Much Ado About Nada

by Uzma Jalaluddin

Then again, as the middle child in her family, her role was clear: make no waves, cause no fuss. So what if her heart was filled with regret?

He was beautiful when he smiled. He was devastating when he scowled, like he was right now. Maybe she really did have a concussion.

They hadn’t seen each other in years, but they both seemed . . . diminished somehow. On the cusp of thirty, they both had the outer trappings of a normal, stable adult life, and yet here they were, making awkward conversation during a speed-dating event neither of them had wanted to attend.

“There’s nothing more human than being wrong,” she said quietly now. “Or being persuaded one way and then regretting your decision. I would argue that learning to live with that regret is the most human thing of all.”

She wanted to run after Baz, to continue the conversation now that they were finally having it. She wanted to ask: Was there no forgiveness to be had, no redemption after one wavered?

Baz wasn’t smiling. “It was the same question, again and again: How can I win back the love of my life?” Nada’s smile disappeared. “What was the answer?” “Work on yourself, make dua, and if it is meant to happen, nothing can keep you apart.”

Kuncinya: ‘if it is meant to happen’ ya sis