Abhi abhi toh mile ho... Abhi na karo dur jane ki baat
Abhi abhi toh pasand aaye ho... Abhi abhi ruthne ki baat?
***
Colours of joy were seen everywhere as it was expected to mesmerize every lively eyes. There were smiles and laughter bloomed on every face. The wedding ceremony didn't need more grandeur than that it was expecting then.
Nadiya was talking to her relatives and all of them were busy in comparing their attires. She'd make peculiar expressions while cracking jokes with them and all of her actions were influencing the inside merriment of Omar at that time.
He was standing with his hand snaked around a pillar and was continuously watching Nadiya's actions. He could as if feel her emotions and would laugh when she laughed, and would roll his lips when she did so.
He could not control adoring her with his eyes as she was someone who had captured his heart in a very short span of time. Moreover, his interest multiplied when he connected her arrival with the one in his dreams.
Omar could then no longer wait to eat his wedding biryani. Although he maintained a perfect demeanor in his body language but he was more than overjoyed from inside.
Everything was perfect around except in kitchen where the feast preparation was going on.
Alyan began,"Uncle, believe me, I've handled this kind of mess even before during my training in Hyderabad. At least you give me a chance to use my ideas to it."
"We're trying to make up things fast, son, but you see I'm very much worried about Saqeena bhabhi's reaction to this.", said the chef dejectedly.
"Kaku mere pet me chuhe kood rahe hain, daawat ko aur kitta waqt hai?", (Mice are dancing inside my stomach, how much time is left for the feast to start?) spoke Nadiya while entering into the kitchen and found something strange in the atmosphere.
Everyone seemed experiencing guilt and sorrow. Alyan saw Nadiya and he was startled for a moment. She fixed her vision on Alyan and raised her eyebrows to furrow her forehead.
"Dimple... wo rasoiya ji se fatiha ki kheer mein cheeni ke bajaye namak chala gaya." (Dimple, the chef had added salt into the auspicious kheer instead of sugar), spoke Alyan.
Nadiya's jaw dropped in astonishment and she could see the condition of the helpless chef and his worker who were then engaged in preparing other dishes for the banquet.
"I wonder what will happen now for that kheer is supposed to be prepared from the rice that Ammu brought from Kashmir itself when she went to meet Aapu's in-laws. And also that bag of rice was kept in the dargah ( a holy shrine) for fatiha ( a tradition of purifying foods by spiritual means) which Ammu wanted to make the customary dish for breaking the fast of the couple after nikaah."
"Is it for that custom? I mean in which the bride has to eat the leftover of the groom after they sign the nikaah bond?", questioned Alyan.
"Yes!", she exclaimed unenthusiastically.
"Can I ask why are not preparing it again as it is supposed to be eaten by two people only and can be done in a short span of time. See, Nikaah can take place anytime soon.", asked Alyan turning to the chef.
"Son, Saqeena bhabhi told us this was the only portion of that variety of rice. It's over now with this mess. We don't have more of it to prepare again.", said the chef trying to stir the almost cooked biryani in a big container.
"Haww!", exclaimed Nadiya and widened her eyes. "Now what will happen kaku?"
Alyan looked at her and then turned his face towards the chef, " See, uncle, since it has left us with no options we should go with the extreme measures, either we have to make both of them eat from the spoiled kheer and ask them not to reveal about this and make a compromise with us or we should prepare another kheer with ordinary rice and do not disclose about this. Because I think it is the blessing of hearts that Allah sees and he knows our hearts, we are not doing this deliberately."
