The Bet is On (Completed☑️)

9. Pasta

"Ahem..." His mother clears her throat, fearing his aggressive reaction.

"Beta, give your Yousaf Uncle and Sameer Dada some time..." Arnav sits quietly for a moment. Then he looks up to his grandfather.

"You had heard clearly what Yousaf Uncle told before we departed, right? If we sit quiet, he would think we have backed off." Arnav speaks in somewhat harsh tone and then his eyes lay at his Aakifah Bhabhi. He lowers his eyes and gulps to gather himself. He has to watch out his words.

"Arnav, my dear."

"Dadu, I love her. Why no one seems to get it? I did not stagger her from her limit line of purity." Aakifah gasps at his words and he momentarily looks away in embarrassment.

"We will go today. That's final. They either have to say yes or give me my Khushi." He stands up, closing the buttons of his dark brown coat matching with his suit, pale green shirt and plain silk brown tie, he retreats from his place and brutally beats the floor with the aggressive steps.

"Arniee... She is not a thing to claim." Rahim Meer roars halting the irritating sound he is making with the powerful steps.

"She is not a thing to keep either." He roars back. Once he realizes his tone, he takes a deep breath. "Look, Dadu, I am sorry. You should also understand me. I have not taken her to dates that I should be scared of the comments. Here, she lives here..." He points to his heart. "and I am asking the permission to make her mine, religiously and legally." He answers his side as calmly as possible. "My wife..." He tastes the belongingness to his lips and finally strides out.

"We are sorry." Kiran caresses Aakifah's cheek, feeling utterly ashamed of her son's blatant behavior. He has indirectly called her father and grandfather bluffs.

"No, It's okay. I really admire his point of view. His love is very pure. So much that we failed to see it in his eyes. He kept it hidden for years for the sake of Khushi's dignity and now finally when there can be something in between them, he has bared his desires. We all should respect that." She is herself amazed at the words she spoke. Internally she is with her blood family. She knows that her relation with her sister will get disturbed. The jealousy emotion is a part of human nature.

"Thank you." Aqeeb mouths at her as he also leaves his chair, picks his coat and moves out to go to his office. He is currently doing job but his own office is under construction. Today, he has a visit there.

"Go, see him off." Kiran pushes Aakifah out and she nods taking quick steps.

"Khuda Hafiz." She murmurs, blessing Aqeeb with her unclouded smile.

"Oh now, I would have to return soon to admire some more of this precious smile." He raises his thumb and caresses her cheek out of love. Next, he kisses her on forehead before slipping into the backseat of his Honda Civic, eyeing the driver to start the car.

Helpless in love, Aakifah waves at him and he waves back.

Returning inside, she stays with her mother in law, talking with her, doing small chores. She is quite happy with her new life.

***

"What?" Aakifah is shocked to listen her mother. "It is a haste decision." She protests for her sister. Yes, she was not hundred percent willing to have Khushi as her sister in law but what her father has done is beyond prediction, too.

"What could we have done? Wait for Meers to come again? Her alliance is now fixed with Owais. Only the formal visits are left. Now, she only gets to think about him." Yasmeen has failed as a mother to see the love shining in her daughter's eyes which is now dripping in teary form in the yearn to be with her lover.