Train to Love ☑

Platform No. 1

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem! 

“Fear Allah concerning women! Verily you have taken them on the security of Allah, and intercourse with them has been made lawful unto you by words of Allah. You too have rights over them, and that they should not allow anyone to sit on your bed [i.e., not let them into the house] whom you do not like. But if they do that, you can chastise them but not severely. Their rights upon you are that you should provide them with food and clothing in a fitting manner” (Narrated by Muslim, 1218)

Two years later. 

Shabna wiped the beads of sweat lining her forehead and took the rolling pin in one hand while her other hand worked in dipping the dough on the flour, then she placed the dough on the counter and started rolling it to form a round shape. 

This hour of the day in Shabna's house was very hectic. It was early in the morning but still, the house was running in a buzz. Like usual, Shabna was multitasking so many chores at a time. As she is the homemaker, she is supposed to do all the works with utmost perfection and on time. She is supposed to cook breakfast for everyone in the house including the packing of lunch for her husband. She should clean the floors and mop them while ironing his clothes and to top it all, today she also has to get ready for her monthly ultrasound. 

She was four months pregnant. 

While she was busy making the Parathas, her morning sickness on the other hand was not at all helping her stand for such a long time inhaling the smell of curry and spices. Her back ached while her chest was bubbling up with nausea. She could already feel the bile rising through her throat.

"Shabna, Your Father In Law didn't sleep the whole night and is very hungry. Did you finished the cooking or not?" Her Mother In Law walked inside the kitchen with a frown. 

"Two minutes Mamma. It's almost done"

"Woah! Now we should eat this Roti," her Mother In Law took the almost round roti in her hand, "It is not at all-round," then she opened the lid of the curry, "And what do we have here?" she asked as she placed a spoonful in her mouth, and when the flavor of the curry seeped through her tongue, she made a face," Ewww! It's too salty. You don't even know to cook a simple dish, Shabna but you very well know that we are BP patient's right? Are you planning to get rid of us so soon by cooking like this?" she bickered as she went out of the kitchen with a handful of cursing. 

Shabna added some curd to the curry and balanced the salt while her heart was drumming in her chest with fear. She was pregnant and instead of taking rest, she was doing all the chores and in return, she didn't get any respect but she earned back remarks and criticizes, the only compliments.

"Shabna! I am getting late," now it was her husband. 

"All done," she rushed to give her husband his lunch bag. 

"Armaan, Today is my routine check-up. Can you come with me?", she asked as she dusted his shoes. "Shabna, you know how much work I have in the office. I want to but I have an important meeting today. I am sorry," he replied typing something on his mobile. 

Again, she was to go alone and the simple thought made her throat clot and she suppressed her breathing from going haywire in order not to choke in front of her husband and show him, how weak she felt.

"Will surely come next time. Okay?", his lips twitched the slightest while he placed a small kiss on her forehead. She just nodded in reply and he went without giving a second glance in her direction. 

This has become so normal in our societies. The girl getting married by her parent's wishes, the first month of her marriage rolls with just the consumption part. The Husband only rejoices the pleasure of having a wife but not once thinks about treating her as a wife. Wife; this word in the Desi household is another form of the word Maid without any pay or leave. No one addresses her likes or consents. She gets trampled up with loads of chores weighing her shoulders that sometimes she even forgets to breathe. All the responsibilities of taking care of the husband's family are immediately put over her without even giving her the choice to select the life she wondered about living. Then she gets pregnant and babies arrive even before the parents get settled with each other's company. Then they both raise their kids just like them and they teach the girl's how to become a perfect housewife and boy's to become a perfect husband material who has everything except a heart. Shabna's life was no different.

Shabna was well aware of this theory and she couldn't complain to Allah for making her life like this because of the reason that it's so common in this society that people have forgotten the footprints of Islam and blindly follow the tracks of their forefathers. She started getting ready with a shower. She was going to hear her baby girl's heartbeat again this month. She felt very happy with the thought that Allah is going to give her someone in this house, who will support and love her, for real.

"Shabna! I got a call from your sister in law and after putting the phone back, I noticed the tea has gone cold. Reheat it for me," her mother in law handed her the cup of the now cold tea. 

After heating the tea, she poured it on the cup and then went to her mother in law's room.  "Mamma! I am going for the Ultrasound," she placed the cup over the bedside table. 

"We know that it's a girl child right? Why waste money monthly for taking scans?".

"To see if the baby has grown approximately to its age and also to check the heartbeat," Shabna politely replied. 

"Huh! It's a girl after all. Who cares how she is. In our time, we delivered babies without any scans and costly medications, still, the babies were healthy. Nowadays though, people like you waste the money which my son earns with so much hard-work in total vain," she turned her face towards the hot beverage and merrily took with her palm. 

Shabna left the house after fifteen minutes of lecture on how in her Mother in law's time they get conceived and delivered babies in the home without even the support of professionals. 

"Girl, you are late," said Dr. Jesima as soon as Shabna opened the door to the scan room. 

Jesima was Shabna's only close friend.

In India, they don't disclose the gender of the babies before birth but Jesima had revealed her the gender of the baby because Shabna was one of her best friends. But she had regretted later when all Shabna got was unsatisfied reactions from Shabna's inlaws.

"Sorry, Jessie, was stuck up with some work," she said laying herself on the bed and tucking her Abhaya over her chest. 

Jesima applied some gel over Shabna's belly and turned towards the monitor. "Your husband didn't accompany you?" she asked scrolling the device over Shabna's stomach. 

Shabna remained quiet while Jesima turned from the monitor to take a look at her face. "God! Men these days only know how to make their wife pregnant but not to take care of them," she huffed.

"Jessie," Shabna cooed with surprise at Jesima's inappropriate words. No matter how her inlaws treated her, she couldn't will herself to hear anyone say wrong about them not even her friend on that cause while on the contrary, Jesima hated people like Shabna's inlaws to guts. She couldn't simply digest the fact about how bad they treated Shabna.

Instead, Shabna was still being kind towards them shows so much, about her good character, Shabna is a girl who wouldn't be found so easily in the masses, her kindness wafted the air she walked, her foot laid grounded with dignity, she was one of a kind in this world that is filled with useless folks and their norms.

"Piss off, Shabs," Jesima finally whispered.

Lubb Dubb Lubb Dubb 

The voice of the baby's heartbeat filled the air, making the tense atmosphere to lighten. 

For once that day, Shabna felt happy with all her heart, she remained grateful for the blessings, Allah blessed her with in the midst of all the chaos. 

........ 

Assalamu alaikum! 

How was the chapter?

Do you like Shabna? 

Do tell me your reviews on her current stage of life? Surprised to see her already married?