Fated

Ch. 11

'Good morning' I greeted my family who was waiting for me for breakfast the next morning. Ever since I started working, it was hard for me to spend time with my family properly. They didn't mind me for not being in the house much, they just cared for me...always made sure I was doing okay.

'Morning...you're not going to college?' My dad asked, noticing that I wasn't dressed to go outside...was still jamming my comfy cozy pajamas.

'Lecture got canceled' I told him.

'Lucky' My sister said sadly who was probably running late for school.

'Do you want me to drop you to school?' I asked her, almost surprising her.

'Are you sure you don't want to go back to bed after eating breakfast because that's what I would have done if I was in your position' She said as she got up to put her shoes on.

'Papa can I take your car?' I asked my dad and he handed over his car keys.

'Papa can still come' Ramsha said looking worried, she didn't trust my driving skills.

'You won't be allowed in my car once I get it' I told her before making my way out the door to drop my sister to school. After dropping her to school, I went to pick up some pastries from a nearby bakery near our house. After getting the pastries, I went back home and took my leftover breakfast, a hot cup of tea, a piece of pastry and a nice book to my backyard to read. The blue sky was turning slightly turning gray...maybe the rain was coming but it was so beautiful outside that staying inside felt like a crime.

'It's nice outside' I heard my mother's voice coming from behind. She approached me and sat across from me. My mother and I were very similar, we shared the same interest, hobbies and I guess the same perspective when it came to life. Like me, she also believed that smaller things in life were the most special.

'It is...I don't want to go back inside' I put my book away and looked at her. She was here to talk to me about something.

'What is it?' I asked her, observing her closely. She didn't seem tensed but wasn't exactly calm either.

'You know...Najma, right? Her daughter used to be in your old school...Hafza...' She started.

I nodded, wondering where this was going.

'And also, your friend...Sana...she is about to get married too' She went there. Yes, she did.

'She is' I acknowledged.

'You know girls nowadays can do both, they can get married and have a career' She pointed out to me.

'You want me to get married?' I said it before she did.

'Don't you...this is the right age...' She was looking at me, but her thoughts were somewhere else thinking of different girls and their life.

'I am not ready' I told her in complete honesty.

'Girls are never truly ready for marriage Maya...and when they are, either they have passed their age of marriage or they are tired of their career and just want another thing to add in their life...they are not truly satisfied either way' She said to me.

'Marriage is scary...Papa and you made it work, but I know how much you also had to sacrifice when you got married. You tolerated so much, changed so much...you had to make so many sacrifices...I don't think I can' I replied.

'He did the same for me...' She responded.

'I know but it's different now...it's not the same...it's all fun and games until the reality hit you in the face again and things turn ugly...don't you hear stories where men are cheating on their wives and beating up their wives or mentally torturing them...and it's not even men from small-town even well educated...sensible guys sometimes do things like that...you hear it on the news too don't you? I fear that...what if my husband turns out like that...I like my life the way it is and why can't I take care of you forever and be here for you? Why is there a timeline on marriage?' I asked her.