Winged Dreams

Chapter 13: One Step Closer

  3rd November, 2015  

"If you had all relied on Allah (SWT) as you should rely on Him, then He would have provided for you as He provides for the birds, who wake up hungry in the morning and return with full stomachs at dusk."

[At-Tirmidhi]

Chapter 13:

One Step Closer

Fuming.

The term, used to refer to an angry person whose face is red with burning fire, would not do justice to Rashida had it been used for her. She was seething with rage and if she were to be a time bomb, she would have exploded by now.

When Dina came home, the minute she laid eyes on Rashida, her nose red due to all the crying and her face a brighter shade of smoldering metal, Dina knew this was not going to be easy. She had attempted to utter something after Salam, but when she was forced to be a witness to tears and mumblings of how Rashida would not be able to ever look at Zulfia in the eye from now on, she had thought it best to remain silent. Dina had walked up to her room, locking herself in until Maghrib, and now, deciding it was finally time to face the consequences of her decision, she had made her way to the kitchen.

"Mom," she breathed, after ten minutes of bearing Rashida's silent treatment as she pretended to be busy in chopping vegetables.

Rashida ignored her and carrying the chopping board with the vegetables, she walked out to the couch and continued her preparation for dinner.

Aarifa was sprawled on the floor, her books open in front but her gaze glued to the television. She turned to look at Dina, but even before their eyes met, she turned away, clearly depicting her own anger towards Dina for disappointing Rashida.

"Mom, I had told you earlier that I do not want to marry Tabrez. Why are you so upset then?" Dina finally managed to question, her tone polite.

"But I did not know you would go one step ahead and accept the other man's proposal. How? How could you choose him over Tabrez?"

"I just want to marry a practicing Muslim," she defended meekly.

"And what is Tabrez lagging? He prays five times a day. Apart from the time he misses a few prayers in the day because of some important stuff. And firstly, it's not like you are on time with your prayers."

"I'm not, I know I skip Fajr every alternate day but I'm trying."

"And you could continue trying even after marrying Tabrez. You don't have to marry some extremist with a beard who's going to snatch away your freedom."

"He's not an extremist."

"Oh really? You seem to know too much about him. Looks like you two have met quite a few times then. No wonder he sent the proposal for you. So tell me, Dina, how much and how well do you know this Bilal?"

"I don't know him at all."

"Don't lie to me."

"Like I told you last time, I know nothing about him except the fact that he is Naila's brother and likes doing social work."

"What do you see in him, Dina? Why are you doing this? Tabrez finds you the most beautiful, he will keep you like a princess. Can't you see the love in his eyes when he looks at you? Does Bilal look at you that way?"

Dina managed to suppress the foreign smile that threatened to grace her lips at the question. "Bilal does not look at me that way. His gaze is lowered most of the time. And honestly, I find that better than all those looks casted by Tabrez."