"How dare you not tell us this before? Were you trying to fool us and tie this problem in our necks?! Your daughter is so ugly but you painted her face with makeup and presented her in front of us. Shukar Allah that we found out from so and so about the truth or else Allah knows what would've happened.
How could we let our handsome son marry such an ugly duckling?!
You crazy.... con artists!
No one will marry this ugly girl. Lock her up. Even looking at her face is making me lose my appetite. Any person might get a heart attack if they see her impromptu....."
Raged the mother of the guy who came to see her like all the other 17 guys who came to her house with a marriage proposal in the past 4 years.

After the incident, Huda Sheikh had locked herself from the rest of the world. She was afraid, depressed and hated everything and everyone.... She had broken all the mirrors in her house and abhored her own reflection.

She tried every treatment, every home remedy, expensive medicines....every trick in the book to get rid of that deep ugly scar which started from below her right eye and ended till the corner of her lips. Plastic surgery was expensive and dangerous. Alas, she was cursed with that despicable anomaly for life.

After a year, being able to gulp down the truth and the support of her family, she took the courage and dared to step out in the outside world but .... covered the deep ugly scar with makeup.

And just like that, it was all back. All heads turned in awe at her beauty. Her admirers increased and she became the talk of the town again. However, the truth couldn't be changed. Even if she covered it....they knew she was scarred.
No one was ready to accept the hideous truth behind the beautiful dream.

Unless one day.....

∆∆∆∆∆

"I'm sorry. I can't marry you Saqib. You're a really nice....the sweetest guy I've ever met but..... I can't marry someone who....."

"Is blind." He completed her sentence.

She sighed.

"I've always dreamt about having children....but what if, our children have the same.... problem too. I don't think I would be able to handle it. I want a husband who'd enjoy the beauty and ugliness of life with me. Who can protect me and whom I can rely on." She said rejecting his ring as gently as she could.

"I can be nothing more than a friend to you. I'm sorry." She said and he heard the clicking of her heels getting distant and then silent.

She left him too. Just like the others.

Saqib Hussain was born without eyesight. His parents were devastated yet they tried thier best to raise him like a normal child. Even though they tried everything in thier power to cure him, however, things can never be done against the will of God. They never made him feel like he was anyhow incapable than the rest of the world. However, the sad truth couldn't be hidden no matter how much they tried. He had to be sent to a special school. Yet he smiled without a complaint. He thanked Allah for everything else he was blessed with. His parents....his life and he always considered his blindness as a blessing rather than a curse because he thought it taught him to be humble and down to earth. It made him work harder and be successful on his own.

He started taking interest in cooking. He had a sharp memory and all his other senses were sharper than a normal person's. In a few years, he had become a master of taste. He completed his Hotel Management at the top of his class and soon became an executive chef at a 7 star restaurant.

People from all over came to taste his food and shake his gifted hands.
He had everything in his life....money, fame.....but, he didn't have that one person with whom he could share it. A life partner.....a wife.... someone to love.

Unless one day....

∆∆∆∆∆

"Huda beta" her mother walked into her room as her daughter sat pointlessly on her bed looking out of their apartment window.

"They all look soo happy." Huda said monotonously looking at the people sitting, laughing and kids playing in the park. Parents hugging their little children and a newly married couple walking hand in hand shyly.

"This will be you soon." Her mother said.

She scoffed.
"You've been saying that for the past 4 years. You know Mom, all my friends got married by today. Remember Sana, she has a baby now. You always said I'd be the first one to get married, but look at me now, I'm alone sitting on this bed watching other people be happy."

She held her daughter's face and made her look at herself.
"This time I really mean it. A guy is coming to see you this evening..."

"Mom!" She grunted irritated. She was tired of being insulted and rejected. There was a time when she did the same.... breaking hearts, now her karma had caught up to her.

∆∆∆∆∆

"Please don't be shy. Have something. Everything here on the table is made by our Huda. She's an excellent cook well, not as good as Saqib ji of course. He's an executive chef afterall." Huda's mother said with a huge smile.

He took the oily samosa in his hand and smelled it. His lips twitched in a small smile. It was the same smell he got while on the way to this building. It was from the same store. But without a word he took a bite. 'Not bad' he thought.

"Where is Huda? We can't wait to meet her!" Saqib's mother said smiling with a hint of excitement.

"Oh of course, I'll call her." Her mother said going in.

Huda was brought out like a doll for display. She forced a smile going through the same routine. Seeing the guy, she swallowed the lump in her throat.

She couldn't believe it. He was so average. Dusky complexion, thin hair and she could see he wasn't too tall. He was sleak but no where near to muscular. She had guys far more handsome tailing her in the past but him....he was no where near them.

This time she actually prayed they rejected her.

"Assalamualaikum." She said.

Her voice! Just hearing that melodious voice made his heart skip. It was like velvet to his ears. Her footsteps as they approached towards him were making his breath faster. Of course she sat away from him.... opposite to him. He could imagine her. His mother had told him about her.
He never thought someone like her could be with him.
He had also heard that she had a scar on her face because of an accident. He didn't care. Looks didn't matter to him. For him inner beauty was most important and as long as he felt a connection....which he was already feeling.... somehow.

She observed him for a minute.
No girl would give her time to even look at such an average man she thought. She was going to be stuck with him?!

There was something off about him though. Usually, guys couldn't take their eyes of her or look away shyly stealing glances at times but he.....just kept looking in blank space. He was looking at her but still, he looked lost or inattentive.

As if he was.....blind?

"He's..... blind?" She muttered. Then realisation hit her and she yelled abruptly ejecting off her seat...

"HE'S BLIND?!"

Everyone froze at her sudden outburst. There was complete silence for a minute. Until he spoke....
"Yes.... I am."

She couldn't believe it, it was like a train hit her. Her parents were ready to marry her off to a blind man?! Her eyes teared up. She looked at her mother who had her head down.

"Mom?! Do you really want me to marry a blind man? Are you soo tired of me already?" She said in a wavering voice.
"Do you think a physically handicapped man can protect me?"

Huda's mother grabbed her arm gesturing her subtly to shut up but she shoved away her mother's hand.

Instead of getting upset of angry, Saqib smiled a sad smile.
"Well it's true that I'm blind and this disability makes me different from any average man but.... I can assure you that I'm more than capable of protecting and providing for you in the future."

Huda scoffed mockingly.
"Oh really?! What can a blind guy like u do? Take your cane and knock over places. Do you want me to be your guard dog and lead your way? And do you think that's the only problem? Have you even seen your face in the mirror? Oh wait...you can't!
Coz if u did you'd go blind again seeing your own ugly self!"

Saqib's mother got up to counter her insults but Saqib grabbed her hand stopping her. She looked at him and he shook his head signalling her not to say a word.

He then smiled and got up too.
"Miss Huda, I apologise if I had upset you, but please don't go on judging people because of thier disability. People are different inside than thier outer cover. I hope you'll understand that. We'll take your leave now. Have a nice day and if u can....do visit my restaurant. It will be on the house." He said ever soo gently but Huda felt no guilt or remorse. Instead she just rolled her eyes mocking him and watched him leave holding his Mother's hand.

Her mother sank on the sofa holding her head in utter disappointment.