Short Serene Tales [A Collection Of Desi Short Stories]

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There was quite the hustle bustle at Khan Villa once again. Khan Villa was once again decorated like a bride but this time the true 'raunaq' of this villa was leaving as someone's bride. She was happily sitting on her bed talking with her cousins beautifully dressed in a red lehenga, her jewelry and makeup had adorned her like a doll.

She looked flawlessly beautiful but she was still pretty nervous and a piece of her heart was also pretty sad, the most important person for her, whom she wanted to make proud was not here on her special day. It had been four years since Haider left pakistan after his wedding with Gaitee and after one year he came back and took Gaitee with him to Australia as well.

A few days after that Ahmed Awan came with a proposal. There was much hesitation from Gul e Nayab's side, she was only twenty and was still studying plus she was the youngest and wedding their little china doll off to a family they didn't even know gave rise to fears in everyone's heart for her. After all they were thinking of marrying Gul e Nayab in family either with Raafay or Asfandyar so she could always stay in front of everyone's eyes.

After much needed courage from her female cousins who saw right through her, Gul e Nayab finally talked to her parents. At first there was no response just plain silence but then after much persuasion and much needed satisfaction they finally gave into their daughter's wish. But the only condition was that Ahmed had to wait til Gul e Nayab had finished her studies.

As promised after three years, Zubair Sahab gave his little princess's hand to Ahmed. On the day of engagement, date of their marriage was also fixed.

Everyone had thought that Haider would take part in every little thing since it was Gul e Nayab they were talking about. He played the role of a father figure in her life but he didn't even show interest in a single thing when it was time marry her. It was an understatement to say that Gul e Nayab was pretty much hurt by his obliviousness. She wanted him to be with her when she starts her new life, Gul e Nayab predicted as much because he didn't even talk with her ever since he left, just a simple 'hi' or 'hello' when she answered the phone or insisted on talking with him and that was all.

Gaitee and little Amaad Haider came a week before Gul e Nayab's wedding, she was thrilled to hold the little prince in her arms for the first time who looked everything like his father. Same proud nose, full pink lips, big charcoal eyes and hair as dark as midnight and his skin as pure as milk and as soft as silk. He was so beautiful just like Haider Ali Khan.

For a kid who was only one and a half year old didn't smile or laugh much which didn't come as a surprise, it was in genes, well in Haider Ali Khan's.

"Haider bhaijaan?" Gul e Nayab muttered under her breath when she first held Amaad who looked at her with a constant frown.

Yeh toh pura replica hai, yar. Was what Gul e Nayab thought glaring right back at him.

Gul e Nayab's nervous eyes looked up at the door, seeing Raza walking in. Who smiled closing the door behind, "Kesi ho, chudail?" He came and stood beside his wife (Parishay).

Gul e Nayab clenched and unclenched her mehindi clad hands, she looked up at him with her big honey brown eyes not even minding the word he used for her.

"Pta nahin, darr lag rha hai." Raza took in a breath as he looked at her with his glistening eyes, remembering all the good times and the bad times with her. He still remembered when she took her first steps in this 'Haveli' and her first word. Now here she was in a red lehenga, ready to be someone's bride.

She had said the same words 'darr lag rha hai' many times to him but this time they hit hard.

"Allah tumhe khush rakhe aur tumhare naseeb ache kare. Ameen." Raza patted her head and she smiled saying 'Ameen' along with everyone in the room.