Orange and red hues illuminated the room. The majestic sun was slowly setting behind the Wicklow mountains that were seen from the bedroom window. Shabbir stood in deep thoughts with his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes scrutinized the scenic view of South Dublin but his heart was far away. His daughter. He could have lost her few days ago. His heart literally fell. Clenching his eyes shut, he swallowed, no matter what he couldn't let the elders' ego come between his daughter and her happiness.

"Shabbir sahib." Ghazala softly spoke behind him.

He warily turned around with a defeated look. He was in no mood to argue with his wife over their daughter's matrimonial decision. He was weary and tired of all this drama. He wanted peace and above all he wanted to fix his relationship with his wife. The stress over Nawal's marriage had created strain between them. He didn't like this. They never had any arguments in the 35 years of their marriage. But recently... he sighed and his desolate eyes met her moist ones. He frowned, worrying why there were tears in her eyes.

Ghazala bit her lip and earnestly looked into her husband's eyes. She knew the next words would heal the damage to their relationship but she was scared. Afraid for her daughter's welfare. She silently recited,

."

Then her lips uttered the words she had never thought she would ever say.

"I agree with you. She should marry Daud."

Shabbir's eyes rounded and his eyebrows rose. "What?" he gasped.

She pursed her lips and whispered, "You can give the affirmative answer to his father."

Shabbir scowled, "Are you sure?"

She nodded slightly, "Yes."

With shoulders drooping, she left the room with only one thought in her mind.

How will she tell her sister this news?

****

Resting his head at the back of the leather office chair, Daud was lost in his thoughts of only one person. Nawal. He still couldn't believe how weak and helpless she was laying there on the hospital bed. His possessive instinct wanted to hold her in his arms and protect her from all her sorrows. And when she had smiled... It had done wonders to his heart. Daud ran his hand through his wavy dark brown hair, how he wished there were no barriers and no customs to go through to make her his. His to protect. His to care for. His to smile. Shaking his head, he straightened in his chair. How had his brooding become so deep? When had he developed such feelings? Grabbing the cigarette pack from the desk, he took out one cigarette. He lightened it and took first gust of smoke. His eyes drooped as the effects of smoke reached his blood stream.

The silent phone blinked. He nonchalantly glanced and his eyebrows knotted. His father was calling him. That was odd. His father never called during office hours. He set the cigarette on the ashtray's edge and answered his phone.

"Dad?"

"Daud, Salaam."

"Walaikum salaam. Are you free to talk?"

Daud lifted the cigarette with his two fingers and puffed, "yes I am."

"Shabbir came to meet me."

Daud immediately pushed the cigarette out of his lips grip, "What did he say?"

"He has accepted the proposal."

With unsteady fingers, Daud again set the cigarette on the ashtray, "Really?"

"Yes and he wants the engagement done next weekend so there is no doubt who Nawal is marrying. And about the marriage..."

"I want it as soon as possible." Daud blurted.

"Well Shabbir thought we should wait until summer holidays as Nawal is busy in her semester right now."

Daud's eyes roamed around the room, calculating the number of months until the marriage, "When then?"

"July. After Ramadan."

Daud nodded curtly, four months. Four fucking months. That was too long. But he couldn't rush. He had to accept this.

"Okay fine." He mumbled.

"I want you to come with me tomorrow to meet Aba jaan and we tell him this."

Daud sighed and took hold of his cigarette, "I am not coming there."

"Daud I want you there when I give the news. You are his eldest grandson."

"Really? Has he acknowledged me as his eldest grandson?" he sneered.

"I want you there. End of discussion." Ibrahim seethed.

"Why can't you invite him at your place. I will come there." Daud suggested.

But they both knew the answer to that. Adil will never go to Ibrahim's home even though he was the eldest son.

"Daud" Ibrahim warned.

"Fine. I will be there." Daud muttered.

Cancelling the call Daud, swirled in the office chair and turned to the large window that looked over the busy Dublin city centre area. Cigarette between his fingers he strolled to the window and gazed out the late winter day. Taking the cigarette on his lips, he inhaled the smoke deeply.

His eyes flickered up to the heavens, for the first time in years a prayer left his lips...

"Thank you, Allah."

****

Nawal was resting against the headboard of her pink bedding bed. She was watching one of the comedy shows to lighten her mood. Since coming back home from the hospital two days, she had been resting. Now she was fed up. She had decided to go back to university next week. She missed her friends and if she was really honest with herself, she missed her classes and her teachers. But her heart missed Daud the most. She hadn't spoken or chatted to him since the incident. The last time she had seen him was at the hospital.

Her parents had been very quiet. No one had mentioned about her marriage. It seemed it had become a taboo topic in the household. She was relieved. She didn't want to think of Salman at all. Leaning her head on the headboard, she exhaled heavily. Why couldn't life be simple? Why her parents were not ready to understand what she wanted? Sometimes she wished there were no restrictions and boundaries. Then surely, she wouldn't have tried that stupid stunt. It had hurt so much. But worse of all the shame she had brought on her family.

"Allah please fulfil my greatest wish." She pleaded, her eyes closed and oblivious to the scene on the television.

A knock disrupted her thoughts. She murmured her response. Shabbir smiled at his daughter when he opened the door. Nawal smiled back weakly.

"Can a father talk to his daughter?"

"Of course daddy." She sat up but was unable to meet her father's eyes. She was ashamed as to how she had led down her father. The only man in her life who had been always by her side. She respected and loved her father a lot. She cringed knowing what she had done must have devastated him.

He sat down and looked in front of him at Nawal's messy desk, "Nawal I was really hurt for what you did last weekend."

Nawal lowered her head in shame and wasn't able to respond.

"I thought my daughter was wiser than this." She didn't utter a single word, "No one was forcing you to marry Salman. You could have simply rejected the proposal and that would have been the end of it."

Tears of shame trickled down Nawal's nose to her hands on her lap. She wasn't able to look up. Her father was right.

"Your marriage has been set. We have given our answer."

Nawal lips quivered as more tears flowed. Her parents were not changing their mind about Salman's proposal. She saw her life crumbled in front of her but her father's next words heightened her heart beat.

"Daud has agreed to the engagement next week."

Nawal's head shot up, her eyes wide and tears running down. She laughed as it registered what her father was saying. She yelped and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you Daddy."

Shabbir smiled and rubbed the back of his daughter's head.

"May Allah bless you with happiness my dear daughter. Ameen."

****

Daud was sitting in front of his Dada jaan. For respect he had lowered his head as his father broke the news. Muhammad had given privacy to his eldest brother and left the living room. Salman was nowhere to be seen and that was a relief for Daud. Since the fight, he hadn't seen him and he was in no mood to talk to him for the sake of appearances.

"Aba jaan, we have set Daud's wedding." Ibrahim cleared his throat and spoke audibly.

Adil's piercing gaze flickered to Daud and he tilted his head in approval, "Who is the girl and family?"

Ibrahim leaned forward on the sofa, "Nawal Ahmed, Shabbir Ahmed's daughter."

Adil's grip on his walking stick tightened and his wrinkled forehead creased further, "Why Ibrahim? Did you not know a proposal was sent by Salman?"

Ibrahim was quiet and then spoke softly, "A girl gets many proposals Aba jaan. It is up to the family to decide. We didn't force anyone."

Adil straightened on his seat, "You shouldn't have done so Ibrahim knowing what your nephew was thinking."

Daud's hand fisted trying to control his anger. His Dada jaan never favoured him. His precious grandson Salman had always been important rather than Daud.

"It was Daud's preference." Ibrahim tried his best to explain.

Adil was about to reprimand further but Muhammad interjected who had just entered the room, "No Aba jaan it is for the best. Salman had declined his offer." Muhammad turned to Daud and smiled, clasping his hand on the younger man's shoulder, "I am happy for you, son." Startled, Daud rose to his 6'2 height to thank his uncle. But Muhammad startled him further as Daud was enveloped in an embrace. Daud was stunned unable to react. His uncle had never shown any affection. He always had cordial relationship with him but not a very affectionate one.

Adil frown deepened and he sighed resigning to the situation, "if that is the case. My blessings are with Daud." He raised his hand indicating for Daud to knelt down so he could touch his head for his blessings.

Daud knelt down in respect in front of his dada jaan and Adil lightly touched Daud's hair.

"May Allah bless you."

****

Salman had been standing at the other side of the wall listening to the conversation. His heart shattered into countless pieces. His hand fisted and he punched the wall. His numb hand was unable to feel the pain. His heart was bleeding. He blindly strode out of the house. Ignoring his mother's voice calling out to him, he aggressively grabbed the jacket from its wall hook and rushed out on unstable legs.

He knew this would happen but to actually face it.

It hurt. It hurt like hell. He wasn't strong enough to deal with this. Settling back behind the steering wheel of his German car, his hold on the steering wheel tightened ready to tear it off the vehicle. He was breathing hard.

He was seeing his dreams being abandoned.

He was living his nightmare.

His worst fears.

His head fell on the steering wheel, his forehead leaning on the tops of it. Shutting his eyes, how will I live on? How will I see the woman I had dreamt of as mine to be in another man's arms? How will I endure this agony?

With trembling fingers, he slipped the key in the ignition and brought the car to life. He drove lazily, lost in his bleak thoughts. He didn't know where he was going. He drove mindlessly for many minutes until coming in front of a house that took time for him to comprehend where he was.

He was at Fadil's home.

Yes, he needed his dear friend's advice right now. Who else will understand him than Fadil who had seen the love of his life with his brother for nearly a year. He walked out of the car on instable legs and breathed in deeply. He needed to express his sorrows to someone. He couldn't say it to his family. They would be distressed. He was in need of a sincere friend.

After few minutes, he sat in front of his friend in a desperate need of any advice, any reassurance, any hope. Fadil had one look at his dishevelled appearance and was silent. He was a wise man, silently observing Salman's misery. In the last one week, he hadn't bothered to trim his black beard and his unruly raven black hair was a mess at the moment.

"Salman, what happened?" Fadil spoke cautiously.

"My worst nightmare has come true." Salman voice muffled as he buried his face in his hands.

"Nawal?" Fadil questioned.

Running his hand through already messy hair, Salman nodded. "She is marrying that asshole." His jaw clenched.

Fadil eyebrows knotted, "Mind your tongue, Ramlah is in the kitchen. Who is this man you describe in such a beautiful way?"

"Sorry mate." Salman muttered and then he uttered the name he loathed the most, "Daud."

Fadil eyebrows rose, "Your cousin?"

Salman looked away and heaved. His silence confirmed Fadil.

He finally murmured after few minutes of silence, "It's not easy seeing her with another man. I know he is my cousin. I just can't see her like this, Fadil."

"You need patience, Salman. I had been patient. Think what I went through watching Ramlah with Fahd. I couldn't do anything. Seeing her day and night with my brother. It broke me bit by bit." Fadil confessed, making Salman contemplate how much pain his friend had gone through.

There was a difference, Fadil had his happy ending and Salman nothing but darkness ahead, "But you did get her after all? The love of your life finally is yours." Salman urged.

There was silence. Then Fadil replied softly, "It's not easy Salman even when you are living together you have to work hard for happiness. Just because I married her doesn't mean we have a happily ever after. We have to continuously understand each other and accept one another's flaws and positive aspects."

That didn't make sense to Salman, once you had the girl you wanted the rest was easy living with her. He didn't ponder much on it, he was distraught over his situation, "I don't know mate. I just wished Nawal hadn't chosen Daud."

"It is how Allah has planned and He is the best planner. We cannot question His wisdom, Salman." Fadil reminded Salman.

"Tea," Ramlah mumbled standing at the threshold of the living room. Salman didn't bother to look up at his friend's wife but instead gloomily greeted her, "Assalam u alaikum Bhabi."

"Walaikum salaam bhai." Ramlah mumbled and then left the room.

Fadil offered Salman a plate and the platter of samosa, "Look Salman I will be very honest. Just be patient. Have good intentions. Everything else works out. Allah knows what is in the hearts." he shrugged, "You never know if things change and she end up marrying you."

Salman paused in the act of taking the samosa from the platter, he incredulously regarded Fadil, "I hope so man. Inshaa Allah."

"But remember whatever happens it is for the best. Because Allah is the best planner." Fadil again reminded Salman as he placed two samosas on his plate.

He nodded wretchedly, "Yes indeed."

****

Next morning, Salman sat behind his office desk lost in his misery when his secretary piled the mail for the day in front of him. Salman nodded curtly and with heavy heart picked up the first letter. He tore open the envelope and read the contents of the business letter. It was a letter from the biggest suppliers who wanted to end their contract. The letter crumbled as his hand clenched.

"That fuckin asshole."

Salman jumped from his chair and ran out, he yanked open the door of his office. His startled secretary looked up, "GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH HALAL IRISH MEATS NOW." Salman barked.

The secretly gulped in dread and bobbed his head in agreement, scurrying to do as he was told.

Salman was not going to play a fair game. He was going to crush Daud once and for all.

****

A pleasing smile spread over Nawal's face as she checked her phone. She had received a text from Daud, her heartbeat had risen when she had seen the text message. She playfully bit her lower lip, thinking how to answer. Her eyes sparkled as she imagined what she had dreamed of.

.

There was a prompt response.

Her smile widened and her heart fluttered. Her dream was really coming true. She typed the response with her shaking fingers.

Her smile didn't falter as she waited for the response and again she didn't have to wait long.

Lowering her eyelids, she clutched her phone to her heart and her heart sang a new tone.

Oh Daud, I love you.

Lifting her eyelids, as she typed her ring size she whispered,

"Thank you Allah. Thank you so much."