Authored By : Ruby Nisa
Translated By Tousif Raza
It had been fifteen years since Shazia got married. She had three children, all of whom took after their father, Iqbal. Though their complexion was dusky, they were composed, gentle, patient, and loving, just like their father. The special thing about these children—Ayesha, the eldest daughter; Zainab, the middle one; and Asghar, the youngest son—was that they were obedient to their mother, Shazia, and loved her deeply, just like their father.
Even after fifteen years of marriage, Shazia’s beauty seemed to be blooming day by day. Her face, clear and radiant, glowed like a blossoming rose. Iqbal would always praise her beauty, telling Ayesha, “Your mother still blooms like a rose, fresh and graceful as ever.” However, despite Iqbal’s praises, Shazia had never openly expressed her love for him, nor had she ever joked or laughed freely. She always maintained a serious demeanor.
Fifteen years into their marriage, a small bump appeared on Shazia’s face. Many home remedies were tried, but nothing worked. The itching and burning persisted, and the bump kept growing. Iqbal felt guilty, thinking perhaps his constant admiration had jinxed her. But Shazia was consumed by a deeper fear that this might be punishment for a mistake she had made in the past.
Fifteen years ago, when Shazia was in her final year of college, her parents decided to arrange her marriage. They suggested that she could complete her education after marriage. Around that time, a boy named Asif had fallen in love with her. Through her friend, Afra, Asif conveyed his feelings to Shazia, as not everyone had a cell phone back then. Shazia, having fallen for Asif at first sight, was taken by his charm. However, because her family was discussing her marriage, she didn’t respond romantically but instead sent a message for Asif to send a proposal through his family.
Asif followed her instructions. While waiting for a response, another proposal arrived—from Iqbal’s family. Without consulting Shazia, her father accepted Iqbal’s proposal after making necessary inquiries. Afraid her secret might be exposed, Shazia stayed quiet but was inwardly displeased.
The next day, Shazia met Afra and sent another message: she told Afra to tell Iqbal that she didn’t like his dusky complexion and that she was in love with someone else. She asked him to refuse the proposal himself. She also sent a message to Asif, confirming that she loved him too.
Days passed, but Afra didn’t return with any reply. In fact, she disappeared altogether. Shazia had no way to reach Asif, and meanwhile, her marriage to Iqbal was finalized. Her unspoken love remained buried within her, and her wedding proceeded. However, Shazia wondered whether Afra had ever conveyed her message to Iqbal. Now that the bump on her face was becoming a sore, Shazia feared that Iqbal must have been heartbroken, leading to her current condition.
Iqbal’s friend advised him over the phone to take Shazia to a beauty parlor, suggesting they might be able to help. The next day, Iqbal took Shazia to a parlor, where he waited outside while she went in. Inside, the beautician examined the bump closely and said, “Yes, ma’am, we can remove it. Please sit; it’s not a big issue.”
There was another woman in the parlor, getting her daughter’s hair cut. Shazia didn’t pay much attention to the woman but was drawn to the fairy-like beauty of her daughter. The woman, however, kept glancing at Shazia. The two exchanged no words, but something about the woman felt familiar to Shazia, though she couldn’t place her.
The beautician worked swiftly, removing the bump from Shazia’s face. After cleaning it and applying a bandage, she motioned Shazia to sit aside. Shazia expressed her gratitude and thought of speaking to the woman, but before she could, the woman quickly stood up, handed money to the beautician, and left in a hurry. Shazia didn’t think much of it at the time.
Outside, Iqbal honked the horn repeatedly, gathering a crowd in the market. Shazia, now cheerful, handed a five-hundred-rupee note to the beautician, who playfully shrugged her shoulders and waved Shazia off with a smile. When Shazia stepped outside, she saw a crowd had gathered. Iqbal was watching something unfold, as the cries of a woman and a little girl filled the air. Shazia approached and saw a man holding the same little girl from the parlor while the woman tried to wrestle her away. The girl was crying uncontrollably.
Shazia got closer and recognized the man—it was Asif. She then looked at the woman again and realized it was Afra. Now she understood why Afra had disappeared. Upon seeing Shazia, Afra flared up, slapped Asif hard across the face, and in return, Asif slapped her twice. Afra shouted to the crowd that Asif was an addict and abusive, and she feared for her daughter’s safety. Just as Afra was about to address Shazia, Shazia turned and quickly left, grabbing Iqbal’s hand and heading toward their car.
For the first time, Shazia had willingly taken Iqbal’s hand. Iqbal, distracted by Shazia’s unusual gesture, forgot about the scene. Shazia got into the front seat of the car, something she had never done before. Iqbal, overwhelmed with joy, focused only on Shazia, who now sat beside him for the first time. The once-handsome face of Asif and his current disheveled appearance flashed before Shazia’s eyes, but she kept her thoughts hidden. Meanwhile, Iqbal’s desolate heart had found new life that day.
When they reached home, Iqbal handed some money to Shazia and said, “Give this to a shrine, mosque, or a poor person.”
“Why?” Shazia asked softly.
With a smile, Iqbal replied, “I made a vow for your rose-like face and also because today, for the first time, you sat beside me in the front seat.”
Shazia wiped her tears and kissed Iqbal’s hand. Iqbal, still smiling, said, “Shazia, I don’t know why you’ve been distant all these years. Only God knows the secrets of hearts. And I don’t know what changed in you today, but I do know that I love you deeply.”
All of Shazia’s resentment vanished, and she offered prayers of gratitude. By obeying her parents, she had asked for something good, but God had given her the best. Iqbal’s character was flawless, and Shazia’s heart had unnecessarily remained distant for fifteen years. Today, the truth had surfaced, and Shazia finally understood. She thanked God that she had never reached Asif and had never had the chance to make promises to him.
Shazia’s faith in God deepened, knowing His decisions are filled with wisdom. She regretted her past thoughts and repented sincerely.
“The Author is a well-known literary figure of Kashmiri Literature Hails from Anantnag Anantnag. The translator is an english literature student Hails from Tangmarg”
