THE FAMILIAR STRANGER

Part 5

"No", said Tanveer. He looked worked up.
"Then do it, what are you waiting for?"
"I need an empty room. You guys can stand outside." Tanveer said.
Everyone stood up immediately... I did too.
"Not you." Tanveer looked me in the eye. I swallowed hard. So they were all talking about me as ''her''?
Tanveer walked up to my parents and said, "I would like you to allow me to talk your daughter, in private. May I?"
My parents looked at each other and then looked at me.
"You may all stand right outside."
Then smiled and nodded.
What?
Everyone filed out. Tabseer closed the door behind her and winked at me while going.
"What is happening?" I immediately said.
"Wait let me explain."
I gave him a questioning look.
"Please take a seat. You're scaring me. It's not helping at all."
I sat, impatiently.
"Uuh, this is going to sound very awkward and sudden.   I don't mean to freak you out. I'm surprised at myself too. I just don't understand where to begin..."
"Will you just say it already? My knees are paining." Tanveer's mom barged in.
Okay she's not helping at all.
"Mom???!!" Tanveer was aghast.
"Sorry." She left, apologetically, grinning at me.
I looked at Tanveer, confused.
"Let me explain..."
"You better."
"Yes... uuh... actually since my family came to know about... you... I mean me meeting you... they want me to... "
Tabseer burst the door open and said, "Who are you kidding? It's not just us... You like her too. You told me yourself. Don't be a dork about it now."
"Tabseer what the hell..."
She closed the door with a bang.
What did she say.
"What?" I looked at Tanveer.
He was blushing profusely.
After a while of silence, Tanveer came near me and sat in one of the chairs.
"Can you just close your eyes. That would be easier for me."
"What?"
"Please?"
I closed my eyes. Confused would be an understatement.
"Okay... my family likes you. A lot. Everyone. Even the guests today are praising you. And I... "
My eyes fluttered open.
"Close your eyes."
I shut it immediately.
"I... I like you... too... i know it's too early. It might even sound incredulous but I... I really don't know how to explain this... umm... okay open your eyes."
I opened my eyes and kept my gaze lowered. I wasn't sure eye contact would be a good idea. My heart rate was above 120.
"Look at me. Please."
I looked up at him for a split second and immediately shifted focus. I couldn't afford to look at him. I can't believe my parents are outside listening to this. I'm sure Dad is already sharpening his knife.
But soon my reasons of fear were explained otherwise.
"I have already talked to your parents about it. They are waiting for what you decide. Everyone outside that door knows about my intentions for you..."
He trailed off. I was completely blank. Tanveer sighed a deep breath.

"Okay let me just rephrase all of this. I know I suck at talking about my feelings... so just bear with me. I really like you. I do. I know it's rash but I think all the things we did together yesterday since I saw you at the airport couldn't just be coincidence. I feel like I really need someone like you around me to make me feel alive and energized again. I want to talk to you. Be with you. See you be your normal goofy self around me. I want us to have witty conversations and have fun just in each other's company. Because I already know if I get to have you I will never be bored. I just want to have you for myself if I may be so bold to ask you that way. I know marriage isn't all heart, flowers and roses, but I know you'll make me feel that way anyway....."

After a little silence...

"Although I do want to wake up to you and be with you forever just like in the movies. And I'd always want to make our life a little more magical and filled with butterflies and rainbows... because you deserve every bit of it and much more, and I definitely want you to be my soulmate because it's cute and exciting just like in the movies... " he stopped again... "since I met you at the airport I haven't been myself... not that you've changed me, you've just made me more excited about myself and my life. Being so stuck up with work and trying to give the family every thing they deserve since a pretty young age, I never gave myself the time I needed or wanted. After knowing you I had this urge to give myself some time off and relax. With you. I want to be lazy. With you. After so long of taking care of my family's needs, I want someone to take care of me, pamper me with her presence in my life. And I see that someone perfectly in you. I know it sounds selfish but let me be so just this once. You are like a breath of fresh air. As cheesy as it sounds, you make me feel complete. And I really don't want to lose this feeling. Ever."

... I looked up at him to see him looking down at the floor aimlessly. He looked adorable. Could this be? Could he actually want to marry me? Me? His eyes seemed dilated. Or I probably imagined it.

He began again, "I really like you. I probably will fall in love with you too if I stay five more minutes talking about my feelings with you. I don't want to say I can't live without you. I CAN live without you. But I don't want to. We could watch all the superhero flicks together and I promise I'll even take therapy to put up with your *deers and their antlers* talk ... and we could even discuss how utterly infatuated you are with the way I look in glasses,"

Surprised at his sudden change of tactics, I looked at him to see him smirking which made me immediately avert my gaze, "So here's the question, will you be my *everyday essential*? Reem Sulaiman, Marry me, maybe?"
He had a worrisome smile on his face. His eyebrows raised as if pleading me to say yes.

Before I could realize what all he just referred to, the door burst open with the whole family coming inside and every guest in attendance trying to peep from every little space available.
Mom and Dad came up to me and I looked at them, questions all over my face. "Mom?" She smiled and nodded. "We have given our consent." Mom said.
"What do you say?" Asked Dad.
"Please say yes" Ayat and Tabseer said in a chorus. Everyone waited and stared at me as I simply didn't know where to look.

"Please?" Tanveer pleaded looking directly into my eyes.
I hugged my mom. I didn't want to face this any more.
"What?" Mom whispered. I nodded slowly into the crook of mom's neck. Dad kept his hand on my back.
Everyone hooted and celebrated around us.

I looked back to see everyone rejoicing and my eyes then fell on Tanveer. His eyes shone with happiness. I felt speechlessly blissful to realize that that happiness was because of me. He was being hugged and congratulated. He looked at me through all of it, with an expression which I fell in love with. I promised myself to make him this happy as often as I could for the rest of my life.

It makes me melt even now when I remember it, after 5 years of our marriage, Alhamdulillah.

THE END. 🌸