They were having dinner in the dining hall. The clattering of utensils can be heard when the spoon hit the plate. The hall had a long fancy table. The people on the table were Asfandyar on the head-seat, on his right sat Younus with Labeena and their three sons, on his left sat Lauren, Alina and Danisha. Alizey was not at the table everyone had sensed that.
" Where is Alizey? " Dada Jan asked to no one in particular.
" She has stomach pain, she is resting in her room. " Alina said bluntly at which Dawood choked. She could have come up with a better excuse.
" Are you okay? " Lauren asked him handing him a glass of water. He nodded taking it from her and took a sip. Tears dropped from his eyes due to choking. Everyone looked at him confused. Daniyal had a smirk on his face he was hiding his face by looking down and Alina and Danisha were fighting back their laugh but no one notices them. Dayan was beside Dawood and patting his back.
" Take it easy, bro," he whispered in his ear at which Dawood throw daggers in his direction.
" Has she taken any medicine? " Asfandyar voice was full of concern.
" Nah, she said it will get better. " Alina answered and take another bite.
" Give her a glass of chilled milk, it will ease her stomach. " Asfandyar tells Lauren and she agreed with him.
The remaining dinner no one brought up Alizey's absence again and the topic shifted towards Daniyal's wedding functions and it's arrangements but Dawood had lost his appetite. He drags spoon in his plate and played with his food to let the elders finish their food.
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Dawood's PoV
The temperature had dropped extremely low. The weather outside was getting colder by each passing second. Heaters were working on their might to maintain the room at a suitable temperature.
I was laying on bed wide awake thinking about the recent twist in my life. I am not worried about it just a little sad because I can't claim Alizey as mine. I can't take her anywhere alone because it is religiously unacceptable and most painful is that I can't touch her or hug her and I was getting addicted to her pleasing jasmine scent.
I sighed and turn on my left side, my eyes landed on the digital clock sitting on my bedside table. It tells 11:30 am.
It was almost midnight but sleep was far away from my eyes. I was restless. After twisting and turning for a whole half an hour I sat straight on the bed, my legs were dangling down.
I took deep breaths to refresh and lighten my mind. I get down from the bed and went toward the window. I pull open the blinds and gaze out of the window at the clear, stary night. I placed my palms on the cold glass and a shiver ran down my spine at the sudden contact. I leaned and placed my head on the glass, it was soothing. Something indefinable was erupting in my chest giving it a heavy burdening sensation, a lump formed in my throat making my breathing difficult. I released a long sigh which fogged the glass. I closed my eyes and rewind the beautiful morning I had with her.
She looked so modest and lovely in her attire. The way she smiles while showcasing her perfect set of teeth and her lively laugh always gives me a sense of accomplishment that I can make her happy. Her shy pink cheeks which glows when I tease her. Her deep, black eyes, they are so dark but they manage to fill light in my world. Her charismatic, authoritative, bossy personality. Her way of dealing with young and elder so humble yet attractive. This girl is a complete package one can dream of. She is my girl and will be mine always and forever In sha Allah. A broken smile captured my lips.
When I open my eyes they were glistening. I saw the fog on the glass. I take my hand there and write an 'A' with my index finger.
My heart wants her to be here by my side. I know I can convince Dada Jan to arrange our Nikkah during Daniyal's wedding but that will be so selfish of me. I don't want to impose myself on her and drown her all plans. I know if our Nikkah would be done It will be harder for me to keep control of myself and I don't want to push her towards such big responsibilities at such a young age. Neither I want to steal Daniyal's spotlight. These are his happy days and I should be happily participating in these most important days of his life instead of having these irrational thoughts about my relations.
She is just eighteen and I am twenty-three. There is a whole life waiting for us. She had just stepped into her professional life and I wish her to have the best memories of it and live it to the whole. I have to let her go so she can have her own wings and learn to fly with me.
I step away from the window and walk towards the washroom. I perform ablution and look at my reflection in the mirror, I look tired and exhausted. I haven't seen her after the confrontation. Alina told me she didn't come out of the room the whole day and even denied eating anything. This can't go this way, she has to act maturely. She is much stronger than this. I step out of the washroom. The only source of light in my room was my bedside lamp and street light which was coming from the window through the blinds I had rolled up. I spread a prayer mat on the ground saying Takbeer, I bow down to my Allah and initiated sharing my doubts and miseries with Him.
Nothing can ease my heart more than silence and a one to one discussion with Allah.
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I was standing in a crowded area in my favourite light blue Tshirt and stonewashed jeans. I was walking confidently but suddenly my clothes started tearing off my body, I started running while trying to cover myself with my hands but my all efforts went in vain. I was embarrassed, everyone was looking at me suspiciously then I saw another naked figure it was Baba, everyone gaze shifted towards him from me. Now he was the centre of attention. There constant stare and judgement send shivers down my spine. I went to Baba and grab his hand and started running away from the crowd. We ran and ran and the scene in front of us changed. Now I see a mansion. Which feels like it belongs to us. When we entered Dada Jan was standing at the door giving us an unhappy look and shaking his head in disappointment.
" I never expected that you will hide so much from me. I always trusted you," he said to us and turn around after giving us a last glance.
A cloth-covered us as he was going inside, I don't know who the person was but I saw a pair of deep black orbs staring at me. I can recognize them among the thousands of them. It was Alizey who covered us.
My eyes open instantly. It was a dream more like a nightmare. Where my insecurity is leading me. I know this is all because of my hidden marriage. It's not the first time I am seeing myself naked in front of Dada Jan and a crowd of people but there was never the end of this nightmare always me and Baba were left naked in the doorway. Today for the first time I see a glimpse of Alizey putting a piece of cloth on us, protecting us and saving our dignity. What does my dream mean? That Alizey is the one who can save us when this secret will be discovered.
My head hurts. I realise I had slept on the floor on the prayer mat. The floor wasn't suitable for sleeping in this cold night even though the heater was on and the floor was carpeted but it was still uncomfortable. I don't know how I slept in the first place. I get up and walk towards my bed, my head feels heavy due to lack of sleep I check the digital clock, it tells 4:00 am. A triumph smile captured my lips and I snuggle in my comforter. Only a few shades of the dream still alive in my head but I push them back and dozed off to sleep.
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Knock. Knock. Knock.
" Who the hell is hammering early morning? " I groaned and covered my ears with pillows and went deeper in them.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
" GET LOST! " I shouted with closed eyes.
"Mr Dawood Yonus khan you should learn some manners." My eyes are wide open at the voice.
" Ma, what are you doing in my room? " I said sitting in my bed without a shirt on. Leave it she had seen me in worst conditions after all she is my mother.
" You should change your room code to stop me from barging in. " she grins at me with bright eyes.
" And turn off my living alarm, never. " I played along. She laughed.
" What happened? " she asked as always whenever I couldn't wake up early. I am not an early riser but I wake up by the help of alarm easily but whenever I couldn't, it means I have a long night so Ma came to wake me up sensing my delay at the breakfast that's why she can easily figure it out that it is one of those nights.
" Same old dreams, Ma, you know they keep haunting me. " I sighed rubbing my neck. She was arranging the things on my dresser.
" Did something happened between you and Alizey? " she asked looking at me through the mirror. I jumped at her words and our eyes met in the mirror.
" Why do you ask? " I said acting to be okay with the situation but it was too late she had caught my moment.
" Because she had been awfully quiet since yesterday and she didn't even have dinner. Her eyes are so dull and her posture seems tired and here you are resembling her. "
She turns towards me placing her hand on her hip.
" We will resemble after all we are cousins. " I grinned at her to lighten the mood but she gave me an unbelievable look.
" You want to get beat up so tell me directly don't beat around the bush," she warned me walking towards my bed. I raised my hand in surrender.
" Okay, Okay, I am telling. " I said in surrender. A devilish smile take over her lips.
" So what is it? " she asked sitting on my bed.
" It's that I am having bad breath right now and you are sitting to close and I don't want you to faint because of smell so talk to you later. " I get down from the bed and told her directly at first her brows knitted in confusion then she glared at me.
" Come on, Ma, you know I can't keep anything secret from you. " I said to lift her mood.
" Okay, but if you need any help I am always there," she said getting up.
"I know," I said looking at her lovingly. She ruffles my hair and walk towards the door.
" Don't forget to make your bed before leaving the room," she said shutting the door behind her and I look at the mess on my bed and frowned.
" Yeah, I hope so. " I mumble to myself.
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" We have been working on digital designing for quite a long time and we got a really good response from the dealers and customer but now we have to change the theme and bring something new. More vibrant and eye-catching. " We were in the meeting room to discuss our new project. I was leading the team. Everyone was listening to me and I was elaborating the main points from the presentation The room wasn't like our typical and dull meetings rooms but it was refreshing and bright. There was doddle art on one wall and two walls were lemon and orange. The pillars and remaining two walls were white. A projector was fixed in the wall to present presentations. A table was in the middle with chairs around it on which my team members were sitting.
" After thinking about it I thought of working on block printing. It will be more traditional and unique from those digital arts and closer to our culture and style. " I look at my team member after suggesting my idea and there were looks of satisfaction on their face.
"if you all agree with then I shall continue. " I said giving them a chance to pinpoint.
" Yes, we do agree you may continue. " Shafay my secretary said and everyone nodded in response.
I changed the slide with a smile and continued elaborating.
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I was sitting in my office checking the presentation and adding some more things in it which we discussed during the meeting because tomorrow I have to present it in front of higher authorities for approval. I was busy typing and clicking when someone knocks twice and barged in without my answer I don't have to know who he was.
" What's up, bro?" he said sitting on the chair in front of me.
" Asalam O Alaikum, " I greeted him formally.
" Walaikum Asalam, You went to visit Bibi with Alizey. I see you are not coming slow, " he said looking at me mischievously and I glared at him.
" What brought you here Saud? "
" Your love. " He said and I rolled my eyes.
" Where have you been, by the way? " I asked him shutting my laptop and looking at him.
" At last, I have your attention. " he grinned.
" I was in Karachi," he told me like I don't know.
" I know that but for what? " I dig in.
" Have I promised to tell you everything? " he leaned, putting his hand on the desk and whispered.
" Yes, " I mimicked him and whispered.
" Then I am breaking the promise," he said and I threw a pen at him and he bubbled in laughter.
" Get lost, Saud. " I told him but he never listens to me. He continued laughing at his own joke and I give him sour look trying not to laugh.
" If you are here to waste my time so you can happily leave because I am busy. " I reopen my laptop and started rereading the content. He didn't leave his place. I feel his gaze on me continuously, I ignored him.
" Will you just spill or continue staring at me suspiciously? " I groaned. He laughed.
" I knew he can't resist me," he mumbles to himself but I catch it easily.
" Have you met Wardah? " he directly came to the point.
" What? is she here? " I exclaimed forgetting everything I was doing. Well, I think Danisha had told me that she was here. I must have forgotten it.
" Yeah, since October," he told.
"I got her calls a couple of time we had quite a usual talk. Neither she brought up anything nor I. I think she had told me she was here but I forget." I told him.
" They are at Aunt Noreen's place," he said.
" Oh! That's good! They must be here for the wedding. " I suggested lightly.
" Are you sure? Or are you pretending to forget what she had confessed? "
" It was long ago now we both have a fiancee. " I reasoned.
"By closing your eyes disaster wouldn't go. Don't try to act cool, Dawood. " Saud said strictly.
" She never came to meet me. I think she has gotten over me." I told him.
" Well, I think its the silence before the storm. " Saud declared with a sigh.
" Don't exaggerate, bro. It will make the situation much more complicated. It's been too long she is engaged I don't think so she will be mourning over my rejection uptil now. " I said leaning back in my chair and putting my one leg over other.
" You are right. I was just warning you. " Saud, at last, gave up on the debate but still he doesn't seem convinced about the discussion.
" Don't you have any work, Mr Saud? I don't want any imperfection or drawback in the security. " I asked him raising my one brow at him.
" Had you ever witnessed any? No, so there won't be any," he said with a smirk. " By the way, thanks for your precious time. Allah Hafiz. " he stood up and I look at him from my chair.
" No coffee, today? " I asked still sitting.
" If you are insisting so much, order my usual. " he sat again very formally. I shook my head at him. That's why I hadn't stood up because I knew he will sit again.
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Every wall was decorated with flowers and fairy lights. The wedding functions had been starting from tomorrow. Every person in Khan's Villa was busy with their assigned work. Even our dear groom, Daniyal.
" Hey bro, have you ordered the flowers for the evening? " Hadi asked me who was busy directing a worker to move the table. Hadi had arrived two days back. He was managing all the event of Daniyal's wedding. He was skilful and talented, with brilliant ideas of the event management. Baba had chosen him to supervise every occasion and It was a pleasure to have him here with us. Zareen gave us a surprise by coming with him and girls were beyond happy on her arrival.
" Yeah, I got a call from them they are on their way. " I told him.
" That's good, " he said with a nod and I leave him there with his workers.
I entered inside my home and walked towards Dada Jan's room. I knocked twice but no answer came I open the door and went inside. There was no one inside. This old man is turning into a Wanderer. I laughed at my own thought and leave the room shutting the door behind me. I know where he would be because now most of the time he is found there. And I was right. He was sitting in the living room with the girls and enjoying tea while playing ONO with them. I stood in the door and taking in the view. Ayesha, Zareen and Alina were on the triple-seated couch. Dada Jan was sitting alone on a double-seated couch and Alizey and Danisha were on the divan. They were whispering something in ears. Their back was towards me. I knocked on the door twice to grab everyone's attention.
" Asalam o Alaikum, everyone. " I said cheerfully and stepped inside, they greeted me back. I sensed Alizey getting uptight at my voice and she didn't turn towards me. I sighed, this is happening for a week. She is avoiding and ignoring me like a contagious disease. I am hating it so much.
" Dada Jan it been so long that I had some alone time with you, you are always occupied. " I complained jokingly.
" I don't enjoy your boring company, young man. Find someone else to bore and don't interrupt our game," he said looking so engrossed in the game. I pouted at him.
" Old man, do you ever care about my feelings? That was so mean. " I grunted.
" Yes, of course, I do," he said carelessly, after throwing his card on his turn.
" Yeah, Yeah, I ignore me as much as you want. I think I should change my perfume because many people are ignoring me. " I said a little loudly while folding my hands behind my head and looked at Alizey. She looks up for a mere second and our eyes meet but she immediately looks away because I had an eye infection and she didn't want to catch it. I am actually hating her silent treatment. Dada Jan looked at me quizzically.
" Have you taken your medicine, son?" he sounds genuinely concerned. I am not sick why is he asking this? This old man and his sarcasm. The girls snickered.
" Well, play as much as you want in the end you have to live with me. " I threatened playfully, my empty threat hangs in the air.
" Hope you will get well by then. " he grinned at me and my mouth was on the floor by now.
" Savage! " Danisha screamed and rolled with laughter.
" You should have seen your face, Dawood bhai. " Alina joined her. Ayesha and Zareen were already bubbling with laughter. I look at Alizey and she was trying so hard not to laugh she was red by now.
" What are you waiting for, joined them. " I told her with all the sadness in my voice and instead of taking my side, laugh bubble out of her lips and she laughed and laughed. She looks beautiful. I can look at the scene forever. I was mesmerized. I heard the clearing of the throat. It was Dada Jan and I flushed in embarrassment. He caught me ogling at her. I averted my eyes, looking down and bit my lips.
" Where is Labeena and Lauren? " Dada Jan asked the girls to give me some time to compose myself.
" They are having deluxe treatment. " Danisha told him and he nods with a smile.
" Daniyal had told me you all have to bye bangles and accessories for the functions, I am going to the mall if you want to join me get ready in fifteen. " I suggested and stood up and shrug imaginary dust from my clothes. Giving a last glance at Alizey I walked out of the room. I heard mumbling from the room but as I walk further away from them I was out of earshot.
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I was tapping on the steering wheel waiting for the girls to bless me with their honourable presence soft music was coming out of the speaker and I was humming the song. The passenger door opened and totally unexpectedly, the person got inside. My brows knitted together.
" Hey bestie, long time no see. " Wardah greeted me with an extra-large smile and I look at the door and the girls stepped out. I gulped.
From here the drama begins.
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Assalamo Alaikum!
Have a healthy life!
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Love you!
-Hania