Cheers!
". . .And from there we went to have dinner, and then for ice cream before he dropped me home." I finish narrating the story for the 10th time to different people. Rehana baji regards me with a bored look. Her mouth falling in a thin line, as she pulls away, slumping into the bed of my room.
"That's it?"
"Yeah. Pretty much."
"I want details, Turkey. Juicy details." She stresses.
"Excuse me! I never asked you for juicy details or how you lost your V card or anything for that matter. You shouldn't ask me too. It's private for a reason."
"Not so private when you wear the pendant he gave you 24/7." She points a finger down at my neck, the rose colored stone shining brightly. A smile made its way to my lips as I recalled his words from that night.
"I'm sworn to secrecy."
"You are a real bitch." She groans, before yanking her hair free of the scrunchie.
"Tell me something I don't know." I say in a Pooh's slang.
"What you don't know is that I know about your accident." My eyes flash on her. "Fahad had called Wajih on his way back home. And Turkey, he was terrified. I could hear his voice wobble over the phone. Was it that bad?" She asks, concern filling her tone.
"It was nothing. It wasn't even an accident–"
"Accident?" Mumma asks alarmed stepping into the room. "What accident?"
"I was just telling baji how I accidently tripped over and sprained my elbow." I feed mumma the lie. Again.
After we reached Muqam-e-Ibrahim, Fahad had walked me to the house and was adamant on telling everyone about my accident and complicate things for no reason. So, me being the smartass, announced how I tripped over a stone and fell. My elbow crushing under my body weight. And that's how I sprained myself. The end.
"And I am fine. No bones broken. See?" I say turning to baji, and stretch my arms and limbs for her to see.
"Kiya kar sakte ab? I've got a clumsy daughter." Mumma smiles sarcastically. "Waise, how did you get here, Rehana?"
"With Wajih."
"So, he dropped you and left."
"No. He's outside in the car." Baji says with a shrug like it's no biggie. But I knew what mumma's reaction was going to be.
"Ek ghante se baher hai Wajih?!" She exclaims, just as I had expected.
(He's been standing right outside since an hour?!)
"Um, yes?" Rehana shoots a confused look, receiving a smack on her head.
"Oww!"
"Kiya yes? Ghar ka bada damaad car me hai ek ghante se aur tum bole bhi nahi!"
(Why wouldn't you say so?!)
"Chachi, take a chill pill. He's fine. Waiting for your damaad to join us so we all can go on a lunch date."
"I don't care! Go and bring him in. Buri baat, Rehana." She scolds.
"Yes, ma'am! But please, get your lazy daughter ready." Rehana says with a salute, jumping to her feet and strolling out the room.
"Who's going where?" Maryam asks popping her head in the doorway, just as baji steps out.
"Going for lunch. Wanna join?" I call over Mumma's waist.
"And third wheel? Nah!"
"Third wheel kyu? Imran bhi hoga saath." Mumma cocks a brow at the last bit which undoubtedly meant 'so what?' Prompting me to clarify my offer.
"Matlab, uh, company rehti Maryam ko bhi. Aap jaisa sochre waisa kuch nahi. Relax. Hehe." I chuckle nervously for no reason whatsoever.
"Koi zaroorat nahi hai kahi bhi leke jaane ki usko. Bachi ku padhne do khamush."
(No one is taking her anywhere. Let her stay home and study.)
"Areyy, I didn't--"
"Shaitani ideas mat dalo uske dimagh me tum, Saira." She says with a finality in her tone.
(Don't you dare fill her ears about anything, Saira.)
"Sune, madam? Shaitani ideas mat dalo masoom bachi ke dimagh me." Maryam chirps, sauntering into the room.
(Got that? Don't incite this innocent angel.)
"Masoom nahi boli mai aapko waise." Mumma retorts, making me snicker.
(I didn't call you no Angel.)
"Aap zubaani nahi bole to kya hua? Meku malum mere Salma mummy ke dil me mere liyea kya hai. I know it."
(I know what lies in your heart.)
"Aysaaaa?"
"Haan! Aur nahi to kiya? Meku nahi malum to Saira ko malum rehta?"
(Of course! If not me then who will know? Saira?)
"Kuch bhi?!" Mumma chuckles, pulling her cheek.
"Awe, meri beti!" She coos, wrapping an arm around Maryam and taking her in an embrace. Over her shoulder, she sticks out her tongue, making me roll my eyes.
"Aap log ka romance agar hogya to main ready hone jaun? Hitler Abdullah doesn't like to wait."
"OOHHHHH! Abhi se itni fikar? Nikah ke baad kya hunga?"
(So caring! What's going to happen after nikah?)
"Wo to nikah karke malum chalta na, jaan meri." I say with a sly wink.
(I'll tell you once I get married, jaan meri.)
"Aapki jaan to Hitler me hai."
I feign a shocked expression. "Dekhre mumma? Aapki padhne wali bachi ke chichore harkatan!"
(Look at your studious child's antics.)
"Harkatan? Aweee! Hyderabadi slang bhi seekh jaare." Maryam teases.
"Uff Allah! I'm going!" Making an attempt to hide the blush creeping on my cheek, I swiftly jump on my feet and push past them, dashing for the bathroom.
"Saira, tumhare kapre mere room ke bag me hai saare." Mummy calls from behind me.
(You're clothes are in the bag in our room.)
"Bag me kyu?" I ask incredulously spinning on my heel.
"New York wapas jaana hai so bhool gaye, bete? Friday raat ko flight hai apni."
(Did you forget we have a flight to catch this Friday?)
A bucket of ice cold water was splashed on me as the words reached my ears. Freezing my body and numbing my senses.
"F-friday?" I stutter, shocked out of my wits. "This Friday?"
"Yes. Vacation khatam hogya. Back to life karna hai. Tell me if you need anything. Your father and I are going out today." Mumma says, not realizing the shock she's given me and walks out of the room along with Maryam.
"This Friday." I murmur to myself, beginning to drown in the panic of the word. "It's only five days away. Five days before I--- Fahad!" My eyes widen at the mere thought of him. "Fahad doesn't know. Of course, he doesn't know! I didn't know until now. How would he--- how will he react? Oh my Allah! How will-- How do I tell him?" I picture breaking the news to him. Fahad and I standing face-to-face. His dark eyes zeroes in as he broods and fumes.
I can't. I know I can't. Someone else will have to tell him. I can't! Over my thoughts, I faintly hear my phone ring. Moving towards it on the bed, I halt on seeing the name 'Hitler' flash on the screen.
One side of me wanted nothing more than to jump on him, letting his magic work and calm me down. But the wiser side of me warned me against it.
I had to deal with this on my own. It said.
Sucking in a deep breath, I hit answer.
"Salam!" His joyous voice reached my ears, making me clamp my eyes shut.
"Walaikum salam. Khairayt?" I try and keep my voice as light as I could, hoping he doesn't sense my turmoil.
"Alhamdulillah. How's my Jaana doing?"
"Good."
"Acha suno, main ye bolne call kara tha ke I'll be there in five minutes. Ready hoke bahar aajao, then we'll leave."
"Ok."
"Ok it is." He chuckles softly, saying bye and ending the call. I let the phone drop from my hand, stumbling out the room to my parents'. The bag filled clothes mocking me, as I crouch down, grabbing the first thing I see in the luggage and dash out of the room. Away from the scary reminder.
"Turkey, you ready? Fahad is here!" Rehana calls, barging into the room as I was wrapping my head around the hijab. I mutter a yeah, slipping my shoulder bag on.
"No, no, no. You're not going out looking all pale and zombie-ish." She tuts, coming over. Like the fairy God mother, she waves her imaginary magic wand, tranforming my look and bringing back the color to my face.
"There!" She says, putting the brush down. "Now smile."
Flashing her all my teeth, I smile earning a chuckle. "Let's go."
My heart is a thumping mess, my insides turn chaotic as I follow her out the front door of Muqam-e-Ibrahim. Like antennas, my ears perk up at the sound of his velvety voice. My breath catches in my throat when the iron gate is pushed open and I see his face. Fahad regards me with a dazzling smile the moment our eyes lock, triggering all my emotions at once.
You're overreacting.
You're overreacting.
You're overreacting.
I try and swallow the lump while he gathers me in his arms. Resting my head against his heart, I let his heartbeat do its magic and calm my nerves. Not wanting to stay in my happy place for too long and grab attention, I pull away slightly feeling like myself again.
"I hope I made you wait unlike you told me to."
"Just a short while." He clicks his tongue, pressing a feathery kiss on the top of my head.
"Ab der nahi hori, Fahad miya?" Dulha bhai mocks.
(We're not getting late now, are we Fahad?)
"Ab der hui toh bhi koi masla nahi hai." Fahad calls back.
(No more a big deal.)
"Just saying, apan lunch karne jaare. Humare honeymoon couple without nikah wale, abhi nahi hile jagah pe se toh dinner milta."
(Just saying, we're meant to have lunch. If out honeymoon couple without nikah don't move, we'll have to eat dinner.)
"Say Mashallah." I watch Rehana baji prod him with her elbow.
"Arey baby, nazar nahi lagara. Bus jaldi karo bolru. Bhook lagri dabaake."
(All I'm saying is to hurry up. I'm starving!)
"Ayse kaise bhook lagri?! You ate for the third time only an hour ago." She ridiculed.
"Badhta bacha khara khana to bhi masla hai. Mashallah bolo!"
(I'm a growing boy who needs to eat. Say Mashallah!)
"Badhta admi bol." Fahad corrects him, causing both baji and I to snort.
(Growing man.)
"Hogya tera romance?" Dulha bhai snaps.
(You done romancing?)
"Start ich nahi kara main kuch bhi."
(Didn't even start.)
"Qubool hai ke baad start karo. Chalo ab."
(Start after 'Qubool hai'. Let's go now.)
"Haan bhai, chalo. Humare bhooke admi ko khana hona." I stifle a laugh, letting Fahad hold my hand and walk us to the car.
(Yeah, let's go. Our growing man needs food.)
"I'd like a garden chicken salad, BBQ prawns, lamb tacos. . ." Rehana baji tells the waitress.
"Mere liyea Quesadilla burger, chicken wings. . ." Dulha bhai adds.
The couple goes on and on placing their orders while I simply watch Fahad gazing at me from across the table. Our right elbows propped on the table between us. Chins resting in the heart of our palms. We were playing the staring game, not looking away even for a mini second.
I smile at him, and he smiles wider. His fingers crawling towards my left hand, barely touching it. I felt them hover, trace, draw patterns but not take them in a grasp, as though teasing me. Without taking my eyes off him, I try and grab his fingers between mine only to have let go when he struggles.
"Turkey is that okay?"
"Mmm." I say absentmindedly, not sparing her a glance.
"Fahad," Dulha bhai calls but doesn't receive any reply from him, either. Instead, Fahad sighs dramatically. An awestruck expression clouding his face.
"Saira? Fahad? Wapas aao dono!" Fingers are snapped in our faces. Arms are given a rough shake. They try clapping their hands too. But we don't budge. Finally, cold water is splashed in both our faces. Gasping in shock, I cough. Fahad does the same, passing me a napkin.
"Kaha ghoomke aaye?" Dulha bhai mocks. "Paris? London? LA?"
"Kiya tha wo?" Fahd grumbles, patting his face dry.
"Reality check." He replies. "Look around you. You're at the waterfront, by the water. It's such a lovely day and we're all together on lunch. Lekin aap dono apni ich duniya me hai."
"Yehi to time hai mere paas, dulha bhai, humare liyea." I say in a helpless tone.
"Kiya matlab?" He asks. (What do you mean?)
"These moments are all I have before I go back to New York."
"Kiya?!" Fahad exclaims, knocking me down with realization of the words that left my mouth as a slip of tongue.
Fuck!
Ayse nahi hona tha. He wasn't supposed to know this way. Fuck my stupid mouth! I curse mentally, before gulping.
I am met with his fierce gaze when I dart my eyes at him. My breath catching in my throat at its intensity.
"You're leaving?"
"I'm just going back home." I try and sound as nonchalant as I possibly could.
"When?" He grits.
"Friday." I utter quietly, dropping my gaze at the table with guilt.
"This Friday?! That's just 5 days away, Saira!"
"Main--"
"When were you telling me? Flight board karne ke baad?"
"Nahi!"
"Ya bolne wale ich nahi the? Bhag jaane wale the aysich?"
(Or didn't plan on telling me at all? Just run away like that.)
"Fahad—" Baji tries to intervene but falls back silent when Dulha bhai squeezes her hand.
He waits a moment for me to speak up, say something, defend myself. But, when I sat there dumbfounded, he fumes. Exhaling heavily, Fahad springs to his feet, sending the chair scraping backward, and marches off.
Just the kind of reaction I expected. I sigh, shutting my eyes. My mind forces me to do the counting thing and calm myself down. Getting my shit together before following Fahad, and dealing with him.
Going around the tables, I wound my way to the bathroom first but halt in my steps when I see him standing by the railings. His tensed turned towards me, hands clutching the metal in a tight grip. His jaw was clenched hard, as he glared at the water infront of him.
With every step I took in his direction, I realized how much I feared this side of Fahad. The beasty hulk side. Ready to crack bones and yell in people's faces. Sucking in heaps of air, I come to stand behind him, mustering every ounce of courage to let a word out.
"Fa–"
"Not now, Saira."
"I didn't know–"
"That you had to leave?" He snaps, suddenly spinning around to face me, causing me to jump in my place.
"Yeah. And in less than a week." I say with all honesty, holding his unnerving gaze.
"Aaj subha. . .mumma told me she'd packed all my stuff and. . .about our flight. Nahi malum tha mujhe, Fahad! Aur yaad bhi nahi tha. Agar hota to bata deti na main." Slowly taking a step closer to him, I fist his t-shirt in my hands. Pouring my heart out.
(This morning. . . told me she'd packed all my stuff and. . .about our flight. I didn't know, Fahad! I didn't even remember. If I did, I'd have told you.)
"Aap, humari engagement–-Sab kuch itni jaldi hogya–-I almost forgot I was on a vacation and had to go back too. I lost track of time, jaan." I murmur, resting my forehead against his chest. Consoling both him and I.
Everything began slowing down. Except for his drumming heart and my ragged breath. The wind howled, waves crashed against the shore behind us. Nothing made sense until I felt his chin pressed on the crown of my head and his arm drape around me.
"I am just as confused as you are, Jaana." He whispers. "I don't know what to say." I bob my head, take his hand off me and pull away. Without another glance, I wound my way back to the table and settle in quietly.
Rehana baji hands me a glass of water which I gulp down in a second, saying thank you.
"You okay?" She asks, rubbing my arm. I breathe a 'yeahhhh' in reply not wanting to waste the already ruined lunch. The food came in seconds after, but I had lost my appetite long ago. Sporting a smile, I let them fill my plate and prepare myself to toy around with it. Through my lashes, I notice the chair in front of me is drawn rearward, and Fahad plops down with a clearing of throat. Thick silence befell us and suddenly I felt all pairs of eyes on me. Fahad's being the heaviest.
Look at me, look at me. It said.
But the inner turmoil I was currently in didn't pay any heed. Grabbing the fork, I stab it into the piece of delicious-looking prawn and take a mouthful before meeting any of their gazes. Dulha bhai and baji heave a sigh of relief, while Fahad only swallowed not-so-much in relief.
Time passed by in a blur and lunch was over just like that. The next thing I know, I'm bidding them farewell and putting my seatbelt on. Fahad and I didn't say much to anything the whole time, because Baji and Bhai were a handful.
But now, sitting only a hand away from each other in the car, the silence had turned deafening. My hands itched for his touch, my nose tingled wanted his scent. Heaving a frustrated sigh, I curl myself into a ball, leaning away from him on the door.
Fuck my needs!
I know I was wasting the moment. Taking the time I was given to spend with Fahad for granted. But I suddenly felt exhausted. My mind was running on a 180 mile per hour, jumping from one thing to another in seconds, draining me. I allow my lids to flutter close. The soft hum of the engine sedating me until I dozed off.
"Jaana," I hear a faint voice call. Warm fingers grazed my cheek, causing me to sigh softly. "Wake up."
My eyes squint open, Fahad's face coming into view. I had managed to stop myself in my conscious state but turns out, my unconscious was out of my control. I was hugging his left arm in my slumber. Had my face pressed against it.
"Chalo, we're here." He says softly, waiting for me to let go. I sit up in my seat, withdrawing myself from him and stepping out of the vehicle. Fahad follows close behind me as I push the gate open and enter the house through the front door saying Salam to mumma and papa who were seated on the couch.
"Walaikum Assalam. You guys are early!" He says, placing a hand on Fahad's head. I take my time to kick my shoes off and quietly make my way to the room but halt when I hear Fahad speak.
"Humare ghar pe dinner ki dawaat hai aap sab ki, the day after. Aayega zaroor."
"Inshallah bacha, we'll be there." Mumma says instantly, causing me to continue my stroll to my room and fall face flat on the mattress.
"What on Earth is happening!" I groan into the pillow, wanting nothing more than to redo the last couple of hours of my life. Then, punch the area under my fist for not being able to do just that.
"URGHHHHHH!"
~
So, what do you think? 💬 Big decisions coming up next. See ya there!
Hasta la vista, babezz!
Yours,
~𝓓𝓲𝓱𝓪