Selcouth [Complete]

Chapter 4

Mrs. Amina caressed Inara’s hair and sighed. Inara’s worry over the news of her parents looking for a suitor for her was almost palpable.
“They won’t decide something bad for you, you know that right?”
Inara smiled bitterly and hugged her some more.
“They will do their best to find me a perfect husband in their circle, as perfect as they can. But I’m not Afaaf, Nano. I don’t have families of young men literally flocking my parents to know more about me. If we go by Baba and Mama’s attitude, they think someone will really be kind enough if he decides to marry me.”
It pained Mrs. Amina but Inara’s ordeal was true. Marrying their daughter off out of their circle wasn’t accepted to both Wijdan and Zoha but it was also true that unlike Afaaf, Inara didn’t have many options to choose from.
“I don’t want someone marrying me just to fuel his ego that he has a wife far less in achievements than him and he can rule over me.”
“Inara! You’re no less than anyone.”
“I’m by the standards of this social setting my parents move in. It’s good to be proud of who you are and I’m, Nano but I’m also a realist and I know what they all think of me.”
Mrs. Amina opened her mouth to say something. She never liked when Inara was so harsh on herself.
“But marriage is a part of life. I won’t say no to it because I’m not an idealist either. I know by saying no the notion of marriage I’ll make things a lot complicated for myself. Also, marriage isn't itself a bad thing. I’ve seen happy couples as well, my parents weren’t one is whole another thing. I will marry but not anyone chosen by Mama and Baba. No!”
“What if your Nanu and I look for someone?”
“That’d be the best thing but just so you know my parents will try their best finding faults in the guy you choose for me.”
“We can always handle them.”
“Fat chance but I’d love to see you try.”
She snuggled into her grandmother’s warmth and closed her eyes. Marriage was a conundrum of her life at this moment. She knew her parents were very keen in finding her someone they approve of but that was the issue, she won’t approve of the guy they’d want for her. She knew how their mind worked and she didn’t like it. If any elder was going to try for her marriage, that’d be her Nanu and Nano. No discussion needed.

*

“You guys will get me out of the department I’m sure of it.”

Nahyan grumbled as he swiveled the steering. Hadiya could just laugh lightly in return. It wasn’t her fault she had decided to visit an old teacher of hers and Nahyan who had come over to meet his Dadi had to drive her there.
“You were already going this route. What harm dropping me on the way will cause? You worry too much.”
“Sure, Phupho.”
After settling down in Jehlum, starting a famiy and now being busy with her kids all the time, Hadiya had left Pindi far behind. But there were things she loved to reminisce and her college life was one of those. She was a good student and a livewire so she also was on the back of the mind of many of her fellows and teachers. Few years back she’d found out about this one particular lecturer of hers who lived at the drive of just half an hour from Hassan House and now her every visit to Islamabad also meant her visit to that teacher of hers.
This was the first time Nahyan was taking her there. He had a habit of taking time out and go to meet his grandmother and his parents but right now that visit had led him to be his phupho’s chauffeur.
As he stopped the car in the said lane, his eyes found the black gate and following his Phupho’s cue he knew that was the house. The nameplate of Rehman Residence was shining from even far. Hadiya rang the doorbell when Nahyan took a step back.
“I’m going now.”
She waved him off with a careless shrug. His phupho was such a character. He was fiddling with his car keys waiting for the gate to be opened so he would drive back in peace. Hadiya had told him she’d go home on her own.
The gate creaked opened. Hadiya smiled at the person standing in front of her.
“Assalam Alaikum, is Mrs. Rehman home? I’m an old student of her.”
“Wa Alaikum Assalam. Yes, she is. Please come on in.”
She made way for Hadiya to pass the threshold and in doing so, Inara’s eyes landed on the man behind her who was standing close to his car with his arms folded on his chest.
Not again!
It was basic etiquettes otherwise after their last encounter and how it had ended; Inara didn’t feel like conversing with him.
“Won’t you come inside?”
She glanced at Hadiya’s retreating back. Nano who was sitting in the lounge greeted her very warmly, an indication that she knew her well.
“I was just here to drop her. I’ll be off now.”
Inara looked on not saying anything. Why was this man dropping an old student of her Nano here?
“I know it’s not a right place to do this but now that you’re in front of me so why not. I was rude that day. My apologies for that.”
Inara was taken aback but recovered shortly. She had replayed that meeting many times in her mind. When her initial anger had subsided, she could see if someone lashed out on her without any fault of hers, she’d also be as cold towards that person as he was towards her that day.
“I accused you without even hearing you so I think you shouldn’t apologize. We both made it even somehow.”
Nahyan nodded and then looked back at the house she was standing in the doorway of.
“Mrs. Rehman…”
“She’s my Nano and the woman who’s come with you…”
“Mrs. Hadiya, she’s my phupho.”
“Oh…”
Her student’s cousin. Her Nano’s student’s nephew. This was getting weird.
“But I think this isn’t the introduction we should be making.”
Inara was confused but then it dawned on her.
“Oh, yes… Inara Sukhera. You know by now but I teach English at Rooba’s school.”
Sukhera. He knew this surname.
“Are you by any chance…”
“Wijdan Sukhera’s daughter, Yes.”
Nahyan thought about the last time he had visited Sukhera house. Did he see her?
“Nahyan Hassan.”
He didn’t tell her his designation and post because he didn’t think it was necessary.
“I kind of knew already. See you around, Nahyan.”
“See you around, Inara.”
He had walked towards his car and as it moved on the lane leading to the main road, both didn’t know the next time they’d enter this house with changed equation and relation.