|| S H A N Z E ||

After our Nikkah, we all had photoshoot and specially one embarrassing photoshoot that I would never ever forget with my husband. I glared at all my cousins who were whistling and hooting for more newlyweds couple shooting. And on top the photographer was not shying for telling to pose more boldly in front of our whole family, specially in front of elders.

"I think that's enough for today. Please save some memory in your camera for other events," Dad said to the photographer and came to us with a smile.

"You are making my both kids red," Dad added pointing at me and Zeeshan beside me with a chuckle.

The photographer chuckled silently and nodded his head at dad before moving to my cousins and took their photos. Dad turned to both of us and pulled us in a hug.

"You took the piece of my heart from me, Zeeshan. Take care of her like a crown and you too, Shanze, don't forget to hold his hand even in the hard times," Dad said and kissed both of our heads.

After the photoshoot ended, we all went to the restaurant for big, grand family lunch. It was looking so good to see the whole family came together and were having lunch together. The table was echoing with gossips of ladies as they talked with each other, laugh of the men who were talking about something funny and giggles of small kids as played with each other.

"There is ritual in our family that man has to feed his wife with his own hands and wife has to do same," Grandma said to me and Zeeshan once the food bought to the table.

The waiters and waitresses served everyone on the table. Our cousins hoot loudly when Zeeshan put a spoon in front of my mouth. I opened my mouth slowly and shyly and ate it with different shades of red color on my cheeks. I also fed him with my nervously shaking hands and caught him slightly smiling at my shaking hand.

"Oh my Allah! Mashaa Allah! They both look so cute together. The Shan couple!" Rania appi said in awe.

Under the table, Zeeshan held my left hand with his left hand and put it on his knee before lacing our fingers together. My heart fluttered on the feeling of his warm hand.

After lunch, we both had parted our ways because of Mehndi function at night. We all were standing in front of the door of restaurant waiting for our cars to arrive.

"If you don't mind can I drop Shanze home?" Zeeshan asked my dad and stood beside with his slightly brushing mine.

"She is your wife and now you can take her without our permission," Dad told him with a smile.

"Thank you," Zeeshan said and intertwined our hands.

"Don't do anything which none of us have done before wedding night," Rania appi yelled as Zeeshan pulled me with him.

Today was my official red face in embarrassment day and my cousins were trying their best to make me beetroot red. Once Zeeshan's car arrived, he opened the door for me and I climbed inside. He also climbed in his seat and started the car.

I stared out of the window and listened the music which was playing in the background. When we reached my house, he stopped the car in front of the gate and turned to me.

"Shanze, take this and open it once you reach to your room," He stopped me from opening the door and handed me a small square box.

I frowned but, nonetheless, accepted it with a smile. He climbed out of the car and opened my door. Once I climbed out of the car, he went back to climb in and I watched him reversing his car before he drove away.

I sighed and looked down at the box in my hands and went inside the house. The whole house was decorated with flowers, lights, chairs in the lawn and the house was packed with my maternal relatives. When I reached to the crowd of my cousins, I joined them and sat with them.

"What took you sooooooo long?" One of my cousin asked and wiggled her eyebrows at me with a teasing smirk.

"Nothing. Maybe traffic," I replied looking around for Mahira who I hadn't seen since my Nikkah.

Finally, I spotted her in a corner with a phone and talking to someone. I observed her carefully and noticed how quietly she was talking on the phone in anger.

What happened to you, Mahira? Why are you being rude to me, suddenly?

"Is she fine?" I was snapped out of my thoughts when I was asked this question.

"Yes, she is fine," I replied back, slowly.

A small 5 years old baby girl, Deeba, ran into my arms and sat on my lap with a grin. She kissed on my cheeks and played with my earrings softly.

"What's up, kiddo?" I asked her, softly.

"Your momma is calling," She said and giggled as she found my earrings her toy.

I kissed on her forehead and excused myself from my cousins before carrying Deeba inside the house to know why mom was calling me. I found her sitting in the living room with her sisters and sisters in law, her bhabhis.

"Yes, mom?" I asked her with a smile.

"Look at our Shanze. Mashaa Allah! She is starting to glow a little. Must be because of her Zeeshan. I pray this glow increases more and Lord protects you from all the evil eyes," My one of mami, mom's sister in law, said with a warm smile.

I smiled shyly and looked at mom who quickly wiped her tears which were about to flow from her eyes and smiled at me softly.

"Shanze, go and change your clothes and rest because after an hour we have to leave for Mehndi ceremony," Mom told me.

I nodded my head and put Deeba down on her feet with a kiss on her head before going to my room. I closed the door behind me and noticed the box in my hand which I almost forgot.

Open it once you reach to your home.

I remembered his words and I was curious to know what was inside it. I set the box on my vanity and thought to change into comfortable clothes first. I took my clothes out my closet which had few of my dresses because most of my clothes and other stuff were shifted to Zeeshan's house.

I went to my washroom and removed all my jewelry and unpinned my dupatta then washed my face. After drying my face with towel, I changed into my comfortable clothes and put my jewelry back in the box. I exited from the washroom with my Nikkah clothes in my hands but stopped when I saw Mahira in my room and was sitting on my bed.

"What are you, Mahira?" I asked her in confusion.

She stood up quickly and turned around with a small smile while I stared at her with wide eyes but quickly composed myself. She came to me and stood in front of me without looking away from me and pulled me in a hug.

"I am sorry for everything, Shanze," She whispered, softly and it was making me hard to believe my sister was back.

I slowly wrapped my arms around her and hugged her back. I felt something wet on my shoulder which made me to pull away from the hug. I looked at her face with a gasp and held her face.

"Stop crying, Mahira," I told her and wiped her tears.

"Will you forgive me?" She asked me with her quivering lips.

"I forgive you, Mahira," I told her, softly and gently wiped her tears.

I took her to my bed and we sat on the bed. I looked at the dark circles under her eyes and knew she had slept properly.

"Sleep, Mahira. You need it," I told her, softly and made her lay on my bed and also laid beside me.

"I am sorry, Shanze," She whispered again and this time with guilt in her voice.

"Shh.. Mahira, now please sleep," I told her sternly and in concern.

She smiled at me before hugging me and closed her eyes. I wrapped my arms back around her and creased her head softly. My heart was feeling more than better to know my sister was back and was not fighting with me.

• • •

Again, everyone was rushing here and there with their bags in their hands. Men were putting the bags of our clothes and other necessary things for Mehndi ceremony in one car while ladies were collecting their kids and were strictly instructed them to sit in the bus and didn't do any fun in the bus.

My Mehndi ceremony was combined and it was in the farm house of Zeeshan. Both sides of our families were big in numbers and Zeeshan's farm house was also big, so grandma and grandpa suggested to have Mehndi function there.

We all sat in the bus and sang every type of song from 60's to 90's and also new released songs but the real fun was in old songs.

Once we reached the farm house, we all females went in one room to get ready. Three of my cousins were beauticians who did some of my other cousins make up, hairstyle and also dolled me up. Rania appi and Mahira also helped me with my dress.

"Have you opened that box, Shanze?" Rania appi asked me as she sat on the bed.

I turned to look at her then realized which box she was talking about. The box which Zeeshan gave me in the morning.

"No, appi, I haven't but I will open it after Mehndi," I told her with a small smile.

"You should have opened it before your ceremony," She said with a pout.

"Are you talking about the white box which have a flower wrapped on its lid?" Mahira joined our conversation and looked at us for the answer.

"Yes," I said and sighed as I remembered that box must be at home on my vanity.

"When I and Sadia was packing your jewelry for today then I saw that box on your vanity and put it in your jewelry bag," She informed me and moved to the corner where my jewelry bag was.

She picked that bag and pulled the box out of the bag. She handed me the box but before I opened it Rania appi's voice stopped me.

"Girls, we all are ready. Right? Now come and let's help our dearest mothers to get ready," Rania appi told everyone but her voice held a kind of order.

Everyone was ready so they nodded their heads in agreement and walked out of the room to help the elder females. Rania appi and Mahira stayed behind then turned to me when no one was in the room.

"Come on, girl, check it what is inside," Rania appi said to me with a giggle before pulling Mahira with her.

"Sometimes, Mehndi comes handy," I heard Rania appi giggled as the door closed.

I sighed and shook my head at her in amuse then slowly walked to the mirror and stood in front of it with the box. I looked at mirror with a smile as I noticed how beautifully my cousins dolled me up with makeup.

I looked down at my hands then slowly opened the box and gasped when I saw two beautiful and fragile gold bangles. I took them out of the box and noticed a small paper in the box. I put the box on the down on the small table beside the mirror and took the paper. I held the bangles in my one hand and opened the one folded paper with other.

“Don't be happy. This marriage will not be successful and there will be a chaos in your life because since your ‘I do's’ you became a puppet. Now be aware!”

I held my breath and tensed as I read it. Was Zeeshan wrote it? Was the only question in my mind. I jumped when I heard someone entered in the room. I quickly crushed the paper in my hand and threw it aside behind the table in panic and looked up at the mirror. I saw Zeeshan entered in the room but quickly stopped on his place. I observed him carefully and again thought, did he placed that paper.

My thoughts hurled to the stop when Zeeshan stood behind me. He turned me around softly and I saw something in his eyes which was shielded from everyone. He creased my face slowly with the back of his hand which made my heart fluttered. His eyes were drinking every detail of me as he looked at me warmly which warmth my heart for him.

"Sometimes, you shouldn't look too beautiful," He whispered as he looked deeply into my eyes.

"Why?" I asked him in a whisper.

"What if evil eyes and demons catch you!" He said with one side of his slightly curled up in a smirk.

I blinked once, twice then thrice but shook my head at him.

The only demon I know is you, Mr. Zeeshan, who has caught me.

He moved his hand from my face to my hand and took the bangles from my hand. Then he softly and gently put them in my wrist which was making my heart dancing in happiness.

Oh the beloved of my heart,
Please don't break my trust!

. . . . . . . . . .

Assalam-o-Alaikum! Hey!

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