Bound To YOU

Chapter 13: Grandma's Secret

I finished reciting the Holy Quran and put it back to its' place. I took off the scarf around my head and made my way downstairs.

Today was another day in the fall, except I didn't have school today. It was on Saturday.

I went to the kitchen and rolled my sleeve. It was time to make breakfast. I took out some vegetables and a knife to cut the vegetables.

As I finished cutting the vegetables, I put the vegetables on a pan to cook it. Just then, my uncle came out of his room with a smile on his face, which was rare.

"Yumna! Come to the living room. Bring that old lady with you too," he said, making his way to the living room.

I nodded. I turned off the stove and walked to grandma's room. As I went to grandma's room, I heard her voice. She was talking to somebody on the home phone.

"You sure this is the right decision?" I heard her spoke.

Who was she talking to?

I peeked at her room and saw her whipping her tears as she talked on the phone.

". . . You know, I trust you, Bilal. After my eldest son, you are the person I trust the most, but, what I am worried about is Yumna," she spoke.

Grandma was worried about me?

Why?

Who was she talking to anyway?

" . . . I understand, Bilal. Yes, it is very soon . . . I know you didn't want it this way. We could give Yumna and him both sometimes to understand but . . . Well, the way Radi is treating her and forcing her in marriage, I think it is better if she is with your family. She will be safe there," grandma said.

Who was Bilal?

And, marriage? Who was grandma talking to?

"Yes . . . Oh, Walikum Assalam, hon, how are you?" She paused for a while and then smiled. "I see, you haven't changed since childhood."

Seamed like she was talking to somebody else now.

I heard grandma laughed which was very rare. The person she was talking to must like her a lot.

"Yes, Yumna is still clumsy," grandma laughed. "Yeah? ... Oh, wow. So, I shouldn't tell her anything? She would be shocked."

What?!

So there was something that grandma was hiding from me.

What could be it?

"Alright love," grandma said.

I came to her room and stood there, silently.

"Yes, yes, she is okay . . . No, Radi hasn't done anything to her yet," she had a sad smile now. "I don't know when Radi's mood will change today though. But, I will try my best to keep her in my room. Yes . . . Yes . . . Now, stop worrying, alright? I will see you in the evening. Allah Hafiz," she said.

She put the phone away and turned around and saw me. She looked shocked as if I had discovered something secret.

I came to her. "Grandma?" I said.

"Oh," she paused. "What are you doing here, Yumna?"

I ignored her question. "Who were you talking to, grandma?" I asked.

She hesitated. "Just somebody."

"Somebody?" I asked her. Why couldn't she tell me his name?

Grandma had never hide anything from me and today, she wasn't telling me who she was talking to? That too about me?

Grandma looked at me. She looked guilty.

"Grandma, who was the person who you were talking to?" I asked her. I went to her and held her hands. "Grandma, I don't know what you are hiding but I deserve to know. I heard you talking about my marriage with somebody. It may be your personal business and that I shouldn't interfere but, you are talking about me. I want to know what is going on about me."

Grandma sighed. She looked at me and hold my arms. "Sweetie, I agree with you. You have full rights to know what is going on with your life. But, you have to trust me. Yes, I am hiding something from you but, I can tell you that you are going to find out about it soon," grandma said.

I looked at her. "When?"

"When the time is right," She whispered.

I didn't understand what she said. I wanted to ask her more, but, I heard uncle calls.

"YOU STUPID SLUT! GET YOUR ASS HERE AND BRING THAT OLD LADY WITH YOU!" I heard uncle yelling from the living room.

I sighed.

Grandma nodded. "Let's go to the living room before he thinks about another way to hurt you, Yumna."

I didn't say anything. I followed grandma to the living room. Reaching to the living room, we saw uncle taking his beer bottle and pouring beer on his glass and drinking it.

Grandma put me behind her. She didn't want me to be at any risk because she knew when uncle drank beer, he acted beastly.

"Oh there you are, old lady," my uncle said as he took another sip of his beer.

"What do you want, Radi?" she asked.

"You should be happy," my uncle said, pointing at grandma. "You are getting what you wanted."

I was confused.

"Today, the Chatti Cooperation's CEO came to meet me in my office," my uncle said.

Grandma looked at him. She didn't look shocked though. It was like she already knew what uncle was going to say.

"He begged for this little girl," uncle laughed. "Just like all the years before."

Begged?

Who begged for me?

I didn't understand.

"So, after all these years, when he heard that our baby girl is going to be married to another man, he offered me money," uncle laughed. "He offered me deals. Everything that I wanted in business, he offered me. But in one condition, he wanted this little slut to marry his son."