SAHAR TO NASHABI

the story was written after viewing a music video on u tube showing the twists and twirls taken of the romance of a young professional couple in Iran

It was the day of her engagement to her beloved Saheed also her 35th birthday.
She had dreamt of this moment for a long time now, almost 2 years. All the guests were here at her family home.
The blossoms were in full on the almond tress, the gardens were decorated with flowers, as this was February, the beginning of Spring for them in Persia.
Everyone was in their finery, beautiful flowing dresses, gowns brought back from trips top Paris and Italy.
The cake was brought out ablaze with candles and dripping with chocolate and gold leaf.
But where was her love, her Saheed, to celebrate both the occasions and happiness with her.
She looked around the room and then saw his smile drift towards her in the half light of the late afternoon; they embraced and then he glided behind her. She felt a feather light touch on the nape of  her neck and then something rested on her neckline.
She gasped as she saw an exquisitely cut diamond shimmering against her tanned flesh.
“For all of the memories” he whispered, and then he kissed her  on the lips, a lingering, longing gentle kiss.
She was alone in her room now, to prepare for the engagement ceremony. She was frightened now, of the uncertainty  the future would bring, could she be certain that he was hers and hers alone.
Reflecting on those memories brought her instant joy; the rides along the shore on horseback under blue moonlight, then the feverish lovemaking in the grassed dunes.
There had been many moments such as this, each one separate and bring both pleasure and happiness to them both.
But it was now time and she had to prepare.

As she slid out of her party dress, she heard a tinkling sound and saw that the diamond on the chain had fallen to the floor. She shuddered; was this a bad omen, a portent of the future.
She tried to dismiss the thoughts that were racing through her mind, trying to dismiss the supposed significance of such an event.
She robed herself in her formal white dress embodied with thousands of fresh water pearls and silver filigree wire. A vision in beauty, how could he not want her, forever.

She glided out into the courtyard, humming with the voices of her guests, the almond blossom falling and laying a carpet for her to walk upon to meet her love.
The dance music resounded in her ears, making her slightly dizzy.
Then she saw him, her Saheed, whirling in dance with her friend Pia, a girl, ten years her junior. Slimmer, with diamond sparkling blue eyes and long flowing braided blonde hair.
Their bodies were entwined and they looked longingly at one another.

The hot tears sprang to her eyes as she caught her breath, unbelieving. Their eye’s met and the guilt passed across his face, triumph  passedfor the girl.

But there was worse to come, in an instant, the music changed to a more solemn format, as the couple  approached the dais at the head of the courtyard.
She caught her breath ,almost fainting as he placed the silver engagement ring upon HER finger.

That should have been her ring upon her finger, what had brought this about.  She thought about the secrecy, the lies, she was no  .longer the chosen one. She wept.



















Part 2.



    She became aware of the sunlight dancing  upon her face through the branches of a tree beneath which she was lying , She felt her tears ,now lying cold upon her face. Where was she? What had happened to her when she ran out of the courtyard where HE, had betrayed her. LIAR, LIAR, LIAR. Her tears now ran burning down her cheeks with rage.Eventually
She was distracted from her remembrance of the humiliation and hurt, she seemed to be had covered with falling leaves; she was still wearing her party dress, not the white engagement dress; she was , for sure, not wearing any rings upon her fingers.

What was happening? She put her sorrow to one side trying to make sense of it all.

She was in the garden outside of the walled courtyard, it was approaching late  afternoon; she heard HIM  softly calling her name, Sahar, Sahar.

He approached her with that smile which always melted her, arms outstretched, wanting to hold her in his arms.

“I was looking everywhere for you, it is almost time for the ceremony, everyone is waiting for us. It is time”

She held him to her, this was reality, she must have fallen asleep and dreamt ,   confusing reality with subconscious fear of the unknown.

She embraced him as if it were the first time she had held him her arms, feverishly covering him with kisses.

“We must go, you need to change, the guests are waiting” She held onto  him, she didn’t want to lose him again. In a dream or otherwise.

Her thoughts raced. How could she have dreamt such thoughts, then turning to one another, closing like the two leaves of a door upon the past, shutting out everything as they felt their happy spontaneous kisses beginning to compose the dusk around  them like successive washes of colour, they parted for the next fragment of their lives.
She rushed to her room in the big house and changed into her white dress, was she still dreaming?

No, this felt real, as she slipped  the diamond around her neck. She felt its coolness on her skin.
Sahar ran out into the courtyard, her friend,Pia carrying the cake, her family and guests applauding, as she met her Saheed, her lover, friend and soon forever companion.
He gently took her hand and adorned her finger with the engagement ring. It was done, she was his and he was hers, no more unreal doubts, this was  no dream