In The Pursuit Of Love

Regrets and Unshed Tears

"Indeed what is to come will be better for you than what has gone by" Quran (93:4)

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The silence was deafening. It was of a kind where the person is in a dilemma, that whether it is from around him or from within. It felt as if the lives of the house had been stilled, the silence biting them from every nook and corner.

It wasn't the peaceful quiet after the marriage of the only daughter of the house. It was the dread, the fear, and trepidation, of what this marriage might bring upon their only beloved daughter. It was the horrors of the day that came onto them with their vice-like claws and sharp, blood-trickling canines. It was the regret of the past and distress for the future.

It was the regret of the father who couldn't save his daughter from getting hurt all over again, from not being able to save her honor yet once again and for failing as a father, if he couldn't even assess the people who he was getting his daughter married to.

It was the regret of the mother who saw her daughter shedding invisible tears of sorrow and yet, couldn't do anything to save the day.

It was the regret of the brother, who had yet again failed as a brother. Who couldn't fulfill his silent promises, who couldn't protect his sister even when the signs were all there in front of him.

It was all of that and much more. Now that the nikah was done, they knew that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala had something good in store for them. And by Allah, they were relieved to some extent that those people revealed their true colors before the nikah took place. But, they were all but humans, and no matter what, these trials, these heart-wrenching situations, exhausted them and they couldn't help but wallow in their distress.

The house was devoid of any laughter and chatter, a huge contrast in comparison to what it portrayed the very same morning. The guests had all returned to their respective homes, not wanting to burden the family any more than what they had their plates filled with. It was just them and their silence, except for that one unwanted guest. Nargis.

Nargis stood at the threshold of the door, not knowing what to do, as she saw Mehreen slowly trudge towards her room and the other members of the family just looked upon, scared of even making a sound lest she breaks. Adil sat on the dining chair with a thud, his head falling into his hands and Aamna followed him. Sitting next to him, she rested her hand on her husband's, reassuring him, or more so, herself.

She then saw Zeeshan standing in the middle of the room, staring at nothing in particular. Her heart leaped out for these people and she quickly sent a prayer to ease their pains. A few minutes later, Aamna's voice echoed in the room calling for Zeeshan and only after the second call did Zeeshan turn to look at her, as if in a stupor.

"Beta, go and rest" was all she said with her sad and soft voice. He looked at his mother and then his father and nodding his head, he went towards them and stood in between them.

"Ammi, papa, don't worry, we have known Rudr-Rayhaan since childhood and we all know that he is a good person. We have to trust him, and above all, we have to have tawakkul," he stopped to look at his father, who slowly nodded, "and now you both go and rest" holding his mother's hand he pulled her up and once again requested his father to retire for his room.

As they were leaving he turned towards Nargis all of a sudden, making her go all flushed. She was sure that he had caught her in the act of admiring and staring at him.

"Nargis you should also leave" he uttered making her stunned for a mere second.

"Of course" came her immediate reply, though her heart wasn't ready to leave the house just yet, but when do the matters of the heart really matter. And she was so embarrassed upon his unabashed request, that she immediately turned around and started walking outside, forgetting her only luggage, her backpack.