𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐳

Chapter 2

They reached the haveli and Eeshal sprinted out in excitement all ready to meet her elders with Afreen besides her. As they reached the porch, Eeshal caught a sight of her mother. Hareem,  loved Eeshal alot as she was her only child. Hareem was a well mannered and confident woman, she never let anyone entail in her daughter's life. She stood besides her daughter and supported her every decision.

"Eeshal meri jaan, kaisi ho tum bacha",  Hareem spoke hugging her daughter.

"Assalamualaikum ammi, mai bilkul thik hu. Aap kaisi Hain?", Eeshal snuggled into her mother more as she had missed her mother's embrace.

"Mai toh thik hu lekin bache yeh kya haal bana Diya hai khudka. Kitni patli hogayi ho, kuch khaati nai ho kya?", her mother spoke carefully examining her daughter.

"Ammi, mai abhi abhi aayi huna abhi se toh daant na lagaye. Mujhe pehle tayi ammi aur tayi jaan se toh Milne dein. Kidhr hai woh?", Eeshal whined out making her mother slap her arm lightly. Her mother kissed her forehead and told her to come inside and meet her aunts, who were impatiently waiting for their niece.

Eeshal rushed towards the living room and soon confined herself into her tayi ammi's embrace. Her tayi ammi, Shazia was the eldest daughter-in-law of the Khan haveli. She was kind and generous, making her the favourite of the youngesters. She was very soft spoken and elegant. Her features were inherited by her 2 sons, Aariz and Rizwan, whereas Afreen was the carbon copy of her father.

"My little baby has grown up haan?",  Shazia softly spoke while caressing Eeshal's cheeks.

"Assalamualaikum, tayi ammi.", Eeshal greeted her tayi ammi and hugged her which in return she received few head pats and blessing from her tayi ammi.

"Haan haan , Karachi jaake toh humey bhool he gayein hai kuch loug. Saara pyaar tayi ammi ke liye he hai kin mere liye bhi kuch choro ghi, eesha.", her tayi jaan spoke pretending to be angry on her niece. Zakariya's mother  was an out spoken yet caring lady. She was genuine and spoke out truth everytime. She was a bit strict but fun to be with. She had a quick meet-up with Eeshal and showered her with blessing. Praying for her and her future husband.

Aariz had already entered the living room and had heard all of this. His eyes lingered over Eeshal whose cheeks had turned red due to her tayi jaan's words. She felt a strong gaze over her, looking around, her eyes met his. They were staring at each other. Eeshal averted her gaze from him, Aariz cleared his throat and made his way to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

Gulping a glass of water, he stood there, thinking about the airport scene, how she had embraced him, his neck turned pink and he smiled to himself.

"Tum kaho toh rishta beijh du.", Shazia teased the young man who was acting like a lovesick teenager.

Aariz who now noticed the presence of his mother infront of him avoided her gaze.

"W-Woh toh mai bas paani lene aaya tha.", Aariz spoke continuing to avoid his mother's gaze. Shazia who looked at her son's sheepish state chuckled.

" Acha acha maan gayi tumhari baat ab jao jaake Eeshal ko dekh ke aao, itna lamba safar karke aayi hai usey khaane ka puch lo", Shazia spoke with a hint of teasing which she in return recieved a quick response from her son.

"Ji ammi", Aariz escaped his mother's goofy interrogation and strode upstairs towards Eeshal's room leaving a smiling Shazia behind.

Shazia loved her eldest son very much. From the very beginning she knew about his liking towards Eeshal. She had given it a thought already and had decided to speak with her husband about it.