Light

3 Days

*9 years later*

"Waise Bilquis baaji,how old is your Noor now?"Gulrukh Pervaiz asked.

"Noor is Ma Sha Allah now 16,sister and oh is she not the vision of beauty."

"Oh ho Ma Sha Allah,Ma Sha Allah,how grown-up,my Qurat is also 16 now and her mother has taught her everything,she cooks just like her dadi now,pulses,meat,rice,you name it Bilquis baaji,the girl can cook everything." Gulrukh boasted.

"Ma Sha Allah."Bilquus said through her teeth,the witch! Just has to exaggerrate naa,she couldn't cook a roti,hail the boaster.

"Assalam Alaikum Dadi jaan."Noor walked in and hugged her grandmother,"Assalam Alaikum Auntie."Noor turned to Gul Rukh.

Gul Rukh smiled spitefully at the beautiful young Noor,with her white skin,and the attraction on her face."How are you Auntie?"Noor asked sitting down.

"Oh I am fine, I just have a terrible migraine,"She replied putting her hand to her head as a knock came on the door,"I'll get it."Noor smiled and walked away.

"Baji,is Jehangir still sending her to study?"She whispered to Noor's grandmother.

"Yes Gul Rukh,my Noor is Masha Allah first in her class."Bilquis replied.

"Stop her going to school now,Bilquis,who will marry an educated girl?!"

"Whatever Allah has destined for her will surely happen,you don't worry about my grand daughter Gul Rukh,what about Qurat? When are you marrying her off? She doesn't even study naa,so why have you sat her at home with nothing to do."Bilquis spoke sharply.

"We are just waiting for a suitable enough proposal for her,baji."

"Yes okay Gul Rukh."

*****

Noor opened the door and found Parveen standing outside,"Assalam Alaikum Parveen auntie."

"Oh Noor,my darling,how are you?"She asked sweetly,smiling at Noor.Noor liked Parveen,she was very friendly and seemed to care alot for Noor.

"I'm good auntie,come on in."Noor gestured into the house.

"Is your Baba home?"

"Not yet auntie."Noor replied and saw her face visibly fall,"Oh well,I had to go to the market anyway,Allah Hafiz Noor."She turned and went away before Noor could even speak,weird.

"Noor!"Her dadi called for her.

"Yes dadi jaan?"

"Beta I wanted to talk to you about something..."

"Yes dadi?" Noor sat down beside her, where Gul Rukh had sat just 10 minutes ago.

"Beta, I think... see jaan it is only you who can persuade your father to re-marry, you're all grown up too and Jehangir needs to realise, jaan, that he can't stay alone forever. And he listens to what you say, so please persuade him. " Her dadi took Noor's hands in hers and looked at her hopefully.

"Well dadi jaan I guess I could try... but... should I... shouldn't we leave the decision up to Baba?" Noor twisted her ifngers nervously, already feeling the potential awkwardness in the moment.

"No no we have to get the motor started, he'll come on board soon enough, just you wait and see." Dadi brushed a hand as if wiping the thought away and reached for her money pouch, "Now go get some onions and tomatoes from the market please."

"Yes dadi."Noor took the money from her grandmothers hand and dressed herself in the long black coat and scarf.

*****

"That will be 3 rupees baji."The vendor said and Noor extricated the money from her wallet,placing it on the wooden slab.She turned around and saw a familiar face looking at her.The man walked in her direction and she hurriedly turned back to the vendor who shot her a confused look.

"Noor?"A voice said from beside her and she looked slightly to the right to see Moazzam standing there,tall with high cheekbones and big beautiful eyes.He smiled at her.

"Um."Noor looked down,she couldnot talk to him,it was a very public place and the vendor was shooting her some pretty weird looks.Thankfully Moazzam understood and tilted his head to the side,"In front of the school?"Moazzam said softly then walked away,pretending to have not said anything.

Noor hurried back home to drop the vegetables off and thankfully no one saw her re-enter so she rushed out again,briskly walking to her childhood school.

She saw Moazzam sitting on the sidewalk waiting,his head turned in the other direction,resting on his crossed arms.His white kurta seemed to shine in the about to set sun.

He stood up as he heard her approaching cautiously,she kept looking around to see for any presence except the two of them.

"Don't worry Noor,there's no one else here."Moazzam assured her,"How have you been?"He asked softly,his lips twitching into a slight smile.

"I've been good,"Noor spoke in a low,almost inaudible voice,"How about you Moazzam,how're your studies going?"

"I'm excelling at all my classes,and running Baba's factory with him too,it's pretty good."

Both of them paused,not having anything else to say to each other,it had,after all,been 6 years since Noor had changed school...and 6 years since they had talked.

"Noor I need to say something."Moazzam hurried causing Noor to finally lift her head slightly upwards,her eyes losing contact with the floor and ending up on Moazzam.

"Yes Moazzam?"Noor nodded as a sign for him to go on.

"I...I have uh decided..."He spoke hesitantly,like he was scared and a little nervous too,not decided but um uh would you..."

"Moazzam,I have to be back home soon."She spoke a little louder,why was conversation so forced between them,the strong,physically and internally,quiet boy had been her best friend in school,they used to laugh and talk endlessly,especially after she had found out about Hafsa,Moazzam had grown closer to her after the knowledge of Hafsa's death.

"Noor,can I send a proposal for you."Moazzam quickly blurted out.

"Proposal? What do you mean."She said,her eyes wide.

"I mean,can I send my proposal to your house...for us to get married."He gulped and Noor understood just how nervous he was.

"Moazzam...what can I..."Noor started but Moazzam cut her off,"Noor,think about it for 3 days,come back here on the 3rd day and tell me what you decided,okay?"Moazzam smiled weakly and Noor nodded,"Okay,Allah Hafiz Moazzam.",Noor turned around and hurried back home,the thumping of her heart inside her chest was increasingly loud.How was she supposed to decide who she would marry?!

*****

Noor reached home and quickly got rid of her coat,then she sat on the bed and started with her work,then her Baba entered the room,"How's my princess?"He smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"Good Baba ji,how was work?"All Noor had to do was ask about her dad's day,and it was enough to distract him and have him launch into the most hillarious stories about the people who came to his shop that day.

Jehangir went on and on about an old man who had come into the shop,sat there staring at the newspaper all day and when Baba told him he was locking up,the man handed him hqlf a ruppe and huffed away.My mind blanked out and focused on what Moazzam had said,3 days,Noor groaned,what was she going to do?!

It was moments like these that Noor wished her Mama was still alive.

******