Hina accepted the phone, gripping it tightly. When Ammi left the room, Ray immediately turned to Hina....
COVER STORY
Hina was in her usual spot, hanging out in Ray’s room, when Ammi entered the room. The two siblings sat up straighter in their mother’s presence.
“Hina, here’s your phone, it was on the dining table,” Ammi said, holding out Hina’s phone to her. “You were getting a call from your friend Samina, but it stopped ringing just as I reached the phone. You should call her back.”
Hina accepted the phone, gripping it tightly. When Ammi left the room, Ray immediately turned to Hina.
“I don’t expect Ammi to know this, which is why you slipped out of that situation, but since when have you had a friend called Samina?” Ray asked.
Hina gripped the phone even more tightly and shook her head. “It’s code for, you know, him,” she said.
“Sameer?” Ray said, and Hina immediately raised her hands in front of his face as if to block out the sound.
“Don’t say it!” she said.
“Come on, we can say it,” Ray said. “Just because we say his name doesn’t mean Ammi will know that you’ve been talking to him.”
“Don’t say that either!” Hina said. “Why did Sameer have to call now, of all times? Ammi will be on the move all around the house at this hour. I can’t call him back.”
“Just call him back later,” Ray said. “I think your engagement can survive a missed call or two.”
Later, Hina called Sameer with the excuse that she had been away from her phone the last time he had called.
“That’s OK,” Sameer said. “It happens sometimes.”
“I’m glad you understand that,” Hina said.
“It’s not an issue at all,” Sameer said.
“I think I haven’t been asking you the important questions,” Hina said. “I need to ask you more of those.”
“What about everything else we’ve been talking about?” Sameer asked. “I think everything is important.”
“Some things are more important than others,” said Hina. “Now I have here a checklist of things you are supposed to verify with your future spouse.”
“I don’t think you’re supposed to tell me about the checklist, or that you have one,” Sameer said.
“Why?” asked Hina.
“It can seem like you’re putting the pressure on,” Sameer said.
“Am I?” asked Hina.
“It’s your right to ask questions,” Sameer said. “I’m just saying, don’t advertise the checklist part.”
“It’s easier for me to count off the items in the checklist, which is why I mentioned it,” Hina said. “Anyway. It says here that your future husband should be Muslim. That’s a given. Then it says he should be educated. You have a bachelor’s degree. The next thing is that he should have a means of earning. You have one.”
“This is such a convenient checklist,” Sameer said. “I don’t have to say anything at all to contribute to it. I qualify by default.”
“Hold on there,” Hina said. “Do you offer your prayers, fast in Ramadan, etc?”
“Yes, but what’s the ‘etc’?” Sameer asked.
“I haven’t thought about it,” Hina said. “It doesn’t say anything here either.” She paused. “I guess it’s just about whether you fulfill your religious responsibilities.”
“I do my best,” Sameer said. “You know I get to ask you all of these questions back, right? I’ll ask you about your religious commitment.”
“I do more than my best,” Hina said. “I just do it.”
Sameer laughed.
“This is no laughing matter,” Hina said immediately.
“I just like the way you said it,” Sameer said.
“Alright, but I’m not done asking questions yet,” Hina said. “I have to ask this one as is—do you smoke or drink?”
“No, never in my life,” Sameer said.
“Before you ask, same with me,” Hina said automatically.
“I wasn’t going to ask,” Sameer said.
“You should,” Hina said.
“Isn’t it rude to ask that of a girl,” Sameer said.
“I’m not offended,” Hina said. “It’s only fair.”
“I’m a little afraid to ask what’s next on the list,” Sameer said.
“Oh, it’s nothing major,” Hina said. “Maybe a little. Are you taller than me?”
“I’m taller than you, yes,” he said.
“That was fast,” Hina said.
“I’m 5 foot 9 inches,” Sameer said, “and I’ve met you before. I know I’m taller.”
Hina laughed. “How tall do you think I am that you were so confident that you are taller than me?” she asked.
“You know what, I am just not going to ask,” Sameer said.
“Then I am just not going to tell you,” Hina said.
“I can live with that,” Sameer said. “Isn’t there more on the list?”
“You’re very interested in the list after telling me that I shouldn’t even have brought it up in the first place,” Hina said.
“I just want to know,” Sameer said.
“Alright, I’ll tell you,” Hina said. “There isn’t anything else. You’re supposed to add the rest of the questions yourself. This is the basic checklist.”
“You already asked me some questions, remember?” Sameer asked.
“I remember,” Hina said. “It was important for me to know about your interests.”
“You asked about interests before verifying the basic checklist,” Sameer said.
“I know I did,” Hina said.
“I’m just pointing it out,” Sameer said.
“I didn’t come into this with big plans and preparations to ask you all the big stuff from the beginning,” Hina said.
“It took you awhile, but you got there in the end,” Sameer said.
“Next time I’ll ask you—” Hina began, but Sameer interrupted her.
“Don’t tell me what you’ll ask me,” he said. “Just ask me.”
“Alright,” Hina said. “Though I do think it’s easier to work from a list. Let me tell you—”
“No hints,” Sameer said. “Just ask me.”
“OK, OK,” Hina said. “I’ll back off.”
“Trust me, you don’t want to scare me off thinking what list you’ll come up with next,” Sameer said.
“I think you can handle it,” Hina said.
To be continued...
