Kamran
'Waiting outside. Hurry up. What's taking you so long?'
Safdar's message showed up on my phone as I stood in the immigration line at Seattle's International Airport.
'I am a brown immigrant man trying to enter the US. Take a guess!"
I shook my head and replied to him as the line inched forward and nervous glances were thrown around by those blessed with abundant melanocytes. I checked my paperwork again. Passport, visa, evidence of me being a student, home address...everything was as it was supposed to be.
Not everything, a small voice inside me sent an unneeded reminder.
Not that anything could be done about my situation. I had gone to Pakistan hoping to send a proposal for Farah, instead I ended up getting my sister caught up in a web of societal hypocrisy and bigotry. I was there when the two rishtas Abu had referred to, showed up in her living room.
One of the mothers' looked at Komal's pictures from her trip to Europe that were hanging in our foyer, and questioned how a single girl could stay shareef (pious) if she was allowed to travel around the world by herself. Ahad and I showed them the door before the chai was even served, or our parents' could object.
The second man supposedly had a garment business, but on further digging by Akbar Bhai and his lawyer friends we found out that he was embroiled in an ongoing court case where he was accused of money laundering.
I don't know how many times I must have prayed for her in the last month. The stress my parents' were putting on her and the guilt that she felt of being a hindrance between me and Farah was eating her up even as she tried to put on a brave face.
"Nexxxttt...", the immigration officer yelled at me from behind the glass wall he was encased in.
Several questions later I thanked the officer, and made my way out of the airport to a very bored looking Safdar.
"Finally", he saw me and threw his hands up in the air, "The bachelor returns"
"Oh look who is talking. At least I have a girl. Who do you have?", I shot back at my roommate-turned-best friend.
He laughed, "My hopes and dreams"
We grabbed some stale airport coffee and I caught up on all the things happening among our friends till we got into his car and he asked me the question I was dreading.
"So, what exactly happened in Pakistan? I was seriously hoping I would have an excuse to travel to Pakistan for your Nikah"
Safdar had been born and brought up in the US, and most of his family resided in North America. So he almost never travelled to Pakistan unless there was a special occasion.
Ordinarily, I would not have spilled my family drama in front of someone who wasn't a family member. But Safdar was almost like a brother to me, and the only one among our friends that I felt comfortable sharing the truth with.
"Well Abu insists I need a job before he would even think about talking to Farah's parents about us. And get this, he wants Komal to get married before me"
Safdar suddenly started coughing as if he was choking on his coffee. Thankfully we still hadn't gotten on to the main highway yet so he was able to pull over to the side.
"Are you ok?"
He nodded, still coughing slightly. Still with a distressed look on his face.
"What happened? Are you allergic to the coffee? Should I call the ambulance?", I asked him.
YOU ARE READING
A Midsummer Weekend (The Extended Version)
Short Story"I used to think that I fell in love with you at first sight, but now I think my soul fell in love with yours the moment we were paired in heaven" His fingers gently caressed her cheek as he whispered to her, "I think I've loved you since long befor...
