Mayi Ri

Chapter 5

Saiqa decides to talk to zaheer about the nikkah.

"Can we talk, bhai?" Saiqa asks entering Zaheer's room.

"Of course. Come sit." Zaheer pats the spot beside him on the bed.

"Bhai, ye aap kya kar rahe ho? Why are you rushing Fakhir into a marriage with Ainy at such a young age?"

Zaheer pauses, his eyes reflecting the weight of his decisions. "Saiqa, I want to ensure Fakhir's happiness before I... you know."

Saiqa interrupts, "Brother, their happiness shouldn't come at the cost of their dreams and aspirations. Let them grow, study, and become independent. Marriage can wait."

Zaheer sighs, "I just want to witness their nikkah while I'm still here."

Saiqa puts a reassuring hand on her brother's shoulder, "You will, but let it happen at the right time, not rushed into it. They deserve a chance to make their own choices."

Saiqa sighs, her voice laced with concern, "I've told you what is right for Ainy and Fakhir. I hope you make the decision that's best for them, not just what you want." With that, Saiqa leaves the room, leaving Zaheer to contemplate his choices.

Sameena is a silent observer during Saiqa and Zaheer's conversation. Once Saiqa leaves, Sameena takes a deep breath and addresses Zaheer with concern in her voice.

"Zaheer, Saiqa is right. You are rushing the kids," she gently implores.

"Sameena, why don't you people understand me? I am not my son's enemy. I want to see him settled before I go. And I am not getting him married to a stranger. He has lived with Ainy all his life. They know each other. They understand each other. I can't see the problem here," Zaheer insists, his emotions running high.

"The problem is their age, and in this era, kids at their age don't get married. They study and build a career," Sameena counters, trying to make him see reason.

Zaheer, however, remains steadfast in his belief, unaffected by the changing times. To him, marrying at a young age was the norm, as all of his siblings and he himself had married at a similar age.

"I don't understand what's gotten into Baba. Is he losing his mind?" Fakhir asks Arsal, who shares his shock over the unexpected news of Fakhir and Ainy's marriage.

Arsal, equally taken aback by the sudden turn of events, replies, "I have no idea, Fakhir. This is just...unexpected and strange."

Fakhir nods, frustration clear in his expression. "I thought we were in the twenty-first century, where people let kids be kids and focus on their studies and dreams."

Arsal puts a comforting hand on Fakhir's shoulder. "We'll figure this out together, bro. We won't let anyone force us into something we don't want."

"I am going to talk to him." Determined and frustrated, Fakhir storms out of his room, heading to confront his father.

Faiza, concerned for her sister, asks through her own tears, "Ye bade abbu ko kya hua? Why is he forcing you guys to marry?"

Ainy, still crying and trying to make sense of it all, replies, "There are a lot of things to ask for as a death wish. Why does he have to ask me to marry Fakhir? Fakhir?" She continues to sob.

"I think we should do something to stop the marriage," Faiza suggests, her voice trembling.

Ainy, still emotionally shaken, asks, "Like what?"

"I don't know," Faiza admits.

"Faiza, I don't want to end up like Amma, suffering and dependent. I want to build a career, be financially independent, and take care of Amma and you. I've seen how Abba treated Amma and his second marriage, how he neglected us. I'm scared of the idea of marriage, Faiza. I don't want a man in my life. I want to protect us from all that," Ainy says between her sobs. Faiza puts her arms around her sister.

Fakhir stormed into his parents' room, determination burning in his eyes.

"Baba, mujhe baat karna tha," he declared firmly.

Zaheer looked at his son, surprised. "Ab tumhe kya bolna hai?"

Fakhir took a deep breath, his resolve unwavering. "Main raazi nahi hun iss shadi ke lie aur aap mujhe force nahi kar sakte."

Zaheer sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Fakhir, beta, I know this is difficult for you to accept. But I have my reasons. I want to see you settled, and I believe this is the right path."

Fakhir, frustration in his voice, replied, "But Baba, I have dreams, aspirations. I want to build a career, make something of myself. I'm not ready for marriage, especially not now." He turns to his mother who has been silently listening to the conversation. "Amma aap samjhaye na Baba ko."

Sameena sighed and looked at Zaheer, hoping he would reconsider, but Zaheer remained firm. "Ab koi kuch nahi bolega. Apne kamre mein jao, Fakhir," Zaheer ordered.

Fakhir, feeling drained by the conversation, exchanged a worried glance with his mother before nodding and quietly leaving his parents' room.

As he steps onto the balcony, he notices Ainy sitting there, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Without a word, he quietly takes a seat beside her.

Ainy doesn't look at him, but her voice trembles as she speaks, "Fakhir, why is Bare abbu doing this? I don't want to get married now. I want to study, build a future for myself, take care of Amma and Faiza. I've seen what happened to Amma. I'm scared, Fakhir."

Fakhir places a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his voice gentle, "Ainy, I understand how you feel. I have dreams too, and I don't want this forced upon us. We'll figure this out together, okay? We won't let anyone force us into something we're not ready for."

Ainy finally turns to look at him, her teary eyes meeting his. She nods, finding solace in Fakhir's support. They both know that the road ahead won't be easy, but at least they have each other to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Ainy is in the midst of getting ready for school when Fakhir casually strolls into her room, dressed in his school uniform.

"Knock kar liya karo," Ainy scolds him, frustrated by the intrusion.

Fakhir counters, "Oh, come on, Ainy. You girls never knock when you come barging into my room."

Ainy defends herself, "Well, we're girls. We need more privacy."

Fakhir smirks and mockingly retorts, "Hypocrite."

"Kyu aaye ho subah subah?" Ainy inquires as Fakhir settles himself down her her bed.

"Baba se baat kiya tha kal rat. Tum ro rahi thi na kal islie nahi bol paya. Maine saaf saaf bol diya ki main nahi karunga ye shadi," Fakhir responds with confidence.

"Aur bare abbu ne kya bola?" Curiously, Ainy asks.

"Get lost bola hoga, aur kya bolenge," Faiza, chiming in, interrupts.

Fakhir throws a pillow at her. "Tameez se baat karo. Bhai hun tumhara."

"Fakhir, kuch bhi kar ke ye shadi rukwa do," Faiza says.

Fakhir quirks an eyebrow, a perplexed expression on his face. "Hold on, why are you so keen on preventing this wedding?"

"I just don't want my sister to marry someone who can't even do his homework," Faiza replies, her tone resolute.

"Hey! You can't insult me like that!" Fakhir defends himself.

"Do you have any plan, Fakhir?" Ainy asks.

"Tum apni Amma se baat kar ke dekho, aur main apni Amma se. Shayad kuch faida ho," Fakhir says.

"As if our mothers can do something on this matter," Faiza teases.

"Khuda ka vasta, Faiza. Kuch to acha bolo."

"Kuch acha hoga to acha bolungi main." Faiza turns to her sister, "Ainy, chalo van uncle aa gaya hoga."

Faiza says bye to Fakhir and leaves the room. Fakhir and Ainy look at each other, helplessness in their eyes.

"Baba seemed so determined. I don't know if Amma or chachi could convince him. But at least I want them to try," Fakhir says softly.

"We will make bare abbu understand our situation, In shah Allah." Ainy messes Fakhir hair which makes Fakhir angry. He never let anybody touch his hair.

"Ainy, No!" Fakhir gently twists Ainy's hand behind her back, their bodies mere inches away from each other. Their eyes lock, and for a fleeting moment, confusion and unspoken emotions swirl between them. Ainy's breath catches in her throat, and she can feel her heart racing in tandem with Fakhir's, their closeness creating an undeniable connection that neither can fully comprehend.

"Ainy, tumhara van aaya hai," Arsal suddenly barges into the room and freezes in place. Fakhir quickly regains his senses, realizing the closeness he and Ainy had shared. He releases her hand and gently pushes her away. Ainy and Fakhir faces turning beet red with embarrassment.

Ainy stammers, "I... bye?" She hastily grabs her bag and bolts out of the room.

Fakhir, equally flustered, clears his throat as he makes a quick exit, offering a somewhat awkward, "Bye Arsal."

Arsal, now alone in the room, wears a teasing smile. "What was that?" he mutters to himself, shaking his head in amusement at the whole situation.

Ainy sits in the school van, her mind consumed by the events of the morning. She can't help but replay the encounter with Fakhir over and over again, trying to decipher the meaning behind it.

What did that moment with Fakhir mean? And why did it feel so... intense? Ainy's heart races as she recalls the closeness between them, the way their eyes locked, and the way she felt something different for the first time.

Fakhir is lost in his thoughts as he reaches school. He doesn't even see his girlfriend Amna waving at him.

"Fakhir."

Fakhir snaps out of his reverie when he hears Amna's voice. He blinks a few times, trying to refocus on the present moment, and finally notices Amna standing in front of him, a concerned expression on her face.

He manages a weak smile and tries to shake off his distracted state. "Sorry, Amna. I was lost in thought," he admits, though he doesn't elaborate on what was occupying his mind.

Amna raises an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Lost in thought about what? You look like someone caught you doing something illegal."

Fakhir chokes on his saliva for a moment, caught off guard. He quickly recovers and replies, "Huh... nothing, just family stuff. You know how it is sometimes."

Amna doesn't seem entirely convinced, but she decides not to push further, at least for now. She smiles and says, "Alright, if you say so. Just remember, I'm here if you ever want to talk about anything, okay?"

Fakhir nods, relieved that he managed to deflect her questions for now.

Aisha, deeply concerned about Ainy and Fakhir's marriage proposal, decides to talk to her husband Habeeb about it. She knows that they need to be on the same page regarding this critical matter.

"Habeeb, we need to talk about Ainy and Fakhir."

Habeeb looks at her, curious but apprehensive. "What's it, Aisha?"

Aisha takes a deep breath before expressing her thoughts, "Habeeb, I'm really worried about this marriage proposal. Ainy is just a child. She should be focusing on her education and her dreams, not getting married at such a young age. You've seen how early marriages can affect girls. I don't want that for our daughter."

"Aisha, you know that in our family, early marriages have been the norm. I got married young, and so did my siblings. It's not as bad as you make it out to be."

Aisha looks at him earnestly, "But times have changed, Habeeb. Girls now have opportunities for education and careers. I want Ainy to have those opportunities, to build a life for herself before she even thinks about marriage."

Habeeb, still not entirely convinced, counters, "I just want what's best for our daughter, Aisha. And sometimes, that means following our traditions."

Aisha sighs, realizing that this conversation might not yield an immediate solution. She says, "Habeeb, let's at least consider what Ainy wants. She should have a say in this decision, and we need to respect her dreams and aspirations."

Habeeb remains silent for a moment, then he speaks, "I can't go against Bhai saab."

As Aisha sits on her bed, a wave of frustration and regret washes over her. She remembers the days when she couldn't make choices about her own marriage, and now she finds herself in a situation where she struggles to protect her daughter's dreams and aspirations. She curses herself for not being stronger and more independent.