***

سجدے کیے ہیں لاکھوں لاکھوں ںدعائیں 
مانگی پایا ہے مہینے پھر تجھے

Sajde kiye hain laakhon,
Laakhon duaein mangi
Paya hai maine phir tujhe

***

The wait was over.

Now that Eid was a week old affair, it was finally time for the shenanigans of weddings in Shah Gharana to start. Needless to say, it was going to be chaotic, exhilarating and delightful.

One fine day, before eid, the elders of the family had sat down to decide when and how the functions for both the wedding was going to happen. And surprisingly, this time it did not take them much time to come to a conclusion.

It was decided that Ahad and Nadia's function was to happen first and then Saman and Armaan's. Their walima's were to be held together.

Saman did create a mild fuss on this though. Being her confused self she had two problems, one was that she didn't want to get married before Ahad and the other was that she wanted to fully enjoy his wedding.

It was given that her first problem wasn't a problem in the first place as Ahad had grinned widely at her and said that he was already ready to get hitched first. But her second problem was unsolvable, as she was going to be a bride herself and according to Munazza , brides shouldn't 'jump around'.

It took a lot of convincing and pleading and emotional drama to get Munazza on board, well not fully. She agreed to let her be present in the function which she already was going to attend but the condition was that she would be silent and calm.

Saman had no other option but to agree.

It was Nadia's haldi function today so the ladies of the haveli had already gone there while the men were about to leave. But, there was a certain someone who was forbidden to even leave the premises of the haveli, let alone go there.

"What am I supposed to do here all alone?" He whined, throwing his hands up. Zeeshan watched him with a straight face.

"I fail to see how that is any of my concern." His voice sounded dead.

"Zeeshan bhai, how can you be so cruel? Do you remember how I helped you when it was your time?" Ahad stalked towards him with his brows furrowed in a comical way. 

"I don't remember anything except that you and my good for nothing Sale sahab had troubled me the whole day." Zeeshan placed his hands on Ahad's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "So I can't help." He gave a tight lipped smile but his eyes were so full of mirth.

"Go then, I am fine on my own." Ahad spoke and walked back to his bed. He could obviously spend a few hours here.

"Good for you, bye."

____________________

Nadia's function was arranged in the living room of her house and it was blooming with people and marigolds. A small white sofa was set at a corner with a green and yellow backdrop appropriate for the haldi ceremony. Ladies were sitting around on the mattresses that were set on the ground and singing songs along with playing a dholak.

Nestled in between cushions and lathered in turmeric ubtan Nadia was beaming with joy. Her mustard yellow anarkali dress complimented her impeccably and intensified the glow on her face. Her hands were adorned with flower corsage and matching bangles. She would smile shyly at the teasing, it was new but a pleasant sight for everyone around her.

"Don't move from here, Saman , okay?" Munazza warned a sulking Saman again, making her pout, but nod nevertheless. What other choice did she have? It was already a miracle how she was able to come here, given that she herself was going to be a bride in just a few days. Munazza had put a condition that she was not to move an inch and just sit quietly. Because people will talk!

When do they not talk?

She groaned, earning a giggle from beside her. Giving a side eye to Nadia she huffed and started sulking even more.

"Look at those two, how much fun they are having." Saman spoke in a low voice that only Nadia could hear. Nadia nodded, her eyes watching Mansha and Sara sing their hearts out.

"Don't worry darling, once the guests leave, we are going to have a blast." Nadia flicked her nose with a grin.

"What kind of blast?" Saman sat up straight, attentive to her now.

"Come here." Nadia spoke, making Saman lean towards her. "Umair and Uzair told me they have planned something."

"Yaar Nadia!" Saman exclaimed, backing away. Nadia gestured to her to keep quiet.

"Kya hi kar lenge wo dono?" Saman grumbled and went back to sulking. Nadia just shook her head. Well technically, Umair and Uzair could only do so much.

Once the function ended and the guests started to leave Nadia was allowed to go back to her room and clean up, Saman, Mansha and Sara followed her.

"Saman I warn you–" Nadia threw her dupatta on the bed. "Don't do your function, it's so tiring!" With that she sat on the bed with a plop.

"Nadia aapi, Saman can handle any amount of exhaustion for her function, she's been dreaming of this day from forever." Sara spoke through her giggles earning a pillow on her face from Saman.

"Arey...don't ruin my room!" But were they going to listen? Absolutely not. Mansha watched Sara and Saman fighting and walked towards Nadia who looked concerned about her room the most.

"Let me help you aapi, leave these idiots." She spoke, making Nadia give her a soft smile. Once Nadia went to take a shower Saman and Sara stopped fighting and gestured to Mansha who nodded and almost ran out of the room.

"Is everything done?" Sara asked as Mansha came back after a while making her nod enthusiastically. Saman giggled and shared a look with Sara. They sobered up hearing the bathroom's door open.

"God I needed that so much." Nadia spoke as she came out and made her way towards her dresser.

"Nadia have you eaten anything?" Saman asked.

"No, I don't have an appetite."

"What do you mean, we can't leave the bride hungry can we?" Saman spoke walking to her with Sara and soon Nadia was being flanked by both of them out of the room.

"Where are you taking me? Ammi won't like me roaming like this." She said, looking between them but they ignored her as if she wasn't even there and she could swear she saw an evil smile on their faces.

"Saman Sara, I am asking something!"

"Just a  moment Naddo."

"Why are we here?" Nadia asked as they made their way towards the terrace.

"We are planning to push you off the terrace." Saman turned towards her and spoke staring straight in her eyes, her voice low and cold.

"What are you–"

Before Nadia could complete her sentence the terrace's door was thrown open and noises of confetti popper rang in the air.

"Surprise!" Umair and Uzair jumped in front of her with the popper and again popped some more confettis.

"You guys–" Nadia looked around with disbelief and surprise, finding her cousins standing infront of a small decorated area.

A few mattresses were laid in a corner with a felt banner tied to the railing behind saying 'bride to be'. Nadia could easily tell by the wavy lines and messy paints that it was written by the twins themselves. She chuckled walking towards them and spotted a cake placed at a side.

"Thank you guys." She spoke, holding her tears behind a small smile.

"Don't cry aapi, not now, we don't have time for it. The cake's icing will melt by the time you stop." Uzair joked earning a smack on his arm by Umair.

"Idiot, speak to her nicely." Umair mumbled,loud enough for all of them to hear.

"Nadia these idiots did the whole planning themselves–" Ehteshaam spoke as she sat down with the rest.

"Obviously we couldn't expect anything from you." Zeeshan commented with a  scoff.

"Phir shuru ho gaye tum?" Ehtesham punched him in his arm making Zeeshan raise his hand in counter back but before that Uzair interrupted

"Cake cut kar le pehle?" He yelled, making the two back away and nod.

"Kids are better than you two." Armaan spoke, earning a death glare.

________________

Tossing his phone on the bed, Ahad slumped beside it, again. It had been some two hours to them being gone yet it was feeling like eons.

He shouldn't be facing this problem but he was unable to divert his mind from there. He wanted to go out but his friends were all busy, and his cousins had abandoned him. It did come to his mind to rebell and go to the function, well what will they do once he has reached, throw him out? But knowing how the lot was he knew they wouldn't leave this chance. So to maintain his dignity he decided not to do that.

Everything around him, that once was enough for him to pass days without being bored, was proving to be of no use at this moment. He tried to play games, got distracted and lost, multiple times. Music and food did help him to pass an hour, when he had  nothing he tried to do work. And that's when he stopped and questioned his mental state.

"Oh come on bro, you have so many movies with you." He spoke to himself and the next hour went by in entertaining himself with his impeccable movie's collection.

But, all of it came crashing down when he heard his phone ringing continuously with notifications of messages. The messages weren't just simple text but pictures of their cousin group, and pictures of what? Nadia's bridal shower?

He felt the bed beneath him slipping, the sky falling on his head and the flame on the tv screen engulfing his entire self.

"How dare they?" he whispered, gritting his teeth.

He felt the sense of betrayal so strong that even Julius Caesar hadn't felt.

The little party they arranged was not the problem, in fact he was happy seeing Nadia happy but how dare they ignore him. He could understand why he was not allowed to the function but this? Wasn't he also a cousin of Nadia before her fiance.

And didn't he deserve to get this treatment too? Wasn't he also getting married?

A few minutes later to his mental breakdown he picked up his phone again to type a message and sent it within a blink of an eye. They could surely enjoy all they want. Be it rage, or be it jealousy, but it did help him sleep.

While on the other side of the town, the people on a terrace looked at each other as they all received a message, well emoji to be precise.

A clapping emoji.

Enough for them to understand what the sender was saying.

__________

Next day was pretty much relaxed for Nadia and her family as it was Mehndi's day, which Nadia wished to be kept intimate. But in haveli, it was the stark opposite. A cold war was going on between the groom and his cousins, the tension so thick that even a knife wouldn't be able to cut it.

"Ahad can you see this for a moment." Fahad called as soon as he entered the living room, after sulking in his abode for the whole morning. He glanced at his brother and then scanned the people around him. It seemed like they were busy on their own, and Fahad had a file in his hand. Ahad's mind gave that a green flag and he walked towards Fahad.

"What happened ?" He asked, sitting beside Ahad, in between him and Armaan. He frowned as to why Armaan and Fahad were sitting together on a small couch but he didn't think too much. Too bad, he should have.

"What's happened is that you mister groom–" Fahad wrapped his arm around his shoulder in a tight grip. "Are acting like a baby." Armaan spoke and held his hands in his clutch.

Ahad's eyes widened and he looked around frantically, only to find everybody facing him. He landed himself in a trap. The moment it hit him he started wiggling but Fahad and Armaan's hold was enough to fail his plan of running away.

"Leave me Fahad Bhai." He spoke through clenched teeth but Fahad just smiled in return.

"Why are you angry Ahad bhai?" Sara asked.

"Why would I be angry?" Ahad's tone had a bite to it and even a stranger could tell he was angry.

"Did you want a bridal shower too?" Zeeshan asked, suppressing his laughter, making Ahad glare at him.

"Ahad we didn't want to upset the elders that's why we couldn't call you." Noor was quick to launch in damage control.

"Yeah right?" Ahad rolled his eyes, still wriggling.

"Enough of this petulance Ahad–" Fahad spoke, releasing him but he didn't run, hearing his tone.

"You are always quick to judge, what makes you think that we will not think about you?" He asked.

"Who said I was thinking that?" Ahad tried his best to hide his embarrassment at being caught.

"Have you seen your face?" Zeeshan asked, earning a slap on his arm from Noor. "I mean anybody could tell by your face."

"And as Noor said we couldn't upset the elders, it wasn't just our family there but their guests too and they wouldn't have appreciated your presence there. This whole arrangement was done by the twins and we didn't know about it until we reached there." Armaan explained. Ahad understood the point but he did feel betrayed last night.

"So, dulhe sahab go and get ready."

"For what?" Ahad grumbled under his breath.

"For your bridal shower." Zeeshan spoke bursting into laughter at his own joke, only to receive a stare from everyone.

And then Ahad got his bachelor party, or bridal shower, as Zeeshan insisted on calling it.

_________

"Nadia–" a whisper echoed in her ear, breaking the reverie she was lost in. "Here." A pen was forwarded towards her.

Nadia took the paper in her hand, and inhaled deeply. She felt much calmer as compared to when she was asked to give consent. Taking the pen from Ehteshaam she signed the paper, a sense of relief coursed through her entire self making her send a prayer of gratification.

Her father caressed her head lovingly with a teary smile while Ehteshaam gave her a nod and she gave them a small smile in return.

It was done, she was now married.

To Ahad, it was both hilarious and unbelievable. If someone was to tell her younger self that this was going to happen, she would have slapped that person. But here she was, sitting amongst her loved ones, preparing herself to lead her whole life with someone whom she couldn't even once spend one minute with.

She wanted to laugh at the absurdity but more than that she wanted to cry in happiness. She had never thought that the hidden prayers that she wouldn't even dare to whisper to herself were now answered.

Once the guest left her room, Nadia didn't wait to offer shukrana salah, and once she was done she was brought out in the living room. Where he was already waiting.

She could see his grin even from the top of the stairs. Mansha, Sara and Saman were standing beside him, saying something to him that was making him laugh and it made her smile too. She was surely a gone case.

Umair, Uzair, and Ehteshaam were holding the chaddar on her head as she made her way to him with slow steps. He stood up, seeing her making her look down, too nervous to make eye contact.

The small stage set up in the living room was just a few steps ahead yet she felt it was miles away.

Ahad's eyes never left her all the while she walked towards him. Clad in the red dress, she wasn't just Nadia now, she was his wife, Nadia. His wife, and Nadia felt good in a sentence...too good

The moment she sat beside him Ahad felt his breath getting stuck somewhere. It felt so right, so  much that he felt his eyes getting moist with emotions. He looked at Nadia from his periphery and silently sent numerous prayers for her.

"Han to Ahad bhai, nikalein paise." Sara spoke, breaking their bubble.

"Tum kyu mang rahi ho?" He asked.

"Bhai here, I am her sister and when we will be back at haveli I will be your sister. Right, Saman?"

"Absolutely right, now take out the cash." Saman said, forwarding her hand.

"Ye lo." Ahad said, handing them the envelope he had prepared beforehand. The girls were surely caught by surprise.

"Saman check karlo." Sara nudged Saman and once they were satisfied, the three grinned and walked down.

The rest of time went by in fun rituals and a lot of teasing. The rukhsati was an emotional yet calm moment. She was sent from one home to another.

"Chalo ab nikalo paise." Sara spoke  blocked Ahad from entering his room.

"Ye kya baat baat pe bheek mangne lagti ho?" He asked, flicking her head. Sara slapped his hand away and glare at him

"Rasm hai bhai, if you won't empty your pocket we will not let you enter." She spoke, making her partners nod enthusiastically.

"Ammi, what is this now? I already gave them a hefty sum." Ahad whined looking at his mother.

"They were your sisters-in-law there, here they are your sisters. You have to treat both equally." Munazza spoke with a teasing smile.

"Achi loot machi hai." He groaned.

"Bete, they didn't even leave me, why do you think they will leave you." Zeeshan said ruffling his hair, making Ahad frown.

"Okay fine, I will give it tomorrow. I don't have cash now." Ahad said.

"Nope, we will not wait for tomorrow–" Saman said. "Sara,  where is his phone?"

"I have it." Sara replied with a grin.

"Pay us online, rest we will handle." Saman smirked.

"Yaar!" He groaned, making the rest laugh at his expense.

"Acha lao." He said,make Sara hand him the phone, and in the next few minutes he became broke. The three literally looted him.

Ahad exhaled sharply, leaning against the closed door. His eyes wandered around the minimalist decorations of his room and then landed on her who was already looking at him. She looked breathtaking, her minimal makeup and gold jewelry was making her look ethereal. Especially that nath which caught his attention the most. She raised his brows at him, making him smirk.

Nadia stepped down seeing him walk towards her and the moment she stood up he marched towards her and threw his arms around her.

"Ahad–" she gasped as she almost lost her balance but he had held her tightly.

"You don't know how much I have waited for this.” Ahad whispered against her neck and parted after a while. His eyes scanned her face hastily, trying to take every miniscule detail of the moment in, while his hands caressed her back with utmost softness. Nadia encircled her arms around his shoulder and gently placed her head on his chest.

"I know." She whispered against his heart making a shiver run down his spine.

Ahad closed his eyes and pulled her closer to him. For the next few moments or hours, he was clutching her to him, breathing in the proximity, absorbing the reality that was so beautiful it could marvel any dream.

_________

Assalamualaikum everyone.

How was the chapter?

Now it's time for ArSam's wedding but for that yoy guys have to be a little patient.

Thank you for reading and bearing with my weird updating schedules.

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