REMARKABLE

3

'Assalamualaikum, Mom. What's up?' Armineh asked, tucking the phone in the crook of her shoulder as she flipped through the pages of the contract of privacy that Ardashir had failed to deliver last week by himself.

'Betay, Ahsan, Mrs. Bukhari's son is on his way to your office. I sent him there. Please see that you meet him, yes?' Armineh heard some shuffling then her mother's deep breath as she sighed into the phone when Armineh's silence greeted her.

'Armineh, forget what happened last week. Not every man is going to follow in the footsteps of that walking disaster, forget everything he said. Okay?'

'Mom... it's my office. I can't have you mixing my private life with my corporate world.' Armineh ignored her mother's plea, her fingers stilled on the pages of the contract.

'You don't want to see them at home, you left me no choice.' Sabeeha declared angrily through the phone.

'I am sorry. How will I ever identify him? and please ask him to sit in the cafe instead of trotting to my cabin. It does not reflect well on me if I have different men coming to my office without an appointment, every other week, mom.' Armineh released her breath that she had been holding as the words flowed out of her mouth.

'I understand, betay. Will you meet them at home then?'

'Anywhere, just not at the office so what does he look like?' Armineh chirped, trying to pull a smile on her face as her mother's mood lifted.

'Oh, he is one handsome boy, Armineh with bushy eyebrows and a strong set of jaw. I am sure, you'll be drowning in his steel eyes.'

'Mom!' Armineh exclaimed as her mother described her prospective husband to her. She laughed at her mother's enthusiasm, her shoulders shaking with mirth when her phone vibrated in her hands.

'Hey, mom? Hold on a minute, please. An unknown number is calling.'

'No-No. I totally forgot Mrs. Bukhari. She's in the living room, I told her I was going to bring her some snacks and here, I am talking to you.' Sabeeha smacked her forehead, shaking her head at her forgetfulness.

'Mom, I don't think I'll be their ideal daughter in law after what you have done.' Armineh amidst laughter as her mother joined her. Her sweet laughter ringing in her ears as she imagined the uplifting of her mother's lips and the glow on her face.

'God! Betay, utter nice things. Come home, early.' Sabeeha reprimanded her pessimistic daughter and cut the call before Armineh could say bye.

Her phone rang again as the unknown number flashed for the third time.

'Assalamualaikum, is this Miss Armineh?' A manly voice resounded in her ears when she put the phone to her ear.

'Yes. May I please know who am I talking to?' Armineh questioned, her eyes drifting past the words of the contract.

'Oh! It's Ahsan Bukhari. Your mother gave me your number in case I needed to find you, you know-' Armineh heard the hesitation in his voice and bit the inside of her cheek.

'Of course, Are you in the building, yet?'

'Hmm. Just going to pass through the metallic gates. Hold on a second, please.'

'Do you think you can find your way to the cafe? I'll meet you down there in five minutes?' Armineh stood from her seat as she made her way to the washroom to freshen up a little.

The man she had met a week ago, must have been a walking menace on Earth with his misogynistic views. Even in 21st century, she had yet to personally meet a man until last week who was aversed to the idea of women gaining education and working. Unfortunately, for her Mubashir, the man who she had to see was the very man who degraded women and considered them no more than a breeding machine to produce sons only. Armineh spent no longer than ten minutes in his presence to realize she wouldn't want to do anything with him even if he were the last man.