Ishq

Saiyyan|13

Murtasim looked around and realised that none of his relatives were invited. The party was filled with Bashar's friends, he stood up and walked towards his mother, "Ammi... humarey guests kidhar hai?"

Gul e Rana looked at him she was already seething with rage, "Kaise guests?"

"Friends aur relatives, mera valimah hai Ammi unke bina kaise accha lagega", he didn't understand why his mother was glaring at him, but her next words gave it away.

"Ye ladki ko tum aaj talaq dogey, aur isko apne chalak baap k ghar wapas bhejogey samajh aayi?"

He frowned, looking at Mahjabeen sitting beside Maheer as they conversed he didn't understand what the problem was, and why did his mother resent her so much.

"Aap kaisi behki behki baatein kar rahi hai?"

"Sach bol rahi woh do takke ki ladki ko mai ek din bardasht nahi karungi", with that, she stormed off. Murtasim stood there, confused, unable to understand what was up with her sudden mood swings.

Asif joined the party, his hair gelled back, with his signature suit and moustache. His eyes fell on the stage, and he looked at the woman who could have been his 'wife'.

Mahjabeen tumhe paakar rahunga mai...

Usama who sat beside Maheer smiled at Mahjabeen, "Salam badey din baad dikh rahey ho."

"Aaj hi toh miley they parking lot mai", Maheer eyed the two trying to explain this to herself that this was normal. They can have conversation, although Usama loved Mahjabeen. She saw the look in his eyes and couldn't help but grab his attention.

"Usama paani lau na," she said, and he stood up, "Ji aur kuch?"

"Nahi bas stage pe baithe baithe gala sukh gaya", he went down the stage and Maheer quickly moved to his seat which was beside Mahjabeen. "Selfie le saath me?" She asked Mahjabeen, who nodded her head, "Mai caption daalu kya 'meri behen'?"

Maheer looked at her face and wanted to pull her cheeks, "Daaldo meri jaan, accha usse pehle kuch acchi pictures lete. Ye dekho aise pout banao".

After several clicks, the two posted the best one and started talking about the food. Maheer realised how similar they were. She could relate to Mahjabeen.

Asif came with a photographer, "meri ek tasveer khichana meri bahu ke saath", he sat at the place Murtasim was supposed to, "Aap tasveer Murtasim aayega tab uske saath ikhatey khichwayegana".

"Photo khichwaaney aaya hu tumhare saath. Aur please mujhe 'aap' kehkar na bulana, mere naam se pukarna, Asif. Haan?"

Mahjabeen felt extremely awkward. Maheer was busy talking to Usama, so she didn't see the tension between the two, "Ji." She said.

"Ek aur kheecho, mai tumhara ghungat uthaata hu," Mahjabeen was done. Something was off. She didn't like his closeness. She stood up, "Mai Murtasim ko dekh kar aati."

She made a narrow escape, Mahjabeen searched everywhere, but it seemed he wasn't in the hall. Then her eyes went to the food section, "Biryani..."

She ran to the Biryani section and brought a plate full of Biryani, finding a seat. She started eating it, "Ya Allah aisi Biryani k liye mai roz nikkah karlu."

People were looking at the bride eating with the guests, talking about her, but she didn't care. It was just her and her Biryani.

"Mahjabeen!" She heard a familiar voice, her mother, "Ammi tu aagyi?" Her voice got emotional. She never thought after everything that happened. After everything she said, her mother would come to her valimah.