" Musa kitna bada ho gaya hai. Bas ab palak jhapakte hi usne Shaadi kar leni hai aur apne susraal chale jaana hai. Allah!" Furqaan said out of the blue wiping fake tears.
It was the next day and they were all seated at the dining table, having a quiet and peaceful breakfast. Well as peaceful as it can get with Furqaan around!
" KYA?" Rayyan raised his eyebrows.
" Ab ye kya nayi nautanki hai?" His mama asked.
" Musa susraal kyu jaane laga?" Azaan was confused.
Then it clicked him that Furqaan was paving a way for him to start a conversation regarding his own wedding.
" Moosy Moose, apne chachu ko unke budhaape me tanha na chhodna. Tum mere aankho ke taare ho, mere budhaape ke sahaare ho...SSSS" Furqaan hissed in pain feeling nails digging in his thighs.
Or was it a fork?
He looked towards the culprit and Azaan was giving him warning looks.
" Zyada ho raha hai. Tone down karo..." Azaan whispered in his ears.
Mubarak Hussain had finally had enough. He laid down his fork and raised his napkin to clean his face, all the while eyeing his youngest son.
Furqaan gulped in nervousness.
" Azaan Bhai, aap ki Shaadi karwate karwate kahi meri biwi na widhwa ho jaayein" he whispered back.
" Kaunsi biwi?" Azaan was confused.
" Future wali!" He gasped, keeping a hand on his chest, giving accusatory looks to his brother.
"Allah! Aap kya chahtey hai? Zindagi bhar kuwara rahu bas? Waah bhai waah!"
He gave a stinky eye to his brother and started clapping dramatically forgetting the stare his father was sending his way.
" Furqaan!" Mubarak Hussain called out in a stern voice.
Furqaan immediately stopped and respectfully replied as if he wasn't being a drama queen just a second ago.
" Jee Baba?" He looked like an Allah ki gaain!
" Qaan, kya masla hai? Musa ki rukhsathi kyu karwa rahe ho?"
His father was losing his patience now. This boy is too much!
" Wo Baba main soch raha tha ki Musa ki umar nikli jaa rahi hai..." Furqaan started off lamely.
Musa is only a year and a half old!
Azaan rubbed his forehead. He had planned to have a simple conversation with his father regarding Faiqa but his brother had an entire screenplay written!
" Qaan! Hosh me ho? Kya bakwaas kar rahe ho?" His father
" Musa ki Shaadi ka hum tab sochenge jab wo 25-26 ka ho jaayein. Aur koi issue hai?" His mother was exasperated now.
" Achaa? Phir Azaan Bhai ki karwa dete hai. Wo ab ussi age range me hai. Nahi Bhai?" Furqaan slyly played his ace card.
" Baat ko itna ghumaane ka koi khaas maqsad? Azaan ki Shaadi ka toh hum soch hi rahe the" Jahara Begum crossed her arms and asked her naughty son.
She knew him. He's upto something!
" Koi maqsad nahi hai Mama. Mujhe sach me Musa ki fikr ho rahi thi. Aap bohot shaqi ho gayi hai. Draamey dekhna thoda kam kardein" Furqaan shook his head.
The entire time Duaa was silent because she knew that her brother in law always has something up his sleeves. He would unfold his cards soon enough.
Musa, the content baby was eating with his mama, turning a blind eye to all the chaos at the table. It was a daily occurrence for him!
Mubarak Hussain slid back his chair and got up looking at Furqaan and Azaan.
" Ab itne Oscar worthy dialogues likhe hi hai tumne toh baat poori tarah se bata hi do" he gave a sarcastic compliment to his sons.
" Kiske ghar rishta bhijwaye?" He was also the father of these dialogue writers.
" Wo Baba, Rehman Malik..." Azaan scratched his head in embarrassment.
" Faiqa?" Mubarak Hussain said in a pleasantly shocked voice.
So he did know the family!
" Bohot hi pyaari bachi hai..." He said looking at Azaan and the groom in question looked down shyly, the big smile not leaving his face.
" Theek hai. I'll talk to him in a while" he affirmed.
" Aur khuda ke vaastey, please apne iss drama ke director ki payment badhao. Kam'askam koi dhangh ki script toh likhey! Khamaka mere shehzaade ko Ghar Damaad bana diya!" He said looking pointedly at his naughty duo.
" I know right! Finally some acknowledgement. Allah Tera shukar hai!"
Furqaan threw his hands in the air dramatically. His talent getting the due recognition!
" Bass shaitaani karwa lo isse, badmaash!" Jahara Begum twisted his ear. Rayyan twisted his other ear and Azaan pinched his waist.
Allah! The poor little boy was getting assaulted from all the sides!
" Maash!" Musa uttered for the first time and the entire family cooed at him. Their little prince is absolutely adorable!
" Mera beta!" Duaa kissed his cheek soundly.
Turns out, they did know the Malik family. Atleast his father did. Once upon a time they were business associates. Rehman Malik branched out into processed food packaging and they lost touch, but apparently they still are on good terms.
Well what do you know, the world's a small place indeed!
Rehman and Annisa Malik are a couple in their sixties. Theirs was a love marriage but sadly they couldn't conceive a child until much much later on in life.
After innumerable treatments and prayers and mannats they had given up hope of ever having a baby of their own and had decided to adopt one.
Until one day Allah the bountiful finally had mercy on them and they had a little surprise in the form of Faiqa Rehman Malik.
Annisa Malik was in her early forties when she started experiencing the signs she had been on a lookout for, since the past two decades!
Afraid to disappoint her poor husband, she decided to check with her gynecologist before raising his hopes.
She was infact pregnant!
Owing to her age, hers was a difficult pregnancy and the doctors had already informed her that if push comes to shove, they might have to go for a partial or total hysterectomy post parturition.
Allah the Al Kareem the Al Wali, showered them with his kindness and Faiqa was born a healthy baby,
with the pinkest of complexion and beautiful honey brown eyes with matching hair.
Alhamdulillah!
Rehman Malik finally became a father at the age of 48! There wasn't a man happier than him. He vowed then that he will give the world to his princess.
Faiqa was raised a strong independent woman who was not afraid to voice her opinions. She has the values imbibed by her mother and the grit and perseverance of her father.
She grew upto be a beautiful young lady with the moral compass of a saint!
She fought for the less privileged, the un-voiced and the under re-presented. She has the heart of gold and a steel spine!
Azaan surely has his work cut out for him!
Mubarak Hussain had called up Rehman Malik and had expressed interest in asking their daughter's hand for their second son.
Rehman Malik was pleased to hear from an old friend and even more pleased when he heard about Azaan, who was already making a mark in the world with his excellent business accumen and an even better character.
Despite all his excitement he didn't promise anything as he wanted his daughter to have the final say in all her life choices.
Rehman Malik has invited them over for an informal family dinner this evening. Here they are, sitting in the lounge of the Malik residence with their entire family.
Azaan was dressed to the nines in a black dinner suit and he had insisted Duaa Bhabhi to dress Musa similarly.
Musa has a pivotal role to play today. He was going to convince his tayi ammi to become well, his tayi ammi!
Azaan wasn't going to hesitate playing dirty to get his girl. He knew even she was interested in him.
He could just feel it, don't ask how, but he does.
His father and hopefully his father in law, were reminiscing their old days and his mother and Bhabhi were getting along like a house on fire with his, again hopeful mother in law!
That's a good sign. A very good sign indeed! And now to impress the elusive bride-to-be who had yet to make an appearance.
No sooner had that thought crossed his mind, than he heard the unmistakable tinkle of her jhaanjar.
They will be the death of him someday!
" Moosy Moose. Ahh my sweet love. I missed you so much! " a blurry pink image ran across the stairs and straight towards the suddenly happy baby.
Musa is going to get rewarded today!
He's acting upon all the instructions Furqaan and Azaan had whispered to him on the way. They know they were acting deranged but it was the desperate plea of a man in love!
Azaan felt his breath hitch when he finally took her form in fully. She was dressed in a baby pink pearl embellished outfit and with her inherent Noor she looked like an angel.
His angel!
" Masha Allah!" He whispered under his breath, lest someone hears him and to his luck Faiqa did.
" You again!" She snorted in a very unladylike fashion earning a loud chuckle from Furqaan and Duaa.
She turned around and finally took in her surroundings. She felt embarrassed and slowly greeted everyone.
They had a great time at dinner and Faiqa was asked to show Azaan around, especially the new gazebo in the garden.
Azaan was particularly fascinated with leisure pieces of art furniture, especially one that coexisted with nature.
Faiqa was walking ahead of him with brisk steps, not pleased with the purpose of his visit.
She suddenly didn't like him. At all.
After all, he wanted to take her away from her Mama Baba!
" Slow down sweetheart, it's like you don't want me here!" Azaan joked.
" How did you know!" Faiqa abruptly stopped.
As strong she tried to portray her self she still was an innocent child at heart.
Could he read her thoughts?
" I didn't but now I do! You wound me princess" Azaan faked a heartbreak
" I know why you're here and my answer's a NO! She crossed her arms and declared.
" Why? Don't you like me? Did I read it all wrong?" Azaan said in a small voice. He was shocked.
" It's not you, but I don't want to marry anyone. That's why I was so irritated yesterday when Arbaz approached me" Faiqa explained seeing his drooped face.
She felt unhappy because he was sad!
" Koi wajah toh hogi?" Azaan asked dejectedly.
" I don't want to leave my parents. Main unki eklauti aulaad hu. Who will look after them if I leave?" Faiqa was moved to tears thinking about her old parents.
" We will visit them every week. Din ho ya raat, tum jab chaho unhe milne aajaana, jitne din rehna chaho reh sakti ho. Main nahi rokunga. I promise!" Azaan said earnestly.
He was relieved that it wasn't something to do with him. These are the fears of every bride but his bride will never face a separation with her parents, he'll make sure of that.
" You promise? It's easy to say anything now but in future you may go back on your word" Faiqa raised her eyebrow.
And she was back!
" Vaada. Heck I'll accompany you too. Your parents will be sooo bored of seeing our faces that they'll throw us out on their own" Azaan laughed.
He felt lighter, there might actually be hope after all.
" I've just completed my BBA. I want to study further, take over my father's company, travel the world. Once we get married, I may not be able to do this" she put forth another point, unconsciously saying we!
" You can study till we have grandchildren and we'll travel the world together" he gingerly held her hand lest she hit his head.
He had noticed her pair of leather khussa as soon as they came out. His head would be seriously injured with those!
" I'll be the wind beneath your wings Babe. Give us a chance, please..." He pleaded with all his love shining in his eyes.
" I'm very opinionated..." She tried again.
" I'm very accommodating..." Azaan countered.
" I'm a loudmouth..." she began.
" I'm partially deaf because Furqaan had hit my left ear with a cricket ball..." Azaan confessed.
Never had he ever been so thankful for his childhood injury than today.
" I'm very violent..." She played her trump card.
" Oh trust me I'm aware of the fact! I had a first hand experience with that" Azaan mocked.
" Just don't ever try out this pair on me please. They'd hurt very bad..." He pointed to her juttiya clad feet.
" I'm..." She trailed off.
" What?" Azaan was confused because he thought they were getting along quite well.
" I'm running out of excuses!" Faiqa exclaimed with a red face.
" I'm glad!" Azaan said with a satisfactory smile.
She was so going to be his wife and that too, soon!
" So, do you have any more concerns? should I take this as a yes?" Azaan asked hopefully, his heart in his eyes.
She giggled and ran away from there, towards her parents.
" I'll think about it..." She shouted from afar.
Azaan felt like he had won the lottery. After she officially agrees to marry him, he wasn't waiting a day extra to make her his.
Their life would never have a dull moment!
The Hamdaanis were now taking their leave and saying their goodbyes to the Maliks.
Furqaan couldn't control himself anymore. He has been too prim and proper for the entire evening. He started whispering to Azaan.
"Allah! What is with Desi families? They suddenly remember all the left over topics while saying farewell..."
Furqaan stopped when a maid handed him a Tupperware of the dessert which he had so shamelessly asked for. His mother had given him glares over the dining table, but he didn't care. He can handle her just fine.
It is food! Food is life!
"It's like the last five minutes of the exam! And don't even get me started on the car goodbye...bass car ke peeche bhaagna baaki hota hai. Jaise bhaagte hue humare ghar tak chhodne aajaye!" He began again.
" Khuda ke vaastey chup kar jaao Qaan! Main already bohot tensed hoon..." Azaan said in his ears all the while eyeing Faiqa who was speaking with Duaa Bhabhi.
" Kyu kya hua? Aapki smile se mujhe laga bhabhi maan gayi. Wo bhi sharmaate hue aayi thi andar..." Furqaan was confused now.
" She said she'll think about it..." Azaan was full on worried now.
What if she said NO?
" Wait!" Furqaan sighed.
" Sab mujhe hi karna padta hai..." He grumbled under his breath.
He took Musa from Rayyan Bhai and went a little further from their greeting party. He came back a few minutes later.
They were just about to get in the car, the seemingly never ending goodbyes were finally over; when they heard it.
" Allah'Fiz Tai'mmi! " Musa looked at Faiqa and said with a sweet smile.
Faiqa immediately felt her throat clog up. She took Musa from Furqaan and kissed his sweet baby face all over.
The haze was lifted and she finally saw everything much more clearly.
She looked over at Azaan and gently whispered, gazing in his eyes.
" Allah Hafiz Ammi ki Jaan!" Azaan felt his breath hitch for the umpteenth time tonight.
Faiqa looked away and kissed Musa again on his head before handing him back to Duaa.
Azaan has never loved anyone more than he loves Musa and the baby has now given him his wife too!
Moosy Moose to his rescue again!
Having Musa was the best decision that his Rayyan Bhai and Duaa Bhabhi made!