“Want to share an Appetizer?”
October 7, 2016
Asma and Asad met for the first time at the Rise of the Jack’o’Lanterns in Old Westbury, New York. Asma accompanied Asad's cousin Sara, while Asad came with his sister, Aisha and his nephew, Tahir. Asad thought Asma wasn’t friendly but really she was just lost in her own world. They were walking into the lone spooky walkway of that pumpkin filled patch, when she overheard Asad plotting to scare her. “Do NOT scare me,” she warned him, jokingly. That was when he realized that, maybe, she wasn’t unfriendly after all.
Afterwards, even though they were not hungry at all, they both decided to go eat with Sara at Chili’s. Asma asked Asad to share an appetizer. “Oh but wait, it has chicken. But we can probably ask for it without the chicken.” They never did get that appetizer. While Asma was busy thinking about appetizers, Aisha and Sara went to wash their hands, and Aisha decided to play match-maker and the story unfolded from there.
October 11, 2016
A few days after the Rise of the Jack O'Lanterns, Sara called Asma at work and asked if she would be interested in speaking with Asad. After talking for a bit and getting to know about Asad, she gave Sara the okay to give him her phone number. After a few days, Sara sent Asad Asma’s phone number, and since there are “rules,” Asad waited until later that evening, and sent Asma a very respectful text message, which he did not get a response to. Asma was sound asleep. She woke up the next morning with just enough time to get ready for work. Once at work, she responded to him, letting him know she fell asleep early, and they sent text messages back and forth the entire morning, then for the entire evening later on.
The beginning of forever
After speaking for a few days, Asad asked Asma out to dinner for a Saturday night. The day before, Asma was out with her friends, and decided to ask Asad to come meet her. Asad thought she was being nice and trying to get their meet up over with so she wouldn't have to go out with him the next night. In reality, she just wanted him to come out so he could see how she is with her friends, unfiltered, and totally herself. He loved her energetic personality, she loved his ability to listen and not judge her quirks, and they clicked immediately. They ended up going out the next night as well. Soon, he met her mom, she met his parents, and they decided that they were the ones for each other. They started attending family events, hanging out with each other’s friends, and going everywhere together. It was decided, this was it, and so the planning began.
The Proposal
Within just a few months of meeting, Asad and Asma both knew they were the ones for each other. Asad had shown Asma's picture to his nieces, Saleha and Sarinah, and they both thought she was beautiful. The families had spoken about it, they had spoken about their future together, but he had not officially proposed. Knowing Asma and her keen ability to detect things, he knew he had to be discreet, so he got to planning the perfect proposal for the perfect woman.
Parent approved
For the official go ahead, Asad first spoke with his sister. She was overjoyed and filled with excitement. Once he had the big sister seal of approval, Asad then drove upstate to visit his parents. He made a pit stop at his father's store. After having a father son heart-to-heart, they headed home to his mom. At home, his parents told him if he feels Asma is the one, he should proceed with his proposal. A few days later, Asad made his way to Asma's mom and her brother, Adeel. He found her mom drinking chai as usual. He told them about his conversation with his parents and sister and that he wanted to purchase an engagement ring for Asma. Adeel was his usual stoic self, saying "okay cool." Her mom was obviously very excited, and he could now put his plans into action.
Planning the proposal
After researching for months, Asad bought the ring, with input from her best friend, Iqra, and began to put the proposal together. Asma had no idea what was going on. He thought for days about how he could incorporate Asma's love for books and art this into his proposal. One morning it clicked and he came up with the perfect idea. After spending three months creating a 300-page book, Asad went to Barnes and Noble, enlisting the help of the employees there to set everything up. All he had to do now was get her there. That's where Asma's calligraphy craze came into play. Asad created a flyer for a calligraphy class.
reeling in the fish
On August 6, 2017, Asad went to Toys R' Us under the ruse of picking up a toy for a "birthday party" they were going to that night. He sent Asma a picture of the flyer he created. He said he had to go to Barnes and Noble to pick up a book as a gift. Asma, while getting ready for the party, asked Asad if he would buy her some calligraphy supplies, just like he knew she would. "Why don't you just come with me?" Of course she said yes. Asad picked her up and off they went. When they walked in, Asma started wandering around, looking at books. When she saw Asad getting a little impatient, she stopped wandering.
A helpful employee led them over to the Harry Potter section and suggested to start there. While looking, he pointed to a book. "What about this one?" Asma pulled it out, saying "no, this one isn't a Harry Potter book." Then she looked at the cover, and it still hadn't clicked. She read the author's name and said "Oh look, how funny, this book is by someone named Asad!" Then she saw the entire cover and it clicked. He took her over to the reading area, and she sat and read the entire book, laughing and crying the entire way through, having no idea that her friends were waiting behind the bookshelves impatiently for her to finish. On the last page, she looked up and saw Asad on one knee with the ring out, and tackled him with a bear hug saying yes.
