Fan Creations
Not proof read but here you go. As always feedback please.
Chapter 2
"Ammi mai shadi nahi karna chahti!" Zubiya declared as she stormed in the kitchen where her mother was preparing food for her guests.
"Ahista bolo, woh log sun lenge!"
"Tu sun layn," she stomped her feet, "aap log mujhe itni jaldi ghar se kyon nikalna chahte hain? Abhi tu mai itni chhoti hon!"
"Koi chhoti nahi ho. Meri shadi bhi tumhari hi umar mai howi thi." Mah-Talaat dismissed her point, busily.
"Wah kiya shandar example diya hai!" she exclaimed sarcastically, folding her arms in front of her, "Aur aap ki shadi tu bari kamyaab ja rahi hai jaise..."
"Zubiya! Maine tumhe kitni bar samjhaya hai baroon se iss tarah batain nahi karte hain. Shadi ki umar ho gayi hai tumhari. Balke inn logon ko tu itni jaldi hai ke bohat jald ho bhi jayegi. Thori mature ho jao ab." she quickly switched counters, mumbling, "ek tu Haleema bi ne bhi aaj hi chhuti karni thi aur Sheema ko bhi aaj hi jana tha apni ammi ke ghar."
"Magar Ammi..." She whined, watching her mother gliding past her putting the last of the refreshments on the serving trolley.
"Koi agar magar nahi. Tumhare Abbi, Rehan, balke mujhe bhi yeh rishta bohat pasand hai. Asfandyar bohat acha, suljha howa, aur samjhdar bacha hai. Parha likha hai, khoobsurat hai, aur tumhe ek bohat acha mustaqbil de sakta hai. She said caressing Zubiya's cheek, "beta mujhe maloom hai ke tum mai abhi bachpana hai lekin tum tu meri pyari aur samjhdar beti ho na. Baat ko samjho, itne ache rishte roz roz nahi milte. Shadi ke baad tumhe azaadi hogi apne dhang se zindagi guzarne ki aur woh sari chhoti chhoti khuwahishain jo tum yahaan poori nahi kar sakteen woh apne shohar ke ghar mai poori kar sakti ho. Bohat ache log hain woh. Lubna jitni mohabbat se apni bari bahu ko apni beti kehti hain uss se hi pata lag jata hai ke unn logon ka ikhlaq kitna acha hai. Tum abhi samjhti nahi ho lekin beta maine bhi duniya dekhi hai aur Asfandyar bohat acha aur pyar karne wala saathi sabit hoga. Yeh baat tu tum meri likh lo, samjheen?"
Nope. The stubborn expression on her face was unmoving.
"Aab apna huliya durust karo aur sharbat bana ke le aao. Woh log teen dafa aa chuke hain. Hum ne unn se time manga tha sochne ka lekin aaj lagta hai ke kuch final ho jayega. Iss liye jaldi karo. Aur haan aaj Asfandyar bhi aaya hai tu dupatta theek se oarh ke anna."
Mah-Talaat had left after giving her instructions, leaving Zubiya in the myriad of thoughts. "Aaj Asfandyar bhi ayaa hai..." "Bohat acha larka hai..." "Tumhe azaadi hogi..." "Woh sari chhoti chhoti khuwahishain..." "Asfandyar bohat acha aur pyar karne wala saathi sabit hoga..."
She smiled bashfully at the thought of finally seeing the man she was supposed to marry. Was it even possible, to be married to someone that respects you? Love you? Care for you?
Right away she recalled overhearing the conversation between her mother and father last night. Her mother was imploring her father to let her at least finish her Bachelor's degree. To let them perform the nikkah ceremony now, to appease their need for a celebration but to give her away after Asfandyar comes back from his specialization. Being educated will make her enlightened, wiser, and if worse comes to worst, not dependent on her husband.
"Humari ek hi tu beti hai. She had pleaded.
To which her father had rudely reminded her what a burden daughters are, you get nothing in return to compensate you for all the money you put in for their upbringing. What a disappointment her wife and kids had been for the millionth time. Going on a tirade about all the expenses that one incurs on having such lavish events.
She hated being the point of contention between her parents and she knew her mother avoided confronting her father like a religion but felt the need to speak up.
She hated being called a burden.
The truth was, she was scarred by the word "marriage, her parent's relationship being a glaring paradigm for her. She grabbed the jar of Tang and a spoon and angrily started stirring the beverage in the jug.
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Zubiya entered the living room and greeted them all with a low-pitched salam, gathering a collective response from the room.
"Aray aa gayi meri beti," Lubna exclaimed, letting her set the tray full of drinks down before enveloping her in a hug. From the corner of her eye she had noticed that someone had stood up respectfully at her arrival but he was standing close to the entrance wall, and was not in her line of vision at the moment.
"Kaisi hain madam aap?" Geeti addressed her in her ever friendly manner, they were developing an easy friendship slowly. Geeti gave her a half-hug as she was holding Siam in one of her arms.
"Bilkul theek. Aray aaj tu Siam bhi aaya hai," Zubiya cooed at the little boy, taking him immediately from Geeti.
Girls have a six sense that alerts them when someone is watching them. Zubiya could feel two eyes avidly observing her movements and interactions with the family, silently. She was still irrationally angry at this person for disrupting her life and purposely didn't placate her curiosity. Diverting all her attention on little Siam and talking with Geeti and Lubna aunty.
"Beta mehmano ko sharbat serve karo, warna garam ho jayega." Her mother brought her attention back to the tray.
She served everyone one by one. Khalil and Usman were having serious discussion on politics, then Mah-Talaat and Lubna were sat chatting about some dish, then Geeti who was busy feeding Siam small chunks of homemade brownies. And then the moment she had been dreading, her heart was thudding wildly, beating mile a minute as she finally moved to the corner where Asfandyar was sitting. Zubiya hadn't felt this nervous even when she was dancing in front of a crowd of more than 300 people. The fact was, she had led a very sheltered life. Since childhood she was told never to trust any man unless it was her Abbi or brother. Having no experience with the male gender other than the obvious has made her innately shy and cautious of the male species. She bent over a little, hovering over his sitting form. Her gaze kept low, fixated on the ground, she shoved the trey in front of him in a quick motion. He backed a little to make room for the tray that was currently invading his personal space and picked up the glass, thanking her in a deep low, voice. What was she doing? Whether she liked it or not, this man was going to be her life partner. She should at least know what he looks like. Knowing Abbi, she might never get a chance again until they've actually tied the knot. She conjured up all the courage in her body and willed it towards her quivering eyes, slowly raising them, her big eyes met with his smaller yet expressive ones. She felt weightless in that moment from the closeness and the intense feeling that had overtaken her. Her mother wasn't wrong. He was really handsome. She abruptly looked down as if he could read her thoughts and the sweetest smile graced her lips as she turned away swiftly.
Asfand smirked. Taking a big gulp of the drink that was just handed to him, immediately a loud splatter erupted from his mouth. Coughing violently, he thumped his chest with his left fist. As everyone turned to him, he spoke with some effort, gasping, "...went...down...the...wrong...pipe.
"Kiya howa beta sab theek tu hai? Pani mangwaon tumhare liye?" Zubiya's mom asked worriedly. "Zubiya jao pani lao."
"Aray nahi beta rehne do. Theek hai Mah-Talaat, sharbat haina uss ke paas woh pee le ga." Lubna said quickly, not wanting to trouble them.
He glowered at Zubiya, who had turned beet red, biting her lower lip, trying very hard to keep herself from bursting into laughter.
"Yeh sharbat Zubiya ki specialty hai. Ramzano mai hum issi se banwate hain." Mah-Talaat proudly told them.
"Zabardast Zubiya. Bohat acha banaya hai. Itna mazaidar hai. Humain bhi tu apne raaz batao, kiya dala hai iss mai?" Geeti asked curiously, holding the red-orange concoction.
Somewhat in control now, she listed the ingredients, "Mango aur lemon flavoured Tang aur Rooh-Afza."
Lubna noticed Asfi with a confused expression, he was looking from his wrist watch to the drink in his hand, "Aray piyo na Asfi!"
"Ji...pee raha hon." He cleared his throat and to Zubiya's surprise downed the drink until not a drop remained in the glass.
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