𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒚

11.

It was a blissful morning at Abidi house where Ruhana, Malakeh and Zeba (Arsalan's chachi) gathered at the dining table to have their morning tea with pakoras because the weather made them crave has it was raining heavily outside. Whereas the kids were still asleep it was way too early for them to get up at 6 in the morning. Girls were pretty exhausted from the wedding shopping, which they did for themselves too after getting the dress for the bride. It was a ritual in both the families that the groom side has to buy the wedding lehenga for the bride whereas the bride side has to get the sherwani or any other outfit of the grooms choice. Arsalan's sherwani was already been chosen by Arsalan himself with all the fitting and everything done.

“Malakeh tumhe kuch batana tha,” Ruhana said after sipping her tea.

“Ji bhabhi boliye na”

“Woh Abeer ki shadi ki date fix hogayi hai, Insha'Allah, November me hogi,” Ruhana said.

“Lekin bhabhi ladke k Abbu toh against the na is rishte se?” Malakeh asked while keeping back her empty cup on the table.

“Haan bhabhi lekin der karwana bhi theek nahi lagra tha. Aap toh jaanti hai Abeer kitni mohabbat karti hai Ahtesham se” Zeba said chewing her onion pakora.

“Jaanti hu aur daar bhi ushi baat ka hai. Kahi uska dil na tute uski is Mohabbat ki wajah se. Ehtesham k Abbu kitne naamchin politician hai kahi humeri Abeer takleefo me na ghiri rahe” Malakeh stated her worries for Abeer as she was the first girl born in the Abidi clan and was everyone’s baby girl.

“Mujhe bhi yehi fikar khaye jaati hai Malakeh lekin kya karu majboor hu uski khushi k aage kuch nahi dikta” Ruhana sighed. Knowing how stubborn of a girl her daughter is. Her love for Ahtesham has been increased in these two years that parting them away would not only break Abeer's heart but theirs too.

Malakeh sighed and nodded at her bhabhi “Abeer ki khushi se bad k kuch nahi.”

“Ji bhabhi hum bas uski khushi chaate hain islye Ahtesham ki Ammi se baat kar k rishta fix karwa diya hai ab tak unke Abbu ne toh koi aitraaz gi nahi dikhai hai,” Zeba said.

“Yeh kab hua?” an authoritative voice boomed in the dining room making the ladies jump on their seats.

“Walaikum Assalam beta” Zeba sarcastically greeted Arsalan making him bite his lower lip.

“Assalamualaikum ladies” Arsalan greeted them while scratching the back of his neck embarrassingly.

They replied to his salam as he took a seat next to his mother. Malakeh looked at his attire and frowned “itni subha subha kahan jaane ki taiyari hori hai? Sunday bhi office jane lage aap? Jaante haina aap k Taya Abbu aur Chachu aane wale hain.”

“Ammi ek important kaam hai khatam kar k aajaunga jaldi,” Arsalan said popping in the onion pakora and then potato pakora into his mouth.

“Beta aapki shadi ek hafte me hai abhi toh aapko kaam se break le lena chaiye tha,” Ruhana said placing his cup of coffee that Shirin asked to forward.

“Tayi Ammi shadi k do teen din phele le launga,” Arsalan said nonchalantly.

“Isse toh ghar band karna padega warna yeh workaholic log ghar kya hota hai bhool hi jate hai. Zulfiqar bhai bhi preshan hai Sofia hamesha Fajar bad bhaag jaati hai office k liye” Malakeh shook her head recalling when she had called Zulfiqar as she wasn't able to reach Sofia to ask her if she required any help in wedding shopping yesterday.

Arsalan chuckled in his mind hearing that. He was liking these new little things that he was getting to know about Sofia but then suddenly someone crossed his mind making him frown at the idea of thinking about her.