Freedom- Chapter 2

 

"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 disbelieved state. 

"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 decisions of life. 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. Akram remained in his stance. 

……………...

"Dad? "

"What is the issue Izzah"

Mr. Shafeeq was really busy doing his accounting work. 

"My college friends are arranging to get together in one of my friend's houses. May I go there on Sunday? "

Hope was in Izzah's voice. 

"No Izzah! It is not safe. Going to some stranger's house and staying there for hours. I will not allow it."

"But my friends will be there. You can give me a pick and drop. I will be just in the house."

"Still, I'm not satisfied. So, forget about this plan."

Angry tears welled up in her eyes and she stomped away. 

"Don't do this, don't go there! At least,try to trust us.We are no more kids now! Facing the world can only make us strong."

Random angry thoughts were coming in her mind, which she shook away. 

………………………….

"Izzah? "

Izaah turned around and saw Arham standing beside her. 

"Assalam o Alaikum! "

"Walikum Aslaam, What is going on? "

Arham asked. 

They both were standing in Lahore library. 

"I was looking for some novels to read."

At her words, Arham saw two books in her hand. One was "Raja Gidh" by Bano Qudsia and other one was "Forty rules of love" by Elif Shafak. 

"You have a diverse taste in literature. Classical books of Urdu and English, amazing! " 

Smile came on Izzah's lips. 

"I love to read literature, because I belief that these books have only the power to transfer us into the imaginary world, where happy endings and pure freedom is present."

Arham saw a hint of sadness in her eyes. 

"So, you think pure freedom is only in literature or in an imaginary world? "

"Do you disagree with this point? "

Arham remained quiet at her words, because he had no answer for it. 

She moved away with a bitter smile on her face. Arham came there for some business books, but after having this conversation, he also took one novel from the rack.

He came out of the library and saw her standing on the threshold of the library and was on call.

"Ok Dad, I will be waiting for you in the library"

Arham heard it and came near her. 

"Is there any problem? "

"My Dad's bike got punctured and he had to pick me from here. So now, I have to wait for him."

"I can drop you, if you want."

He saw reluctance on her face, so he dialled her father's number and asked his permission. After insisting, he agreed. 

"Do you always remain this quiet? "

"Nope! I can speak. But, at this time, there is nothing to speak."

"How are your studies going?"

"Pretty fine!"

"What type of novels do you love?"

"Classical, historical, spiritual type"

After it, silence again hung into the car. 

"That day, your paper went fine? "

"Alhamdulillah! "

"For the first time, I have borrowed a novel to read. Maybe, it is because I was impressed by your pure freedom theory. I thought, why not I also taste this pure freedom."

Bitter smile comes on Izzah's lip. 

"You are a male, and I think males have the freedom in society. It is just females who are bound."

"It is just an illusion. Otherwise, males also do not have the freedom. They are also bound in different traditional things."

Izzah became confused at his words. This was a new information for her. 

……………………

On that day, there was hustle and bustle in Shafeeq's house, because some people were coming for the marriage proposal of Izzah. Different dishes were cooking in the kitchen, and happiness was on each face. 

In her room, Izzah was getting ready. Her light pink dress and light make up was making her descent and attractive. She was looking at her reflection in the mirror, and was trying to gather her jumbled up state. 

"A new chapter of my life is going to start. An unknown person will ask for my proposal and after it, will become the most important person of my life. I will enter into his life with a lot of uncertainties and fears of the unknown. Different types of restrictions will be there, which I have to bear. Marriage is really a gambling."

With the thought of marriage, a person's image came in her inner eyes, and with it different memories also come. 

"Do you always remain this quiet?"

"It's okay"

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

Sad smile came on her face. It was not that she started loving him, but he seemed different and decent. His eyes were expressive and Izzah had felt what they were trying to say. But alas! It couldn't happen, which she dreamed of. Because, traditional boundaries were in between them. 

Bitterness started filling her heart and mind. 

…………………..

"What happened Mrs. Saleem? I was so shocked when I heard about your heart attack."

Mrs. Akram entered into the hospital room and said it to her neighbour and friend, Mrs. Saleem. 

"I think you know about it."

"No! I don't know anything. Maid told me about your heart attack, so I hurriedly came to hospital."

"Hina, my son! " 

After these words, Mrs. Saleem started weeping and Hina, Mrs. Akram became seriously worried. 

"What happened to Saad? "

"My son… he left the house. He was not happy at his marriage proposal, so he left us. I have lost my son. You know about his dour personality, he will never come back. My family shattered Hina!"

With it, Mrs. Saleem started weeping. 

"Why was he not happy? You are his parent, and have every right to make decisions about his life."

Anger flooded in Mrs. Akram's blood. 

Mrs. Saleem shook her head while weeping. 

"No Hina, I have realized that today's generation needs freedom more than previous generations. Today's generation is the modern generation, they have their own point of views about things. Today's parents should care about the balance between the things. Parents have the right to make decisions for their children, but they should also give importance to their point of view. They should take them seriously. Just in this case, children will respect their parents and will accept their decisions. Today's world is fast, and we have to run to make pace with it. We have to come out of our ego."

Mrs. Saleem said the wisdom. 

Mrs. Akram became shocked. Some of Arham's words rang in her ears. 

…………………..

                  

"Today's visit to the hospital has given me much wisdom about Arham's issue. Parents and children, both are doing wrong in this modern century. Parents should give limited freedom to their children. They should let them fly in the world's sky, should let them make their decisions, but should always keep an eye on them without letting them know. So that, whenever they will stumble, parents will always be there to hold them. But when parents become overprotective or traditional, children should be patient with them, because parents are doing it out of love. Getting aggressive or repulsive will just hurt their parents, which is also a sin."

Hina's train of thoughts halted when Mr. Akram entered the room. After getting settled and changing into comfy night dress, Mrs. Akram said. 

"I think we should consider Arham's wish"

"Which wish? "

"Umm… I think we should ask Izzah's proposal for him. She is a nice girl and can be a positive addition in our family. "

Mr. Akram's eyes widened at his wife's words. 

"Are you in your senses? There is a major difference between our social classes. She will never be able to adjust here, in fact people will laugh at us."

"Stop thinking about people, Akram! If our son becomes repulsive towards us, how will we live. What else will remain in our life? At that time, these people for which you are sacrificing your son's happiness, will laugh or criticize you! What else will we then have? "

"Nothing of this sort will happen! And let me tell you, Izzah's proposal has come, and Shafeeq is considering it. They also just marry in their kinship, and we are not their kinship"

Mr. Akram said with anger and laid down to sleep. Clouds of anxiety filled Hina's eyes. 

………………..

That day, Mr. Akram took his family to Shafeeq's house, to congratulate him at his daughter's proposal. 

Arham was sitting there with a hint of sadness in his eyes, but his composure was composed. 

"MashaAllah, the family is so decent. Arslan (Izzah's fiance) has its own textile business in Gujranwala. They are fairly rich and educated people, and the most important is they are my best friend's family."

Hina was listening to Durdana's conversation and was staring at her son's lost state. 

"Have you completed the background check of the boy? " 

"There is no need for it. I have full trust in my friend."

Hina was going to say something when Izzah entered the room, with a trolley. 

She started serving everyone with a small smile. When she came to serve Arham, their eyes clashed. They both saw sadness in each other's eyes and felt helplessness. Hina noticed this counter and anxiety filled her. 

Izzah quickly averted her gaze and quickly left the room. 

…………………….

"Arham, promise me you will never leave me!" 

Hina was sitting in Arham's bedroom and was saying to him. 

"Mom, why are you saying this? " he became shocked.

"Just promise me! "

Anxiety tears were gathering in her eyes. 

"I promise, Mom. Whatever will be the circumstances, I will never leave your side."

Arham bounded his arms around her shoulders. Hina felt relieved at her son's assurance. 

But now, guilt was killing her. She wanted to do something for her son. 

…………………………..