“Edah! Please, understand. This is for the family. I know you feel we're being harsh right now, but I'm sure after a couple of years, you'll finally come to understand why we did, what we have done.” Saleema spoke, putting the red chador over Edah’s head. Kissing her forehead, Saleema let out a deep sigh, “It's for the best, meri bachchi.”

Edah bit her lip tightly to choke a sob. She shut her eyes close and rested her chin on her chest. Saleema took a long look at her daughter’s sad but glowing face, had a change of heart for almost a minute and turned away before she did something she shouldn’t do. 

“Abbu is calling Aapi, Phupho.” Zia, Edah’s younger cousin, swung on the front door, her eyes bouncing between Saleema and Edah. Saleema gave her a curt nod, “Tell him, she’s coming in a minute.”

Zia rushed away. Saleema helped Edah get up with the heavy bridal outfit and dabbed on her wet cheeks, “Enough of these tears for the day. Come!”

“Amma!” Edah whimpered softly, for the first time since the chaos. Her pale blue eyes pleaded with mercy, “Can you please, please call Zayn once? I want to talk to him. I am sure he will understand. I know, Amma. I know.”

Saleema closed her eyes in impatience and shook her head, “Do you think he cares?” She didn’t stop for an answer. “He doesn’t care, Edah. If he cared, he would’ve been here. He wouldn’t have sent his mother. A man’s pride is very, very fragile. For you, he has no heart!”

Edah knew this. Her life was about to be the balm on a man’s bruised pride. It was about a matter of minutes. Still, she hoped that once, once for her, this nightmare would have a way out. She hoped Zayn would understand her and try to fix this. 

Whatever this was! 

“Edah! Let’s go!” Saleema nudged her and she traced her mother’s footsteps with reluctance. Downstairs, everyone was waiting, holding the ropes of her future and one signature was about to change everything.

Saleema made her sit next to the man who was equally as resentful as Edah, just more manifesting. Where she had cried her eyes out, pleaded people and begged for kindness, he had chosen violence, screaming, accusations and a lot of threats. 

But, it still landed him on the same couch, beside her, in a cream sherwani and a matching turban. 

“Maulvi Saab! Shuru kijiye!” Waheeb Sulaiman said in a gruff voice. Edah let out a sob, adding hesitation in Maulvi Saab’s voice, but one tight squeeze on the shoulder from Waheeb and Maulvi Saab carried on with the task in hand. 

“In the name of Allah, Edah Zalaal Khan’s nikkah is secured with Haaris Farooq Khan. Do you accept it?”

Edah remained quiet. 

She closed her eyes and tried to recall the times when she had imagined this moment — imagined saying ‘Qubool hai’ with a blush, imagined peeking at Zayn from the thin veil, imagined his smirk when he would tease her, and at last imagined their names being spoke together. 

Edah Zayn Shah. 

Hot, thick tears flooded rapidly on her cheeks and hung on her pointed chin, before landing on her folded palms on her lap. Maulvi Saab had repeated his words twice already, and was patiently waiting for her answer. 

The atmosphere was tense, filled with the air so thick that it became hard to breath. Seeing Waheeb’s exasperation, Saleema gently kneaded Edah’s back of the neck, “Now isn’t the time to be shy. Maulvi Saab is waiting. Tell him your answer. Say ‘Qubool Hai!’”

Edah didn’t speak. 

Waheeb glared at Saleema in distaste and decided to take the matter in his hands. Before he could say something, Edah gave her consent in a low voice, almost on an exhale. “Qubool hai.”

The air dispelled and the room began to breathe again.

“Do you Edah Zalaal…” Maulvi Saab began once again but Waheeb grunted. “Bachchi is tired, Maulana. We should take these as final words. Please finish this quickly. Our son-in-law has a flight to catch. Edah needs to pack her things, too.”

Wisely, Maulvi Saab didn’t delay with the signing of the documents, photos and left like a dart, declaring Edah as a married woman. Edah felt as if her life had stopped. She was listening to the people; Waheeb arguing with her new husband, her husband looking so mad as murderous, and her mother crying softly, holding her. 

Feeling her head getting heavier with each hammering noise, Edah closed her eyes. Tons of weight pressed her down on her mother’s lap and the last words rang in her ears were of Maulvi Saab’s, addressing her as… 

Edah Haaris Khan. 

“Ya Allah, help! Open your eyes, Edah. Meri jaan! Please, open your eyes. Oh my poor child! Please wake up.” She heard her mother’s wailing voice for the fifth time. In the past week, her life had given so many opportunities for her mother to cry and beg her to open her eyes. 

The first time her mother broke into a heart wrenching cry when she found her in the torn clothes, lying comatose in the warehouse; the second time was when Zayn’s mother had cancelled the rishta; the third time it was when she had cut her vein, fourth time would be when Edah’s marriage was fixed with Haaris and then now. 

Edah felt horrible to make her mother cry so many times. Life was cruel for Saleema already. Widowed and living under Waheeb’s protection, she had not seen much happiness but at least, she didn’t have to cry a lot. Waheeb was an orthodox Muslim, but he loved his sister. 

And, Edah knew that he viewed her as an obstacle in his sister’s happiness. He never said that. Loved her as his own. Cared for her. Protected her, but he still felt if she wasn’t in the picture, Saleema could have been wedded again to a well-off family. 

And, gazing at Saleema’s pain stricken face, Edah could actually see that she was an obstacle. Saleema broke into a muffled sob and wrapped Edah in her arms, making such a deep feeling of gratitude fill her that she made the decision. 

Decision to sacrifice her entire being for her mother’s happiness. Even if it meant accepting Haaris-the man who robbed off her innocence and tainted her black.