Ayesha At Last(56)

Nani put her cup down. “You remind me of my sister-in-law. She has eight children who live all over the world, but she is very lonely. None of her children visit much. She was too controlling when they were younger and didn’t let them make their own decisions when they grew.”

Farzana bristled. “Khalid is a good boy. He will do as I say.”

Nani leaned forward. “But will he forgive you?”

Farzana froze. “What do you mean?”

“You know that Ayesha and Hafsa are two different people. Your son trusts you to do the right thing. How will he feel when he discovers that you purposely arranged his marriage to the wrong Hafsa?” Nani had no proof that Farzana knew about the identity mix-up and nothing but her intuition guiding her. She only hoped that she was wrong.

“Ayesha is too old for him. She is not suitable!” Farzana stood up, eyes bright with anger. “She is fatherless, and she does not know how to speak to her elders. My son deserves better.”

Nani felt a deep well of sadness open inside her. So it was true: This blustering, angry woman had arranged the marriage of her only son to a woman he didn’t know, instead of allowing him to follow his heart.

She put a hand on the armchair and made a big show of slowly standing up, her arms shaking for added emphasis. Farzana sighed and leaned over to help; Nani grabbed her hand in a viselike grip. “Ayesha is the best person I know,” she said to Farzana, her voice cold and resolute. “Khalid would be lucky to marry her.”

A look of alarm crossed Farzana’s face. “What will you do?” she asked.

Nani stood up straight, all trace of the frail old woman gone now, and Farzana shrunk under her gaze.

“Aunty, will you tell my Khalid? Will you tell Ayesha?” Farzana asked again.

“No,” Nani said. She walked to the door and slipped on her shoes. “I did not come here to threaten or blackmail, only to warn you. Your plan will not work. Please do the right thing. Break off Khalid’s engagement to the wrong Hafsa. Let your son go, before you lose him forever.”

Nani walked back to her house, shaken. She was reasonably certain Farzana would not listen to her advice, but she wanted to give her a chance anyway. Everyone was capable of change, though she doubted Farzana would take the opportunity.

Nana was right—she must let events run their course. Things would work out on their own. Inshallah.





Chapter Twenty-Four

Ayesha was grateful for the superhero movie the ninth-grade math teacher had left for her class. She was distracted, and could not stop running through the events of last night: Hafsa’s happiness, the giddy smiles on her aunt’s and uncle’s faces . . .

Her own crushing pain.

Nani would know what to do. Her grandparents had never let her down before. Her grandmother would make her inquiries and find out what was really going on. Perhaps there had been a mistake. Perhaps Hafsa’s fiancé wasn’t Khalid after all. He would still be single and everything could go back to normal.

Whatever her “normal” turned out to be.

NANI waited for Ayesha after school in the basement suite she shared with Nana. It was small and poorly lit, with thin beige carpet and faux-oak-panelled walls. There was a small bedroom behind a larger living room area, and a tiny bathroom with a standing shower. Despite the dim lighting and cramped dimensions, the space felt warm and inviting, the furniture outdated but comfortable. The walls of the living room were lined with Ikea bookshelves bought second-hand and filled with Nana’s new collection, carefully built up since his move to the country seventeen years ago.

When her granddaughter appeared at the bottom of the stairs, Nani motioned for her to take a seat on the large floral-cushioned rattan sofa. Ayesha was pale, with shadows under her eyes. Nana sat on his usual armchair, reading a biography of Shakespeare.

“Did you find out anything? Did you talk to anyone, to his mother or Khalid or—” Ayesha’s voice broke, and Nani looked at Nana, who quietly left the room.

Nani stroked Ayesha’s hair, just as she used to do when Ayesha was a child missing her father. “I spoke to some people about Farzana, and then I spoke to Farzana herself.”

“Was it all a misunderstanding? Has there been some mistake?” Ayesha looked at her grandmother with eyes filled with hope, and Nani’s heart contracted.

She shook her head. “No, jaanu, there was no mistake. Khalid is engaged to our Hafsa.”

Ayesha took a shaky breath. “Was he using me?”

“I don’t know,” Nani said. She wiped the tears leaking from Ayesha’s eyes. “You have always been so capable and strong, even as a child. This is painful news and there is no clear solution. For my part, I think you should follow your heart.”

“What does that mean?” Ayesha’s voice was a whisper.

Nani looked down at her hands. “It is difficult to know what to do, and I cannot help you decide,” she said, hating herself. “I am sorry.”

NANA tiptoed into the living room after Ayesha left. He settled down with his book, glancing surreptitiously at his wife. “I hope you know what you are doing, Laik,” he said.

Nani was lost in thought. “This morning you said I didn’t want Saleha to marry Syed because they’d known each other for too long. That’s not the reason why.”

Nana said nothing, only turned a page of his book.