My packet full of surprises

“Why did you agree to marry me?” I asked. He returns me a quizzical look whenever he wants to overcome controversy. “Oh! Come on. You owe me that much. It was our first anniversary we celebrated half an hour ago,” I flicker some soapy bubbles at him to which he raises his eyebrow. Just like the rock did. Did you smell? Ah, you know the rest! People who could be out of the ordinary always amazed me. I had a friend in my biology class. The girl could bend her fingers 360 degrees. There was one kid in my neighborhood who could move his ears like he was a Martian or something. Weird but it set them apart. A unique thing to possess that nobody else has. At least they had something to impress.
“Do you think I am blind? I still see pretty butterflies lingering around you. Why did you choose a moth then?” I asked him bravely. Not thinking of the consequences, I could face after that. “You are color blind” He answered and dried the last plate with the almost wet cloth. Two drops of water splashed in the already filled sink. I knew what he meant but I just played along, giving him back his quizzical look. Too can play that game. “You remember the first time I saw you.” He said, but I cut him in between. “Yes, in my drawing-room. I was holding a tea tray. Yes, I remember that.” I said tightly closing the tap because of the slight OCD, I inherited from my paternal side.
“No. It was not then. I had researched you before. I looked at your Facebook profile” Wow, I was amazed. “Didn’t know you had the sleuthing skills” I saluted him. “Bravo” “Football was the only reason I came to see you. I thought what the heck. Let’s see how many players does she actually knows” He said.
“I wasn’t even in love with you till our wedding day. I liked you but did not love you. A thing inside me just made me move on. Made me take this leap of faith. You ask me why did I agree. I don’t know, frankly. Nobody forced me into it. There was no pressure” He jerked his muscular shoulders.
By this time, I thought I had asked the wrong question. Did he do it out of depression? Was I still not lovable? What if he finds his love when we are too long down the road? Breath. Relax. Listen. My voice said. “I know you won’t remember but something happened at our wedding that made me stay put and the chain followed” He continued. “I took a spoon full of the Biryani and suddenly you pass me the dessert.” I seriously didn’t remember that so he moved on. “I knew you wouldn’t have remembered it. I was so puzzled. How on earth did she know I had bitten green chili?”. I sat on the stool and he dragged the other one and sat near me.
“The next came a bit more surprising. It was the morning of our wedding day. I was standing in the room and you handed me my phone. How does she know I was looking for my phone? Is she a psychic or something?” I laugh when he says that, the one he loves, the one with flashing my artificial teeth.
He holds my hand and says” You made me fall in love with you without trying. These butterflies show off around me while you silently pray. You curse harshly when a referee doesn’t give a penalty like that, but you hate littering the streets. You listen to all but talk to a few. You forget birthdays, but you know when my meetings are. You are a packet full of surprises” He pinches my nose and wobbles it. “My packet is full of surprises. Because in a room full of people my eyes always look for you” He gave his crooked side smile and went away, leaving me in a trance of awe.

Walk with me

It was a bright sunny day, the sunshine crept through the netted branches above me as if trying to soak me up with its warmth. How much I longed for the sun if only he knew. 

We walked hand in hand, through the pink cloud of flowers above us. The botanical garden was a good choice for short span dates. Why do you ask? We rarely have time you see. The kids are now a hand full. The schedules are chaotic. From our busy lives, we take in the small gulps of fresh air whenever there is time. 

They said the spark starts to lose its power down the road. We both were scared as well. At times there were days we would just talk in the morning and at night before sleeping, holding hands with one of the kids between us. 

With the demanding life, the love was slipping. When I look around me, the sleeping twins and my snoring husband didn't come in a silver platter. I waited patiently and prayed for what I have today. I can never thank Allah enough for the blessings he has bestowed on me. At that time I made a decision. I would never give up on love. 

It started with small notes tucked into the lunch boxes. Mind you I am a firm believer that the way to a man's heart is through his tummy. The lunch boxes returned with flowers, candies and my personal favourite, the chocolate doughnuts.

Through his board meetings, he took out time to send me text messages and I returned them cheesy replies and pictures.

Small gestures, appreciations and long walks are the reason for our strong bond. I love you and thank you has increased the intimacy. Give something and receive something in return. Be the first to apologize, even if you aren't at fault. Things will take a high road and sometimes the life stoops low. It's at that moment you are tested. Your love is under a trail. Don't back down. Don't turn away. Stand tall. Face it. Look into his eyes and you will find the reason why you fell in love with them in the first place. It's the eyes that never age. 

After 50 years, we are still walking through. We still rarely have time for us. The praying beads have taken place of the chores and the kids are replaced with grandkids. The botanical garden remains a quick escape from the reality to our happily ever after.

Martyr of Mother nation

After a restless sleep she gave up. The sun rays crept through the curtain. She stood up; eyes still shut and tried to find her slippers with the help of her feet. The clock showed 5:30 and she thought of going for the fajr prayer. Since her childhood she was made to pray five times a day regularly. Even now with her busy schedule she always used to find a time to thanks Al-mighty for his blessing and love.

The water was cold at first and a shivery feeling went through her body. Instantly she remembered what her nana use to say “God loves the prayers of youth”. The desire of being dear and near to the creator of the world is a trait that ran in her family.  “ALLAH-O-AKBAR” and she raised her hands in the greatness of ALLAH. Her eyes were filled with water and throughout the prayer a string of tears crawled down her cheeks. It felt like a deep chunk of heart was missing.

Their father was a teacher with modest and patriotic belief and their mother was a simple house wife with old and vintage philosophy. No one in their family tree belonged to defense force. She was strongest one in the family, stronger then her young brother and when she joined the army his father was swollen with pride. She was followed by her brother and soon the family had their progeny serving for the nation.

But today she moaned because of a sacrifice, like one of her hand was slashed away. The pain and the ache she had came flooding out like lava that was obstructed from a billion years deep inside the core of her heart. They were trained to stay put and emotionless. But in front of Supreme Being she lost all her confidence and wept, like a baby from whom her favorite toy has been taken away.

On the dinner table the breakfast was arranged properly. 10 years before she would have made the breakfast and arranged the table herself but after being deployed to Malakand division she and her brother along with their parents were living in a fully restored house with servants and care takers. Her mother was not used to be taken care of and hated her house being under some strangers but her father soothed her by telling her that its time that she should relax and let her children take the charge. Behind all her anger she was at joy seeing her kids accomplished and merrily she left the world one day while sleeping. Her father couldn’t pull off after the tragedy and after a year he too passed away leaving his kids orphan.

Her brother was the only family she had and when he left for the anti-terrorist field operations the home turned into a house.

Where there is happiness eventually the shadows of darkness would take its place. The wind turned its track and their country was undertaken by vicious and evil spirits.

Her thoughts were disturbed by honking of a car and suddenly she was back to reality. In a rush she stood up, taking a sip of cold tea and dashed to the main door. Sher khan stood straight holding the door of the car opened for her and she slipped inside.

Enormous black gates unbolt and a white elegant building emerged in front of her eyes. She was mesmerized by the architecture of the building from the very first day when her eyes met the structure. The Immense building belonged to the secret defense agency of Pakistan.

The white corridor looked novel to her, as she never had put a step there ever. Everyone that crossed her was looking at her in astound. “What is it? “  She thought. Hastily she went to her office.

All her questions were answered when she walked to her desk. The newspaper had a front page photo of her brother. The headlined read “Martyr of the mother nation” and paper fell on the floor right out of her hands. So that is why everyone was looking at her. They all were amazed at her bravery and strength. That’s the reason she was feeling so low and she cried. That was the explanation to her sleepless night. The smell of fresh earth, soft music of national anthem playing, solid footsteps of the soldiers marching and discharge of the 21 arsenals facing the gray sky, all the memories of yesterday came flooding back. A wooden coffin covered with the green and white flag was being held up high on the shoulders, they lowered him down in the open grave and she went down on her knees as if they had turned into jelly. All of sudden the brightly lit room was shrinking and there seemed no oxygen to breathe. Cold and bitter feelings ran inside her and she had this abrupt emotion of being left alone in a world full of aliens.

 Unexpectedly her legs carried her out of the office. In a minute she had crossed the corridor where her fellows stood watching her in bewilderment. Her car was right where it should be and she opened the car with her spare keys and drove madly out of the building, all she knew was to get out from these unpredictable emotions she was having.

It was raining heavy, puddle splashed mud all over her shoes when she climbed out of her car. How she got here she couldn’t remember. But these graves looked friendly to her. Even though it was chilly outside but the warmth of her being near to her family made everything not worth it.

It took only a day and she went exposed, nothing was there for her in this globe. She cried her heart out in front of her mother’s grave, and the trees bent their heads in her sorrow. All what was left in this world for her was her country and her creator

I want my freedom!

Today was special as from today she would no longer be treated as a young one, that’s what she always wanted to be treated the same as her brothers. But she was scared, it was the first time she would go somewhere all by herself.

Amina came into this strange city when she was 4 years old. She was told by everyone that she was a girl and girls weren’t allowed to move by themselves in a big city. As her thoughts wandered in the open chambers of mind she heard someone calling her name softly. She turned her back towards the whisper that had called her. It was her Ammo, her weak and feeble mother. Ammo was thin and her face showed some signs of aging, her hairs had turned silver in some areas and the scalp peeked out from underneath.

Amina had always admired Ammo’s beauty. She had married amina’s father when they both were very young and carefree. All her beauty smoked up in the kitchen where every women of the village was chained to labor, working with their hearts to spin the wheel of life. This was the ritual of their native land where Amina was born.

“Are you ready to go my dear?” said ammo in her quiet voice. Without a word Amina stood up and took a deep look at her lovely mother. Ammo’s eyes were showing signs of distress; it looked as she had a sleepless night. Who would like to throw her beloved child to face the reality of the world when they their age was to capture butterflies and gain wisdom and knowledge.

Not giving it second thought ammo walked past Amina towards the dark stairs that led to the entrance of the apartment they lived in. Amina made her way to the lightly lighted staircase; the sun rays started poring through the windows and showed signs of filthy trash lying on the steps, awful smell rose from everywhere she turned her face.

When she stepped out on the mulberry road a drop of water touched her white skin, it was drizzling. She found ammo waiting for her at the entrance; ammo grabbed her hand tightly and started walking towards the west. The place where she was taken was the last place on earth she wanted to be. She had heard horrible rumors of it from the neighbors.

Ammo was walking as fast as her legs could carry her. She knew Solomon was an angry man. Checking her watch she took a deep breath, only 2 minutes to 8 o’clock. “Run fast my dear child, we don’t want to be late on our first day”.  Through the busy road and occupied public Amina and Ammo made their way to their destiny, the dress shop.

“We are here my dear” said Ammo and without another breath she started to climb up the stairs. If you had been there, you could smell the awful air the building was covered in. Amina tried to hold her breath but it wasn’t worth it. The air was full of the smell of leather plus the smell from the workers.

As they walked in the room at the second floor Ammo went straight to the women with the no neck. Taking deep breaths “Mrs. Solomon we are here” Ammo said.