There was music and dancing in the courtyard that belonged to Mr. Bhaktiyar Khan. Mr. Baktiyar Khan and his dear wife Mrs. Saba Khan had organized the Mehendi celebration for their eldest daughter, Ms. Zainab Khan. Mr. Baktiyar was a lawyer by profession in a small town near Bhopal while his wife Mrs. Saba was a homemaker. The entire town was invited to the function as Mr. Baktiyar was famous, respected, and loved by everyone.
Mrs. Saba couldn’t curtail her excitement for Zainab; she came into their lives like a ray of hope. Baktiyar and she had difficulty starting their family and like all childless couples she ran to every pillar and post, every hospital and dargah as the relatives had started to talk. But there were only failures. God works always in ways that you least expect. It was one morning as usual she had gone to a dargah to offer her prayers after Baktiyar had left for work and on her way back she heard a baby cry from the dustbin near the dargah. Someone had thrown a neonate with her umbilical cord attached. By the look of it, she could tell that the baby was just a few hours old. Saba’s maternal instinct got the better of her and she grabbed the baby and ran to the hospital. The baby had developed skin and eye infections, but with time they both healed as Saba was there to care for her.
Baktiyar was skeptical at first but as the baby achieved her milestones, his fatherly love started to grow for the baby. Then baby Zainab found her parents rather than they had found her. She was legally adopted, and she was the shining light that they both were crying for. Saba conceived twice to have Meher and Salim but Zainab was always very dear to her heart. For she was the answer to her prayers.
Zainab wanted to be a lawyer like her father so she went to study law in Bhopal that’s when she stumbled upon Dr. Zulfikar and one thing led to another and she was going to be betrothed to him soon. Baktiyar was proud as Zainab had graduated in law and his son-in-law was a doctor, and he knew that his little princes would be cared for and loved always as he had.
“Wow! Masha Allah! Asma, the mehendi is just so awesome, but where will you hide Zulfikar’s name?” asked Saba. “I will write on the back of the hands. Let us see if Doctor Sahib will find it.” Said Asma. Zainab chucked. “Naughty! Please eat food and go I will ask Salim to drop you off, don’t go alone at night. Ok!” saying so Saba placed her hands lovingly on Asma’s head, and she moved out to entertain other guests. “Let us meet in Bhopal, when is your marriage Asma?” asked Zainab. To which Asma replied in a shy manner, “Two weeks later.” “Sorry babe I will be on my honeymoon, but I will catch up with you once you settle in,” said Zainab.
Asma and Zainab had studied together in the same town school. But Zainab had fortunately better privileges than Asma. Zainab went to study Law while she did her beautician’s course but she had not given up hope. For she had built herself a reputation as she had toiled day and night and now was self-made, she took care of all the expenses of her house, and above all, as her younger brother was not interested in studies, she started a grocery store with a loan and her savings. All she cared that her family’s expenses would be met, and her parents would be well cared for, as she had for them before marriage. Asma was to marry Farzan who owned a small garage in Bhopal and after marriage, she would move to Bhopal, but she was at peace as she had taken care of everything and this was the last booking, thereafter she would take a break as she hadn’t taken this long break in 7 years. She wanted her marriage to be intimate but wanted the Walima to be grand but with the loan for the store, she limited it to close friends and family.
“Salim! I want you to drop Asma Aapa this very instance. Mom has promised her, and if you don’t move your ass now you will not have one.” Said Meher. Saba had entrusted this errand to her daughter, as all the ladies had finished putting mehendi and Asma had eaten food and was waiting to be dropped home as promised. Salim was catching up on gossip with his friends as he was studying now in Bhopal along with Meher, at his maternal uncle’s house, as Meher was doing her software engineering so he had to be her chauffeur while he was in junior college.
“Bye Guys! I have to go. We will meet tomorrow at the cafe.” Said Salim, and his friends waved back at him, as he put the keys in the bike and drove towards his house gate only to be bowled and struck with awe. Asma was standing there with Meher. She was dressed in a purple salwar kameez and a golden dupatta, her hair was straight and silky and was flying in the air. Her eyes were pretty and black and she had an angelic smile and grace gleamed from her presence. Her skin was shining in the moonlight and her face had no blemishes and Salim was head over heels in love or whatever you can say with what he saw. It was his hormones or his fantasy he could not tell but his eyes suddenly widened and his eyes met hers.
“There you are! Bye, Appa! See you soon for the Walima. Thank you for coming, and Salim drive slow and safely.” Saying so Meher walked back into the house and Asma sat on Salim’s bike. Salim could feel his heartbeat fast, he was smiling to himself he felt so lucky, he adjusted his bike mirror so he could see her face. Asma was oblivious and lost in her world. “Comfortable? Shall I drive?” asked Salim. “Yes! Please.” Asma replied. Salim was slow and steady he didn’t want the ride to end, he wanted his life to have a beautiful wife like Asma in it, and he was on cloud nine. Asma asked him, “Do you know Sameer?” “Yes! He is Meher appa's batchmate in school, my senior.” Salim replied. “He is my brother,” said Asma. “I did not know.” Replied Salim. “What do you do now?” asked Salim. “Salim, I think you missed my lane. You should turn around as that would be a longer route from where you are headed.” Asma was anxious. “Fine, I will turn around.” Saying so unwillingly Salim turned around because he sensed her anxiety. In a few minutes they were at her entrance it was a small brick house with a tin sheet having a small courtyard. But there were few guests at her home. Asma thanked him and went in. Seeing Salim at the gate her brother came out to greet and thank him. Salim was shattered to know that Asma was to get married in a fortnight, he couldn’t bear the ache that gripped him and left for his home soon after.
“Wow, the pictures have come out great what do you think?” Meher was asking her mother Saba as they were checking all the wedding photographs of Zainab. Meher and Salim were back home for the weekend Asma’s wedding was around the corner. Zainab, Saba, and Baktiyar had decided to help Asma’s parents financially as they both knew that they would need it. Salim lay on his bed in the room and cried his heart out as there was nothing he could do to stop her wedding nor could he attend it. Mr. Baktiyar, Saba, and Meher attended the small gathering.
Three years had passed, and Meher had graduated in software engineering. Dr. Zulfikar had found a match it was one of his cousins, Ishfaq from Mumbai who was a civil engineer and he had spotted Meher in Zainab’s house. The elders in the family had no objections and so they agreed upon the union. Meher was all happy for the wrong reasons as Mumbai was a dream she wouldn’t let go of at any cost. She could work out a transfer or take up a new company altogether. So, it was time that another wedding was knocking at Bakhtiyar’s house.
“Ouch! It’s paining Jijaji”, winced Asma as she was being examined by Dr Zulfikar. She was 5 months pregnant and this time all black and blue. Her husband came home and showed his manliness by hitting her. The more he had financial crises the more she would be broken. Farzan had incurred a lot of financial losses and now he had to work in someone else’s garage while Asma ran the whole show and her mother-in-law blamed her for their struggles. She always started petty issues and Farzan lost his cool as he would hit her with whatever he got. While her mother-in-law would have a meal and peacefully sleep.
“This has to stop. Or you may lose your baby. Why don’t you plan to file a domestic violence case, I will ask Zainab to help you,” said Dr Zulfikar. Asma always wanted her marriage to work and since she was pregnant she wanted her child to have a father however he would be. Dr Zulfikar prescribed medication and reminded her that if anything she needed they were there for her. Asma was happy to hear about Meher’s wedding. But she would not be able to attend it for her reasons.
“Hello! Zainab can you come to pick me up?” asked Asma. “It is midnight, is everything alright?” asked Zainab. “I am not, I lost my baby, and I am in the district government hospital. Please can you come I don’t have any money to pay for the bills.” Asma was mumbling between her sobs. Zainab with her husband rushed to the hospital to find her alone. Farzan had given her Talaq as he wanted to marry another and she was asked to leave with the Maher and few clothes. While she was on the road she lost her baby and fainted. The passerby got her admitted and left. They discharged her and took her home. Zainab and her husband took her under their care. And in six weeks she recovered. Asma was not interested in avenging the wrong done nor she wanted legal help. She wanted to put her past behind her and take each day as it came. She was silently grieving and at the same time, she did all the work of the house for Zainab. She cooked, cleaned took care of Obaid Zainab’s son.
“She needs to stand on her feet again. If I was in her place, I would have filed a case” Said Saba. Saba and Meher were in Bhopal for the wedding trousseau shopping. “For now, she looks happy. Obaid loves her. I am so relieved.” Said Zainab but she was interrupted by Saba who said, “You cannot lose her soul for your selfish needs. She needs to stand up and get back to work. Maybe, even find love or a partner. Let’s ask her to take care of the bridal package for Meher. She is good at her job, maybe work will be a distraction and maybe her hands would work the magic that she needs.”
“Masha Allah! Asma, thank you. Meher is looking great. “Saba was so emotional seeing her daughter as a bride. Asma was back in town, and people spoke about her loss for a few days, pitied her and then it all turned cold. Soon her bridal bookings and work started. Asma was back with a bounce. Everyone praised her. Asma walked out and took a stroll in the adjacent lane as the crowd suffocated her and solitude was a blessing in disguise. People always remember the ugly past and they remind you of the pain that you want to forget. Asma was in no mood to be pitied today.
As she turned she bumped into Salim. He was carrying the gifts to be loaded onto the bus. The newly married couple and their guests were to leave for Bhopal and then the couple after a few days of stay would fly to their new home in Mumbai. Salim was shocked to see Asma, she had put on a little weight, but she had tied her hair in a ponytail. She had not worn makeup and her eyes looked sad. Even after this his heart still raced for her once again. He had learned about her past, he even wanted to reach out to her but he was afraid as she should not misunderstand his love. “I am sorry” saying Asma helped him with the gifts. “No, I am sorry I thought no one would be in this lane and so I carried more than I could.” Said Salim and he was up and about ready to load the wedding presents on the bus. “I hope nothing has broken, otherwise the weight she throws around me because she is big, Appa will surely wring my neck, Asma.” Said Salim. “Where are your manners city boy? Don’t call me by my name. Address me as Appa I am as old as your eldest sister.” Said Asma. “I won’t I will always address you as Asma.” Asma was shocked. He was ten years younger than her and he thought her to be his equal. She pulled his ears but he only winced in pain but never said the word Appa. Before she could say anything, Salim in the darkness reached out for Asma’s hand. He confessed his love for her and his desire to marry her. Asma was in shock she could never betray the family that stood like a rock in her times of need. She told him to leave her alone. But he didn’t budge. So, she walked away from him despite him following her she asked him to leave her alone. So, he stood there in the middle of the road once again defeated by fate as she left him there.
“Asma left the town in the night. She has told us not to worry and once she settles in she will write to us,” said Zainab. Saba and all at home were shocked by her sudden change of plans. Her brother told her that she was going to stay with her maternal uncle for a few days as she was planning on getting married again. Salim felt the pinch again, only this time more than before as she considered him a kid and was not trying to see reason or his love. He felt bitter from within and decided to leave home and continue his post-graduate studies the thought that she would marry another could not be bearable.
“This is the last and final call for passenger Dr Salim Khan traveling by Air India IA 636 from Indore to Mumbai please proceed to gate no 3 to board the aircraft. Thank you.” The announcer was frantically calling for passenger Dr Salim Khan. Seven years had passed, but above all the places he had found Asma at the airport in Indore. She had vanished from his life and above all the life of all her loved ones. Her parents died she never came, her brother married she never came. Mr. Baktiyar and Saba passed she never came. There she was standing in front of Salim, she was showing signs of greying as she had a few grey strands, and she was wearing spectacles probably because her vision had gone weak. She had put on weight but despite all this Salim's heart always raced for her like it always did. Tears were flowing from both their eyes. The joy knew no bounds for Salim. They hugged each other amidst all the passengers and the commotion that was going on.
“How are you?” asked Asma. “It’s been hard but nothing that I couldn’t take.” Replied Salim. He continued, “I guess you have time for some tea do you Asma?” asked Salim. Asma smiled and said, “Appa, Salim, Appa.” “Whatever you name our relationship, that doesn’t change my love for you. I loved you then, I loved you now and I will always love you, I haven’t married yet, and I won’t, because I only thought about you from the time I could think of anyone. I know you have been meeting Zainab lately. She has told me everything. You know I even told my mother that I loved only you. God knows she would be happy to know that you would say yes to me.” Asma was in tears and said, “You don’t deserve me.” Salim continued, “Who are you to decide for me? It is purely my choice, if you do not love me that’s your choice. Please don’t reject me just because I am younger, you deserve to be happy and I want to make you happy, breathe, and enjoy life. One failed marriage doesn’t define you. You are much better than you think.” Asma broke down crying, he helped her to a nearby seat, got water, and gave her to drink, he wiped her tears and said, “Just give me one chance that’s all I am asking from you.” Asma said, “I am old, I may not be able to give you a child. Some day you may want your own, then? Salim replied, “I am a Gynecologist, you leave that to me.”
“They are both very beautiful,” said the nurse. “I know! He looks just like his father and she is like her grandmother.” Said Mrs. Asma Khan. Today was a new day, she was a mother at 43 years of age. The IVF worked for them, after four failed attempts as Asma didn’t want to opt for surrogacy. Salim had kept his word, they had gotten married, three months after the airport fiasco, today all were with them to cheer the new mom, Zainab with her children Obaid and Shama, Meher, and her son Junaid. Salim would come in the break and play with his children and go. She said yes, to a new life to a new beginning and she enjoyed every bit with him as he kept his promises well.