Chapter 24
A fortnight had passed since their engagement and both Asad and Zoya were glowing with happiness. Everyone around them could see their eyes sparkling due to their togetherness. Dilshaad had called Benazeer and Zoya over for dinner one weekend. As the two arrived Dilshaad welcomed them with open arms. Hugging Zoya, she placed a kiss on her forehead blessing her. Zoya smiled at her thanking her. " You don't need to ever thank me Zoya. Am your Ammi too and a daughter never says thank you to her Ammi ". Feeling heavy emotions taking over her Zoya took Dilshaad's hands in hers and kissed the back of her hands a little droplet forming in the corner of her eyes. Dilshaad shook her head stopping her from shedding any tears. Cupping her face Dilshaad placed a kiss on her forehead again and said "My beautiful Bacha. Come on, come on let's get inside"
Once settled, Dilshaad called for Asad to come out as he had been busy with a file on which he and Zoya were to start working from Monday. As soon as he came down the stairs he greeted Benazeer first and then very casually he sat next to Zoya making sure to have their elbows and knees touching. Taken by surprise at his actions, Zoya looked up at him with her eyes wide open and tried to create some distance between them but he moved along with her making sure to keep the contact. He knew that he could not take her hand in his in front of everyone, so this was the best he could do have the little physical contact with her. He looked at her and smiling, winked at her. Zoya felt her cheeks heat up and quickly looked away not wanting any of the elders to catch them romancing like this.
Soon they all engrossed into a conversation ranging from anything to everything. Dilshaad noticed how there was a silent conversation taking place between them, she clears her throat to get their attention. "Instead of sitting here and starring at each other why don't you show Zoya around the house Asad. Am Sure she wants to see her future home". Feeling embarrassed they both quickly shook their heads and left, Asad leading the way. Asad shows her every room, every balcony, covering the garden and the terrace too. He finally takes her to his bedroom which he introduces as their now.
" This, Zoya, is our room". Twirling, she looked around at the room and smiled at him but felt nervous at how easily he said that this was their room. She felt her body breaking out into goosebumps as their eyes locked and Asad took a few steps towards her. Unable to hold onto his intense gaze, she lowered her eyes and turned around walking towards the window. He walked and stood behind her gently wrapping his arms around her waist. Zoya leaned into him letting him hold her as they both savoured the warmth of the others body. A few minutes later she turned around in his arms and with a shy smile she said "It's beautiful" "What would you like to add to it? Any changes that you want specifically for yourself?" Shaking her head in the negative she said "It's perfect Asad, I like it the way it is". Smiling wide they tighten their hold as they confess their love for each other once again. Breaking the hug he hears her say " Let's go back downstairs before someone comes looking for us". Kissing her forehead Asad takes her hand in his and leads the was out his room.
Just as they were about to go downstairs, Zoya sees a room closed and locked from the outside. She enquires and Asad says this was his haven when she wasn't with him. She looks confused and smiling Asad takes her to the room. Taking a set of keys out of his pocket he unlocks and pushes open the doors and walks inside pulling her along. He closes the door behind and there is complete darkness in the room. Leaving her hand he walks towards the switches and switches on the lights. Zoya is left speechless as what she sees before her is a room that is filled with her photos and sketches. She twirls round and round not believing what she sees. Dumbfounded she looks at Asad with tears streaming down her cheeks and launches herself into his arms. Hugging her tight to himself He tells her how he spent his days thinking about her and the result of all his love and his feelings for her was that he filled every wall with her sketches.
"This has been my haven when you were not with me Zoya" he whispered softly into her ear. "Am sorry Asad, Am so so sorry for have stayed away from you for so long. If I had known that you had been hurting like this without me, that you had the same feelings as I do, then I would have walked right up to you much earlier and told you what I had wanted to. Only if fate hadn't been so cruel and pulled us apart then I would have confessed my feelings when we were going to spend that day together at the seminar. If not calling it love at the time, we could have at least tried understanding what we were both feeling". She finished sniffing against his chest. He pulled away from her just a little so he could look in her eyes. Wiping her tears he said "I know... I know. But finally we found each other... And we are not letting go now... At least I am not going to let go" he said tightening his hold around her small waist. Zoya felt a million butterflies take off in her tummy and felt her cheeks starting to heat up. With a shy smile adorning her lips Zoya reciprocated his actions and tightened her hold around him and said "Me neither".
They stood there lost in their little moment not realizing how much time had passed. Hearing Dilshaad call out to them they sprung apart feeling scared that they had been caught in a situation like this. Zoya started to walk towards the door but Asad held onto her hand and pulled her towards himself. She crashed against his chest and in an attempt to balance herself she placed her hands on his shoulders. Asad wrapped his arms around her waist "Just one more minute... Please...Let me hold you Zoya... Just one minute please...being in this room, after so many days has brought back all the painful memories of my longing for you for those three years, my helplessness at not finding you and all the pain that I felt ...". Zoya felt his pain right through to the depths of her heart and she did as he wanted. After a while, Asad placed a soft kiss on her head and then moved away from her holding her handa as he walked out the room.
As they joined their parents downstairs, the date for their wedding was announced to be in a months time. As Zoya heard that, her eyes met with her Ammi's and they both felt the dip in their hearts for the same reason, that Zoya would be leaving her and Benazeer would be left alone. Where Zoya's eyes moistened for she felt herself being pulled in two different directions where on one side was her Ammi, the one for whom she had stayed away from Asad and on the other side was the only man she had ever loved and couldn't be away from anymore. She lowered her head trying to hide the tears that were quickly forming in her eyes. But this silent conversation hadn't gone unnoticed by the other three people in the room. Understanding what Zoya was feeling Asad looked towards his Ammi who just smiled and nodded her head in agreement. Asad got up and sat on the floor in front of Zoya and held his palm out for her. She looked up and saw him holding a set of keys in his palm.
Wiping her tears Zoya looked at him confused and then her eyes went over to Rashid and Dilshaad who were both smiling at her. "What is this Asad?" She asked not understanding what he was doing. He sat next to her on the sofa and placing the keys in her palm he said "These are the keys to your new house" "My new house? But I didn't buy anything" she said getting even more confused. "I know... This is my gift to you, for the Nikah". Zoya's eyes widened with shock and she quickly placed the keys back in his hands " Are you crazy... Am not taking that from you... You're crazy to even think I would take that... And since we will be living here with Ammi and Abbu, why do we even need another house... Kuch soch toh liya karo kuch karne se pehle ". She said getting annoyed at his thoughts of moving away from his parents after the Nikah.
Dilshaad and Rashid laughed wholeheartedly at her reaction and Zoya could only look at them feeling embarrassed. She looked at Asad who looked as shocked as she was a few minutes ago. "Beta, these keys, yes, are to a new house but that doesn't mean that Asad wants to go away from here. This is a gift for you which you have to take; and regarding living there, we would be very happy to see your Ammi shift into that house". As soon as Zoya heard that she vigorously shook her head in the negative " No no no Ammi, that's not possible. How can I..." But words failed her and the tears that she had been fighting slipped out of her eyes. Watching her cry Asad looked at his Ammi for help and stood up as Dilshaad came to sit next to her. Taking Zoya's hands into hers Dilshaad spoke "You call me Ammi naa, so you have to listen to me, you have to keep these keys". Zoya looked at her still not understanding how to decline this as she felt she was exploiting them all in the name of love.
As Dilshaad saw her open her mouth to protest she placed a finger on her lips and continued " Apni Ammi ki pehli khuwahish puri nahi karogi?" Hearing that, she felt fresh tears forming in her eyes and with a smile she nodded her head hugging Dilshaad tightly "I will Ammi, I will... I will fulfill every wish you ever make". Dilshaad kissed the side of her head " That's like my beautiful Bacha ". Seeing her accepting the keys, Asad sighed in relief as he knew this would have been a difficult task for him if he would have been alone in this. But he knew, him giving her the keys in the presence of his parents would ensure that Zoya would accept them. Soon, dinner was served which was filled with a lot of laughter and talks revolving around the wedding leaving both Asad and Zoya shy and excited at the same time. Time passed quickly with all the preparations for the wedding and soon it was their big day and like any couple who was in love, Asad and Zoya couldn't wait to say the two most important words to each other, which would tie them together till eternity.
With Rashid and Dilshaad on his either side, Asad entered the grand hall that had been decorated in bright orange and hot pink colors for the wedding. Like a dutiful mother in-law Benazeer welcomed them inside and led them to the area where Asad was to sit. As they settled Asad's eyes immediately wandered in every direction trying to see where his Zoya would come from but he couldn't make his mind up and like an impatient child he kept fidgeting feeling restless. Both Rashid and Dilshaad smiled at him and shared a knowing look understanding well why he was behaving the way he was. As he kept his childish act on, he realised that the hall had fallen silent and all heads had turned in one direction. As he looked too, he froze watching her walk towards him.
Zoya entered with Benazeer and Shipra on either side, holding her hand and her lehnga, helping her walk. Asad's eyes went over her from head to toe and the breath that was stuck in came out in a long sigh. Zoya was wearing a soft pink lehnga choli with elaborate gold design and swarovski all over. Every step that she took made them shimmer like diamonds. Her hair was tied up into a high knot on the top of her head and her dupatta was draped over her head giving her a royal look. The little makeup that she had applied was enhancing her beauty making her look extremely royal.
She could feel the heat of his gaze on her and very gently she looked up to find him standing at the top of the stairs on the podium waiting for her to join him. As she had looked up, Zoya had noticed how well coordinated their dressed were. Asad was wearing a beige sherwani with gold work on it. It even had the same shade of swarovski stones studded all over. The safa that he wore was the same color as her lehnga and had similar embroidery on it as her lehnga. He looked nothing less than a prince who was ready to whisk off his princess for a happily ever after of their own. As her eyes moved up and locked on with his, the thin veil between them making everything look mystical, Zoya felt her cheeks getting hotter and his clean shaven chiseled features made her breath hitch. Her stomach flip flopping in excitement. Benazeer led her to sit on the other side of the veil and the quazi began the wedding ceremony by reading verses from the Quran asking for Allah to bestow upon Asad and Zoya all his blessings for them to have a life that would be full of love and respect for each other. A life where they would support each other in every way possible, in every up and down that life would bring to them, in every sorrow and in every happiness. As the quazi asked them the most important question of their lives, with racing hearts and bated breaths they answered the question
"Qubool Hai"
"Qubool Hai"
Finally Benazeer and Dilshaad removed veil between them and they moved towards each other, not registering anything that was happening around them, all they saw was the other. Asad knew that Zoya was beautiful but what she looked today, was no where near to what he had ever imagined. With her minimal make up she looked even more exquisite her natural beauty enhancing the beauty of the dress that she wore. If he was bowled over by her beauty then Zoya was stumped too. The sherwani that Asad wore enhanced his looks even more. His sherwani fitting him like second skin. His muscles rippling underneath could be seen every time he moved his arms. His chiseled features looked even better with his sehra still tied to his forehead making him look like a prince. They both could feel butterflies take off in their tummies as they stood close by finally as husband and wife.
As soon as Zoya stood by him he slipped his hand in hers entwining their fingers and giving her hand a gentle squeeze. With her insides fluttering wildly she looked up to meet his chocolate brown eyes that conveyed every emotion that he felt. Holding onto his hand tightly, Zoya squeezed her eyes to tell him that she knew what he wanted to say. Not able to control himself, Asad leaned towards her and kisses her on her temple and whispered "I love you Mrs.Khan". Zoya, who was first taken aback by his open display of love stood there completely shocked and then blushed crimson at hearing how he addressed her. Smiling, she pulled at his arm gently, getting his complete attention "I love you more Mr. Khan". They looked into each other's eyes, content smiles adorning their lips and unspoken promises made for a life together.
P.S. One last time, please hit the like button if you liked this story and please do leave me your feedback. I look forward to it. Love you guys. Mwahhh!!!
Edited by ChocoBerry - 9 years ago
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