No Matter What: Chapter Fifteen (2)

‘Never leave my side. Don’t ever say bye bye’ they sang as they chuckled and laughed. It was a bright sunny day with yet a light breeze. A few kids were roaming around with their kites and bikes, some others were playing dodge ball while some played football. Various groups in different spots were already starting a fire to barbeque marinated meat and chicken they carefully placed in wet wooden skewers. Old women had their famous Arabian coffee and fruits placed on their mats as they enjoyed gossiping about anything and everything, and girlfriends exchanging friendship bracelets as a celebration of their platonic love. The typical type of people you would see around the green patches at the park on a weekend. Then you had them barefoot and holding hands as they stroll around happily in the park. The grass was green and wet from being freshly watered. They could feel the coldness that refreshed their senses as they walked on it. An earphone plunged in one ear of each as they enjoyed the melodies of songs they deeply cherished. He let go of her hand and stopped for a moment. She was surprised as she looked behind when the earphone got pulled out. ‘Are you okay?’ she asked worriedly. A devilish grin drew on his face; his plan was working. He swept her off her feet and carried her in his arms. ‘Oh my god’ she squeaked then giggled hiding her face shyly. He smiled overwhelmed with happiness as he saw her reaction. He swiveled her around making her dream come true. Fearing to fall off she quickly placed her arms around his neck as he gazed into her eyes. ‘Happy my love?’ he asked her with a smirk drawing on his face while his forehead leaned on hers. ‘You made my dream come true’ she smiled while looking at him with all love and affection. Noor was always fond of the movie ‘An Officer & A Gentleman’. She would always fantasize of having her prince charming lifting her and carrying her around once he claimed her as his. Shihab kept on carrying her till they reached to their picnic spot. A large checkered red and white mat was laid on the floor. A wooden basket was placed on top along with an unzipped backpack that had their shoes peeking outside the corners of the opened flap.

It was perfect in her eyes, the perfect definition of the day that marked a new beginning; the day she exchanged vows with her true love. Reaching out to his chin as he placed her on the floor, she noticed how he suddenly looked away not wanting to look her in the eye. He was hurting when he remembered the plans she talked about, how she wanted her wedding gown to turn out, how the music would sound in the mega speakers, how they would dance and groove to the beats as they get carried away having the time of their lives. He was hurt as he remembered how her eyes would twinkle the moment she started talking about their future and their wedding. He felt choked up when he realized how her dream wasn’t truly fulfilled. Their marriage was one that wasn’t much to share. A cold white room with the bright sun shining through the windows as they sat opposite and facing each other. In her abaya and him in his dishadasha and turban they sat as their heart thudded and started racing. His brothers and aunt by his side they sat waiting as she started to quiver in fear all alone. Nobody from her family was there, but the judge in front of her. The judge who would take the place of her father as the acting guardian. ‘You are now husband and wife by law. Mabrookeen’ the judge said as the witnesses proceeded to sign Shihab and Noor’s marital contract. Noor smiled as she looked at him, her lawful wedded husband. She finally had the heavy weight on her tiny shoulders shed off. But Shihab still felt uneasy and guilty as he smiled heartbreakingly. He was blaming his soul for convincing her to elope and run away from her family who would disapprove of her choice like they did the many times he proposed. ‘I’m a good man and I shall always make her happy’ he tried consoling himself that he did the right thing. ‘She would have been married off to someone else had I not done this’ he kept on calming himself as his conscious echoed his thoughts.

‘I’m sorry’ he snapped back to reality and told her. Placing her down, he lay beside her with pain in his eyes. ‘For what?’ she asked surprisingly. ‘This day was supposed to be your happiest. You should have been at a beauty parlor doing your make up, make an entrance with a breathtaking white dress, dance your heart out and then I would take you by the hand as my wife as we walked …’ she interrupted him by placing her hand on his lips silencing him. ‘I’m fine and happy I swear. So long as I have you I’m the happiest person alive’ she punched him playfully and started tickling him. ‘Hey stop it’ he laughed out loud from the sensation her thin small fingers gave off. ‘Stop being all sad and I promise I’ll stop’ she continued moving her fingers on his ribs as he chortled and chuckled in delight.

No Matter What: Chapter Fifteen (1)

Flashes of light, screeching sounds and blurry vision, Shihab was racing against time when he heard the news. A sudden crushing feeling that overtook him when he sensed a vibration on his inner thigh. Ever since he listened to the voicemail message Fajr left, his phone fell to reside where it was. He was refreshed and felt light headed when it felt like all his problems were going to be solved. His relationship with God was the one that assured him of a safer, better and happier tomorrow. But now his tomorrow wasn’t secured, he didn’t know if it was going to be as blissful as he had hoped in his heart and dreams. His beloved, the one he would die for was on her way to the end of the tunnel. He was smothered with that thought as his body sat at the driver’s seat with both his hands placed at the steering wheel. 

Radars blinking at him more than three times, he accelerated even faster to see her face. Droplets of tears; bitter from the pain and salty from the worry fell onto his lap over the sandy beige dishdasha he had on. Ignoring the erratic amber which immediately turned to red, Shihab absently passed through the traffic light. Honks and flashes of full light were targeting Shihab’s vintage customized chevy but for him not to pay attention. His fellow drivers were alerting him on the trailer truck that was cutting its way through the cross junction. Grieving for what Noor was going through; his bloodshot eyes creeping with veins didn’t focus on the road. The entire junction became static but for the amber hazard lights flashing from every single vehicle within the vicinity of the busy road. Screams of panic, and the honking noises were drawn to a halt. In shock was the state everyone was in. ‘La 7awla wala quwata illa bellah’ some of the witnesses started repeating out loud as they got out of their cars heading over to help.

Shivering and shaking, he opened his eyes to see if his leg was amputated. The pain was excruciating. His leg felt crushed and broken. He tried to lift his body only he couldn’t. The dashboard was almost glued to his abdomen. He could hardly breathe as he saw tires through the shattered window of the passenger seat. Hyperventilating from fear he closed his eyes trying to recollect his sight and focus. He opened them and started panicking. The tires that he saw were still there. He wanted to scream but the shock silenced him. He was under the trailer truck he collided with. Red and blue flickers he then saw, loud police sirens he heard. The sounds rang in his ears like a jingle to a television advert; he struggled to get out but was trapped. The sirens became louder reminding him of that bitter memory he wished never happened.