Family Matters•••[COMPLETED]

Chapter Twenty-Two

UMAR'S POV

"What's all these you're saying Umar? I don't see why we have to go through so much trouble just to ask for a woman's hand in marriage. Looks like your mother's going to be the one to follow you, I'm really not cut out for all of these"

"It's not as much trouble as you think it is dad, see, it's not any trouble at all. You're just new to all of this, that's all."

"And you're sure you don't want to do the whole 'ring-proposal' thing? Don't you think your ways are a bit too old-fashioned? Even kids of your time, it's the romantic way they go about it"

"Well, dad..."

I scratched the back of my ear awkwardly. I just wished I could blink my eye and dad would understand all that I was trying to explain to him, for the past two hours now.

I blinked, or at least I tried to...

No such luck!

We still seemed to be moving back and forth.

"You're kind of asking for too much personal details dad. I already explained to you that I'm not allowed to touch her, yet! Not until she's legally and totally mine."

MINE. Yes, MINE!

Damn! I loved the way my head and heart were in sync with that declaration. I envied my lips, tongue and hard palate for saying the words so easily and I felt my inner self dance in triumph at the realization that in few minutes, I'd be a step closer to wholly claiming Sumayyah!

"And I'm pretty sure it's not romantic to use a stick or rod to put the ring on her finger. All that would happen in due time dad. Not the stick or rod part though"

I added so he didn't misunderstand. He already thought the right way was old-fashioned, how much more worse could he perceive this whole idea?

"But Umar, you barely know anything about this girl, apart from the fact that she's been playmates and best friends with your sister since they were little"
Mom added, finally speaking for the first time since two hours.

She didn't think the idea was old-fashioned or anything. At least that meant something.

If I could tell enough from her silence, it was that she was totally fine with whatever I'd decided.

She just seemed scared and unwilling to accept the reality that I'd actually found someone.

I guess now she wasn't so eager for us to get married as she'd been for the past years.

"Mom, that's enough for me to know about Sumayyah. At least Aatikah can vouch for her, she's been a really good friend, and she's stood by Aatikah for years now. I honestly have no doubts that she'd be able to do all the whole "for-better-for-worse" thing. In Shaa Allah."

"It seems like you've really made up your mind about going through all of this. I mean, you guys haven't even gone on any date yet, I'm sure of that. Not to the movies or a fine restaurants or the beach or something? Anything at all?"
Dad pestered. We'd been through this before.

"Daad... we'll go on so many dates when we're married In Shaa Allah. How do you expect us to go on dates when we can't even touch each other, look into each other's eyes, cuddle and all?... you know most fathers having these sorts of conversation with their sons would find it really awkward. I, find this conversation really awkward dad, let's just get this over with. Her parents would be expecting us already" I whined

"So, we're to call the woman's family first to let her know we're coming?"
Mom asked.

"Yes ma, that's what we're normally supposed to do, but Sumayyah and I talked about it already and she agreed to talk to her parents beforehand. So we could just skip that part and get going already."