Chspter 13: DJ

A few days had passed since Dawar and Sonia's wedding.
It was very cold since morning. December was coming to an end and the wind made one tremble in cold. She was on campus and looking at the list stuck on the door of scholarship co ordinator's office. According to 'Erusmus Mundus Exchange Programme' only two girls were going to Sabanji University.
Haya Sulaiman and Khadija Rana.
"Whoever is this Khadija Rana?" She was thinking while rubbing her cold hands. Her nose had turned red because of the cold. On a long shirt and trousers she was wearing a stylish long sweater. She was standing in front of the door when suddenly someone called out..
"Excuse me".
She got stunned and turned around. There was a girl standing behind her. Bag slung on her shoulders, a diary and pen in hand and huge glasses on her eyes. She didnt know her by name but she had often seen her in the university. She somehow didnt have a liking for this girl.
"Whoever is this Haya Sulaiman?" Behind her glasses she squinted her eyes and said absent mindedly..
Haya looked at her sarcastically from head to toe and then in a distant tone said "That's me".
"Oh!" She replied almost hiding her aversion.
"I am going to Turkey with you Haya! I am Khadija Rana, my friends call me 'DJ', but since you are not my friend, you should just call me Khadija."
"Only my friends call me Haya, you can call me Ms. Sulaiman." She said that and turned to leave.
She felt this Khadija Rana was stupid and strange. No wonder she didnt like her to begin with but turns out Khadija had the same feelings towards her.

Chapter 12 : "Behaya," ( shameless)

Just then she heard a sound of someone striking and then Waleed's scream. She slowly opened her eyes.
Waleed was falling down and there was someone standing behind him.
Wearing shocking orange shirt shalwar, a face full of make up...that day's enunch, Dolly. He had a frying pan in his hand, with which he probably hit Waleed. She kept looking at him in shock. Dolly kicked the unconscious Waleed and his body tilted aside. He walked and stood just in front of Haya. He was staring angrily at Haya with eyes that were layered with thick silver
eyeshadow..she held her breath and kept staring at him. Just then he grabbed Haya's neck such that her hair from behind came withing his grasp. There were hair between Dolly's hand and Haya's neck..still she could feel the roughness of his hands, but no voice could escape her lips.
Grasping Haya's neck like that, Dolly jerked Haya forward. She suddenly coughed but Dolly did not loosen his grip. He caught her like that and kept pushing her forward. She stumbled while walking. They reached the entrance of the alley, and then turned in the opposite direction. They reached the backside of the marriage hall. He kept pushing Haya from behind while walking till they reached the gates and jerked her away. Haya felt like a rough collar got released from her neck. She turned and watched Dolly with tears in her eyes.
He was still looking at Haya with a piercing gaze. Tears started rolling down from Haya's eyes. She thought she had lost her voice. Just then Dolly removed the shocking orange dupatta from around her neck and threw it at Haya. It landed on her head and slipped through her silky hair and landed on her shoulders. Dolly stared at her with piercing eyes and whispered "Behaya!"
His tone was piercing. He turned away. She kept looking at him with tears in her eyes. She was startled when the orange dupatta slipped from her shoulders and fell on her feet. She bent down to pick it up.
Silky, bright shocking orange dupatta which was decorated woth cheap golden stars..she wouldn't even give her maid this kind of dupatta but today.....
She carefully wraped herself around that dupatta so that she wont be recognised and moved towards the entrance of the gate on backside.
Instead of entering the hall she entered the bathroom and fixed her appearence. Her kajal had smudged because of her crying. Even her hair were messed up. Mobile was in her small clutch which she had tightly held in her left hand, Thankfully!
Inside the function was at its peak.
The groom, bride, cousins, other relatives were all smiling in each other's company.
Sonia bhabhi was looking very pretty and even bhai looked good. Irum was wearing a blue coloured frock and happily moving around here and there. In principle, she should have been present there but now she was not in the state of mind where she could walk further, so she settled down somewhere behind.
"Behaya"
"Behaya"
"Behaya"
Dolly's words kept on banging on her mind like a hammer.....she was not shameless. She had never sat alone with a man before in a car. This was the first time she had committee this mistake..then.....? Her head started aching the moment she thought about it.
Midway through the function she excused herself citing illness and left for home.

Chapter 11: First Mistake

"But I want to talk in relation to this proposal. If you can give me two minutes of your time." Saying this he opened the front door of the passenger seat.
A light bulb shone in her mind. This was a good opportunity. She will inform him about her nikah and finish this matter immidiately. The stick will not break and this six feet snake will also get away from her way.*
"Ok, but there are relatives here...."
"Dont worry, I will take the car on the backside, sit down." Very reluctantly she sat down. This was the first time in her life when she sat with an unrelated man like this. If abba got to know about this, his open mindedness would evaporate immediately. She had the freedom to wear anything, no compulsion on observing the hijab but befriending boys without any restraint...abba had never permitted such a thing. When she sat Waleed immediately sped his car away.
" Whatever you have to talk about, quickly say it, then I also have to talk about something. She had her head down and was clutching her fingers.. She was feeling very uneasy.
" You talk first." Waleed had parked his car in a dark alley behind the marriage hall.
" Ok. I had to say something." She continued to speak with her head down. " I don't know if abba has informed you about it but I think it is important for you to know. I was married to my phuphu's son in childhood. They live in Turkey. Because of some grudges between the families, my abba is a agitated and now he wants me to get a divorce but I dont want that."
She did not lift her head. She assumed that Waleed was silent because he was too shocked.
" I am faithful to my husband, Mr Waleed! I have thought only about him and mentally I feel bound only to him. I cannot think of getting married to anyone else. "
He was silent. Haya kept looking at her fingers and kept talking.
" Please refuse this proposal. I am someone else's wife. There cannot be another nikah, please! I am requesting you."
She raised her head. He was silently deeply staring at her. This wasn't the face of the man who had driven the car earlier...he looked like a different person.
"Then....then what have you though?" She stammered. There was somerhing in Waleed's eyes that told her that she had made a grave mistake. Alarm of danger started ringing loudly in her.
"About what?" His voice was deep which made her move towards the door. She sub conciously grabbed the handle of the door.
"About refusing this proposal."
"There is an entire life to talk about these things Haya! Now lets take advantage of the moments that are present now."
He suddenly bent towards her. Haya screamed. Waleed tried reaching out for her neck with both his hands, but she forcefully pulled the handle and pushed open the door. The door swung open. She pushed away Waleed with her other hand and tried running outside. Her dupatta came in Waleed's hands. She ran outside but Waleed pulled away her dupatta. The dupatta made a friction with her neck and was in Waleed's hands now. She kept running without looking behind. She heard Waleed opening his door and cursing at her in some English slang. She increased the speed of her running.
The alleys were quiet. Who knows where he got her. It was Sunday and the shutters of the shops were closed. Without looking in any direction she turned into an alley. He was running behind her. She kept running in the alley...but what was this? It was dead end!
She suddenly turned. The sound of running was coming nearer.
She turned towards the wall and started searching frantically...maybe there was a magical door...maybe the stories of Harry potter were true..but....
"Why are you running?" He asked cheerfully. She got scared and turned.
Waleed was walking towards her. He had a smile of victory on his face. She tiredly stuck to the wall. Her dupatta was not with her and her hands were completely exposed and now that bruise on her neck...she frantically covered herself with her arms.
"Please let me go." She pleaded wirh a heavy voice. This was her first mistake...and for the first time itself she received such a huge punishment!
"How can I let you go? Its not like I can have you later." He was now a few feet away from her. The street lamp was shining behind him.
" Please, I am not that kind of a girl."
" Then what type are you? You took a lift but you are against marrying me. Is that the reason you were behaving rudely with me back in the car?" He stood dirwctly in front of her.
"Please......" she was slowly shaking..she did not have anymore strength to fight Waleed.
"Ssshhhh!!!" He smiled and moved forward. Haya shut her eyes tightly. Her head started spinning.



(According to a proverb in Urdu 'Sanp bhi marjaye aur lathi bhi na toote' is used to get rid of a problem without causing much attention)

Chapter 10: Unwanted Inlaws

"Has Abba left?"
She closed the perfume bottle and kept it on the dressing table. On hearing the car horn and opening of the gate she took her mobile and purse and ran outside. For quite sometime her door was closed and she was getting ready for the baraat. Fatima begum (her mom) knocked at her door atleast ten times and reminded her to hurry up. They were already getting late. Sulaiman sahab had to reach their early to look into the arrangements. They were aware that Haya would run late.
The porch was empty. However there were noises coming from Taya Furqan's house. Looked like there were some people still left. Should she call Abba or wait at Taya Furqan's place and ask for a lift?
She was immersed in these thoughts and turned back to go inside the house when she heard the honking of a car at the gate. She stopped and turned to look at the car. A black shining Accord stood at the gate. The headlights were quite bright. Haya's eyes got blinded by them. Refelexively she put her hand on her forehead and shaded her eyes..she tried looking through them when suddenly the bright lights went dim and the face of the person sitting in the driver seat got revealed.
That was Waleed Lagari. His dad was sitting in front with him and behind in the passenger's seat was is mom..
"Assalam Alaikum Haya!" He opened the door and came out and gently smiled at Haya.
She was standing in front of the car with dim headlights shining on her, wearing a deep red coloured sequened, sleevless frock that touched her feet and with that fitted chudidaar pajaama of the same colour. But they were hardly visible because of the length of the frock. Golden dupatta was by her neck and hanging from her ears were long danglings that touched her shoulders. Her eyes smeared with kohl and straight hair falling behind her back.
"We are not sure about the direction of the marriage hall..is uncle still here?" He was looking at her with interest and asking.
She hesitatingly moved forwards, ignoring Waleed and stopped at Lagari sahab's door.
"Uncle! I have to go to Paradise Hall and Abba has left. I did not even realise it." She was genuinely worried.
"Oh!.....So your chacha and all?"
"They had left even before Abba. Wait! Abba must not have gone far, i will call him back...."
"Arey why should he come back? Its a must that he reaches early, you come with us beta! Even we are going there anyway."
"Yes beta, come!" Mrs Lagari opened her side of the door and moved inside.
She stood there in uncertainity.If she waited for Abba to come back and take her she would have missed half of the function and if she left with them......Abba wouldn't mind..she was sure of this.
" Oh ok. " Hesitating she moved towards the back seat.
"So what does our daughter do?" Mr Lagari asked her.
'When did I become their daughter?!' -_-
"I am doing L.L.B honors with Sharia and Law"
"That means you are an Islamic lawyer?"
"Yes" she faintly smiled. 'Why were these people talking with her so affectionately?
"So how is this subject Sharia and Law?" Umair Lagari continuing the conversation said " because I am an engineer by qualification and I felt wngineering was difficult in the beginning but late it became easy."
"Sharia looked difficult in the beginning but later I got used to it." All the three started laughing so she realised she shouldn't be unnecessarily be frank with them..
"Haya beta, do you plan to practise after marriage? Because me and your uncle dont believe in forcing in these matters. From choosing the field of study to deciding a career we have always given our children the priority to decide. Even Waleed has no problems with his wife working after marriage."
Mehnaz was saying, she was perplexed and was staring at her. Had situation gone this far or were they sure that Abba won't reject them.
Dejectedly replying in yes and no she finally relaxed when she saw the lights of the function hall.
" Thanks for the lift uncle." She came out of the car with uncle and aunty. At that moment Lagari sahab received a call and he excused himself. Mehnaz followed behind.
"Haya, listen." She was about to leave when Waleed called her, he was still holding the steering wheel and sitting in the car.
"I have to talk to you." He had rolled down his side of the window and was talking to her.
"But this is not possible."

Chapter 9: Let's Dance

There was sn empty plot beside their house on which a tent was placed for the mehendi function.
Every corner was decorated with steings of marigold and jasmine flowers. The place was brightly lit up. The gathering was segregated. Separate section for men and women. Well on the side of women, men from the family could come and go. There was a Dj alongwith the music system and moviemaker was roaming with his camera. Wearing a silver sequend lehenga, Irum was also busy . The Dj, movie maker and people serving refreshments were men but this was a function, so what was the point of covering the head? "Haya! Shall we start the dance?" Irum adjusted her lehenga while walking towards her. After carrying out every kind of custom Dawar was sent.
"Yes! You get the song ready and.....who is this?" She was busily talking with Irum when suddenly she got shocked. There was a girl meeting with a woman seated on the seat of the first row. The girl was wearing a black abaya wuhh a stole on her head. That was a all women's gathering but the strange thing was she was covering her face with her stole. Only her forehead and eyes were visible....she had besutiful eyes. It looked like she was smiling and talking to the elder woman.
"Who?" Irum turned and saw behind. Sge took a deep breath and turned back again "That is alien."
"Who???" Haya was perplexed.
"Alien, arey it's Shehla bhabhi. Completely aloof from the world she has built a separate wall around herself. Just to garner attention she attends the function in abaya and naqaab. In a women's gatherin who is she observing purdah from?"
"Yes, True. She is very strange." Shaila bhabhi was the wife of one of their second cousin. She was married just a year ago.

The Dj had set the song. Everyone was enjoying themselves. They forbade the moviemaker from shooting their dance and after that they started dancing. One looked like a golden fairy while the other like a silver one. When their legs started aching and everyone clapped enthusiastically they joyously came down from the stage towards the seats.
"Assalam Alaikum Shehla bhabhi!" That girl was also present on the table. Mehwish, Sehrish and Sana were also present with their mother. Irum immediately greeted and Haya followed pursuit.
"Walaikum as salaam, how are you both?" She warmingly asked them, her two fingers were still holding onto her niqaab. "Absolutely fine. Shehla bhabhi remove the niqaab, who is present here!" Shehla bhabhi smiled and nodded her head but did not remove her niqaab. "MashaAllah you both look very pretty." She was talking and suddenly turned sideways. Haya surprisingly looked at her. Maybe that action was because of the moviemaker.
"What a strange woman, why is she so distrustful of us, its a family movie. Its not like we will show it to any outsiders." Haya murmered angrily.

Then she excused herself from there. Abida chachi was slso present there. After listening to Saima tai and chachi's conversation she wasn't hypocrite enough to talk pleasently with them. Where was amma? Who can she ask if Sabeen phuphu has arrived or not.....or is she even coming? She was restless and confused, then she walked towards her home. She picked the diary that was placed alongside the phone. After dancing her feet were aching so she removed her sandal and rested them on the marble floor. She landed on the sofa with a thump and began searching Sabeen phuphu's number in the diary. She had never called her before like that...but today she had lost all her patience. She finally found the number and dialled the number from her landline. The bell was ringing on the other end. Her heart started beating frantically. After the fifth ring the call got through..

"Hello", a man's voice could be heard on the other end.
"Assalam Alaikum", she wet her dried lips. He replied in a foreign language.
"I am calling from Pakistan." She replied hurriedly in English.
"Who from Pakistan?" He asked in English.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I am Sabeen Sikander's niece. Please pass on the phone to her."
"She has gone till Jowahar, let me know if there is any message to pass on to her." He replied busily. Now what is this Jowahar she had no idea!
"That.....isn't Sabeen phuphu visiting Pakistan for Dawar bhai's marriage?
"No she is busy." Maybe he was ending the call she suddenly asked "you....who are you?"
"Her son.. Jihan!" And he ended the call.

With wet eyes she stared at the receiver and smashed the receiver on the handle. She wiped away her tears and started wearing her sandals. She fixed her makeup which got spoiled because of her tears and walked outside towards the gate. Zafar was coming towards her carrying a white bouquet of roses. She got startled and walked towards him "What is this Zafar?"
"Oh! You are here? A courier man has given this for you". Zafar passed on the bouquet and a closed envelope towards her. Zafar was a servant at Taya Furqan's for the past seven years. Taya had got him from the village. When he arrived he used to speak punjabi and for the past seven years he has been teying to speak Urdu, but fsiled..now he used to speak a mix of urdu and punjabi.
"Okay you may leave." She held the bouquet under her hand and started opening the envelope. It was a plain white paper and a sentence was written in Urdi exactly in the centre

' For the girl....who sometimes cries in fear of making of an unwilling bond and sometimes cries in fear of breaking of an unwilling bond'
She went numb when she read this and started looking here and there. The mehendi function was going on and all the guests, servants were roaming here and there....amidst this was there someone who was noticing her? She turned the envelope..the date mentioned was yesterday's. Just ten minutes ago she spoke to Jihan and cried...
'The present, unwilling bond'
And an hour ago she met Walid and his parents
'Fear of making of an unwilling bond.....'
Who was this so well informed about her whereabouts and how did that person know she was going to cry twice?! She was terrified and constantly kept reading the matter.

Chapter 8: Potential Groom

"Haya.... Haya! Where are you?"

She was standing in front of an ornamental mirror in the lobby and was trying to fix her teeka when her mom was calling her.
There was chaos everywhere. The mehendi function had started outside. Everyone was busy moving towards the function and she was still standing there.
" What happened Amma?" She was struggling with the teeka which refused to sit on her forehead. A golden teeka of the shape of a coin below which dangled a red ruby. Her hands which were full of bangles constantly made sound when she was setting the teeka.
"Come soon your dad is calling you, we have to introduce you to someone." Sensing the happiness in her mom's voice she got startled and stared at her mom. Wearing a sobre silk saree and diamonds she looked poised and happy. She left her teeka..Her heart started palpitating....Did phuphu arrive...and her arrogant son?
"Where is Abba?" With her heart beating loudly she followed behind her mother. They saw Sulaiman sahab standing near the gate and with him was a young man on whose shoulders he was resting his hand and saying something. In front of them stood an elegantly dressed man and a decent woman.

She slightly lifted her lehenga from both ends and walked towards them. "This is Haya....my daughter." Sulaiman sahab smiled and held her by the shoulders.
"Assalam Alaikum" She slightly bent her head and greeted them.
"Wa alaikum salaam beta" They were curiously looking at her.
She was wearing a dull golden lehenga and heavily sequined blouse. The sleeves of the blouse were shorter than half. Small golden pearls were dangling from the sleeves. She wore her heavy sequined dupatta near her neck. Her hair were as usual straight and falling behind her back. Alongwith the teeka she was wearing golden jhumkas and after applying minimal makeup, her already soft and fair skin glowed further. She lifted her eyes which were filled with kajal. They were curiously looking at her.
"And Haya! This is my friend , Umair Lagari. This is Mehnaz bhabhi and this is their son Waleed." Her heart felt burdened. Tears started welling up in her eyes but she controlled herself.
"Nice to meet you...umm..that guests are arriving and I had placed the rose petals here, everyone is probably looking for me..so I..."
" Yes , yes you should leave, go and enjoy" Sulaiman sahab let her go. She apologisingly smiled at them and walked towards the gate. After coming outside she wiped the corners of her eyes and turned back and saw them before leaving.

Chapter 7 : Jihan Sikander (2)

She had never seen Jihan Sikander. She had just heard about their relation. She was just a year old when Sabeen phuphu came to Pakistan and under emotional circumstances she had asked for Haya's hand for her eight year old son. Her brother agreed and the kids entered the contract of marriage-Nikah. Jihan was present with his mother at that time. And then they left for Turkey.
Twenty one years passed by, and they continued staying in Turkey. He never returned to Pakistan and after that visit even Sabeen phuphu never visited Pakistan. Nor did she ever send a picture or write a letter.
If anyone ever visited Turkey, they used to visit her or else it was as good as not being in contact. She never used the internet. Even if Jihan was on social media no one had his email, facebook or twitter id. Irum and the rest got tired after constantly searching him on facebook but they could never find Jihan Sikander from Turkey.

At the beginning Phuphu used to frequently call them but then gradually everyone got busy with their lives. Once in three months phuphu used to call and once in three months they used to make a call to Turkey. Just the normal conversation...exchange of greetings, and talk on condition of weather, exchange of political views and then Allah Hafiz.

Despite all of these things she had mentally and emotionally linked herself with Jihan. The picture at the time of nikah was still with her. An eight year old, fair and good looking boy...whom she had never met in person and maybe the entire happiness of visiting Turkey was because of him...and now Abba was spoiling her plans. At that time she was very angry with phuphu and Jihan because of whom this relation had become a big question in itself.

Anyway, after Dawar bhai's wedding and at the end of semester, she will visit Turkey and will definitely search them.