Marrying Ameera by Rosanne Hawke Read Free Book Online Page B

birth that she would marry a man from another faith. To save the community from such bad karma, her Brahman parents put her on the Indus river in a basket, and a Muslim washerman found her and adopted her. She married Punnu, a chieftain’s son from a faraway place. His family weren’t happy and his brothers abducted him after the marriage. Sassi wandered into the desert to find him. One night each could hear the other calling above the wind, but each believed it to be an hallucination produced by the desert. They didn’t know they were only a few yards apart, unable to see one another because of the driving wind and sand. And so Sassi and Punnu each died alone.
    My eyes always teared up when I remembered that story but it had become even more poignant now. Would Tariq have changed his life for me, like Punnu? Become a Muslim? But I wouldn’t expect that of anyone. I loved the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding —guess that’s because I could relate to it—but Toula’s boyfriend converted because he didn’t believe in anything. Tariq did, and he wouldn’t be who he was if he couldn’t practise his faith. Even if he changed, Papa had a thing about new converts. ‘It’s the family you marry, not the boy,’ he always said.
    It hurt not speaking to Tariq. He rang many times and left messages, but I didn’t dare ring him back and hiscalls gradually stopped. Maryam called to make a time to hang out but I said I didn’t feel like it. I felt awful. When she asked how I was I knew she was fishing but I couldn’t tell her about Tariq. I think she thought I was having a bad period and didn’t press for details.
    When Papa was at work, Mum allowed me to leave my room. I read books I didn’t have time for during the term and watched BBC DVDs Mum borrowed from the library. Papa still didn’t want to see me and it had been days. I knew that he believed his decisions concerning me were based on good parenting: ‘in your best interests’ and ‘because I love you’ were phrases he often used. I believed him, and no one could fault his concern for my welfare. But my personal wishes? They were never considered. When I was ten Maryam had given me a kitten. Papa had told me to give it back. ‘What a gift,’ he fumed. ‘I’m the one to pay for it.’ I was too young to point out that Maryam knew I wanted the kitten. If I’d said that, though, I would have been frivolous at best, disobedient at worst. Papa hadn’t spoken to me until the kitten was returned. I didn’t like remembering that; it made me feel disloyal and I prayed for forgiveness.
    On the fifth day Papa relented. I was asked to come down to breakfast. I checked his face as I tiptoed in. It was an awful feeling to be nervous of my own father. He seemed at peace; the anger was gone. If I had known why, I wouldn’t have relaxed.
    ‘I’m sorry, Abu ji, for causing you pain,’ I said.
    He looked gratified. Mum seemed surprised. It was a good sign, I thought, and hoped this would be the end of it. Christmas was in a few days; Mum would be glad tohave this over before she celebrated with her family. But would I be allowed to go?
    I remember exactly what I was doing when Papa told me his ‘surprise’. I was pouring milk into my muesli. I missed the bowl, but was too shocked to get the dishcloth to wipe it up. Mum took the carton from me. Papa had to say it all again.
    ‘Your Uncle Rasheed said you can stay with them for a while. Your cousin Jamila is getting married. You can be involved in the wedding.’
    ‘But, Papa, they live in Azad Kashmir.’
    ‘Ji.’ Papa gave a half-smile. ‘It is a surprise I’ve been working on for some time. I know we’ve had this…little problem, but there is no reason why you still can’t go.’
    I looked at Mum. She didn’t seem very happy about the idea.
    ‘What about uni?’ I said. ‘Will I be back in time? Weddings can take ages.’
    Papa frowned. ‘It is just for some weeks. I’ve organised it all.’ He said this