"Muntaha." Faris called her when he realised she will not start the topic on her own.
"Jee."
"We really need to talk about the matter at hand."
Muntaha just noded her head as she couldn't bring herself to say anything.
"I don't know about you but I have accepted our nikah as a doing of fate. Whatever happens, it happens for a reason and we should try to accept it." He started. He didn't know how to tackle the topic but they have to have this conversation.
"Tum meri biwi ho. And no one can change this fact-"
"But...but our parents. They won't accept this." He was cut off by Muntaha's teary voice. The guilt had been eating her from inside. She had never lied to her parents before and now, she had broken their trust. They would never forgive her, she thought.
"Muntaha." He grabbed her trembling hand. "Kisi k accept karne ya na karne se haqeeqat badal nahi jaati. I know what we have done will be difficult to accept for them. But they would understand our step when they'll know about the circumstances we were in." A tear fell from her eyes, searing through his heart. Crying woman made him very uncomfortable but this was not any other woman. She was his wife and seeing her cry made his heart hurt.
"Muntaha, listen to me." He pulled her a little towards him and tilted her chin up looking into her tear filled eyes.
"We will talk to them. They are our families. They'll understand." He said in soft tone, wanting to comfort his weeping wife.
"You are not getting it, Faris!" Muntaha pushed away from him and got up from the couch turning away.
"They put their trust in me and I have broken it. They would never forgive me. They'll hate me, Faris! They'll hate me." She couldn't keep her sobs in anymore. She felt like she had betrayed her parents. They never questioned her any decision and always supported her. And what did she do? Got married to a guy she barely knew and then hid it from them.
"Come here." He also got up from the couch and embraced her. He let her cry into his shoulder, letting it all out. He could understand her inner turmoil as he was well aware the society they lived in. A woman's character was more fragile than a thin sheet glass. One wrong move and everyone starts spitting poisonous words making her life hell. Also, he didn't really know how to comfort her. He kept rubbing her back and eventually she calmed down. She broke their embrace and kept looking at her feet. He offered her a glass of water which she took from his hands desparately.
"I think we should get divorced." After a long silence, she dropped the bomb on Faris making him lose it.
"What?!" He spat.
"I-I think we should get divorced. No one will know what happe-" She said turning around because she couldn't look in his eyes while saying that but she got cut off when Faris grabbed her arm harshly and turned her around making her collide with his chest.
"Aj yeh ilfaaz zubaan se nikalain hain. Ainda esa socha bhi to mujhse bura koi nahi ho ga." He gritted out the words in a deadly tone, gripping her chin tightly.
"Faris, lakin-"
"Lakin kuch nahi. I'll talk to everyone after the wedding functions are over."
"Atleast listen to what I am saying." She pleaded lightly, pushing at his chest to create some distance between them.
"Maine keh diya, so keh diya. Ab yeh behooda baat dobara apne zehan mai bhi laane ki zarurat nahi."
Muntaha realised she shouldn't have said such absurd thing watching the fury in his eyes but this was the only solution she had in mind.
(You dared to say this today. Don't even think about this again. Or else you'll face my worst side.)
(Faris, but-)
(No buts. I'll talk to everyone after the wedding functions are over.)
(I have made it clear. Now, don't let this ridiculous thing even enter your thoughts.)
When Faris noticed fear and guilt in her eyes, he said," Trust me, begum. I'll make everything right." and kissed her forehead.
Muntaha felt crimson hue her cheeks as she looked down feeling shy. Faris laughed at his wife's antics and pulled her closer to himself.
"C'mon lets have lunch."
●~●
"Lathay di chaddar, uttay saleti rang mahiya"
The Khan mansion was glimmering in lights. The whole indoor was decorated with flowers, fairy lights and colourful drapes giving it a festive look. After all, it was their khandaan's first wedding. It was mehndi tonight. Aiman and Shehryar's nikaah had already been done in the mosque today. Zayyad Khan took consent from her daughter and then the Imam asked both the parties after friday sermon. Muntaha was present in Aiman's room, with her mother, her chachi, Aiman' mother and khala. The males being Faris, Abdullah, Safi, and their fathers. Everyone was teary eyed and emotional when the father asked his daughter for her consent and she gave it. He hugged his daughter and patted her head over the red chunari lovingly followed by Faris and Abdullah. The ladies all hugged her one by one and gave her blessings. When Faris saw Muntaha crying, he remembered the tear stains he saw on their nikaah naama while signing it. How scared she must be at that time, he thought.
After their conversation in his office, they both had become busy as the wedding was approaching fast. Muntaha always noticed him stealing glances at her and giving her not-so-subtle looks making her blush. But they couldn't have a moment alone together because they were always surrounded by their family members.
After the friday sermon, Safi called Muntaha and all the ladies heard the Imam reciting verses and then asking for consent from both parties. First, Zayyad Khan gave his consent as the bride's wali and then the groom gave his consent. The room resonated with a chorus of mubaraks and cries of happiness when the nikah was finally done. Muntaha was comforting Aiman throughout and Aiman was considering her the sister she always wanted.
Now, the preparations for tonight's mehndi function were full on swing. Everyone was busy with different chores as all the guests will be arriving soon. The bride and groom had not seen each other after the nikah as per the orders of elders. Even though Safi, Abdullah and Muntaha tried to sneak a little meeting but got caught and scolded. The mehndi function was held in the Khan mansion as it was more spacious. Muntaha had been buzzing around the house all day in blue jeans and a light pink peplum top reaching a few inches above her knees paired with white duppata and white ballet flats, keeping a check on the workers and managing everything as she wanted the ladies of the house to rest a bit after they all got so emotional during the nikah and tired themselves.
She was taking a basket of sweets to the kitchen to decorate a tray for the rasam when she collided with a moving wall. The moving wall extended its arms and wrapped one around her waist with the other holding the sweets basket.
But walls don't move.
And walls don't have arms.
She looked up and her tired green orbs clashed with amused grey ones. And she realised it was not a wall but her own dear husband. Faris.
"Be a little careful, begum." His flirty tone made Muntaha's cheeks match her top and she looked down finding the silver chain around his neck the most interesting thing in the world.
"Bhai!" Abdullah's loud voice broke their trance and they both shifted away from each other.
"Baba is asking if you called the caterers." He said eyeing them both strangely.
"I did. Did you check the flower arrangements of the backyard?" Faris said, trying to get his suspicious mind away from him and his wife.
"Yes. I just need you to give it the last approvement." He said, his mind diverting from their close proximity and shifting to all the hardwork he did to have the stage decorated.
"Okay. Come with me." Faris gave his wife a longing look and went away with Abdullah. She just shook her head and went back to the task at hand.
"Muntaha, beta you didn't get ready yet?"
Muntaha was helping Aiman set her duppata properly when Aqsa Zayyad entered her daughter's room finding Muntaha still in her jeans and top.
"Uh- Aunty, I was just helping bhabhi get ready. I'll leave in few minutes to go home to get ready." Muntaha said with a polite smile.
"Thankyou so much, bacha. You have been a huge help to us through out the preparations." Aqsa Zayyad said kissing her cheek lovingly and patting her head.
"Aunty, it was my duty. After all, its my brother's wedding." Aqsa Zayyad smiled at her words and then turned to look at her daughter dressed as bride in a heavily embroided dark pink floor length gown with mustard colour sleeves and multi-coloured duppata adornimg flower jewellery bringing tears to her eyes.
"Masha'Allah!" She whispered pecking her daughter's forhead.
"Meri guriya itni barrhi kab hui, pta hi nahi chala." A few tears escaped the mother's eyes.
(I didn't even realise when my doll grew up so fast.)
"Mama, you'll make me cry too." The bride said with tears already leaking from her eyes.
Muntaha left the mother-daughter duo to have their emotional moment and got scolded by her mother in the front hall when she saw her in such a deshivelled state. Everyone had already gotten ready or started to get ready as the guests would be arriving soon. Umayyah Saleem and Zoya Kamal had also went to their home to get ready and now came back getting shocked by Muntaha's carelessness.
"Ammi, you look so beautiful." She said hugging her mother despite her scoldings.
"And chachi you look so hot. You look more like the groom's sister instead of his mother." She teased, winking at her.
"Little lady, don't butter us. Go home and get ready. I'll ask Safi to take you." Her mother said, making Muntaha give them a sheepish smile.
Faris descended down the stairs in black shalwar kameez with black waist-coat setting his cuffs properly. All the males were twinning in all black attires except the groom. He captured everyone's attention unknowingly. Afterall, he looked like a king with such poise and grace.
He started attending to the guests, greeting everyone politely. He kept a check on all the managements so that everything would run smoothly. His parents were all emotional so he had to handle most of the things. Abdullah, Safi and Shehryar were all also helping with the management and chores. He went towards his mother who was standing with Umayyah and Zoya. He greeted the women kissing his mother's cheek and gave them compliments with a little hint of mischeif.
"Faris beta, can you please go pick Muntaha? She went home to get ready. The drivers are all busy and I can't see Safi anywhere." Umayyah Saleem requested him.
"Sure, aunty." He said trying to keep his face straight. He was wondering where his wife was as he hadn't seen her for a while and now he got a little excited as they'd get some time alone to talk.
He took his car keys from Abdullah and went to pick up Muntaha. When he reached outside the house, he texted her.
'Come outside. I am here. x'
Muntaha who was trying to put the earings on properly got startled by her phone's pinging. She read his message and started to blush like crazy, her heart thumming against her chest. She gave herself a last look in the mirror. She was wearing a yellow gharara yellow short shirt adorning multi-coloured embroidery with a deep purple and pink heavily embroided duppata. She did a light foundation with golden and pink eyeshadow and nude lipstick. A peach blush-on adorned her cheeks with her favourite highlighter. Golden heavy jhumkas adorned her ears and her hair were in a bun lined by flowers.
'I look fine.' She thought drapping a brown shawl over her shoulders. She didn't know why her heart yearned for his approval.
Faris was leaning against his car, doing something on his phone when Muntaha came towards him after locking the front door.
"Chalain."
He looked up from his phone and was completely blown away. He stared at her with wide eyes. His gaze touching the loose tendrils touching her soft cheeks and her long eyelashes fluttering as she looked down in shyness after sensing his heated gaze on her. The mustard yellow colour suited her complexion and her skin appeared to be glowing. His wife didn't even need the make-up she was wearing because to him she'd always look beautiful but the colours complemented her appearance and he controlled the urge to ruin her lipstick.
His not-so-innocent thoughts were broken by the ringing of his phone. He answered his mother's call, telling her they are coming.
"Chalo." He said after shaking the arrousing thoughts out of his head. Muntaha sat in the car as Faris opened the door for her and then after she setteled in, he went to the driving seat and they both drove off.
"Sahab jee! Gajray lelo."
They were waiting at a signal as the Lahore traffic was full in swing when a boy came to sell flower bracelets to them.
"Madam jee ko pasand ayain ge."
Faris looked at Munatah who was continuously staring at her lap.
"Do you want gajray?" He asked her to which he shook her head 'no'.
"Array sahab! Itna bhi nahi pta tumko. Larki se puchho to ge to wo to na hi kahe gi na. Bilkul romantic nahi ho tum to." The boy said making Faris embarrassed. His ears tinted a little red with embarrassment when Muntaha laughed at what the boy said.
"Acha, acha. Zyada batain mat bnao. Give me a pair." The boy just smiled widely at him and gave him the gajray. Faris paid him with a thousand ruppee note. When the boy said he doesn't have change, Faris asked him to keep them and focus on his studies too.
"May you both be happy always." He gave them blessing and went away.
Faris passed his wife the gajrays and she slipped them on uttering a meek thankyou.
"How did you know he studies?" She asked him a few seconds later. The way the boy responded to her husband's advice clearly showed the boy was getting education but how did Faris knew about it?
"He was studying a course book under the street light when the signal was green."
She muttered a small 'oh'. Her husband was so observant, she thought.
Author's Note
Chapter dedicated to RomaRashid23 for helping me with the plot and scenes and HasifaDar for the wardrobe selection and continuous dhamkiyan, oh sorry, i mean "warnings" to post the chapter early. Something big comping up in the next chapter so it'll take a time to write so please bear with me.
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