BONUS CHAPTER
AUTHOR POV:
Humming a tune, Ahad set his hair, his eyes moved towards her, who had just come inside while trying to take the rollers out of her hair. Frustration was driving down her face. Slowly, he made his way towards her, softly holding her waist, pulling her close to his chest.
"What happened, Jaan?" His eyes held adoration as he tried to help her with her hair.
"Everything's set downstairs, and now your brother says he's sleepy so that he won't be here early, and you know how much time it has been since I last saw him!" Annoyed, she said, glaring at the wall behind.
"He's just teasing you, he'll be here, don't worry, just get ready, hmm," he tried to soothe her tense muscles as he lightly caressed her arms.
He was still confused about the sudden gathering plan Hayat had told him about just the night before. The plan was to invite everyone close to them for a get-together.
His eyes lingered on his beautiful wife for one last time before he moved downstairs, welcoming everyone inside. hugging his mother, he took a sniff of her perfume which reminded him how much he grew now that she looks smaller in front of his large built frame, his father patted his back, asking where Hayat was as always, "Someone was dying to have me here yet is missing herself! I hate this woman."
Ahad turned around just to meet Ashar's puffy cheeks, rolling his eyes, his whole demeanor screamed little kid who didn't get his favorite candy. "She is upstairs getting ready, just wait for a while, and just for your information, she is way too angry, you'll surely get kicked."
If someone had heard Ahad with closed eyes, they might think he is concerned for his little brother, but it was the opposite; Ahad himself punched Ashar's shoulder while twisting his ear with the other hand, taking all revenge for making his wife annoyed.
"Bhai, can you please keep your hands to yourself? I love my beautiful ears as much as you love my girlfriend," Ashar said, rubbing his ear since it was aching a lot.
"Can you stop calling her that?"
"No, who are you? Who dared you to stop me?"
"I'm her husband, H.U.S.B.A.N.D."
"Like the world doesn't know it already."
"Shut up, both of you! Can't you both behave like humans for once? Always fighting about a thing that won't change," said Ahad's mother, holding her head in pure disappointment.
"Look, even she knows I won't stop calling Hayat my girlfriend!" Ashar teased Ahad again, whispering secretly in his ear.
"Ammi, look, he is doing that again!" Ahad's voice held a hint of whine as he moved towards the gate again to welcome Hammad and his wife.
"How are you both? Noor, you good?" Asked Ahad as he greeted the newlywedded couple, welcoming them in, "I'm good, bhai, how are you, and where is Hayat?" asked Noor, gently, moving towards Ahad's parents, leaving his husband behind.
"I'm good, Alhamdulillah. Hayat is upstairs and will be here shortly." Patting her head, Ahad looked back at his best friend, who stood by the gate, glaring at someone's back.
Everyone was already there, settling in the lounge area, talking, laughing, and reviving old memories. Hayat's Chacha Chachi was also there, sharing stories about Hayat's childhood.
Soon, Hayat made her way downstairs. Her bangles jingled, alerting everyone that the heart of their family was approaching with a bright smile, as always. They loved her, adored her, and she loved them back, more than ever before. She greeted everyone and apologized for being late, but everyone ignored her words. Who needed apologies after taking so long to get ready, looking so beautiful that the word "pretty" would be embarrassed to know the woman standing in front of everyone was the beauty of her family.
Her face beamed, and the midnight blue gharara she wore made her the star of the gathering. Her gaze swept toward someone whose eyes were fixed on her. Everyone now knew how much Ahad loved his wife. The elders smiled, content knowing their kids were happy and safe. The younger ones started teasing Hayat, who turned away, trying to talk with Noor, only to meet Noor's teasing gaze.
"Who knew, Ahad could fall this hard for our pretty lady," said Ashar, slowly approaching his two sister-in-laws and standing between them. He looked at the men: one whose eyes remained on her, filled with admiration, and another beside him, whose gaze flickered with a fiery spark.
"My lady, not yours, Ashar," Ahad whispered, taking Hayat's hand and heading to the lounge. After some small talk, the family moved to the dining table, sat down, and started serving themselves.
Hayat waited until everyone started eating before heading to the kitchen. She picked up the pouch she kept behind Ahad's favorite flower pot, filled earlier that morning with her favorite red roses by him. She returned to the dining area just in time to see her husband waiting for her. She took her seat beside him, urged him to start eating, but he shook his head and kept the plate of fried rice in front of her. He took a spoonful, mixed some rice with orange chicken gravy, and held the spoon to her lips, gesturing for her to take a bite. Smiling as always, she ate it. By now, she was well aware of how stubborn Ahad could be, and he showed his love for her in front of everyone.
He would always say when Hayat complained about how shy she felt with his gestures: "I am your man, your husband, and as a husband, your lover, I won't shy away from doing what I should do for you always."
They both started eating from the same plate as usual and chatted with everyone. The lively, cheerful mood made Hayat very happy. She then took out a small ultrasound paper with a pregnancy test stick in a transparent bag, placing it in front of Ahad, who was too engrossed in the conversation—and why wouldn't he be? It was about Ashar's marriage, and he wanted Ashar to get married soon so he could leave his wife's side forever.
Ahad made eye contact with Hayat, took the spoon again, and fed her another bite. She was nervous, panicking, but tried to stay calm and breathe deeply. She looked ahead and saw her Chachi's gaze on her, a gentle smile on her face, and a hint of tears, if she guessed what was happening.
Hayat wanted to run to her and hug her tight, but she decided to surprise her husband first. She tapped his shoulder, grabbing his attention. "Jee jaan?" (Yes, my love?)
"Can you pass me the glass?" Hayat's words were quite the opposite of what she intended.
Ahad frowned, noticing glasses nearby, but handed her one and asked, "You okay, Love? Why are your hands so cold?"
"Nothing, maybe because of the AC," Hayat replied. The next moment, Ahad stood up, grabbed the remote, and adjusted the temperature. His eyes looked at his wife, checking if it was better now. She nodded in response. Just then, his gaze fell on something on the table.
Since Ashar was sitting on his other side, his first thought was that Ashar might have brought another one of his baby pictures for her to see. He immediately panicked, not wanting his wife to see that side of him. Last time, she saw a baby picture of him with an ice pop, and couldn't resist pinching his cheeks.
Quickly, he moved to pick up the picture, but something was different this time. It was a black-and-white photo with an invisible small ball in the middle. Before he could process it, his eyes fell on a pregnancy test stick. His movement froze, and everyone looked at Ahad.
His first instinct was to pick up the ultrasound paper, on which was written, "Baba, apse milne ka intezar rahy ga mujhe" (Father, I look forward to seeing you soon).
Tears welled in his eyes as he turned to Hayat. "Meri Jaan." (My Love.) He embraced her tightly, holding her close. Everyone around them started to guess what was happening after seeing the test kit. They hugged, congratulating one another.
"You are pregnant, love."
"I'm gonna be a father."
"We are going to be parents, my love."
"You are going to be the mother of our child."
"I'm not dreaming, right?"
"Bubba." Hayat was overwhelmed with emotion, too happy to speak. His reaction confirmed her hopes. She gently tapped his shoulders, signaling him to leave her, but he held her even tighter. "Hayat, I'm so happy."
No one disturbed their moment; they were very happy for their kids. They moved towards the lounge, giving some space to them, "Ahad, let me see your face at least."
"My love, I'm so happy," he said, not knowing he was blabbering now. Hayat smiled, witnessing such a pure, beautiful moment. "Everyone is waiting for us, love," Hayat tried to remind Ahad again.
Nodding his head, he placed a soft kiss on his temple. facing her, he rained soft kisses across her face, as if memorizing every curve with gentle love, "You're happy, right?" Hayat asked, with her teary eyes and soft smile.
"Happy, I'm more than happy, I'm grateful, awed, emotional, and still in disbelief, it feels like my home is filled with pure bliss of ecstasy," Ahad replied, lightly touching her stomach.
They slowly made their way to the lounge, where the familiar chatter and warmth of the family wrapped around the room. Everyone stood up, embracing the soon-to-be-parents; they were teary-eyed, as the first kid of their family was going to roam around every corner of the house soon.
"Congratulations to me, I am no longer the youngest child of the family," said Ashar, turning the emotional moment into a huge phase of laughter. He went to each one of the members present, hugging them and congratulating himself.
Just as he was to hug Hayat to say the same thing, he stopped, and stood in front of her, patting her head, "I feel it was just yesterday when I knocked on the car's window of a girl, requesting her to join our group at Do Darya, they might not know but you have changed me and my brother for the better, you are truly what Eira always said, the bubble of happiness. I'm so happy for you, Hayat."
Hayat hugged Ashar, "And you are also what Eira always said, the hidden bottom of emotions. Why are you making me cry again, Ashar! Look, my makeup is already ruined. Ahad, tell him to stop being so emotional."
It's not always that Ashar shares his feelings, and today's confession took Hayat off guard. She knew how much of a secretive person he is, and just to light the mood a little, Hayat threw Ashar under the bus, making everyone scold him for making her cry. He knew she was just joking, and everyone was just cheering her up.
"You'll never change," Ashar said, at last, defeated.
"She doesn't need to change," said Ahad, who looked at everything from behind her wife.
"Shut up, brother, no one told you to butt in."
"Don't use such language here, our baby is listening to everything," said Ahad, covering Hayat's ears, making everyone laugh at his gesture.
"Let's sit, please. Hayat is tired." Ahad took his wife's hand, making her sit on the sofa, before sitting on the floor in front of her knee, keeping his arms on her thighs, with his fingers tracing her gharara.
"Sit beside me, up here," said Hayat, caressing his hair a little.
"No, I want to be close to both you and our child, and I also want to enjoy your caressing my hair, so why not just sit down on the floor?"
"Can I ever win against you?"
"My Love, we are together against the world, not the opposite," he pecked her palm before talking to the family, who started planning the child's room.
This was their journey to grow…
They fell by accident…
But everything after that…
Was by destiny, by heart and soul…