Precious Gift - A Love Story

Continued from Part - 1...

While reading his letter, her lips bloomed with a glossy smile. His warm words had made her emotional. She swallowed saliva under her throat. And slowly fixed her gaze on Waseem’s eyes and pressed his love letter to her heart. Her eyes became moist and she nodded emotionally as she was saying: I feel the same way as you Waseem, but couldn’t gather guts to pull out the words from my heart. I love you too.

Amirah’s blushing lips and moist eyes said it all which was unsaid for so many years. Both hearts confess their love and bind into each other’s life. Waseem’s eyes lit up like a sparkling diamond. In that moment, He felt like he got all the happiness of the world. Both longing eyes met and confessed their love in one gaze.

From that day both hearts started to beat for each other. Love has taken control all over their thoughts.

At night, Laying back on their bed and thinking of each other that used to bring a smile and a ticklish sensation inside their body. While ruminating of each other they used to fall into sleep with flagging smile on lips.

*

On Saturday:

Saturday-Sunday Amirah used to help her mother in cooking. In the afternoon, Farooq uncle used to come home for a lunch, but on Saturday-Sunday Amirah used to make Tiffin for him and she used to walk to the shop. She used to sit on Abu’s seat while he was having his lunch.

In the evening, after having dinner, Amirah used to teach her little brother and at night she used to tell him stories until he fell asleep. Amirah closed her eyes and thoughts of Waseem pulled her into the land of imagination. Thinking of him used to bring a smile on her lips.

In another room, Ammi-Abu were worrying about Amirah’s marriage. Dowry was a huge burden on their head. After garments and big shopping malls had opened, their earnings had decreased. They hardly made both ends meet. Farooq uncle had planned a way to get rid of downy. But he was hesitating to tell his wife. He munched that thought in his mind and tried to tell a better way so she would convince with his plan.

Amirah was still awake. She got up to drink water. When she returned from the kitchen she heard Ammi’s raised voice. Ammi was whispering agitatedly. Amirah heard her name in their conversation. Ammi’s voice seemed in higher tone than usual.

Amirah thought: Ammi never ever had spoken in such manner in front of Abu. What would’ve happened to Ammi…?

Amirah stood near the door silently to hear what’s going on. She erected her ears to hear what Ammi-Abu was talking about.

*

Ammi was sleeping on her shoulder turning her back to him. Farooq uncle gathered his guts to tell the plan about Amirah’s marriage. He cleared his throat.

“Listen! I have a plan to marry Amirah…” he waited to turn her, and then said, “…without giving dowry.”

Ammi turned her back quickly and Farooq uncle had observed happy expression on her face. He pulled a faint smile.

“Without any dowry??? Amirah’s marriage??? How? With whom?” Ammi couldn’t hold her patience to listen the answer. Her eyes were lit up with hopes.

Farooq uncle stammered to speak further, “Ahmm” he cleared his throat, “…he is very hard working and faithful person. And I know him since many years…”

“Who is he tell me? Whose son he is??” Ammi curiously looking at his face to hear the answer.

“You know him very well…” He postponed the direct answer.

*

Outside Amirah was listening to their whispers about her marriage. In front of her eyes, only one image was playing, and it was Waseem’s. She already had started to build dreams of her love of life. Ammi-Abu’s talked about her marriage was shattering to her dreams.

*

“I know him? But who is he? Tell me?” Ammi was out of her patience.

He gathered his guts and finally burst out the name, “Our Akram….”

“Akram!!!... Our shop boy??? What are you talking about?” She spoke in a silent anger. Which was showing that she wasn’t agreed with what he had just said.

“Our Amirah is a very bright girl in all sides; I can’t make her marry to an orphan boy. Our Amirah is beautiful and sensible. She does everything as you say. She obeys your every word. She never ever has said “No” to your any decision. When she’ll hear your decision, she’ll bury in misery, but she will never deny to your words. But now, you are taking advantage of her naïve nature. Our Amirah deserves more than that orphan boy. She will never be happy inside her heart. Nobody knows her better than me. Please don’t let her life into the darkness.”

“Listen, I can understand your concern… but…” Farooq uncle could speak any further Ammi stopped him by saying, “But what? My heart says no to your decision. Even though you think you are making the right decision of her life, then do whatever you want.” Ammi let out her affliction and worries stored in her heart.

“We should not forget our financial condition to give high dowry. If you want to marry her with good and respected family then I also have thought about it. We will sell out our shop to give dowry. A shop, which I have been working very hard to make it our own. 20 years of hard work it took to own it our. How can I just give it in dowry? And what will I earn to feed you? How will our little Shohib study further? Have you ever think any of this possibility? Huh? And tell me… Why wouldn’t any father have the desire to marry her daughter to good and well-respected family? You think I don’t love her? I don’t show my love towards her that doesn’t mean that I don’t have feelings for her? Both our children are my heart. I will never desire to make their life miserable. InsahaAllah, their future will be bright. And you think I am taking advantage of her?? How you can even say that?? Huh? Your words have just pierced my heart. Amirah is my heart. She is everything to me!” Farooq uncle’s voice melt in emotions. His eyes got wet while letting out his inner soreness.

Ammi looked at him with emotional eyes. She couldn’t utter a word. Farooq uncle put his both palm over his face and said, “Inshallah, bring rays of light in our darkness. Ya Allah, I’m letting you all on your wish…”

And then room was absorbed into a dark silence.

Amirah silently stood near the door, her eyes filled with painful tears. Her heart broke down with Abu’s decision. Dreams of her love shattered in a few seconds. She couldn’t move her legs. She felt like her legs filled with heavy metal. She clamped her hand over the mouth so her crying voice couldn’t leak out. Warm tears felt like burning acid streamed down on her cheeks. Her heart drowned at the bottom of agony. She felt burning strange pain in her chest like someone has poured burning acid inside her.

Amirah felt shattered in that moment. She didn’t have right to choose her life partner. She wasn’t able to gather her pieces of life as she had dreamed. She had dreams and ambition to make her own identity. But now everything seemed like leaving out from her hands. She gathered her guts and moved her legs. With a heavy heart, she entered in her room. She wiped out her continuously streaming tears. She thought, her imagined dreams will remain only dreams for her. She will never make it possible in reality. She threw herself in a bed. Thoughts and emotions were grinding her heart with cruelty. Chest felt heavy pain as hurtful emotions have attacked on her. She felt her eyelid heavy. With teary eyes, she fell into the sleep, but her heart was still burning in agony.

to be continued in Part - 3...