Changing Relations ✔

Chapter 29

Screaming swarms of children ran through the house as bubbles floated in the air and balloons drifted around aimlessly on the floor among the discarded wrapping paper. A stack of unopened presents stood in the corner of the room wrapped in smooth shiny wrapping paper.A silk bow had been carefully tied around each parcel.

I’m helping set up last minute things. Rushing in and out, catching glimpses of the party as I come and go. The aroma of the cooking sailing through the air.Groups of people scattered everywhere. The table cloth was blue about an hour ago but now has a splash of orange as someone must’ve spilt Fanta on it.

Used paper plates lying on the cream coloured tiled floor.A group of children loom over the sweet table and stuff their mouths.Little lights in the plants and flowers are shinning bright as it begins to get dark. I butter the soft, fresh bread rolls.

You all must be thinking that what's happening?? You must have guessed it that a party is going on...but let me tell you. Why?

My sweet parents decided to throw a small get together party...because their favorite son in law has come after a long time, and after marriage this is the first time we have come, so why not celebrate and have fun??? From the morning, we are trying to keep everything in order and all ready, but it seems that everything is unending!!

The messy room had empty bottles laid on the ground, waiting for someone to trip over them. I almost was a victim. As for the people in this crowded area.

"Hanya, why are you not ready?? Everybody have started coming...go go, get ready" Aunt Zeba said.

"But Aunty, I'm already ready." I said giving her a look.

"It doesn't seem so" she said and went away.  I sighed and went upto my room. While going to my room, I saw him coming out of her room. We looked at each other for a moment, then he went down. Fresh memories flashed through me. Last night after dinner when I went up, I saw him lying beside Adeel, in fact he was fast asleep. I left them alone. After I made sure that Mama and Dad have gone to sleep then only I went to the guest room, to sleep.

It was around one at night, when I got up because Adeel usually gets up at this time for his feeder. I went to the kitchen and made the feeder, then went up. But he wasn't there in the room and Adeel was also sleeping. I kept the feeder on the side table and checked the washroom but he wasn't there also. I started looking for him everywhere and I found him in her room.

He was sleepimg like a small baby. He was cuddling her pillow, her pics were scattered all around the bed. I went closer to the bed, till now I wasn't feeling bad or anything. I knew that he'll go to her room once also. I was mentally prepared for it. I started picking up her pics one by one and kept them in order. Slowly and quietly without making much noise, I opened the side table and kept all the pictures in there.

But one thing caught my attention, he was clutching something in his left hand. I took hold of that thing, thankfully he didn't woke up. It was a picture, their picture. It was that picture when Adeel was born. Hareem was holding Adeel in her arms while he had wrapped his left arm around Hareem's back and his right hand was on Adeel.

All three of them were smiling. It was a picture perfect moment and I didn't missed this opportunity as I was the one who clicked this picture. I took this picture when I went to the hospital, to meet Adeel and that's when I clicked it. A tear drop felled on the picture, in a blink of moment many tears started pouring out of my eyes.

I wiped my tears and cleaned that picture with my hands. When I looked up, I found him staring at me. He was now awake. But his stare said something else. As if he wanted to comfort me, he wanted to say that he is here with me and together we'll solve everything. And just like that, he was back with his emotionless expression. I gave him back the picture and left.

Children ran passed by me, snapping out of my thoughts. They all were running towards the table which was filled with food.They grabbed sandwiches and filled their mouths with sweets. I smiled and went to my room.

I was shocked to see myself in the mirror. I removed my hijab and my sloppy bun was almost opening, my hair was all messed up, my bright red cheeks were covered with bits of flour, my dress was now super dirty and I needed a change. I quickly took a bath and then cleaned myself. I decided to wear a white leggings, with a white kurti which has an embroidery on the each sides of the kurti. I went for a pink hijab and tied it securely.

I didn't applied any makeup just a bit of pink gloss and Kohl. I didn't need to put any blush or compact because my cheeks were full on red, don't know why?? And it's not even that cold also. Quickly wore my sandal and then went down. The house was usually packed and more friends, relatives kept on coming. and everybody usually knows somebody.

All of a sudden, this party wasn’t so bad after all. There was a strong smell of barbeque sauce in the air as well. The table we are crowded around is messy. There are a lot of cups on the table and bottles of ketchup and barbeque sauce, with dirty, green napkins piled up.

A huge cake covered in thick white icing and decorated with tiny pink roses sat in the middle of the table surrounded by brightly coloured bowls that were filled with food.

"Zain, Hani...go, cut the cake" Mama said pointing towards the cake.

"Why?? It's not our birthday today??" I said taking a sip of my juice.

"This cake hasn't been brought for anyone's birthday cake cutting ceremony. Your dad has brought this for the party and this party has been thrown for you both, Understood?" Mama said in a stern voice.

"Wrong, this part has been thrown for your favorite son in law, so let him do the honor" I said and fake smiled. Thank God, everyone was busy chatting with someone or the other. Otherwise they must have thought that we were arguing on such a small thing.

"Yes, but now somehow or the other you are related with my favorite son in law. So go!!!" She ordered.

"That's not fair" I said and she shrugged. I went to Zain who was patiently waiting for me to end the argument with Mama.

"You should've known that you can never win when it comes to Mother's" he said.

"I'll keep that in mind" I said.

We stood beside each other, as I held the knife in my hand. He placed his hand on mine, making my heart go wild. We were about to cut the cake, when a voice came.

"Cake cutting and that too without Mee???"