Pyaar Ki Dastaa'n | Short Stories | 3rd Book |

Aashna ~ 7

The hot summer day melts down their ice cream which they have not even touched.

Mashal was looking at her hands, every there would raised her eyes to look at Shehryaar, while he kept looking around the ice cream parlour.

The parlour was busy and filled with chatters of others. But there was a complete thick silence between them.

Both didn't know how to start a conversation or what to say.

Shehryaar have too many questions. Mashal had repeated the answers in her mind several times before. But still, both have them were sitting in mum.

"I am doing this for Rayyan and Rumi." Mashal finally broke the awkward silence and told him.

Shehryaar took a long defeated sigh out.

"I know why you are doing this. But I cannot understand how can you say yes?.. This is a really huge decision, Mashal. How can you ma... How can you say yes?" Shehryaar put both his hands on table and asked her in undertone. He didn't want any third person to witness their conversation.

"Don't worry, Shehry. Meri tumse ya iss shadi se koi umeed waise bhi nahi hai." Mashal quickly tried to clear his mind.

(I don't have any expectations from you or this marriage.)

"Umeed ho ya no ho, shaadi is a really huge step.. woh bhi kisi aise bande se jo... Sirf Rayyan aur Rumaisa ke liye? Mashal, think throughout."

(Doesn't matter if you have any expectations or not. Marriage is a really huge decision, that with a person like me.)

"I have thought about thousand times. Aisa nahi ki ek subah uthi aur socha tumse shaadi karlu. Maine bohot soch samajh ke yeh decision liya hai."

"Co parenting jante ho kya hai? Divorced parents who wants to up bring their child together. Just think of this as co parenting. Bas yaha hum dono shaadi kar rahe hain to give them a beautiful childhood jaha unhe apne parents ki kami mehsus na ho." Mashal continued speaking, praying her words make sense to him. She doesn't have any other options left, this is the only way for her to take care of Rayyan and Rumaisa.

(Do you know what co parenting is?)

(We are marrying each other to give Rayyan and Runaisa a beautiful childhood where they won't feel the absence of their parents.)

"Mashal, are you even listening to me? I am not talking about Rayyan and Rumaisa, I am talking about you. Iss shaadi se kuch nahi milega tumhe." Shehryaar frustratedly said when Mashal didn't understand his words and intentions.

(You won't get anything from this marriage.)

"Mujhe chahiye bhi nahi. Rayyan and Rumaisa are everything to me. Mujhe aur kuch nahi chahiye." Shehryaar was left dumbstruck. He had no reply for her.

(I don't want anything.)

He couldn't understand what she is, how can she sacrifice her whole life just because of Rayyan and Rumaisa?

•••

"Shehryaar Yazdani, kya apko Mashal Affandi se yeh nikkah qubool hai?" Molvi asked him, sitting behind the curtain, Shehryaar raised his eyes to look at Mashal, who was sitting on the other side of the curtains.

(Shehryaar Yazdani, do you take Mashal Affandi as your law fully wedded wife?)

She already said yes, and Shehryaar was still in dilemma.

He still didn't know how or when he said yes. Maybe when he saw how easy it was for Masha to take care of Rayyan and Rumaisa. Or maybe when Sana told him that he won't find a girl
like Mashal, who not only understands him but also love Rayyan and Rumaisa like her own.