A woman's life
Zoya stared at the festivities in the garden from her balcony...the dwindling crowd was still having a good time- eating, drinking, congratulating each other. Finally it was done. Nikhat had got married finally. Her imprisonment was coming to an end.
Humeira had visited her before the ceremony. She had been excited , but sad. Baaji, aaj ke baad aap humein chhod ke chali jaayegi, na. Hum aapko bahut miss karenge.' They had bonded over the month. It had been exactly that- one month. Ayan had wanted her till his sister was married, and finally she was free to go...
Where ?
What was a woman's life? Finding happiness in belonging to a man?
To a man who would leave his wife and daughter?
To a man who would leave his wife for another woman?
To a man who would hide his premarital relations from a woman he wanted to marry at all costs?
To a man who would selfishly abandon his beloved for his kin?
Why did a woman need a man to complete herself? When all that she had in store was a lifetime of selfishness and sadness?
Of course, there were exceptions, but a few. Back home, her Aapi and Jeeju had been an ideal couple for her. They cared so much for each other. Each of their decisions was made only after consulting the other. They had arguments like any normal couple, but they also had solutions. None of their fights lasted till the next morning. She had always adored them and it had only seemed natural that her love story would be no different. Not anymore.
She looked down at the party again. She caught the bride in her bright red gharara...Nikhat!- The sister from whom her sacrifice had been shielded! She had never seen her up close, in the one month she had stayed at the mansion. The girl had been confined to her room mostly. Once she had caught a glimpse of her, in the first week...but her Ammi had come and closed the door.
Ayan had explained.
She was still upset over the nikah breaking. She had refused the alliance...but they had convinced her somehow. If she knew she had been instrumental in Asad's nikah breaking up too, she'd be inconsolable. So the family had decided to keep the truth away from her.
Ever since, she had been careful to not get near the girl, and the family had seen to it too.
She had been paraded around as Ayan's wife for the ceremonies and had been kept strictly away from Nikhat's eyes, so that she did not suspect anything. She had tired of the charade today, and had come up to take rest. It was her last day. Mr. Khan would come for her...She had not seen him for the nikah. She guessed he'd be coming soon...to end it all.
Her thoughts went back to Nikhat. She wondered what life had in store for her? Was it fair to shield a girl so much from the bitter truths of life, and send her right in to the home of a man who was her ex- fianc? As his brother's bride!
It puzzled her. The institution of arranged marriage itself was an alien concept to her. And the complications around this fixture was completely beyond her.
What was a woman's life, after all?
The crowd had dispersed, and they were winding up the show down below.
Asad stood near the door to Zoya's room. Ayan had brought him up before the house settled down. He had so badly wanted to see her, talk to her. But she had denied him any contact.
She had settled well in to the house. Ayan had reassured him every day. She had even managed to charm the stuck up Maamujan. (His Zoya!) Ayan would visit him almost every day with news of her progress in the house- how she had bonded with his grandmother, Nussat, Ayan's mother and even Humeira. About how she had come out of the initial dissent to even be nice to him. How the three of them would get together and talk for hours in to the night. Adapted, she had! To everything but him...she promptly shut up whenever Ayan mentioned him, and refused to communicate even on phone.
One month it had been! The worst one month of his life! Knowing he had sentenced an innocent girl to the worst fate she could have imagined. If she had adapted, he had just managed to stay alive.
He caught her at the balcony, as Ayan left him. She was staring down, deep in thought. Her suitcase was packed on the bed, and he heaved a sigh of relief. At least, she had made up her mind to come home...and he would find a way to make it up to her, in every way possible. Never- never again, would he leave her alone like this. Never would he repeat this mistake or make another mistake.
NEVER EVER AGAIN!
Edited by chicksoup - 11 years ago
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