Intekhaab✔️

Chapter 1 - Nanhi pari

"Mumanijaan yeh tho woh baat hogayi..Mere ghar ayi ek nanhi Pari..get it nanhi pari? As in Pari appi ka chota version...pari appi abh chotey packet me" The eighteen year old Laiba Asher Habib squealed looking at the tiny week old baby and revised cliche lines which had any relevance.

"Aaj tho meri dono pariyan jarahi hai apney ghar" Qirat (laiba's mumani) sighed to her niece and sadly smiled.
Why did daughters have to make home somewhere other than their birth place. Their whole life spent in their maternal home, for that same maternal home to then be classified secondary to her husbands home, well her home. But still why? Qirat thought to herself. Recently Qirat was experiencing the downside emotional ness of going through menopause. The emotional phase of becoming a grandmother didn't help much in controlling these emotions.

"Mumaa..woh Saqib agaye hein neeche.." Pareesa enters the room. She was instructed to be resting and was told her packing would be done. But Pareesa was the kind of person who was used to doing her work herself or she wouldn't be fully satisfied with it. So even after being scolded several times to be resting she sneaked her way to sorting her and her daughters things.

"Agayeh Acha..chalo neche chalte hein" Qirat tight smiled at Pareesa. She didn't want to let her go this early but then she understood that she needs to go to her house.

"Muma aap pareshan na ho I'll be fine" Pareesa held her mother's hands placing a kiss on them, comforting her. Qirat smiled at her daughters affection.

"Meri Pari" Qirat said placing a kiss back in Pareesa's hands.

"Pari aapi.."

"Hmm bolo Laiba" Pareesa now said zipping her final bag. Whilst Qirat left to greet her son in law.

"Isko me utahlu godh me?" Laiba said pointing at the newborn.

"Ismeh puchne ki kya bat hai..eklauti khala ho bhaye aap..haq banta hai"

She lifted the baby and started speaking to the baby in such a way that no one could decipher what she was saying, but the baby seemed to be responding well by blinking.
———-

"Aap mardo ka masla kya hai? Humesha qurbaani aurto ko deni parti hai...meri bachi bus itne se dino ke liyeh ayi..apni nawasi ko tho mene dhang se dekha bhi nahi" Qirat exaggeratingly complained to Zaakir, lightly punching him in the chest.

He held the place she punched and dramatically winced. "Uh ow" .

The couple sat on a sofa in the living room. The haveli felt empty every time their daughter visited and left. They were in each other's embrace soothing each other. He caressed her hair and she adjusted her head in a more comfortable position on his chest. "Tch meri bachi" she said again whilst playing his shirts button.

"Apney beto ka bhi sochlo kabhi Muma..hum kya sotele hein. Hum har waqt yahi rehte he tho shayad humari qadr nahi" Arif dramatically sighed ruining the he couples moment.

Qirat jumped of Zaakir and composed herself acting like she was sitting away from him this whole time.

"Arif" Zaakir said in a slightly stern voice.

"oh baba come on" Arif almost whined.

Before Arif could be scolded more Laiba came running to the room. "Mamujaan! Mamujaan!"

"kya hua beta?" Qirat asked concerned over the girl running out of breath and screaming.

"Woh woh" Laiba heaved.

"Aram se beta ..pehle saas lelo" Zaakir spoke

"mamujaan mene Bilal se kaha ke mujhe ghar drop karde kyuke driver chacha chaleygaye tho woh man nahi rahe. tho mene unhe samjhate hue ghalti se..kasm se mene koi jaan much ke nahi kiya..mene ghalti se unke upar ink phek..giradiya...aur unki short kharab hogayi..abh woh bhoot ki tarha mere peche pargaye..itni mushkil se bhag ke ayo hu me bus me kya batao".