Mehrunnisa :

A love story from Lahore

by Zeenat Mahal

Chapter 9

Mehru woke up to the din of the aftermath of Jamal’s announcement that resonated all the way to her room. Jamal had obviously spoken to her grandmother because it was pandemonium out there. As much as Mehru concentrated on the voices, she didn’t hear her grandmother at all.

Everyone else was talking at the top of their voices. The whole family was there. There were tears, and loud wails of despair from Sania and her mother.

Bibi sat on the chair, calmly stitching her clothing as if all was normal. Mehru listened to it all. The intermittent silences, the crying, then someone would begin talking again and it all started over. This was her moment, Mehru thought. History will repeat itself, grandmother. You’ll see your dream shattered. Just like you shattered my mother’s. Steeling herself, Mehru went outside.

Jamal was watching her, his expression guarded, but his gaze never wavered. It made the same promises he had made last night and held the same tempered joy, even though his face was drawn. He looked tired. Sania and her mother gave her venomous looks. Her grandmother stared at her in cold anger. Then she spoke.

‘What did I tell you, Farooq? You brought this trouble here. Like mother like daughter. You can still save this family. Take her back. Jamal will get over this foolishness.’ So this was what her grandmother had been waiting for, her target—her enemy, her disavowed grandchild Mehru- the outcast. She still didn’t quite believe her plans would be foiled.

‘This isn’t foolishness. Even if you send Mehru away, I’ll follow her and bring her back as my wife.’ Jamal’s voice sounded tight. Ajoo Chacha spoke in his calm gentle tones, ‘Ami Begum, it’s not such a disaster as you seem to think.’

Her father sat there, not saying a word, wringing his hands, looking like a guilty murderer. Which he was, thought Mehru. He was even more to be blamed for her mother’s death than her grandmother.

‘We’re not discussing this, Ajoo. Farooq, you need to understand only that she cannot stay here another minute.

Do what you will with her. As for Jamal, you are a sensible young man. This is just a whim. It’ll pass.’

Jamal stared at her grandmother and then said very calmly, ‘I’m going to marry Mehru. That’s something you’ll have to accept. You can do that by giving us your blessing, which means a lot to me, or you can accept it by cutting us out of your life. The choice is yours.’

Flicker of fear

Mehru saw the first flicker of fear in her grandmother’s eyes. Her wrath unleashed in a low menacing voice.

‘She is nothing. She is a mistake. Mere evidence of a foolish boy’s mistake. He suffered for it, and now makes us suffer. Do you want to go down the same road? Look at him, still reaping the bad harvest of his selfish thoughtless seeds.’

‘She’s not a mistake. She’s a person. She’s your grand-daughter!’

‘Enough! You will not take this any further. Farooq, get her out of here.’ ‘Ami Begum, please…’

Her father pleaded and Jamal stood up slowly and came to stand beside Mehru. She felt her heart swell despite herself. It was all a set-up but Jamal was playing his part magnificently. And her father, was as usual wringing his hands on the side-lines sacrificing all the other women in his life for his mother.

‘I was hoping Mehru would stay in this house as my bride but if this is what you wish…we’ll just have to leave tonight. We’ll have the nikaah at a mosque and you won’t see us again.’

Dusk

In the silence that followed, Mehru heard the birds chirping outside, heralding dusk. The whole day had been wasted. The velvety darkness of a summer’s night would be swift in its wake.

‘Jamal, no…’

Mallo Chachi sobbed. Ajoo Chacha looked weary.

Her grandmother looked stunned. ‘You would do that? You would defy me?’ She was aghast. ‘I…loved you like my own son. Jamal? You would do this to me?’

It was an entreaty, she was almost pleading. Mehru saw Jamal’s face register pain and regret. She said softly, and whispered, ‘You don’t have to do this, Jamal. I’m so sorry. I am afraid I will only bring ill-luck to you.’

And that was that. His back straightened. His facial muscles tightened. He looked at them all, as if daring them to speak, as he held her hand, ‘I wish things could have been different, Ami Begum.

Ajoo Baba, Mallo Apa, I’m sorry for causing you pain but I’m marrying Mehru tonight.’ ‘Jamal…just give us a moment.’ Ajoo Chacha said mildly, and then looked at his mother.

‘This is Farooq’s daughter. She’s…’ ‘Nothing! She’s nothing and nobody. You said to me Jamal, innocent until proven guilty…what do you say now? Has she not destroyed our peace? She’s the same. Thief, like her mother was.’

Sudden urge

Mehru had the sudden urge to shout at her and tell her exactly what she thought of her but this was not the moment to reveal her talents with languages. Jamal saw her in a certain way and that façade must stay in place till the final act of this little play was over.

‘What is she guilty of, Ami Begum? She has not done anything. I’m the one who…overstepped perhaps. I asked that I should be allowed to marry her. She didn’t encourage me, even when I went to ask her for permission to ask her father. Believe me she didn’t jump at the offer. She was concerned about your reaction, what you’d say, and how you would react to me.’

Her grandmother looked at her, and Mehru couldn’t help the slow triumphant smile that stole into her eyes as she stared back at grandmother. Her grandmother’s eyes widened a little, she whispered, ‘Jamal…you’re making a mistake…don’t…’

‘I just hope one day you’ll be able to forgive me and see Mehru for who she truly is…’ ‘I see her for who she is, Jamal. It’s you who will regret this. Listen to me, it’s not too late.’

‘I cannot. It’s beyond my power…and yours.’ Holding on to Mehru’s hand, Jamal strode out of the door.

‘Jamal…’

Voice

She heard her father. His voice was reedy. But her grandmother’s was a broken strain, as she whispered, ‘Let him go.’

And then Mehru was outside, her hand in Jamal’s, down the sweeping steps and beyond the white columns. Her heart raced. She’d done it! She’d broken that tyrant and it was over. She’d won! It had been so easy. Take that you old tyrant, Mehru, thought exultantly.

Jamal was opening the car door for her.

‘Jamal…’

‘Let’s just get out of her first…or would you rather I get Mallo Apa to come with us?’

‘No…no, I just…’

He smiled as if she’d given him some secret signal that he was pleased to receive. Without another word went to the other side and into the driving seat. The engine roared and they sped out.

Harassed

He didn’t look angry or harassed at all. He was calm. That gave her courage to speak. ‘Jamal…we have to talk about this…’

‘There’s nothing to talk about. I’m not going back there. I bought a house a couple of years ago but they wouldn’t let me move out. We’ve got nothing to worry about.’

‘That’s not what I meant. Why don’t you stop the car and let me explain?’ ‘The mosque isn’t too far. I’ll stop there.’

‘But I…’

‘It’s okay, Mehru. We’ll have plenty of time to talk. Let’s just get the nikaah done first.’

His smile wasn’t at all strained or worried, it was reassuring, in fact. He didn’t seem affected at all that his life had just turned upside down. She had to stop this.

‘I can’t marry you Jamal.’

Glossary of terms:
Apa: older sister
Chacha: paternal uncle
Chachi: paternal uncle’s wife
Nikaah: marriage vows
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