The hall was bustling with people. Mahnoor and Zaroon were made to sit on a two seater sofa and all the young cousins were surrounding them.
"Zaroon bhai aap aapi ko dekh sakte hain...koi tax nahi lagega..." Mahira teased the couple and then again added "Abhi ke liye".
Zaroon smiled and looked away.

Mahira nudged Mahnoor "Jiju toh aapse bhi zyada sharma rahe hain". She giggled and turned around only to see Riyaaz coming towards them.
Nervousness engulfed her, which made her go silent at once surprising Zain who was standing along "kya ho gaya ... tere daant ander kyun chale gaye".

Riyaaz congratulated Zaroon with a smile and patted Mahnoor's head.
"Riyaaz bhai lagta hai Mahi aap se abhi tak naaraz hai........." Zain scoffed and pinched Mahira's cheek making her whine "mere gaal".
"Naaraz ho Maru" Riyaaz's deep voice made her all the more nervous.
"Nnnahi " she stuttered
"Aise kaise....lut le Mahi ..yahi mauka hai.." Zain whispered in her ears making Riyaaz frown. He twisted his ear "Aaah bhai ...chhod dein Mahi bol na"
"Bhaijaan chhod dein"Mahira at once said freeing Zain's ear and looked at Riyaaz whose eyebrows had gone a little up with shock or surprise, she couldn't decipher.
After a moment he turned towards Zain "sudhar jao" and threw an angry glance towards her who was standing with her head hung low.

"Haath hai ya hathoda " Zain pouted rubbing his ear ....

----------------

The function went really well, and the fully exhausted family members were taking a nap till late.
Mahira woke up and came in the hall. Seeing no one in hall she took her steps towards the kitchen to have water. She had just opened the fridge when a hand came from behind making her turn her head at once.
"Riyaaz bhaijaan aap" the grogginess in her voice hinted that she was not completely out of her sleep zone.

Riyaz opened the lid of the bottle and jerked it towards her face making the cold water splash on her face..."Neend khuli?" he whisper yelled making her gulp

"Bha..." before she could complete her sentence, he put a finger on her lips. Her eyes widened and looked into his eyes which held a warning.
"Dare you say the word again!!!"

"Riyaaz..." he said in a deep voice making her shudder.

Seeing her nod her head, he removed his finger and took her to the lawn.

"Achanak se mujhse itna dar kyun lagne laga" he asked

"Nnahi to..aisa kuch nahin hai"

"Acha..tumhara mere aate hi nervous ho jana..mujhse dur bhagna......ye sab toh kuch aur hi kehta hai" he said sitting on one of the benches and then patted the place next to him.
"Kisi ne zabardasti ki hai is rishte ke liye"

"Nahi bh.....Riyaaz" she at once changed her words seeing the glare.

"Woh...thoda awkward lag raha hai..." she pouted making him smile
"To mujhe avoid karne se awkwardness door ho jayegi" he asked amused.

"Aap hamara mazaak uda rahe hain" she fake glared at him
"Ji...." he smiled
"Na karein....." she hit his chest in a childish manner making him laugh out loud.

The little talk was successful in eroding the awkwardness that had crept between the two.

--------------

"Zain...ye naya assignment jisme tum Riyaaz ko assist kar rahe ho..kab tak complete hoga." Sarfaraz asked writing something on a paper.

"Abbu 3-4 mahine toh lag jayenge..mere calculation k hisaab se" Zain said while taking a print out.

"3 ya 4" Sarfraz strictly asked

"Kya baat hai Abbu...." Zain frowned hearing his father

"Nikaah ki date toh 3 ya 4 nahi rakh sakte na" Sarfaraz replied sarcastically to which Zain jumped "kiska nikaah......Abbu abhi Haya ready nahi hai....aur meri bhi internship complete nahi hui hai..." he paused and then again started " Lekin agar aaplog chahte hain toh mai Haya se " his blabbering stopped by the strict voice of his father "Bas....thoda lagaam lagao"

"Sorry Abbu .. "

"Tumhare nikaah ki baat nahi ho rahi hai" Sarfraz said receiving a puzzled expression from Zain.
"Hum Riyaaz ki baat kar rahe hain"

"Bhai shaadi ke liye maan gaye" Zain asked not believing his father's words.

"Ji ...ab aap farmaiye ..kitna time lagega?"

"Zyada se zyada 4 mahine lagenge" Zain said after considering all the possibilities.."Waise Abbu hamari hone wali bhabhi hain kaun"

"Pata laga lo" Sarfraz smiled mocking an inquisitive Zain.

In the lunch break

Zain called his crime parter eagerly waiting to get some piece of information "Oye...pata chala?"

"Kya"

"Mahi...Riyaaz bhai ka nikaah ho raha hai....." Zain revealed earning a momentary silence from the other end.

"Mahi...Mahi r u there"

"Haan bhaijaan"

"It's ok ..mera bhi sun kar yahi haal hua tha..........lekin Abbu game khel gaye.....bhabhijaan k naam hi nahi bataya......koshish kar pata karne ki...." Zain instructed Mahi...he was too curious.

---------------

"Kuch pata chala..." Zain asked Mahira when all the youngsters assembled in the lawn in the evening.

"Yaar Riyaaz bhai ki koi girlfriend hai kya" Mahnoor asked biting her nails

"Dheere bolo..sun liya na agar unhone toh yahin mera bharta bana denge" Zain folded his hands "Mahi....tu ja kar puch na Riyaaz bhai se.....ghar k sare badon ne toh muh par taala laga liya hai"

"Nahi.. hum nahi jayenge...humein dar lagta hai" Mahira refused. She had started enjoying the restlessness of Zain and her cousins. She was feeling shy too as once they come to know..they will tease her to death.

----------

The wedding date was fixed keeping in mind both the office work and Mahira's final exams.

"Ab to bata dein..kaun hain hamari bhabhi" Zain pouted after polishing off the kabab....
Riyaaz looked at Mahi from the corner of his eye.....she was looking here and there not ready to meet anyone's eyes. He didn't know she was this shy.

"Aur Mahi....tum interested ho bhi ya nahi janne k liye...." Zain scowled " Oh ab mai samjha...kahin tumhe is baat ka toh dar nahi lag raha ki bhabhi ke aane k baad bhai tumhe bhool jayenge..." he wiggled his eyebrows teasing Mahira who felt at a loss of words and just got up and ran away making the elders chuckle "sharma gayi meri gudiya"

"Wo kyun sharmayegi " Zain asked incredulously but then looking at everyone....and remembering Mahira's past behaviour.....he got striked by the epiphany "Mahi" he spoke out loud asking for a confirmation from his mother who nodded with a smile.

"Mahi aur Riyaaz bhai.....ye to gazab ho gaya....." he paused and then added "ab mai samjha Riyaaz bhai us din kyun bhadak gaye the.......hone wali biwi ne Bhaijaan jo bol diya tha" with that he started laughing out loud..leaving everyone amused except Riyaaz who had never been embarassed this much in his wholr life. His ears had turned pink..."Chup chap khano khao" he said in a deep dominating voice which made Zain shut his mouth.

------------------

"Bhabhi jaan ab nikal bhi jaen kamre se" Mahnoor said thumping the door loud. "Mahi darwaza kholo....humein kuch baat karni hai tumse" this time Haya said in a serious voice.

"Aap log jayen....hum busy hain" Mahira's voice came out not so loud

"Maru" this time a heavy voice came shocking Mahira who had cuddled herself in bed. She got up to open the door but then a thought striked her and she spoke out loud "Zain bhaijaan apna natak band karein...."

"Maru main hun..." the strictness in the voice made her open the door immediately.

"Koi kaam tha" she asked sheepishly

"Hmm....ye tumhare liye kuch books maine order kiye the..." Riyaaz said handing her a bag and then took steps towards the hall ..but suddenly turned back "Aur apne hone wale shauhar ki awaaz ache se parakh lo.......pehli baar galti hui..isliye maaf kiya"..with that he strode away.

She was standing on her door analysing her words when the three musketeers broke into her room.

"Awaaz pehchaan lein bhabhi jaan" Mahnoor teased throwing herself on Mahira's bed. She was all ready to avenge all the teasings which Mahira had thrown at her all this while.

"Riyaaz bolna practice kiya ki nahi " another one came from Haya who high fived with Zain and laughed.

"Aap sab mere room se niklein...abhi isi waqt " Mahira shouted dragging Zain towards the door.

"Bhabhi aisa na karein" he laughed getting light smacks from Mahira.

The room was filled with teasings and laughter. They were happy.

The coming months were busy for every member. They were burderened with the preparation and the office work. Deadlines had to be met.

A sudden loud of clappings and hooting woke Mahira up from her deep sleep

"Happy Birthday.....to you ....." everyone started singing in chorus making her jump out of bed in excitement.

Mahnoor and Haya hugged her while Zain pulled her cheeks.."Happy Birthday".

"Happy Birthday..Mahi" Rayyan came forward and gave her a side hug.

"Thank you bhaijaan" Mahira smiled

"Oye Mahi...Riyaaz bhaijaan ka phone aa raha hai" Haya said picking up Mahira's phone where Riyaaz's name was flashing.

"Hello .... " Mahira answered the call

"Happy Birthday Maru....." Riyaaz wished from the other side making her smile

"Thank you .."

"Aur phone silent par kyun tha...mai kab se phone kar raha tha.....ye meeting zaroori nahi hoti toh mai aata hi nahi" He said disappointed on not being the first one to wish her.

"Woh.."

"Acha chhodo....mere dressing table k drawer m kuch hai tumhare liye....kal subah dekh lena"

"Ji....." she was feeling shy infront of everybody

"Acha mai baad me phone karta hun...Allah Hafiz"

"Allah Hafiz" Mahira cut the call and turned to her cousins.

"Nahi nahi..thodi aur baat kar lo" Zain teased but she ignored and started demanding for gifts..."Mere gifts laen..."

"Pehle cake to kaato" Rayyan intervened

Mahira cut the cake and next second the room turned into a war zone with cake splashing from one face to another.

"Band karo" Rayyan shouted in irritation wiping his face from the tissue.

"Mahi ... ye lo " Rayyan forwarded her a box..."Maine jo boli thi wahi wali ghadi hai" Mahnoor exclaimed to which he nooded. Mahnoor and Haya gifted her a piece of jewellery.

"Aur aap khali haath aa gaye..." She scowled looking at the empty hands of Zain.

"Mera pyaar kam hai kya ladki..jo kuch aur chahiye" Zain said making himself comfortable on the bed and doing something with her phone "aur ye kya kachda use karti rehti ho....." he took her phone and threw it at the farthest corner of the bed.

"Aah..bhaijaan ... phone pehle se kharaab hai aur aap " She shouted looking for her phone when a familiar ring tone caught her attention...she looked under the pillow and found a brand new phone set...."aaahh...thank you thank you" she exclaimed hugging Zain in happiness.

"Teri itni gareebi mujhse nahi dekhi gayi " Zain said patting her head making everybody laugh.