PART EIGHTY TWO

PART EIGHTY TWO

 

My dad started the conversation, he Told Uncle Ashraf that things have gone too far and he doesn’t know if they can be sorted out. I went to the kitchen to help Faheema so I didn’t get to hear the rest of the conversation. Ahmed came to the kitchen, he wanted to help but I told him to go back. 

 

I don’t want another problem to come up where his mother says we making him work in our house. He didn’t listen and insisted that he will help and he doesn’t care what she thinks. Ahmed took the tea tray and Faheema and I took the cakes, biscuits and snacks.

 

When we went to the sitting room Uncle Ashraf was apologizing to my family for how his family have treated me. He said he was unaware that his family had done such a terrible thing. He asked Ahmed why he didn’t say anything, Ahmed told him that I stopped him from telling. I didn’t want to create a bigger problem. 

 

Uncle Ashraf then came to me and apologized, I felt so bad I told him not to apologize. He had done nothing, I even said that Aunty Shenaaz maybe did what she did because she feels I’m not deserving of her son and wants what’s best for him. Ahmed stood up then and said I don’t deserve Saajidah. 

 

She has done so much for me and I couldn’t protect her from my evil family. My heart jumped out when he said that, how could he call his family evil. I stopped him right there and told him to apologize for saying that. Uncle Ashraf looked at Aunty Shenaaz and said you don’t know what you loosing if you can’t see the good in this girl. 

 

I couldn’t handle all the pressure so I went to sit in the dining room. Ziyaad came to give me company. He could see I was stressed, my family especially my brothers are very protective over us sisters. They can’t see us hurting. After they had tea my dad told Uncle Ashraf that we need to come to a solution. 

 

Uncle Ashraf called me into the sitting room. Then he asked Ahmed what he wants to do. Ahmed said that he has made a promise to me to be by my side and never leave me, he said that he hates the way his family has treated me and he beats himself everyday for allowing them to do so. 

 

He said that he loves his family and he loves me too and his happiness is with me. He does not want to choose me over his family or his family over me. He knows the problem comes from his family and they have to be willing to put it aside and accept that he will never leave me. 

 

Uncle Ashraf then asked me what I had to say. I said that I don’t want Ahmed to choose me over his family. I apologized if I did anything wrong that made his family hate me. I then said that I don’t want to loose Ahmed but if my parents feel that I should break off this engagement then I will because my parents know what’s best for me. 

 

Uncle Ashraf then asked Aunty Shenaaz and Ahmeds sisters what they have to say. Sumaya and Kausar said that they would prefer Asiya ( Ahmed ex) as their sister-in-law but if Ahmed chooses me there’s nothing they can do. They only did what they did because they don’t see me as part of their family and feel that I will separate their family. 

 

Aunty Shenaaz said that she doesn’t want me as her daughter-in-law and has chosen Asiya as her daughter-in-law. She doesn’t see me as deserving of her son because her son is a multi millionaire businessman. I am an ornidary accountant working for a firm, I don’t even have my own firm. 

 

She also said that Asiya comes from a very rich family and has her own business. Ahmed asked his mother what business does she have, a shop selling Indian outfits is not anything to brag about. Her family is living off their grandfather’s money that would eventually finish. 

 

I didn’t like the way Ahmed spoke to his mother sorry I stopped him and asked him how can he speak to his mother so rudely. He kept quiet then but his father told him to continue because we need to have everyone’s feelings out. So he continued and told his mother that she doesn’t know what his happiness means. 

 

She has no value for what makes him happy and what he wants. She is still so stubborn that she can’t see how good I have been to her and even after all that they have done to me I have welcomed them and treated so well in my house. He showed her the gifts I bought for them all for eid. 

 

He told her that I have not even once complained about them to him, he didn’t even know how I was treated until he found out from Asiya and that I told him to choose his family and leave me. I was in tears by the time he finished, I couldn’t bear to hear anymore. 

 

I ran out of the house, got into Ziyaads car and drove off. I was overwhelmed by emotions and needed some alone time. I knew I shouldn’t off left but I just couldn’t stand to hear people talking so much bad about me and showing so much hatred. I have always been liked by all the people I meet.

 

My brother came after me they knew that I would go to my favorite spot and that’s the park. I was sitting on the bench thinking how can I be hated so much. I knew already that they were not going to change their minds. They hated me and always will. I told Ziyaad that I made a decision. 

 

I needed to go back home and tell them what I decided. Ziyaad drove me back and when I got there Ahmed was not there. He also left the house because his mother just wasn’t giving in and  he was tired of trying to make her see reason. 

 

When Ziyaad and I got back my parents were asking Uncle Ashraf and Aunty Shenaaz why they came with a proposal when they didn’t want to accept me in their family. Aunty Shenaaz said that Ahmed forced her, he knew from the beginning that I never liked Saajidah to be my daughter-in-law. 

 

Aunty Shenaaz said that she liked me when I went to audit there but she liked me as a person. Not that she hates me but she doesn’t accept me as her daughter-in-law. She said that she likes me but not to be her daughter-in-law and her daughters probably get that from her so that’s why they don’t want me to be their sister-in-law. 

 

I heard everything they had to say and then I walked into the room. I told them that I heard everything and I have made my decision. I said that I know that I will never be accepted into their family and that’s why I have decided that we should call off the engagement.

 

Uncle Ashraf said we should wait for Ahmed to come as it would be good for him to hear what I have to say. I said that I would tell him and explain to him my reasons and he would understand. Ahmed was standing behind me when I said that, I didn’t realize that he came back. He was furious.