Epiphany

12:

- Mustafa - 

It had been a long, exhausting week. But Saad insisted I join him for dinner, and I wasn't in the mood to argue. His tone had been casual enough over the phone, but I knew better. 

Whenever he asked for a favor or simply wanted to talk, it usually meant there was something he needed to discuss.

I arrived at the restaurant a little before the scheduled time, the hum of conversations and clinking glasses filling the air. Saad and Saira were already seated at a corner table, and they both waved me over with welcoming smiles.

It was a relief to get away from the constant pressure of work, but even here, I felt that unsettling tension coming at me.

Saira looked up from the menu as I approached. "Mustafa, you look tired. Did you forget to take a break?" she said with a playful smile, gesturing for me to sit down. I smiled back, not really in the mood for small talk, but still, I answered. "It's just been a busy couple of weeks."

Saad leaned forward. "I get it. You're probably still caught up in your work with the game development and everything, but..." His eyes flickered with something unreadable. "I hope you've thought about what we discussed. About marrying Naya, I mean."

I raised an eyebrow at him, unsure where this was going. We had talked about Naya before, but it felt like a lifetime ago. "You mean the engagement?" I responded, trying to keep my tone neutral. "I told you, I'm not sure. I need more time to think."

Saira gave me a knowing look, her voice softening. "It's a big decision, Mustafa. You're not just doing this for yourself, but for your future. For the family." She gave a pointed glance at Saad, and I understood her meaning.

Before I could answer, the restaurant door opened, and in walked Naya's parents, followed closely by Naya herself.

The sight of them approaching sent a pang of discomfort through me, but I quickly masked it. I stood up to greet them.

"Good evening," I said, shaking hands with Naya's father, who greeted me warmly. "I didn't know you'd be joining us tonight."

"Oh, Saad invited us," Hassan said, his smile wide. "We thought we'd have a nice dinner together, talk about the future."

Saad clapped me on the back, his voice full of enthusiasm. "Exactly. It's a perfect opportunity to discuss everything, right?" He looked at me, raising an eyebrow almost as if daring me to give him a real answer.

I forced a smile, my eyes flickering to Naya. She gave me a polite smile in return, but there was an underlying tension in the way she looked at me, almost as if she were waiting for some signal, some cue that this was more than just an arrangement.

As we all sat down, the conversation began to flow easily enough. There were light discussions about work, family, and the usual. But I couldn't shake the feeling that they were all waiting for me to make a decision.

My thoughts were tangled, and I couldn't help but glance at Naya from time to time. She was beautiful, poised, and seemed to carry herself with such elegance. But the thought of being married to her, it felt wrong. It felt like something I was doing out of obligation, not desire.

Saad's voice broke through my thoughts. "So, Mustafa, have you decided yet? About Naya?" His words were casual, but his eyes were sharp, as if he were testing me, probing to see if I was ready to take the next step.

I hesitated, unsure how to answer. I knew I had to make a decision soon, but it felt like a decision I wasn't fully prepared to make. Naya was the perfect choice, business-wise, family-wise, but was she the right choice for me?