© All copyrights belong to StarsAndMoon1447 on Wattpad

*

*

On high demand, I have decided to give Iman a proper book, but this will be shorter than the others.

Initially everyone got annoyed at Iman, even shocked at her behaviour, but it's so flattering to see how you all love her so much now.

She has come a long way, definitely!

Most of the scenes will be from the original book, but now I'm going to be adding scenes, and putting it together to create a proper book, rather than an anthology.

*

Iman

I remember the first time I swore.

We were in a car, driving back from Manchester. It was after sunset, and it was dark in the car. The occasional lights at junctions lit up the car, before we were plunged into darkness again, driving through the countryside. 

Hania Appi was dozing off, strapped into the seat beside me, while I was bored. I unzipped my small backpack with the numerous stickers all over it, and pulled out the half-eaten bag of Maltesers that I'd sneakily put in there, before Mama could take it away from me. My parents were having a quiet conversation, so I took the round chocolate ball carefully, as if one wrong move may cause an explosion. If my mother heard even the slightest sound of the wrapper, she would knew that I had sneaked in a snack. 

I managed to eat a few of those sweet treats, and just as I grabbed the last one, it slipped through my fingers and onto the floor of the car. "F**k!"

I was just ten then.

My unintentionally loud voice woke Appi up and she gasped and slapped her hands against her ears as if protecting their innocence. After that there was a silence in the car that I didn't realise then, meant trouble for me.

"What did you just say?" Papa finally spoke up quietly, glancing at me in the rear-view mirror.

"I said..." 

"Don't repeat it!" Mama interrupted in a rush.

"But he asked what I said." I protested innocently.

"Iman, what do you think that word means?" Mama asked.

"Oops?" I answered that in a form of a question, suddenly unsure of myself. "One of my classmates said it when he spilled juice all over his shirt." 

"Iman, that's a very bad word. Don't you ever repeat it, okay?" Mama spoke softly, but firmly.

"In front of you?" Again, I asked naively. 

"Ever." Papa sounded firm, and almost annoyed. 

I wish I had listened to their advice, rather than always going against them. I wish I'd been the kind of person who only had to be told once by her parents, like Hania Appi.

But then I wouldn't be Iman, right? I wouldn't have realised the importance of repentance and coming onto the right path. I wouldn't even have valued my career as much, if I hadn't almost destroy my ambitious goals for childish whims and tantrums.

We all make mistakes, we're all humans, but the important thing is to use your actions and mistakes as lessons to improve your life. I now look back at my life, and I know that although I have regrets in hurting my parents and sister, I didn't regret how I'd ended up where I was today. I was happy that I had managed to step past the tempting factors that led me astray, and that I was now a huge step closer to achieving my dreams. 

I'd also learnt that the path of repentance is harder than any career in the world, and once you triumph this, you can achieve anything with dedication and hard work. 

*

I stifled a yawn as I tapped my pen against the notebook. 

The lecture on cardiovascular diseases was running on and on, and there was no end in sight. 

I picked up my cup of coffee and disappointment filled my heart as I remembered that it was now empty. I had ingested every single drop of the life-saving beverage.

Suddenly, the lecturer's pager beeped, and she glanced down at it. "I'm afraid I'll have to end this here today. I'm being paged for an emergency. We will email you all to reschedule this."

Alhumdulillah! Thank you for saving me before I fell asleep, Allah!

I was packing away my pen and notebook when I felt someone approach me. I looked up and saw Taif Bukhari walked towards me, moving through the crowd of our fellow junior doctors. 

"Iman." He smiled, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "How did you find the lecture?" 

I shrugged. "It was nothing new." 

"Really? I found it very interesting and informative." 

"I did my dissertation on cardiovascular disease, Taif. I literally spent most of that year of my life researching this. I know all this. The only reason I had to attend this lecture was so we can sign the documents for the hospital that we sat through these two hours of pure torture." I picked up my bag. "Why are you here? Haven't you already taken this lecture before?" 

He shook his head. "No, which is why it was mandatory for me to attend this as well." 

We began to walk out of the hall together.

"Are you going home now?" He asked as I began to move towards the exit of the building. 

"Yes, I have been here since five in the morning." I looked at him.

He cleared his throat, and he glanced down at the floor. "Iman, my parents..." 

My heart skipped a beat, knowing exactly what he was about to say. "I have to rush, Taif! I promised my mother I'd be home as soon as possible." I quickly sped towards the front doors, my cheeks warm. 

"One day, I would like to send my parents over to talk to yours." He had told me a long time ago.

I had brushed off that topic then, and even now when he attempted to start that conversation, I avoided it. It wasn't that I was against the idea of marriage. It was just that I was not the emotional, lovey-dovey type. I had no idea how to handle those feelings, and they left me feeling so uncomfortable and awkward that I just had to run away.

But the funniest part was that Taif was the first one I'd developed genuine feelings for, despite my avoidance of the subject, well, feelings that I could consider more than just an innocent crush. I didn't want to push him away, but I feared that he would lose patience with me one day and walk off. He was a cute, aspiring cardiothoracic surgeon. There would be a line of girls waiting to marry him. He didn't need an emotionally aloof colleague.

Over the years, I'd come across him regularly, and we had gotten along well. With dark, wavy hair, and dark eyes that remained behind non-prescription glasses, Taif was not only an intelligent, smart man, but he was a complete package: with etiquettes and respect. My father knew him well through work, and was always praising his potential as a doctor, and even surgeon. As for my mother, I bet she was already planning my wedding in her head, and as far as I knew her, Taif was the ideal damaad for her and Papa.

As I drove home, I thought about things. I wanted to get married, and there was no doubt about that. Yes, I'd always prioritised my career, but now I was a qualified doctor, Alhumdulillah. Now, I was mentally prepared to take the next step. 

I just didn't know how to take that first step.

****

A few days later, a bunch of us were having a frowned-upon 'party' in the hospital basement. Well, actually, it was just seven or eight of us hanging around having snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. 

If we got caught, the hospital management would fire every single one of our backsides. I don't even want to think about Papa's reaction.

"To us." Taif grinned, holding up his glass of orange Fanta.

"Woohoo!" I cheered loudly.

"We worked hard, dudes." Ashton Heath, one of our colleagues smiled, biting into a bar of Twix.

After the rest of them walked off to their various duties, I sat on a discarded desk, crossing my legs underneath myself and eating Snickers.

"Iman." Taif looked at me nervously.

"What's up?" I eyed him as I was busy munching the nutty goodness.

He came and stood in front of me and took a deep breath. "I need to show you something."

"Sure." I finally looked up at him and something in his gaze made me freeze momentarily. 

"Come." He nodded at me and I followed him to a darker section of the basement.

"Allah! Are you going to kill me in here?" I gasped. "Because I'm telling you, if Mama doesn't hear from me for too long, she'll call Papa and..."

His bag lay on a broken chair near a back wall, and he reached inside it, pulling out a white coat, a doctor's coat.

"Umm... I have seen it before." I pointed out, as I used hand wipes to clean my chocolaty fingers.

"No, you haven't. Turn it over." He said, softly, placing the coat into my hands.

I did as he asked and turned it over, my eyes widening.

Will You Marry Me?

The words were literally sewed onto the coat, messily.

"I did the sewing myself." He said, proudly. "Getting practice to be a future surgeon, In Sha Allah." 

I looked up at him, speechless since the first time since I had started to speak as a baby.

"If you're up for it, I want to send my parents to meet Dr Fawad and Jasmina Aunty." He cleared his throat. "I didn't want to do it without knowing your consent or your wishes, Iman." 

"I figured that... the best place to propose to you is at the hospital..." He was looking nervous now.

Ya Allah! Why can't I speak? And why are my eyes damp? I don't cry! Stop crying, Iman Fawad!

"Iman?" He looked uncertain.

A tear escaped my eye, rolling down my cheek speedily. Stop, bloody tear!

"If it's a no, that's okay." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I get that you have high standards and..."

"Yes, you muffin!" I smiled. "Yes!"

"Yes?!" He was in shock now.

I rolled my eyes. "Taif, are you..."

"What are you two doing down here?" A gruff voice interrupted our moment. We turned and saw a caretaker standing there, a huge frown on his face. His white moustache seemed to be frowning as well. A double frown.

Ya Allah, bless my brain and mouth with a filter. Ameen.

"What are your names? I'm gonna report you two to the management!" The caretaker said, angrily.

"I'm sorry, we were just..." Taif began to explain.

"I know why you hormone controlled young doctors and nurses come down here." The dude snapped.

"Whoa! Chill with the accusations, bro!" I was losing my temper. "This isn't Grey's Anatomy." 

"Names." The dude looked blankly at me. "It's my duty to report any hanky panky down here."

"Hanky Panky?!" I burst out laughing.

"Look, Sir." Taif remained calm as the dude glared at me. "I apologise, but we weren't doing anything like that, I promise."

"You can tell me your names, or the head of the hospital is on my speed dial."

Allah! If the management got involved, Papa will find out that his daughter was caught in a basement with a non-mehram. In fact, his reputation will be damaged.

"His name is Ismael Zafar." I muttered pointing towards Taif. "And I am..." I scrambled to pick a random name from the list of people that I knew. "Jasmina Sheikh." Why isn't my quick wit supporting me today? Ya Allah, I've lost my mind. Please help me find it ASAP. I'm in urgent need of it.

Taif looked at me like I had just started doing a bhangra dance.

The frickin' dude was actually writing down the names. "Out. Both of you."

Taif and I rushed out.

My unofficial 'engagement' had ended with us potentially getting in trouble with the hospital management.

****

"Are your degrees and qualifications fake?" Taif looked at me in disbelief. "What did you do?!" We were now sat on a bench in the hospital courtyard.

"I panicked!" My eyes widened. "I didn't want Papa to find out that I was found in a basement with you."

"So you gave the full maiden name of his wife?!" He raised an eyebrow. "Along with random mash-ups of your relatives?"

"Taif, I freaked out!" I shook my head. "And he won't find out. It's a random incident."

"Well, if he does find out, your parents will be visiting my parents for my bloody funeral!" Taif shook his head.

I pouted, unable to believe that I had been so stupid. "How will I be a doctor when I can't manage under pressure?"

His face softened. "It's okay. I get it. A desi parent pressure is worse than anything medical science throws at us." He ran a hand through his hair. "Beside, we're future partners and we're both geniuses and idiots at the same time. Trust me, we'll get in a lot of silly situations like this." 

"Is this one we'll laugh about?" I asked.

"Yes. Definitely." He gave me a cute smile and I was lost in his eyes.

"What a beautiful love story!"

Taif and I looked up startled and saw Hamza Bhai and a five-months-pregnant Hania Appi heading towards the hospital entrance, a few yards away from where we sat. This was her third pregnancy and Appi looked much more comfortable and used to it than the previous two times. Appi had chubby cheeks, with a soft glow on them, and she wore maternity leggings and a navy blue dress with white polka dots. She wore a soft black pashmina shawl around her, despite the heat outside.

"Maybe Fawad Uncle would want to see it." Hamza Bhai continued.

"Stop acting like an interfering Aunty, Hamza Bhai!" I rolled my eyes.

Hania Appi laughed. "Don't you know? That's his part time job."

"Seriously, you two." Hamza Bhai said, raising an eyebrow. "You look like a couple in love. Taif, maybe slide over away from her a little, considering that her father is on shift."

Taif stood up, embarrassed.

Appi sighed. "I'm sorry, Taif. He's just being his usual annoying self."

"I love you too, Han baby." Hamza Bhai winked at his wife, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her forehead.

"Assalam Alaikum, Dr Fawad." Taif spoke, startling us all.

Hamza Bhai instantly dropped his arm from around his wife, out of immediate respect for not just his elders, but his father-in-law of all people.

"Oh! My bad! That's not Dr Fawad." Taif grinned, having his revenge on Hamza Bhai.

Appi and I started laughing.

Even Hamza Bhai chuckled. "Oh, you're on, bro. This is a full on war now."

Taif and I high-fived.

"Well played, Taif." Appi smiled.

Taif and I exchanged a look. We were really alike.

****

"So, I had an interesting phone call, jaan." Mama told Papa a few days later, as we sat down for dinner.

"Yeah?" He looked at her, curiously.

"Mrs Bukhari and her husband want to come and meet me and you." Mama gave me a cheeky smile.

Papa looked at me, trying to control a smile, before looking back at her. "About what?"

"I don't know." Mama pretended to be clueless. "I thought maybe you would know, jaan. Did Taif mention anything to you?"

"No, nothing at all."

I continued eating as if I hadn't heard anything.

"Taif is a nice boy, Fawad." My mother would never leave a chance to tease someone. "Damad material, don't you think?" 

What did I tell you? My mother's Saas-sensors were working on maximum mode.

"I don't know, Mina." Papa frowned. "He seems like trouble."

"Does he?" Mama pretended to be shock. She deserves an Oscar, I'm telling you.

"I mean, partying in the hospital basement against the rules and all." Papa looked amused. "But I'm sure, Iman won't know about it."

My eyes widened.

"Taif was partying in the basement?!" Mama asked.

"So I've heard." He replied. "In fact, the caretaker gave us two names as well. Ismael Zafar and Jasmine Sheikh."

I choked on my food. Maybe dying will save me from humiliation. RIP Dr Iman Fawad. She died choking on roti.

Too bad Papa's a doctor and wouldn't have easily allowed it to happen. Mama patted my back, rubbing it gently afterwards.

"You okay?" She whispered, looking worried.

I nodded.

"Let me get it straight, Mani." Papa asked. "You gave the guy some fake names, one being of mixed up relatives of ours, and one being your mother's full maiden name? Come on, jaan, I expected more from you. This is not on Iman level."

"This is hilarious, Fawad." Mama laughed. "I was partying in the basement with Ismael, who is Zafar Bhai's son now?!" She couldn't stop laughing and Papa joined in.

"The caretaker thought we were up to no good actually." I sighed. "But that's not true. Taif just..."

"Taif just what?" Mama asked, probably not expecting my answer.

I looked at her and Papa. I was blessed having parents like them. Appi always opened up to them, and over the years, so did I. "Taif proposed to me."

Papa froze and Mama's eyes widened. I hated the uncomfortable silence that followed.

"And you're telling me now?!" Mama gasped. "How dare you keep this from me? How did he propose?!"

"Mina."

"What? I trust Iman and Taif didn't cross their limits, jaan."

"He sewed it on a white doctor's coat." I replied.

"Allah!" Mama looked excited. "So romantic!"

"Mina, seriously?!" Papa looked at her bewildered.

"Protective Papa, calm down." She told him. "He's also doing this the right way, by sending his parents over."

"Papa, I promise that we never crossed our limits." I reassured him.

"I know, Mani." He looked like he was facing a dilemma.

"Fawad, just be honest." Mama said. "He's a good guy, isn't he? Let's just meet his parents and see what happens."

"Call them over on Sunday." Papa nodded. "Let's see."

Mama kissed my cheek. "Aww, my Mani found her man."

I bit back a shy smile. Shy smiles were not an Iman thing. Those were more a Hania thing. And yet, here I was sitting here like a stereotypical, traditional desi bride-to-be.

But that's exactly what I was soon going to be, right?

****

Mr and Mrs Bukhari were much older than my parents, and they seemed like a decent, sweet couple.

I waited in the kitchen until Mama came in to call me. I took a tray of tea inside, and immediately saw Taif seated on an armchair, looking as nervous as if he was in a job interview. Well, considering that Dr Fawad Ali, future boss (as a surgeon) and future father-in-law was present, it might as well be an interview.

But the moment Taif saw me, his tension eased and he smiled.

"Assalam Alaikum." I greeted his parents.

"Walaikum Assalam!" Mrs Bukhari smiled. "Ma Sha Allah! Your daughter is very beautiful."

I began to hand out tea.

"Taif tells us that you're a doctor as well?" She asked.

I nodded. "I plan to become a cardiothoracic surgeon, like my father. In Sha Allah."

"Ma Sha Allah!" His parents said, together.

I took a seat beside Mama. A part of me was tempting to grab her hand.

After formalities were discussed, the adults got to the point.

"Our Taif wishes to marry Iman." Mr Bukhari looked at Papa as he spoke. "We have come to ask for her hand in marriage for our son."

"Mr Bukhari," Papa cleared his throat. "Please don't mind me saying this, but I feel like this is necessary. Taif is a very, very good boy. Ma Sha Allah. We have no problem with this marriage. However, Iman had worked very hard to achieve her dreams. My wife and I never stopped her from chasing after her dream career, and we're immensely proud of her. I really hope that there won't be any issues regarding her career in the future."

"We understand your concern, Dr Fawad." Mr Bukhari said. "But Iman won't face any restrictions. She and Taif will be free to live their lives as they please. Besides, for us it's better to have two doctors in the family, right?"

Everyone laughed and Taif and I exchanged a smile.

"We'll discuss this with our elder daughter as well." Mama told Mrs Bukhari. "And we'll let you know soon."

"Of course." Mrs Bukhari gave Mama an understanding smile.

****

"So, Mani?" Naturally Hamza Bhai wouldn't leave the chance to tease me. "Feel like getting stuck in the marriage trap, huh?"

I just made a face at him.

"Are you and Papa completely satisfied with this?" Appi asked our parents.

"No father is completely satisfied with a man for his daughter." Papa sighed. "But yes, Taif is a good person, and his family seems decent."

"If Appi can marry Hamza Bhai, anyone is better." I grinned.

"You are hilarious." My brother-in-law said to me, sarcastically.

"Mama." Hania Appi's second child, and my sweet niece, Hina came in, shyly. "I'm sleepy."

"Come on." Mama stood up instead. "Nano will take you for a nap today!"

"Yay!" Hina cheered, happily. She held Mama's hand and they walked out.

"Well, I guess Iman is getting married soon as well, In Sha Allah." Papa stood up and patted my head.

I felt emotional all of a sudden. I wanted to be my parents' support for life, but the sad reality is that I had to go.

****

"Are you excited?" Taif called me that night. "We're basically, practically engaged." 

"Two Trouble Doctors getting married? Yes, I'm very excited." I bit my lip as I sat in my window seat.

"You sound down."

"It's silly."

"Talk to me, Iman."

I sighed. "I feel so sad at the thought of leaving Mama and Papa alone. Life is so unfair. Why can't you move in here?"

"Because your poor mother will never be at peace if her damad moves in." He chuckled. "You know how mothers-in-law get about their damads.

"True."

"We live nearby. We'll see them regularly, especially Uncle. I promise, I'll never stop you from, or give you a hard time about, meeting your parents." 

I nodded. "I know. And thanks." 

"Plus Hania Appi and Hamza Bhai are close by as well. Your parents will always have us all, In Sha Allah."

I nodded.

But after the phone call ended, I knocked on the bedroom door of my parents.

Papa opened it and with just a look at my expression, he gave me a small smile and told Mama. "Mina, I'll be in the guest room."

He left and I got into bed beside Mama, curling up next to her like I used to as a child. She stroked my head repeatedly as I silently cried my heart out.

I felt her tears land on my cheek, but neither of us said a word. I eventually fell asleep beside Mama, breathing in her jasmine and vanilla scent.

Wisdom comes with experience.

And I've come a long way from being that child who had unintentionally sworn in front of her parents, and then had later intentionally continued to do so. 

I was now wiser in the sense that I had learned how to appreciate my parents in a way that I'd never had before.

****

This was basically just a prologue, and I know that most of this has been a repetiton.

But as I said, I'm going to give this story a proper structure, with new scenes, and more details regarding the life of Iman (and Taif).

This is an early Eid gift for TaiMan fans. Even if you don't celebrate Eid, consider it a gesture from me out of celebration, sort of like exchanging virtual mithai (desi fried sweet).

Thoughts and comments?

Thank you for reading and don't forget to vote!