SS/FF- Unresolved Marriage pg 26 note - Page 4

Part 5

Precap:

She wanted to wake up next to him every morning and sleep next to him every night. She wanted a whole lifetime with him. So forgetting her brain, she just listened to her heart and said "qubool hai."

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Moments later she heard Maulvi Sahib ask Asad the same question. Silence took over the entire room as moments ticked by. Zoya's heart stopped beating as she waited for his answer, as she waited for her fate to be sealed. "Qubool hai," said Asad and just like that she was someone's wife now.

A couple hours later, Zoya sat on the bed in Mr. Khan's room, now her room. She was wearing her red wedding outfit with a green duppata covering her head and face. Najma and phuphi had decorated the room and after the nikaah they had brought her to his room, and set her down on his bed.

Zoya sat there awkwardly...nervously. She didn't know what to expect.

Just then her neck started to itch because of the dress. "Uhhh..." she screamed. "This damn outfit is so uncomfortable," she screamed. Asad walked in then, while she was fidgeting and scratching her neck. 'Perfect, this is exactly how I had imagined him to walk in on me,' Zoya thought sarcastically.

Zoya quickly snatched her hand away and got in the proper position, as she had seen in Bollywood movies, brides normally waited for their husbands on the wedding night in the marriage bed.

Without saying a word, Asad just passed her though and went to get his clothes from the closet. Then, he went to the bathroom to change and apparently shower, leaving her. Damn that man. She had been waiting for him for what felt like an eternity and he just passed her without saying a word. He could have changed later, showered later. He will probably need to shower again later anyways, Zoya thought with a blush.

Before Zoya could loose her mind, though, he popped out of the shower.

He began to speak finally,"umm...Tanveer."

Zoya looked up at him. Was her name really the first word he said to her as her husband. She didn't want to talk about that bitch who had tried to kill her. She simply wanted that crazy woman behind bars and as far away from Mr. Khan and her as possible. She still couldn't believe Tanveer had tried to kill her. But why? What had she wanted? A flash of memory entered Zoya's mind. "Sirf mein banogi Mrs. Asad Ahmed Khan (Only I can be Mrs. Asad Ahmed Khan). Sorry Zoya, you have to die for that to happen." Tanveer must have uttered that while Zoya had been swinging between consciousness and unconsciousness.

"Why did she try to kill you?" he asked. Zoya replied without any hesitation, "she wanted to take my place apparently. She wanted to marry you," Zoya said with a hint of anger directed at him. He should have been careful after all not to show any affection, aside from brotherly, towards her. But had he. Of course not. He had cited poems with her, and hugged her.

Asad looked shocked at Zoya's declaration. "What," he uttered.

"Yay, I heard her say so myself right before she tried to choke me to death," Zoya couldn't keep the utter disgust she felt for Tanveer from her voice. She didn't care if Tanveer was Asad's friend, or she hoped ex friend considering Tanveer had tried to kill his wife.

"I just can't believe...I haven't told ammi or Najma anything yet. I don't think they even noticed that she is missing. They were so excited about the wedding. I will have to tell them the first thing in the morning, and then call the police. I would have done so as soon as it happened, but ammi dragged me away and I didn't want any drama happening with all the guests here."

"How is your head?"

"Tender to the touch," Zoya said annoyed they were talking about Tanveer, then her head on their wedding night.

Asad walked near her, and slowly sat on the bed beside her.

"I am sorry. Meri wajah se tumhari zindagi...(Because of me your life...)"

"No, it wasn't your fault, Mr. Khan. You couldn't have possibly known what was behind the mask Tanveer was wearing," her previous anger at his mentioning Tanveer melted away. How could it not when he sat there next to her looking at her with his beautiful eyes full of regret.

"Waise (By the way) Ms. Farooqi," he chuckled, "I think you can call me Asad now. It might seem strange if you keep calling me Mr. Khan."

Zoya chuckled at that too. "Waise Mr. Khan, I think you can call me Zoya now. It might seem strange if you keep calling me Ms. Farooqi since that isn't even my last name anymore."

They both sat there smiling and staring into each other eyes.

But the moment was ruined when Asad got up and snatched a pillow from the bed and went to sleep on the couch.

"Sleep tight," she heard him say.

Sleep tight. What the heck is that supposed to mean? How was she supposed to sleep tight when he had just left her? She should have been in her husband's arms right now. She would have been sleeping tight if he had stayed here and done what any other husband does, loved her.

Zoya wanted to ask him something but she heard faint snoring coming from him. He was asleep already. Or was he just faking so he wouldn't have to talk to her? What in the heavens name was going on? Had he not just married her?

All her insecurities and fears that she had pushed aside during the nikaah came crashing back to her. He didn't want to marry her. He had only done it because he could not refuse his ammi, he loved and respected her too much. But Zoya, he didn't love or respect her. How many times had he told her that he didn't have any feelings for her...that the engagement was nakli (fake)...that she didn't have any tehzeeb (culture).

Yah allah (Good lord)...what had she done. Zoya thought as she tossed and turned on the bed. Sleep miles away from her.

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Do you like moi part?? Comment and let me know. I am actually a little nervous about this part. This had to be done though. If everything was lovey dovey then there wouldn't be any conflict and you wouldn't get to see them actually evolving and accepting their love for each other.

Btw, I don't know much about Muslim customs. You know how in Hindu wedding, you have vidaii and ghar pravesh and all that. I know nothing about Muslim wedding apparently which is why I skipped everything. Does anyone want to enlighten me (also tell me about the morning after. Are there any customs for morning after?)

P.S. I have watched many pakistani dramas (humsafar, ashk, zindagi gulzar hai etc) but they never really showed any customs.