A flame in the Storm

Chapter 16

"He will not marry a girl who lost her respect before marriage" Sohail uncle stated glaring at Farah. 

"To your son" Aunt Asma retorted with equal fervor. "Anyway, we don't want to marry our daughter to such lower-middle-class people."

"She is pregnant for god sake." Mom reasoned

"We can't ruin her whole life for one mistake she committed" Arshad uncle (Farah's father) said getting up. "No more discussion on this. She must do abortion."

"Do you want to commit another sin to cover up one? You do know abortion is prohibited in Islam; we can't take a life even before it's born" mom replied to him.

"What do you want us to do Ayesha?" Aunt asma asked mom throwing her hands up "you want us to push our daughter in a life full of misery just because of her one fault."

"Such high morals" Sohail uncle mocked her taking his seat. "They don't even consider it a grievous sin."

"If my daughter is at fault so is your son," aunt Asma said trying hard to control her anger.

"But she called him at her home when she was alone, it was her plan" he replied.

"Don't you dare say a word against my daughter" Arshad uncle snarled pointing a finger at Sohail uncle.

"Then you should have kept her under control" he retorted.

Fists were flying across the room when dad stopped them from punching each other.

"Enough," he said, "they both are at fault. Instead of blaming your children think about the solution."

Uzma, Farah, Salman and I were just staring at the elders afraid to even utter a word in between.

"Solution is final", Arshad uncle said "Farah will abort the child and she will never see this face again," he said pointing at Salman.

Salman opened his mouth to say something but his father stopped him. "If you see this girl's face again he said gesturing at Farah you will not see mine."

"Come let's go" he dragged Salman out of the door, ignoring his protests and not allowing him to say a word. Uzma and aunt Rubiya followed them without uttering a single word in the same way they had sat the entire time.

"What are you waiting for?" Aunt Asma asked Farah "is this humiliation not enough for you? Let's go."

"I am not coming with you" Farah got up from her seat.

"Don't throw tantrums now" Arshad uncle scolded her "we will make an appointment with the doctor tomorrow and end all this drama."

"I am having this child" Farah glared in her father's eyes "and I am going to be a better parent than you both had ever been" saying this she ran in my room and locked herself up before her parents could say something.

Aunt Asma and Arshad uncle both followed her and banged on the door. "Enough of this Farah, don't insult us more come out."

"I am not coming out" she shouted from inside. "I will die before guys force me to abort."

"I will not let you destroy my reputation in the society" her father barked.

"All that you care about is your reputation" she retorted "you never cared about me."

"That's not true" her mother pleaded "we love you. We want the best for you"

"If you do then let me have my baby" Farah cried.