CHAPTER 21
AHAD POV:
"Bhai, bhai," ran inside my office, Ashar, wiggling his eyebrows, dancing a little, giving a disgusting look, and he walked towards me.
"My manic had asked me to join her on a Hyderabad trip to get her desired bangles." He danced around the room again and kept giving me a disgusting look.
"She invited him, but not me. Why not me? I'm her to-be husband, her fiancé. Is she not comfortable with me? Does she not like my presence near her? Do I look creepy? Am I not a good match for her?" I kept on thinking when Ashar broke my chain of thoughts again.
"Bhai, why are you looking upset, like someone has stolen your favorite lollipop?" He laughed, falling to the ground and holding his stomach… Why does he react like this?
I stood up, walked towards him to catch that idiot, and beat him when he said, "Bhai, no need to get upset, she wants both of us to join her, I was just teasing you, you need to calm down and get home to pack your things, she'll pick us up from Do Darya at night."
I instantly felt my mood lighten up I didn't feel like giving attention to him and made my way towards the parking lot, getting in my car, I drove to my penthouse.
I took a warm shower and picked out my outfit, to be precise… black shalwar kameez, with a brown shawl, and I wore my favorite Rolex watch.
She has always looked at me like I was the only one in the whole world whom she liked whenever I wore black, so today's outfit would be of her choice. I have also heard that my woman has a weakness for her type. I heard it from my little one years ago.
I booked a cab to go to the place since I don't want to leave my bike or car there while I'm out of the city for hours or days. Suddenly, I got a call from Ashar. I so wanted to hang up, ignore him, but instead picked it up.
"Where are you, bhai? Hayat is waiting for you," smiling at the image of her waiting for me. I spoke, "I'm coming, just wait for a few more minutes." I hung up the call and felt about how things had started to change.
Reaching the destination, thanking the driver, I got out and started looking for my wife, "she's in the car bhai, stop looking for that stupid manic and sit on the front seat that is reserved for you duh" He looked irritated, I walked towards the car and opened the door, finding a card and a purple hyacinths flower which I think represents something… forgiveness.
I took the card and flower in my hand and sat down, glancing outside, I found Ashar on a call. When I turned towards Hayat, she was looking outside. Hmm, now she was ignoring me.
"Forgiveness for what, Hayat? You did nothing wrong, and I'm glad you called me yourself after taking your time, but thank you for the flowers." I smiled and looked at the front.
The flowers in my hand made me feel extraordinary at the moment. She's taking steps towards our relationship, and her taking 2 steps means I need to take 4 steps forward and sometimes 2 steps backward.
"I thought you might feel annoyed by my behavior. Usually, everyone feels annoyed when I don't reply on time," she whispers.
"They might, but not me. We are going to spend our lifetime together, and we are going to understand each other as time passes, hmm," I replied, my hands itching to pat her head. But no, keep it halal till you make it Ahad.
"Come on, Ashar, we need to move now." Ashar, who was still on the call, nodded his head. Soon, he came and sat in the back seat.
"Hey, women, you got anything to eat in your car? I'm hungry," I heard Ashar say and sighed, This foodie.
"Oh, I brought a lot of snacks and juices, I have brought some cakes and pastries too on my way here, isn't the bag kept behind my seat? Look inside, you'll find something for yourself in it."
I looked back at Ashar and found him taking stuff out of the bag. He took out something for himself, and then gestured to me to take the something as well, but I refused.
Halfway through the highway, I looked at Hayat, and she had her focus in front... Ashar was using his phone, and I was getting bored. I couldn't use my phone since it's disrespectful, yet I couldn't have a chat with her, since it would distract her.
"We are halfway through the place. Can any of you book a hotel room for us? I forgot to do it." I heard Hayat, glancing at my own watch, I found it's 4 a.m. and adhan will start soon, I tried to locate my phone map and look for a masjid near us.
"Hayat, my girlfriend, you wanted to talk, then why are we so silent?" Ashar asked, and I widened my eyes. Looking back, I glared at him.
I was about to express my thoughts when he kept talking, "Bhai, stop making such a disgusting face. She's a girl and my friend, so she's a girlfriend. Don't think with your disgusting mind, okay!" How can he be so disrespectful to his older brother...
Pointing my index finger at him, I was about to scold him when Hayat said, "Hey, don't… don't scold my boyfriend, okay? My soon-to-be husband. I know he's a mannerless man, but he is my friend. You can't scold him!"
She joined him, too. Now I feel like the third wheel. "Don't team up and silence me. You can't call her your girlfriend, and Hayat, I'm your fiancé. You shouldn't say that," our eyes met. She was about to say something, but she just smiled and looked ahead instead.
Shaking her head slightly, she continued, "I know, Ahad. We were just teasing you."
Soon, the car stopped in front of the masjid, and Ashar and I got out. I walked to her side of the window and spoke softly, "Mera bacha, please don't get out. Keep the car locked from the inside. We'll be back in a few minutes, okay?" (Translation: My baby.)
I walked towards the masjid when I heard him from behind, "Can I come too? I need to pray Salah." I looked at her and then at the Masjid.
I told her to wait and went inside the Masjid, meeting the Imam, I politely told him, "my wife wants to pray salah and I wanted to ask if there is a separate areas for women to pray," He told me to get her to their home which is at the back side, she can pray there, I nodded my head and went to pray so I can go to Hayat soon.
Taking her with me to the Imam's house, we met a little girl, who showed us the room, and we got inside. Hayat went to do ablution while I spread the prayer mat for her. She came inside the room and completed her Salah and made dua, while I stayed outside, giving her the privacy.
As she stood in front of me, I noticed her shivering. She turned around, picking up the water bottle from the side. The shawl that was around me, I took it off and offered it to her.
"Cover yourself with it, you'll feel warm." Her eyes stayed on my hand for a while, as I extended it a little more towards her. She at last took it from my hand, gesturing for us to move out, thanking the Imam, we made our way to the car....
"I'll drive from here, you rest in the car for a while." nodding her head, we took the seat, both of my people were resting, so I thought to have some breakfast at the restaurant at the side, the sun was up, slightly shiny, I parked the car at the side and woke them up.
While we ordered the food, my gaze swiftly moved to Hayat, who had the shawl clung around her, I smiled… trying to keep my heartbeat normal. After breakfast, Hayat and Ashar made their way to the car, as I paid the bill.
Calling Ammi, I asked about her health and if everything is fine there. Abruptly, my eyes fell on the garden, cosmos, in different colors. I plucked a handful of them, tying them in a tissue, and I made my way towards the car.
I made my way towards the car and found them sitting inside the car cozily. I sat in the driver's seat and started the engine. I felt her gaze on me, extending my right hand with flowers towards her.
She looked at my face, then the flowers. Her eyes sparkled, lit up as she took them from my head tenderly and caressed the flowers. She whispered a silent thank you. We rode to the hotel was silence. After getting settled in our rooms, I freshened up and slept for an hour.
Groaning, I woke up, heading towards the door as I heard the loud noise from outside… to be exact, the door banging. I unlocked the door and saw both of the geniuses standing there, right in front of me, showing their 32 teeth.
"What's wrong?" I asked, rubbing my eyes, which were itching a lot.
"She is wrong. She is anything but happy right now. She wants to go out." Ashar's was very expressive, his eyes were wide, nose flatter, voice loud and clear as he spoke, while pointing towards the person who looked very guilty...
"Sorry, but I just wanted to explore the shops, and we are getting late… I'm hungry, he's hungry, we both are hungry, we need food in our system and you are older than us so take us to the restaurant, I want bangles and he wants to get something which I don't know from here too and it's already 11 in the morning, we are getting late Ahad" I listened to her blabbering and nodded my head at each and everything she said.
"You're manic, dumbo, do you even know what you are saying?" Ashar said and hit her on the back of her head… and then I hit him on his head as I should have.
She looked at me with those guilty eyes. Ah, I just-
Taking a deep breath, calming my nerves, I looked at Ashar, "Do not scold my wife, remember it, and Hayat, let me get ready, then we'll go out, okay?
I opened my door for them to come inside. They took a seat and started to munch on some snacks while I went to get ready.
After having our stomachs full, we made our way to the market. She was excited and looked at everything with shiny eyes, taking a break at each store to buy at least two things, and Ashar was on her side, scolding her, while I was just following them from behind.
She brought so many pairs of bangles and earrings for herself, and there Ashar was holding the bags. A set of bangles caught my eye. "Bhai, can you pack these for me?" I asked, looking around to find some more pairs for her.
"Which size, bhai?" Asked the shopkeeper as he took out that pair, I was confused, "Do we have sizes in these too?"
"Yes, bhai, there are different sizes of bangles, as every wrist size is different." Nodding my head to that, I thought for some minutes and made an O with my hand. "This big, she wears gajray, and that fits her perfectly fine, so I guess this will be alright."
"Okay, bhai, I'll pack size 2 for you." I nodded my head as I looked back to find both of my people fighting again.
They love fighting, and I love watching it… I might need some popcorn from now on every time they are together… we soon brought stuff for all of our ladies.
It was noon already when we got free. "Do you guys smell the amazing, mouth-watering, delicious aroma of biryani? It's coming from somewhere nearby?" This dramatic man had his eyes closed as he spoke.
"Bhai, qareeb mai hi biryani ka hotel hai wahan ki pulao aur biryani famous hai, wahin se khushboo aa rahi hai apko," a young boy told us. Ashar gave a nod and said a thank you before he ran towards the hotel. (Translation: Brother, there's a biryani hotel just near that alley, and it's famous for the pulao and biryani.)
We reached our place and packed our bags to check out.
I met Hayat halfway through our walk outside, and we both exchanged glances. I opened my mouth to speak when Ashar interrupted, "Chal bhi ley ghadhi, itna slow tou turtle bhi nahi chalta hoga," (Translation: Move fast, stupid, even a turtle walks faster than you.)
This brother of mine loves to interrupt us, but no problem, I'll give him a nice lecture later… "Here, take the keys and load all the stuff in the car, we are coming." I gestured to him to move, and he did, but after giving me a disgusting look, I hate my brother.
Hayat was glancing at me when I extended my right hand towards her with a bag of bangles in it, "I liked these and thought to get them for you." I turned around and scratched the back of my head… it was embarrassing that I couldn't tell her that this pair felt like it had been created only for her.
"Thank you," she whispered and ran away, yeah, she gestured to me like let's go, and then ran away, maybe she's shy... definitely.
Hayat had my shawl with her all the time; she didn't give it to me the entire time, and I didn't ask for it. She looked beautiful as the shawl draped around her... What's the point of asking it back when it belongs to her only?
While I was driving this time, both of them were fighting. "His work will be his only priority like always," Ashar said...
"No, priority changes," Hayat replied...
"If working won't be his priority, then who would be?" Ashar asked, his voice held a hint of annoyance.
"Me," the word she said had me looking at her from the corner of my eye.
"Me, you, uncle auntie, I mean the entire family," Hayat tried to cover up, to save herself from the embarrassment ... but am I going to point it out? Nope, she's just too cute.
"Nah, Nah, you said YOU WILL BE HIS PRIORITY," Ashar wiggled his eyebrows, and Hayat looked away, irritated.