Silent Ties: Fusion Of Hearts

Chapter 9

Zia's POV:

Everything was going smoothly. Today, I had planned to meet with my closest friends. We decided to go to some posh restaurants and taste some delicious food. My closest friends deserve all the credit for my travels throughout Mumbai since the day I moved here. I cherish their presence in my life. My parents, especially my father, were not into outings or fancy travels.

He detested going out, and if he ever went on a vacation with us, we could be sure he would chastise us for something. Since then, I have preferred friends with me. We used to visit every new location we could find-restaurants, in particular. We were unable to travel to interesting locations because neither of them was particularly adventurous; therefore, the greatest way to create memories was over food. Every time we got together or made plans, we had to go to a different restaurant.

We had a great time and a lot to chat about because we hadn't seen each other in a very long time. Since both of them were free the next weekend, we decided to hang out again and watch a movie together at the cinema. I got home at around six o'clock. My father was preparing salad while my mother was in the kitchen. I changed my clothes and joined Mom in the kitchen. After dinner, Dad summoned me to their room. I went over and took a seat.

My father glanced at my mother and nodded. It seemed like they were going to discuss something significant about my future. Did something happen? I have no idea what it is. "Is everything all right?" I asked my mother. Any issues or troubles that we may have. In response, my mother said, "Everything is OK. We wanted to talk to you about something". "Yes, mom, please go ahead," I replied. She started talking about Shahana Aunty and then discussed the Rishta she had received for me. To put it simply, I responded by expressing my disapproval in a somewhat sharp tone. I got up, looked at my mother, and said quite angrily, "If she enjoys setting everyone up, why can't she have a child of her own and find some good Rishta for her?". I stormed out of their room after saying this. My father followed me, telling me that I was wrong and that I should not have behaved the way I did.

After washing my face, I became calm and acknowledged that he was correct in reminding me to consider my words before reacting impulsively. I went too far. I glanced at him, and he simply stared back at me. I went to their bedroom, apologized, and sat down next to my mother. My dad followed closely behind me. My father also took a minute to sit there in silence. I apologized to both of them and suggested we could talk about it again.

My mother responded gently, "I understand, bacha, that you don't want to marry right now. We're not pressuring you to tie the knot immediately. I chose to hold the conversation because I thought it had promising potential otherwise, I would have immediately declined. You can simply look at the person and decide whether or not to send them your images. He has a decent family and a good appearance. They also live overseas. We can talk about it and move forward if you think he suits you. I will speak with them about your plans to wait. I promise never to sacrifice your dreams, sweetie. So, would you like to see him?" My mother's words calmed me down totally. I answered, "Okay, Mom, but keep in mind that I won't get married until and unless I buy a house". She nodded at me and asked, "Should I send his picture and biodata? See and tell me by tomorrow if I should send them yours". I nodded in response and made my way to my room.

I need to tell my friends about this right away. Perhaps they can advise me on what to do. I take out my purse and discover my phone inside, where I notice a WhatsApp notification. It has to be mom; I'm sure of it. After pausing for a while, I decided that I should see the person before telling my friends about it. I unlock my phone, and a mix of uncertainty about the situation, doubts about the future, and conflicting thoughts flood my mind, making me hesitate before proceeding. I'm not sure what to wish for whether the person should be good-looking so that I can see that my mom's aesthetic isn't much different from mine and that good-looking truly means good-looking from my perspective, or whether I should hope that he isn't good so that I can reject him on that basis.

I find myself trapped in this dilemma, my fingers hesitating above the chat box, torn between curiosity and apprehension, yet unable to bring myself to open it. I'm thinking about what to do when I suddenly recall Dadi's advice: "Whenever you are unsure about something, remember that running away from it will not prevent it from happening. Just pray to God and ask him to empower you with the ability to face whatever comes your way." I do as my Dadi advised, closing my eyes and offering a heartfelt prayer to God, seeking strength and guidance for what lies ahead.

I check my phone once again and click on the chat box. The pictures are there, but they haven't been downloaded yet. I download them, and my hands form a tight grip filled with nervousness, determination, and hope. My eyes get glued to the screen as soon as it is done. Adorable, I blurted out, feeling surprised and embarrassed at my unexpected response. I'm so glad I was in my room because otherwise, I would have had to drown myself out of shame. This may be the first time a woman has ever reacted in such a way to a potential suitor. I mean, who does that?

We either start describing a guy as attractive, dashing, sexy, or eww for those we despise. Adorable is the same as reacting to a baby or an animal that we find incredibly cute, not a fully grown man. Their behavior may need us to define it as adorable, but not themselves. I can't take my eyes off the screen because this guy is so cute that I am at a loss for words. I keep staring at his photo, and suddenly a thought occurs to me: what if he is 19-20 years old because he appears so young? What if mom sent me the wrong photo? I chose to look through the bio-data and discover a different photo of him that was different from the previous one. He appears chilly and dominant in this one, thanks to his beard. What a stark contrast! He appears as an innocent, soft cutie when shaved, but transforms into a cold, controlling beast with a beard, showcasing a striking duality in his appearance. Whoever sent us the picture did a fantastic job. I don't think I'll ever be able to refuse him.