The next day, Hoor was tired in the break from all the hustle bustle from yesterday and a shift today. Yumna and Hadeed were at the job today although they got married yesterday. It was just Nikkah so they didn't take any leave. Hoor went towards the cafeteria and frowned when she saw them sitting in the cafeteria together. Did they forget her only a day after their marriage? She stomped her foot angrily and went towards them. She took a chair and sat between them.
"Ye date hospital ke andr mat mara karo please, I am single. Plus, ek hi din mai mjhy bhool gye. Baray bewafa dost ho yar."
( Don't date inside the hospital please. I am single. Plus, you guys forgot me after a day. So disloyal.)
She munched on their fries while both of them were glaring her.
"Hum aesi koi bat ni krrhy or na hi date mar rhy. Bas baat krrhy thy."
(We weren't talking about something like that or dating. We were just talking.)
Yumna defended herself and Hadeed.
"Itna laal toh ni hota banda baat krty huy jitna tm horhi thi. Likin chalo tm kehti ho to man leti hoon."
(A person doesn't become this red while talking as much as you've turned. But you're saying so I accept.)
Yumna was suddenly embarrassed at her comment and turned red while Hadeed put a fist over his mouth so as not to laugh at Yumna's flushed state. Hoor stayed a little more before going back since she had a small break only.
"Ap hasna band kren." Yumna glared at him who has hiding his smile. (Stop laughing.)
"Acha acha. I am not laughing" Hadeed nodded and stifled his smile. He didn't want to make her angry. Afterall, she was his one day old wife. (Ok Ok...)
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Wania was busy luling Umair and Wania to sleep when her eyes fell on Ali who was not asleep yet.
"Ali, what happened? Why is my son sad?"
"Mama am I a bad boy?"
"No. My son is a very good boy. Who told you this?"
"No one. But you always say that I should not make bad friends. I asked her to be my friend but she refused. Does she think of me as a bad boy?"
"Who?" Wania thought about his friends in kindergarten.
"Momal."
"Who's she?"
" I met her when I went with mamu to a function."
"Oh. It's ok. Maybe she was not comfortable. Ask her politely again if you ever meet her and if she says no, don't ask again and again. Be polite and respectful." She made him understand and made him sleep.
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"I want to meet you."
It was almost 10 a.m. and he was doing breakfast when his mobile beeped, indicating a text message. It was from her.
"Why?"
Hassan replied to Raima's text with a question.
"I want to talk about something important, Mr. Hassan. Please."
"Ok. When?"
"Can I come to your office/home now? Where are you?"
"I am home. You can come."
"Ok."
Hassan put his phone aside after her last text, and texted his dad that Raima needs to talk something important so he will come office late. He went to lounge and saw Mahnoor playing with his car keys.
"Buri baat mano."
(Bad thing Mano.)
He bent to pick her up from the floor and threw her in the air who giggled and tried to eat his nose. He sat down on the sofa after a few minutes with her in his lap, and played with her.
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Raima was driving towards his house. There were some things she wanted to talk to him about and wanted to let him know so it won't affect their life after nikkah. She stopped her car in front of the gate but before she could open the door, she saw a man standing outside his door. She put the black shades on her glass so he can't see her. He was standing outside the door she previously knocked mistakenly when she came to Hassan's house for the first time. She had not seen him that day because of the night but she did not want to take a risk by going out and decided to text Hassan to come outside. Moreover, Maryam and Eshal did not have school today so they were sitting in the back seat as well. Hassan got a text from Raima to come outside and he went there, and his blood boiled to see him standing outside. He was the nephew of the MNA of their neighbourhood so no one could remove him from there. He went towards the car and asked them to come out. He smiled at Eshal and Fatima and took them inside.
"Mahnoor." Eshal called her and ran to Mahnoor. She adored babies. Mahnoor looked at her and giggled as she recognized Eshal because she spent a lot of time that day with her.
"Raima beta bataya hi nai arai ho." Shazia came from the kitchen and met her.
(Raima dear you didn't tell me that you're coming.)
"Aunty Mr.Hassan se zururi bat krni thi islye ayi hun." Raima told her who nodded.
( Aunt I had to talk about something important to Mr. Hassan so I came.)
"Lawn me jakar baat krlo yahan to ye shor machayengy."
(Go and talk in law. Here they'll make noises.)
They both nodded and went outside.
"Ali to school gaya hua hai Maryam beta, aap abhi Mahnoor ke sth khelo. Umair is sleeping. He is ill."
(Ali is in school, Maryam. You also play with Mahnoor... )Maryam went to Mahnoor and Eshal.
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"Jee bataiyye kia baat karni thi." Hassan turned his head towards Raima who was finding words.
(Yes, tell me what you want to talk about.)
"See I-I don't want to—I mean I want to talk about some important stuff before the date for nikkah is finalised" Raima completed her sentence and looked towards him who looked confused.
"Sure. You can share any problem Ms. Raima." He encouraged her and directed her to sit on a lawn chair. They both sat there. The wind was blowing on a summer Morning.
"There are some–you know—kind of....i mean...Fears. Or....insecurities I have that I am not comfortable to talk about with you yet. Umm–I don't want to start this relationship on a lie but I also can't open up about...like everything." Raima tried to explain it and he was listening carefully.
"You can trust me." After a few seconds of silence, he spoke.
"I can't. It's not as easy as everyone thinks. I can't open up but I also don't want you to know anything about me after our nikkah. I may be overthinking but I can't help it. It's up to you. If you want to continue this relationship or No, you have the choice. I will accept whatever you decide."
'Can I leave her?' Hassan's mind asked him and he looked towards her, who was playing with her hands. No, I can't.
"I don't want to end this relation Raima, aap mjhy achi lagti hain."
(....I like you.)
"Agr kal ko meri family ya mery bary me kch ya meri insecurities ka maloom hua to kia krengy?"
(If you come to know something about me or my family or my insecurities, what will you do?)
"Kia jo bhi hua wo apne jaan kr kia? Kia apki family ke ya apke bary me jo bhi baat hai, uska ikhtiar apke paas hai?"
(Whatever happened, did you do it yourself on your own? Whatever it is about you or your family, do you have control over it?)
"No. I don't have any control over them. Main kch ni krskti."
(...I can;t do anything.)
"Toh jo cheez apke ikhtyar me nai, aap ne kch kia hi nahi, uske baray me kiu pareshan hoti hain? Jab aapne kch ghalt ni kia toh Maamla Allah pe chorden. Uske har kaam me behtari hoti hai."
(Then something that is not in your control, why do you worry about it? When you didn't do anything wrong then leave the matter to Allah. There is welfare in whatever He does.)
"Maine kch ghalt ni kia magar mein apse sach chupa rahi hun. Magar main chahti thi ke apko bata dun ke maine apse kch chupaya hai. Kia chupaya hai, wo maiin filhal nai bata skti."
(I didn't do anything wrong but I am hiding the truth. But I wanted to tell you that I am hiding something. What is it, I can't tell you now.)
Hassan's lip curved in a small smile at the simplicity and honesty.
"Don't worry. We'll work it out together. Apko nahi chorna chahta. Trust kijiyega ek bar, InshAllah kabhi tootne nai dunga."
(...I don't want to leave you. Trust me once, InshaAllah I'll never let it break.)
Raima looked up to see him staring at her with admiring eyes. She quickly averted her gaze and stood up.
"Bye." She ran from the lawn to inside while he was looking at her retreating figure with a smile. He had found someone he wanted to spend his whole life with, loving and cherishing.
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It was 9 a.m. when Momal's eyes opened. She looked here and there but Hoor was not there so she went to washroom, brushed her teeth and went out of her room. She checked the kitchen but she was not there as well. She felt scared and alone. She thought phupho must be hospital so she ran upstairs. Ayaan and Hassan's rooms were on the top floor while Hoor's room was downstairs. It was a Sunday morning. She was not enrolled in a school in Pakistan yet. She opened Arsalan's room and it was not locked so she entered and saw Meerub sleeping. Momal went forward and looked at her baby sister. She bent down and kissed her, then left the room to search for her baba since Arsalan was in the washroom because she heard the sound of shower. She was still scared. She opened her dad's room and found it empty and now tears brimmed in her eyes. She looked inside but didn't find him. She went to the window and looked outside, crying. But soon her eyes fell on her dad who was sitting on a lawn chair, reading the newspaper with a cup of tea. She wiped her eyes and ran downstairs.
Ayaan was busy reading newspaper when he heard hiccups. He turned to see Momal coming to he lawn bawling her eyes out. He left the newspaper and moved towards her. He picked her up as he went near her.
"What happened baba ki jaan? Kisi ne kch kaha hai, shhh don't cry stop scaring me." He hugged her tightly closer to him like she was his whole life. There was no doubt in that though. His daughter was his most precious asset. He placed his hand on her hairs and gently massaged it.
(What happened Baba's world? Did someone say anything?...)
"I–I—was—sc–scared." Momal hiccuped and he hugged her close to his heart. This was not right. Hoor would be married, Arsalan would also get a job and get married and he was supposed to go to hospital as well and his job had very critical timings. He may have to leave for emergencies as well. His daughter was very sensitive and she needed a mom's love.
"I am sorry. This won't happen again. I am sorry." He moved across the lawn to pacify her and in a few minutes, she had stopped crying. He went inside and moved towards the kitchen to make something for her.
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I plan to write short stories in future of Momal, Meerub and other kids when they grow up. This is why I am giving glimpse of their childhood. By now, I guess you're aware Momal and Meerub are polar opposites of each other ♥️
Momal as a shy, quite, sensitive one while Meerub would be a spoiled brat.
Thankyou for your love ♥️♥️♥️