Amreen has unshed tears glistening in her eyes as her Chachi adjusted her red dupatta over her head. She took a step back and looked at Amreen, she is looking very beautiful in red and golden Ghaghara.
'Fix her make-up and listen...'Amreen's step-mother held her arm and made her look at her
'Stop crying like you the first woman to marry. This alliance is very important. You better behave.' She snapped at her, Amreen doesn't respond. She simply stood there with her head lowered and tears brimming in her eyes.
'An eighteen-year-old girl sitting unmarried at home. Oh! The shame.' Her mother continued to spit venom, but for Amreen her voice got muffled with the shattering sound of her dreams.
Amreen and her Chachi made tea and snacks for the guests who sat in the living room. Every time Amreen heard them laugh she felt like they are mocking her. She felt trapped and helpless. Her Chachi handed her tray filled with tea cups and snacks.
'Don't worry, Beta.' She assured her adjusting her dress and led her to the living room. Amreen walked into living room with her head lowered. The tray that she held shook as her hands trembled with nervousness.
'Come, Amreen.' She heard her step-mother's fake sweet voice and she felt angry.
Amreen's to be in laws looked at her, their gaze fell on her jewelry and they flashed each other a smile.
'Come beta, sit here.' Amreen slowly upped her lashes and for the first time she looked at her future in laws. Two middle aged woman sat beside each other, woman to the right younger than the woman in the left. Amreen's Chachi urged her to go sit, she lowered her head and walked slowly towards the ladies.
The woman looked at Amreen. She looked beautiful, white complexion, slim, and timid with waist length straight lustrous hair.
'My name is Fiza. I will be your mother-in-law.' The older middle-aged woman said. Amreen looked at her and then looked away quickly.
The younger woman held Amreen's chin and made her look at her, Amreen lowered her gaze.
'MashaAllah, she is very beautiful.' The woman complimented. Fiza beamed with pride.
'God, bless you.' the woman blessed her.
The older woman took Amreen's hand in hers, she then took out a gold ring with ruby and diamond embedded on it. Amreen looked at it, it looks beautiful. Fiza smiled and slipped the ring into Amreen's finger, 'Now, you are officially engaged.' Fiza said kissing Amreen's head. Amreen smiled politely not meeting their gaze.
Amreen's step mother smiled widely, she is relieved the engagement went well and now nothing can stop the wedding at least not Amreen.
Amreen's father and Uncle were impressed seeing the ancestral Bungalow, the butlers, maids, driver, gardeners. They are even more impressed with Faizaan. He is tall well built, wheatish complexion, dark eyes, black hair, and a perfect demeanor. As they spoke to Faizaan they were knew he is perfect, well educated, well mannered, polite, and humble. The men looked at each other and nodded.
'Before things get serious there is a condition from my side.' The men tensed up little as Faizaan said this.
They looked at each other, Faizaan smiled and leaned forward, he held his father-in-law's hand.
'I don't want any land or any type of dowry. I am strictly against it. So, kindly please no dowry.' Faizaan said seriously. Abdullah was little disappointed but Afzal smiled, that moment he knew he has found the perfect man for his precious niece.
Abdullah took out a silver ring from a small box and forwarded it to Faizaan who smiled.
Abdullah and Afzal are relieved as Faizaan wore the ring, sealing the deal.
The men then decided the wedding date over tea and snacks. As the date for next month got fixed Faizaan felt excited and a little nervous. He looked at his ring â Next month he is getting married
*****************
Amreen sat in the backyard, her legs folded and tugged in under her legs. She held a tea cup in her hand and stared at the gold ring sadly. Her Chachi is inside along with her parents and Chacha. They are discussing her marriage. She sighed sadly.
'Altaf, you here. What a pleasant surprise.' Amreen heard her Chacha say and her face instantly lit up.
Altaf is her paternal cousin, her Chacha's son. She has been very close to her cousin brother. She stood up and wore her dupatta properly before rushing inside.
'Amreen, you are getting married?' Altaf said happily looking at his little sister. Amreen lowered her head nodding.
'And Ammi told me you came first.' He said
Amreen is sad, does it matter? she thought to herself. Altaf caressed her head and asked her to not get tensed, everything will be fine. He had wanted to meet Faizaan personally but Amreen's step mother insisted he doesn't.
'Everything is fixed, you can meet some other day.' She had to interrupted him, she didn't want anything that can ruin the alliance.
Amreen is disappointed when her cousin informed he is here only for a week and then must travel to Delhi where he currently works as a Professor.
***************
One month later, wedding Day
Amreen clinged to her Chacha crying badly, her Chacha cried with her. Amreen's Chachi couldn't stop her tears either, she held Amreen and cried. This is the first time Amreen is being separated from her Uncle and Aunt. Tears weren't in her control. Abdullah felt emotional too, his daughter is now a married woman. Amreen's step mother was the only one smiling but with everyone crying she too pretended to cry.
Amreen held her Chacha's hand as she was made to sit inside a palanquin. She refused to let go as she was being carried away. With great difficulty Afzal managed to free his hand from her grip. Amreen kept looking back until everyone were out of eye shot. She shifted inside and brought her knees closer to her and pressed them against her chest and cried some more hugging her legs.
She felt scared very scared. She is going to an unknown home and going to live with strangers. Even her husband, Faizaan, she just knew his name. She leaned back and squeezed her eyes, tears flowing from her eyes.
Faizaan sat on the horse that lead a car carrying his family and palanquin carrying his newly-wedded wife, Amreen. They are followed by Band wales playing tunes of Bidaai songs.
Faizaan couldn't believe he got married, now he is a married man. He knows nothing of his wife, except her name, Amreen. He felt excited, finally he is going to see his bride tonight.
Faizaan had spent last one month thinking about her, repeating her name, and the more he thought of her the more he fell in love with her. How can someone fall in love with just the thought and name of a person? At times Faizaan laughed at his own stupidity.
Amreen quickly wiped her tears as she felt the curtain of her palanquin open. Her mother-in-law peeped in and extended her hand, 'Come out.' She said. Amreen took her hand and came out from the Palanquin.
Amreen is led into the house, she had her gaze glued to the floor. With each step, she took towards her new room, her heart beat increased. Suddenly, she felt nervous of staying with a man in one room, that too a man she has never seen.
Her cousins had said that many things happen in this night that isn't just talking. Amreen felt nervous and scared thinking about the many things.
Amreen is led into the room, her mother-in-law asked her to remove her jewelry and hand it to her the first thing next morning. Amreen didn't like the way she stared at her jewelry but she couldn't say anything.
Her sister-in-law Fouzia helped Amreen sit on the bed and bid goodbye. The door closed and everything went silent. Amreen shifted in her seat too scared to look up.
Slowly, she mustered courage and looked up, her heart rate increasing.
'Have some drink, it will calm your nerves.' Feroz offered a drink to Faizaan. Before going to the room, Faizaan is made to wait as the woman wanted to talk to Amreen and arrange everything. Faizaan politely refused his brother, he doesn't drink.
'Don't worry, Faizaan. Tonight, is the best part of being married. Relax.' Feroz winked at his brother. Faizaan smiled, 'Bhaijan, when and how you knew you fell in love with Bhabhijan?' he asked his brother.
Feroz chuckled, 'Love? Before marriage I wasn't in love, of course. After spending four years being married I am used to her, like she has become habitual. Little brother, this love and all it is good only in novels and movies. Nothing like that exists.' Feroz said sipping his drink.
Faizaan frowned, 'But I love her. I love my wife.' He said confidently.
Feroz laughed, 'Are you sure you didn't drink?' he joked.
Faizaan ignored him, no matter what his brother said he knew for sure he loved his wife, Amreen.