Puranay Rastay ✓

chapter ‣ 3

"I don't get why she's so...standoffish? I thought she liked me," I wondered out loud as Sara and I sat in the university cafe.

After the initial meeting with the Chaudharys, they visited me and my family a second time to talk over other matters, this time without Hina Aunty present. They had discussed family values, expectations, and then finally agreed to the marriage.

Their visit last week, which was the third time they came over, was to confirm the dates for the wedding. It was scheduled to be in the third week of December, merely two months away.

"It's probably because she doesn't know you yet," Sara theorized.

"I don't know her either. I don't even know her son, the guy I'm going to spend the rest of my life with."

Sara shrugged before leaning forward with a smug grin. "Maybe she's scared. Aqib's been rejecting marriage for years, and now that he suddenly likes someone, maybe she feels threatened." She wiggled her eyebrows, teasing me.

"Don't create problems between me and my sasuma already." (mother-in-law)

"Let her be," Sara advised, stealing a french fry from my plate. "Aqib's her only son, she's going to behave like that naturally."

"Of course, I never said I want to be best friends with her." I chewed a french fry, staring into the distance and recalling Aunty's recent visit.

When Abu had been with Uncle, and Ami in the kitchen, Aunty had tried to make conversation with me. She started out with a genuine attempt to get to know me better, but as our discussion proceeded, I could feel her growing more and more uninterested, as if I wasn't giving her the right answers.

"What do you like doing in your free time?" she asked.

"I keep my routine busy, so there isn't much free time. But other than university stuff, I attend a dars in the evening, read science fiction, or walk on the roof."

"What about friends?"

"I have friends! Sara being one of them. But since I don't drive and Khaled can't drive me around all the time, we keep our meetings limited to the campus."

"Why don't you drive? It's almost a necessity nowadays."

"I don't know, it looks hard, y'know?" I shrugged, grinning.

"A lot of things are hard in the beginning. I would advise you to reflect over it."

"I'll think about it, but I don't know, honestly."

I dipped a fry in ketchup now before putting it in my mouth.

"Is Aqib like his mom or his dad?"

"In looks? Neither, but in personality, both. Like Uncle, he's warm. And like Auntie, he's stubborn. Once he commits to something, he doesn't budge. I remember how big of a fit Auntie threw when he got a job in the US, but he paid no heed and went anyway."

"So he's disobedient?"

"Not exactly," Sara said thoughtfully.

I chewed my lunch slowly, taking in all the details of my future husband. "How well do you know him, Sara?"

"Not enough for you to be jealous," she assured me. Leaning forward, she took my hands into her own and said, "There's nothing to worry about. It's going to go really well!"

"I hope so."

Ever since the wedding date had been decided, I had been counting down the days, both in excitement as well as in fear. It felt good knowing that I would have a companion soon, someone who loved me, yet at the same time there were many unknowns I was scared of facing.