The Marriage Of A Bangladeshi Girl (completed)

Ch:11- Aakht (The Marriage)

(Sadia's POV)

In the morning my sleep was broken as I heard the constant knocking on the door. I got up quickly and looked around me. My cousins were still lying flat in sleep. The knock on the door now became more frequent and harder. Without wasting any more time I rushed to the door and opened it. It was mom panting with a worried expression on her face.

"What happened, mom?" I asked getting worried too. The first thought that came to my mind was if dad was okay or not.

"Your marriage will be read in an hour. You have to get ready fast. The moulvi shaheb is already in the hotel." I felt my breathing stop for a moment as if someone kept a hard stone on top of my heart.

"But you didn't tell that to me before?"

"How can I tell you, it had just been decided today at the breakfast table. I have been looking for you everywhere and you were here."

"But mom..."

"Sadia no more questions come with me."

The next thing I knew, I was in the restroom staring at myself in the mirror. My hands were freezing with anxiety and my heart was beating at an abnormal pace. How I thought I would spend this day happily with my cousins but here I was going to experience the saddest day of my life. Mom called from the room again to quicken. I turned the tap and started my morning routine.

After I was made ready in a beige floor-length gown anarkali, I was taken to a room, which had sofas all around it. Mom sat with me on the sofa and Abrar directly opposite mine. There were a lot of people in the room, including the moulvi, which made my heart throb even louder. My head was covered in the huge dupatta of the dress, that I could now feel its heaviness. I was constantly looking down and my neck was now even painting. However, I didn't have to wait after that, as the moulvi took Abrar's agreement and came to me.

The moulvi asked me if I would take Abrar as my husband? Mom clasped my hand tightly and came near me.

"Tell qubool (yes)." She whispered in my ears. I was so tired of this whole process that I just wanted it to end as soon as possible and that's what I did. I said qubool, with determination and without any reluctance. I don't know from where but I got immense power from somewhere to do that. He then told me to sign on the marriage certificate, that's when I again felt all my energy draining out. I have held the pen in my shivering hand. This time dad came and caressed my head. I looked at him, my eyes almost teary, and then looked at the paper and signed it.

The moulvi then announced us married and everyone started hugging each other. I felt tears running down my cheeks. Mom kissed my head and took me out of that room. She then took me to my aunties who were eagerly waiting and jumped out of their seats at the sight of me. They looked at me and hugged me saying congratulations.

They were very happy and they liked Abrar a lot. Mostly because they found him hot and good-looking, which he actually was but for me, it didn't matter. I didn't have any interest in him and didn't even want to have any. The girl again in his room struck my mind hard. The girl was wearing professional clothes, which meant she definitely worked for him but why would she get so close to him? I saw her eyes it reflected so much love and care for him, but why did it matter to me? I mentally patted myself and told myself to forget about it. I told mom that I wanted to go back to my room and I was tired. They didn't stop me and continued their never-ending conversations.

I got into the lift and waited patiently to reach my floor. The lift stopped after going one floor and opened wide, revealing Abrar. He was wearing jeans and a black shirt. His hair was up professionally, the way he mostly keeps and the smile that spread across his face was enough to get me shy. I shifted my hand to my neck to keep myself engaged somehow and not get affected by him.