Someone Else’s Bride

From his seat in the classroom, Jamal could see his new Hero Splendor parked outside on the road, in fact today morning he had parked his bike deliberately at a vantage point so that it could be visible from the classroom. The Professor was teaching something about Artificial Intelligence, but Jamal’s mind was more rivetted to the new bike which his parents had gifted him yesterday. Jamal glanced at his watch, he made a mental calculation, the class would probably be over in ten minutes.

After the class, as Jamal approached his motorcycle, someone called from behind. Jamal realized this was Rashid his two years junior in the B Tech course. Rashid lived close to Jamal’s house. As Jamal looked back, Rashid took hasty steps and requested whether he can pillion ride with Jamal back home. The happy look on Jamal’s face was inviting enough for Rashid to sit on the motorcycle. The way Jamal started the motorcycle and his sudden acceleration was a tell-tale sign of someone trying to advertise his new motorcycle. Raising a small ball of dust, Jamal veered his motorcycle towards the exit gate of the college.

Albeit heavy traffic, Jamal found the journey of nine kilometers back home pleasurable. Today he didn’t curse the cyclists and autorickshaw drivers who crossed his path taking unexpected turns. Rashid sat on the pillion seat; he had no inkling of the emotions of his senior who was driving this motorcycle. Oblivious of Jamal’s thoughts, Rashid looked forward to reaching his home. Noorullah road was, as always, heavy with traffic. Even Jamal had to slow down his motorcycle. While Jamal navigated between the maze of autorickshaws and two wheelers, Rashid’s eyes caught a sight which to his eyes was indeed a sight to behold. At the intersection of the side lane, stood an utterly beautiful girl in ‘ head scarf’ haggling with a rikshaw driver. Even in this attire, she looked like a princess. Rashid’s heart skipped a beat. A rush of sudden adrenaline overwhelmed his physiology. His eyes refused to lose sight of this attractive face. Now it was Jamal’s turn of being oblivious of how dazed Rashid was while sitting on the pillion seat, dumbstruck with the beauty of this unknown girl. As soon as the obstruction cleared, Jamal accelerated his motorcycle and Rashid lost his lovely damsel.  

Jamal dropped Rashid at a corner which was close to his house and raced to his own house. His mother and sister were standing at the gate, purposely waiting for Jamal. A beaming Jamal pushed his motorcycle, with a care befitting the entry of a new bride, inside the gate. 

Rashid knocked at his house but didn’t notice who opened the door. His mind was still burdened with the memory of that ethereal beauty. He quietly went to his room. As evening faded into night, the lingering thought of the beautiful girl continued to haunt Rashid. Night came and brought sleep but Rashid continued to dream. The next morning Rashid started conjuring thoughts of finding the whereabouts of the girl.

It was around four in the evening when Rashid reached the intersection of Noorullah road where he had seen the beautiful girl yesterday. The intersection was crowded. Roadside sweet meat shops were doing brisk business. A fruit seller advertised his collection of fruits in a professional voice without giving a thought whether anyone was listening or not. Rashid realized the fruit seller was taking the names of even some fruits which were not present on the cart. Rashid concluded that this fruit seller was yelling as a habit, a routine he had been following for decades. While the evening was playing out in this busy intersection, Rashid’s eyes scanned the nearby lane for something which was akin to finding a needle in the haystack.

Rashid stood aimlessly in a corner; every veiled girl that passed his sight gave a ray of hope. Every hijab clad face flattered to deceive. Rashid’s thoughts were broken by the sudden blaring of the ‘azaan’ from the mosque on the opposite side of the intersection. He realized this was ‘maghrib’ time. It was already getting dark. Rashid felt heavy at heart and started walking back home.

Rashid found it hard to sleep that night. Paradoxically the fleeting memory of that girl in ‘hijab’ was not fading with time. Rashid lost count of time that night, finally he dozed off.

Feigning health issues Rashid did not go to college the next day although at around three in the afternoon he found an excuse to venture out of the house. He spent approximately three hours at the spot where he had seen the girl two days back. At the stroke of ‘azaan’ Rashid walked trudging back to his house.

It was the fourth day; Rashid again went to the Noorullah road trisection more as a habit and without any real intent. In the last four days his mind had already convinced him that finding the girl was almost impossible. Rashid found an empty stool at the roadside tea stall and ordered a tea. It was almost at the stroke when he had the first sip that a rikshaw stopped in front of him. The passenger was a girl wearing a sequined green dress. Rashid saw the face when the passenger alighted from the rikshaw. His heart missed not one but two beats. The beauty of the face was unmistakably true to his memory. Voila he had found the girl!!

The girl paid the rikshaw driver, adjusted her hijab and took the lane walking in measured steps. Rashid discarded the tea and walked towards the girl. After approximately fifty yards the girl stopped at a door, she pushed a bell and went inside as the door opened. Rashid kept walking. He passed the door and stole a glimpse of the house. With a spring in his stride, that evening Rashid didn’t wait for the ‘azaan’, he returned to his house.

An innately feminine instinct prompted Zeba that someone was following her while she walked fifty paces to her house after alighting from the rikshaw. While she was closing the door from inside, she had seen a young man pass in front of her house. She observed that the young man was hesitant when he had turned his head to see the door close. From inside the small crack in the door, Zeba could see the face of the man. The face sported an apprehensive innocence. Zeba found this look endearing.

From the fifth day onwards, Rashid had found his spot. On an average he would invariably catch the sight of the girl once every alternate day. He would walk a few paces behind the girl while she would traverse the fifty yards to her house. Zeba knew that she was being followed by someone but she never felt stalked. The young man had always maintained an amicable distance which was trustworthy.

After a few weeks it had become a routine for Rashid to enjoy the company of the girl for a few seconds, albeit from a distance. For Zeba this was also a new experience. Her strict middle-class upbringing had never allowed her to even think of looking at someone not related to her. The mere thought of a young man following her respectfully, without any obvious reason, brought some highly pleasant emotions which were hitherto alien to her. She would find reasons to prolong her routine of paying the rikshaw, this provided her the time to seek the young man who would be sitting invariably on the stool beside the tea stall.

Where there is a will, there is a way. It was within three months that Rashid could muster the courage of one day walk alongside the girl and mutter a meek ‘hello’. The girl had smiled. This time it was the evolutionary instinct of Rashid to understand that the girl had taken his courageous act in an affable spirit.

Within a fortnight the fifty yards that Rashid walked with Zeba became the most treasured moment for Rashid. What Rashid did not know was that Zeba too looked forward to this interlude. Rashid came to know that Zeba had this year completed her graduation and was now enrolled in a hobby class. In the evening, she went to the hobby center. Rashid told Zeba that he was doing B Tech from a city college. Zeba gave Rashid her phone number on the condition that he would not call her while she was at home. He can only text her.

Zeba found Rashid a perfect gentleman. Rashid on his part maintained a healthy respect for Zeba, he respected her privacy and never asked for any favour which would go against the ingrained values of Zeba’s family and culture. Zeba loved the way Rashid talked to her; she specially enjoyed his subtle humour. In free moments Zeba loved to think about Rashid.

Two years had passed from the day when Rashid had first seen Zeba while she stood haggling with the rikshaw driver on the Noorullah road intersection. In the past two years, Rashid had become too dependent on Zeba for emotional support. On her part Zeba found the company of Rashid an emotional stabilizer, she would share with him all her sundry thoughts and bask in Rashid’s humour.

Rashid’s third year end semester exams were round the corner and to avoid distraction he had switched off his mobile phone for the duration of the examination. Even this he did on the advice of Zeba.

The March evening was pleasantly cool. It was just after dusk that Zeba’s house had few visitors which were not known to Zeba’s parents. The visitors comprising three women and two men proposed Zeba’s marriage to a boy who had a job in a multinational company in Mumbai. They showed Zeba’s parents the photograph of the boy.

That evening while Zeba sobbed in her room, her parents deliberated in hushed tones the pros and cons of the proposal. The antecedents of the boy were good. A phone call to a distant cousin in Mumbai confirmed the address where the boy was living. The next day Zeba’s parents invited the extended family to dwell upon the proposal. The consensus emerged that the proposal was good. An elder cousin took the initiative to break this news to Zeba. No one gave a thought whether Zeba’s concurrence was also required.

While Rashid was busy preparing for his end semester examination he studied till late night. Invariably when he slept, he would dream about Zeba. The mutual decision of being out of contact was painful but also romantically exciting. Tonight, when Rashid slept, he had a frightening dream. He saw Zeba running frantically on a road calling his name. Rashid’s sleep got disrupted. He looked at the watch it was two in the night. On an impulse he wanted to text Zeba but then decided against. He gulped a mouthful of water and went back to sleep.

The boy’s parents agreed on all the conditions put forth by Zeba’s parent but insisted on the date of marriage. At their insistence and much to the discomfort of Zeba’s parents, the date was fixed just ten days from the present date. The boy’s parents reiterated effusively that they did not want dowry or any gifts. Marriage preparations started in Zeba’s home in earnest. A thousand emotions boiled in Zeba’s mind but she had no clue how to manage those emotions. She did take the liberty of contacting Rashid but his phone was switched off.

Zeba became someone else’s bride even before the time came for Rashid to switch on his phone. As soon as Rashid finished his last paper, he texted Zeba. An undue time lapse of getting a reply prompted Rashid to again text her. Rashid waited for an hour still no reply. In desperation, Rashid did the unthinkable. He dialed Zeba but the message made him even more concerned. Zeba’s phone was switched off.

Rashid went to the lane which housed Zeba’s house. The remnants of a few pieces of decorative flowers were enough to signal that some function had taken place in this household. Fighting tears, he stopped at the roadside shop and enquired whether there was a function of some sort in the house which he pointed out. The shopkeeper looked at Rashid, in a voice devoid of any emotion he said that it was the marriage of a girl a few days back. Rashid felt heavy at heart. It was at that moment the muezzin broke the advent of dusk with the ‘azaan’ heralding It was time for the ‘maghrib’ prayer.

Loaded with memories of Rashid, Zeba boarded the flight to Mumbai. Deliberately she had switched off her mobile phone. Looking at the phone reminded her of Rashid and she was not sure how she would be able to face Rashid.

Life in Mumbai was very different from the sleepy hometown of her parents. Zeba’s husband doted on her. It was another matter that frequently, even when her husband romantically enticed her, Zeba’s thoughts meandered to the time spent with Rashid.

Time is a big healer. Evolutionary psychology explains that males are affected more by romantic breakups than females. In some months, Zeba’s mind had moved Rashid to a far recess of her brain. Zeba’s husband pampered her with love and affection and Zeba responded with devotion. Rashid was no longer an impediment in her thoughts. While Zeba melted in her new role, it was Rashid who found it hard to reconcile to the new normal. Very frequently his thoughts would bring back the memory of Zeba. Rashid became a recluse; he bided his time giving more importance to his B Tech course. In a few months he appeared for his final examinations and surprised everyone by standing first in order of merit. It was an icing on the cake that Rashid got the best job offer during campus selections.

Two years had passed in Zeba’s married life, she was happy except for the lingering feeling that she had not been able to conceive. Although two years was not a big time and a cause for worry but she knew that her husband wanted a child. He loved children. In intimate moments he would invariably open up and share his feelings with Zeba. Biological reasons apart, Zeba wanted to conceive to make her husband feel happy. She felt this act would in a way repay her loving husband for all the affection and care he bestowed on her.

Time passed; Zeba continued to live a life of a princess. Affluence had also made her prettier. Her husband adored her. While everything was going fine, Zeba’s in laws now started finding ways to obliquely suggest that it was time the couple thought of a child. Thus, it was in an intimate moment that Zeba suggested to her husband that they should consult a doctor for their inability to conceive. After an appointment the couple visited a renowned clinic after a few days. The doctor suggested a slew of tests for Zeba. It took almost fifteen days for all the tests. To her surprise all the tests came fine. Despite this the doctor prescribed a few medicines for Zeba and the treatment started. Another six months passed with no success. Another appointment was scheduled and both Zeba and her husband visited the doctor again. This time the doctor prescribed a few tests for Zeba’s husband.

Other than the latent infertility issue, Zeba couldn’t have asked for more in her marriage. And therefore, she became excited when on a Saturday evening her husband announced that he had invited an old acquaintance for dinner this evening. Zeba was fond of cooking and since midafternoon she prepared an assortment of dishes for the evening dinner.

As the bell rang, since her husband had just gone to washroom, Zeba went to the door to welcome the guest. As Zeba opened the door she froze. Rashid, looking dapper in the black tuxedo, was standing at the door. Rashid too was stunned. They both looked flummoxed. Without saying a word Zeba gave way and Rashid moved inside the huge drawing room. Memories came flooding for Zeba and Rashid. Both felt utterly hapless to the present circumstance. It was in this moment of doldrum that Zeba’s husband Jamal walked in. In an animated gesture he welcomed Rashid hugging him tightly. Facing Zeba he introduced Rashid, saying he was two-year junior to him in college.

While Zeba took leave and hurried inside, Rashid felt a strange unease. He fought his memories while pretending to continue conversation with Jamal. Jamal, intelligent as he was, felt an unusual pause in conversation. While still talking to Rashid, his eighty-six billion neurons tried to fathom the cause of this subtle hesitancy on part of Zeba. Despite this momentary glitch, the evening went as it was supposed to be. Rashid and Jamal recollected with glee the memories of the day when Rashid had hitch hiked with Jamal the day when Jamal had for the first time took his new Hero Splendor to the college. What Rashid didn’t mention was how he had seen Zeba on the Noorullah Road trisection and how beautiful she looked.

That night, Jamal made love to Zeba. As Jamal initiated the intimate moment, he realized that Zeba’s mind was not synchronized with the demands of her body. Jamal found this strange. It was a just a fleeting thought and soon Jamal’s testosterone overwhelmed his senses. He kissed Zeba and felt exhausted.  

That night Rashid felt too confused at the turn of events. His mind debated intensely whether this chance meeting with Zeba was just a coincidence or destiny. That night while his brain refused to sleep, a kaleidoscope of thoughts engulfed his senses. He vividly remembered the time spent with Zeba. The past memories came flooding, his heart ached. Rashid realized the wound of losing Zeba was still raw.  

While Jamal caressed Zeba after an insipid romantic session, Zeba’s mind travelled far reliving the moments which she had spent with Rashid. For a moment she yearned to talk to Rashid. It was second time that evening that Jamal felt there was a pause in intimacy from Zeba. Already exhausted from the love making session, Jamal debunked this frivolous thought and closed his eyes. He slept soundly.

While Jamal had gone to his office, Zeba continued to rewind the events of the yesterday evening. Despite her firm resolve, strengthened by firm religious upbringing, today Zeba’s mind did start a comparison between Jamal and Rashid. The more her mind meandered, the more she could see the beauty of Rashid’s endearing personality. The saner part of Zeba’s brain coaxed her that such comparison was a sin. To escape such thoughts Zeba started reading the Quran.

Jamal had observed lately that Zeba would frequently be lost in thought. His mind worked hard to find the reason. He pampered Zeba with gifts but his sharp mind could still see a sense of melancholy in Zeba. The continued change in Zeba’s behavior made Jamal a bit apprehensive. It was Sunday and after lunch Jamal preferred a short siesta. While Jamal slept, Zeba silently picked his phone and scrolled the contacts. Way down the list she found ‘Rashid’. A thought suddenly prompted Zeba to copy the number. The saner part of her brain did prompt her that this was a sin, but Zeba couldn’t resist the urge to copy the number. While she copied, a wrong touch started the call to Rashid but in a fraction of second she stopped the call. No harm done.

As evening progressed and Zeba made tea for a lazy Jamal still in bed, Jamal picked his phone to check messages. Scrolling the calls he observed that he had called Rashid sometime back. Jamal pressured his mind to recollect why he had called Rashid and then realized that he had not made the call. While Zeba brought tea, it was Jamal’s turn to go back in thoughts. He understood that while he slept someone had made a call or had searched for Rashid on his phone. While he sipped tea, his intelligent mind was joining the dots between Zeba’s strange attitude when Rashid had come to their house for dinner, the abstract change in Zeba’s behaviour lately and the fact that Rashid shared the same hometown with Zeba.

In between sinister thoughts, Jamal repeatedly coaxed his mind into believing that his mind was thinking in the wrong direction. It had been a good eight days since he had given samples for the tests which the doctor had prescribed and today, he made it a point to collect the reports. After collecting the reports that evening, he decided to show the reports to the doctor. By chance the doctor was available. After ten minutes when Jamal came out of doctor’s chamber, he felt he had aged ten years. The doctor had told him that due to a congenital defect he would not be able to father a child.

Zeba accosted Jamal at the door and looked concerned at Jamal’s countenance. Jamal said that he had a hectic day in the office and that everything was fine. While Zeba and Jamal had their evening tea, Jamal’s thoughts continued to veer towards his medical report. In between these thoughts, his mind also came up with an image of Rashid. Jamal felt a strange emotion which he had never felt before. Suddenly everything looked meaningless in life.

In the week that followed, Jamal looked sick. Zeba showed concern. She tried to make him happy but Jamal felt lost. That weekend Jamal again invited Rashid for dinner. He again didn’t tell Zeba who was coming. Jamal observed Zeba’s and Rashid’s reaction when they faced each other. Jamal could sense an excitatory warmth in Rashid’s countenance when he addressed Zeba in conversation. At the other end, Zeba seemed subdued and tried to avoid direct eye contact with Rashid.

Jamal’s condition seemed worse. He ate less and avoided watching cricket which he was fond of. As was the routine, Jamal and Zeba slept late on Sunday. This Sunday was no exception. When Zeba got up at nine in the morning, she found Jamal still sleeping. Zeba found a strange stillness in Jamal’s posture. She poked Jamal to get up. Jamal didn’t move. An involuntary shriek came out of Zeba’s mouth. She pulled Jamal towards her but the limp body was already cold. The reality dawned. Twenty-five minutes later, the doctor officially pronounced Jamal dead confirming that the cause of death was heart failure.

In the days that followed, a large number of people came for condolence. Rashid also came. He felt sorry for Zeba. Although in that moment of grief Zeba didn’t talk to him but Rashid could feel Zeba’s loss.

The Jamal household became silent soon. Very few visitors came to console Zeba. It was on the fifth day that Zeba got a call on Jamal’s phone. She read the name; it was Rashid. Zeba didn’t pick the phone. Again, the next day Zeba received a phone call from Rashid, she ignored. Then she received a text message. The message said ‘I want to meet you’. Reading that message Zeba’s thought went back five years, she used to get similar messages. Unknowingly she picked the phone and replied ‘Yes’.

Albeit engrossed in grief, Zeba found the visit of Rashid very refreshing. After five years Rashid was as ebullient as ever. Zeba had the feeling that Rashid was making effort to make her happy. As Rashid took her leave after fifteen minutes, Zeba felt she wanted him to stay a few more minutes.

Unannounced Rashid again visited Zeba a few days later. This time Zeba sported a faint smile while she greeted Rashid. The conversation focused on many topics but both consciously avoided any mention of events of the past. Subsequent to that visit, Rashid came to meet Zeba often. Zeba also looked forward to such visits. It was on one such visit, Rashid offered to take Zeba out for dinner. Zeba refused citing that after the death of her husband, in Islamic law, she was not allowed to leave the home for next ninety days. In his mind Rashid made a rough calculation, it had been forty days since Jamal’s sad demise.

Days passed and Zeba became normal. Sometimes she herself called Rashid. In hushed tones, sometimes the womenfolk suggested within themselves that Zeba must marry again. She was too young to lead a life of a widow. A few relatives who were close to Zeba even went to the extent of saying that Rashid could be a suitable candidate.

A few weeks later, while having tea, Rashid asked Zeba abruptly the question which Zeba feared. Rashid asked Zeba why she had left him without telling and had married Jamal. Perhaps Zeba was waiting for an instigation. For ten minutes she sobbed and told the whole story of her marriage to Rashid. It was dark outside and there was no one in the room. Rashid got up and hugged Zeba. Zeba didn’t protest. She complemented in Rashid’s arms.

Eighty days had passed and Rashid became an everyday visitor to Zeba. Zeba enjoyed his company, she laughed at his jokes. In conversation she had also opened up to going outside with Rashid after the ninety-day period. Rashid knew that this benign statement meant far more than what was mentioned. He felt happy.

It was the eighty-eight day and Zeba was excited. She had made plans to go out with Rashid on a dinner date after two days. In preparation of her new plans Zeba decided to revamp her living room and bedroom. She removed all the items of Jamal and kept them in a bag. As a last preparation, she picked the Foto frame which displayed a photo of Jamal and herself and was about to put that in the bag that she saw a folded envelope pasted on the backside. She took that envelope and opened it. Inside there was a letter addressed to Zeba. Zeba started reading the letter.

Jamal had mentioned in the letter that his death was not a sudden death. He had planned the death to look real. In fact, he had committed suicide by consuming a chemical Isoproterenol which triggers heart failure. He had also mentioned that as per the medical report he would never have become a father and, he felt, that Zeba would be happier with Rashid. He had committed suicide so that he could leave the scene with dignity while Zeba could marry Rashid and have children. Neatly stapled with the letter was another polythene envelope with a white powder bearing a sticker Isoproterenol.

Zeba was stunned. An unending flow of tears trickled down her cheeks. A spate of memories flooded her mind. Zeba felt Jamal was at her side pampering her as always. She realized the phone was ringing. With tears forming a convex coating on her eyes, she saw the name Rashid. She felt no urge to pick the phone.

Rashid found it strange that Zeba would not take her calls. He had come to another city or else would have rushed to Zeba’s home. The next day as soon as Rashid reached the city, he didn’t go to his home, he rushed to Zeba. The door was open. He ran to the bedroom. Zeba was lying on the bed with both hands clutching a foto frame which displayed the wedding photo of a beaming Jamal and a resplendent Zeba.

In fifteen minutes, a doctor in measured official tone pronounced that Zeba had died due to heart failure.