***

یُوں آ ملا تـوُ مجھے جیسے تـوُ میرا بی ہے

آرام دل کو جو دے وہ زیکر تیرا ہی ہـے

Yun amila tu mujhe jaise tu mera hi hai
Aaraam dil ko jo de wo zikr tera hi hai.

***

The members of Shah Gharana had absolutely no idea that with the upcoming Ramzan what else was awaiting them. So when the news about the two potential weddings reached them, their minds were not only blown off in exactly the same way, their reactions were quite similar too. It started with a shocked 'what' then a vague 'oh' and 'I am so excited/ happy', with lots of drama attached.

And with the same dramatics, the  members had got indulged in hectic yet enthralling wedding preparations as once again the date was set for after Eid.

"Seriously, what's with our family and their obsession with weddings after Eid?" Sara exclaimed, slumping on the sofa along with Mansha and Saman while the elder ladies too sat around them.

"Exactly!" Mansha sat up straight. "Like we have so many days in the year, yet here we are." With that she slumped back again.

"I forbid all of you to set any more wedding dates after Eid." Sara spoke, giving the elder ladies a stink eye.

"And who are you to forbid us?" Ruqaiya Begum's soft but stern voice echoed as she entered the living room.

"Hmm Sara?" She took a seat on the one seater. "Bolo?" Her voice might be stern but her eyes held mirth which made all of them laugh at Sara's expense.

"What did you all get?" Ruqaiya begum turned towards her daughters-in-law.

"Alot of things ammi, Nadia's walima and Nikah's dress are done and the jeweler will be here tomorrow." Munazza started opening the packages that were surrounding them.

"We have given the order for Saman's walima dress too." Nausheen spoke looking at Saman who responded with a shy smile. "Nikah ka bas reh gaya hai." [Nikah's left]

"Acha and other dresses?" Dadi jaan inquired looking at the things Munazza was showing.

"All done, Sara and Mansha are done too." Rameesha said, making the girls nod enthusiastically.

"Saman bete ek baar aur puchna chahti hun, walima  ka jora pasand to hai na?" Nausheen asked with a hint of worry. [Saman I wanted to ask again if you are fine with the walima's dress?]

"Yes Chachi, I absolutely loved it." Saman's smile was sincere.

"Why what happened with the dress?" Dadi jaan turned to them with a frown.

"Ammi Saman couldn't select any so I chose one."

"I can't choose for my life dadi jaan, all of the dresses were so beautiful that choosing one was extremely difficult."

Ruqaiya knew that, one thing Saman was worst at was choosing. Sara and Mansha had first hand experience in it, as whenever they shopped Saman would make them select for her and would also nag alot.

"Dono bachiyon ki Eidi ho gayi taiyaar?" Once the girls had gone to their rooms Dadi jaan asked.

"Ji ammi, bas gold jewelry bachi hai, wo kal final ho jani hai."

"Laraib aur Laiba ki shopping ho gayi?" The two sisters had also joined the ladies in the market for Nadia's dresses and other things.

"Yes ammi."

"Naushi what have you thought of Saman's Nikah's dress?" Munazza asked once the two were alone.

"I don't know bhabhi, I wished for her to choose one but as we all know how she is regarding this." Nausheen was worried but still there was a fondness in her tone. Munazza nodded vaguely and sighed.

"We have some time left, let's wait." Nausheen spoke after a while, making Munazza nod.

_____________

"Yaar Saman, your Walima's dress is so gorgeous!" Sara exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Saman.

"Hato garmi hai!" Saman pushed her. "Hai to sachme pyara." Saman grinned thinking of the beauty that Nausheen had selected.

"I liked Naddo's one better, no offense Saman aapi." Mansha spoke, making Saman laugh. Offended by her?

"It's perfect for her, so exquisite and intricate just like my Nadia bhabhi." Sara spoke with a dreamy smile.

"Han bhai, shadi hui nahi Naddo ab bhabhi ban gayi." Saman poked Sara, making her wriggle in protest.

"Do you want me to call you Bhabhi too?" She glared at Saman earning a slap on her arm.

"Hato yaha se."

"Tum hato." Saman pushed Sara, making her roll down the bed with a thud.

Saman gasped, chanting a string of sorrys and  immediately went to help her up, who was sprawled on the floor, still in shock while Mansha laughed like hyenas.

"Kill me at once, Saman." Sara gritted her teeth as she got up holding her hand and glared at Mansha making her shut up.

"Sorry na–" Saman made an innocent face.

"Fine now move aside, let me sleep."

"As you wish." Saman moved aside, sporting a mischievous smile. "You guys stay here, I'll go meet badi ammi." With that she walked out and made her way downstairs with light steps and a  distinct giddiness she had perhaps never felt.

She wasn't sure  if she was ever this happy and content with her life. If someone were to compare the spring outside with her blooming heart, certainly her heart would have won. People glow when they are happy but Saman not only was glowing, she was light personified.

It had been more than three weeks to the day she said yes to her proposal and that was it, nothing else was required to worry about. Things started to move  smoothly, as if the puzzle she had been trying to solve for ages was finally done. Her father was now around her, Isra was here too and most importantly she had Armaan. The person who was the biggest treasure for her, someone who managed to mend every broken part, heal every pain and remove each strain from her life.

He was the last piece of her unsolved puzzle that made all of it fall in place.

"Badi ammi–" Saman peeked inside her room and thankfully found her badi ammi there.

"Yes Saman." Munazza answered as Saman entered the room with bouncy steps. She sat infornt of her and without wasting any moment laid her head on her lap. Munazza chuckled and started moving her fingers in Saman's hair making her close her eyes in relief.

"Khush ho meri gudiya?" Munazza asked

"Bohot." Saman replied, her voice a mere whisper.

"Meri jaan." Munazza leaned down and kissed her forehead. Saman giggled and snuggled more into her. She was so like her mother and nobody knew it more than Munazza. It felt like she had been raising her little sister again.

"Badi ammi–"

"Hmm?"

"What did Ammi wear to her wedding?" She asked. Munazza felt her breath getting stuck for a moment. Her eyes felt wet and a lump formed in her throat, making her look away from Saman.

"At that time, usually people wore chapa gharara and saree but she had an allergy to its smell."

"Smell?"

"Chapa work has a distinct smell to it, not bad but it is there and Shirin had allergies to any  kind of smell." Munazza laughed, reminiscing the way her sister would sneeze like crazy whenever Ihsan wore itr.

"So what did she wear?" Saman was now looking at her with her rounded curious eyes.

"Banarasi saree, it was the classic red and she looked beautiful."

"Badi ammi by any chance–" Saman got up. "Do you have any pictures of her nikah?" She asked.

"I am sorry meri jaan but I don't, I remember the photographer only came on walima and you have seen those pictures."

"I have." Saman murmured looking down with dejection. Moisture coated her eyes, making her wipe them discreetly but it didn't escape Munazza's eyes.

"But I have that saree." Saman's head jerked up hearing her. Her wide almond eyes were shining with tears as she watched her badi ammi with anticipation.

"Really?"

"Yes, it must be somewhere."

"Can you take it out for me?" Munazza felt her heart clench hearing her wavering voice.

"I will." She spoke, caressing Saman's cheeks lovingly. Saman broke into tears and threw her arms around her badi ammi, making her hug her back tightly. A painful memory knocked her mind but she shook it off.

"Abhi chalein store room mein?" She asked after a while when Saman's cries had lowered. Saman sniffed and separated herself from her and nodded.

By the time of iftar the two had found the saree along with some other clothes of Shirin. Most of her things were distributed amongst the poor and needy but some were still there that Munazza had treasured.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" She asked, caressing the saree in her hand, making Saman nod.

"I chose this for her, after all she was going to be my dewrani–" Munazza laughed through her tears. "She loved this."

"Badi ammi–" Saman inhaled sharply and looked at her. "Can I...can I wear this on...on my nikkah?"

"Bilkul." Munazza nodded. "I will get it ready for you." She spoke with enthusiasm. Saman again hugged her and once again let her tears loose.

_____________________

"What is this?" Ahad asked, eyeing the paper Nadia had slid towards him.

"Letter for leave." She spoke, folding her hands.

"And who said I will grant this?" Ahad asked, watching her with narrowed eyes.

"You have to, I am getting married." She played along.

"And that's not my concern Miss Nadia, sure if you were getting married with your boss, then things would have been different." He spoke and looked away. Nadia didn't know if she wanted to laugh  or smack him.

"Are you proposing to an already engaged girl?" She asked stalking towards him, her lips pressed together and her eyes shone with mirth.

"I am–" Ahad again faced her. "She should leave her good for nothing fiance. I am better anyways." He smirked, rolling the pen in his hand.

"You know what I should do that. Maybe I will get leave that way ." She shrugged and forwarded her hand to get the paper only for him to grab it and pull her towards him. She almost fell on him but straightened herself immediately.

"Bohot bewafa ho tum–" Ahad whispered getting up. "Chor dogi apne fiance ko?" His eyes scanned her face with leisure as she tried to maintain her gaze.

"He's a headache." She whispered, her breath fanning his face.

"Too bad, he's not gonna leave you ever, think of him as a migraine."

"Migraine? Seriously?" Nadia laughed, throwing her head back.

"Idiot." She pushed him away lightly, making him scratch his ear with a shy smile.

"Sign kar dena, warna shadi cancel." She pointed towards the paper and walked out of his cabin.

__________________

The month of Ramzan seemed to pass in a heartbeat with every one busy in either worships or wedding chaos. Fun iftars, enjoyable but tiring shopping sprees had been the highlight of the month and soon it was already the last friday of the holy month.

After jummah prayer the ladies had gathered together for a special purpose. Saman and Nadia were to get their Eidi from their to be mother-in-laws and it was a surprise for them.

"Saman beta, come here." Nausheen's voice caught Saman's attention who was sitting alongside her cousins, clueless till now. Hesitantly she looked around and found the elders sporting a mysterious smile. With small steps she reached her chachi while her eyes kept wandering around discreetly, trying to catch any lead.

"Come sit–" Nausheen made her sit beside her. "Noor beta give that to me." She turned to Noor and spoke with an excited tone. Saman watched with narrowed eyes as Noor grinned and pulled out a package from her side.

The gears in her head had just started when Nausheen spoke,"Here's your Eidi." She was handed a beautifully packed box, making her look down at it with rounded eyes. It was her Eidi! From her sasural! Saman wanted to squeal but composed herself before her ever so dramatic reaction could come out.

"Thank you chachi." She spoke with a tiny smile.

"Here are the rest of the things, do you want to open them now?"

"Can I?" Saman's childlike excitement was evident to everyone even if she tried to sound calm and that made them chuckle. They were actually waiting for her squeals and goofy reaction,being aware of her.

"Ofcourse." Nausheen caressed her cheeks fondly.

It didn't take her much time to open the box and to say she was stunned would be an understatement. A beautiful dress was nestled in between matching bangles and jewelleries. Carefully she pulled the dress out, feeling more excited as the dusty pink anarkali suit with pink printed flowers came in her vision.

"It's so beautiful." She whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I am so glad you like it." Nausheen spoke, making her give a teary yet contented smile to her.

"I love it."

"Saman bacha, we are going to give Nadia her Eidi–"Munazza spoke after she was done checking out her Eidi."Do you want to go?"

"Yes ofcourse." Saman replied, getting up in a breath. "I will be back in a minute."

Nadia's Eidi was packed in a similar way to Saman's with a powder blue ensemble and matching jewelry. The ladies who had gone there came back after iftar and another blissful day of Ramzan passed.

__________________

Eid came bearing a bright morning and the familiar gale that had been visiting the haveli like a tradition.  It swished around, peeking at every nook and corners, played with the new curtains, teased the plants and then made its way to find and greet each member.

Passing by the living room, it received great news and twirled in happiness. The gale ruffled Ahad's hair who didn't whine this time, just smiled even more, looking away from the screen of his phone for a second where Nadia's picture was on display.

With a new found zeal, it ran again, only to bump into Zeeshan who was way too busy staring at Noor. So the gale tickled him, but he didn't budge. When it crossed paths with Fahad and Mahi, it gave them blessings for a beautiful life ahead.

Shaking hands with the aroma dancing in the kitchen the gale started to look around for a pair. The courtyard was empty, so was the backyard. They weren't in their usual meeting place, the kitchen nor were the two found in their rooms. After a lot of searching and seeking the two were found on the terrace. Away from prying eyes.

Squealing with delight the gale reached them but they were so lost in eachother that even its notorious efforts didn't bother them.

But the gale wasn't complaining, why would it? All the prayers for them to be together was finally answered, the wait perhaps was long. Too much time spent in missed chances, too many what ifs and what nots but then they did find each other.

Just where they had to, just when they were meant to.

_____________

And the story came to an end.

Just joking 😌

alot is left so stay tuned.

Assalamualaikum everyone.

How was the chapter, do tell me.