Glory of the Midnight Sun √

Three

They hit you out of nowhere. When bad things come, they come suddenly, without a warning.

Fariya

"Baba? What.. what are you saying? I don't understand."

Fariya looked at her father with all the bewilderment in her eyes, her father gazed back at her with all his tenderness and softness.

"This.. this.. is.. the onl.. only way.. my... daugh.. daughter."

He spoke with such difficulty that Fariya's heart shattered into a million pieces, each piece killing her inside.

"But Baba..."

She began to speak when her father cut her in mid sentence. Fariya looked at her father in the eye and choked to see that his brown eyes were filled with sorrow.

"He.. he is a goo... good man. Ahmad. He will... take care... of you."

He stopped to supply air to his lungs and began to speak after some seconds, his voice as low as ever.

"Fariya, his son... will take.. go.. good care you. Please. Ma.. marry him. This.. is my.. my last wish, my child."

At this, Fariya burst into tears. She began to speak while hot water was continuously flowing from her hazel eyes.

"No, Baba. Please don't say this. Please. Nothing is going to happen to you. You'll be fine. Please. Don't lose hope. Everything will be fine."

She said, her voice trembling. Her father merely shook his head, as if his daughter had said something silly.

"Fariya, my.. child. I am tak.. taking my last bre.. breaths. I want to see... you in good hands... before I die. Please.. marry Ahamd's son so.. that I can die.. in peace."

Fariya let out a sharp cry. She placed her head on her father's hand while tears made their way to her chin. She sat like that for a few minutes before she turned her head up and looked at her father again.

He was looking at her with all the love and affection in his eyes. He smiled when their eyes met, a slight smile. Fariya cleared her throat and wiped her tears. She shouldn't hurt her father like that, she thought. Seeing her like this must be hurting him.

"Does he know?"

She asked with a trembling heart. She wished that he would say no, that his friend's son doesn't know anything about it. In that case, she would be able to get out of this mess without hurting her father. But he didn't do what she hoped he would do. Her father nodded his head in approval, telling her that he knows. His friend's son knows.

She closed her eyes while anger shot through her body. What does he think of himself? Doesn't he have any opinion of himself? She was a girl, she can be emotionally blackmailed. Her hands were tied with values and traditions. But he? He was a man. A man whose opinions were valued, whose opinions mattered. Why didn't he refuse? Why?

She opened her eyes and looked at her father. His father's eye held faith, faith in her, that she wouldn't refuse, she would acceed to his wish, she wouldn't let him down. And he was so right, she wouldn't dare turn down her father's request.

How could she anyway? Her father had given her everything in her life, everything. She can't remember a single thing in her life which she wanted and her father had refused her. He was a perfect father, in every aspect of life and in every respect.

Fariya found herself in deep pain and agony. What is she going to do now? She can't turn down her father's request but she also can't marry someone she just met. Even the thought of this was absurd.