(((________Chapter#43________)))

Soon, the wedding car drove off, leaving only dust behind. All of them stood silent, their feet stuck to the ground. Zarmeena was essential to all of them, and their lives felt incomplete without her involvement. Like her, they had all forgotten that she was a girl and would eventually have to leave them one day.

"I thought I would be happy when she got married, but look at me. I can't even hold myself together for a minute without missing her," Ahmed said, his voice wavering amidst tears. Sajid brought him closer and patted his head. He felt the same. Zarmeena wasn't just a friend; she was like a compass for them. Luckily, he would still meet her every day at university.

"Kids, get inside. There's still a lot of work pending for us before we leave from here," Zareena said, lightening the intensity of the moment.
She was feeling the same grief but was happy that everything went well without any disturbances. She only feared that Zarmeena's stubbornness shouldn't overshadow her new relationships.

"Aunty, you and Sajida take Dadi home. You must all be tired. We'll come after settling the venue manager's bills," Sajid said respectfully. Zareena nodded in response. They were heading toward the car when they heard the beeping of Ahmed's phone.

"Dadi, wait! It's a call from Brother Fareed," Ahmed said, hurrying toward them with the phone in his hand.

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As the wedding car reached Malik Villas, Zubair stopped the car at the entrance, and Warda gave away a bundle of notes to ward off evil eyes.

The car came to a halt in the porch. Warda and Samina helped Zarmeena step out of the car. Nazli came forward with two plates-one filled with sugar and the other with rice.

"Zarmeena, take sugar in your palms and throw it behind you without turning around," Mrs. Shameem instructed. "Do it three times for both the sugar and rice." Zarmeena obeyed.

"Now, Salaar, cradle Zarmeena in your arms and enter the house."

Zarmeena froze, cold sweat breaking out all over her body.

"No, Mom, I can't do this," Salaar objected, breaking his usual composure.

Everybody laughed at his embarrassment.

"Why did you marry her if you can't even carry her in your arms?" someone joked.

"Mom!" Salaar glared at Warda.

"Okay, okay, I was joking," Warda said, grinning. "Zarmeena, my daughter, recite Bismillah and the Kalma, bring your right foot forward, and step into your new home," she instructed.

Zarmeena followed and entered.

Nazli helped her sit on the sofa in the lobby beside Salaar.

Samina brought sweet milk in a decorated glass. First, she gave it to Salaar to sip, then handed it to Zarmeena. After Zarmeena had her sip, the milk was distributed among the young, unmarried guests. Lastly, a baby boy from the relatives was brought to Zarmeena, and she kissed him to symbolize the wish for early motherhood.

All the traditions and customs took so long to finish, leaving the newly married couple exhausted. However, they held significant meaning in their society.

Zarmeena's back started hurting from sitting in the same posture for so long. She felt drowsy and couldn't stop yawning.

"The bride must be tired, so please take her to her new room," someone in the crowd finally noticed her condition and exclaimed.

Zarmeena let out a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived as the thought of sharing the same room with Salaar made her anxiety return. She was trying to make up her mind to accept it all, as she had promised her Dadi, when Taimur came forward and took Salaar to the corner. This was quite unclear from behind the veil, but her sixth sense was alarming her about bad vibes. After breif discussion with Taimur, Salaar stood infront of her.

"Zarmeena, we need to go somewhere." Salaar's voice was giving her uneasy signals.

"Salaar, stop trying my patience and get straight to the point." She forgot that she was a bride and demanded in a raised voice.

"Zarmeena, your Dadi is no longer with us." Salaar couldn't hide it from her any longer.

Zarmeena winced, unable to process the news, and the next moment, she was in Salaar's arms, unconscious.
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Two hours before:

"Dadi, wait! It's a call from Brother Fareed," Ahmed said, hurrying toward them with the phone in his hand. Dadi almost snatched the phone from his hands.

"Hello, Fareed, my son," Dadi uttered anxiously.

"Nani (Maternal grandmother), why did you make this sudden decision? I told you he is not good for Zaro." Though the line was not clear, she could easily hear the extreme dismay in Fareed's voice.

"Fareed, my son, that boy really loves Zarmeena," Dadi tried to clarify.

"Nani, I am extremely disappointed with you. We obeyed what you said, but you played with our lives. Nani, I am sorry, but I will never forgive you for this."

She wanted to say something, to clarify her decision, to explain that he was wrong because he could never love Zarmeena like Salaar, but the sound of a huge explosion almost banged in her ears. With that, the line disconnected.

"Fareed! Fareed, my son!" she cried out. Suddenly, she felt extreme pain in her left shoulder, which started spreading throughout her body. Before she could hit the hard ground, Zareena and Ahmed held her in their hands.

"Ahmed, go fast! Get your Dadi into the car," Zareena screamed, but Yasmeen took her hand.

"Zareena... listen... I think this is it." A smirk touched her face.

"Please, don't say this, Amma," Zareena held her close and exclaimed amidst tears.

"Make... my grave... between my husband... Kareem Khan... and son... Amjid Khan... Don't cry after me... Tell Fareed... I didn't betray him... and try to forgive me... Zar... Zar...mee..." She couldn't complete her last words and passed away, leaving all of them in tears.

The place, once filled with joy and excitement, turned into a spot of grief.
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The car stopped at the same wooden gate she had left that afternoon for her new home. She was back at the same gate again. Her Dadi had hugged her and covered her bridal attire with her dupatta. Her Dadi, who was more than a mother to them, always protected them through every thick and thin. She had stood in place of their father. Their Dadi was everything to them.

Salaar was sitting beside her, his hands on the steering wheel. He could sense everything going through her mind.

"Zarmeena," he said softly. She gazed at him with empty eyes.

"Let's go inside." Salaar took her cold hand in his strong palm. Zarmeena nodded and opened the car door.

Salaar held her close to his side, feeling the shivers coursing through her body. As they got near the door, the creepy sounds of crying and sobbing made her body stiffen and her steps heavy. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see her Dadi, still, motionless, and without any sign of life.

"Zaro." She heard Ahmed calling her. She opened her eyes and saw Ahmed running toward her in her blurred vision. She shifted her gaze to the side. Her mother was gazing at her with mournful expressions. Finally, her eyes fell on the bed where her Dadi lay with her eyes closed.

"Zaro, my daughter, your Dadi is leaving us," Zareena cried out, calling her. She was moving forward to hug her when a voice halted her in her tracks.

"Stop." She tilted her head and saw Majida glaring at her with extreme disdain.

"This girl cannot stay here. She will leave this place immediately," Majida spat.

"What are you saying, Sister Majida? We understand your agony, but you cannot stop Zaro from attending her grandmother's funeral," Zareena exclaimed in disbelief. Salaar and Zarmeena stood still, flabbergasted.

"Yes, I can stop her. If she stays here, I will take my mother's body with me," Majida said with determination. All their relatives tried to convince her, but Majida refused to step back from her decision.

"Zareena, I will not suffer alone. I have lost my mother and son. You forced my mother to make this decision. My son is missing on the mission. You will have to lose your daughter too." Majida's eyes were full of disdain, and her words dripped with venom.

"Please stop this, Sister Majida. Stop disgracing your mother at her deathbed," Zareena pleaded. But Majida refused to listen.

"I knew you would choose your daughter. All that love and affection you showed was only pretentious. I am taking my mother's body," Majida smirked and dialed the ambulance number. Many other ladies of the family tried to stop her, but Majida was adamant about her decision. At last, they backed off, letting her do what she wanted.

"Okay, okay... Sister Majida, I accept this. Salaar please take Zarmeena out of here." Zareena couldn't let her mother-in-law's body be disgraced, even if it meant offending her own daughter.

"Not like this. Take an oath on my mother's deathbed that you will never see your daughter's face again," Majida said heartlessly. She wanted to avenge her pain by returning it double to Zareena.

"I vow on the deathbed of my mother-like mother-in-law that, from today, Zarmeena is a stranger to me. I will never see her face, even if I am moments away from my death," Zareena announced.

With Zareena's words, Majida sighed in relief and sat back peacefully at her dead mother's side. At last, she had traded her mother's dignity to satisfy her wrath.

Zarmeena couldn't believe what had just happened between her aunt and mother. Was she of any value to anyone? First, Salaar had used her and betrayed her. Then, her Dadi had played with her future for the sake of a friendship. Now, her mother had boycotted her for her aunt. Her feet stepped back. Even if everyone let her down, she wouldn't let herself down. She cast one last gaze at her Dadi and turned around.

"Amma, no! I won't let Aunt Majida win like this," Ahmed tried to intervene, grabbing her to stop her.

"Amma, please stop Zaro," he pleaded, but before he could finish, Zareena slapped him across the face.

"This is not a battlefield where you win or lose. This is your Dadi's funeral. At least let her soul rest in peace," Zarmeena said sternly.

Zareena knelt down, breaking into tears. Ahmed squatted beside her, holding her in his arms as they both sobbed. Zarmeena stepped back, leaving the home where she had spent her childhood, played with Brother Fareed, Ahmed, and Sajida. The home where she had cried at her father's funeral, laughed and wept, felt the warmth of her mother's love, and been shielded by her Dadi's protection. Today, that place was no longer her home but a place where she was robbed by her own loved ones.

Before stepping into the car, she gazed at the house one last time and then got into Salaar's car.