A Delightful Tragedy

06. Revelation

U M É M A' S P O V

"Mom, why did you suddenly fall sick?" I was about to enter the room when I heard Nada's concerned voice.

"Arey beta, nothing, just a little bit stressed," Mom replied, her voice heavy with exhaustion.

"Why?"

"About Uméma. I just want to see her settled. Not necessarily married right now, but I want to accept the idea of her marriage."

"Mom, isn't Uméma young? She's only eighteen," Nada said uncertainly.

"I don't know whether I'll be here tomorrow or not, Nada. The way she refused to marry Shariq worried me. Will I even be around to see her get married?" Guilt washed over me. It had only been a day since Mom and I discussed my marriage to Shariq, which I declined. Mom had fallen ill right afterward.

"Please, Mom, don't talk like that," Nada faltered. "And about Uméma, she'll marry, maybe not to Shariq, but to someone else. You know they don't exactly...complement each other."

"I really wanted them to marry. Sarah and I even gave them middle names like Layla and Majnu. But I guess it wasn't meant to be." Mom chuckled lightly.

"Please don't stress over it, Mom. Our Uméma is sensible and will handle things maturely."

"I hope so."

Not wanting to eavesdrop any longer, I entered the room, a new thought forming in my mind.
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P R E S E N T     D A Y

"Uméma, stop fidgeting so much. Your bangles are irritating me," Shariq groaned. I thought he was already asleep—either that or I hoped he was dead.

"Oh, are they bothering you?"

"What did I just say?" He gave me a bored look.

"Then take this." I moved my hands, making the bangles clink even louder. "Shariq: minus ten, Uméma: uncountable. Yeah!" I cheered.

"God, you're so stubborn, Uméma," he groaned.

"Not more than you," I retorted.

"You're as stubborn as a stone."

"Oh, you're the stone! Completely emotionless," I shot back.

"Let me sleep. I haven't had a wink of sleep since finding out my life is about to be ruined...and now it already is," he sighed, trying to continue his rest. How could he just sleep here? Unlike him, I was stuck in this itchy, heavy dress.

Where were Nada and the others? It had been fifteen minutes since I called them. I couldn't handle this psychotic person alone.

A knock on the door brought a sigh of relief. I hurried to open it, not before throwing a pillow at Shariq's face. "Get up, jaahil!" (uncivilized one).

Finally, I saw Nada, Mira, and Azra at the door.

"How long were you guys going to take?" I demanded.

"These 'lovebirds' here, God! Mira was talking to Rahim, and Nada with Fahad," Azra sighed dejectedly. "I was just standing there, trying not to be the third wheel."

"But didn't you guys just see them?"

"They both went out to get some things. Fahad left his phone, so I called him from Mira's phone. I was only talking to him to give him the list." Nada defended herself.