Freedom- Part 1- Short Story

                                

"Mom? "

"Yes, my daughter?" 

"Is it necessary that we always marry our children in our caste?"

Durdana stopped her knitting and eyed her maniac daughter with disbelief. It was not the first time she was questioning their traditions, but this question was getting repeated again and again by her. 

"How many times do I have to tell you this, Izzah? We are Sheikh and will always give priority to our caste. It is our tradition and we will never neglect it."

"But, why Mom? Is it necessary? Shiza Aunty married her daughter to an uncivilized, uneducated person just because of these traditions."

Izzah tied her loose hair band while speaking. She was in her usual dressing; shalwar, kameez, and dupatta. And was as usual discussing different things with her mother. 

Durdana took a deep sigh and replied:

"Izzah, it was her fate. Okay! And we prefer our caste for marriage because we have shared traditions and relatives. We can easily get the guarantee of the loyalty of the next person. There are our worthy relatives who can help us in time of need. And these guarantees are really necessary for the matters of marriage."

Izzah took a frustrated sigh at her mother's reply. 

"Mom, our Islam said that for marriage, just see the character of the other person. If he or she is a practicing Muslim and his proposal is suitable for you, then rejecting it without any solid reason is a sin. Our Islam ordered us to only give the importance to other person's religion and personal character, not to his wealth or kinship or other things."

Izzah noticed that her mother had started getting frustrated, so she zipped up her mouth. 

"Stop this conversation and check the rice, cooking on the stove."

Izzah silently went into the kitchen, but anger was boiling her blood. 

"Today's girls don't know anything about housekeeping, just they know how to argue with parents and how to use that cursed mobile, but they don't know anything about kitchen's spices for cooking. You will regret it if you ask them anything about the kitchen. Stupid girls! "

Durdana, just like other desi mothers, started cursing her children in her frustration. 

……………….

 Arham was sitting in the lounge with his Dad. Chess was in between them, and it was his Dad's turn who was looking at Chess, thoughtfully. 

"It seems you have done cheating in this game, otherwise it is not possible that I would lose any game of Chess."

Mr. Salar said this while staring at the Chess

A broad smile came on Arham's face.

"Admit your defeat like a grown man, Dad."

He said in an amused tone.

"Yes my son, this game has revealed this thing to me that my son has grown up. And a grown-up, handsome, and rich bachelor needs a bride."

Mr. Salar said this while eyeing his son's amused expressions. 

"Very much right! Thank God you have realized this, otherwise, I was getting seriously worried about my future." 

"Don't worry my son! I and my better half have decided about your future. We want Shumaila as our daughter-in-law."

Arham was listening to his father's conversation with a smile on his face, but it faded at the name of the girl. 

"Dad! Are you serious? "

The shock was evident on his face. 

"What is the issue? "

"Dad, She is bold and outspoken. I can't tolerate her. I… I can't imagine her as my wife. It is not possible."

Mr. Akram listened to his son's reply with a serious face. 

"She is from our social class. Elite class. Marrying her will give you respect and status in society."

"Dad, what will be the use of that materialistic status and respect when satisfaction and respect will not be in our relationship? And marrying in the same social class just for status is a conservative thought."

Arham tried to clear his point. 

But, Mr. Salar became furious at his son's words, so he left the lounge without uttering any word. Arham holds his head in his hands.

…………………….

"But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams

His shadow shouts in a nightmare scream

His wings are clipped and his feet are tied

So, he opens his throat to sing."

Izzah was preparing for her English test. She read the poem "Caged bird" and it stuck to her heart. 

"I'm also a caged bird, stuck in between different traditions and conservative thoughts. I want the freedom to make decisions in my life, to complete every dream of my life."

With it, a memory flooded her mind. 

After completing intermediate, she wanted to be admitted to a university. But, her family didn't allow it, because they thought that there is no need for girls to study in co-education. They had traditional thoughts about this issue and it let her bury her dreams. After that, she got admission to a government college. 

Tears welled up in her eyes which she harshly wiped out. 

"for the caged bird

Sings of freedom."

She read the last verse of the poem and started reading its explanation. 

……………

Mr. Shafeeq was going back from the Mosque after praying the Asar. He was wearing his shoes when someone put a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and was shocked to see his lost childhood friend, Mr. Salar. 

"Is it you? "

Mr. Shafeeq asked with disbelief. 

"I also can't believe it!"

Both friends hugged each other. 

Mr. Salar came to that area to meet one of his relatives and found his childhood friend here. Both friends conversed with each other and promised to come to their houses some other day.

……………….

Izzah, your father's friend is coming to our house. So, help me in the kitchen." 

"Coming, Mom"

She put the novel aside and went into the Kitchen. 

"I'm so delighted that you also brought your son."

"No uncle, It is my honor that I came to my father's best friend's house."

Arham said humbly. Mr. Shafeeq smiled at his etiquette. 

Males sat down on the couch and started chatting. 

"Assalam o Alaikum"

Izzah entered the room with a trolley. 

Arham saw that innocent beauty who was clad in an orange shirt and white trousers and headscarf. 

"Walaikum Assalam"

Everyone mumbled and she started serving tea to everyone. While giving tea to Arham, her foot slipped, and she jerked to maintain her posture. While doing so, hot tea fell on Arham's leg. 

"Ahh! "

"Are you alright, my son? "

"I'm so sorry! "

He heard those voices while his eyes were shut due to the pain. 

"Yes, I'm fine. It's okay."

He mumbled. 

Izzah quickly gave him tissues and he cleaned the tea from his jeans. 

"It was by mistake."

Arham again heard her mumbling and raised his eyes to stare at her fair skin and black eyes. 

"It's okay."

He gave a weak smile to her, though his leg was burning.

"Please tell me where the washroom is." He said at which Izzah nodded her head and went toward the door, followed by Arham.

They had only one washroom in the house which was in the corner of the veranda.

Arham's gaze fell upon the rose which was planted on one side of the veranda, and a smile adorned his face.

House was relatively small compared to theirs but it was tidy and peaceful, two things which Arham adorned.

                 ……………………

"Coming! "

Izzah said while running toward the knocking door. She was without any slippers and a dupatta because she was sure that her father was at the door. But alas, her presupposition was wrong as Arham was there. 

Arham had come to meet his new friend, Mr. Shafeeq. He was waiting on the doorsteps when the door opened and huffing Izzah was standing there. Pair of eyes widened at seeing each other. Arham became shocked on seeing her without any dupatta, and her long black hair was lying on her back. Izzah was also shocked and embarrassed at seeing him and ran back for her scarf. 

Amused smile came on Arham's face. 

……………….

Izzah was staring at the lavish lounge in front of her. She was not expecting that Mr Salar could be a richer person. With shocked eyes she was staring at the details of the house, when her eyes landed on Arham, who was staring at her with amused expressions. She quickly composed herself. 

They stayed in that house for almost two hour, and throughout the stay, she noticed that Arham kept on staring at her. 

………………….

"So young men! Should I ask Mr Rehman's daughter's proposal for you? "

"Dad, please! I can't accept Shumaila as my wife. Please! "

"Ok then, tell me Arham, what type of girl do you want?"

"Any girl who has some modesty, respect for herself and for her relations, a girl who is pure."

They both were doing morning walks and were having a conversation. 

"For example? "

"For example, Izzah! "

Mr. Salar halted at his son's reply. He was not expecting this. 

"Are in your mind? There is a difference in social class among us. Our relatives will laugh at us that we have married our son with a middle class girl."

"So what Dad? Are our decisions of life bound due to people's likes and dislikes? Why do we care about them?"

"Because we have to live in the society where those people exist."

"So, our lives are bound in this society."

Arham said this sadly, at which Mr Salar shook his head, and went away with furious expressions.

                      ………………….

"We want freedom!

Why am I still not free? "

Arham gazed at the screen where a documentary was going on 1947's incidents. Word "freedom" was in every other scene of it.

"Ahh! Freedom! We are living in an independent society, but still we don't have freedom. Our lives are caged due to different stereotypes and man-made traditions of society. Though we are free, we are still like a caged bird, where suffocation sometimes becomes unbearable. 

I'm a free citizen, my life is free, but due to some unimportant persons in my life, I have to marry a girl whom I abhor."

That thought made him bitter.

…………

"Stop! Stop! "

Izzah was running behind her college bus. 

Yesterday night, it rained cats and dogs in Lahore, so every road in Lahore was muddy. And on one of the roads, Izzah was running after her college bus. Unfortunately, it left and she remained standing on the road, staring at the retrieving bus with tears of frustration. Her exam was going to start in half an hour, and there was no way he could make it on time. 

"Is everything alright, Izzah? "

A car stopped near her, and in it, Arham asked her. 

"My bus.. "

Arham saw her teary eyes and understood the situation. 

"It's okay, Come over here. I will drop you."

Izzah beamed at his offer and quickly sat in his car. Arham noticed that his car mat was getting muddy due to her muddy shoes, but ignored it.

"Thank you so much! "

With it, she started revising her paper. 

After two to three minutes, she noticed that the car was not moving. She saw toward Arham with questioned eyes. 

"I can't guess your destination. You have to tell me."

Arham said in a calm tone, and Izzah blushed due to embarrassment. 

She told him her college name, and he started the engine of the car. 

"Uff! You silly Izzah! " she thought. 

"Uff! You cute Izzah! " he thought and a smile adorned his face.

"Arham?"

"Yes, Dad! "

"We have fixed your marriage with Shumaila."

Arham's fingers stopped typing on the laptop and he gazed at his parents with disbelief. They both had recently come back from Rehman's house. 

"How can you do that? " 

He was shocked and in disbelief. 

"We are your parents and have the right to decide."

Arham's mother spoke. 

"Mom! Dad! You both are my parents and have the right to decide everything about my life. But sorry to say, it is not the right way. Parents should let their children make the decisions about their lives. If they started making wrong decisions or followed wrong paths, then parents should interfere and should be strict on their children. Please, let us have some life decisions.Please give me some freedom."

Arham's calm and complaining voice rang in the lounge. 

"Arham.. "

Her Mom tried to soothe him but he went away in anger. His mom got worried but Mr. Salar remained composed.

"Don't worry, he will accept this proposal soon."

……………...

Read Part 2 here.