The Wedding Tonight

Chapter 10: The Venue 🏨

I let them guide Adam inside my office, placed my purse on the table like a lady and sat on my chair. "I didn't expect to see you this early." I started, probably not a welcoming way to start a conversation.

"Yeah, I don't come to restaurants a lot. This is definitely not the time." He chuckled, still not coming to the point.

"No that's not it. We do offer good breakfast here, if you'll like to see." I added.

"No, I'm here for something else." I nodded for him continue. "Actually I am here for reservation." He hesitantly started to open up. "The venue I booked for our wedding didn't work out in the last moment." He added.

So he wanted to book our restaurant for his wedding, indeed my life was complicated. "You've distributed the wedding invites with previous venue, already." I reasoned.

"I'll just text the change of venue to the guest, they are hardly hundred of them anyways so that won't be a problem." Adam said, making me nod.

"Oh okay." I said, confused.

"I would really appreciate if you would host the wedding here at your restaurant?" He requested, I looked around. That would be one of the hardest things to do, I did marry Sohail but that doesn't mean that I stopped having feelings for him.

"So should I reserve this restaurant for you at 3rd April?" I asked, and realised that I shouldn't have mentioned the date.

"You remember our date." Adam smiled.

"Off course I would. We are cousins, aren't we?" I asked, with a brief smile.

Adam nodded, "This was a lot easier than I thought Samreen. All thanks to you. I'll finalise the payment once you tell me how much it would cost." Adam stood up and pushed the chair back inside. The navy blue shirt tightly hugging his body but he wasn't as muscular as Sohail, I must say.

"Sure, I'll text you the details." I said. "Why don't you have a cup of coffee. I must say we do serve nice coffee here." I insisted.

"May be next time." Adam said, I stood up as courtesy until he walked out through that door after saying goodbyes. I sighed and dropped down on my office chair.

The rest of the day went by. I went through the files, the bills and past months repairment. After going for another round and resolving two issues about not-so-hot-enough food, it was time to pack for home.

I grabbed myself a Taxi and asked him to drive me home, the drive was silent and soothing until he asked me the address. My jaw hung open. I was suppose to go to Sohail's home. "Ma'am the address" I bit my lower lip, indeed I was out of words.

"I.. I'll let you know. Wait." He rolled his eyes at me through the rare mirror wondering what a stupid and dumb lady I was. I texted Sohail and hoped he would reply soon.

Me: Send me the address to your home.
Dearest husband: Why, I'll pick you up if you're free. I'm leaving anyways.
Me: I'm inside a taxi already.
Dearest husband: Oh my goodness. Do you know how unsafe could it be? This man might kidnap a dump lady like you who doesn't even know where to go.
Me: I will know if you'll send me the address.
Dearest husband: Defence block B, house no. 57. Clifton, Karachi.
Me: Thanks.
Dearest husband: Let me know when you reach home.
Me: Yes! I will InshaAllah.

I told the driver and the poor guy dropped me off, I walked out of the cab, paid the guy so he could leave and rung the bell. Surprisingly at the very same moment, Sohail's car also arrived and I closed my eyes for the amount of lecturing I'll get.

Sohail stepped out of his car and let his driver park it. The bodyguard also got out of the car and helped the driver park it inside the garage just as the gates opened. I hurried inside before Sohail and went into the kitchen. "Oh, Allah.. Ya Allah help me." I breathed in and out.

"What happened, dear?" Aunty Laila asked. I didn't know she was there too. Ethically I had to turn around to greet her, so I did.

"Asalamualaikum Aunty, can you hide me from Sohail?" She stared at me in amusement. "Please Aunty, hurry up.." Just as the main door to our house opened, I hurried to stand beside the fridge and let out deep breaths.

"Asalamualaikum Mom, how are you?" He hugged his Mom and greeted her. My legs were literally shivering, Sohail and I hadn't know each other what if he was a guy with loose temper? I didn't know him at all and that scared the hell out of me.

"I'm fine. Alhamdulillah." Came his calm tone. I just wished he would walk away but Aunty was so awkward, one could easily tell she was being suspicious. She wouldn't stop grinning and she was going to get me caught.

"Mom, do you know where Samreen headed to?" He asked with a clear of throat and I almost flinched.

"Oh she went straight to the bathroom." My mother in law finally turned out in my favor. Sohail briefly nodded and walked upstairs. "Come out, tell me what is it?" She asked.

I told her the whole story and she told me how dangerous could it be for young lost girls out there. She told me I was grateful that my cab driver was nice or else it could've gotten serious. I nodded to whatever she said and finally gathered up courage to walk inside our room.

Slowly and gradually I opened the door and sneaked inside. "Keep on hiding young lady but at last you will have to come here." Bitting the edge of lower lip I walked inside and closed the door behind to face an angry looking Sohail. His hands on his waist as he stared at me, "I didn't know there was a bathroom beside the fridge." He added to enhance my embarrassment.

"I know what I did was stupid-"

"It's dangerous, there are almost 5000 rape cases an year in pakisan and even more in other countries." Sohail said. I scratched my head and nodded at him. "I don't mean to scare you but be careful. We have same working hours. I can pick and drop you and in case if a meeting comes up, I'll ask my driver to drop you home." He suggested in a softer tone.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologise to me, just be careful." He reasoned and walked inside the bathroom.

I walked inside the bathroom after he came out, freshened up, changed into something comfortable and hoped on the bed, my eyes went on the balcony door and saw Sohail standing over with a cup of tea in his hands. My eyes landed on my cup of tea that was on my side table. The maid must've left it for us. I grabbed my cup of tea and walked into the balcony. I hadn't seen it before, it was small with two beach type chairs with a nice view of sea from afar. Sohail flashed a smile at me and tapped at the chair beside him. I nodded, placed my cup of tea on the table between and took in the fresh air.

"I usually have my evening tea here." Sohail started.

I sipped from my cup of tea and smiled. "It's beautiful." I said looking at the breathtaking view in front.

"Indeed," Sohail agreed. "Hey! I wanted to tell you something."

"Yeah?" I nodded.

"Mom reinvited all the guests that left on our wedding night. She wants you to cook something special for them as well. Didn't she talk to you about it?" He asked, I was about to collapse upon hearing this news, off all the things in the world, cooking was the last thing my mother taught me. I only knew how to eat food, not make it.

Sohail's eyes bored into mine as I shook my head on his question. Why in the hell did I have to get married before even learning the marriage stuff??