To heal a dying heart

Le aunty hUg-2-kill ^_^

Surah Al-Qasas, Verse 70:

وَهُوَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْأُولَىٰ وَالْآخِرَةِ وَلَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

And He is Allah, there is no god but He! All praise is due to Him in this (life) and the hereafter, and His is the judgment, and to Him you shall be brought back.

(English - Shakir)

via iQuran

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ΔFatimaΔ

The next day Mama made me and requested Mahra, to cook again.  Aunty Laiba was coming over. She's your typical Karachi lady. A great fan of the 'paan'. Mama had me prepare her favorite paan. It was fun making it, but I still dreaded meeting her. She's a very verbose person. She has a way of asking the most embarrassing questions. Don't believe me? You'll see.

Done with all my dishes. I watched as Mahra cooked hers. She is good at cooking. I stroked my newest and best ring. Yes, the one Emily slid into my finger yesterday. It's a beauty, with a green topaz embedded in the middle, held in place by delicate,fine gold embellishment.

It reflected the sunlight, that was entering the kitchen, through the partially drawn curtains. I opened the curtains completely and starred at the ring. I turned it this way and then the other. I held my breath as I saw a symbol-like thing, as I turned it away from myself. It roused my curiosity.

'' All done! ''

I heard Mahra. Reluctantly, I looked at her and smiled. We laid the table. Half an hour later, we sat with Aunty Laiba. She beamed at me, I smiled back.

'Array Haleema! Tumhari baho kitni khubsoorat hai Ma shaa Allah!'' ( wow Haleema! Your daughter-in-law is so beautiful Ma shaa Allah''

'' Shukria Aunty! '' (Thankyou aunty!)

Mahra replied. I had taught her a little Urdu, she knew what 'khubsoorat' meant and aunty had been looking at her. So yeah she had put two and two together. Nonetheless she's a fast learner Ma shaa Allah!

I almost laughed out loud as I saw aunty, giving Mahra a crushing hug. My laughter soon died away as I soon faced the same fate. She let me go and I gasped for air. I coughed to cover up my discomfort. We sat down. Aunty clearly wanted to torture me today, so she made me sit near her.

She talked to mama about random stuff. Half an hour later, my cheeks were hurting real bad from all the fake-laughing at aunty's not-so-funny jokes. If you didn't laugh she would mind and yeah mama won't like that. She had pinched my right cheek, twice already. I'm 21 years old not a toddler, I wanted to cry out loud.

Soon she brought up the dreaded topic.

' Fatima, beti(daughter) you have gotten engaged right?' 

She scanned my face, I could feel my cheeks flush. Please don't say what I think you're about to say! I silently pleaded.

'Is it a love marriage, Fatu beti?'

She wriggled her eyebrows. I wished the Earth would open and welcome me in. But no the Earth doesn't love me that much so as to rescue me. It stayed as it was. I looked at mama, she too had a mischievous grin.

'Fatu beti is he handsome?'

With that mama and aunty, burst out laughing. I covered up my face.