Don't forget the rules ;)
Before reading, pray your salah!
Do your homework/assignment :D
And.. make sure no one is calling you :p
And pls vote and comment, I love to hear your views about the story! Pls? Pls.

Maarij

' Ye hum sb pr ek sath kiun museebat agayi hay, aur wo bhi blkl aik jesi? '
( Why do we all have to face same problem at a same time ? )

We were talking on group call me,Diljah and Durre.

' Yes you're right, seems like grass is getting greener whole around the field! Why do us girls have to get worried about settling down and finding solace with their future households. Argh. '

' Arre! I wasn't supposed to think all this before university, but see I'm getting hitched too! But you know what guys I exactly know what to do and let's meet at Dunkins and I'll tell you some of the tricks we can use to escape. Wink. Wink. '

' Maarij! Are you in your right mind? YOU are saying this? '

' Yeah right, I must be the one saying this! Of all the people in the world, why NADIR, WHY WHY? God, that's so embarrassing! '

' Ssh all! Come to Dunkins at 4:30 . '

' Yeah we are hanging up then, have to ask our ammi jees beforehand. '

' Byeee! '

Meanwhile I was happy that I'm relieved from the same torment of getting engaged all of a sudden from nowhere literally , my aunt's son's friend from America got interested in me and have sent me a proposal already. And as the 'rishta' is so good and the boy is so well off and handsome and blah blah blah! I wish I could say no, but I found myself falling for him when amma told me that my far distant cousin of far distant aunt is really a heartthrob, businessman and they would be here to visit my mannequin by tomorrow evening. Yeah a mannequin. Because these 'rishta people' do watch you like a mannequin, not leaving an inch square of the girl to find any possible defect? Maybe.

I quickly brought my lazy bums from the bed up and changed my clothes from those of night wear to a decent shalwar kamis, pulling my messy bun into a decent braid , settling dupatta on my head and off to go!

Oh no! I've to ask bhai for favour again...
My ego would be hurt badly.
Poor me...

I tiptoed to bhai's room as he had been resting there since a while and knocked on his door, hearing a grumbled response I pushed open the door.

' Bhai... Umm.. '

" Go and wear your hijab properly then I'll take you. Come outside in 5 mins. "

' But bhai... I'm wearing it na?? '

" What did you say? Sorry? Oh okay okay my sweet little sister I've already forgiven you. Just wear your hijab and I'm ready to drop you at Dunkin . Fine. "

' Okay. '

I made a face at him but surely he didn't see as he was lying down with his eyes shut. What's with bhai in asking me to wear hijab all the time, I wear dupatta right. And it's pretty same. Why is he such a possessive brat brother ?

I mean bad brother.

I arranged my dupatta as hijab from the vintage mirror in the hall and called for him again.

He soon came out running his hand into his hair, trying to appear cool and asked me to get inside his really old old 70s or 80s car!

Disgusting!

" What? Don't stare at my wife like that, I'll smash your head until I knock some sense into your ten year old brain. Pay gratitude to me, I'm taking you to your friends. And don't forget the deal baby sister! "

' Yuckh crap! I bet would be bhabhi would also nauseate at the sight of your first wife! Yeah I remember the deal, but you. Don't forget it! '

" Would be bhabhi? "

' Yes, amma abba have seen a girl for you and they're going to see her today. '

Screeching of tyres!

" Ya Allah! I told abbu not to tell this to ammi jaan! No no no! "

' I mustn't have told you. Now abba will be mad at me. '

Why was bhai acting like this? Weird.
Was my molana bhai interested in someone..  Weirder.
Did he plan to stay virgin his whole life? Weirdest!!!!

' No Hunu bhai, pls . You won't stay bachelor your whole life. I only have a brother and you are going to snatch away my dreams of ... '

" No Maarij! You don't understand, what I mean is I don't want to look at random girls before I finally get to meet my pair. Allah will send her for me. "

' How on earth will you come to meet any girl when you don't want to meet anyone yourself? '

" Now you can get out! "

' W..whattt??? You are throwing me out of the car, I'll complain to abba. '

" Dunkins. "

I looked outside the window and we were standing at Dunkins already. How did he drive so fast?

Seems like I'm going crazier since my rishta is going to be fixed soon.

" And yeah I'm not going to let that guy see you too before he comes good to my terms of a perfect guy for you, so don't dwell in dreams! "

And then he speedily drove off making me gawk like an idiot in his direction.

Mehmood:

' Yes , Alhamdulillah we've completed the survey of other hospitals and uptil rank we're leading in healthcare institutions. It's all because of doctors like you Dr.Saaleh. I owe you a big time. '

" But I don't understand why do you hide your profession of being a doctor yourself? I know your mission of being a doctor was to help the poor and the needies, for Khairaat (betterment). To earn sawab , and to please Allah. Why Mehmood? "

' Since the day I saw my mother struggling with my father fighting cancer, I was 17 or so. I never saw our home in good condition. It was an ancient block of small home in rural area. '

" Mehmood I know this. I am asking why do you hide of being a doctor? "

' It's my way of pleasing my Lord, I just want to help those in need secretly. '

" No doubt I've a great friend. "

' Stop flattering, when are you coming back to America? '

" I was missing my daughter so I just came here to spend few hours with her. I will be returning by tomorrow. "

' Your daughter deserves peace and heaven. That's what she has. Why do you feel heavy at your heart then? Sabr. Don't forget. '

" Yes my friend. Sabr. Sabr is the thing which has kept me alive. I will have to go now, In sha Allah see you soon. "

After Ishaa, I dialled Saaleh's number at whatsapp as the screen showed him to be online. He had left for Pakistan few hours ago and had reached there safely. Only few hours but here he was missing as if for a long time.

Saaleh had also gone through a lot, infact a lot more than may be I could be able to bear.

Indeed Allah does not burden a soul beyond that which it can bear.

It had been a long day, but I was happy. Happy and content. Alhamdulillah I could achieve what I dreamed of when I was really young. 18 years and I lost both of my parents. I had to struggle a lot.It was a journey of submission to Allah and combatting with nafs, evil of society, people who were inflicted upon as trials. I had relatives who were not too dear to me. They tried to snatch away every minor of our belongings.

I remember starting a stall of fried pakoras and spicy chaat ( desi refreshments ), aided with my donor's investment ... Dr.Saaleh Ibraahim who not only became an elder brother to me, my mentor, my helper, my friend.He then arranged a visa for me to America when he came here to pursue higher studies for cardiology and then I too became a doctor with Allah's grace.I went for the degree of family physician and began helping out people who were needy and desolate, without any fees.

That was my part time job. I worked in a company as a sales officer, and then I got promoted to being a director within two years and then again Alhamdulillah I got promoted to the post of manager. I had started savings soon when I landed here in America, so financial stress was not something that bothered me anymore.

Being 23 and a young bachelor, I wanted to get married to complete half of my deen.I asked for help from the imam of my locality's mosque and he agreed to arrange a girl for me from an elegant religious family.But when Saaleh came to know of this he got angry at me, and said that I treated him as if he was no family for me. But how could I have told him, hesitations?

Till now there were no proceedings and I just prayed to Allah to grant me a spouse which would be the coolness of my eyes.

Who knew, some good things took time to occur.But then something came up my direction, may be as God's signal of sending someone to me. Imam approached me saying that there was a girl from Pakistan who had her relatives here, and that Dr.Saaleh was his cousin.

What? Umm. Not bad.

I inquired the details from Imam sahab and then I was just waiting for Saaleh to come back here so that I can send her my proposal.

Dr. Saaleh:

Standing near the grave of my beloved daughter,Maryam, i wondered how many years I've spent without her. Though i promised my wife that I'll cherish our daughter as much as I could... But I failed... I failed badly as a father and as a husband.

' I've seen you here after a very long time son. Did you appear to forget your daughter? '

" No I haven't. I was just trying to distract myself from this pain. Maybe I forgot that it's a part of me, and..and.. I can't go away from it.. I.. I miss her baba jee.. I miss Maryam... "

I began weeping uncontrollably, and then baba jee took my head on his lap and began patting it.

After few minutes of staying like that, I took my leave from there.

' Beta, aj phool nahi daaloge? '

I smiled at baba jee and nodded my head, she was among garden of flowers. She didn't need any additional petals to be showered upon. And this was not approved by sunnah too, so that was some old time I practiced which I didn't know of.

I texted Mehmood and told him to meet me directly at airport. I wanted to hug him and feel the lightness of my heart with few of his soothing words.

And who knew I was to return here back soon.

Mehmood too was excited, he said he wanted to share something with me. I couldn't either control the suspicion so I persuaded him to tell me what was cooking up in his head. He then informed me about my aunt's daughter in which he got to know from Imam sahab, Allah knows how, and so when he came to know she was my cousin he wanted to get the deal sealed.

Oh brother, I wish I could tell you that may be Maarij won't be suitable for you.

But Allah knows better and we know not.

Diljah:

' And I declare my daughter Diljah to be the fiancé of Nadir Johns. '

I could hear chatters and gossips, chuckles and laughters, and cheers and clicking of wine glasses.

I stared in his eyes which were fixed on me, with so much intensity I thought I would melt.He was emitting fire. As if he wanted to burn me in his ferocious flames. And all I did was stare and stare into his deep black orbs which I found myself to be easily lost in... Damn yeah... I was in love...

I was wearing a red gown which had a long slit at thigh, it was backless and off shoulder. Too much exposing than I usually carried.

Nadir had been holding me, arm locked since the announcement and I couldn't decipher the exact thing behind it.

" Excuse me guys, I want to talk to my fiancé so I'm taking her aside for a while. You may carry on with the drinks and dance floor is yours too! "

Nadir made a quick shift in position after loosening his grip on my arm and after making a small announcement he took me aside, infact he grabbed my arm a little harsher and took me outside the hall.

' What are you trying to do Nadir?? You love me don't you? '

" I will never love you. I hate women like you who are pretty and insecure at the same time, who are beautiful and flaunt their beauty at the same time, I hate women like you who are nothing but a bloody whore! You heard me? You are nothing but a whore! "

Do you like any character so far?