part
56
Days
were passing quickly, keeping Veena very busy at her office work.
More responsibilities and that many risks she was carrying in her job
with ease.
And
thus five years passed giving Veena enough opportunities to prove her
merits to her superiors. She had paid up the loan that they took to
buy the apartment. Veena had also cleared all her obligations towards
Ibna; now she was free from any liability, could easily claim to be a
truly successful woman by her own merits without any help from any
man.
On
that day, things were going to take up a different turn and that was
about the contract between the Arab company and Veena's office. All
work pertaining to the contract was accomplished successfully and
that was a notice from the legal department to the office to give
final notice of termination of the contract between the two
companies. It was a wonderful event but at the same time event that
was also making the two friends Veena and Ibna uncomfortable. Long
cherished friendship of the two girls was on the anvil of time; as
per the contract all Arab employees associated with the work are
going back, that means, Ibna and Kamaal were to leave the country and
that too permanently. There was no chance that they will be coming
for the job in future and if at all their company wants to send
somebody, they will not be in that as Kamaal was chartered to go to
Europe to represent the company and Ibna was to marry away to
somebody!
The
formality of conclusion of the contract with very great success was
completed in the office with much fun and frolic on that day. The
Arab client company gave citation to Veena for her contribution and
as a part of the citation she received a permanent invitation to
visit that sheikdom at the cost of the sheik. That was a big honor
for anybody. All were rejoicing and greeting Veena for her single
handed achievements but while Veena was feeling happy for that,
there was a feeling of loss and that was troubling her. She was to
lose her best friend who gave her all the support when she needed it
most. Ibna was by now a part of her life. She could not bear the idea
that Ibna will not be by her side any more. On the other side story
was not any different; Ibna sat in the corner of th hall
contemplating on the events those passed by, a veritable cinema was
moving in her mind and all the important events of their friendship
were moving slowly giving her the feel that hereafter she will not
have her best friend to guide and accompany her in her life. That
feeling continuously kept on torturing her. That pain was so much
more that the feel that she is going to her family did not give any
consolation. She realized that she considers her more as a member of
Mahaale family than member of her father's family. That was very
peculiar but that was the fact. Ibna realized that she belongs to
Mahaale family and must stay back. But how to do it? She had no reply
to this pertinent question. Both friend looked sullen though at the
same time they were also happy that all the efforts they put to
deliver the results got success.
Both
the friends were in this mixed mood of happiness and sadness
throughout that day. As the day was over they sat in their car and
drove to their home. Both were loaded with gifts and flowers. It was
the day to celebrate but that was not the thing with them. While
Veena was driving Ibna looked to the street that was passing fast
with no particular interest. Occasionally they looked to each other
but had no topic to talk on.
Finally
Veena broke ice, she asked her friend, “how will you spend your
time at your home town. You will do no job as there, they do not give
employment to girls”.
Ibna
looked to Veena without any expressions as if she was a dead woman
already.
She
murmured quietly, “There they are waiting for me to get me married
away to a man much older and with already six wives. They say he is
very rich. There is no appeal.”
Veena,
“You cannot refuse to that, am I correct”? Ibna replies by a
silent nod.
At
that, the conversation stopped. Veena was shocked at that
information; she knew of that custom but never felt that her friend
will be going through that. Veena suggested intuitively again, how
about if you refuse that and prefer to stay back here and continue
your career. You say your family is progressive and that is why they
sent you for the job, then how this is happening to you against your
wishes. Ibna gave a very sad smile and exclaimed, “In Arabs woman
had no right to have any opinion, our religion says woman must follow
the dictates of men folk in the community. it is a dictate of the
community and my father cannot refuse that”.
“There
must be some way out and if you wish so we can find that”, Veena.
“What
way out you want to suggest? Are you saying to me that I continue to
stay back against the wishes of my people? And what reason can I give
for that”. Ibna retorted.
By
that time they reached their home, Veena and Ibna came out of the car
and walked quietly with heavy foot to their apartment. Both girls
seem to be in some sort of deep contemplation; probably to find
solution to this upcoming problem.
This
Story continues in the next posting.
If
you want to make movies on the stories published in this Blog,
contact for script on given emails. Mention language option English
/Hindi /Marathi.
Send
incidence of interest in your life and our experts shall convert that
into a story. Try this!
Visit
my other blogs for interesting reading. Visit them and bookmark them.
Send
your comments on this part of the posting, please.
No comments:
Post a Comment