Light

The Sultana Storm

"Dadi jaan,we're out of onions,I'll go get some from the market."Noor called and hurried out the door,she took a deep breathe to calm herself,let's see how this goes down.

Noor walked to the old school building and saw Moazzam there already,his back turned to her,but as she stepped closer he turned,almost as if sensing her presence,and she saw his face twist with increased nervousness.

"Salam Noor." He said softly,his voice strangely squeaky.

Noor nodded at him,"Walaikum Assalam Moazzam. Um,I..." She stopped,this was going to be so hard.

Moazzam looked as if he was about to say something,but his eyes suddenly turned into saucers and he hurriedly jumped over the fence behind him and ducked.

Noor stopped herself from shouting from the sudden action and turned to see what had made Moazzam so scared,she turned to see her Baba walking her way.OH NO!

"Noor? Is that you darling?"She heard Jehangir's voice call.

"Yes baba ji."Noor gulped,Oh Allah,save me!

"What are you doing here baby girl?"

"Oh I came to the market to get some onions,then I saw the school and stopped to just look at it..."

"Ah yes,you have many wonderful memories of this place,don't you?"

"I absolutely do baba."Noor smiled.

"Well,I need to get back to the shop,you don't loiter about too much either jaan,your dadi's going to get angry."

"Yes baba,I'll just get the onions and go home,Allah Hafiz."

"Be safe."Jehangir kissed her forehead and went back the way he came.Noor looked after him and when he finally turned the corner,and there was no one else around,she whispered to Moazzam,"No body's here anymore Moazzam."

"Oh thank God,I got so scared Noor."Moazzam said straightening up and dusting himself off,"Well...?"He urged her to continue and Noor's heart instantly started thudding harder than before.

"Just nod your head 'yes' or 'no'?"Moazzam said,"Can I...send mama to your house then?"

Noor nodded slightly and instantly reddened as Moazzam smiled as if he'd won a medal or something.

"Expect a visit soon then,Noor."His grin widened as Noor's head bowed lower in her shyness.

"Allah Hafiz." She said softly and turned to go to the market.

"Allah Hafiz Noor."Moazzam called after her softly.

*****

Noor couldn't help smiling,Moazzam's wide grin kept flashing in front of her eyes,his eyes shining with joy and excitement.Noor felt the giddy feeling enter her too.

It felt like her story would be similar to Mama and Baba's, and maybe her happily ever after would be with Moazzam, and maybe it would be for forever, and neither of them would have to leave like Mama had.

"What's made my Noori jaan so happy today?" Dada ji peered at Noor from over his glasses.

"Oh nothing dada ji,I just met an old friend in the market today."Noor smiled at him from where she sat massaging his feet.

"Ohhh."

"Noor! Noor! Where are you beta?" Dadi jaan rushed into the verandah.

"She is right here, Bilquis, why are you so flustered?" Dada ji smiled amusedly at Noor.

"Oh my dear husband, Sultana apa is coming to visit us tomorrow!" She clapped her hands gleefully.

"But..." Noor's dada started.

"Dadi jaan, you hate Sultana Khala..." Noor knotted her eye brows.

"And Bilquis, Sultana hates you too, doesn't she?" Dada jaan completed Noor's sentence.

"Arey yes, she is a first grade witch, I shall pray to Allah to protect our house from the bad eye of the likes of her, hae hae the witch!" Dadi jaan sat down and shook her head disapprovingly, chewing on a betel leaf.

"So why are you so happy she is coming begum?" Mr.Rizwan shook his head,confused.

"Arey but her daughter is married into the Shah family naa, and her grandson, the daughter's eldest one, is now to get married, Shireen told me that Razia heard from Saabra that Sultana baji's daughter had asked her to look for girls for her handsome son. And believe me, he is very handsome, and so rich too Noori jaan!" Dadi's eyes shined at the prospect of such a gem of a son-in-law.

"But Bilquis, you don't know if she's actually coming here to see Noor...and even if she is..." He stopped as Noor silently got up and walked out of the room like proper,well-bred Indian girls are supposed to at any talk of a topic concerning her marriage, but so wasn't the case for Noor, oh no, she was worried, only one thing on her mind, Moazzam.

As she walked out, she heard dada jaan make her case and smiled gladly, her dada jaan...always there to help her out of a knot," Looks and money are not all that matter Bilquis begum."

"Oh ho Rizwan sahib, you don't worry about that, when the official proposal comes and we ofcourse 'consider' accepting and then you have to go interview the boy, then go and find out if he is interesting enough for our Noori."

"You will never stop, will you?" He shook his head,"Noor jaan, your Baba must be on his way, please heat the food, I'm famished."He called into the kitchen where Noor had disappeared.

Noor peeked out," Yes Dad jaan." She nodded just as a knock sounded on the door,she lit the log stove and walked towards the front of the house to open the door and reveal Baba," Assalam-o-Alaikum Baba ji."

"Walaikum Assalm darling, how are you?" He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"I'm good, Dada jaan's hungry...and the food's almost warm."She told him.

"Yes I'll just wash my hands and be right there." He said and walked towards his room.

*****

"Oh ho Mariyam you're not even wiping down the things properly, uff leave it, I'll do it." A harried dadi jaan took the cloth from Mariyam's hand and started wiping down the wooden table herself.

"I'll do it dadi jaan, you leave it." Noor ran up to her.

"Arey no no, you go make some kheer, and then rush to the market to buy gulaab jamuns from the halwai." Dadi ordered Noor away.

"When is Khala ji coming anyway, Amma?" Mariyam asked, dusting the sofa.

"She will come after noon prayers," Dadi jaan spoke distractedly.

"Oh well I have to go home before noon so I won't be here Amma." Mariyam said and walked towards the kitchen.

"Noor," She whispered," Did you talk to Moazzam?"

Noor nodded at her with wide eyes,"And?" Mariyam asked,her eyebrows raised.

"He said he'd send Khala over soon,phupo."Noor said shyly.

"Well darling, if you can, tell him to hurry up, Amma won't let a perspective Shah proposal go by so easy."

Noor nodded," Yes phupo, but how am I supposed to tell him?"

"You'll figure something out darling, now you go get the gulab jamuns,I'll handle the kheer."

Noor smiled and went off to wear her coat and headscarf.

*****

Okay so another one down...I had major writers block but yeah inspiration came throughhh and now we're heree.

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