>Continued……..

But for Abdul, his attachment to Zaibu is different. He dislikes his over protective mother. In fact she was the reason he left Nanagar in the first place. Abdul wanted to be independent but in Nanagar it was next to impossible. Everytime Abdul would explore a business venture, Zaibu would ask him to show her all the financial details. She would make it a point to butt in every time negotiations on a certain deal were going on, pestering his clients.

“You are very young my sweet child, the world is an evil place!”, she would proclaim.

He was now a joke amongst the villagers. The girls would point at him and giggle, and whisper amongst each other that Abdul is his “mama’s boy”.

Abdul had now turned twenty two. He wanted to get married. But Zaibu had issues with every girl Abdul thought of as a suitable match. Mehru was too dark, Shamim was cock-eyed and Meena was too fast.

“My prince, I will get you a princess one day. She will be so beautiful, you will never get tired of looking at her.” Zaibu would tell him.

But perfect women did not walk on earth. Who would make his mother understand that? Abdul had had enough. He left Nanagar with a friend from Karachi. He settled, got a job, and planned on getting married very soon.

Gradually his visits to Zaibu became fewer and fewer, until one day they stopped altogether.