Her Unwanted Husband

I7I

MARIA

When I get back from the exam centre, I plop myself onto the bed and sigh in relief.

My relief, however, is short-lived as I hear the knock on my door.

"What do you want, Emad!?" I shout.

"Come downstairs!" I hear his footsteps as he walks away with just saying this.

Great! Somehow I know whatever it is, it won't end well.

I walk downstairs. Yup, you guessed it! Wearing a big black shawl.

Saying salaam (Muslims greet each other this way, ‘salaam’ means ‘peace’), I sit down on one of the sofas. With my entire family surrounding me.

The look of pure disgust on their face is worth me wearing the shawl.

"Well, what is it?" I ask, trying extremely hard to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

I'm tired, for God's sake!

My mother speaks up,

"As you know, we've been having a few functions. And you weren't present in any of them. Tomorrow's your mehndi (a traditional Pakistani function). And you're coming. No matter what. I've gotten your clothes ready."

I let it all sink in. It takes a lot of time because I'm half asleep.

But the idea of having a mehndi and the rest of the functions is enough to have me completely awake.

I groan, "I told you that I would only get married to your beloved Emad if there are no functions."

"Maria, stop it! Functions are very important. How do you expect us to do something nobody else has ever done?" Mama scolds.

"Mama, why can't we be the trendsetters? Are we Hindus? We are not, are we? So why are we doing what they do?" I try to reason.

Everyone's speechless for a while. I tingle of hope shoots through me.

But then Emad speaks up, "And I said that I would only get married if there are functions."

I look him in the eye, with a murderous look on my face, I'm sure.

I point a finger at his face, "You can have the functions then."

"Do you expect me to sit on the stage alone?" He asks in a threatening tone.

I shrug, "Sit with some other girl or something."

As I mention this, everyone gasps.

"What?" I ask. "I just gave my suggestion."

"He's your betrothed, Maria! You're telling him to be with another girl." His mother shouts.

I shrug again. "I don't care. I know he's been with other girls."

If looks could kill, I'd be dead by now. Because the looks that Emad is passing me are...let's just say, horrendous.

"I haven't been with any girl. Don't blame me just because you're guilty of something." He says, chuckling.

I laugh sarcastically, "Riiight."

"Fine. I'll have the functions and you can just sit in the room, not doing anything." He says.

I nod, pretending to not get his sarcasm. "It's done then. Now can I go to sleep?"

Without waiting for a response I head towards the stairs and thus my room.

I ignore everyone's shouting, telling me to go back and talk to them. But I can't.

Allah (God) comes first. I won't do something just because I'm being forced by my family.