ishq lost & found

55; Shift

With only days left before their walima, Saad and Ranya somehow let her family convince them to add another event to the roster. That too just three days before their walima, with little to no planning or time to do so. Her cousins, the few trustworthy ones, decided to take on the responsibility and surprise them while the couple finalized their main event details.

"Does this fit okay?" Saad asked Ranya, adjusting the collar and sleeves of his kurta as he turned to her.

Giving him a head to toe glance, she walked up to him, grasping the neck of his top. "Yeah, there's just a really long and loose thread."

"Oh. I didn't notice." Saad replied, trying to turn to the mirror to get a look before Ranya yanked him back towards her with all her might.

"Wait, let me get it." She reprimanded him. Then, without thinking- pushing herself up so she could stand as tall as as possible, she brought her lips close to his neck. Enough so to make his blood run cold before biting the thread clean off.

"There." She patted his collar back in place, stepping back without even realizing what she had done.

Stunned, Saad stood frozen for a second, trying to recollect himself before they appear in front of her family and the guests that also partook in the pressure of adding this dholki to the list.

The stress was starting to pile up, leaving Saad wondering how he hadn't started to bald yet. In the midst of everything, all the preparations, the random day where Saad thought he nearly lost Ranya, mixed with his sudden sickness- he had next to no time for work. But, realizing he should probably focus on her and their upcoming walima much more than he had been, Saad did something he hadn't ever thought of in his entire career.

He asked for time off. An actual break- not one where he manages to juggle working with whatever else he's got going on in his personal life, but one where he actually takes time off.  No work, no emails, no late night phone calls.

"Are you almost ready?" Saad asked, glancing at his watch as he sat in their bed, watching Ranya run around trying to piece together her clothing.

"No- I can't find the top that is supposed to go with this." She groaned, jumping in an attempt to pull anything she could from the top shelf in their closet.

Holding back a laugh, Saad nearly broke as he walked over, standing behind her before he grabbed what he assumed to be the top she might need. Wrapped in plastic, still brand new, he passed her the dark green top.

Watching the stress fall off her shoulders in real time, Ranya relaxed, giving him a short thanks before scurrying into the bathroom.

While they had been busy trying to get ready, chaos ensued just on the floor beneath them. Her cousins had been running around aimlessly, even recruiting the useless ones to finishes up the decorations that were supposed to be completed the previous night.

Unlike back in the west, they had a large courtyard like most homes in Pakistan do. It wasn't huge, but it certainly wasn't small and had just enough room to set up their stage as well as seating for the guests.

"I'm not getting in between the railings of the balcony are you crazy!" Danyal shouted at Zareen, passing the lights back to her.

"This was supposed to be your job anyway! Stop being such a coward and just do it!" She yelled at him, passing him the lights again. They had been playing this game of hot potato for what must've been forever.

"What's going on?" Ranya interrupted as Saad followed her towards the cousins.

"Ranya, he was supposed to hang up the lights from the balcony to the other side! Lights above us would look so nice, don't you think?" Zareen asked, trying to get the bride on her side in the hopes that it would force Danyal up there.