The sun was hung shining in the clear blue sky without a trace of a cloud but somehow the heat wasn't seeming to disturb today. There was happiness in the rustling of leaves and in the swooshing of fiery hot winds. Even the scorching heat which usually force the inhabitants of the city to stay indoors wasn't dampening the moods. It was the first day of Eid ul Fitr today. After fasting for a month the people with high spirits were celebrating their reward for exercising patience.

Little kids could be seen in their cute little attires running here and there with their hands full of balloons and candies. The younger girls could be seen showing off the money they collected and planning how to spend them.

Feeling happiness bursting inside me I turned from my window and smiled to myself. I was dressed up in a bottle green short shirt which barely reached my knees with white straight trousers. My hair were braided in a side braid and Maria had put pearls from her broken bracelet in their folds.

Standing in front of my mirror I looked at myself and Kohl lined almond shaped eyes stared back at me. My cheeks were naturally rosy and the lips were glossy because of the lip gloss I had used. My complexion was olive which would match with my long black hairs and big black eyes really well. Unlike girls my age I never liked using make up products on my face because for one my skin was really sensitive and secondly I just didn't like caking up my face but today mama had forced me to apply something as she said and I quote

"You are getting married soon. You are supposed to know how to do your make up!!"

Yep I had given an affirmative answer. My dream had confused me. On one hand it was a really good dream seeing myself being married in front of the Holy Ka'ba but on the other hand I was pretty sure I had heard giving my consent to some Zubair and not Zuhaib. The next day when I had told mama the dream and my confusion,

"Don't be silly Haya!! You ofcourse heard Zuhaib only and
are confusing the name." She had replied.

"Well I guess maybe!" I had said uncertainly.

"Oh Allah Haya it is such a beautiful dream dear. It's so beautiful. Imagine your nikah in front on the Ka'ba! Such marriage will be so blessed!" She had said with tears in her eyes.

So that night after dinner mama told me to make three cups of green tea and bring it to their room. I knew she would talk about it so feeling rather nervous I prepared it and knocking their door I entered. Mama was in the middle of telling baba all about me doing istikhara and then about the dream. I set the tray on the table and sat with baba mildly wondering how come she had not told him about my istikhara already. After she was done baba had rounded towards me,

"So?? What's the plan missy?? I had thought you won't want to be disturbed about marriage talks yet but it seems my girl has grown up after all." He had said with his eyebrows raised and my face heated up.

"Well.. um you see er.. it wasn't related to um marriage really." I finished lamely and he raised his eyebrows again.

"Well yes I wanted to do istikhara and I... Um kinda overheard you people at aunty shameem's," here I looked at him sheepishly but he didn't say anything silently encouraging me to go on. "So I thought why not do it. Besides there is no reason for me not to get married. I can study there too and I'll be twenty too. Pretty good age to get married!" I completed and my face burnt again seeing the amusing look baba was giving me and realizing what I was saying.

"Okay then if you wish so! Let's wait for the Eid lunch and then we will discuss this in shaa Allah." Baba had said smiling at me and my heart had fluttered.

So today the whole family was coming over for lunch including Ghazala Aapi and Dua Aapi with their families. It was our custom since as long as I could remember. Lunch on first eid at our place and on second eid at their home on both eids.

We had done all the preparations previous night only so we wouldn't have to waste our Eid day in kitchen. Mama had forced me to get ready nicely and had laid out every thing from dress to jewellery herself. She had even succeed in making me cake up my face. So now with everything ready we were waiting for them.

I was so nervous but equally excited. I wondered how whenever he is mentioned I have these weird feelings of both excitement and nervousness. I also wondered if my decision is right but then I consoled myself that I've asked suggestion from my Lord and He wouldn't leave me alone. Satisfied with the thought I stood up to call Bilquis just when the doorbell rang.

"They are here they are here!" Maria sang opening the door and I shook my head knowing very well why she was excited.

There was a chorus of Assalamualaikums and everyone greeted and hugged each other. And then the men gathered in the living room while the women went to the kitchen to see the food and fill in each other in recent gossips. Farah, Marium, Maria, Bilquis and me entered my room.

Farah and Marium Maria started discussing some recent celebrity marriage and I took the opportunity to confide in Bilquis for which I was bursting.

"You know I think I'll come live you soon." I said casually examining my nails and Bilquis who was about to give her opinion on the marriage whipped towards me.

"What do you mean by that?? You didn't.." she left the sentence in middle and I nodded my face heating up again.

"Well actually I did. And baba is going to talk about it after lunch today." I said telling her about everything from start. After I was finished she beamed hugging me.

"That's the best news I have heard today Haya. I hope everything turn out good and settle well. Ah Ammi is gonna be ecstatic! It's her biggest wish to get Bhai married since I guess he was born." She giggled and I smiled mumbling an in shaa Allah.

"Haya! Bilquis! Come and set up lunch." Mama called and we both proceeded outside.

Lunch was a pleasant affair. Mama and shameem aunty were discussing a recipe aunty recently made. ("Very easy and very tasty. You should definitely try it out.")

Uncle and baba were deeply engrossed in some recent statement of a politician. ("But that was really wrong yaar. Wasn't it?? I don't know what will happen to this nation.")

Zuhaib was telling about some sports cars to Amir and Asad who were eagerly taking every word he was saying. ("Wow Zuhaib Bhai but that's amazing isn't it?").

Farah and Marium Maria had started their discussion again and Bilquis had joined them now. Silently eating my lunch I looked at my family and beamed at the sight. Zuhaib caught my eye and winked and I lowered my head trying to hide my smile.

"Haya beta why don't you go make tea for everyone." Baba hinted once everyone was done with lunch and we had cleaned up.

"Sure baba, gimme a minute." I replied taking the hint and ushering everyone out with me. Once outside I told Farah what's the matter as everyone else knew and preparing the tea I took it inside the room. Baba already had asked aunty about wedding date as she was talking animatedly now, happiness coming out in waves from her.

"Next year after Ramadan will be great Bhai Sahab. I have absolutely no problem. And you don't need to give anything. Just give us your daughter and make us happy." She was saying emotionally.

"Okay then Baji how about the Friday after Eid?? Nikah on Friday and the rest of the events can be planned later as per the dates." Baba said and aunty beamed.

"Definitely bhai Sahab on the blessed day of Friday." She said.

"You son you didn't give your opinion? What do you think?" Baba asked Zuhaib and I looked at him.

"Uncle if you will ask me I'll say let's do nikah after Eid ul Adha only! Why wait for a whole year?" He said gazing at me intently and my already red face became tomato red.

"Oh excitement is on both sides I see. Haya isn't alone." Mama said chuckling and I became mortified. Surely she didn't say this in front my future in laws and husband did she?? My eyes rounded. The occupants of the room laughed and I excused myself coming out. My face was burning with embarrassment and the laughter followed me out.

Around four pm everyone of them left with another round of greetings, hugs and kisses. My feet had a definite skip now and everything was seeming extra beautiful to me. After asr I changed in comfortable clothes and sat in front of the TV to watch some eid transmissions while mama baba left to visit my aunts.

The week after Eid I didn't have as much study load so me, Bilquis and Fatima were usually seen together planning my wedding. Every other topic had finished and everything would end at my wedding somehow. I wasn't complaining either and was more than happy to do it.

It was a week later when baba returned from work white faced and  A sense of foreboding gripped my heart. The happiness that was filling inside me since Eid felt like leaving my body as though I was a balloon which was punctured. All through dinner he wouldn't look at me and I felt helpless. After dinner he stayed in the living room and I sat beside him putting my head on his shoulder. Mama came and sat on his other hand,

"Will you tell us what is the matter now?? You are actually scaring me Jahangir!" Mama said and he sighed.

"Well I met Zuhaib on the way back home now." He said and mama raised her eyebrows.

"He was coming out from that filth place!!" Mama's eyes shot up and I stilled.

"But how? What? What were you doing there??" Mama asked unable to comprehend it.

"Well I was getting my gas tank filled from the station in front of it. I saw him coming out with a bunch of guys and seeing me he came towards me and greeted me warmly and when I asked what he was doing here he said he was picking up a friend from there." Baba finished.

"Oh! Well then he was picking up a friend only! There isn't anything bad about it." Mama said and baba shook his head.

"I suppose not but remember Arif Bhai's call?? And he was coming out of it like he has been really familiar with the place. Even if he just pick up his friends from there which kind of company is he sitting in??" Baba said and raked his hands through his head while I sat their silently digesting everything.

Baba simply saw him at the wrong place at the wrong time! There isn't anything worrying in this and he is just being paranoid for me! I consoled myself knowing full well how empty I was feeling from inside.

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu sweethearts. First of all yaaayyyyy our happily ever after reached #97, the highest ranking so far despite the fact that I haven't updated since ages. Jazakumullahu kheiran sweethearts. I thought I should update a chap now and since tomorrow I've a gap it's here. It's unedited as usual and I'm really really sleepy right now so do point any mistakes you see (as this chapter is sleep product)  and let me know your thoughts through the beautiful votes and comments. More than appreciated always. Jazakumullahu khairan.

Take care! 😘😘