We reached his home or should I say our home? I have surely gone mad!!! He again opened my door and we both walked together.
"Assalamualaikum" Zarine said coming in front. We both stopped walking and I sensed that he has gone stiff. But why? And why was Zarine here? We have just entered the lawn.
"Walekumasalam" I replied.
"Oh my!! Masha Allah. Hani you look so beautiful in this dress and I'm sure that I'm not the first person to say this" she said and laughed making me senseless.
"Zarine, can we talk inside?" He said stepping forward.
"Nope. Bhai, you forgot?" She asked and he again froze. What is she talking about?
"Oh!! So he forgot. Don't worry Hani, I'll tell you" she said giving me a mischievous grin.
"Zarine" he said a bit louder.
"Mama..." she shouted and he sighed. Then I noticed that almost everyone was standing at the main gate of the mansion.
"Hani, it's a tradition which was obviously invented by me. And that tradition, is, bhai had to pick you up in his arms and had to take you in" she said excitedly.
Now, it was my turn to froze.
I was looking down, don't know what to do? Or how to behave? Or what to say? And then my memory hit me. She had said about this!!!
"Zarine...you know-"
"No...I don't know anything. You have to carry her inside, that's it." She said stubbornly.
"Zarine-"
"Not you too, Hani." She said.
"Fine..." I agreed, and regretted also. I was sure that he was looking at me and must be thinking that I have gone mad but he never saw the tears that was formed in Zarine's eyes when he was declining. And I can't see her crying because she was also very much close to her.
"Yeeaaahhhh...." she shouted and hugged me. She was happy and that's what I wanted. After all, I took this big step for everyone's happiness only. She ran back and was now standing with everyone at the main gate. I looked up and he was already staring at me. Unknowingly and why, I started stepping back. But he kept on staring!!!
I stopped moving when there was enough space between us, while he started taking steps towards me. In three long strides he was right before me, standing. His face was drawn into a hard line. My heart rate rises, I'm not so "cool, calm and collected" right now and that effects my ability to stand properly.
His strong hands, held my waist as he stared deep into my eyes. I couldn't help but blush.
He then slowly swung me up in his strong arms as if I was nothing more than a glass, and my eyes closed automatically. His body was warm and toned as he pulled me more close to his chest. My one hand was around his neck and the other on his shoulder. His heart was beating fast just like mine.
His voice was deep, with a serious tone. His lips brushed my ear as he spoke,
"Thank you so much" and I clutched him tightly as I buried my face in his chest. I could feel him walking and he was walking with ease as if I weighed nothing. I didn't dare to open my eyes once also.
After few minutes he put me down and I exhaled loudly. I looked up and yes, he was looking at me. How can he understand everything, when he hardly knows me?
"Yeeeaaahhhh.....you both completed this perfectly. And You both looked so cute!!" Zarine said loudly and we both averted our gaze from each other.
"Assalamualaikum" I said slowly looking down. I don't why I'm feeling so shy, when I know almost everyone here???
"Walekumasalam" came reply.
"Come in dear. This is your home only" Aunty said hugging me.
"Welcome home daughter" Uncle said hugging me. With that I walked in
"Oohh....Hani,come in!! Feel free...after all, this is your home only." She giggled.
"Coming...wait" I said laughing.
"See that room" she said pointing her finger on the first floor.
"Yeah..." I said.
"That's my room. I absolutely love my room." She said in awww....
"Gosh!! You've gone mad" I said.
And just like that, I looked up and the room was there. I clutched the side of my dress very tightly.
"You okay?" He said and I nodded. "Need anything?" He asked again.
"Water" I whispered as we both sat down on the huge sofa that was kept only for us, while everyone gathered around us. He called one of the maids and gave me water.
"Masha Allah...she's very pretty" Nafisa Aunty came and said. I smiled.
"Indeed she is, after all she's my daughter" Uncle said laughing making all of us laugh even him. The laugh was in his eyes, in the way his face changed into that vision of relaxed joy and unrestrained mirth. Yet truly, it wasn't in his face either. He sure is a complicated man.
"Nope, she is my daughter" Aunty said.
"Then whose daughter, I, am??" Zarine asked, making us all laugh again. Just like that, the laughter and talking continued. Soon, the dinner was served and we started eating.
"I still remember that day..." Nafisa Aunty said. And everyone looked at her.
"Which day?" Ayat his first cousin asked.
"The day when he got married. Hanya was so small. She was running around, giggling and most of all she was teasing, Zain alot" Nafisa Aunty said giggling. And I froze. Even he froze. We both stopped eating.
"Yeah, and she looks very similar to her." Naheed Aunty said. I took a deep breath as I tried to calm down myself.
"I'm sure, Zain you must be having a hard time." Nafisa Aunty said and he stiffened. Yes, it is true that we both were quite similar in every way.
She had a kind of understated beauty, perhaps it was because she was so disarmingly unaware of her prettiness. Her white skin was completely flawless. I doubt she used face masks or expensive products.
She was all about simplicity, making things easy, helping those around her to relax and be happy with what they have. Perhaps that is why her skin glowed so, it was her inner beauty that lit her eyes and softened her features. When she smiled and laughed you couldn't help but smile along too, even if it was just on the inside.
"Everyone is beautiful in their own way, whether they are similar or not" he said and everyone looked up.
"Okay everyone, it's time for desert" Zarine said getting up and everyone began to talk like nothing happened. We were to stay the night here today.
After everyone left, Zarine took me to his room and I didn't wanted to go.
"Hani, don't worry. It's your room now" Zarine said. I smiled.
The room is like a perfect magazine cover. I'm afraid to sit, in case I wrinkle the fabric or stain it with something I don't even know is on my dress. The couch is cream but inlaid with a fine green silk; leaves embroidered so delicately. The white curtains are linen, the kind of white that is untouched by hands and devoid of dust. A cursory look to the right shows me the almost hidden cords that are used to open and close them. The floor is a high polished wood, dark and free of either dust or clutter.
The wall, right opposite to the bed had their photographs than paint. Every one is of a happy memory, a smiling child, a birthday, a new baby. Right beside the wall there's a small table, given the careful placement of white candles. Around it are smaller pictures of the two of them, birthday parties and the likes. Every decoration is feminine, there are those ubiquitous statements of love and friendship engraved into plaques on the wall.
She had always idolized love but I cannot replicate her. Inside her is a void, one she needs to fill. But to be honest I'm not sure if that's me. I've never exactly been the dependable type. And I'm not sure I could ever fill the shoes of the girl on the wall, no doubt her wonderfulness is already enhanced by the rose tinted glasses of her selective memories. Who could ever compete with that?
I was sitting on the couch and was looking at their photographs. All I wanted to do was to sink into the couch and never move. I had always felt like this was my home but now it is. In the coming time these walls will have new pictures, photographs of the family I will build, but there'll always be a spot for her on the wall or mantle.
Why? Because It isn't just a room, it's a home; she's made it that way.