OS- I won't be Mrs. Khan!
"Will you marry me and become Mrs. Asad Ahmed Khan, Miss Zoya Farooqui?" Asad finally proposed to Zoya. They had been dating for a long time now, almost ten years now, and finally he had asked her to marry him. They had known for a while that they wanted to be together, and did want to get hitched. It was but a mere formality. He didn't even doubt that she would say anything but yes.
"No." Bam! Came the reply.
Asad was shocked, to say the least. He continued to stare at Zoya, standing in front of him, at her residence. "I am sorry, is there something wrong?" Asad mumbled.
"Why do you think I'd agree?" Zoya asked.
"Ahm, i thought we were past the doubts stage. This was planned, right? It was just a formality to ask you... Do you want more time?" Asad tried placating himself and her. He didn't know what to do. He did have the initial nervousness of marriage, and proposing so and so forth. Who didn't? If there isn't any trepidation, there is something wrong..
"How much more time? One year, two years, five years, twenty years, fifty, or an entire lifetime?" She asked, sternly.
Asad came forward and held Zoya by her shoulders, and voiced out his thoughts, "you were okay with this, till two days ago. We had no fights whatsoever. Nothing has gone amiss. What is wrong? Tell me, I'll fix it. I promise. I don't, i can't take such cryptic answers. Please, Zo. I beg of you." He was a bag of nerves. He loved Zoya.
"Why do you think I'd lose my identity for you?" Zoya queried. "I am not asking you to lose your identity... did i? You know me, Zo. I am not one of those guys, or one of those families, where they ask their bahus' to serve them. Mom, worked for a long time after marriage... in fact, i am not even asking you to change. It doesn't matter... If i have made you feel..."
Zoya interrupted him, "i am Zoya Farooqui. That is my identity. Why do you think i will give up on my name for you? Why do you think I'd want to become Mrs. Zoya Asad Ahmed Khan? Even, after a lifetime or eternity, I'd still like to be known by my own name." Zoya cleared, finally, bringing it out in the open.
Asad was just blank. He didn't even know how to react.
Before he could react, he was thrown another shocker, when Zoya started laughing hard. She clutched her stomach, and fell on the couch. She couldn't stop herself, she managed to spit out, "Asad... I ... Was... Kid...dding.."
Asad then saw it, and started laughing himself.
"What the hell? It is so not funny. You gave me a turn there."
"I did."
"So?"
"So, what?"
"Can i have a yes now?" Asad pouted cutely.
Zoya slowly turned solemn. "Asad, i did mean what i said. I really love you, and i fell in love with you all over again, when you proposed to me just now. But, my identity stays. I want to keep my maiden name. I don't agree with the fact that women have to lose their name, and be known by their husband's name. Just why? Why are kids known by their father's name and not their mother's, when it is the mother who carries them in her womb for nine months? I don't agree with these societal norms, and you know that. I have always told you about it. But, i want to set an example by practising it myself. I am going to be called as Mrs. Zoya Farooqui. And, i don't think you should mind. And, when we have kids, which we will, at least one, not more than one or two max, clarifying now, i am not going to increase India's population by having five or six kids just because i can afford it."
"Ahm, Zo.. I don't think.. I ll have a..."
Zoya interrupted him again, "don't interrupt me! Ya, so what was i saying? See, because of you. Everything that happens is because of you! I forgot, what i was saying. Shit. What was i telling you?" She asked him, completely cute and adorable.
"Something about India's population..." Asad reminded her.
"Huh? Oh, ya. I said, when we have kids, they would be known by both our names! Not only yours. They are my kids too. I mean, they will be. So, they will be called something something Farooqui Khan' since, f comes before k. Do you get it?"
Asad just looked at her, flabbergasted. Zoya thought so much ahead of him. He felt a jerk, zoya was shaking him. "What?"
"Are you agreeing or not?" Zoya demanded.
"I don't know... I'll let you know sometime." He teased.
"Just shut up, and tell me now. You. Will. Agree. Period." Zoya said with finality, leaving no room for any more discussion or contemplation.
"But, seriously, i really like your idea of not giving up on your name. Nice step, towards equality. Will I change my name to yours? I won't. 90% men won't and don't change their name after marriage, then, why should women? And about the kids, do you even want kids?" Asad joked.
"Ahm, we will see that when the time comes. Maybe, maybe not." Zoya said.
"so, will you marry me, zoya?" Asad, asked casually. "no. Not at all, duh? I mean it is so obvious i don't wanna marry you, and that is why i am talking about kids to you, right?" She replied, her tone and words dripping with sarcasm. Asad laughed. "yes, i will." Zoya agreed.
The End.
A/n - something that always pricks me. Decided to pen it down. XD
Some other works of mine :
A River Of Emotions - An Original Story
Book Talk
Hindi TV Shows
Ishaani
Tum Se Tum Tak
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