BY ZEE ASLAM
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Khaleel got to the palace towards evening, when he noticed mai martaba wasn’t holding any meeting, he decided to extend his greetings.
He came in quietly and stood in their presence murmuring greetings to them. “Here comes the soon to be groom” mai martaba teased him and he faked a smile.
“Where is she or are you depriving us the privilege to meet your woman”? His father asked as he laughed alongside his brother.
“She has left” Khaleel replied bluntly.
Mai martaba glanced at his brother and then at Khaleel asking, ‘why so early, hope nothing happened’?.
Talking about this, Khaleel used that opportunity to explain to them what transpired at Didi’s chamber. The men were not happy about this.
“Whatever it is that brought about all this, they shouldn’t have taken it that far”. His father said.
“Women will always be women”. Mai martaba marveled while shaking his head.
A palace guard was sent on an errand to fetch the women immediately while Khaleel was asked to leave for the mean time.
The women arrived after some minutes with curiosity written all over their faces. The awkwardness in the atmosphere at that moment was too tense, mai martaba was furious.
“Woman what came over you, why did you raise your hand on my son”? Mai martaba asked Hajiya.
She became speechless and kept blaring her eyes. Didi saved the day by showing him the message, she knew if it was Hajiya that would give a reply, then they would remain there forever.
He read through and raised his head to look at her, “So”! He shrugged.
“Where is your faith, as a Muslim, things like this shouldn’t be an obstacle, do you want to deprive him of his joy? He asked her while passing the phone over to his brother.
The women kept mute. How comes the men aren’t seeing fault in this. How can her son marry a barren woman besides this is not going to be her first marriage.
“You just disappointed me woefully, how can you behave this childish. Khaleel is still a child and it’s your duty as his mother to guide him right. Is it haram for a man to marry a widow or have you forgotten it is Allah who gives children. If she had spent 7years in her past marriage without conceiving does that mean she won’t conceive again if Allah has destined so” His father calmly said.
The content of the message revealed; “Farida is barren considering the fact that she couldn’t get pregnant after 7years of being married leading to her getting divorced”.
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The women were speechless, what more could they possibly say. The handwriting on the wall was clear enough to be read. They are wrong in this aspect, they should have applied wisdom.
“You both kept the innocent boy in the dark and robbed him of his emotions. I see no reason why this issue calls for commotion or any third party. What he is trying to do is sunnah and neither you nor me can stop him if Allah had destined that to happen”.
“Assuming this anonymous message was a cooked up cock and bull stories, what then can you say, if only…….I urge you both to speak some senses into yourselves and pray for the best”.
“Lastly, bear it in mind to accept this lady wholeheartedly for the sake of Allah. Nothing is hidden under the sun and Allah knows best”. Mai martaba said with finality.
The words of the men sent cold shivers down their spines. They really regretted their actions, to think that they gave no room to Boss man for explanation.
However the deed has been done. But who could have sent that message to DIdi, is that person against the marriage or has other interior motives.
“Thank you for opening our eyes to see the truth. We apologize for making such mistake” Hajiya said.
It’s alright. May Allah forgive us all. Please send Boss man over. Mai martaba said to them and they dragged their feet out.
Khaleel was pacing to and fro in the guest room entitled to him when the door was pushed open.
A beautiful figure stood by the door. It was a bit dark since he switched off the light so he couldn’t really recognize her.
He took few steps forward towards the door and then it dawned on him who it was, seeing her in his room by that time smells fishy.
“What do you want”? He asked her controlling his anger as he switched on the light.
She did not respond rather she pushed him aside and walked in majestically. His eyes were fixed on her every move.
She sat on the sofa and removed the long hijab she was wearing exposing her sleeveless top and bum shot.
“SubhanAllah” he exclaimed seeing the way she dressed and shut the door.
“What is the meaning of this”? Dan Allah ki rufa min asiri leave this room at once. ‘He pleaded but instead she stood up to where he was and hugged him tightly’.
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“What does she have that I don’t have, why did you have to chose her over me. I have always loved you since from childhood hoping I would be loved back someday but today you broke my heart”. She said and started crying.
Khaleel felt like his heart was bleeding, her cries struck his heart like a spear but what about the feeling running through his limbs. He has never felt like this before, his heart was beating hard and he was beginning to loose balance.
He quickly pushed her away and stared at her confused with his reddened eyes. What does she mean by all this or was she possessed!.
“It’s obvious you don’t know what you are doing, go to your room and get some rest, you will be fine”. He innocently said.
“I am perfectly fine, can’t you see. But I am blind….Yes! I am blinded by your love. In everything I do, you are always in my thoughts”.
“Please let’s go to my father, tell him it is me you love and not her” She said and held his hand.
But then a knock at the door made them froze. Boss man open the door, it’s me”. Didi’s voice came from outside.
Khaleel made a quick glance at her then at the door. What has he gotten himself into, how can he possibly explain what was happening here to Didi”……
“Go and hide in the bathroom please, I promise we will talk about this when she leaves”. He whispered to her ear.
He felt at ease when she released his hand from her grip but to his greatest surprise, she placed her lips on his???
