by Sara Naveed
‘Zarish,’ he said, softening a bit, ‘I am your father, and I have every right to feel worried. Like I have always told you, it is not safe to roam around with friends late at night. You should respect the freedom we have given you.’
‘Dad, I can’t even image hurting you or anyone else in this family.’
‘I know that. I am just asking you to be cautious. Stay away from the wrong people because the universe is full of such beasts. You should always remember our family’s values and traditions before making any mistake. Do not forget that there are certain limits that should never be crossed.’
‘I know, Dad,’ she said, feeling embarrassed. ‘I promise I will never let you down.’
Her mind whirled with the intimate moments she had shared with Ahmar in his car. She felt guilty.
Zarina was folding Zahaan’s shirts when she saw Zarish walking towards her room.
‘Zarru,’ she called out, ‘I want to talk to you.’
‘What happened?’ Zarish asked.
‘Where are you coming from?’ Zarina asked in a cold voice.
‘I . . . I told you I was going to Sir Jamal’s party. Didn’t I?’
‘Yes, you did. But why didn’t you pick up my calls? Do you know the time? Don’t you realize how late you’ve come back?’
‘Saleha asked me to help her with an assignment. So, I went to her place after the function. I’m sorry,’ Zarish replied, looking down.
‘Who dropped you home?’ Zarina asked, folding her arms.
‘What?’ Zarish was stunned.
‘Who dropped you home, Zarish?’
‘Mom . . . it was . . . a friend.’
‘Which friend?’
‘He is my classmate. You don’t know him,’ Zarish lied.
‘Since when have you started hanging out with other guys other than Haroon?’
‘That’s normal, Mom. I have other friends too. My life is not limited to Haroon.’
‘What?’ Zarina was shocked to hear her reply.
‘Yes.’
‘Are you involved with someone?’
The question drained the blood from her face. Was it the right time to tell her mother about Ahmar? Would she understand her daughter’s feelings?
‘Zarish? Answer me!’ Zarina yelled.
She stood in front of her mother like a statue.
‘I saw you come home with a guy. Tell me, who is he? Tell me before I tell your father about it.’
Zarish wanted to escape. She wanted the floor to swallow her. She had never thought it would become this serious. She had to tell her mother everything. It was the only way out.
‘Mom. Please don’t overreact. Yeah,’ she paused. ‘I’m in a relationship with someone.’
Zarina was shocked to hear this.
‘With whom?’ Zarina asked frantically.
‘Ahmar Muraad, my FSA teacher. I love him,’ Zarish declared.
It was a big day for Maleeha and Jamal. Everybody seemed excited for their wedding. Maleeha was getting ready in the salon along with her friends.
‘Damn. Damn. Damn. Why are you not picking up my phone?’ Maleeha said impatiently.
‘Calm down, Maleeha. It’s your wedding. Stop stressing out. You’ll ruin your make-up,’ her friend told her.
‘I know, but just look at her. She has not picked up my calls since morning. I hope she turns up at the wedding,’ she said, looking at her reflection in the mirror. She looked stunning in a beautiful red lehnga.
‘She’ll be here on time. Don’t worry,’ her friend reassured her.
Zarish had hardly slept after last night’s conversation with her parents. Her mother hadn’t spoken a word since she told her about Ahmar. She was scared her mother would tell her father everything. She wanted to talk to Ahmar about it before the situation got out of hand.
Maleeha and Jamal stood on the stage, beaming at the guests. They looked beautiful together. Ahmar, Wahab and a few other faculty members stood next to Jamal. Ahmar spotted Zarish in the crowd, her face clouded with worry.
‘Is she upset about the intimate moment we shared last night?’ he thought.
Zarish stood silently beside Saleha, her gaze lowered the entire time. Ahmar could not take his eyes off her. ‘Something is bothering her,’ he thought. ‘Something is not right.’
‘Don’t be upset, Zarish. It’s good that you told your mother about him. Everything will be fine. We will sort it out,’ Saleha comforted Zarish. She was the first one to know the whole story.
Zarish nodded lightly.
‘Talk to Ahmar about it,’ Saleha suggested.
‘I will. I am just waiting for this ceremony to end,’ Zarish murmured.
Soon, a beautiful trolley with the wedding cake was wheeled in.
‘This looks beautiful,’ Maleeha said.
‘C’mon. Let’s cut the cake together,’ Jamal said, nudging her playfully.
Maleeha hesitated.
‘What happened?’ Jamal asked her.
‘Jamal. She hasn’t come yet. Shouldn’t we wait for her?’
‘Don’t worry. She can join in later,’ Jamal assured her.
Ahmar and Wahab exchanged a confused look. In fact, everybody wondered who Maleeha was waiting for. Saleha also nudged Zarish but she did not respond. She stood still like a statue, witnessing the scene expressionlessly.
As Maleeha and Jamal stepped forward to cut the cake, a woman’s voice distracted them.
‘How can you cut your wedding cake without me?’ she said.
‘Amber!’ Maleeha cried out in joy.
Ahmar felt a pang of shock when he saw Amber. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He was seeing her after so many years. Amber Khalid, his college batchmate, was standing across the room. Dressed in a turquoise saree, she looked exactly how she used to. He watched in amazement as Amber ran into Maleeha’s arms.
‘I can’t believe you made it!’ Maleeha said cheerfully.
‘It’s my best friend’s wedding. How could I miss it?’ Amber said and smiled.
‘Amber, I want you to meet someone. Come with me.’ Maleeha grabbed her arm and brought her face-to-face with Ahmar.
‘Amber, see who is here,’ Maleeha said, looking at Ahmar.
‘Hello, Ahmar. It is nice to see you after so long,’ she said.
‘Same here,’ he whispered.
‘So, Ahmar, this was the surprise I was talking about,’ Maleeha said, grinning.
He gave her a nonchalant shrug. He had never thought this surprise would upset him.
‘Aren’t you happy to see her?’ Maleeha whispered into Ahmar’s ear.
He did not know what to say.
‘I’m sure you are.’ Maleeha smiled.
The crowd slowly dispersed as the ceremony came to an end. Zarish looked for Ahmar but couldn’t find him anywhere.
‘Where is he?’ she whispered to herself. She tried his number, but it was unreachable.
‘How could he leave without meeting me?’ she thought.
Ahmar went home without informing anyone.
He took off his shoes and lay down on the couch, putting his arm over his forehead.
‘Why has Amber come back after all these years?’ he thought.
The next day, Ahmar went to Maleeha’s office to inquire about Amber.
‘Hey, may I come in?’ he asked.
‘Sure. Come in,’ Maleeha said.
He took a seat opposite her.
‘No break after the wedding?’ he asked.
‘I’ll take one soon,’ she said.
‘When are you going for your honeymoon?’
‘Probably next week. Jamal is taking me to Europe,’ she said, looking up at him.
‘That’s great. Europe is a great place for honeymooners.’
She nodded animatedly.
‘Yeah. . .’ his voice trailed off.
‘Ahmar.’
‘Yes?’
‘Stop beating around the bush and ask about Amber!’ she said, raising her arms.
‘No . . . actually . . .’ Ahmar hesitated, his cheeks reddening.
‘I know you’ve come to ask about her,’ she said.
He did not know what to say.
‘She’s not here right now. She will come in a while.’
‘Why is she here, Maleeha?’ Ahmar finally asked.
‘Well, she needed a change.’
‘Change?’
Before Maleeha could answer, Amber knocked on the door.
‘May I come in?’ she asked.
Ahmar instantly recognized her voice and turned around to look at her.
‘Sure. Come in, darling,’ Maleeha said gleefully.
Amber became a bit hesitant when she saw Ahmar.
‘Hey,’ Ahmar said.
‘Hello,’ she replied in a low voice.
‘Come and join us. Let me order coffee for you guys,’ Maleeha said. For the next twenty minutes, Maleeha babbled about her wedding and both of them intently listened to her. Every now and then, Ahmar looked at Amber.
She was still the same. She had the same innocence on her face. Only her hair had grown in length. Earlier she used to dress up in Western clothes, but now she wore more traditional attire.
‘The coffee is here,’ Maleeha announced.
‘Thanks for the coffee, Maleeha,’ Amber said. ‘So Ahmar . . .’ She turned to look at him. ‘What made you come back to Pakistan?’
Ahmar looked at her, firmly holding the cup in his hands.
‘Dad was alone here. He was getting old and lonely, so he called me back,’ Ahmar said and chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.
Both Maleeha and Amber laughed.
‘Jokes apart, I felt he needed me. I had been away for too long,’ he said.
‘Hmm,’ Maleeha said, savouring her coffee.
‘And how’s Samira?’ Amber asked.
‘She’s doing pretty well with her husband and daughter in the States.’ He smiled.
‘Oh, she has a daughter?’ she asked, surprised.
‘Yes. A three-year-old daughter.’
‘How sweet!’ Amber said.
‘In fact, I have her picture in my phone. Let me show you,’ Ahmar said, taking out his phone from his pocket.
‘She’s adorable!’ Amber said after seeing the picture. ‘Just like her mother.’
‘Agreed. Amber, she reminds me of your daughter, Pari. Where is she?’ Maleeha asked all of a sudden.
Ahmar was shocked to hear that Amber had a daughter.
‘Oh, she’s at home,’ Amber told her.
‘Bring her here sometime. Anyway, you both carry on. I have a class. See you later,’ Maleeha said, giving Amber a peck on her cheek. Ahmar and Amber sat alone in her cabin.
‘Uh . . . care for a walk?’ Ahmar asked.
They went for a walk on the university grounds. He remembered the old days when both of them were students in the same university.
‘So, how has life been treating you?’ Amber asked him.
‘It’s not good. It’s not bad. It’s the same I guess.’ Ahmar shrugged.
They walked on the damp grass for a while.
‘Why did you come back?’ he asked, looking at her.
‘I missed Pakistan and . . . Pari wanted to meet her grandparents. That’s why I’m here.’
‘Have you come alone or . . . has your husband come with you? Oh, I forgot his name. Omer, right?’ he asked.
Amber stopped midway, looking at him in silence.
‘What happened?’ he asked.
‘I don’t want to talk about him,’ she said, walking past him.
Ahmar was amazed.
‘But why?’ he called after her.
Amber stopped again.
‘He is not in my life any more. He left me.’
Ahmar’s heart shattered into pieces. He stood there in bewilderment and could not believe what Amber had just said.
Ahmar couldn’t sleep that night. His mind kept going back to Amber and what she had told him about her marriage. All his past memories came flooding back.
She was his first love but he had never told her how he felt. By the time he had mustered up the courage, it had been too late. She was already getting married to someone else. He had accepted the reality and moved on. And now she was back in his life. The girl he had once loved was all alone now. The thought made him uneasy. He rose from his bed and walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water.
He found Muraad sleeping on the sofa in the living room. Not wanting to wake him up, he put a cushion under his head and covered him with a quilt. Just then, Muraad woke up, rubbing his eyes.
‘You’re here,’ he said.
Ahmar nodded.
‘Are you okay, son?’ He stroked Ahmar’s back.
‘Dad . . . Amber is back.’
‘I know. Rumour has it that her husband left her and she also has a daughter.’
‘Yes.’
‘May god give her the strength to forget her pain.’
Ahmar was lost in thought when his phone started to ring. Muraad looked at the screen. It was Zarish. Ahmar ignored it.
‘You’re getting a call, son.’
‘I know.’ Ahmar sighed.
‘It’s Zarish. Talk to her.’
‘What should I tell her?’ Ahmar replied. ‘I haven’t told her anything about Amber.’
‘Ahmar, wasn’t Amber a good friend to you?’
‘Yes, she was,’ Ahmar whispered.
‘Then why are you scared? It’s not like you were involved with her. She has nothing to do with your past. You never told her you were in love with her.’
‘Dad . . .’ Ahmar said. ‘I feel . . . I feel Amber needs me now. She has been through a lot already. I want to help her get her life back on track.’
‘You can sympathize with her and support her. She needs you as a friend.’
Ahmar nodded.
‘Go and talk to Zarish. Don’t blame yourself. Everything is okay.’
‘Okay, Dad.’ Ahmar sighed.
He went back to his room and lay on his bed. Soon his mind wandered off, bringing back buried memories.
‘So, you’re leaving tomorrow?’ Amber stood opposite Ahmar in the library.
He nodded as he looked for a magazine.
‘Is it necessary to leave?’ she asked, folding her arms.
‘Yes. It is,’ Ahmar replied.
‘You can complete your higher studies from here too. Why go so far, Ahmar?’ she asked.
‘It won’t be the same here, Amber. I want to work in the US too. That’s what I’ve always dreamt of. Don’t you support my decision?’ he asked.
‘I support you, but not if you have to leave your friends here.’ She looked down at her hands.
He turned to face her.
‘You need to understand that I am not doing this only for myself,’ he whispered.
She looked into his eyes.
‘What do you mean?’
‘I will tell you when the time is right.’
‘Ahmar. Please. Tell me.’
‘Not now.’
‘Okay, whatever. Can you do me a favour then, please?’
‘What?’
‘I want you to delay your flight by a week.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I am getting married next week,’ she said, smiling shyly.
This is how she had broken the news to him. He still remembered her face when she had said it. The news had left him heartbroken. He wanted to tell her about his feelings but had decided against it. He did not want her to have second thoughts about her marriage. He would have known if she had felt the same for him. She considered him a good friend, nothing more.
Ahmar’s phone buzzed again, bringing him back to reality. It was Zarish.
‘Hello,’ he said.
‘Ahmar!’ Zarish cried. ‘Where are you? You’ve been ignoring me since yesterday.’
‘No. I have not. I’m sorry if you felt like that.’
‘Ahmar . . . I . . . I want to talk to you abo
ut something very important.’
‘Me too, Zarish.’
‘Are you okay?’ she asked in a concerned voice.
‘I’m never okay when you are not with me,’ he whispered.
‘Where were you? I didn’t see you at the university. You didn’t even meet me before leaving the wedding venue.’
‘I’m sorry. I’ll tell you everything when we meet tomorrow,’ he promised.
Zarina had not been at peace ever since her daughter had told her that she was in love with her finance professor. She was not at all happy with her daughter’s decision. She thought Ahmar was too old for her. It was becoming impossible to keep this secret from her husband. She had to tell him what their daughter had planned for her future. She did not want Zarish to ruin her life.
‘What the hell are you talking about?’ Zia screamed at his wife when she told him what Zarish had been up to all this while.
‘It’s true, Zia Sahib. Our daughter is involved with that professor. She herself told me,’ Zarina said.
‘I will not spare that guy! Who is this professor?’
‘The guy we met at the PTM. Ahmar Muraad.’
‘Ahmar Muraad? Muraad Hussain’s son?’ Zia asked, narrowing his brows.
‘Yes, I think so.’
‘I won’t let him take advantage of my daughter. He thinks it is so easy to woo my daughter and take her away. I won’t spare him!’ Zia said angrily.
The next day, Zarish brought flowers for Maleeha and Jamal. However, she was surprised to find another woman sitting in Maleeha’s office.
‘Hello,’ Zarish said, clearing her throat.
‘Oh hi. Come in,’ the woman invited her in.
‘I brought these flowers for Ma’am,’ Zarish said hesitantly.
‘They’re beautiful. Come, have a seat. Maleeha has just stepped out for some work. She will be back any minute.’
‘Are you friends? I saw you at the wedding,’ Zarish said as she sat down.
‘Yeah. I am Amber. We were together in college. Maleeha, Jamal, Ahmar and I.’
This was news for Zarish. Ahmar and the rest of the faculty members had studied together in the same college. Surprisingly, Ahmar had never told her this.
‘So, how is it meeting them after so many years?’ Zarish asked.
‘It feels great, but I won’t be staying here. My family is in Islamabad. I will leave in a few days.’
