Part 12... still no article 😭
"Next week?" they both said when they approached their mothers chatting in one corner of the room. Dilshad and Anjali looked at both their faces and burst out into peals of melodious laughter. And despite themselves, Asad and Zoya joined in. "Is there any problem?" Dilshad asked, raising her eyebrow at them.
"Kind of... we were, kind of hoping... for both a Muslim and Hind ceremony?" Asad stated. Dilshad looked surprised and then pulled her son in for a hug. "That's wonderful Asad! We will arrange it all. Besides, I can't wait to have my Bahu at home with me" Dilshad said, bringing Zoya forward so she could kiss her forehead.
"All you have to do, Asad, is decide what colour you'd like to see your bride in" Anjali said. Zoya was about to interrupt when Asad blurted "Red!" out before he could stop himself. The mothers smiled indulgently. Zoya was less impressed. "Red it is then, isn't it, Zoya?" Anjali asked. Zoya nodded, but gave Asad a sly look that said, "I am going to get you for this" Asad rolled his eyes directly at her.
He pulled her away from them after a while. "What colour did you want to wear?" he asked, holding his smile. "Red" she said sarcastically. "I'm being serious, Zoya" he said. "I wanted red too, but it was MY choice!" she said and stomped off from him, making him laugh openly at her then.
Ayaan walked up to him then. "Have you heard the rumours about Kapoor starting his own party?" Ayaan asked him. "I've heard and I have to say, it doesn't bother me one bit" Asad said confidently. "I feel the same... yet I still feel we need to be on guard. We both know what a sleaze he is" Ayaan said, both of them looking at Zoya and feeling thankful that he was not the man she would end up with.
"How did the interview go?" he asked Asad. "It was wonderful..." he answered dreamily as he thought of how good it felt holding Zoya in his arms... how nice it was having her look at him as if she really did... like him. Ayaan shook his head. His Bhaijaan had it bad.
He decided to test his theory and walked off to find Zoya. "Hey, how was the interview?" he asked her. As expected, Zoya's eyes wandered off to Asad. "It was great..." she answered as she thought about everything Asad said. She had felt so safe snuggled in his embrace... so protected... so cared for. Ayaan walked away from her too.
"Bingo!" he said, smiling to himself.
************
"Thanks for everything, for tonight" he texted Zoya when he got to bed that night. "Thank you, Mr Khan. Goodnight" she replied.
Zoya tossed and turned, not able to fall into a sleep despite how exhausted she was after their engagement party. She couldn't get the feel of Asad off her...or how good he had smelled when she had been up close to him. She refused to acknowledge her growing feelings towards him. They had made a deal, a merger. She wasn't about to mess the entire thing up by catching feelings suddenly.
Her mind went back to how he'd held her in his arms. She sighed. Those arms of his... He could probably lift her up in those arms as if she were as light as a feather. Her thoughts couldn't or wouldn't stop there. She closed her eyes as she imagined being lifted up in his strong arms, him holding her tightly against his hardening body.
A moan escaped her mouth as she imagined him inside of her, as she held onto his shoulders; her only support as they moved together erotically.
She shook her head. "Agreeing to stay in his room was a bad, bad idea, Zoya" she told herself.
Asad smiled into the darkness after reading Zoya's message. How many times tonight did he have to stop himself from taking her into his arms and kissing her. He had wanted to, so badly. He had wanted to feel her lips against his again. Her tongue clashing with his. Their first and only kiss had been pretend, but there was no "act" about it. The way she'd dragged her hands through his hair? She had wanted more... and he was so willing to give her more.
When they were outside tonight and he'd held her hand... He imagined now if he'd pulled her back towards him and kissed her, how she would've reacted. He wouldn't have let her go if she tried to pull away. She wouldn't even try to pull away. He imagined laying her down on that bench in the garden and hiking her skirt up. In the darkness, no one would see them.
She would've dragged him up to kiss her again. He would've ground himself against her, making her squirm sexily beneath him. She'd beg... and he would comply... thrusting into her sensually, making her moan out his name. They would move together, climbing higher and higher, until...
"Wow, Asad it looks like you're going to sleep in your bathroom every night..." he said to himself as he continued tossing and turning.
**********
"Oh come on, Zoya!" Karan whined. "No, tell me why first?" she said, as she brushed her hair, teasing him. "Argh! Don't worry about all of that" he muttered. "No reason, no number" she said, smiling at him. "I just want to catch up with her, y'know? Hear about London and stuff" he shrugged. Zoya could see right through him.
"Fine, here it is" she said, handing him a slip of paper with a number scribbled on it. "Hey wait" she called as he was about to walk off from her room happily. "What's happening with you and Shria?" she asked, not wanting her little brother to be one of those that "played the field".
He rolled his eyes. "Nothing. She wishes!" he said, making Zoya laugh. "SO Asad and I are paying because you refuse to go out with her?" Zoya asked. "I think you two would be news either way" he said, winking. "Argh, she annoys me!" Zoya said.
Karan chuckled to himself as he walked out of Zoya's room; his mobile in one hand and Najma's phone number in the other.
**********
"Asad, can we talk?" Tanveer knocked on his door. He was still lazing in bed in his pyjamas. He sat up and took the coffee she'd brought in for him gratefully. "Everything ok, Tanu?" he asked worriedly. She smiled sadly. "I just want to apologise... for the things I did, the things I said...everything" she said softly.
"I see how happy you and Zoya are together, and I'm happy for you, Asad. I hope you can forgive me?" she asked wistfully. He pulled her into a hug, feeling immense guilt. "Of course, Tanu. I already told you, you are my family. There's nothing to forgive. It's all water under the bridge" he said. She smiled.
"I also want you to know... I won't cause you any more problems" she said and got up to walk away before he could react. "Tanu, are you ok?" he called as she got to his bedroom door. "I will be" she said and walked out.
Asad lay back on his bed. Part of him wished that things could've been different... not for his sake, but for Tanu's... but that would mean not having Zoya in his life.
No, he couldn't even begin to imagine a life without her.
**********
"Hello?" Najma answered her phone. "Uhm, hi. Najma?" Karan replied nervously. Najma's heart skipped a beat. "Karan?" she called. Karan did a happy dance around his dining room table. "She knows my voice!" he thought as he threw an air punch.
"Uh, yes, it's me. Actually, I was wondering... if you're not busy today... maybe,... we could, I mean, if you'd like to..." He stammered, and for the life of her, Najma couldn't figure out what he was trying to say. He took a deep breath. "Would you like to go out for lunch? With me? Y'know, catch up on old times?" he asked. Najma's eyes widened and she pulled the phone away from her ear to look at it strangely.
"Najma?" Karan called. "I'm here. Yes. I mean, I would love to go to lunch. With you. I'm not sure I'd like to catch up on old times though" she laughed. "Great...Ok, no catching up then. Can I pick you up?" he asked. She agreed and he told her what time to be ready. Both smiled at their phones like idiots once they'd disconnected.
*********
Asad stood in the lounge, stick straight as a tailor, measured and prodded him for his wedding suit. He was bloody uncomfortable and the only thing giving him even slight sight at the end of the tunnel, was knowing that after all this drama, Zoya Farooqui, would be Mrs Zoya Asad Ahmed Khan. For that alone, he was willing to deal with all the tailors in the world.
"Asad, I need to speak to you about something" Dilshad said as she walked in. "Ammi, I'm a little busy right now, if you didn't notice" he said stiffly. Dilshad had wanted to laugh but this was serious. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like a sound plan.
This had to happen someday... and though it happened differently than expected? Well, there was nothing she could, or wanted to do about it now.
"I've decided that Tanveer is ready to be married too" she blurted out. "What?! Oww!" Asad yelled and winced at the same time as the tailor poked him with a needle. "Asad, are you alright?" Dilshad shouted as she ran forward.
"I'm ok, Ammi" he said, rubbing over his arm. "Just got a shock, that's all" he said. He looked at the tailor. "Can we hurry up please?" he asked sternly. The tailor nodded vigorously and luckily for him, was done in no time.
Asad finally sat down with Dilshad. "Married too, huh?" he asked. Dilshad nodded. "Tanveer... she looks so lost Asad. She's like my daughter and seeing the pain in her eyes is unbearable..." Dilshad said softly. "Hmmm, Zoya said the same thing" he agreed.
Dilshad looked surprised. "She knows, I mean, how Tanveer feels about you?" Dilshad asked. Asad nodded. "She also knows how I feel about her" he said and Dilshad nodded this time. "I can't imagine what it must be like to see the man you love become someone else's... and I would be failing her father if I allowed her to live here with Zoya and you... watching her heart break every day, will break mine" Dilshad said, sniffling towards the end.
Asad thought back to the lie Zoya and him were telling everyone. They'd have to pretend at home as well as out in public. Tanveer's duty of taking him his morning coffee would be taken. Her pastime of helping him with his speeches would be taken - he definitely wanted Zoya to help him with that. It would crush Tanveer.
"I think you're right, Ammi. Have you spoken to her about it?" he asked. "Not yet, but I am planning to" she said. "Do you need me to...?" he asked uncertainly. "Absolutely not" she stated.
Asad nodded. That wouldn't work at all.
There was a ring at the door. "I'll get it, Ammi" Asad said, getting up to go to the door. "Asad beta! So good to see you!" she said as she pulled him into a hug. Asad was bewildered. She let go of him and breezed in.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't be here for the funeral..." she said sadly, shaking her head at Dilshad who got up, a look of pure surprise on her face. "But now I've just landed from London, and I hear my favourite nephew is getting married. I had to come straight here!" she said happily, taking Dilshad in for a hug.
"Razia! It's so good to see you!" Dilshad whispered, hugging her sister-in-law tightly.
No Part 13 tomorrow... :(
Don't be sad. I've got a surprise for you all 😃
Ok, I'm really done now...
Aami Daakini
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