No Looking Back

Chapter 6

Faiz's POV:

A month goes by quicker than anyone in my family expected, and before we know it, we're all getting ready for a wedding.

As I adjust my tie, I hear a knock at my door.

"Come in," I say, still trying to get the damn tie adjusted.

My mother walks in, looking stunning as always. She's wearing a long-sleeve silk dress with red and orange tones. She also has on a black headscarf, and some fashionable black heels.

She looks me up and down and smiles lovingly.

"You look very handsome Faiz, beta," She says approvingly, adjusting my tie, making it straight and perfect with ease.

I grin, looking back at my mirror, and pull on my coat. I was wearing a black, three-piece tuxedo.

"Was there something you needed Mama?" I ask, straightening out my jacket, eyeing my mother in my mirror.

"Yes, I was going to tell you that Auntie and I have already gotten ready and now Reyna and Layla are getting their make-up done. The men are downstairs drinking chai. Just thought you should know that we'll be leaving in about an hour."

She says, coming over behind me and holding my shoulders with her hand.

"I should also probably tell you that while we're there at the wedding, I'll be looking around for suitable girls for you." She says, laughing at my horrified reaction.

I groan, "Mama, you really don't have to do that."

She tsk's, a scowl forming on her face, "Oh, yes I do! We've been telling you so many times, 'Faiz, It's time to get a wife', 'Faiz, you must get a wife before you turn 25, otherwise we will choose', 'Faiz, Faiz, Faiz', Leykon do you listen to us? No." She says, hands on her hips. It would've been very amusing if it weren't for the topic of choice.

"I'm not even 25 yet!" I say, running a hand through my hair, trying to rebuttal.

"You will be in 2 weeks, beta! And what will our family in Pakistan think? That we're so fortunate but we can't even find a suitable wife for our son?"

She shakes her head, "What will Houston think? That our son is not even listening to his parents? Allah na karay that they start speculating our son isn't even interested in girls at all, Astaghfirullah," She lectures, which makes me laugh.

"Mama, I am very much interested in girls, but I'm just not interested in the idea of marriage," I say, trying to calm my hysterical mother down, "But if it puts you at ease, then you may only look for girls, not come up to mothers and giving them my rishta, ok?" I say, rolling my eyes playfully.

She starts shaking her head again.

"I guess that will be enough for now," she says, sighing and looking like this conversation wore her out.

Her lips turn up into a soft smile, the scowl is long gone.

"Oh, I feel like it was just yesterday that you were a little baby, small and fragile, and I was crying whenever I looked into your eyes," she sighs, looking more motherly at the moment.

I chuckle, "Well Mama, as you can see, I no more have the appearance of a baby boy," I say, smirking.

She squints, standing a bit back as if to study me, "No, beta, you still seem like a child to me."

But before I can respond, Yusuf opens the door.

His eyes widen as he looks back outside the door to look around the hallway as if to just realize he stepped into my room.