When your parents decide to choose the person you will spend the rest of your life with, it doesn't always go well. Especially if he is the human form of headaches... Well, that's what she believes so, anyways. However, to other girls, he is a well...
"In the end, you always go back to the people that were there in the beginning."
As soon as I let out the good news to my two best friends they were overwhelmed with happiness. The day I was waiting for came by as a blink, at the start it was kind of difficult to acknowledge everything, help patients, sort their problems out, stay friendly to everyone. It was a lot! But I'll have to manage that. I am working full time at the moment, although Ammi thought it was a little too much. Work was going amazing, while I work I found my old friend Marium there, we were next-door neighbours before she had to move to the USA. We decided to go to McDonald's and catch up on the last 12 years.
"Oh Marium, you know Aaliyah? It's her engagement this Thursday, which is in a day, you should totally come over! She'd love to see you after 12 whole years!" I grinned ear to ear, Aaliyah would love this surprise.
"Oh yeah. I remember her. Isn't it that girl with grey eyes and long straight black hair, that goes down her hips?" Marium described Aaliyah while licking her spoon full of plain creamy ice-cream, which she had ordered.
"Yup. That's her. Come over around one or two?"
"I'll be right there, we should get going now before Ammi wakes up and starts yelling at me for leaving her alone with creepy people trying to force her to eat smelly food and tasteless medicines." I laughed at Marium, her mom had diabetes, and her blood level was very low, therefore she fainted and had to be taken into hospital. Marium Ahmed Rehman, 19 years' old girl, Pakistani, skin as fair as snow, hair as silky as satin and eyes as green as the fresh summer leaves.
"Fine. I can't come over right now; I have to make lots of preparations, give Aunty my salams, take care, and try to bring her over to the ceremony if she cannot come it's fine, but you have to come!" I hugged her, bid goodbye and left on my way to go home.
Finally, home. The place I could do what I desire, pray, eat and do absolutely nothing, if I wished so, "AslamWalayKum Ammi." I hugged my mom as he laid the food and plates in the table.
"WakayKumAsalam beta. How was work?" My mother asked, as always.
"Exhausting. But I'm home now, and let me help you. And Ammi, I met Marium! You know our neighbour who left 12 years ago to go to the USA?" I quickly took the plates from my mother's hand before I gave her the chance to protest, she smiled sweetly.
"Thank you beta. Yes. I remember her. Her Ammi cooked such lovely food and use to share so generously." Mom complimented Marium's ami food, they both use to have competitions on whose food is the best, which always turned out to be humorous. Just then Baba walked into the room.
"Salam Baba."
"Salam beta, how was work?" My father asked the same question as my mother.
"Fine, how was work for you Baba?" I asked my dad as he went to the bathroom to freshen up.
"Fine too, you go take a seat, I'll be back soon. Your mother and I need a to have a word with you," I nodded. What do they need to talk about? I went into the dining room and took a seat, thinking about what my parents need to talk about.
"What happened beta?" My mother asked taking a seat next to me.
"Oh. Baba said both of you need to talk to me?" Ami nodded.
"You'll find out soon, oh look your Baba's out. Aajay-e ji. Dinners ready." Baba came and took seat next to me, Ammi put the different varieties of food on our plates.
"As I said before... Your mother and I need to speak to you." Baba said taking a bite out of the chicken each time.
"Beta, you've grown up into a beautiful young woman, MashAllah, you've passed all your studies and pray 5 times a day, AlHamDuillah. So... Isn't this the perfect time to..." I knew where this was going, before Ammi could continue further I interrupted.
"Ammi... This is not the perfect time... Ammi... Baba... I'm only 20... Am I becoming a burden on both of you?" I asked feeling distressed. My mom jumped in the mention on becoming her burden on my parents.
"Beta, you're our only child, how on earth would you ever become a burden on us? You're not a burden but a blessing. And now a day's people don't live very long, therefore how can we be an exception? We want to see our grandchildren before we pass away." My Dad spoke up, my Mother nodded in agreement.
"Baba don't say such things."
"It's true Afira... Besides, Sana and Aaliyah are the same age as you and their married or going to get married, so why not you?" My Mom questioned me.
"Par Ammi... I want to continue working, I want to first stand on my own feet, be independent before committing to a person, and raising a family." I countered.
"I know how you feel. But you can do that at the same time while you're married. You don't have to start a family immediately beta." My Mom really wanted me to get married.
"But Ammi..." I didn't have anything to say, I couldn't think of anything to say.
"Also, I have the perfect man in mind who can take my daughter's hand, keep her well as you will keep a gift and make her smile, and never let tears come to her eyes." My eyes widened. My Father has a man in mind already?
"Who is this man Ji, that will take my daughter's hand and keep her happy for eternity?" My Mother's eyes gleamed in joy with the mention of a man who will be able to keep my happy, I drank water to get rid of my thirst while waiting for this 'amazing' man's name to come out.
"It's... Hussain."
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