"Sameer... meri chance thi" A furious Rimsha hit her cousin at his audacity of cheating even after getting hits in the previous rounds.
"Haan toh yaad rakhna chahiye tha" Sameer retorted
"Tumne time hi nhi diya.. kyunki teri token katne wali thi"
"Huh.. ek se upar toh aa nhi raha aur chhe laa kar mujhe kaatne chali" Sameer scoffed
"Kyun subah subah machhli bazaar banaaye hue ho" Hatim frowned at the brats who started pointing fingers at each other.
"Phu phu" Hussain squealed from his father's arms making Hatim narrow his eyes at him "Abhi toh tum so rahe the"
"Lai baba.. I wal tiled" Hussain rubbed his eyes trying to go to his Phu Phu
"Nahin kuch der mere god me raho... " Hatim kissed his boy's cheek making him rest his head on his father's shoulder.
Hatim sat on the couch next to his cousins with his son in his arms and kissing him every now and then.
"Hatim bhai toh pathar se phool ho gaye shaadi ke baad" Ayaan commented with a smile as being the youngest he was the one who had taken most of his scoldings in the past.
"Isiliye Tahir bhai ki bhi jald se jald ye treatment dilaayein ghar wale " Sameer whispered
Hatim could hear everything but chose not to react as he was busy with his son right now. His daughter was his biggest fan and rarely would leave his side but this brat son of his was very fond of females be it his mamma or Phu phu. He had to cage his son like this for showing his affection.
"Tahir bhai se pehle is khoobsurat chudail ko bahar nikaalunga ghar se" Asad pulled Rimsha's hair as she was moving her token out of the board.
"Aaah bandar maarungi"
"Kya kar rahe ho" Asad immediately loosened his hold hearing Tahir's reprimanding voice and started caressing Rimsha's head "Sameer ne yahaan maara tha"
"Kameene maine kab kuch kiya" Sameer started pulling Asad's hair and both the boys got a hit on their back from their elder cousin "Aainda mai dekh lun tumlogon ko ye game khelte hue.."
"Bhai ye chudail cheating kar rahi thi" Asad accused Rimsha who pretended to be shocked "Jhoot mat bol...aur mai chudail nahin hoon"
"Acha jis ladke ne tujhe propose kiya tha college me usko tune apne panjon se ghayal nhi kar diya tha" Asad in his flow spew out the words but stopped seeing everybody's expression.
Before Sameer, Ashar Or Ayaan could attack with questions, Tahir and Hatim reacted "Kis ne badtameezi ki"
"Kisi ne nahin bhai... ye toh aise hi bol raha"
"Wo mera dost tha aur aise hi prank kar raha tha mere upar" Rimsha said while showing punches to Asad.
"Ye kaisa prank hota hai" Tahir frowned
"Hota hai bhai...aap bhi apni kisi female friend k sath kar sakte hain.. " Sameer butted in "Aur galti se unhone haan kar di toh lage haathon aapki shaadi bhi ho jayegi"
Sameer gulped seeing Tahir take off his slipper and made a mad dash towards his room fearing flying chappal hitting his back.
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"Akbar sahab apne sale saheb ke bete ka zikar kar rahe the Rimi ke liye" Rashid initiated a topic on the dinner table which caught attention of all the people present. The musketeers had gone out for a friend's birthday party with Hatim accompanying them. Sadia had asked them to take Tahir instead but the grumbles didn't die for one hour and hence Hatim had to come ahead.
"Abhi kya zarurat hai Baba... wo padh rahi hai" Tahir was the first one to react.
"Maine bhi yahi bola tha par wo log shadi ke baad padhai par koi aitaraaz nahin hai"
"Huh...sab kehne ki baatein...aap mana kar dein" Tahir announced as if he was Rimsha's father
"Tahir tum chup karo.... tumhare par aa jaye toh tum kisi ki shaadi hi na hone do" Sadia admonished his son who shut his mouth for the rest of the night.
"Hashim kya kehna hai tumhara" Rashid turned towards his younger brother whose eyes had something else but he pretended to smile "Bhai Rimi aapki bhi beti hai... aap ko agar munasib lgta hai toh hum mil sakte hain"
Rashid smiled.
"Ek baar mil lete hain ladkon walon se.. phir kuch faisla lenge" Sadia said and everybody nodded.
"Aapne Rashid bhai se baat kyun nahin ki" Sanam was upset at her husband and she showed it as soon as they entered their room.
"Kya bolta mai"
"Ki humein Rimi ke liye Tahir ka rishta chahiye"
"Aise kaise mai achanak se"
"Kyun kya kami hai humaari Rimi me....mai use apne aankhon k samne dekhna chahti hun bas"
"Tahir ko shaadi hi nahin karni"
"Ye kehne ki baatein hain.. aap ek baar baat toh chalayein. Isse pehle Tanveer baaji apni bhanji ka rishta laayein...aap baat chalaayein" Sanam said applying balm on his husband's hand as he was complaining of pain in the evening.
"Ashar ke liye baat karun"
"Wo toh bachcha hai... aap Tahir ke liye baat chalaayein...Tahir se acha ladka meri nazare koi nahin hai Rimi ke liye"
"Acha bas abhi toh as guest aa rahe hain.. main mana kar dunga" Hashim finally relented seeing his wife's liking towards Tahir as their son in law
"Hmmm" Hashim hummed taking off his spectacles.
-------------
"Mujhe toh bilkul pasand nahin aaya" Tahir at once grumbled after the guests were seen off.
"Kyun....mujhe toh theek hi laga" Hatim frowned at the disappointed face of his brother.
"Par yahaan Rimi ki shaadi karna munasib nahin... ladka toh theek hai lekin uske gharwale sivay uske walid ke utne ache nahin lage" Sanam put her opinion foward. Had the family been nice also, her answer would have been No.
"Mujhe bhi aisa hi laga" Sadia also agreed "
"Baba... " All of a sudden a shrill cry was heard in the hall and before anycould decipher anything, a pale looking Rimsha was sobbing keeping his head on her father's lap
"Arre kya huwa"
"Aaplogon ne mujhe bina bataye in logon ko kyun bulaya... jabki mujhe shaadi nahin karni"
"Arre humne toh bas aise hi milne bulaya tha.. thodi tumhari shaadi karwa rahe the.. Pagal" Rashid caressed her head and smiled. He was very fond of his only niece.
"Mujhe shaadi nahin karni... mai ye ghar chod kar kahin nahin jaungi" Rimsha wailed more
"Good decision" Tahir commented fanning himself with a magazine but then looked away receiving a glare from his mother.
"Acha acha abhi nahin ho rahi tumhari shaadi" Hashim consoled his daughter and tried to feed her a chocolate cookie.
"Nahin.. kabhi nahin.... mai kahin aur zinda nahin reh sakti... mujhe toh do din ki trip par homesickness ho jaati hai" She hiccupped taking hold of the cookie.
"Shaadi bhi toh zaroori hai na beta"
"Toh Tahir bhai se kahein mujhse shaadi karein" Rimsha didn't know how the string of words flew out of her mouth.
And all of a sudden the entire focus got transferred to Tahir who was till now keenly listening to Rimsha's demands.
"Aap sab mujhe aise kyun dekh rahe hain"
Seeing Tahir silent on the subject, Sadia was upset but couldn't see her only niece upset "Rimi beta... Tahir ko chhodo... mai apni gudiya ki shaadi apne laadle Ashar se karaungi"
"Lekin wo toh Rimi se chhota hai"
"Toh ek saal ka faraq bhi koi faraa hota hai" Sadia was truly disappointed with his son who could not find anyone worthy of being their Rimsha's husband.
On the other side, the brats behind the door of the hall was looking at Ashar who was smiling
"Abe tujhe kya hua... Meri khoobsurat chudail se shaadi k socha na toh yahin kabra khod dunga" Asad scowled at his cousin who according to him was not at all a match for his twin.
"Ammi ne mujhe ladla kaha" Ashar whispered "Mujhe pata tha Ammi mujhse sabse zyada pyaar karti hain"
Asad shook his head at the lunatic and tried to listen more of elderly talks.