FROM NEVER TO HAPPILY EVER!

5.

Suman Malik.

Zaima screeches behind me with floating laughter following behind her, "Summi, Summi, Summi! Meri jaan, pata hai tumhe koun aya hai? Kitne Mashallah lag rahe hai tere devar. Choukhat par Pir-o-Kamil ki tara khade hai aur mu se pehla sawal? Kha hai bhabhijaan? Aur Fayaz bhaijaan ki shakal laal hogai thi is sawal par. Tum dono ki ladai hui hai kya?"

I pat her back, and she takes deep breaths to get herself into check. "Aaram se Zaimi, mana tumhare hone wale shohar tashreef laye hai. Iska matlab ye nahi ki khushi se pagal hi jaogi."

Just then I hear a knock, and then sturdy footsteps inside the room. And the way Zaimi's cheeks are turning crimson, I can tell without turning who it is.

I turn around with a wide smile, knowing Daniyal is already smirking with his all-time-famous aqua blue eyes. He is a charmer no doubt, with a build similar to that of Gaddi Nasheen.

"Assalamualaikum M'Lady! How are you pretty woman!", he takes my right hand and elegantly presses my knuchles against his forehead twice. Such a charmer.

"Walaikum assalam Mr. Handsome. Ham to badiya hai lekin ap bataiye videsh me zyada dhal gaye the jo bhabhijaan ki yaad tak nai ayi", I complain even though I know he just went for a month.

"That hurts my heart so much pretty lady, how can I ever do such a heinous crime. Forget about the most celebrated woman of Khilb? I am not a Khilbi then", he shakes his head in great despair.

"I think the most celebrated woman to go down in the history of Khilb would be your mother, Afshan Faizal Ahmed. She ruled and left no crumbs." I speak solemnly. Khala was one heck of a Mallika.

And then the two of us settled down together to begin a battle of our own, while Zaima walks out with a cute eye contact and saying a meek Allah Hafiz to him. Typical mashuka.

" I can defend that with just one number.  The Murshad Committe which is the biggest critique against royals doesn't have anything to say against you while they used to grill mom in raw fire, they even like your Instagram posts."

I shake my head, smiling slyly," Ye to kala hai devar ji. Bas us committee ke do members ke betiyon ki shadi shahi khandaan me karwadi! Ab na wo kuch be-adbi kar payenge na unki betiyan."

He bursts out into spurts of laughter, and I smile knowing it's a very rare sight to see the Military Head of Khilb being this carefree.

He bows dramatically, doing a hand gesture to show he is saluting me,"Ap to ap hai bhabhijaan. Koi masla aisa nahi jo ap hal na kar pati, magar mujhe dar hai aane wale toofan me shayad apke hath kaampe. Isiliye aaj mai devar ki nhi,  Watan-e-Khilb ke Military Head ki ehsiyat se yaha aya hu. Huda jald aane wali hai, aur majal hai ki Mallika-e-Khilb ke taqt par aanch bhi aye. Bataiye bhabhijaan apki khidmat me kya madad kar sakta hu", he is back into business.

I smile at him in adoration, he grew up into one fine man. I beckon him while he bends his head slightly towards me, I pat shoulders then run my hand on his head just the way I have seen khala do.

"Daniyal tum mere liye bahut azeez ho, mai chahti hu is jung me tum shamil na ho, kyuki agar kuch unch neech hui, to mai bardasht nai karungi ki tumhare sath kuch galat ho. Aur sach kahu, to mai haar gayi hu Daniyal. Mai ladne se pehle haar gayi hu, Gaddi Nasheen aaj bhi....",

He shakes his head vehemently, "Galat fehmi hai apki bhabhijaan. Ham Pir mardo ke paas ye ehsas sabse pehle hota hai, ki kon hai apni Mallika-e-Khilb. Mai dawe ke sath keh sakta hu bhaijaan ko bhi tha, tabhi apse nikah kiye. Verna kabhi wo Huda ki jaga apko na dete, aur wo bhi is had tak ki aaj agr taqt palta to, pura Khilb bagawat karega."

I wish what he was saying is true, but it's not.

"Agar Piro me ye taqat hai, to ham aurto me bhi hoti hai Daniyal. Mard hamse mohabbat karta hai ya nhi, ye ek nazar me keh sakte hai. Aur aapke bhaijaan, aaj bhi Huda ke naam par hi khil uthte hai."

" Bhabhijaan, apki baato se lag rha ap ladai se pehle hi apna taqt kisi aur ke naam karne wali hai. Is buzdili ki ummeed nai thi apse", he says disappointed.

Buzdili tab hoti jab haq hota devarji. Haq to Huda jama chuki hai saalo pehle.

"Wo sab baatein abhi rehne de. Aap lout aye hai, charge bhi jaldi lenge. Jis din aapki gul poshi hogi, usi din mai chahti hu apka Nikaah bhi jo jaye Zaima se. Wo bahut intezaar pehle hi kar chuki hai", I address the one topic that's also on my mind.

Because if I don't get them hitched, there is a chance they will never get married because of Zaimi's stupidity.

" Magar bhabhijaan, itni bhi jaldi kya hai. Aur gul poshi to chaar din baad hi hai. Itne kam samai me taiyaari krwana..."

"Arre taiyari ka zimma ap mujh par chod dijiye Daniyal. Aaj tak aisa hua hai, hamne kuch thana ho aur na kar paye ho? Chaar din baad Khilb ke eitihaas ka sabse baad jashan hoga. Ap bas manzoori dijiye. Hame Gaddi Nasheen se bhi baat krni padegi",

He nods, "Jaisa ap theek samjhe bhabhijaan. Apko kya lagta hai, mai khush rakh paunga apki dost ko?",

His question throws me off the wheels. He has been the one to propose to her, but if he is in doubt now, there is a chance he isn't fully sure.

"Daniyal agar apko samaj chahiye, beshak le sakte hai. Koi jaldi nhi hai. Aur rahi baat khush rakhne ki, khala ki parvarish hai ap, Khilb ke sabse hunhar mardo me se ek."

" Mai taiyar hu bhabhijaan, baki jaisa ap theek samjhe." With that he leaves and I decide to visit Gaddi Nasheen inspite of initially planning to avoid him.

It's been three days since that steamy episode in the library and he hasn't yet initiated any contact neither have I.

But this marriage is an impending matter, one I need to get done while I am reigning as Mallika-e-Khilb.

I enter his suite without knocking, and as expected he is just drying himself after an hour of a shower which he took right after his gym. Now as I have interrupted a very important self-staring session, he turns around with an annoyed expression.

" Assalamualaikum Suman! Hairat ho rahi hai apko yha dekh kar, laga tha apki hide and seek to aur chalne wali hai", I close the door behind me and walk while swaying my hips but still keeping my gait natural.

" Wo mujhe aapse kuch baat karni thi", I say trying not to stutter at the hot masterpiece that he is. His build is huge, with muscles peaking out at every chance they get. The biceps flex each time his hand grazes his hair, he grabs his shirt and puts it on faster than I would like it.

" Acha to Mallika-e-Khilb ayi hain. Mujhe to samaj jana chahiye tha. Waise meri abhi Huda se baat Hui thi, keh rahi Rahi thi agle hafte hi Berlin se ravana hogi."

I can't say I am not shocked, there was still supposed to be two months. But it doesn't show on my face.

" Mai chahti hu Daniyal aur Zaaima ka Nikaah Daniyal ki gul poshi Wale din hi ho. Nikah to waise bhi hona hi tha, aur Daniyal dono zimmedari ek sath shuru karenge. Maine pucha liya hai, razi hai wo."

Gaddi Nasheen looks at me calculatingly, thinking why I made this move. He moves towards me, and invades my personal space, I know exactly why that is.

He is trying to distract me so I could let my gaurd down. And he gets to find out the reason behind my decision. He is testing the waters, he waits for a few seconds, to see if I snap. But I don't.

Waise hi ek hafta bacha hai.

His left hand cups my jaw, sensually stroking the skin below my lower lip. The strong smell of his cologne wafts through my nose, partially hypnotising me in his trance. The after shave, the wet hair and pearls of water on his chest, everything is drawing my fingers.

But control. Control Summi. Pighlo mat.

I am melting and turning into a pool of unsatisfied mush.

"