Modesty Is Beauty

Meeting

Glancing at her reflection for the last time, Waniya took her niqab and tied it around her head. Taking a deep breathe, she opened her bedroom door. Her mother was standing outside with a huge smile on her face but her smile died as her eyes landed on Waniya.

"Waniya, take this things off today. He is here to see you." She emphasised to make her understand but Waniya just shrugged.

"I don't care. It's not like I am going to marry him." She answered and walked past her mother to go downstairs but her mother caught her hand again.

"Put this on." She said handing Waniya a bottle of perfume. Waniya looked at the perfume in her hand and gave it back to her mother. She couldn't tell her that perfume was not allowed because she already had this discussion countless times with her mother so it was pointless to argue again.

"I am fine like this mon, but thanks." She pecked lightly on her cheek and stormed downstairs where that guy was sitting. Her dress, hijab and niqaab were of baby blue colour which her mother had forced her to wear otherwise she would have met the guy in all black. She didn't have anything against colours, she just loved the black colour. The dress was long and simple apart from some silver stones on the sleeves.

*

Rayyan fixed his tie for the umpteenth time. He was feeling nervous. Seven months ago, he came to this house with the proposal. For six months, Fareed's father stayed in touch with him and a month ago he informed him that he would talk to Waniya about his proposal. Rayyan didn't know how she reacted but he was shocked when Fareed dad had asked him to meet the girl.

Rayyan took a deep breathe and fixed his tie again. He had hoped that girl would reject the proposal but she didn't. In fact she said that she would make her final decision after meeting the guy. Rayyan was beyond shocked. Fareed had told him that she was a niqabi then why did she want to meet him? Was she that desperate to get married? Was she looking for a way to escape Fareed's house? What did Fareed saw in this girl? He couldn't understand.

A sad smile appeared on his lips as he recalled how he had told Fareed that he would never marry a hijabi let alone a niqabi. Fareed would have laughed his ass off if he had known that one day, his friend would marry a niqabi.

Imagine what he would have done if he had known that 'that niqabi' would be his own wife.

A cute laughter bought him back to reality. He looked at his right and saw Farhan, Fareed's younger brother holding a baby in his hands. Rayyan didn't have to ask him to tell that it was none other than Fareed's son. He asked Farhan to give the baby to him and at his voice, the baby looked at him with his big blue eyes. He looked like Fareed but his eyes, they were different. He giggled when Rayyan smiled at him.

"Hey dude. You look super cool." He said and Farhad giggled again wrapping his chubby hand around Rayyan's finger.

"What is your name, little guy?" He asked again.

"Farhad." Farhan answered and Rayyan smiled at him.

"A cool name for a cool champ." Rayyan said and put the baby in his lap.

When Waniya came downstairs, the first thing she saw was her laughing baby. She didn't see the guy who was holding her baby, she didn't see or hear anyone else either. All she could hear was her baby's laughter. Since he was born, this was the first time she had seen him laugh so much. She didn't even realise she was smiling.

"Habibti?" She heard her father said and she snapped out of her hypnosis. She was literally standing in the middle of living room watching her baby. Her eyes went wide and she looked down blushing in embarrassment. Everyone must have thought that she was looking at Rayyan.