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Chapter 12
Zoya walked into the family room with her overnight bag in her hand. She had made sure she had packed all her essentials and also some fancy clothes, worthy of wearing to a wedding and some jewelry to go with it.
Initially she was not comfortable leaving Humi in the state she was in and attend a wedding but Ammi had assured her that Humi would be well taken care of. Moreover, she felt that she had babied Humi too much and it was time she stopped before she became the overbearing older sister. It was time for her to let go, Humi was getting married next week for God sake! Ayaan was aptly capable of handling her and after last night she had no doubt that Ayaan would take great care of her.
Ammi had informed her last night that the wedding was taking place in a small town called Chanderi and it was a four hour drive from Bhopal. She was not looking forward to the drive because it meant she would not be able to talk to Ammi freely and there would be awkward silences with Asad around. She was thankful though that Ammi would be there to act as the buffer zone between her and Asad.
She saw Asad walking out of his room with his bag and stand a few feet away from her. They greeted each other silently. She felt he was about to say something when Ammi came down the stairs and cheerfully said
"You both are ready?"
"Yes Ammi. I'll keep the luggage in the car." Asad answered taking the bag from Zoya's hands. Their hands touched and both involuntarily looked at each other before looking away.
"Asad, you said you were not going to eat anything. Zoya, at least you eat something." Ammi said oblivious to the tension around them.
"Ammi I had coffee and we are getting late anyway." Asad said and headed for the car.
"Ammi I had juice too." Zoya lied "Did you have something, Ammi?"
"No not yet" Dilshad answered
Don't worry we'll eat something on our way." Asad said while placing the bags in the car.
Zoya opened the rear passenger door and was about to step inside when Asad held the door for her and said
"Can you sit in front please? I am not your chauffer." She could sense the anger in him, feel it reaching out to her. She was taken aback.
"But I thought Ammi will sit in front." Zoya said a little confused.
"Ammi is not going." Asad said coldly before Dilshad could answer.
"Zoya" Dilshad said in her most soothing voice, "I am sorry. Did you think I was going too?"
"Yes... I thought you were...when you asked me yesterday I thought...I just assumed you were." She said, panic building inside her.
"You don't have to go if you don't want to." Asad said turning away and taking out the car keys from his pocket.
"Asad, wait, let her decide" Dilshad said before turning to Zoya. "Zoya, I thought you wanted to attend the wedding."
"Yes I do" Zoya said a little reluctantly.
"Then go beta. Have a good time." Dilshad said taking her hands in hers.
"Yes Ammi" Zoya said, not wanting to make a scene.
"Asad" Dilshad said "Take care of Zoya. She will not know anyone there so be with her all the time and please don't fight with her."
"I don't fight with anyone Ammi" Asad said rolling his eyes.
"Yes you do" Dilshad smiled at Zoya "In Delhi you both were fighting and making up all the time. Don't think I didn't notice."
Zoya and Asad looked at each other before Asad answered, "Ammi I don't know what you are talking about."
Dilshad saw them drive away and waved goodbye. Maybe she had omitted to mention to Zoya that she was not going with them. Or maybe she had left it out intentionally. She was not sure anymore. Nah, It was an honest mistake on her part, not intentional. She was feeling a twinge of guilt, but just a twinge.
000
"I should have insisted on Ammi coming. You would have had someone to talk to." His tone bit.
They had left the city behind an hour ago. There was a silence in the car. Asad had looked straight ahead, keeping his eyes firmly on the road. He was angry with her but she was still surprised at his tone. She turned towards him and gazed at his amazing side profile. It melted the ice around her heart. She looked out of the window and tried to hide her smile. The small smile turned into a grin.
"It's not funny." Asad said
"It is to me." Said Zoya
"You ignore me all this while and now you find me funny."
"I am sorry if you thought I was ignoring you."
"So you agree you were ignoring me?"
"I didn't say that, I said I am sorry if you thought I was."
"Ahhh!! details...playing with words? You are a lawyer Ayaan told me."
"You got a lot out of Ayaan. Didn't you?"
"You know Ayaan. If you ask him a question he will go on for an hour."
"No he is not like that. I think Ayaan is amazing."
"If you put in a little bit more time you will know there is one more amazing person in that family."
"I know, Ammi."
Asad threw back his head and laughed and the tension in the car evaporated. Zoya smiled and thought the trip would not be half as bad as she had thought.
000
After an hour or so later, they decided to stop at a roadside restaurant and have brunch. It was a tiny place and surprisingly clean. Zoya took her seat at the wooden benches and said
"I am famished. I didn't eat anything since last night."
"I thought you had juice in the morning." he frowned
"I told Ammi that because I didn't want to make us late." Zoya said a little sheepishly.
"Why didn't you tell me, we would have stopped earlier." Asad said concerned
"No it's fine. Let's order."
"What do you want to eat?"
"Hmmm paneer, dal, gobi and chicken" She caught Asad smiling "Why are you smiling?"
"No reason. Are you a roti or rice girl? It's ridiculous to think I don't even know that much about you. Come to think of it, I know nothing about you other than the fact that you can ignore the hell out of me. No, you don't, don't get on your high horse and leave, stay with me, okay?" he said as she opened her mouth to speak. "We're deciding on food, remember? Now shall it be roti or rice?"
"Roti" she said
After a little while, Asad said "You are hungry, aren't you?
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you seem to prefer the chicken to me. For a slip of a girl you eat like a horse."
"Must you be so rude"
"I am being complimentary. Anyway it's nice to see someone enjoy their food. I hate it when girls peck on their food"
Natasha's image came to her mind and she immediately banished the thought from her mind.
"I do enjoy my food, luckily I don't have any weight issues."
"I can see that."
She shied away from his look and concentrated on the food in front of her.
000
They drove for another couple of hours before Asad took a turn into a narrow country road. A massive iron gate stood in front of them. It was being decorated with flowers and several people were scrambling around doing their work. They were greeted by some of the men as they continued to drive inside. Asad nodded politely and stopped the car in front of a house at the end of the long driveway. Zoya thought it looked more like a palace, albeit a little crumbling. An older person dressed in spotless white sherwani stepped forward. Asad got out of the car and greeted him
"salaam wale kum Maamujaan" Asad said hugging the man
"Wale kum Salaam Asad maiyan" the man replied, a broad smile on his face. "Come inside. We were waiting for you."
"Maamujaan, this is Zoya." He said bringing Zoya forward.
"Salaam wale kum" Zoya smiled
"Wale kum salaam beta. I hope the journey was fine. I know it's a long drive and the potholed roads don't help either."
"No no it was fine" Zoya said politely. "Thank you for letting me participate in the wedding."
"Any guest of Dilshad is a guest of ours. We are honored to have you. So Dilshad was saying you live in New York..."
Asad heard Mamujaan's voice trail as he took Zoya inside the house with him.
The cousins who had been anticipating his arrival all gathered around Asad and started to enquire about dilshad and Ayaan and the developments on Ayaan's upcoming wedding to which they were all invited.
Asad, not wanting to lose sight of Zoya, gave vague answers and proceeded inside the house.
Asad saw Zoya being ushered into a room and he made his way there dodging all the guests sitting in the courtyard.
He entered it knowing it was Uzma naani's room. She was sitting in her bed in her trademark kurti and sharara. She had her ornate box of paan next to her and her rosary beads in her hands. Asad thought she looked like an older version of his ammi with the same kind face and reassuring eyes. She smiled widely when she saw Asad.
"Salaam Uzma naani" Asad said as he took his seat near her feet on the bed.
"Salaam my beta" Uzma naani kissed his forehead before telling him. "I am glad you got this lovely girl to Chanderi to meet me. She is absolutely adorable. So polite. Who can tell she was born and raised in a foreign country. Even Dilshad has nice things to say about her and Humaira." She said
Asad looked up at Zoya who was sitting on a chair next to the bed.
"Asad is here" Asad heard a voice at the door and immediately turned.
"Salaam mumani" he said
"Wale kum salaam Asad beta. We are so glad you came, even if it is for a day. But I know you have a wedding in your house next week too so you are busy also. We didn't want Najma to get married now, in such a hurry but what can we say. We are the girl's side. We cannot say anything. Imran miya is leaving for America soon and they wanted the wedding to take place before he left."
"Mumani, calm down. I think you have been working very hard. Slow down." Asad said, "Let me look at you properly. Hmmm my Mumani looks as pretty as ever." He teased.
"Asad!!!! Save it, if you were to say all this to a young girl you would have been married by now, llike Ayaan" she said shaking her head. "This is Zoya, right? She is so pretty. Your Maamujaan told me she is from America too. Imran miya is going to some place in California. Is it close to your place?"
"Not really..." Zoya said
"Okay, but at least in the same country. You can meet him tonight and tell him where you live and also give him your phone number, so when Najma goes there you can talk to her, meet her, explain how things work there, okay?"
"Yes of course" Zoya said
"Razia" Uzma naani eventually said, "They are tired, they just got here after a long journey, give them something to eat, show them to their room. These conversations can take place later."
"Of course Ammi" she said hitting her hand on her head. "Beta, your room is upstairs, the one next to the balcony. Come I'll show you. Your luggage is already there and Zoya you room is right here, next to Ammi's."
"I will be there in a little while mumani. I have to first meet my tamatar Najma." Asad said
"Oh she is in the room in the corner. Go meet her and then freshen up whenever you are ready, you are not a guest here. You know this is your house too. I am sending your lunch here. I have so much work to do."
"We already had lunch. Don't let me keep you Mumani." He said as mumani hurried away.
"Who comes to Mumani's house after eating lunch? No, no I am sending lunch right now, you can meet Najma later. Ammi please make sure they eat."
"Yes yes of course" Uzma naani said
"Don't fight it. They'll make you eat." Asad laughed watching Zoya's expression. She was horrified at the prospect of eating anything after their heavy lunch.
000
Asad was right. The lady who came in with the food, who Asad introduced as a cousin, and Uzma naani made sure that they ate most of what was on their plates. She was regretting ordering so much at the roadside restaurant. She was feeling stuffed and was sure she would have to miss dinner.
Ater lunch Asad took her to meet Najma, the bride. Zoya thought she was really sweet and wished her all the luck for her marriage. It was heartwarming to see Najma and Asad interact. They seemed very close in spite of Asad's own admission that they were meeting after almost a year.
Asad showed Zoya to her room "Rest for a while. The ceremonies are not going to begin before 9pm."
"Really? That late?"
"Oh ya. Probably the groom's procession is not going to arrive before eight, eight-thirty."
"Groom's procession? That sounds exciting. Can I see that?"
"Of course but things are a little different here. It is very segregated, men will be outside the whole time during the ceremony, under the tent that you saw while coming in and women will be inside the house and in the courtyard. The only time the groom will come in to the women's side is after the nikaah and that too for a short while." Asad explained
"So you will not be here with me? I will be alone here all this while but I don't know anyone." Zoya said, a little worried
"Don't worry I will be right outside. Call me on my cell."
"What if you don't hear the cell ring or the connection is bad."
"For someone who didn't want to talk to me at all in the morning..." he grinned
"Okay fine, forget it." She turned around
"No no no I didn't mean that. I was just kidding." He said as he caught her wrist. "Okay let me see" He looked around and saw his young nephew Hamaad and called him
"Hamaad, come here"
"Yes bhaijaan"
"This is Zoya, she is a very special guest, stay where she can see you" he said, "Whenever she tells you to call me, come and tell me immediately, you understand?"
"Okay bhaijaan"
"Immediately."
"Yes bhaijaan, immediately."
"Okay?" Asad turned towards Zoya
"Okay" she said and he reluctantly let go of her hand and walked out assuring her with his blinking eyes and smile.
000
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