Bowled Over By The Broken

Chapter 34: Hidden Pearl

 26th October, 2017

"It is better to sit alone than in company with the bad; and it is better still to sit with the good than alone. It is better to speak to a seeker of knowledge than to remain silent; but silence is better than idle words." 

(Bukhari)  

Chapter 34:

Hidden Peal

Anabya stepped out of the car and walked towards the apartment, and Shamaaz followed after she heard him lock the car.

They did not utter a word in the elevator, they did not speak a single word as they headed towards the door. When Shamaaz finally unlocked it, Anabya headed towards the bedroom, unpinning the hijab while retrieving her PJs from closet. 

"What's wrong?" She heard Shamaaz ask but she remained quiet.

"Bya, I'm speaking to you, what's wrong?"

When she still avoided him, she felt him hold her arm as he turned her around.

"What's wrong, Anabya?"

"What do you think is wrong?" She finally asked.

"I'm honestly in no mood to play guessing games."

"Neither am I, so leave me alone."

"Are you still mad because of what I told Shivam?"

She laughed, an unbelievable expression on her face, while she said, "That is just one of the many reasons."

"So what is the big deal in that?" He defended, annoyed. "You are religious, aren't you? What's wrong if I conveyed that to my friend so he wouldn't be offended?"

"There are better ways to deal with things," she shot back. "You didn't have to make me out to be some lunatic for not shaking hands with a man. No, but seriously, answer me, Shamaaz, you really wouldn't have a problem if I went around mingling with guys or if they hugged me, would you?"

"Excuse me, you're my wife, what makes you think I wouldn't have a problem? I'll kill the man who lays his finger on you."

"Oh, I'm surprised," she mocked. "But you are allowed to insult me by hugging all those girls who claim to be your fans, right?"

She headed towards the dresser to get rid of the accessories, and Shamaaz looked at her, bewildered.

"You can't be serious," he said, shaking his head. "That is nothing, why would you make it such a big deal?"

Anabya stilled in removing her rings, and turned to him, anger bubbling inside her.

"You call that nothing? Having other girls in your arms, shaking hands with them, mingling with them, hugging them to you, you call that nothing?" 

"Look, Bya, the profession that I am in, all of this happens, so please take it lightly, will you?"

"So tomorrow your profession will demand you to do other things with the said girls and you wouldn't mind?"

"What nonsense are you speaking? Do you hear yourself?"

"For God's sake stop blaming it on your profession then. There are other Muslim sportsmen who hold their religion in high regard. They draw their lines so strictly that profession or not, everyone knows how to behave with them. You don't see girls approaching them, do you? It's not about your profession, it's about you."

"Get out of your fantasies. Life is not like the books you read, stop comparing me to your nonexistent book characters. Not all of us can be perfect, some of us are humans," he retorted.