Chapter 30:The Proposal.

"So Amyrah, do you cook?"

It was time for interrogation. The moment every girl hates when meeting for arranged marriages because of the many, often useless, questions.

"She cooks really well" answered Jazbah but the mother of Omar gave her a look to answer for herself.

"Yes"

"Do you know pakistani dishes? Omar loves them!"

"Are they taking her hand in marriage or to be a cook?" whispered Karmaan.

"I know, its better if she gets married in our family! No cooking, no chores, nothing!" muttered Kulthum.

Kayan nudged both of them to keep shut as he gauged what was going on infront of him.

"Briefly tell us about your daily routine dearest?" the mother questioned again.

"Uhh" Kayan knew Amyrah was feeling tensed.

"Yes?"

"Well, I wake up, get dressed, get breakfast and go to work" she said and his mother's eyes widened.

"Allah! You don't cook?"

"I do but sometimes" she replied, playing with her fingers anxiously. Kayan knew she was a nervous wreck just by that one sign. And he also knew Amyrah would blow up soon.

"So dear, what work do you do?"

"I draw" Again the mother's eyes widened but this time, so did everyone elses.

Noor was going to speak but Jazbah pulled her back. Noor glared at her but Amma took over, glaring back at Noor.

"Ya Allah! Draw? Draw what?"

Kayan saw Amyrah's eyes closing for a moment and then snapping open.

Bad sign.

He looked over to Yazdan, Sahl and Farhaan and nodded at them.

The boys immediately called someone and soon, a loud bang was heard.

And.................. everyone began running towards the sound, leaving the interrogation behind.

Kayan looked over to Amyrah who shot him a small smile.

"you look pretty" he gestured and she blushed. All this did not go unnoticed by Amma who was seated with Grandmother Zaeef.

"So you think they will admit to each other?" questioned Amma.

Grandmother Zaeef sighed.

"I doubt. I mean Kayan did say he likes her but who knows?"

"This generation I tell you! My time, he did not waste time to confess and marry me. Even told my father to give my hand in marriage or we'll elope!" laughed Amma and grandmother Zaeef laughed too.

"I really wish for them to be married. Amyrah is good for my family" said Grandmother Zaeef.

"Huh, my grandchildren are like that"

"Amyrah?" Omar called out as Amyrah turned.

The two were left to talk alone so that they get to know each other.

"Hey"

"Hi"

"I am Omar, 27, software engineer at Sofitech. Inc in New Zealand. My family's from Pakistan but I grew up in New Zealand." he said, smiling.

"Okay" she smiled forcefully.

"Tell me about you?"

"Amyrah Saleh. 26, CEO Rain Advertising in Canada." she said, confidently.

"Wow. I thought you were from Australia"

"No"

"Okay so....... abit personal but have you ever been with a person?" he questioned and Amyrah looked over at him.

"Been?" she questioned for it was out of her mind.

"As in, have you ever dated or slept with a person?"

That question threw Amyrah off guard. Did he even do his research on Amyrah before coming here?

"Yes"

Lie.

She knew it but she wanted to know something.

"Oh!" he sighed in relief causing Amyrah to get suspicious.

"You?"

"Yes so I think that-" he said as his hands came in contact with Amyrah's. Before she could react, he had his hands on her waist.

"-you an-" Amyrah slapped him.

"YA ALLAH!" Omar was in deep thought holding his cheek when his mother entered the terrace, completely oblivious of what had happened, even after seeing her son's red face.

"Amyrah! Darling, I needed to ask you a few more questions" she said. Omar's mother was a short plum lady with large eyes and a wicked smile. Basically she looked like the desi version of evil mothers.

"Yes Aunty?" Amyrah tried to be nice.

"How much do you earn?" she questioned.

That was it. Amyrah lost her calm.

"I don't earn" she gritted her teeth.

"What? You said you worked?"

Omar nervously glanced at his mother and then Amyrah.

"I do. I don't earn. I make profits"

The mother stared at her.

"I thought you and Omar together can-"

"You thought Aunty ji?" questioned Amyrah, walking around her. "You thought? Okay so here's what I think. I think your son is unsuitable for me"

His mother glared at Amyrah.

"Look Amyrah, you are crossing the line here!" she pointed at Amyrah who smiled in return.

"Before you ask for my name, my qualifications, my imaan or my family, you asked if I earned. First hit. Okay. You asked if I could cook. Second hit. Okay. You asked if I could clean. Third. You asked my family how much they can spend on me? Fouth. And now, you have the audacity to ask me my income? Sorry Aunty ji but do you want a daughter-in-law for your family or a maid?"

His mother and Omar were left speechless.

Just then, Farhaan and the other siblings along with the Zaeef siblings walked up the stairs, clapping and cheering.

The mother looked at them and growled.

"Was I called here to be insulted or being a guest?"

"Same old hindi movie dialogue"

"Dude shut up!"

"No-"

"GUYS!"

Kayan looked at Amyrah with pride in his eyes and Amyrah saw it. She gave them a smile before walking out of the terrace area to inform her parents on what had happened.

She caught on them at the foot of the stairs as they were hurrying up to see the commotion.

"Mom? Abba?" she said and her parents stopped seeing her.

"Yes?"

"I say no to this proposal"

They stared at her before nodding anyway.

"Its alright, I guess" her father said, looking over at her mother.

"I guess" her mother replied.

Omar's father nodded anyway.

"I believe they are not compatible" he said, smiling slightly as his mother walked down the steps.

"We say no to this proposal" his mother said and his father sighed.

"They said no already"

"Oh"

"Thank you very much Mr and Mrs. Saleh. I would say, that was a very forward answer. Once again, thank you very much for the dinner and consideration" his father spoke to Amyrah's family who smiled in return.

Noor and Aahil walked the guests outside while Amyrah went to her room to change into simple clothes.

She took a long shower, almost scrubbing her skin off due to the dirtiness she felt from his touch. They did not know each other yet he dared to do such a thing.

She washed off the final soap off her skin and then dried herself before getting dressed up.

She wore a white long tees that fell to her knees, a black cardigan on top with washed jeans. She wore a white and light blue hijab matching her jeans before wearing fluffy socks and walking out of her room.

Everyone was seated in the backyard, after changing into comfortable clothes.

"Amyrah, now tell me why you rejected him?" asked Amma, as everyone was busy talking.

Amma, Amyrah and Aaiyla were seated together on the swing, looking out to others as they chatted and laughed.

"He tried to hold my waist"

"Say what?"

"I slapped him though"

"LOL!"

"Laila Oh Laila?" questioned Amma, causing the girls to turn to her with wide eyes before both of them began laughing.

"Stop it nah!"

"Okay Okay, lets play a game" said Aaiyla.

"Which is?" asked Amma, folding her legs on the swing.

"We will say the acronyms of some famous words we use and you tell us what their full forms are. Okay?" explained Aaiyla and Amma grinned.

Zaaef grandmother also joined and the two began the game.

"OMG?"

"Say what? Om Ji?" questioned Amma shaking her head. The girls burst into laughter.

"Its Oh My God" said Aaiyla.

"Okay, BRB?" questioned Amyrah, smiling.

"Oh I know!" said Zaeef grandma. "-Baba Reh Baba!"

The girls burst out laughing again, this time holding their stomachs.

After sobering up, they started again.

"ROFL?"

"Thats easy, Rolling on Floor- Laughing!" said Zaeef grandma and Amma nodded.

"Smart! Next: uhhh............" Aaiyla thought.

"BTW?"

That was Kayan. He set on the chair, beside the swing and grinned.

"Hmmm" thought the grandmothers leaving Aaiyla to tease the other two.

"Bittu Ti Wedding?" That was a punjabi phrase for the wedding of Bittu.

That caused another round of laughter.

"Okay thats enough insults for now! Kids gather around, I will tell you all a story!" said grandmother Zaeef.

The youths got excited for they knew grandparents stories were one of the best ones.

Jazbah and Rushda laid down the mats so that the kids can sit on them around the swing where the grandmothers set.

"I will look after the children today, you all go" said Amma to the older couples.

Jazbah was about to protest when Amma held her hand up.

"They are old enough. Go have fun. All of you!" she said and the older couples sighed.

"Yes go! And bring us MacDonalds!" said grandma Zaeef.

The older couples laughed and then walked away.

The youths turned back to the grandmothers.

"Okay, let me tell you all a story of love and romance!" said Amma.

Ehaan leaned on Aaiyla who set cross legged to avoid falling.

"Once upon a time, there lived a young man. He was rich, handsome and very charming. What he did not have was love. Sure he had his mother, his father and lots of siblings to love but he wanted a girl. Someone to call his own." Kayan glanced over at Amyrah who tilted her head and smirked at him.

"And when he went on a business trip to a foreign country, he finally found her"

"Must be foreign!" giggled Kulthum.

"Nope. He was surprised to find someone so traditional in a foreign country. And that was when usne dil deh diya! (He gave his heart!)" said Amma with a dramatic style. Again Kayan grinned at Amyrah. This was so their story.

"Did the girl give her heart back?" questioned Aaiyla and everyone turned to her.

"What? I am a romantic person!"

"-Yes, indeed she did. But she was afraid"

That hit Amyrah.

"Afraid? of what?" questioned Kulthum.

Amyrah stared at her grandmother, awaiting answered to her unasked questions.

"She was afraid of love" Amma whispered and everyone strained their ears to hear it.

"Love?"

"yes. Love. She was afraid of that. You see some people are not like us. They have difficulty understanding certain emotions. Love is a strong emotion that some people do no like to feel. Maybe they saw something very bad happen in love or its just their view. Whatever is may be, according to them, being in love is painful. They fear for the dependency on another person, fear heartbreak and most of all, fear falling for the wrong person. You all are growing up, I am telling you this today so that you remember it forever. Being in love is an amazing thing. If you don't fall down and get up, if you don't hurt yourself in the process, how will you learn? When we learnt to walk, we fell numerous times but we got up and walked anyway. The same way with love. Not a leaf falls without Allah's command, you think your future is not planned?" questioned Amma and everyone went silent.

"But Amma, what happened to the boy and the girl?" questioned Kulthum.

Amma smiled at the Zaeef grandmother.

"It is up to them to work their love out"