Chapter Eleven
"Good morning, Mr. Khan."
Asad's pace slowed for a second, and he was vaguely aware that everyone in the office was trying their best not to stare at him. The offices of Khan & Malik Software were situated on the top floor of one of the tallest buildings in the city. . Asad and Samar knew they'd made it the day they were able to purchase, staff, and run this office ten years ago.
"Morning, Ann," Asad said with a nod, and resumed his fast pace towards Samar's office. He gave a knock and walked in without waiting for a response. His friend looked up from his computer monitor, his mouth dropping open.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"Nice to see you too." Samar's office was next to his and nearly identical. A massive, modern mix of glass and steel with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the city's skyline.
Asad sat down across from Samar's desk with a thud, tossing his briefcase on the leather chair beside him. His friend continued to stare at him as though he'd grown a second head. Much like everyone had outside.
"It's December. You're never here," Samar said, frowning.
"Oh, that," he said flatly. "I'm back because I'm getting married tomorrow."
Samar shook his head and gave him a nervous laugh. "Sorry, I could have sworn you just told me you're getting married."
Asad sighed and stretched out his legs on Samar's desk, crossing them at the ankles. This was going to be fun. "You heard right. Tomorrow. Getting married."
Samar leaned forward. "You are getting married?"
"Yup," Asad said, noticing the interesting way the snow was falling in the windows behind Samar. Funny, he'd never really noticed that. Had snow always looked that good from this high up?
"To who?"
"Someone I met."
"Did something happen to you? You are Asad Ahmad Khan, right? Cold, self-centered, egotistical?"
"Hey, hey," he said holding up his hands. "Take it easy there. I'm not cold."
"Is it too early to drink?" Samar mumbled walking toward the bar. Asad wasn't sure if he should laugh, be insulted, or join him.
He waited for Samar to sit back down. "Call Ann in here, would you?"
"Why?" Samar said, looking even more worried than before. He noticed Samar had opted for coffee instead of alcohol.
"I need her help with the wedding details," Asad said, glancing down at his phone. He kept expecting Zoya to phone him saying she'd changed her mind.
Samar swore loudly. "Wedding planning?"
Asad scowled at his tone. "Yes. Either you get Ann in here or I will."
Samar rested his elbows on the desk. "First, you tell me what woman on earth agreed to marry you."
"You'll meet her tomorrow."
"Why am I meeting her tomorrow?" Samar groaned, massaging his temples.
"Because that's the wedding," Asad said with a rough sigh. Samar gave him a look he'd never seen before and then marched back to the bar, this time reaching for the scotch instead of the coffee.
"Listen, buddy, you've been gone for a little over a week into your yearly three week pity-party""
Asad held up a hand. "It's not a pity-party. It's a man-cation."
Samar gave him a long look. "Whatever makes you feel better. So, now you're back early, and you're telling me that you, the man that doesn't date the same woman more than three times, is getting married. Tomorrow. And this woman entrusted you to the wedding planning."
So maybe it sounded a little out of character for him. Asad shrugged. "Change of plans."
"At least tell me how you met."
"She showed up at my door."
"He ignored Samar's loud curse. "And so you decided to marry the first woman that knocked on the door of that godforsaken cabin in the middle of nowhere? Did it ever occur to you that she's after your money? I hope you've had the common sense to have a pre-nup drawn. What kind of woman goes knocking on a stranger's door?"
Asad leaned forward. "A very good woman, that's who. She's a social worker."
Samar let out a huge sigh. "Oh, so she was there to council you."
"Not funny. Look. Long story short. My sister had"" Asad cleared his throat past the odd lump that formed in his throat whenever he thought of Najma and Lily. "My sister had a baby before she died. And this woman"Zoya"was Najma's social worker. The most sure way for me to gain custody of the baby is by getting married." Samar knew all about his screwed up family, including his relationship with Najma. Asad shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Any sympathy from Samar would be revolting and awkward.
Samar looked up from his empty glass, and whispered hoarsely, "You're going to be a father, too?"
Asad swore under his breath and leaned forward, pressing the button on Samar's phone to connect him with Ann. This conversation had gone on long enough.
Ann marched brusquely into the room. "Mr. Khan, how nice to see you this time of year," she said, sitting opposite him, notepad on her lap.
Asad noted how formal and stiff her posture was. Did he make her nervous? Come to think of it, everyone around here was that way with him. When had that happened? Sure, Samar had always been the easier going of the two of them, but when had people actually become intimidated by him?
"Thanks, Ann. Nice to see you as well. I have an odd project I need your help with," he said, trying to sound relaxed and pleasant as she set her pen to ready position, her head tilted in his direction.
"I'm getting married tomorrow." Asad paused as Ann's wrist jerked to the side and drew a jagged line across the blank page. She quickly blushed and looked up, turning the page. Asad ignored Samar's not-so-subtle laugh and continued. "I need some help with the details."
Ann nodded, looking panicked.
"This is the address," he said, handing her a slip of paper. "I need lots and lots of white and red roses. And green Christmas bushy type things."
Ann looked up at him in terror. Asad tried to smile. "I trust you, Ann. Something nice."
She nodded slowly, her eyes darting toward Samar. Samar held up his hands and leaned back in his chair.
"Oh, and what are those branch things, with red berries on them?"
"Um, I think you mean hollies, Mr. Ahmad Khan."
Asad snapped his fingers. "Yes, perfect. Some of those too. And candles," Asad said, again ignoring the loud noises coming from Samar's direction.
"Does Ann need to get the wedding dress too?" Samar drawled."
"Asad scowled at him. "No, I'm getting that myself."
"Oh my God," Samar said, shaking his head.
"Lastly, I need you to track down this couple near my cabin. Last name D'Costa. Make sure they are at the wedding. Get a car for them or something. I don't think they can get there on a sleigh."
"What the hell went on at that cabin?" Samar roared.
Ann looked nervously back and forth between them. Asad ignored him.
"The wedding is at five o'clock. Okay? Got everything you need?"
Ann nodded slowly, and Asad could tell she was trying her best not to ask any questions.
"Oh, Ann, one more thing. Did you give a woman my address to my cabin?"
Ann's white face went bright red, and her chin wavered. "I, uh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Khan. She was so persuasive and she said that it was a matter of life or death."
Asad swallowed his laugh. "Yes, I'm familiar with that line. It's all right. Thanks for your help, Ann," he said, rising and walking across the room. He had a ton of stuff to get done today, he thought, mentally checking the tell Samar item off his list. He stopped at the door and looked back at his friend and Ann.
"Ann, give everyone the day off tomorrow."
Ann looked from him to Samar, her mouth hanging open. Samar just shrugged.
"Samar, make sure you're at that address by four o'clock tomorrow. You're my best man." With that he walked out of his office.
...
"I can't believe you're getting married," Nikhat said as Zoya slipped on her ivory heels in front of the full-length mirror at the entrance of her home.
Zoya shook her head. "Neither can I." She hadn't been able to sleep at all last night. All she could think about was her sham of a marriage that was about to happen. Of course, she understood they really had no choice if they wanted to adopt Lily.
Did the thought of being Asad Ahmad Khan's wife send a tingle up her spine? Well, yeah, fine. But that still didn't mean they were destined for a life-long marriage. She glanced over at Lily, who stared at her, sucking her pink pacifier. She smiled at the baby, laughing as Lily smiled back and the pacifier popped out. Looking at the adorable baby she had no doubts"she was about to secure Lily a real home. She was about to do what no one had ever been willing to do for her, and nothing, nothing mattered more than that.
"I didn't know Lily was coming with us," Nikhat said, crouching down to tickle Lily's toes.
"Neither did I. Mrs. Singh called this morning, saying that Asad had asked her if Lily could come to the wedding."
"Wow, she agreed on such short notice?" Nikhat asked, rising.
"He can be very persuasive," Zoya said, smoothing her hand over her simple winter-white suit. She bit on her lower lip as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked like a woman about to attend a business meeting. Sure, her hair looked okay, she left it loose and allowed it to tumble naturally around her shoulders. That had nothing to do with the fact that she couldn't stop thinking about Asad running his fingers through her hair. And the extra dab of lip gloss? Merely for the moisture protection against the harsh winter wind.
"And extremely hot," Nikhat said with a smirk.
Zoya refused to take the bait. She was already feeling torn"if Nikhat detected a glitch in her armor she was done for. "Who, Asad? I guess if you're into that sort of look."
"Uh, if you're a living, breathing woman you'd be into that look. Don't even try to deny you're attracted to him, Zoya. You never did tell me what went on at that cabin."
Zoya frowned. "I spent all my time trying to convince him to adopt Lily. I told you, we are only doing this for Lily. That's it."
"Mm-hmm," Nikhat said, her sly smile turning into a wide, I-don't-believe-one-word-of-this grin.
"I barely even know the man," Zoya said, grabbing her purse and avoiding eye contact.
"Really? It certainly looked like you two knew each other, I mean the way he gallantly rescued you."
"He rescued his niece. That's it."
"I know you, Zoya. There's way more going on here," Nikhat said, the teasing in her voice gone.
Zoya tucked her hair behind her ear. "I don't know what to tell you. He's different from anyone I've ever met. And he's got major issues. But there's something," she said, trying to put into words something she really didn't understand herself. "He makes me feel safe and scared at the same time. That sounds crazy, doesn't it?"
"No, that kind of sounds like love," Nikhat whispered.
Zoya brushed off the notion. She couldn't love anyone like that and she was wise enough to know that no one would love her like that. Her dreams of happily-ever-after, they were only that"dreams.
Gravel crinkling under the weight of an approaching car allowed Zoya to escape any more questions. Nikhat's eyes locked on hers like a deadbolt before running over to the window, pushing aside the curtain. "Well, well, a black Audi stretch limo."
Zoya swallowed nervously and felt her face getting warm. Had Asad done that? He hadn't told her he'd be sending a limo.
"Now I wonder who could have done that? The tall, dark, handsome man who's about to be your husband?" Nikhat asked, tapping her manicured finger on her chin, not even trying to contain her grin. "And here comes the driver." Nikhat whipped open the front door before the man could ring the bell.
"Ms. Faaroqui?" the straight-faced man asked to neither lady in particular.
"She's right over there," Nikhat said, holding the door open even wider.
"Yes," Zoya said with a glare at Nikhat.
"I'm here to take you to the chapel," he said graciously, extending his arm in the direction of the waiting limo.
Zoya's eyes darted from the shiny black limo to the man. "Chapel?" They were supposed to meet at Court. As if sensing Zoya's confusion the driver slipped an envelope out of the interior pocket of his pristine black coat.
"Ms. Faaroqui, this is from Mr. Khan," he said with a smile, handing her the white envelope.
Zoya gave her friend a shake of the head and turned around for privacy. Thick, black bold script stood out on the pristine white card.
Zoya, change of plans. Meet me at the chapel instead. Asad.
And then, as if he anticipated her reaction, he had scribbled "Please" underneath. Zoya felt her heartbeat begin to race. Marrying at a chapel instead of Court was starting to sound much more like a real wedding than merely a formality. Why would he do this? Why wasn't he keeping this a simple business arrangement like they'd planned? She clutched the note until the corners began to curl. Fear held her prisoner, shackled her feet to the floor, burying her in quicksand filled with dire warnings.
"So, let's go get this sham of a marriage done, huh, Zoya," Nikhat said with a laugh, jolting Zoya back to the moment. She blinked, forcing herself to move. Nikhat grabbed Lily inside the car seat and dragged Zoya onto the front porch.
"Not funny, Nikhat." She silently cursed Asad as they followed the driver to the waiting limo. Maybe she could try texting him on the way to the chapel, demanding some sort of explanation. And then she realized she didn't even have his number. Who gets married to someone when you don't even have their cell phone number?
"Stop panicking and get in the limo," her friend said laughing, while Zoya stood beside the car. Zoya nodded. She was setting herself up for heartbreak, she realized as she sank into the plush leather seats of the limo.
...
A little over an hour and what felt like five hundred questions later, the limousine purred to a stop outside a white, clapboard chapel. It was nestled in the countryside, surrounded by snowy hills and towering trees, whose branches were heavy with mounds of snow. Even though they were only half an hour north of the city, it felt as though they were miles away. The area wasn't familiar at all, Zoya thought, looking through the windows. There were three vehicles in the parking lot. The only one she could identify was Asad's Range Rover.
"How pretty. This is right out of a painting," Nikhat whispered, her face practically pressed against the window.
They stepped out onto the freshly shoveled and salted pathway that led up to the chapel. Zoya grew more and more apprehensive with every step they took. The driver held open the door of the chapel and Zoya's breath caught in her throat and she had to set the car seat down. She really didn't know Asad Ahmad Khan at all.
White and red roses and sprigs of holly and cedar in elegant silver buckets lined the aisle and adorned the altar. Candelabras and votives with ivory candles cast a warm, romantic glow. The tiny church was at least a hundred years old, simple but nostalgic and charming, and utterly breathtaking.
"This way, ladies," a woman called out to them, and Zoya tore her eyes from the empty altar in the direction of the voice. A woman she didn't recognize smiled at them as though they'd all been lifelong friends. Elderly and stately she waved them over to a room at the end of a corridor.
"Let's go," Nikhat said, grabbing her hand and the baby, as though she knew Zoya was ready to bolt for the door. "We'd better hurry," Nikhat whispered, a smile in her voice. "The wedding that's purely a formality looks as though it's going to start soon."
Zoya felt a knot begin to form in her stomach. She couldn't do this. She couldn't go through with a pretend marriage that looked so...real. This wasn't Court; this was where two people who were in love got married.
They followed the old woman into a small room. The smell of roses made it feel as though they were in a garden on a warm July afternoon. There were dozens of them in silver bucket vases. Zoya's panic level got close to a breaking point. The woman stood in the center of the room and smiled at her.
"Hello, ladies, my name is Mary, and I'm Minister's wife," she said. "He will be performing the ceremony today."
"Hello," Zoya and Nikhat said in unison. Zoya felt like they were two children as they both let the woman take charge.
"Oh my God," Nikhat gasped, clutching Zoya's arm and pointing toward something.
There was a dress, no a gown. There was an ivory beaded, full length gown hanging on a mahogany cheval mirror. Zoya's eyes lingered over the exquisite beading that twinkled under the lights, noting the graceful flow, the obvious hand-detailing. It was, simply put, the most exquisite thing she'd ever laid eyes on."
"Oh my God," Nikhat said again.
"What is this?" Zoya whispered, walking towards the gown, feeling something like a cross between Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland. Zoya reached out to feel the silk and beads crunch lightly between her fingertips. She quickly dropped her hand, feeling guilty, like a child caught stealing from the cookie jar. Perhaps it was that bit of little girl in her, the one who had never been given anything so special by anyone, or maybe it was the woman in her, the one who never thought she'd ever wear a dress like this. It felt too good for her.
...
"I can't wear this," Zoya said, shaking her head. She wasn't going to play whatever game Asad had going on. She couldn't pretend to be a real bride.
"My dear, would you mind letting the groom know that you and Zoya have arrived?" the minister's wife said with a calm smile as she nudged Nikhat out of the room. Nikhat, for the first time since Zoya had met her, actually didn't have anything to say. Mary shut the door and turned to look at Zoya.
Zoya shook her head when the woman approached her.
"I need to speak with Asad, this wasn't what I agreed to""
"I've known Asad since he was a baby," Mary said. She closed the distance between them, a serene smile in place, and began unbuttoning Zoya's dress. Zoya was too shocked by the woman's boldness to say anything. The woman had a very authoritative presence, but also calming, soothing.
"He always came here with his mother and sister," she said, draping Zoya's dress over an armchair. Zoya tried to picture Asad as a child. "He always held his mother's hand and helped with his little sister. He was such a handsome little thing even then, big brown eyes.. Sometimes his eyes twinkled with mischief, but when his mother got sick, they lost their spark." Zoya felt a lump start in her throat and didn't protest when the woman began taking off her dress.
"His mother was a wonderful woman"strong and kind and loving. She loved her children with everything she had, right up until the end. And you know, Asad," she whispered, and Zoya could have sworn she saw the woman blink back tears as she helped Zoya out of her clothes. Zoya held her breath, barely caring that she stood in the room in only her underclothes. Mary took the gown off the hanger. "Asad would walk his mother in here.. And when she was too sick to walk, he would wheel her in, holding his sister's hand at the same time." She slipped the gown over Zoya's head with a cool swoosh of silk, but Zoya barely noticed while she listened, trying to process this glimpse into Asad's past. The woman zipped up the dress in a swift, gentle motion and Zoya felt it cling as though it had been custom made for her.
"The last time I saw Asad was at his mother's funeral. Only ten years old, and I'll never forget his face that day. Buckets of tears poured from his eyes, but he didn't utter a sound, just held his sister. That was the last time I saw him, until the other night, when he knocked on my door, telling me about you, about Lily, about his sister."
The woman slowly turned Zoya around to face the full-length mirror. She held Zoya's gaze in the mirror, her eyes sincere. "He told me how brave you are, that you were very special," she whispered softly, smiling gently as Zoya's eyes filled with tears. Asad had said that about her? She barely even recognized her reflection. Who was this woman with emotion glittering her eyes, making them sparkle and shine? And the dress... The straps sat on her bare shoulders and highlighted her creamy skin, the front of the gown dipped low, much lower than she would have dared, but she had to admit looked good as it clung to curves she normally kept hidden. It fit her waist like a glove and then slowly tapered out to a flowing A-line. Asad had chosen this for her?
"You look wonderful, my dear." The woman beamed and Zoya truly felt like Cinderella at that moment. Would it be so bad to allow herself this fantasy? Would it be so horrible to enjoy this gorgeous gown? She thought of the night in her room, when he'd whispered to her, I've never had so much respect for another human being...marry me tomorrow, Zoya. She felt a delicious shiver tease her bare arms. She was fooling herself if she thought they were doing this purely for business.
"And this adorable little baby," she said kneeling down in front of Lily, "this must be Najma's little girl." The baby stared at her, wide-eyed, blue eyes fixed on the woman's smile. And when Zoya thought that Asad couldn't do anything else to surprise her, Mary opened the small closet behind Lily and took out an angelic ivory silk dress with tiny pink rosebuds around the waist.
"This is what Asad picked out for this little dear," she said, holding the dress out to Zoya.
"Asad picked this for her?"
Mary nodded. "Yes, he picked them both out. He said when he saw your dress in the window of the custom shop he knew it was you. He was a little hesitant about Lily's dress, asking me if it was the right size." Mary was already unclasping Lily's seatbelt in the car seat, as if she knew Zoya was incapable of moving.
"I don't know what he's doing," Zoya whispered, not really to anyone.
"Asad knows exactly what he's doing, Zoya. You are what he needs, my dear," the woman said with a reassuring smile, standing and holding Lily in her arms. "And soon you'll realize that Asad is exactly what you need."
...
Asad felt nerves...no, fear, for the first time in a long, long time as he stood at the altar. Would Zoya tell him to go to hell? Did she walk out of here as soon as she realized he'd changed plans on her? Would she like the dress?
That day after he dropped Zoya off at home, as he drove back into the city, he couldn't shake the feeling that getting married at Court was wrong. For Zoya it was wrong. He wanted her to have everything, the best of everything. After what she'd told him at her house, about her past, he wanted her to feel special. He tried hard to tell himself that it was merely attraction to a beautiful woman, but he knew it was a lie. If that were true he wouldn't have contacted the Minister.. He wouldn't have bought the dress that he knew would fit Zoya like a glove, because he'd memorized every single inch, every luscious curve of her body. He wouldn't have picked the only chapel that held such significance to him. He never would have let her into this part of his past.
"Asad, man, you look like you're about to hurl." Samar laughed, slapping him on the back. Asad bit back a curse as he glared at the man he considered his best friend. Samar, it seemed, had gotten over his shock since yesterday. Today he was just overly irritating, asking him questions involving feelings. He wasn't about to enter into that discussion with a guy who had an even worse record with women than he did.
"I'm not going to hurl, you idiot," he said, straightening his tie, wondering if that was what the unsettled feeling in his stomach meant.
His friend rolled back and forth on his heels, way too happily. "Have you been drinking?"
Samar scowled at him. "No. But who are those people that keep waving at you?" Samar whispered under his breath.
Asad forced a smile and waved at Mr. And Mrs. D'Costa. "Friends of the bride."
"Who's that?" Samar said as a pretty, slender woman stood at the top of the aisle, then began walking toward them.
"Zoya's best friend, Nikhat. They work together. And hands off. She's not your type." Asad said out of the corner of his mouth as Nikhat approached them.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"She's nice," Asad said in a low voice.
"Zoya will be out in a minute," Nikhat said with a big smile. Asad tried not to let his relief show.
"Thanks," he said, his eyes shifting from hers to the back of the chapel. Nikhat gave him a small wink and then walked away.
Zoya was at the top of the aisle and was more beautiful than he imagined, a cross between an angel and a goddess. He couldn't read the expression in her eyes, but he bet she was torn between fury and confusion. His heart tightened as Nikhat and Lily made their way down the aisle. Little Lily evoked such an overwhelming feeling of love in him that he was taken aback.
Asad heard the elderly minister of his youth shuffle across the altar to join him. He gave Asad a reassuring nod, so similar to the one he gave when Asad was a boy. He'd turned his back on his faith for so many years. But yesterday on that drive, after being with Zoya and his niece, he'd felt an inexplicable pull here, as though this place could bring him back to a time of peace and serenity. Everything around him faded as Zoya walked down the aisle, a simple bouquet of ivory roses in her hand.
~ ~ ~
"Zoya was barely aware of anything other than Asad. And boy, was the man a sight to behold. Tall and lean, wide shoulders and proud stance, he was a man who could stop traffic. He stood in a dark grey suit waiting for her, watching her with eyes that glittered with emotion. She saw a hint of that vulnerability as the corner of his mouth turned up. As soon as she stood beside him he took her hand in his.
"This isn't the Court, Asad."
He chuckled softly, making her forget all the reasons this was insane. "Court is too ordinary for you, Zoya," he whispered gruffly, giving her hand a squeeze. "You look beautiful."
"The D'Costa's are here," she said, squeezing his hand.
The smile he gave her was one she wouldn't forget. "I know how fond you are of them. The only problem is that they think I'm deaf, so they've been yelling from the aisle." Zoya swallowed her nervous laugh and stared at him for a moment longer, not believing that this was the same man as a week ago.
This was a real wedding, she thought, as the minister began to speak. Words floated through the air, and Zoya heard herself make promises to a man whose gaze told her that he took this very seriously. When he spoke his vows, in that deep, self-assured voice, every ounce of insecurity dripped away. And when it was time to exchange rings, Asad retrieved two rings out of his pocket before she even had a moment to panic. He had a slight smile as he smoothly slipped her ring on her finger. She looked down at the band, marveling at the beauty of the graceful filigree and shimmering diamonds. Then he handed her his wide, simple white gold band. Her hands trembled as she slid it onto his finger, their symbol of unity.
Finally, Asad leaned down and gave her the sweetest, gentlest kiss that brought tears to her eyes and made her clutch his arms.
"Hello, Mrs. Ahmad Khan," Asad whispered against her lips."
She squeezed his arms, feeling the dense muscles under her fingertips. "I never said I was changing my last name."
Asad laughed and kissed her again.
The D'Costas, Samar, and Nikhat were clapping. Zoya even thought she heard jingling bells. Lily picked that moment to thrill them with her own squeal of delight. This was the closest she had ever felt to having a family, Zoya thought, as the three of them stood together.
And if this were as close as she got, she'd die a happy woman.
Health and Fitness
Bhabhi Ji Ghar Pe Hain?
Udne Ki Aasha
47