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M A R I N A

She woke up, her left arm stretching up and her right hand rubbing her eyes to get rid of the sleep before getting up and stretching her legs.

She came back home last night due to her exams being finished, and she couldn't have been for thankful for that.

She quickly did her morning routine and made her way downstairs to find Saad in the kitchen preparing breakfast all by himself.

They said their salams before Marina joined him in making the omelette and pancakes.

"Why didn't you wake me up?", she looked up at her brother who was busy adding the batter on the pan, "I could've helped you with breakfast."

He flipped the pancake, the golden-brown surface visible to him made him smile. He replied after getting done with both sides.

"Didn't wanna disturb my little sissy's sleep after coming back home late", he flipped the last of the pancakes and moved on to the tea, "and plus, your harmonious snores were too good to be disturbed." He chuckled and she slapped his back with the spatula.

"Hey! I don't snore okay!" He was still laughing which caused her to huff and cross her arms, sending him a glare which turned out to look playful. Saad came and pinched her cheeks before their laughs subsided.

She decided to bring the subject at hand or else it might never be discussed later. She wanted to do it as soon as possible.

"Saad?", she asked hesitantly to which he hummed in response, "what do you think of.. of Amira?"

There was a silence in the air that wasn't comfortable yet not so nerve-wracking. The sounds of pans against spatulas were in the air for a while before Saad's voice joined in as well.

"What do you mean what do I think of her?" He asked while cutting the tomatoes and Marina wanted to facepalm for his obliviousness.

"Do you.. do you like her?" She was fumbling with the stove's knob until he smiled at her before speaking up.

"I think it's more than just 'like'." He gave her a full blown smile which caused her to feel a sudden proudness towards her brother. She didn't realise it all this time but they have grown up so much.

She had talked to Amira the day before and she told her that her parents weren't really convinced to get her married off to Saad. They hadn't even met Saad properly so there was still a chance for something good to come out of the situation.

She decided it was the right time to get things sorted.

Marina looked up at her brother and smiled before saying the words which might sort out the situation or tangle it further.

"Looks like we have somewhere to be, Saad."

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They had told their parents about the situation and their reactions were not what they had expected.

Their mother was thrilled to say the least. She had always loved Amira ever since she met her, and to have her as her daughter-in-law was like a dream come true.

On the other hand, their father didn't look that satisfied. He had always wanted their children to marry Pakistanis, so Amira was a complete no-no for him, even though he was glad she was his daughter's best friend.

Both siblings sensed their father's silence to be bad news, and dragged their mother to a corner to talk privately.

Marina mentioned to her mother to remind their father that a woman may be married in Islam for four things: wealth, beauty, lineage or religious commitment.

"Ammi, Amira is beautiful, she completes her five daily prayers, she's becoming a doctor, and I don't think being Indian is a big problem", she looked up at her mother with a helpless look, "if anything, Amira and Saad would set aside their differences and still make their marriage work." She didn't mention the part where Saad told her that it's much more than a simple liking towards her.

Her mother nodded and proceeded to talk to their father in their room privately. Both siblings' hearts were on the edge with this one. Saad was sweating profusely till their parents appeared.

Their mother gave a victorious smile and their father had a straight face, but the situation was at least better than before.

They set off to find out if Allah had destined for them to be together.

•••

They rang the doorbell and patiently waited until footsteps got louder till the door swung open to reveal Amira's mother.

"Assalamu Alaiykum Samira auntie!" Marina enthusiastically ran up to hug her best friend's mother, followed by a hug from her own mother. Both men nodded their salams before coming in.

Amira's father appeared from the lounge and greeted the family, him asking Marina specifically about how her studies were going.

Amira came down the stairs, her steps slow and steady until her eyes met her best friend's and she practically jumped on her to hug her, the rest of them giving each other weird looks.

She exchanged salams with Marina's parents, both of them giving her wide smiles until she stopped in front of Saad.

"Assalamu Alaiykum, Saad." She smiled up at him and he did too, their gazes locked for a second which caused both of their pupils to enlarge.

"Walaikum Assalam, Amira." He returned her smile with an affectionate one which caused her to look down with a pink colour rising to her cheeks, leaving him breathless. She couldn't deny that her name sounded so good the way he said it.

Amira's father coughed to get their attention and led the family to the lounge.

They sat down, Amira's father on one sofa and Saad between their parents. Both girls sat separately and talked for a while. Samira auntie went to prepare tea and biscuits for the family while they conversed about how their trip to America went.

"What brings you here?" Amira asked her best friend to which she mouthed 'proposal' to her, her face draining off all colour.

She wasn't prepared for this so suddenly, let alone being caught off-guard. Is she would've knew, she would've showered again this morning despite doing it last night.

As soon as Samira auntie came back with a tray of biscuits and tea, the atmosphere shifted to a serious one.

"U-uncle", despite preparing what he had to say, Saad still stammered, "I actually brought my family over to your house for a very serious matter."

He took a deep breath and looked up at her father who had a stern expression. He gulped and said the words which gave him the chills yet an unknown tinge of confidence.

"I wanted to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."

Silence.

Saad's gaze locked with her father's, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face as he gulped, his cheeks reddening. Her father finally spoke.

"What are your intentions with my daughter?"

Saad felt a hand on his back. He turned his face to see his father smiling at him, urging him to speak the words which he had so longed to utter.

He turned around and faced Amira's father and opened his mouth to speak, the words flowing out with confidence like no river ever did.

"I plan to cherish and love her every single moment of my life until death do us apart. I plan to hold and protect her in times of hardship and in times of ease. I will not just bring food for her every single day, I will raise it to her mouth and feed her. I will not just be the biological father of her - our - children, I plan on raising them with her so they grow up to be as pious and humble as her. I know there's this India-Pakistan difference between us, but it doesn't matter to me. I believe such a minute thing will not come in between our marriage which is based upon the blessings of Allah."

The tension in the air had died down and her father was moved. No man ever had these intentions for his daughter, his only child. The previous men were either talking too much about her beauty, not praying at all and a few were even silent.

Amira was frozen. She didn't know Saad, the man who she merely said salam to whenever they met, would want to be with her as much as she wanted to. Tears were forming in her eyes but she wiped them away before anyone noticed.

Amira's family had thought everything through when she had mentioned about Saad's proposal, and her father was the one who had objected the most at that time.

"Excuse me." He muttered before gesturing for his wife and daughter to join him outside to which they complied.

The room was eerily silent when they were out. Her mother placed her hand on Saad's, before muttering a 'you did good' to which he gave a small smile.

Marina was mindlessly playing with the buttons on her sleeve when she heard steps approaching and looked up to find auntie and a somewhat happy-looking uncle enter the room, followed by Amira whose face was slightly pink with no expression. Her father cleared his throat.

"We had thought this through ever since Amira mentioned her liking towards you a couple of weeks ago, and now that you've come here and told us your intentions which I may say, are anything but haram, I lend you my dear daughter's hand in marriage." He said with a smile and the whole room was filled with joy.

Marina's parents congratulated Amira and her family. Saad couldn't have looked happier and Marina muttered a silent Alhamdulillah before going up to her best friend.

"We're going to be sisters!" They both shouted at the same time and their fathers shook their heads, their mothers having the biggest of smiles on their faces.

After a while, when Marina's family were leaving, they gave their salams and Marina heard Saad say something to Amira which made her swell with love for both of them.

"I can't wait to call you my wife."

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