Their Fate

chapter 21

Ibrahim

Everyone seems happy. Everyone thinks everything is sorted out. Maybe it is. But not my broken heart, at least not now.

I studied Hairah for a few seconds. I know, I shouldn't. But I keep wondering about this woman. Is she this pious? Is she doing this, wholly for the sake of Allah?

She appears to be happy too.

Guilt crushes me as I recall my engagement with Wafa. How happy and excited I was! How happily I engaged with her in small talk.

But today, I am not even talking to Hairah. She deserves more. It's her engagement. It is her first time!

I can not let my past take away her present.

My eyes stay fixed on her. She looks at me and our eyes meet. I let my heart speak, "you look different in a saree. In a good way..." I added. She looks good in the dress. And the color is so good on her. "The color suits you too."

Seeing her shocked face, I suppress my smile. Why is she shocked? Maybe she was not expecting me to compliment her? She blinks a few times, "uh- thank you."

Allah! Her cheeks. It blushed roses. I couldn't contain the smile anymore. My lips turned into a gentle smile of amazement. Maybe I should tease her? Just a little? To lighten the mood.

"Y-"

"Assalam Alaikum, Hairah!" An older woman in a saree greeted Hairah and cut me off. The woman hugged Her. Poor Hairah! She struggles in the lady's hug, because of the saree she is wearing.

"Wa Alaikum Assalam. Where is Sana?" Hairah asks looking behind the woman.
I guess this is my time to go.

I walk to Ihsan who has Ali tugging her by her leg. "What is he doing?" Ihsan turns to my question with a raised brow.

"He wants to go out." She says ruffling his hair. I should have guessed. He dislikes hanging around crowded places. Noticing my presence, he turned to me. His lips wobbled.

I seize him up, "what do my munchkin want?" He stretches his hand and points it out with his index finger. "Can you wait a little longer? Then we can go out and have ice cream. Yummy, yummy?"

His eyes lit up at the mention of ice cream. Sweet tooth!

"Ibrahim?" I turn to the voice of Hairah's father. "Let's eat. The women will eat after us."

"Yeah, sure."

-----------------------

Hairah

I am waiting for Sanjana. I have sent her the location, she will be here at any minute.

I kind of feel bad that Sana didn't come here because she had to go shopping with Jasmine. And don't ask me the reason for the shopping! They have gone shopping because Jasmine got a bad stomach! I mean, who shops with a bad stomach?

World and its characters!

Automatically my face adorns with a smile as I remember Ibrahim's comment. Did he really mean what he said? God!! I blushed. I hope he hasn't noticed it. It would be embarrassing!

"Hairah!" Sanjana comes through the front entrance with a wide smile. She looks so good in a red Kanchipuram saree. Her hair spread over her back.
"You look great!"

"You too. Kanchipuram, huh?"

"Yes, Arman's parents gifted me. How does it look?" Arman is her fiance.

"Stunning!"

We talked and I introduced her to ummi, Ihsan, and her mom. They all come off liking her.

Men were eating so we spend a little more time talking.

"Ibrahim is divorced and has a child," I tell her to confirm her doubts. Her face dives in realization. Recovering herself, she grins.

"A love marriage, huh?"

I laugh at her. "No, no. Purely arranged." I say, lifting my palms.

"Seriously?"

I explained to her, but not in the detail. Just the outline. She looks at me in admiration. "You did good!"

I wanted to tell her that I did nothing like charity. But she meant it in a good way. I don't want to make her feel bad.

"Come on, they are done. Let's eat!" Ihsan exclaimed, clearly food in her eyes.

---

"We have got tickets! Can't wait for the wedding!" Ihsan exclaimed through a mouthful of food. Wedding? My heart rhythms in a soothing melody.

"Alhamdulillah! It is only a few days, wait a little longer. Insha Allah, we can celebrate the wedding." Ummi says. Ya Allah, they should stop talking about the wedding. My cheeks are already red.

"Isn't somehow a good feeling? Hearing about your wedding?" Sanjana leans a little closer, "I always blushed just like you. It felt kind of good to me."

What she said is true. Hearing about the wedding is giving me a sweet sensation.
Though, I don't want anyone to see me blushing.

"To say the truth, it is. Does Arman feel it too?" I wonder if Ibrahim feels any of these things.

"I haven't asked. But what I saw answered me. He does too. I even saw him blushing!" She giggled, probably thinking of the memory.

"How does he looks when he blushes?" I asked to engage her in a talk.

"Funny and handsome."

---

After the talk with Sanjana, I occasionally glance at Ibrahim, hoping for any reaction to steal.

To my dismay, his face didn't give away any of his precious expressions. He smiles then and now, but that is all he does. Still, with Ali, I got to see some of his childish tones.

The way he calls Ali, munchkin, is just... Allah! I seriously need to control myself.

"Let's get going then. Sajid, come on take the car." Ihsan says going to her husband.

We are off to go. This is what our engagement is. It is kind of boring but what I felt and am feeling is far from boring. I feel ecstatic. A feeling of connection commence inside me.

Ummi strolls towards me and places her hand on my shoulder. "Let's go. Wait..." She adjusts my saree. And takes my hand.

"We are going, Hairah. Assalam Alaikum." Ihsan's mother tells me as I get closer to the entrance. She kisses my forehead before turning.

"Bye, Hairah," Sajid says and walks to baba.

Ihsan strides to me, stretching her hands. "Bye! Assalam Alaikum. Let's meet soon." She engulfs me in a bone-crushing hug. I too hugged her, tight.

"Wa Alaikum Assalam. Insha Allah. Where are your daughters?"

"My cousin took them out. Come." We walk out of the building. Ihsan walks away to her cousin who is calling for her.

"Assalam Alaikum, Hairah."

My heart races like an eagle, hearing the familiar voice of Ibrahim. I whirl around to face him. "Wa Alaikum Assalam." That is all I could make out.

Ali leans forward to me from his arms. Ibrahim studies Ali and informs me, "he wants to kiss you goodbye."

Allah! Allah! My heart. Standing this close to Ibrahim, I finally noticed his height. He is a good few inches taller than me. And he looks so good! Here I go again!

I lean a little forward toward Ali, he kisses my cheek and waves bye. 

"Bye," Ibrahim says again before turning towards his car.

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