Father of the Bride

Chapter 16: Taking A Risk

People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. 
Out of fear
of the
unknown,
they prefer suffering
that is familiar. 

Thích Nhất Hạnh

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Mariam peeped through the window  watching Sheetal cower over Mahnoor's shrunken frame in the meeting room. Sheetal's aggressive hand gestures, the way she threw her fists in the air, suggested something seriously was wrong.

Mahnoor didn't reply. Sitting on the chair, she simply bowed her head and played with a loose thread on her silk shawl and took in the berating. Could it be associated with Rajah Naveed, who sent flowers every single morning? Mariam organised  a meeting for Mahnoor  to meet Rajah Naveed on Saturday at 4pm which was quite unusual.

Sheetal crossed her arms standing over Mahnoor. The room was charged with a sinister atmosphere. Sheetal decided to take matters in her own hands, it was time for intervention.

"I'm genuinely worried for you Mahnoor." Her tone grave.

"I'm not getting back with Basharat." Mahnoor tried to explain. "I'm just allowing him to help our son. He works now. You know he's never worked in his life. He's serious."

"So?!" Sheetal flung her arms into the air and stepped back. "What difference does that make?" She  kneeled in front of her to emphasise her point.
"You know what he is like Mahnoor." She spoke softly. "You give him an inch he takes a mile! He is a manipulating man! One day he will be at your door, the next day he will be in your bedroom. You can't let him in. At all." She clasped her hand in hers.

"I know all this Sheetal. But he eases the burden." Mahnoor admitted with shame.

"Oh Mahnoor!" She stood up once again. "Why do you have to carry the burden? It's like you owe the world. Don't! Talk to Nadiya! I can help you." She pressed her hands on her chest. "But don't you dare take his money because that means he will sneak his way into your life and never let go. I will not let you take money off that manipulating psycho!"

Mahnoor buried her face into her hands bowing forward. "I've made a mess of it." She groaned in muted frustration. "-And now Rajah Naveed wants an answer."

"You have two offers. One sinister the other –"

"Other?" Mahnoor looked up.

"Well he is a decent man. I can't really draw fault. Does his wife know? Would she allow him to take another wife?" Sheetal jumped up perching her bottom on the table.

"He said she knows."

"It depends on how you feel. If it was anyone else I'd had said no." Sheetal swung her legs.

"But Rajah Naveed has been instrumental on our success and I can't just-"

"You can't marry him out of loyalty. That won't be fair on either of you."

"Oh Sheetal! Mahnoor groaned. "Life gets so draining at times." Mahnoor's shoulders slumped like she was admitting defeat. "I'm terrified about the mounting costs, the debts I can fall into and the endless slum of it all."
Mahnoor was deflated. "I just feel alone, without someone to share my burden. When I saw Basharat and he said 'our son' it hit me. Ayaaz is part of him and it's only natural for a father to take responsibility of his son. That lifted a ton of weight off me. It's so tempting to slip into the comfortable old place where I once was."

Sheetal could see the desperation in Mahnoor's eyes. Quickly she neared her and held her hands refusing to let her slip into her old ways.

"Sometimes, I want don't want to worry. I want to spend a stupid amount of money on handbag that I will use once a year. I want to be spoiled. I'm just tired of this rat race."