Manha was perched on the floor, her head resting on the sofa besides her. A few women were scattered in the living room, some reading verses from the Holy Qur'an and others mumbling adhkaar* while staring at her woebegone face. She was pale with lips wrinkled nastily. The skin around her blood shot eyes seemed irritated and dark eye bags dented her visage. Her eyes were now misty. The continuous tears had left trails on her cheeks. The light blue clothes she was wearing accentuated her misery stricken state. She looked sunken.
A perfect depiction of devastation.
A fallen angel.
She sucked some air as her nose was clogged causing her to breathe with the help of her mouth. She had bid the last farewell to her husband finally an hour ago. It crushed the tiny glimmer of hope she had nestled deep in her heart. Hope that everything was a mistake and Abrar had simply been delayed and would return afterwards. One look at his peaceful dormant face, left no such belief. He had indeed returned to His Creator.
Even Tahmid had cried hysterically when the form of his father remained still on the mat, not opening his eyes despite the desperate pats and loud callings of his precious baby. He sensed that something very wrong had happened to his Abba*. He was not prepared to leave his side while Hayder had gently gathered him in his arms and handed him to Hayat. He kept struggling, hitting her shoulder and crying loudly when his bhai*, Fahad daddy and two other uncles whose names little Tahmid couldn't quite remember, were moving his
father and placed him in a casket. He pulled at his sister's scarf, wanting to be let down.
"ABBA!", the infant had wailed loud and clear, causing Nihad, his paternal aunt's son, to tug him out of Hayat's embrace. He brought him along to the cemetery.
Fahad had never imagined that he would be among those who would cover his closest friend's grave with soil. He had known the man since he was eleven, forming a deep connection with him as the years went by. They had stood next to each other, facing everything that life hurled at them. The duo had stepped up multiple pedestals around the same time. Fahad had figured that they might as well grow old and taste death at least one after the other, if not together, in old age. He tried not to show it but he felt annihilated.
He saw Hayder trembling while they were lowering Abrar in the last stop of this world. His son was battling grief, holding tears at bay in fear of seeming weak and being denied the right of being with Abrar one last time before leaving him forever. Although Abrar was a father figure to his other two kids, Haitham and Sahl as well, Hayder was the one who had spent most time with him. He was undeniably close to him. He had accepted him wholeheartedly as a father since he was a mere child, only to have his heart broken this early. It was neither an accident nor an illness. Abrar had passed away naturally at an age as young as 34, leaving nothing to blame for his sudden death. His heart had stopped it's purpose while he was having a short nap in a public transport.
Fahad closed his eyes tightly in order to maintain his composure. His thoughts were gnawing at his insides, wooing him to question destiny. But rationale urged him not to forget that every individual's stay on earth was temporary. It was just that Abrar's time was up sooner than expected. He went back to His Lord when it was least anticipated. But then again, death was unpredictable.
It's arrival had never been announced. It was likely untimely and one had to be always prepared.
Maira mounted the stairs with Hayat, glancing back wearily at the gaunt lady who was Abrar bhai's mother. The large white headscarf that she was sporting, highlighted the scathing stare the old lady was giving her daughter in law Manha. She was never fond of her and had constantly caused her troubles when they were still staying together. Although it was an arranged marriage, Abrar had married Manha, the sister of his business associate and friend while he was on a trip in India without consulting his mother. And this had caused great bitterness in the heart of the woman for his wife.
Maira smiled suddenly while recalling the instances of her own marriage and that of Manha's. She had found herself on the altar surprisingly with another couple. After the ceremony, both girls were introduced as each of their husband's sister-in-laws, that is the wives of their respective life partner's friend. One week later, both brides were boarding a flight to Mauritius together, not knowing the trials that awaited them in their journey in an unknown land.
While Fahad's family had welcomed Maira with open arms, Manha faced problems the moment she set her foot in Abrar's ancestral house. Abrar's mother disapproved vehemently of his bride and his abrupt marriage. She was not able to come to terms with the fact that her son had taken the liberty to choose his wife on his own. And thus began her quest for sending the foreign girl back to her homeland.
It was only 4 years ago that Abrar bhai was able to purchase the house next to hers and shifted with his small family. And from there her bond with Manha became stronger than ever. And she feared that the old woman would attempt hurting Manha again, now that she was within her walls. Maira sighed heavily and began arranging a guest bedroom with the help of Hayat for Manha's brother and brother-in-law who were arriving that evening. Sadly, they couldn't get tickets on time to be at the burial of Abrar. But the thought that the moral and emotional support of her friend would be reinforced relieved her somehow.
"MA! Leave her alone!"
"Stop it please!"
"Enough!"
"ENOUGH! Damn it!"
Fahad's voice lastly echoed in the vast place. He didn't expect a lady of such advanced age to be irrationally irate and to lash out at innocents irrepressibly. Abrar's mother was yelling absurdities and profanities at the already sepulchral widow who had nothing to do with her husband's death. Old aged people were normally known to be wise and softened with experience. But here, he was witnessing the complete opposite. The senior lady was far too gone in her hate to notice that she was causing havoc in a beyond destroyed place.
At the outburst of Fahad, Akmal, the husband of Abrar's sister held his mother-in-law's arm to bring her outside and ordered his wife and children to gather their belongings. Staying here would only create problems. While leaving, his eyes fell on the beautiful broken woman who was sitting quietly while her tears flowed freely. Thankfully her children were at the airport to receive their maternal uncles and had not witnessed the grotesque behavior of their grandma. Their dislike for her would have then definitely developed into hate.
Glossary
Adhkaar - The repetition of Allah's names and His attributes Abba - father
Bhai - brother, a term mostly used to address elder brothers