Must Read: The Silent Lover - Season 1 - Episode 53

7 years ago

Must Read: The Silent Lover - Season 1 - Episode 53

The same evening, Zeest recieved a call from Sarah, Shaheryaar’s sister.

“Bhabi, tomorrow is my birthday and you have to come. I won’t accept any excuse.” Sarah was telling her.

Zeest hesistated for a fraction of a moment.

She shouldn’t accept the invitation.

“No ulterior motives. No dance, no music, it will be an all-girl party.” Sarah hastened to assure her.

“Alright, I will ask him. If he allows, I’d definitely come.” Zeest managed to say, she didn’t want to disappoint this cute girl who happened to be so nice and supportive.

“What? You will ask Aariz Bhai for permission?
Oh well….” Sarah was startled. (Bhai: brother).

“Yes, why are you so astonished?” Zeest asked back. “As a muslim wife, I’m not supposed to go out of my house without his permission.”
“But……Bhabi, I don’t know whether you know it or not but there’ve been rumors about your marriage.” Sarah said with an odd seriousness to her voice.

“I see. Like what?”
“Like…..like it’s just a formal marrige and he doesn’t like you. Also, everyone knows that he loves someone else and that is an open secret now.” Sarah told her in a weak voice. “His behavior and attitude towards you has been very evident and people don’t like him for that.”
“Yes. But, if he hates me it doesn’t necassarily mean that I hate him too, does it?” Zeest asked in a gentle voice.

“Are you saying you like him?” Sarah was still shocked. All she expected to hear from Zeest was Aariz’s faults, weaknesses and bad aspects but what she heard was a totally different story.

“Yes, I like your Aariz bhai a lot.” Zeest’s heart had silently whispered. “Infact, the thing I feared most has happened. I’ve fallen in love with him.” But naturally she couldn’t say such things to Sarah.

“That’s not the question. If someone’s actions are bad for certain reasons, we’re not supposed to react in the same way.”
Zeest explained. “Because, by doing so, we’d be putting ourselves on the same level.”
Sarah kept herself silent.

“Don’t worry, if Allah is willing, I’d defintely attend your birthday, happy?” Zeest said in a sweet voice.

“Thank you, I’d wait.” Sarah replied in a happy tone.

As expected, Aariz raised no objection when she told him about Sarah’s invitation.

“Do whatever you like. You’re free as long as you don’t interfere in my personal matters.” Shrugging his shoulders, he had said in his casual ‘I-don’t-care’ tone.

The next day, thinking it would be the first function she was attending after her marriage, she decided to wear something fancy. After a careful observation of her wardrobe, she selected a maroon saarhi with a matching full sleeves blouse. She remembered what Sarah had told her about the function being an all-girl party so there was no harm in wearing it. Still, she didn’t forget to wear a light gray silky Abaaya and a jet-black scarf over her saarhi.

As, after all, she had to go with the driver, because Aariz had never cared to drop her anywhere.

Once she was ready, she looked at him and said, ” I’m leaving.”
He was busy doing some office work, his face hidden behind a thick file.

“Very well, Miss Wife. Goodnight.” He hardly glanced up at her. His cool unpoliteness was worse than a slap.

Dejected, she was about to turn away when she heard his voice again.

“Oh, you are going to Sarah’s birthday, right?”
“Yes.” She replied in a confused tone. She had already told him that yesterday, why was he asking again?.
“Damn!” He dropped the file. “I forgot. Shaheryaar invited me too. I am supposed to be there by now.” He put a glance at his wristwatch and opened one of his cupboards in search of cloths to wear.

“But…..” She said. “Sarah told me, it would be an all-girl party.”
His searching hands stopped for a moment and he threw a rough and harsh look at her. “I do know that, Miss. Wife. He said there will be a seperate arrangement for men.”
She let out a long breath and then sat down on the nearby chair.

She had to wait, she thought as she saw Aariz disappearing into the bathroom to change.

When they arrived, Sarah was more than happy to see her.

“Bhabhi, I’m so glad you came.” She exclaimed happily, hugging her lovingly. “By the way, you’re looking very smart tonight.”
Sarah said as she stared at her from head to toe.

“But now, you can take this Abaaya and scarf off.” Sarah told her as she led her toward the hall where all the guest ladies sat.

Nodding, Zeest looked around her, checking and making sure that no male was there.

Satisfied, she slowly took off her Abaaya, revealing her dark maroon saarhi.

“Oh, my God.” Sarah said aloud. “What an outfit, and what a figure.
Blushing, Zeest gave her a warming glance, telling her through her eyes to keep her mouth shut.

She also recieved intent female glances, as her beauty was assessed and sighed over.

“So what are doing these days?” Sarah asked with interest.

“I have started teaching.” Zeest gave a short answer.

“Teaching?”
“Yes, it’s my old hobby.” She smiled soberly. “When I was in my village. I used to teach a lot of children.”
“But how did you get the children here?”
“There are plenty of them in our neighborhood. Plus, my mother-in-law has been very co-operative and supportive.” As Zeest talked about her mother-in-law, Sarah could see her eyes were filled with respect and love for Aariz’s mother. “She advertised in several newspapers.”
“That’s nice. What do you teach?”
“Arabic, recitation of holy Quran, basic beliefs and essentials about Islam and our moral values.” Zeest told her soberly.

“That sounds wonderful.” Sarah was definitely impressed.

“Bhabhi?”
“Hmmm?”
“Are you satisfied?” She gazed deeply into her eyes, searching for some complaint, some disappointment.

Zeest sighed and decorated her face with a decent smile. “I’m satisfied with my fate.
I am hoping and praying for the best future, and I’m sure my Allah won’t disappointment me.
“But he is too dry and rough, isn’t he?” Sarah asked.

“So what?” Zeest asked back in a soft, calm tone. “It’s actually better to be dry and rough. As smooth and wet things often slip out of your hand very easily.”
“You don’t deserve what he’s doing to you.” Sarah expressed her sympathy.

“He have his reasons, I’m sure.” Replied Zeest. Always the kind and forgiving woman, Zeest leaned back against the chair, rolling her eyes back in her head.

“You’re so forgiving, I wish it didn’t have to happen to good people like you.”

“Allah often examines his creatures by different methods. When you see the results, only then you can find out who’s good and who’s bad.”
“I know what you mean.” Sarah gave an understanding nod. “But you portray him like he has no faults, no dark aspects and that’s not true.”
“No. There’s already too much darkness in this world and in our society. Why don’t we just spread the brightness?” Zeest’s smile was as soft and gentle as ever as she presented her opinion. “So, whenever I think about him, I try my best to consider his positive aspects only.”
“Positive aspects?” Sarah asked sarcastically. “Could you tell me only one positive aspect of his personality?”
“Sure. Why not?” Zeest said with a firm determination. “He didn’t use me. I am legally married to him. He could have used my body. He could have played with me like a toy, but he didn’t. Atleast he is honest with his feelings. He didn’t take advantage of the situation.”
“But….but he hates you.” Sarah watched her closely, waiting for a reply.

“If he does, then I love the way he hates me.”
Sarah felt like a dumb person on her remark.

She never knew that women like Zeest still existed in this world.

“You…..you’re impossible.” Sarah breathed. “Everyone knows what he’s doing to you.” Sarah was not giving away an inch in her opinion about the man who’d treated this nice girl so badly.

“Even his bitter accent is more better than anyone’s sweet accent. While counting one’s faults and weaknesses, we often ignore the positive aspects and that makes the matter worse.” Zeest said. Her comments about him came in short, but wonderfully strong sentences. Sarah’s eyes widened in astonishment and suprise as she listened to Zeest.

“I accept he is rough but he is tough too.
I admit, he is rude but he is protective. He is harsh but he is honest as well. I know he is arrogant but at the same time, he is decent too.”