Khaani Reboot

The Forgotten Ties

The royal wedding is in two weeks and the Mir palace has turned into a chaotic place. With events being way more than a Dholki and mehendi night, the week before the wedding was already packed with official events. But given the status of the Mir family, guests, gifts and blessings have already started coming in.

Momina is staying at one of their villas in Pakistan closer to the Mir Palace. Although her father has also arrived from Pakistan, and a ton of guests and her close cousins are with her, she misses her mother and imagines what it could've looked like if she was around, managing everything, deciding the color palette of the wedding and outfits since she loved to do that being an interior designer. As much as she hates to admit it, she misses her big brother, although the last thing she wants is for him to barge into the villa with his army of bodyguards during the wedding festivities. She realises that he is already aware of the wedding. Somehow he gets every piece of information about her and has been keeping tabs on all her whereabouts since the day she landed in Pakistan. 

10 days to the wedding, she is shopping with her cousins, when she gets Hamza's call.

"Ji batayein future husband."

"How are you future wife?'

"Thik, bs shopping kar rahi thi cousins ke saath. Since you clearly refused. Tumhare toh siyasati kaam hi nahi khatam hote. Aise kaise chalegi shaadi." Momina teases him.

"Arrey yaar, bas shaadi ke baad complain karne ka mauka nahi doonga. Hadi sambhaal raha hai sab."

"Dekhte hain."

"Achha suno. Tumhein bataya tha na aaj raat ko mere dosto ki mehfil hai. Woh bahot zidd kar rahe the shaadi se pehle bhabhi se informal introduction ke liye. Tumhare paass time hoga aaj shaam ko? Bas aik ghanta."

"Uhh, sure thik hai."

|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

Few hours later, Momina reaches the Mir Palace, dresses in a pastel blue minimal sharara. She looked so dazzling against the lights decorating the residence. Hamza receives her and hugs her away from any prying eyes, and takes her into the lawn area, where the party with his friends was being held.

"Bhabhi!!!!!!!" Hadi hurriedly strides towards them upon noticing her.

"Devar!!" They give a side hug upon meeting.

"You look absolutely dazzling. How did bhai even land you?" Hadi chuckles, looking amazing himself in a brown salwar kameez with a khaki jacket on top.

"Don't be so mean! He could say the same thing for you." Momina pats Hadi's shoulder lightly, reminding him once again about Sanam. It seemed as if Momina was a walking, everyday reminder of Sanam in his life. She always reminded him that Sanam loved him, always was the only one that talked about her and their relationship openly, even when everybody avoided this conversation to prevent Hadi from remembering her because Hadi himself wanted to forget.

A dense silence followed in the air, and Hadi's mood changed. 

He thinks "Momina's right though. How did I even have Sanam in my life in the first place."

"I've also handed her an invite. And Hadi she better come to the wedding. Make sure of it." Momina says strictly.

Hadi nods hesitantly, knowing that Sanam has already once refused to come when he invited her.

|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

The night passes by informal introductions of Hamza's friends with Momina, sharing inside jokes and embarrassing moments of his school and college days. It was a happy night. When it hit 11 and guests started to leave, Hamza looked at his watch impatiently.