Opposites Attract||Chapt 20 pg 18||13th August - Page 13

Chapter 19 : Compromise

Salma smiled brightly when Kabeer thanked and praised her for the food she'd prepared for everyone, Zara glanced over at him smiling pleasantly. 

"Khana toh accha hi hona chahiya, khas kar jab damaad pehle baar aaye hai rehne ke liye" Rukhsar commented slyly. 

Kabeer shot her a scowl, he looked like he was about to say something when Zara held onto his wrist shaking his head. 

"Sahi kahan tumne, Rukhsar" she smiled. "Aise toh jab tumhare miyan aayenge hum sab ko aise lazeez khana banana hoga, kyun ammi?" she chuckled looking at Ayesha. 

"Haan, yeh toh sahi hai" she agreed nodding her head. 

"Khair, Isha ke waqt hojayega. Hum masjid ke liye tayaar hote hai" Irfan Siddiqui reminded changing the subject. 

Shahbaz looked over at Kabeer narrowing his eyes and gestured towards Zara. 

Kabeer glanced at Zara as she smiled helping her mother tidying away the remaining food, he knew she was soon going to be getting ready herself and going to the mosque. 

Kabeer excused himself, he headed upstairs to perform his wudhu whilst pondering over the gestures of his father. He recalled the conversation he'd had with Zara and the opinion of his father. 

"Abba" Zara approached her father as he stepped out of the bathroom having finished performing his wudhu, she handed him the towel passing a small uncertain smile. 

"Zara, tum pareshaan lag rahe ho" Irfan stated knowingly. 

"Abba, humne aaj tak masjid main jaake namaaz padhi hai Ramadhan ke time pe… lekin kal…" she murmured. 

"Aap ke ghar walon ko accha nahi laga?" he questioned realising his daughter's train of thoughts. 

"Woh… um abbu ko yeh sab accha nahi lagta aur Kabeer hume jaane di lekin woh bhi khush nahi te" she answered. 

Irfan smiled, "Zara bete, aurtein ghar mein padhenge toh zyada behtar hai lekin agar chahe woh masjid ja kar bhi padh sakte hain" he responded. "Aap bohut hi khush naseeb hain Zara, Kabeer Miyan khush nahi te lekin unhoune aap ko jaane di hai". 

Zara pondered over her father's words carefully and nodded with a small smile. She agreed, Kabeer might not have been happy with her going to the mosque to pray her tarawih prayers but he still allowed her to go and even picked her up. 

"Aaj sab yahan hai, toh aap yahin padh lijiye sab ke saat" Irfan suggested. 

"Ji abba" she nodded, she decided to compromise given that she was here with her in laws and if she was to leave with her father and husband at the same time and attend the same mosque, her father in law would create a ruckus for no reason and it would no doubt lead to arguments between herself and Kabeer, which is exactly what Rukhsar would want. 

Kabeer stepped out wiping his face on the towel, he paused seeing Zara stood in front of the mirror and wrapping her headscarf around her head. He placed the towel down and grabbed his sherwani slipping into it. 

Zara smiled approaching him and started doing the buttons for him, "What are you thinking?" 

Kabeer didn’t know how to tell his wife that he didn’t want her coming along with him today to the mosque, especially with his father joining them. What reason could he give her, he didn’t have a religious reason, this was one for the societal views. 

"You're worried, I'm going to ask to join you all?" Zara smiled brushing her hands along his sherwani and brushed her fingers through his hair. 

"How did you know?" 

"Zara Kabeer Ahmed hai hum" she winked. 

He sighed heavily cupping her nape and pressed his forehead to hers. "Zara, I… I wouldn’t say no, but abbu…" 

"I know" she pressed her finger on his lips. "I'm going to pray today at home with everyone, I don’t want to be the reason you and abbu argue" she smiled. "But, tomorrow I'm going to be going to mosque" she added. 

Kabeer agreed nodding his head, "Thank you, Zara. Thank you" he wrapped his arms around her and embraced her tightly. 

"There's other ways to say thank you" Zara whispered cheekily, she chuckled seeing the surprise on his face as he pulled back. "Mazak ta" she jokingly swatted his shoulder and stepped back to leave, he held onto her wrist shaking his head and drew her in close, this time surprising her. She closed her eyes as he lowered his head and pressed a gentle peck to her cheek making her blush. 

"Thank you" he whispered softly. 

~~~

Rukhsar lifted her hands earnestly praying that something would come up so Kabeer wouldn’t have to spend the weekend here at his in laws house. She has been stressing since learning Kabeer was going to spend the entire weekend here, alone with Zara. 

She prayed for the flicker of love to settle in his heart for her, so that he can see that they both belong together, not Zara and Kabeer belonging together. 

Her eyes stung with the images of them both hugging and Kabeer threatening her, he never raised his voice at her ever and it changed all of sudden since Zara stepped into the house. 

"Ameen" she whispered brushing her hands over her face, she frowned hearing the sounds of laughter coming from downstairs. She glanced around and noted everyone else seemed to have finished offering their prayers and seemed to have gone down. 

"Rukhsar" Ayesha smiled brightly when she joined downstairs. "Yahan aao" she gestured her over. Rukhsar frowned confused, why was Ayesha ammi being so sweet. 

"Ammi… um…." she mumbled uncertainly, it didn’t escape her notice Zara stood besides Kabeer smirking. 

"Miraj is coming tomorrow with his brother and bhabhi to see you" she cradled her cheeks and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

Rukhsar stiffened at the news, she shook her head and looked at her Shahbaz confused. "I… He was supposed to be coming after Ramadhan, right? So why is he coming tomorrow?" 

"Rukhsar" Kabeer called out, "they were in Lucknow visiting Maya bhabhi's family. Siraj bhai joined her this time and they've wanted to come down to see you instead of waiting until the end of Ramadhan" he smiled. 

"Main…" Rukhsar shook her head and halted when Zeenath grasped her wrist. 

"Bohut acchi khabar di hai" Zeenath plastered a small smile, she warned Rukhsar with her eyes to keep quiet. "Ammi, bohut raat ho chuki hai ab, iftar aur tarawih bhi sab ne ada kardi hai, hume ghar jana hai? Amaan bhi thaka hua hai" she suggested. 

"Haan, haan" Ayesha nodded. 

"Arre, Sehri kar ke toh jaa sakte ho na?" Salma interrupted. 

"Nahi, nahi Salma behen, hum takleef nahi dena chahte. Aur waise bhi ghar mein humne iftar ke liye sab kuch nikaal diya, lekin fridge main rakh kar aaye hai. Kabeer aur Zara toh yahan hai hi" Ayesha answered. 

Salma nodded in agreement, they all exchanged goodbyes and thanked Salma and Irfan for the Iftar and left. After they'd left, Salma turned to Kabeer and Zara suggesting they should rest for a while now before Sehri. 

I apologise for the delay in posting updates, I have recently started re-watching ISA and catching up on what I've missed (still got about 100 episodes to catch up on 😆) 

I'm also re-watching the old episodes to get motivated to continue typing for this couple. Want the old feel of ISA back... 

Anyway hope you enjoyed this. Thank you xx 

thanks so much for updating! 

Chapter 19

glad that Zara knew what Rukhsar wanted to create problems!

can understand why Zara decided to compromise! 

liked that Zara knows and understands Kabeer so well! 

adored Zara teasing Kabeer!

Gosh this Rukhsar is so delusional! when will she realise that Kabeer is happy with Zara and that they belong to each other?

hope her prayers will never be answered!

great that Miraj is coming with his dad to see Rukhsar!

thank God Zeenat intervened! 

its time Rukhsar moved on! 

continue soon! 

Chapter 20 : Manzoor hai

"You're looking very excited" Kabeer stated watching Zara getting ready. "Begum, what's the reason behind this smile?" he turned her to face him and rested his hands on her hips. 

"Kabeer" Zara smiled sliding her arm around his neck, "Why shouldn’t I be happy? Miraj is coming to see Rukhsar, if all goes well then… you know" she winked. 

Kabeer chuckled shaking his head. 

"Zara" Salma called out, Kabeer stepped back moving to the other side of the room grabbing his phone and pretended to be scrolling through. 

"Ji amma" Zara rolled her eyes at her husband and turned to her mother. 

"Are you both ready? Ayesha behen ne phone ki hai, puch rahe hai ke hum kab aa rahe hai" she responded. 

"Uh haan, ammi. Hum tayyar hai" Kabeer replied, he pocketed his phone and walked out of the room with Salma whilst Zara finished wrapping her head scarf around her. 

"Ammi, yeh sab kya hai?" Kabeer inquired noticing the wrapped gift boxes. 

"We're going to iftari to your tonight, so we're just taking a few gifts for everyone" Salma replied. "Qazi saab, aajaye. Hum sab tayyar hai" she called over her shoulder. 

"Aa rahe, Begum" Irfan smiled stepping out, Kabeer placed the gift boxes into the boot and opened the back door for Salma, he smiled when Zara skipped out joining them. 

She grinned widely and discreetly pinched his nose, Kabeer scowled and looked at his father in law and mother in law, both didn’t seem to have noticed. He failed to be upset when his wife winked cheekily. 

"Bhajjo, you have to do something" Rukhsar pleaded with Zeenat, she wasn’t going to say yes to this Miraj. She wasn’t going to marry at all, if there is someone, who is going to be hers, it would be Kabeer or no one. 

"Miraj is really nice, Rukhsar. Just meet him, please" Zeenat tried to pacify her. 

"Nahi bhajjo" Rukhsar pushed off her sister's hands shaking her head. "Mujhe kissi se shaadi nahi karni. Mujhe sirf aur sirf Kabeer chachiye" she hissed angrily. "Agar meri nikah hogi, toh sirf Kabeer se hogi" she stated firmly. "Abbu ne humse vada kiya hai ke main Kabeer ki dulhan banungi"

"Nahi banogi" Zeenat grasped her upper arms and pulled her close. "You gave him away when there was an opportunity to stop his wedding with Zara. You gave him away with your own hands to another woman" she snapped angrily, tears slid down her cheek seeing the junoon in her sister's eyes. "Kabeer, ab Zara ke shauhar hai. They're working on this marriage and they're making it work, Rukhsar. He isn’t going to be leaving Zara for you" she added. 

"Kabeer does want me, he agreed when ammi and abbu said we were going to be marrying" Rukhsar shook her head pulling away from Zeenat's grasp. 

"If he wanted you, he would have fought for you and declared he wanted to marry you. He hasn’t once uttered a word, Rukhsar. Despite their differences, their perspectives, I've seen the way he looks at Zara. Kabeer would never look at you like he looks at her" she whispered softly. 

Rukhsar clenched her fists by her side, she squeezed her eyes closed stopping the tears from cascading down her cheeks. She isn’t going to be losing this battle, she'd loved Kabeer Ahmed for a long time, she isn’t going to be losing him to a woman who's only known him for a few months.

"Bhabhi" Alina called out entering the room, "Miraj bhai aagaye hai. Abbu aap dono ko bula rahe hai" she informed. 

Miraj watched entranced as Rukhsar entered the hall alongside her sister and Alina. She had her eyes shyly dipped down, her lips curved into a small smile and a slight blush colouring her cheeks. Little did he know, her eyes were focused on Kabeer and searching for an approval of her look. 

Kabeer's eyes however were on his wife who was smiling widely, she nudged him and gestured to Rukhsar. 

"When my wife is in front of me looking beautiful, I don’t want to look anywhere else" he whispered making her blush furiously. 

"Kabeer" Zara elbowed him discreetly making him chuckle. 

"Masha'Allah" Maya smiled brightly, she stood and settled besides Rukhsar. "Bohut sundar hai aap" she touched Rukhsar's cheek. "Hume Miraj miyan kismet hi khul gayi hai" she winked. 

Siraj laughed seeing Miraj blush. 

"Kya hua Miraj miyan?" Kabeer questioned raising his brows. "Bolti band?" 

"Woh hum sab toh baatein kar sakte hai, shayad Rukhsar aur Miraj ko baat karna chahiye?" Zara suggested. 

"Haan, yeh teek hoga" Maya smiled. "Akhir dono ka faisla hai". 

"Zara bete, kyun na tum aur Maya dono ko upar le jao?" Ayesha recommended. 

"Ammi, hum bhi chalenge" Kabeer informed. 

Ayesha nodded. 

"Chale?" Maya looked at Rukhsar who slowly stood to her feet, she glanced over at Zeenat and pleaded silently to do something. Zeenat bit down on her lip and averted her eyes away. 

"Tum humare saat chal kar kya karoge?" Zara questioned quietly as they headed up to the terrace. 

"Miraj tumhare liye na-mehram hai" Kabeer replied. 

Zara smiled and slipped her arm around his. 

As there were only 4 seats, Kabeer gestured for Zara to take the chair and he settled on the arm of her chair placing his arm around the back of the chair. 

Rukhsar burned in jealousy, she recalled how he'd moved seats whenever they sat in the hall, he'd get up as soon as she sat on the same sofa as him. 

Maya started the conversation which eased Miraj a little, he then asked a few questions of his own. Rukhsar responded as if she were answering Kabeer, this had not gone unnoticed by Kabeer or Zara. 

"Do you wish to study or work after marriage?" Miraj questioned. 

"I've finished studying, I have always wanted to turn a house into a home. That’s been my wish, a husband's duty is to work and provide and it's a wife's duty to make a house into a home, and her duty to bring up good muslim children" she smiled sweetly. 

Zara arched her brows, she looked over at Kabeer who had caught on what she was saying. He noticed her eyes were focused on him. 

"I agree" Maya smiled, "But that doesn’t mean a wife shouldn’t work. Islam has given us the right to work, a little space is required. We're all humans, socialising is part of our being, so just working for an hour or two outside is good for the mental health" she responded. "Zara, what are you doing right now?" she inquired. 

"Bhabhi, I'm currently on holiday from my academy. I've been studying Islamic theology" 

"Wow, that's a 6 year course, when did you start?" 

"I've just finished my second year, I started as soon as I finished high school" she responded. 

Maya nodded, she turned to Rukhsar. "What have you studied, Rukhsar?" 

"Ji… uh woh I've only studied up to college" she replied. 

"Aur uske baad?" Maya inquired. 

"Ghar pe haat batana shuru kardiya" 

Maya frowned, "So, you didn’t go progress your studies? You've studied until college, and what are you going to do with the knowledge you've learned over the years?" she questioned gently, she placed her hand on Rukhsar's shoulder. "Don’t take it the wrong way, but I think if you've got knowledge then you should be spreading the knowledge or using it in some way or you've wasted all these years learning and all for what? To stay at home and wait for Miraj to return home from the office?" 

"Bhabhi is right, you should consider doing something with the knowledge you've gained" Miraj agreed. "Kabeer and I have been taught to spread our knowledge and do something which will benefit everyone, right Kabeer?" 

Kabeer smiled, "You're right" he nodded. 

Maya then changed the subject and asked further questions on what Rukhsar's likes and dislikes were. Rukhsar also learned Miraj's likes and dislikes, it seemed like their likes and dislikes were very similar. To everyone, it seemed perfect match. Rukhsar however refused to consider Miraj. 

"Have you finished investigating?" Siraj questioned as his wife and brother returned downstairs followed by Zara, Kabeer and Rukhsar. 

"Haan, I've gotten Rukhsar's whole history" Maya chuckled at her husband. 

"Have you made a decision or you'd like some time?" he looked over at Miraj. 

Miraj glanced over at Rukhsar, "I've made my decision. Hume Rukhsar manzoor hai" he smiled dipping his eyes down. Rukhsar swallowed hard, her eyes widened as she silently watched everyone congratulating one another. 

Zeenat closed her eyes, she approached her little sister and brought her into her arms. 

"Bhajjo" Rukhsar gripped Zeenat's arms digging her nails down. "Stop them, please". 

Zeenat smiled, she pulled back and looked over, "Ammi, Rukhsar ke taraf se haan bhi hai". 

Rukhsar stiffened feeling the twisted feeling of betrayal, her lips trembled as she tried to come to terms with what her sister just announced. She blinked back her tears as Maya walked over hugging her and congratulating her. 

Kabeer and Zara looked over at one another, their eyes filled with happiness and relief. Their hearts which were bounded with a burden was now loosening its grip and disappearing.