1/2 Hijaab Waali PART 2
"Her name was…"
He repeated slowly, his eyes closed, his face showing an unpredictable expression.
"I suppose…" He murmured, his voice low. "There will be no use of telling her name now as I can't give her a sole, single name. I'd tell you the whole story any way."
She didn't interrupt at this stage; and just sat there stunned and curious about what to come.
"But it's a long story." He told her. "I'm afraid you won't be able to hear all in just one sitting."
"Don't worry," Deeba tried to smile. "I'd come tomorrow too, if you don't mind."
Her statement made him change his gesture, he looked surprised, somewhat disturbed too.
"Don't you have any other thing to do?"
"First things first," She didn't break her smile. "I am on vacations these days."
Aariz was a constant surprise for her; just when she expected him to be furious, he was quiet. Or was this just the calm before the storm.
He uncurled himself and stood and reached near his room window. Extending his hand, he opened the glass shield. Sea-scented salty breeze began to flow inside the room quickly, and, so did those memories, which were not less salty anyway.
"Yes. It…it still feels like yesterday. It still seems like today." He whispered, like he was talking to himself.
"I'm so bad at tying knots, " He said helplessly.
"Specially of these satin ties"
"Hurry up buddy, we're about to leave." Shaheryaar's voice was urgent, as he glanced at the wall clock.
"But this damn thing will not let me leave early." He replied, frustrated, his hands doing their best to set the knot around his shirt collar.
"And only now you realized this, huh?" Shaheryaar said, turning his friend toward himself so that he could help him.
"Wait, let me help you with that." Shaheryaar reached out, and with great skill in a minute he had fixed his friend's tie up. He then stepped a feet behind to have a look at him.
"My goodness, so handsome, so fabulous. You' look wonderful!" Shaheryaar's eyes were sparkling with a real glimpse of praise for his closest friend's smartness.
He had smooth, wheatish complexion and the cloths he wore made him more attractive than ever. He was wearing dark black pants and an expensive crisp, royal blue shirt with a finely tailored black jacket and pure red tie. In his mid-twenties, he was a prime specimen of manhood, decent in the typical way of a man of the East. He was not very tall, but his height was definitely above average.
"I only hope that they're carrying some ambulances with Baaraat!" Shaheryaar gasped admiringly.
"Ambulance?" His hands suddenly left his jet black, shiny hairs, as he kept the hair brush on the mirrored table. "What for?"
"You're going to injure so many girls out there. So much beauty really hurts some times." Shaheryaar smiled and winked.
"So do you think twenty six is too early to get married?" He asked casually, ignoring Shaheryaar's remark.
" Umm, I don't think so. " He told him. "I actually believe that Daniyal has taken the right step. I mean he is established, shaped and ready. Why wait then? "
"So funny, " Shaheryaar laughed. "Actually you're not getting me, friend."
"Not getting what?"
"I meant if he's taken the right step by following his parents' suggestion blindly. I mean it would be purely an arranged kind of marriage. They didn't even meet before." He threw a critical glance at himself in the mirror.
"So what? That happens everyday in our society." Shaheryaar commented.
"But happening everyday doesn't justify it." He grinned sarcastically, and turned toward mirror once again to spray the rich 'eternity' on his expensive, well-cut suit.
"I think that's the best way of preserving your roots and family values and to keep everyone happy." Shaheryaar placed his hands behind his nap and looked at him.
"Others' happiness" One of his eyebrows rose up. "Even if you have to kill your own happiness for that?"
"That's my motto." Shaheryaar smiled. "Live for others. One should not be so selfish that, in the end, he might find himself all alone and lonely."
"I don't agree." He picked up the keys from his table and motioned him to stand up.
"Do others live for us?" He asked harshly. "I can't even imagine myself spending life with someone who won't match my mind and heart."
"That certainly needs understanding." Shaheryaar said, as he followed him toward the main gate of his big house.
"Yeah, and understanding comes with meetings and gatherings. You have to pass time with each other to develop some understanding."
He had never met a woman he couldn't live without, and he wasn't going to settle for less. One day he would probably marry, but she had to be right; he was looking for a special woman, a very special woman, and he hadn't found her yet.
As they climbed into their car, Aariz put it into a fast speed. They didn't have much time.
Once on the main road, he took a long breath and put a quick glance on the passenger seat on which Shaheryaar sat, smiling continuously.
"Anything funny?" He raised his brows.
"Not really." Shaheryaar sighed, I was just remembering some marriage jokes. Those funny things always come to my mind automatically whenever I attend some wedding."
"Mind telling me some of those?" He asked with pure interest.
"Sure, why not." Shaheryaar chuckled.
"They say, marriage is a three-ring circle: Engagement ring, Wedding ring and 'Suffering'."
He smiled wonderfully as Shaheryaar finished his sentence.
"Very well." He appreciated.
"And like." Shaheryaar continued. "When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing. Either the car is new or the wife is…"
This time he couldn't stop the natural laughter.
"Do you know what does it take to be happy with your wife?"
"You tell me." He gazed at him, grinning.
"Well," Shaheryaar smiled back. "To be happy with a husband, you must understand him a lot and love him a little, but to be happy with a wife, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all."
"Haha." He was truly enjoying what Shaheryaar was saying.
"I'd never understand one thing." Shaheryaar said, now a little more serious.
"And what's that?" He inquired, turning the steering wheel to the right.
"Why the married men live longer than single men?"
In answer he laughed softly and said. " But didn't you realize that married men are a lot more willing to die?"
"Well said." Shaheryaar smiled and then asked.
"Waisey, what do you think, what are the qualities of a good husband?"
"Umm," He thought for a second then replied, "I think he should be an archeologist."
"An archeologist?"
"Yeah, an archeologist is the best husband a woman can have; the older she gets, the more interested he is in her."
This time, Shaheryaar's laughter was louder than ever.
And then, they both remained silent for few moments, perhaps gathering their nerves again.
"Does marriage change one's life?" His question was sudden and spontaneous.
Shahreyaar turned his face toward him, wondering what had made him ask this question, totally out of the topic.
"Well yes. It does." Shaheryaar told him.
"How much?" He asked again.
"Depends."
"On what?"
"On circumstances, natures, characters and… on your fate." Shaheryaar said soberly.
Surprisingly, he didn't ask another question then. There was a silence of few moments then.
"Sometimes I really wonder," He said, breaking the silence. "That who would be my life partner? How would she look like and how would she behave and all that…"
"That's natural." Shaheryaar said philosophically. "Everyone of us does that. Ofcourse it's the question of your whole life."
"But it's not just that." He argued. "I think even more."
"Like what?"
"Like I am twenty six now, and how long will it take me to get married finally."
"I think I'd have to talk to your mother about that now." Shaheryaar suggested naughtily.
"Come on Shaheryaar. You know very well that I don't believe in arranged marriages. It's a waste of your life, a big gamble."
"So you're waiting for the moment when you fall in love with someone, right?" Shaheryaar asked.
"From the present scenario, it looks like that it will never happen." He sighed. "Never met the princess of my dreams, didn't even see her any where."
"Okay, what about a bet then?" Shaheryaar challenged, smiling.
"Bet for what? "
"You're gonna fall in love tonight "
"Aha. Funny, isn't it?" He laughed,
"Trust me, you will."
"Right, and with whom?" He smiled sarcastically.
"With the girl who won't smile at you."
"Just what the heck does that mean?" He cut in sharply, having no idea of what his friend was talking about.
"I've seen many girls giving you a typical 'Take-me' smile. But this girl will be different. She will be proud, not rude though. " Shaheryaar told him dreamily.
"Know what? You can write some good romances." He criticized his imagination. "It doesn't happen even in movies now."
"Yes, but it does happen in real life sometimes." Shaheryaar was very much determined.
And from his serious expression at that moment, even 'he' couldn't guess whether he was really serious or was just having fun.
Dr.Shahper's house was in Gulshan, a few miles away from his own in Clifton. He was Shaheryaar's favorite uncle, youngest brother of his father. It was surprising even for himself that, at times, he felt more close to sixty-year-old Shahper uncle than he did with his son, his cousin, Daniyal who was twenty-six.
He slowed the car as they approached their destination. Swinging off the main road, the black Honda accord rolled past the long row of pine trees to stop in front of the huge building, which was completely drowned in sparkling lights and bulbs at the moment.
With the gear shifted to park, he switched off the ignition key and opened the door for Shaheryaar.
The house itself was large, a duplex, and was tastefully decorated with all the necessary wedding items.
Big colorful bulbs hung from the walls, setting off galleries and room with shades and glows of bright color.
Moments later he and Shaheryaar entered the spacious two-storied house. It was a beautiful place with polished oak floors and beamed ceilings. They noticed that the interior of the house was equally sparkling. Everything was arranged in a neat and well-styled manner supported by heavy beautiful, colored bulbs and glamorous electric fancy lights. The furniture was modern and elegant and was organized on the grass lawn in an elegant way to accommodate all the guests. The whole place was crowded with people.
There were girls already present on the reception, lining up together to welcome the guests with the beautiful flower vases and bouquet in their hands.
As they neared the reception area, the tantalizing aroma of different fragrances of male and female perfumes greeted them, mixed with delicious smells emitting from several wedding dishes.
While passing through the main reception gate, they stopped for a while for introduction and exchange of greetings. As he paused in front of the group of young girls and bent his head to take the large rose chaplet in his neck, he heard a musical feminine laughter nearby. His lifted her gaze to inspect her as his glance touched the person who was offering him the chaplet.
His eyes blazed into hers as her forearms circled his neck to set the chaplet properly.
Shaheryaar gave her a warm smile and paused in front of her to introduce her him.
"Meet my best friend," Smiling, Shaheryaar introduced him to her. "Aariz Ali from Karachi "
"And Aariz…This is Komal from London." Shaheryaar introduced. "She is Daniyal's cousin."
to be continued.......
"Her name was…"
He repeated slowly, his eyes closed, his face showing an unpredictable expression.
"I suppose…" He murmured, his voice low. "There will be no use of telling her name now as I can't give her a sole, single name. I'd tell you the whole story any way."
She didn't interrupt at this stage; and just sat there stunned and curious about what to come.
"But it's a long story." He told her. "I'm afraid you won't be able to hear all in just one sitting."
"Don't worry," Deeba tried to smile. "I'd come tomorrow too, if you don't mind."
Her statement made him change his gesture, he looked surprised, somewhat disturbed too.
"Don't you have any other thing to do?"
"First things first," She didn't break her smile. "I am on vacations these days."
Aariz was a constant surprise for her; just when she expected him to be furious, he was quiet. Or was this just the calm before the storm.
He uncurled himself and stood and reached near his room window. Extending his hand, he opened the glass shield. Sea-scented salty breeze began to flow inside the room quickly, and, so did those memories, which were not less salty anyway.
"Yes. It…it still feels like yesterday. It still seems like today." He whispered, like he was talking to himself.
"I'm so bad at tying knots, " He said helplessly.
"Specially of these satin ties"
"Hurry up buddy, we're about to leave." Shaheryaar's voice was urgent, as he glanced at the wall clock.
"But this damn thing will not let me leave early." He replied, frustrated, his hands doing their best to set the knot around his shirt collar.
"And only now you realized this, huh?" Shaheryaar said, turning his friend toward himself so that he could help him.
"Wait, let me help you with that." Shaheryaar reached out, and with great skill in a minute he had fixed his friend's tie up. He then stepped a feet behind to have a look at him.
"My goodness, so handsome, so fabulous. You' look wonderful!" Shaheryaar's eyes were sparkling with a real glimpse of praise for his closest friend's smartness.
He had smooth, wheatish complexion and the cloths he wore made him more attractive than ever. He was wearing dark black pants and an expensive crisp, royal blue shirt with a finely tailored black jacket and pure red tie. In his mid-twenties, he was a prime specimen of manhood, decent in the typical way of a man of the East. He was not very tall, but his height was definitely above average.
"I only hope that they're carrying some ambulances with Baaraat!" Shaheryaar gasped admiringly.
"Ambulance?" His hands suddenly left his jet black, shiny hairs, as he kept the hair brush on the mirrored table. "What for?"
"You're going to injure so many girls out there. So much beauty really hurts some times." Shaheryaar smiled and winked.
"So do you think twenty six is too early to get married?" He asked casually, ignoring Shaheryaar's remark.
" Umm, I don't think so. " He told him. "I actually believe that Daniyal has taken the right step. I mean he is established, shaped and ready. Why wait then? "
"So funny, " Shaheryaar laughed. "Actually you're not getting me, friend."
"Not getting what?"
"I meant if he's taken the right step by following his parents' suggestion blindly. I mean it would be purely an arranged kind of marriage. They didn't even meet before." He threw a critical glance at himself in the mirror.
"So what? That happens everyday in our society." Shaheryaar commented.
"But happening everyday doesn't justify it." He grinned sarcastically, and turned toward mirror once again to spray the rich 'eternity' on his expensive, well-cut suit.
"I think that's the best way of preserving your roots and family values and to keep everyone happy." Shaheryaar placed his hands behind his nap and looked at him.
"Others' happiness" One of his eyebrows rose up. "Even if you have to kill your own happiness for that?"
"That's my motto." Shaheryaar smiled. "Live for others. One should not be so selfish that, in the end, he might find himself all alone and lonely."
"I don't agree." He picked up the keys from his table and motioned him to stand up.
"Do others live for us?" He asked harshly. "I can't even imagine myself spending life with someone who won't match my mind and heart."
"That certainly needs understanding." Shaheryaar said, as he followed him toward the main gate of his big house.
"Yeah, and understanding comes with meetings and gatherings. You have to pass time with each other to develop some understanding."
He had never met a woman he couldn't live without, and he wasn't going to settle for less. One day he would probably marry, but she had to be right; he was looking for a special woman, a very special woman, and he hadn't found her yet.
As they climbed into their car, Aariz put it into a fast speed. They didn't have much time.
Once on the main road, he took a long breath and put a quick glance on the passenger seat on which Shaheryaar sat, smiling continuously.
"Anything funny?" He raised his brows.
"Not really." Shaheryaar sighed, I was just remembering some marriage jokes. Those funny things always come to my mind automatically whenever I attend some wedding."
"Mind telling me some of those?" He asked with pure interest.
"Sure, why not." Shaheryaar chuckled.
"They say, marriage is a three-ring circle: Engagement ring, Wedding ring and 'Suffering'."
He smiled wonderfully as Shaheryaar finished his sentence.
"Very well." He appreciated.
"And like." Shaheryaar continued. "When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing. Either the car is new or the wife is…"
This time he couldn't stop the natural laughter.
"Do you know what does it take to be happy with your wife?"
"You tell me." He gazed at him, grinning.
"Well," Shaheryaar smiled back. "To be happy with a husband, you must understand him a lot and love him a little, but to be happy with a wife, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all."
"Haha." He was truly enjoying what Shaheryaar was saying.
"I'd never understand one thing." Shaheryaar said, now a little more serious.
"And what's that?" He inquired, turning the steering wheel to the right.
"Why the married men live longer than single men?"
In answer he laughed softly and said. " But didn't you realize that married men are a lot more willing to die?"
"Well said." Shaheryaar smiled and then asked.
"Waisey, what do you think, what are the qualities of a good husband?"
"Umm," He thought for a second then replied, "I think he should be an archeologist."
"An archeologist?"
"Yeah, an archeologist is the best husband a woman can have; the older she gets, the more interested he is in her."
This time, Shaheryaar's laughter was louder than ever.
And then, they both remained silent for few moments, perhaps gathering their nerves again.
"Does marriage change one's life?" His question was sudden and spontaneous.
Shahreyaar turned his face toward him, wondering what had made him ask this question, totally out of the topic.
"Well yes. It does." Shaheryaar told him.
"How much?" He asked again.
"Depends."
"On what?"
"On circumstances, natures, characters and… on your fate." Shaheryaar said soberly.
Surprisingly, he didn't ask another question then. There was a silence of few moments then.
"Sometimes I really wonder," He said, breaking the silence. "That who would be my life partner? How would she look like and how would she behave and all that…"
"That's natural." Shaheryaar said philosophically. "Everyone of us does that. Ofcourse it's the question of your whole life."
"But it's not just that." He argued. "I think even more."
"Like what?"
"Like I am twenty six now, and how long will it take me to get married finally."
"I think I'd have to talk to your mother about that now." Shaheryaar suggested naughtily.
"Come on Shaheryaar. You know very well that I don't believe in arranged marriages. It's a waste of your life, a big gamble."
"So you're waiting for the moment when you fall in love with someone, right?" Shaheryaar asked.
"From the present scenario, it looks like that it will never happen." He sighed. "Never met the princess of my dreams, didn't even see her any where."
"Okay, what about a bet then?" Shaheryaar challenged, smiling.
"Bet for what? "
"You're gonna fall in love tonight "
"Aha. Funny, isn't it?" He laughed,
"Trust me, you will."
"Right, and with whom?" He smiled sarcastically.
"With the girl who won't smile at you."
"Just what the heck does that mean?" He cut in sharply, having no idea of what his friend was talking about.
"I've seen many girls giving you a typical 'Take-me' smile. But this girl will be different. She will be proud, not rude though. " Shaheryaar told him dreamily.
"Know what? You can write some good romances." He criticized his imagination. "It doesn't happen even in movies now."
"Yes, but it does happen in real life sometimes." Shaheryaar was very much determined.
And from his serious expression at that moment, even 'he' couldn't guess whether he was really serious or was just having fun.
Dr.Shahper's house was in Gulshan, a few miles away from his own in Clifton. He was Shaheryaar's favorite uncle, youngest brother of his father. It was surprising even for himself that, at times, he felt more close to sixty-year-old Shahper uncle than he did with his son, his cousin, Daniyal who was twenty-six.
He slowed the car as they approached their destination. Swinging off the main road, the black Honda accord rolled past the long row of pine trees to stop in front of the huge building, which was completely drowned in sparkling lights and bulbs at the moment.
With the gear shifted to park, he switched off the ignition key and opened the door for Shaheryaar.
The house itself was large, a duplex, and was tastefully decorated with all the necessary wedding items.
Big colorful bulbs hung from the walls, setting off galleries and room with shades and glows of bright color.
Moments later he and Shaheryaar entered the spacious two-storied house. It was a beautiful place with polished oak floors and beamed ceilings. They noticed that the interior of the house was equally sparkling. Everything was arranged in a neat and well-styled manner supported by heavy beautiful, colored bulbs and glamorous electric fancy lights. The furniture was modern and elegant and was organized on the grass lawn in an elegant way to accommodate all the guests. The whole place was crowded with people.
There were girls already present on the reception, lining up together to welcome the guests with the beautiful flower vases and bouquet in their hands.
As they neared the reception area, the tantalizing aroma of different fragrances of male and female perfumes greeted them, mixed with delicious smells emitting from several wedding dishes.
While passing through the main reception gate, they stopped for a while for introduction and exchange of greetings. As he paused in front of the group of young girls and bent his head to take the large rose chaplet in his neck, he heard a musical feminine laughter nearby. His lifted her gaze to inspect her as his glance touched the person who was offering him the chaplet.
His eyes blazed into hers as her forearms circled his neck to set the chaplet properly.
Shaheryaar gave her a warm smile and paused in front of her to introduce her him.
"Meet my best friend," Smiling, Shaheryaar introduced him to her. "Aariz Ali from Karachi "
"And Aariz…This is Komal from London." Shaheryaar introduced. "She is Daniyal's cousin."
to be continued.......
