Maya's Laws of Love by Alina Khawaja

Author:Alina Khawaja
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2024-01-22T22:11:45+00:00

20

Maya’s Law #20:

Sometimes people will tell you stuff you don’t want to hear.

I wake up to dying rays of afternoon sunlight peeking through the window. I tossed for a while, but I got more sleep than I thought I would. I sit up in bed, blinking heavily. I’m surprised to see Sarfaraz gone, the blanket he used to make his bedding folded neatly and left by the foot of the bed. I paw the side table for my phone. There’s only 5 percent battery left, but I might as well use it to update Ammi. It’s been enough hours since I left the airport for them to assume that I’ll be getting to the house soon.

I stretch my back as I dial her number. She picks up on the second ring. “Assalaam-o-alaikum,” I greet with a yawn.

“Walaykum salam,” Ammi choruses back, smiling on the video call. “Are you at the bus station? I can arrange for someone to come get you.”

“No, Ammi, I’m not,” I say, and reluctantly, I update her on our new situation.

I swear I can see the giant vein in her neck pulse. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you come on your own. Nothing good has happened to you since you left. There’s only a few days left until the wedding, Maya.”

“I know,” I grit. “But I didn’t plan any of this to happen. It was my kismet. Allah intended for all this to happen.”

Usually when I bring “God’s plan” into an argument she lets it go, but she must be really stressed, because instead she says, “Maya, I need you to be serious for once. How does this look to your in-laws? To Imtiaz? It looks like you’re purposefully trying to stall the wedding.”

“But I’m not,” I insist. “And why would they think that?”

“Well, your wedding is happening three years after an engagement,” she points out. “Most people only wait a year, sometimes six months! And you didn’t want to do the nikkah before you left, either. It looks like you’re trying to put it off.”

“I didn’t want to do the nikkah before I left because I didn’t want to have to do a big party twice,” I explain. “And I’m not putting it off! I’m trying my hardest to get there. It’s my curse that’s bringing every possible roadblock in front of me.”

“I know, meri bechari bachee,” Ammi bemoans. “You were too pretty as a baby. I’ve always said someone put their nazar on you when you were born.”

I can feel my pulse quickening, so I force a deep breath in through my teeth. Calmer, I say, “I promise everything’s okay, though. I’ll get on the bus bright and early the day after tomorrow and should be there sometime in the afternoon. I’m so close to home. Just wait for a while longer.”

Hesitation on the other line. Then, “Fine. But if you’re not here by then, I’m sending your mamu to come track you down.”

“Fine.” I check my battery, and it’s at 1 percent.

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