In The Pursuit Of Love

Beautiful Sacrifices

'Sabr isn't easy..Sabr is tears, sabr is feeling alone, sabr is swallowing insults, sabr is smiles covering tears, sabr is crying for the response of Allah.'

"Behold, I am near!" (2:186)

"I will marry Rudra"

Her words had knocked everyone out of their breaths. She didn't dare look up at the possible disbelief written across the faces of her family. Her family was her support and even at such a point of time they didn't succumb to the pressure of the society and were standing with her, trying with all of their might not to let her go through any injustice.

But.. Here she was. Ready to almost betray them. To let them go through the disappointment for their beloved child and sister.

She had to do this.

For them.

To save them from the imaginable humiliation they would have to face in the next few hours and probably their entire lives.

"Mehreen" Nargis whispered from next to her, grabbing her hand tightly at the utter absurdity of her words. She didn't knew what went through her head when she uttered those words. But from what Nargis had come to know of her in the past few days, she was sure that Mehreen never did something for her own self. And it must be the case this time too.

"What?" it was Zeeshan who broke the silence first and walked towards her. Grabbing her chin in between his thumb and index finger, he made her look at him. His heart beating wildly at the probable sacrifice his sister was ready to make. He knew it. He was sure of it.

But one look at her eyes and they didn't give away anything like they used to. Her black eyes were the darkest shade he had ever seen, not like the transparent ones, which he used to read ever so easily. Her black orbs were hard yet soft at the same time. They were now reserved unlike previously. And it scared him.

Zeeshan was now scared for his sister.

Cupping her face in his hands, he whispered in the softest voice he could gather at this particular moment, "Mehr, you don't have to do this. I am here. We are here for you. If you are thinking about the so-called society and what they will say, just don't think. We are not so weak and so aren't you. You are the strongest person I have ever known. We'll go through this together," he stopped to look at his parents and they nodded eagerly, their faces anxious.

As he was about to look back into her eyes, he hoped to see a shift in her stance and her emotions, but when he finally looked at her, his heart stopped, making him take a small step back, his hands now fell to his sides.

Her eyes were the same.

Determined of her decision.

"Rudra, will you please give us a few minutes," Adil muttered looking at his daughter's face while clenching and unclenching his fists. Taking this as a cue, Rudra, along with Hassan and Nargis as well, left the room, to give the family, much needed privacy "And Rudra-" Adil once again called out, his eyes fixed on Mehreen, which she could undeniably feel on her, "Don't think of this as our acceptance" he spoke calmly, yet there was nothing calm about his demeanor.

At this Mehreen, who till now hadn't had the audacity to look into their eyes, looked up. Her eyes beseeched her father to agree with her decision, but Adil saw that emotion for just a second. After that, all he could see was indifference in her big black eyes.

"No" it was her mother this time, "I am not letting you do this," she came forward to hold Mehreen's hand. "Mehr, darling, we can work on this. We will search for you another person and you can take your time. It doesn't have to be this sudden" Aamina, almost begged her, seeing the look of determination in her eyes.