"It's not like I'm sixty years or something," Ibrahim whined at his mother, who was always complaining about his age and the need to get hitched soon.
"Shut up, Rahim. You don't understand. In a few months, you'll be turning thirty years old and by the time you decide to get married and have your child, you'll be turning god knows what. And by the time your child will turn ten or something, you'll already be an old man. Who will play with my poor grandchild then? Don't you ever think about that?" Salika Qureshi huffed angrily. Adamant on getting her son married at every cost.
"Woah. Woah. Woah. Dramatic much?" he gave his mother an amused look.
"Don't you remember how Ameen used to complain when dad didn't play with him?" that shut him up somehow and Ibrahim began to ponder over it.
Ameen was his twenty years old, younger brother. By the time he was ten their father was already forty-six years old and the poor guy would always cry about their dad not playing enough with him like the other kid's father of his age.
Ibrahim was lucky enough to have a healthy and active father, who played with him and took an active part in his life as he grew up. But that was not the case with his brother, Ameen, because their dad started to become weak after turning forty. And maybe his mother was right. Its about time he got married and settled in his life. What if his child faced the same fate as well? He can't let that happen for he knew how bad that could turn up.
"Fine, I'll marry, mom." Ibrahim sighed dramatically, making his mother beam in happiness. He has to someday. Maybe it was time.
"I know you'll agree." clapping her hands excitedly, Salika continued, "Okay good. Go and get ready quickly. We should go and see your probable future wife."
"I have some important meeting to attend, mom. Let it be in the evening." he groaned at his mother, who frowned at him but agreed anyway. It was a shocker that he agreed to see this girl so quickly.
"But you should be home by noon, we are going to eat lunch at their place. We can't prolong it till evening." Salika added in a stern voice, and Ibrahim nodded his head reluctantly. It wasn't like he had any choice anyway.
"I'm leaving then." taking his car keys, Ibrahim left the living room with annoyance written all over his face. His mother however seemed so unfazed. All she could see was her son's marriage and his happy future.
***
His mind couldn't think of anything else after the conversation he had with his mother, she seems really serious this time and there was no way that he will escape her emotional blackmails. He had no idea how they let him be single for twenty-nine years. But he had to settle down this year, an exasperated sigh left his mouth when his p.a. knocked at his door and placed his usual coffee on the table.
Ibrahim asked her about the meeting which he already knew was going to be held at twelve, whilst replying to few emails distractedly. To which she replied about the same. That ultimately reminded him of the lunch he's supposed to have with his possible future wife.
"Okay, then. You can leave after that. I have some personal work to do." Ibrahim grimaced at the word personal, but his assistant's face lit up in surprise and happiness. He can understand why, after all the works he makes her do, she never complained nor took any leave.
Mawra Hussian was the best personal assistant he has had so far. She'd tolerate all his bullshits like it was nothing and works so efficiently. Definitely, his favourite employee who never looked at him as anything other than the boss.
He had trouble with all other assistants ogling at him way too much. At some point, he planned on hiring only male assistants and then came his lifesaver, Mawra Hussain. She's perfect at what she does and he was glad that he has hired her. Not to forget her coffees, they're literally the best of all.
The meeting at twelve began and the presentation giver went on and on about how and why they should launch a new mobile brand but his eyes were stuck on Mawra for way too long than it was necessary, and it didn't help that she was standing just opposite to him beside her boss. The naive girl had no idea about his intentions and his looks.
Ibrahim clenched his fist in fury, he couldn't just sit and watch his staff getting eye raped by some lunatic, "Ms Hussain, can you go and make me a copy of R&Co's proposal, Its there in my email. Wait, do that tomorrow. You can go home now. I'm done with this meeting anyway." The confused assistant nodded her head and left the board room without asking anything else.
He now eyed the guy, who frowned at the disappearing image of Mawra and turned his attention towards him, "as I was saying..."
"You can shut up now, Mr Singh." gasps were heard from the board directors, as he stood up with a scowl on his face, "the next time you ogle at my assistant with wrong intentions, make sure to think twice because you won't be standing there anymore."
Not waiting for his pathetic excuses, Ibrahim left the meeting hall and walked towards the elevator and was met with the commotion in one of the staff's cubicle on the way. Curious, he walked towards them.
"The conversation went from congratulations to who will be the next one to our boss." one of the guys chuckled. He then heard his assistant ask, "what about him?"
"We were all wondering how will he be as a husband? I mean the guy spends his whole life inside that stupid office. We feel sad for his future wife you know." another laughter erupted from within before she could react, everyone's faces changed colours and they all went blank. And then there was a pin drop silence as they eyed him.
Ibrahim's blood began to boil with rage. He was baffled at the nerve of these people who worked under him. How dare they? The only reason why he didn't want to marry was this. He was a workaholic, a big one at that and he had no idea how he'd handle a wife. And their stupid jokes only made him more furious and gave him the sudden urge to deny the idea of marriage itself. But he can't do that, and so he did what he could.
"You all are fired." He yelled at them in rage, all of their eyes widened in shock. Never in a million years, they'd have expected this. But he couldn't care less. They deserved it for mocking him, their boss. The CEO.
Turning towards Mawra, "and you, Ms Hussain... I told you to go home, what the hell are you doing here?" Ibrahim yelled, making her flinch in fear. Without wasting another minute, she ran away from his sight.
Breathing in and out, he tried to calm himself and walked away from there with a glare.
***
"Mom, I'm here. Stop calling me every five minutes." Ibrahim huffed as he parked his car in front of a cosy two-story house. His mother has been nagging him for the last half an hour asking him to come soon, as they've already reached the supposed bride's house. He couldn't help that they are over-enthusiastic about this whole marriage thing.
"Come inside then."
The house looked small compared to his, but it was beautiful nevertheless. Something like the modern and ancient times combined.
"Ah, here he is." Salika Qureshi exclaimed with a sigh, as he entered the hall. His family were already seated on the sofa, along with one uncle and a guy of his brother's age. Must be the bride's family he thought and smiled at them politely.
"Assalamualaikum." he greeted them all, to which they replied back while he took a seat beside his parents.
Pleasantries were exchanged and then Salika was on and on about how good of a son he was. At some point, he was starting to feel shy. Ibrahim has never heard his mother praise him so much in his whole life like she was doing today. The girl must be really good for his mother to be impressing them like this.
"Can we see your daughter? Looks like someone is getting impatient." Salika nudged him playfully and Ibrahim couldn't even whine at his mother, considering they had an audience.
"Ahil, go and inform ammi to get Mawra down." he heard the bride's father whisper to his son, who nodded eagerly and ran upstairs.
Mawra?
Could it be her? Ibrahim was confused for a moment, but he shook his head. There are so many Mawra in the world and what are the possibilities that it should be her, he wondered thoughtfully.
But his thoughts died deep down as he eyed the familiar girl, clad in a beautiful red kurti descending downstairs with a blank look on her face.
Ibrahim's eyes widened in shock and surprise as the girl was none other than the same Mawra Hussian, his personal assistant.
How?