The Veil

Chapter 4

Imran limped his way to one of the shops owned by the family, they had business interest in various things from scissors to brass metal items, the local industry and of course the family with its growing members eventually ventured to several businesses, from electronic to cloth shops, from biriyani restaurants to leather goods shops. After a year of in and out of hospitals and staying put at home, Imran was fed up, he missed those days where he did not venture into the house before dinner time, much to the grumbling of his ammi, tera chehra bhi mujhe theek se dekhne ko nehi milta, now for the last one year after having seen enough of him and shedding enough tears now she is busy with the little creation of Sakeena and Nadeem, by the name ...no not a single name there are many but one thing is definite, with her arrival, she has managed to draw all the attention, being the first grandchild of the generation...Imran calls her Chandni when no one is listening except her and him, she reminds him of Purnima, no she is too small to resemble Purnima but somehow Imran feels connected. When Imran had informed Sakeena to whom he has given her veil, Sakeena was shocked...Purnima? Are you crazy Imran Bhai, Sakeena had muffled, ensuring her voice did not carry beyond their room....she is a hindu....

But a woman.......

Yes that she is....

And a brave one too...just like you....Imran had pulled Sakeena's nose....

Imran Bhai I may be brave but was not that brave to marry a hindu....

Well we will never know, will we, you lost your heart to Nadeem far too early.....

Imran Bhai you have just given away my beautiful veil in vain, Purnima will never agree...

We will see...Imran had replied confidently....

How could you fall in love with her, you hardly know her ........

Of course I knew her just when the other night when she said she was in burqa and was pretending to be you......we were already stunned by her courage to come to delivery braving the curfew....

And not to say your bullets....

Hmm bullets from both sides ....

You only saw her twice and have given the veil on the 2nd time only.....

But I felt her, especially when she was trying to act brave but then hide her face in my chest hearing the gun shots....

Sakeena looked at her brother his eyes were dreamy....she sighed, today for Purnima, Imran has lost one of his legs nearly, though he is much better now, for the rest of his life he will walk with a limp, her tall and handsome looking brother, many of her friends wanted Sakeena to introduce them to him but then Imran hardly remained home or even he was at home he was not interested in silly girls and their giggles, the only girl he was friendly with was her, they always shared their secrets with each other, she was the youngest of the three siblings after two brothers and Imran the eldest...while Iqbal and she fought in the slightest of pretext, Imran always had been protective about her ...what had Imran seen in Purnima....compared to Imran Purnima was a ordinary looking girl but she had a cheerful face and twinkling eyes, she was looking quite charming the other day when she had come to attend her godh bharai...but then who had invited her....not her....it did not cross her mind even to invite Purnima though after the riot things were much better still inviting Purnima to a family function would have been too much ...then who else but Imran, must have sent their driver Latif who was now allotted most of the time for Imran....

It has been over 3 months now but no word from the other side still, Imran may be crazy about Purnima but Purnima was a practical girl, she has been bringing up her siblings and running the house, she was not silly like many girls of her age...

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Imran limped his way to the shops, they had quite a few in the market selling variety of goods and he was now entrusted to check the accounts and keep an eye, no hard labour for him, nothing which required too much travelling...he quite enjoyed his trips to the market, finally shedding his inhibitions about his limp, when went from one shop to the other, chatting with the employees and customers and sometimes checking the accounts, nobody commented on his limp any longer except some old people, hai hai hamara shaan Imran Hussain ko kya ho giya...no it did not hurt Imran, now he was quite proud of his limp...

Imran waved at an acquaintance as he crossed the road as he stepped on the footpath he turned again and blinked his eyes, yes it was indeed Purnima with that tailor's wife chatting and coming towards the market, Imran leaped into the shop in front of him and peeped out, they were going to the famous material shop owned by his family, the lady went in, Purnima stood just to look around when she was pulled inside by Dinu's wife.....that shop, Imran avoids that on any given day, it is always filled with women haggling with the salesmen, given a chance they will haggle over a cut pieces on discount....Dinu's wife is a common feature in these sort of shops but he is seeing Purnima for the first time or lets say for the first time he became aware of her....

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Purnima was matching the piping cloth with the material in the sunlight standing at the entrance of the shop when she heard someone greeting Imran Bhai, salaam ......

Salaam Salaam...Imran greeted back...standing as close as possible, he observed her, Purnima's lips shook but she did not raise her eyes to look at him, she just became still....

After three months I am getting to see the full moon..Imran commented under his breath....

Ji ? Purnima lifted her head to look at him....Imran smiled catching her eyes....

Areh mila ki nehi....Manjri chachi asked from inside...

Ji mil giya, Imran replied....



Who spoke, Manjri chachi asked..without turning back....

Ji our owner...the salesman replied.....

Purnima yeh mila de....Manjri chachi called her inside to handover two more material samples...

Purnima matched them as Imran hovered around...I am yet to get a reply ....he complained....

Reply? Of what? Purnima whispered....

The question I asked..

You asked....when? Purnima asked innocently....

You did not open the packet or what? Imran spoke a bit louder, Manjri chachi was bargaining hard with the salesman...

Shhh....yes I did open it.....

What did you get inside...

The veil.....

And the note?

In Urdu?....I don't read urdu....Purnima replied softly

There was a hindi version at the back....

Hmmm I saw Sakeena told you to do something something....

Imran's eyes twinkled....yeh hui na baath, uski jawab kaun dega....

Mai kyu du, mera naam kahi nehi tha, nobody asked me....Purnima replied rolling her eyes....

Areh huwa ki nehi...Manjri chachi shouted once again...

Ji nehi huwa Imran replied back.....

Manjri chachi now turned around...Kisse baate kar rahe ho beta....

Ji aapse, aapne puchha huwa ki nehi, nehi huwa, you have not selected all so bill is not made yet.....

Manjri chachi yeh theek hai..Purnima replied going back inside....

Yeh kaha se a giya pehle kabhi toh nehi dikha, Manjri chachi scratched her head and turned around...Imran tried to catch Purnima's eyes but she was looking the other way round....

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Getting out of the shop, Manjri chachi made way to another shop, threads, buttons, laces, the list is long and procuring is time taking, she still has so much to do....looking around in searching eyes, carrying the bags, Purnima fell behind, when a hand came out and pulled her into a dark alley in between the shops, behind the sacks of goods......

Ouch itna zor...Purnima commented by the strength Imran pulled her in....

Hmmm nothing is wrong with my arms and other parts of the body, except the leg...he winked....Purnima blushed.....

Abh chal yeh bata ki mujhse shaadi karna hai ki nehi, I am asking you formally.....

Sochna parega, I cannot reply now without thinking.....

Think? Then what have you been going for the last three months...

Purnima pushed him back, nothing as I was not asked....smiling she stepped out....

Oh I see but now that I have proposed you, what about it....Imran pulled her back

Purnima pushed him away once again, so now that you have I will start thinking from now.....

Theek hai, 3 hours time you have, meet me at that park after three hours....

3 hours only? Purnima squealed....

Yes and not a minute more, 3 months were not sufficient so 3 hours is long time, Jali Kothi se Ganga Nagar pahuchaye tha tujhe mai....

Mai babuji se keya kahungi......

Tera babuji hai tu jane....3 ghanta me a jana....

Ayi Manjri chachi, chachi is calling Purnima ran towards the direction of the shop Manjri went....

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The sun was mid sky, strong, Imran sat in the empty park trying to remain in the shed as much as possible noting the time in his watch, when Purnima entered the park huffing and puffing....bhagi bhagi ayi, such a short notice, so much to do....

As soon as Purnima sat on the bench, she jumped up, the cement was too hot...Imran pulled her on to his lap, leaning on to his chest, Purnima made herself comfortable....

Now speak...Imran commented....

Uff, you are smelling of onion, Purnima replied instead....

So what?

I don't eat non veg.....

I will not force you to eat and in the night I brush my teeth...now if you so command I will take a bath before coming to sleep with you.....

I don't cook non veg even....

Ammi is still young and healthy, she will do it for me, we have servants too and we eat veggies also...ghar me ata hai aloo gobi everything.....

My siblings are still very young....

Raise them alongwith our children ....

I celebrate Diwali....

Yes I will gift you with sari and ornaments....

Suddenly Purnima leapt out of his lap and started walking away....

Hey where are you off to...

Hindu-Mussalman ka shaadi hai, thora sochna toh paregahi na aur abhi babuji ayenge khana bhi paros na hai....Purnima replied turning away....

Arrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghhhhhhhh Imran muttered, so some more sleepless nights, all girls are same, sab nakhrewali, they cannot keep anything simple and straight...when through the corner of his eyes he saw Purnima in the blazing sun walking away with the red veil surrounded over her head.....

Imran whistled...

Purnima turned...lifting the veil she beamed at him... THE END