Inaya's engagement preparation was going on in full swing, whole house was packed with guests, kids were running around, playing while all the family members were busy.
"Anaya!" Anaya was in the kitchen, making tea for Haider when someone called her.
Anaya was always busy with something or another, she never gets rest, but still was happily doing everything. She was happy because Inaya was happy.
"Anaya!" Ishrat called her when Anaya was returning to kitchen after helping Mahira Aunty to find her phone.
"Kitna kaam karogi? Thora aram karlo. Abhi thori derr mein bhai log ajayenge fir tumhe aur fursat nahi milegi." Ishrat advices her.
"Fuppi, main theek hoon. Zyada kaam nahi hai. Bas Hatim bhai ko chai deni thi bas." Anaya dismissed her worry with a smile.
"Ek toh yeh Hatim bhi na. Bewaqt chai chahiye hoti hai." Ishrat disapprovingly shook her head on her son.
Anaya didn't know what else to say, so she just went to kitchen to take tea for Hatim.
Hatim was helping with decoration in the aangan, when Anaya went there, she was holding tray with two cups on it, one for Hatim and one for his friend, who was the organiser.
Hatim's back turned to her, as Anaya slowly went to him, she was about to call him, but Hatim turned to her, he was talking to someone on his phone, and was signing the worker where to put flowers, his hand knocked the tray off from her hand.
The tray and cups fall down, shattering as the tea spills on Anaya's lemon green kurti, staining it and burning her too.
"Anaya! I am so sorry. Tum theek ho." Quickly disconnecting the call, Hatim went to her. Taking his handkerchief out, he helped her to clean it.
Anaya's beautiful eyes were filled with tears as her stomach burned.
"Anaya!" Worriedly, Hatim was cleaning her kurti when raised his head to look at her.
Anaya also turned to look at him, both of them got startled when realised how close they were. Their faces were inches apart only.
Hatim's strong perfume hit Anaya's smelling sense, as heat erupt on her cheeks.
Abruptly, Anaya took a fee steps back, only to get bumped into something behind her, she was about to fall but Hatim quickly hold her waist.
"Theek ho?" Helping her to stand up properly, Hatim asked.
Anaya couldn't say anything, as her breath hitches, she was bothered by his closeness, nodding her head, she quickly ran away.
•••
Larke wale has arrived, it was the function of engagement but larke wale's entry was no less than a baraat, they went extravagant with their entrance, while larki wale's welcome was no less than that.
Inaya was wearing a beautiful blue lehenga, she was looking like a princess. But she wasn't feeling nervous or anxiety at all like a normal girl. She was happily laughing and talking with her sisters-in-law, who were also her cousins, that's why no one minded her extrovert behaviour.
Anaya was wearing a baby pink churidaar, and floral bracelets, and minimum make up and her hair open. In her simplicity, she was looking beautiful.
Anaya was with Inara all the time, when it was time for the ceremony to begin, she took Inara outside in the lawn where function was held.
Umar was sitting on the royal sofa where Anaya made Inara sit. Umar was looking dashing in navy blue blazer and pant, when Inara sat beside him, he couldn't take his eyes off from her.
"Bhai, bas kare nazar lagani hai kya humari Inara ko?" Anaya couldn't help but tease him, her voice was very low, only Umar and Inara could hear her. Umar got startled by her voice, as he cleared his throat and straighten his posture.
And maybe for the first time in her life, Inara blushed.
The confident and talk active Inara that she was in her room, was long gone. Now Inara couldn't even raise her eyes to look at anyone.
Umar and Inara were looking perfect together. Ceremony soon started as they both exchanged rings.
Anaya was standing with Eman, both showering flowers on the couple when Anaya felt someone looking at her. She was feeling someone's eyes on her since the function started, and this bothered her. She didn't feel uncomfortable though for some reason, but she was bothered who was looking at her.
Instantly, her eyes went on Hatim, but he was talking to someone.
Wearing black kurta pajama, He looked attractive. Well, Hatim was always a handsome man. A different kind of handsome, which always make him stand out from the crowd, even now, the groom was Umar but Hatim even in his simple attire can easily take Umar's limelight.
Eman did mentioned earlier how some of Inara's friends were openly gawking at Hatim.
Feeling her eyes on himself, Hatim's head went on her direction, and scaredly Anaya looked away.
"I hope tumhara ilaj ho gaya hai properly?" Umar leaned towards Inara and whispered.
At first, Inara was confused then a loud gasp left her mouth, as she raised her head to quickly defend herself, but then found Umar smirking, and she realised Umar was teasing her.
"Koi baat nahi agar nahi bhi hua ho. Mujhe waise bhi billiyan pasand hai." Umar turned to her and winked.
Inara was speechless, as she didn't have anything to say, she quickly removed her eyes from him and looked at her hands.
•••
"Inara." Ishrat came in her daughter's room to talk to her about something, but found her sleeping, while the whole room was in a mess, which Anaya was cleaning.
"So gayi?" Ishrat asked to Anaya. In return, Anaya nods her head.
"Yeh ladki, pura kamra failaya hai aur khud so gayi." Ishrat mumbles and thought of helping Anaya.
"Koi baat nahi, fuppi, main kar lungi saaf." But Anaya stopped her.
"Anaya, tumne hi bigara hai ussey. Na kiya karo iske hisse ka kaam. Subah uthegi toh khud karegi." Ishrat scolded her.
"Aap janti hain mujhe aise bikhre hue room mein kabhi neend nahi ayegi." Anaya smiles at her and said.
"Iss mamle mein tum apne papa pe gayi ho. Ussey bhi bikhre hue kamre mein bohot uljhan hoti thi." Sitting on Anaya's bed, Ishrat said, fondly.
Anaya was done with the cleaning, as she went to sit on her bed.
"Main tumhe jab bhi dekhti hoon toh Tahir yaad hai. Tum bilkul uski parchayi ho." Holding Anaya's cheek, Ishrat said.
Anaya bowed her head down, she never knew what to say or do when someone mentions her father's name. She remembers him very vividly, she didn't have any lovely memory of his, people used to tell her how great of a person he was, but she never knew him, she never knew what to say. She do wish he was here, she would have father's love, but she didn't have any attachment with him. He was just like a dream, the presence she can feel, but never the warmness.
"Anaya, mujhe tumse kuch baat karni thi. Samajh nahi araha kaise karu, par baat aisi hai ki karna zaroori hai." Ishrat slowly started saying.
"Kya hua, fuppi?" Anaya read the tension lines on her aunt's forehead and worriedly asked.
"Anaya, main... Ab kuch hi dino mein Inaya apne ghar ki ho jayegi, uske baad mujhe aur tumhare fuppa ko tumhare barey mein bhi sochna hai..." Ishrat started talking.
Anaya's felt as if someone squeezed her heart. Was Ishrat trying to talk to her to marry Shan? Did Geeti talked to Ishrat? All the questions ran in her mind."
"Mera toh hamesha se yeh arman tha ki tum mere Hatim ki dulhan bano." Ishrat added, holding Anaya's hand. "Tumhara iss barey mein kya khayal hai?"
"Hatim bhai?" Anaya's mind went blank.
"Tumhare koi zabardasti ya dabao nahi. Tumhe agar mana karna hai toh mana kar sakti ho. Kisi aur ko pasand karti toh hume bata do hum tumhara rishta..."
"Fuppi, main kisi ko pasand nahi karti ap janti hain." Anaya quickly said.
"Par Hatim bhai... woh toh bohot achhe hain. Jis bhi ladki ki unse shadi hogi woh bohot khush rahegi unke sath, lekin mujhe nahi lagta woh mere sath khush rahenge." Anaya never in her life thought that she would reject Hatim, but again never that she thought that she would receive his proposal.
She knew it was Ishrat and Rahab's wish, and she was sure being an obedient son, Hatim would agree to marry her, but she didn't want to force herself in his life. She didn't want him to marry her just because he is being asked to.