Will We Make It?

“ The kind of love you find once in a lifetime, and you don’t put down.” Timeless

Rukaiya walked into the small cafe at a far end of the city, as she scanned the fairly empty cafe and found Jalal in a corner, his face hidden behind the Menu card. Rukaiya exhaled. He was enquiring about the menu with the waiter. She walked to him with a smile as he looked up.

“Sorry, I already ordered. Long drives make me hungry.” Jalal smiled sheepishly.

“Thank you for coming down.” Rukaiya nodded and waited for the waiter to leave. Jalal put the Menu card away as she refused to order anything for herself and frowned at her.

“What’s wrong? Are they talking about marriage again?” He sounded worried as Rukaiya lowered her gaze from his worried face and nodded slightly. Jalal exhaled, leaning back on the chair and shaking his head. 

“Now, who is it? Some businessmen who will benefit from?” He eyed her. Rukaiya gulped visibly. He eyed her. “If you are to stay silent, why did you call me to help?” He frowned.

“It's you.” She murmured. Jalal did not quite understand as his brows narrowed and eyes squinted. “What?”

“It's you. They chose you.” Rukaiya’s voice trembled as she looked up at him, unsurely. Jalal looked a little terrified at her words and then burst out into laughter. “What?” He chuckled. “You are joking, right?” His smile faded as she shook her head and shrugged. Jalal froze in his spot.

“No way.” He shook his head. “I… You…” He seemed to have momentarily lost his power to form sentences as he reflected on the information. “You deserve better.” He emphasised as Rukaiya eyed him with a hint of doubt.

“That’s it?” She looked alarmed. “That is not enough.”

“What do you want me to say?” Jalal shrugged as he looked suspiciously at her. “You want this?”

“No, I don’t. Hence, I called you because Ajabdeh said…” Rukaiya stopped as Jalal gasped. 

“Now Ajabdeh knows?” Jalal asked, a little shocked. “Before I did?”

“Is that your problem right now?” Rukaiya shook her head. “Why can’t you set priorities straight? I called her because they ambushed me and I did not know…”

“You did not know the first thing to do would be to call me?” Jalal interrupted. “How many times have we gone over this, Rukaiya?”

“Are you helping here?” Rukaiya sounded cross. “You are more bothered about what Ajabdeh said than what is…”

“What did Ajabdeh say?” Rukaiya looked up at his words and smiled faintly. “So much for getting over her?” Jalal inhaled. “She is a friend, always will be. And she knows both of us best.” He shrugged. “What did she say?” Rukaiya’s heart skipped a beat at his nonchalant response. 

“Doesn’t matter. We just need to…” Rukaiya cleared her throat. 

“That girl. She said to go ahead with it, didn’t she?” Jalal suddenly looked amused. Rukaiya eyed him. “Must have told Pratap too.”

“We are not here to talk about her…” Rukaiya reminded him gently. Jalal exhaled.

“Do one thing, you agree to whatever they say. If you stay at home, they will keep bothering you if you say no. I will refuse. It's not like I'm coming home soon.” Jalal collected his thoughts. Rukaiya smiled, faintly amused as Jalal eyed her.

“What?”

“Ajabdeh said you will think of a good solution.” She breathed in, “She does know you.” Jalal took a moment not to react to her words as he shrugged, and his food arrived. He picked up the French fries. Rukaiya eyed him.

“Why does it sound like you aren’t over her?” She sounded worried. “On one hand, you want Pratap to…”

“I am over her, okay? It's just that she was an idea in my head, far from reality. How many times do I have to explain it?” Jalal shrugged. “But it's also true that she has been a good friend, more than Pratap at times, nothing will change that. Nothing will change the fact that if she is in trouble and needs me, I will be there. She will always be a priority, not because I love her like that, but I do love her, as a friend, as someone who knew and admired her, as someone who cares.” Jalal eyed Rukaiya and smiled faintly. “I understand that. I can do the same for her, and I know Ajab will do the same for me.”

“Exactly.” Jalal nodded. “So don’t doubt it when I say…”

“If you said that to anyone else, she would have misunderstood you.” Rukaiya interrupted and shook her head. “I understand because I have seen you two forever.” She interrupted as Jalal eyed her.

“So you think…” He cleared his throat. “That any girl I want to date will have an issue with Ajabdeh?”

“And me.” Rukaiya shrugged. “Because of the way you are with us.” Jalal frowned.

“Imagine you had a date today, and I said I need to talk. What would you do?” Jalal shrugged at her question. “Tell her Rukaiya needs me?” Rukaiya smiled. “And she will not hate me for it?” Jalal contemplated her words as Rukaiya shook her head. “So that is decided then, I will agree, and you will refuse.” Jalal nodded at her words, unmindfully. “But tell me, why on earth would Ammi come up with this idea? You and me?”

“She thinks you need someone; you are lonely. And…” She hesitated. “She doesn’t really trust your choice of women.” Jalal frowned at her words. “She thinks you let women walk over you, and I agree.”

“So hypothetically, if you and I were a thing, you would not walk over me?” He asked. “You literally said I want to talk, and I came all the way here.” He shrugged. Rukaiya looked amused. 

“I think they think I don’t. They also think that it will be good for the business and your income. For you to have someone with a stable income to support your dreams.”

“Wow.” Jalal shook his head, “When did we grow up that much?” He scratched his head. Rukaiya smiled. “Did you?” Jalal eyed her.

“Hypothetically, if we were to be a thing, would you have an issue with Ajabdeh?”

“Of course not.” Rukaiya was fast and firm. “Like I said, I am the only one who gets it.” Her smile faded at Jalal’s contemplative face. “What are you…”

“What if…” He leaned in, “We have another plan.” Rukaiya frowned at his words as he cleared his throat. “Say yes, but to an engagement. Break it when we find someone. That way, we won’t be forced on other strangers.” Rukaiya’s mouth parted  unsurely, “What do you mean?”

“See, if you or I refuse, they will come up with another stranger tomorrow, and then you can’t call them to ask them to say no. But if we are engaged, they stop looking, and we can live our lives and find people.” He shrugged. Rukaiya shook her head. “What if we don’t and they say we should go ahead with the Nikah?” She sounded scared. “I will run away.” He made her laugh as he smiled. “I can do that.”

“Oh no, abandon me on the day? How dare you?” Rukaiya shrugged. “You are being crazy.”

“Am I?” Jalal shook his head. “Think about it. We are clear about who we are and what we want, and nobody knows it better than us when it comes to each other's dreams and ambitions. The elders will never understand. Do you want to be emotionally manipulated into marrying a stranger by them?” Rukaiya inhaled at his words and frowned. “Ajabdeh said…” She stopped at Jalal’s stare.

“Fine, we decide. We won’t bring her up.” Jalal nodded at her words. 

“But I deserve better.” Rukaiya copied his tone. Jalal nodded. “You do.”

“Then why should I say yes to you?” Rukaiya looked amused.

“Because I won’t find better,” he shrugged. Rukaiya’s smile faded a little as he sounded serious enough to alarm her, and he chuckled, seeing her reaction. “I was joking.”

“Of course…” Rukaiya smiled. “So?”

“So we get engaged. Till we decide the next course of action…” Jalal made her nod. Rukaiya exhaled. “They would expect us to do a couple of things then.”

“Like?” he frowned. 

“Like visits, going out, hanging out together…” Rukaiya stopped as Jalal looked amused. “Anything we haven't done yet?” There was a sudden air of awkwardness surrounding the conversation as he looked away, and Rukaiya lowered her gaze to the table, and her eyes fell on her wristwatch.

“Ya Allah.” She stood up, panicking, and Jalal looked up, confused. “I promised I would be home by seven and help Ammi.” She shook her head. “She is making Sheer Kurma.” 

“Wow, I get out of home, and you guys start living a better life? Why do I feel like an eldest daughter married off here?” Jalal frowned, making Rukaiya smile amusedly.

“Come home next weekend, and I will make some for you.” She collected her purse. “I have to leave now.” Jalal nodded and watched her go as he sat there. He waited for a while and called Pratap.

“Where are you?” Pratap picked up the call as he eyed Ajabdeh beside him in the waiting area of the airport, fiddling with the contents of her purse. He stopped her by holding her hand as she looked slightly annoyed. “I think I left my claw clip in the hotel. I can’t find it.” She eyed him. “Who is that?”

“Umm… you are busy?” Jalal sounded unsure.

“No, it's just Ajabdeh.” Pratap stopped at her cold stare.

“What do you mean, just Ajabdeh?” She snapped. “Who is that?”

“Oh, the invite, right. How was the Princess?” Jalal sounded amused.

“I wouldn’t know.” Pratap pressed his lips. “There is something I… we…” He eyed Ajabdeh, who looked at  him cluelessly, “...want to tell you.” Jalal’s heart made a funny leap. “Wow, we huh?” He sounded amused. “Congratulations, I guess.”

“Why did you call?” Pratap asked, “Should I put you on speaker? She seems eager.” he eyed Ajabdeh again as she nudged at his arm. “Yes.”

Ajabdeh was happy that she could interpret Jalal’s reaction correctly and that, despite their ups and downs, they could still be friends. She was happier that Rukaiya was going to value him for what he was worth. Pratap, however, was sceptical about how the breakup post-engagement would affect them. Jalal reassured them that they would be fine. “So you are telling at home?” He made Pratap and Ajabdeh exchange unsure glances.

“Umm… not yet.” Ajabdeh shook her head. “Maybe in a few months.” Pratap eyed her as she added, “When we are sure.” Pratap disconnected the call and looked disappointed.

“What do you mean when we are sure?”

“You know… if this works out…” She shrugged. Pratap watched her keenly, making her stop at her purse and look up. “And what do you imagine will happen if it doesn’t?”

“Nobody will know.” Ajabdeh shrugged. “It's best for business. We are mature enough to work with each other.”

Pratap shook his head at her pessimism and did not wish to indulge in a conversation that would end up in an argument.

“What?” Ajabdeh frowned. “I am just being practical.”

“My definition of practical is different.” He snapped. “Like I am thinking of a valid future.”

“So am I…” Ajabdeh shrugged.

“Are you?” He shook his head. “Then what is this when we are sure…”

“Fine, we are sure, but can you please wait till we are prepared enough to tell our parents? I mean…”

“It's not a project or presentation, Ajab,” Pratap shook his head. “They are our parents, they will understand.”

“Have you met Bade Papa and Maasa?” She asked amusedly, “They will never understand.”

“Then we will run away.” Pratap sounded amused as Ajabdeh smiled at him. “Oh, really? You? Are you sure?”

“For you? Yes.” Pratap made her blush slightly as she shrugged it off. “Oh. Please. Don’t be cheesy. We aren’t teens.”

“Whose fault is that?” He shook his head, alarmed at his question.

“Yours.” Ajabdeh held his arm, laughing as he shook his head. “Let's go home now.”

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