When Stars Collide

Proposal

"Come and take a look at this."  She'd received a video from Fatima's mother a few hours before but didn't open it until that moment. The shock on her face was evident in the way her hands shook with excitement.

She called out to Salman who came rushing in from building a prototype helicopter for a class show later that week. In his hands were the two plastic parts of a helicopter. 

"Why's Iya shouting at Grandma?" His mother laughed in return, a laughter so mocking, Salman turned to look at her in surprise. 

"She's finally met her match. All that rubbish she tried with me, she won't try it with Tutu. See how she nearly ripped her to shreds? That's how she'll finish her if she tries it again. Tutu is a silent tiger, don't touch her and she won't go after you." Salman sighed, though a part of his heart was delighted that his grandmother was getting her desserts, the other part wondered if Iya would have to defend his father continuously. 

"Your father will grow a spine soon and start fighting back." His mother's promise reached him inspite of how deep in thought he was and he wondered again if the reason his father always bowed to his mother's wishes was normal. 

"Mami. They'll be fine, thankfully I'm far away here and They can obviously handle themselves." Just as he finished speaking, his phone chimed loudly with a continuous jarring that told him it was a video call. 

He let go of the plastic prototypes in his hands and went off to where his iPhone was charging in the corner, he swiped at the last second and Fatima's face appeared. 

"What do you want?" He asked her with a raise of his brow. Fatima giggled and told him to take the phone to Mami. 

"My Zahra. How are you?" Fatima brushed aside the greeting and asked if Mami had seen the sent video. Mami nodded and Fatima clapped her hands. 

"How did you get that?" Fatima began to tell of the great lengths Benazir went to to get the video for them. 

"That's very dangerous. Okay? Next time no need, Iya will call me herself. How is work?" Salman walked back to his room and turned on his laptop, but he as unable to do any work, instead he stared at his screen. 

As he played with a thought in his mind, certainty filled his heart and mind, making him open his notes to pen some things down. He would do the needful and take action as soon as possible. 

A knock sounded at his door and he walked to open his door to his mother. As she was about to turn after handing over his phone to him, he pulled her back and brought her to his chair, she sat and he tapped open the notes he'd made. 

"What do you think about me marrying Hibba in the January of next year?" His mother looked at him, blinked, looked at the notes cursorily and turned back at him with tears unshed in her eyes. 

"I think if she accepts you, you're doing one of the most amazing things you've ever set your mind on." 

*

*

"Did you see the email I sent you?" Hibba walked to her laptop, turned it on and turned back to the kitchen to wait for it to boot. 

"Not yet, I had a large order again, and I just finished sending it off. I'm washing the utensils I used." She answered, her phone in her pocket and an airpod in one ear. 

"Alright, when you do, let me know what you think of it. How's everyone there? Ummi?" Hibba loved talking about Ummi with Salman, she could share Ummi's new strides without feeling like she was making anyone feel bad.