Shayba's P.O.V.
I came out of the shower and found Annaba throwing a questioning glance at me, "Well what did he say? Your face says you met him today."
"Yeah, I did." I sighed.
"And?"
"He proposed."
"And?"
"He resigned." I facepalmed myself and sat down on the bed.
"What?!"
I went silent while Anu stared at me agape.
"Did you forgive him?"
This question left me baffled. I don't know. Did I? I am still very pissed offwith this guy for leaving me like that at the last moment without any excuse given, but can I move on? I cannot. Even the thought of marrying someone else who I don't know at all terrifies me.
Annaba understood my silence and walked away. "Let me tell this to mom, she is way too hyper and enraged."
"Sure."
I dried my hair, prayed Salah and taking all my drawing materials, headed off to my studioroom downstairs. Designing is the only thing that keeps me busy and sane.
I lost track of time while sketching a new picture and coloring it. My mom came once to call me for lunch, and I just nodded. When it was finished, I looked at the wall clock. It's 5 o' clock already?! I ran to pray my Asar's prayer and then came down again to have my lunch.
While eating, I heard the doorbell rang. As I didn't have my hijab on, I ran upstairs again and heard a female voice outside.
Is it what I'm thinking?!
Isn't that his mom?
"Shayba!" My mom called me, "Come here."
Annaba ran to the room, "Abir bhaiya has come with his mother. Mom is calling you. Don't worry, she is calm now, I've told her everything."
I felt perplexed. What now?!
"Just wrap yourself and come, okay?"
I nodded and accordingly stepped out.
He was sitting with his mom on one couch, and on the other couch, my parents were sitting. Both of my siblings were there too. As soon as I entered the room, Annaba got up and made a place for me to sit. I looked at Abir and he was already looking in my direction. None of us broke the cold eye contact. I sat down and glanced at my mom, I need to know what mood she is in. But it seemed as if she knew they were coming and she is prepared to talk now.
His mom started to speak now. In a very calm and gentle voice. Her tone seemed so soothing, I looked at her. She looked as if she had aged ten years. I felt pity for her. I can't imagine what she had to go through. But then again, probably she can't imagine either what I had to go through.
His mom spoke about the same incident. I have heard it and read the newspaper already almost twenty times. But all of us patiently listened to her again. She spoke about it so meticulously that there was no scope to have a doubt. I kept looking at my parents to see if they were convinced. My father was looking at the floor being extremely patient while my mother was staring at his mom with a raised eyebrow to find a chance to catch her fault. Obviously.
I glanced at Abir a few times, he was staring at his hands, tapping his fingers now and then. Once he caught me staring at him and all the incidents of today flashed back in my brain in an instant. I felt utterly embarrassed and moved my eyes to the vase on the table. Damn it!
After his mom was done speaking about their company, she moved to my topic.
"Now you tell me, Shayba," she said to me softly, "My son has acted upon his instinct. He did what he thought the most important to do at that time and he is very sorry for hurting you too. Are you still angry at him?"
I couldn't reply. I stared at my henna stained hands. The same henna I put on for my wedding. It has started to fade away now. I felt all the eyes on me waiting for an answer. I looked at Abir's pleading eyes, I looked at my mom and I realized she wasn't as angry as before. "We are leaving today. As you know he is leaving the job here and joining the business now. And I'm apologizing to you on my son's behalf."
"Aunty, what are you saying?!"I felt perplexed. "You don't have to apologize!"
Her face beamed with a smile as she held my hands in her palm, "Can we proceed with the wedding then?"
I glanced at him again, he was nervously looking at me now, I sighed, "Yeah, sure." Annaba screeched in happiness and hugged me from my side.
"Alhumdulillah."his mom rejoiced. "I hope all of you agree too?"
"I don't think we have any problem with it." My father replied.
"It's alright, dear."my mother said to Abir, "I am really sad to hear that you have to sacrifice your career. Hope this brings good."
"But umm.... I have one condition." I replied in a steady tone as I saw horror filling in Abir's eyes again. The whole room stopped rejoicing and looked at me.
"Yes?" His mom replied.
"I want the nikah to be performed in a mosque. Not in some grand hotels. Can we do that?"
And the tension in the air vaporized in a second, "Sure! Abir you have any problem?"
"Not at all."he talked for the first time. "I am okay with literally anything."
"Of course you are." They laughed aloud.
"But," my mom spoke, "How are you going to live? She has a university to attend. She cannot leave all this and move to your city! You cannot live here either."
Abir didn't speak, neither did I. Our future is completely uncertain. I don't know how to work out a long distance relationship or if it is even possible. So I looked at him with a questioning glance. He stared at me too.
"I know. Obviously I'm not telling her to come to my city now. That would be absurd. As I have to continue this job to the end of this month, so that gives me two weeks to stay here in Dhaka. Then I'll be permanently shifting. We have to live apart for most of the time as it seems. And I don't think it will be a problem. I'll be visiting now and then. I mean of course, if Shayba has no objection with it?-" he raised his eyebrows hoping I'd support his idea.
But I didn't know what to reply to this weird idea. I mean we will be married but live in two different districts? I need to finish my studies here, he needs to hold the reins of his business. We both have got our own priorities. Wow. I felt so remorseful even at the thought of it.
"Shayba dear, are you okay with it?"
"I don't know. I just...." I stuttered, " I don't know, I'm.."
"It will be alright! I'll be coming all the time!" he started to assure me, "Your studies are more important now, right?"
I glanced at him with confusion, "We can work this out."he shook his head in the affirmative and stated without any doubt making me a bit assured.
So I nodded. Allah please help me. Help us both.
So my mom agreed too and after discussion, they thought it would be good as soon as our nikah would be performed. So they asked for our approval again and fixed the date for the coming Friday.
Oh my Allah, I have only five days left?
I felt nervous and exhausted at the same time. Part of me is scared because my wedding is arriving so soon and the other part of me is tired enough to get done with all this drama already and wants to start a new life.
The shopping is done already, so we didn't have much to do. After they left, my brother called the caterer and ordered the food.
My mom complained a few times why I would ask for such a condition, but my father stopped her. "She didn't have it the way she wanted it the first time, now let her fulfill her wish. And it's also good that we will have fewer people to cast their evil eyes now."
He put his palm over my head and I looked up. "May Allah bless you with the best, my dearest. I'm proud of you."he smiled. And seeing his smile, I knew I did the right thing forgiving Abir and letting go of my past.
"Thank you Baba."
Coming to my room, I unlocked my phone and saw a text from Abir, "Thank you!!!"
I smiled.
What else was I supposed to do? I don't think I can fall in love with someone else. I don't think someone else's thank you text can make me this happy.
I prayed my prayers and felt heavenly contentment in my heart after a very long time.
Friday appeared sooner than I had imagined.
I stared at the same red lehenga that I have to again. Though it felt a bit uncomfortable at first, I snatched it from the hanger and headed to my dressing room, it's better not to think of that day now.
I put the makeup on by myself. And it actually felt better than the previous time. Last time, they almost changed my facial features with all the layers of makeup. Now it feels original and at the same time beautiful.
I wore my hijab with a niqab and then it was time to start for the mosque.
When both our families and close relatives reached, the girls were seated at the female section and all the boys went to the main section of the mosque. But we could hear everything the Imam said.
There I felt unusual freedom. All of us women got rid of our hijab. We took beautiful pictures, everyone was laughing and beaming with joy. It felt peaceful and serene! Not like the previous time.
When it was the time for my akdh, someone handed me the marriage registration paper, a pen and a microphone. The Imam read out the form and then asked, "Do you, Shayba Ahmed, daughter of Salman Ahmed and Anika Ferdous, give your approval to accept Zawad Abir Khan, the only son of Late Zahid Khan and Saniya Khan, to be your lawfully wedded husband? If you do, please say, "Alhumdulillah, Qubool."
I glanced at my mom, she was smiling. So I didn't hesitate, I held the microphone to my lips and took a deep breath, "Alhumdulillah, Qubool."
The Imam repeated the same question two more times and I replied the same.
Then he asked me to sign the paper and I did.
Then he asked Abir the same questions and he didn't hesitate either. He signed the paper too. And.....
It's done?
Everyone said Alhumdulillah and hugged each other. I heard laughter and people congratulating me. My mom and sister squeezed me in a tight hug, "OMG you are married now! I can't believe!" Mom cried. I felt surreal. I just didn't know how to react.
We wore the hijab again and I was seated inside our car and all the cars headed to my home now where the food was going to be served.
When we reached, mom brought me to my room which was beautifully decorated with red roses.
"Sit, darling. I'll be bringing them in."
"Whom?"
"Your in-laws. Oh I can't believe my little Shaybu has in-laws now!" her eyes glistened with tears for the umpteenth time as she kissed me on my forehead. I smiled.
She headed downstairs sending Annaba and all my cousins inside. My cousin Noor was helping me adjust my dress and then there was a knock on the door. "Oh let me get this!"Annaba ran to the door and giggled, "Oh look who is here! 50 thousand taka and I'll let you in mister."
Seriously? I laughed imagining his reaction.
"Excuse me?!" I heard his voice.
"What? You think visiting her is that cheap?"
"Ehm.. No, but she is my wife now. I guess my visit is free now."
"Fifty thousand and I'll let you see her face." She clearly stated.
I laughed at the fight they were having. And I had an awkwardly shy feeling every time he declared me as his wife. My cheeks turned red for sure.
They spent about ten minutes fighting with the groom and his cousins. Then they lessened the price showing 'kindness' to the poor guy and finally agreed to let him in when he paid five thousand in cash. I almost aww-ed when he finally got inside and looked at me with those helpless eyes. It's okay to call him cute now, right? Everything is halal now?
He kept staring at me making everyone in the room laugh out loud. "Yeah, okay, we are leaving. Sis, do let us know if he tries to do anything to you. I'll chop his head off." They warned and then left closing the door from outside.
And?
We are alone.
"Assalamu Alaikum?" I greeted first and he broke from his trance.
"Ummm? Yeah. Alright. Ah Walaikumus Salam. Are we still supposed to say Salam every time?"
I laughed aloud. "You don't have to."
He came closer to the bed and then brought out a piece of paper from his pocket. "Your sister gave me this."
"What is it?" I enquired.
"Don't know. Just a cute gesture probably?"
He sat on the bed only a feet away from me. Then he placed his right palm on my head and I mentally thanked my sister for reminding him this. It felt celestial when he kept his steady hand over my forehead and read out loud from the paper, "Allahumma innee as'aluka khayraha, wa khayra ma jabaltaha ‛alayh, wa a‛oodhu bika min sharriha, wa sharri ma jabaltaha ‛alayh."
Then he uttered the meaning of it, "O Allah, I ask You for the goodness within her and the goodness that you have made her inclined towards, and I seek refuge with You from the evil within her and the evil that you have made her inclined towards."
And for the first time after my wedding, tears trickled down from my eyes in happiness.
"Oh my God!" He dropped the paper from his hand and held my face wiping off the tears with his thumb, "I didn't mean to make you cry now, sshhh. Why are you crying?! Shayba?"
I smiled seeing him so scared and all on a sudden with a loud thud, the door opened letting a flood of people in. Oh great. I couldn't even talk to him. Abir quickly moved back his hands from my face and got up from the bed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! Did we interrupt?" All the naughty kids burst into laughter and continued to tease him as he tried to defend himself.
My mother in law came along with his uncles and aunts and grandparents, so I fixed the niqab on my face again. I greeted them with Salam and they prayed for the two of us. Then Abir's friends came too and I almost died out of embarrassment when they, my departmental seniors, called me 'Bhabi'.
I laughed aloud hearing all the remarks they threw explaining his love life and explained the crazy things he did for me, "Bhabi, have you any idea for how long he has a crush on you?"
I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes and seeing him turning red in shyness, I smiled "No, I'd be glad to know that."
"He was thinking about you since the very first day at the cafeteria when he was harassing you. And then immediately had a crush when you ran to rescue your phone from the smuggler."
"Huh? I ran after the thief and you found it romantic?!" I looked at him, "Hey! No! That's not it! I mean I helped you out, right?!"he gave excuses, "And at that time you looked really cool, so yeah, it was a rare scene and so I was just wondering about you."he muttered.
"Yeah, it does sound like a crush."
"Yeah probably."he itched his hair and I swear I never found a guy this adorable. Well, I barely looked at guys in this way and I'm thankful I didn't.
My mom called us out for the feast then. And after a lot of embarrassing moments like him feeding me and me feeding him a morsel of food, we were spared.
People continuously took our pictures capturing every moment, so I couldn't even get a chance to breathe properly. While taking one picture, Abir came really close to me and held my hand sending electricity to my whole body. I tried my best to pretend as if it had no effect on me, but his smirk clearly said that I was caught. Argh!
"Ahh finally." his chest cuddled with my back as he held my hand, "Have you any idea how long I waited to hold you in my arms?"he whispered to my ear.
I felt so bashful I wanted to disappear into the ground as my heart skipped a beat. He has to stop doing this to me. "Move!" I said. He listened seeing my embarrassment, turned my face to him and uttered, "I love you."
"Yeah, I know."I replied with a smirk and proceeded to my cousins to avoid any more embarrassment.
Finally in the afternoon, after all the delicacies and desserts had been served, the guests bade us farewell. I heaved a sigh of relief when they were getting into the car. It's been a tiring day.
I stood in our lawn while the guardians wished me a happy married life. And then Abir came to me.
"Umm. Bye?"he said with confusion.
"Bye."
"Is there any formality left? I mean should I just go and get into the car now?"
I laughed, "Yeah probably."
"And when am I going to see you next?"he came closer and took my hands in his.
I shrugged, "At the wedding stage I guess?"
"What if we two go out on some dates in the meantime?"
"Oh hi, leave her hands now, son. She is yours now. You can hold that for the rest of your life!" His mom shouted from the main door and everyone laughed aloud while I snatched back my hands from his palms.
"Yeah, coming."he replied, "Goodbye then Mrs."
I smiled and blushed like a red tomato again for the thousandth time of the day.