Our Paths That Crossed

5:

-Romessa-
3 days left until the Nikkah, and saying I am anxious is an understatement. Everyone is getting ready for the nikkah. It'll be done at home, and apparently, only a few guests will come.

Haadir had asked about Mama, but Baba said she won't be coming. This isn't right, she can't let me get married, she promised me she'll get me married when I'm ready.. I'm not ready yet.

My phone rang. When I picked up the phone, it was my khala calling. "Hello, Aslam Fatima khala, finally you called back." "Walikum slam my beta, I was calling you for a while, but you weren't picking up" "But khala my phone was here the whole time" "beta tell me what happened, everything okay over there"

"No, khala, nothing is alright, Baba is getting me married to Danish bhai, and Mama isn't here. How is mama", "beta, now listen to me carefully, since your mama came here, she's been in the hospital, she hasn't told us anything except that she misses you guys and we need to save you and your siblings from your baba's family. We came to your house a few times but no one opened the door."

"Yea khala, we aren't outside often, too." "When is the nikkah?". "In three days, khala, please help us, I don't want to stay here."

"Um, Romessa beta, I have a plan, but it's kinda risky and you could get in trouble but it's the only way" khala spent the next hour telling me what I could do, and to me it was a plan that made so much sense and would save me and my siblings. I had to be reckless and fearless now.

The plan was for me and my siblings to be ready for tomorrow and the moment we would get a chance to escape, we do, there will be a car waiting for us outside and then we'll be at my Ami's place.

I had packed everything up already and told Haadir the plan, then Haadir briefly told the plan to Ameerah and Ayesha. I had to get our passports and belongings from my dad's room.

They were easy, since I had to scan all our passports, I used this excuse to take our things back. I packed all of my things and packed it into the bag.

Khala and I had talked and planned for a car to stop outside the house around 2 o clock. Khala's nephew was the who was going to pick us up, and he said we would have to move fast.

Tomorrow's the big day. Either tomorrow, I survive, or I am bonded to something for life that I don't want.

Next day-
- Shehryar -
It was a unusual Wednesday, I was working from home today, since my Wednesday schedules are either full or empty, today's was empty thankfully, and this was perfect, I could finish up my work and chill for the rest of the day.

It was one o clock now, I had finished praying Zohar when my phone was ringing.

It was my friend Mahid. We both had spent time whenever I was in Pakistan. He was my only friend. I stayed in contact even until now.

"Hey Mahid, everything alright ? Everything alright at work?" I asked. He normally never called me on Wednesdays because where I have no work, he has plenty. "Hey Shehryar, man, I need a big favor."

"Sure , what's up?" "Listen before, this is kinda stupid but you have to do it, I was going to do it, but I'm kinda stuck in a situation now" "Mahid just say it already" "okay, so I need you pick some people up for me"

"Mahid that isn't that hard to say, sure I'll do it just text me the address" "Shehryar you need to understand a few things though, it's a girl and her younger siblings and you need to pick her up from her dad's house" okay I'm getting skeptical now

"Mahid, what is wrong?" "The thing is, Shehryar, the girl and her siblings are getting away from her dad's family and trying to come to her mom's house. They're not from here, so we needed someone we could trust to pick them up. I would go, but I'm stuck. Their dad doesn't know they're leaving."