The next morning didn’t start with the usual hustle and bustle that’s expected in a wedding house. Everyone was still a bit disturbed by what happened last night. The family tried their best to act as if everything was normal, but everyone was whispering about it.

Naziya Khan felt she should leave, but how could she? Leaving in the middle of the wedding would only create more drama.

Nawab Riyaz and his family were now more considerate towards Naziya and Azlan than ever before. But it made Azlan uneasy. He didn’t feel like going out with Raza or doing anything today.

He was standing on the balcony, watching the preparations below. The yellow drapes and flowers were being taken down, replaced with green ones and fresh flowers for the new decorations. The soft sunlight fell on Azlan. He was wearing a light blue shirt with black pants and a charcoal gray sweater. His hair fell slightly on his forehead, and his deep eyes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight.

“Aap Lubna se keh dijiye apke liye chai bana dein, yeh mehman ke liye hai.” Rubab’s voice caught Azlan’s attention, making him step away from the railing and move toward the staircase.

(Tell Lubna to make tea for you; this is for the guest.)

Rubab was on the first step, dressed in a light blue shalwar kameez with a black dupatta draped over her head, her face devoid of any makeup, yet her golden nose ring gleamed brightly. Rubab looked just as beautiful today as she did yesterday, pure and radiant. Her face had a natural glow, exuding simplicity and grace.

Someone was blocking her way.

“Tumhara matlab main mehman nahi?" Azlan couldn’t see the man’s face, but he sensed the happiness in his voice. “Tum mujhe family manti ho?"

(So you mean I’m not a guest?)

(Do you consider me family?)

Azlan’s brows furrowed. Who was this guy? And why was he talking to Rubab like that? Could it be that they...

“Hum apko kuch bhi nahi mante, Anas bhai, humare raste se hatiye." Before Azlan could think anything worse about their relationship, Rubab’s annoyed voice broke the silence. Azlan felt an unexpected relief at her words.

(I don't consider you anything, Anas bhai, please move out of my way.)

“Tum mujhse itna ukhrhi ukhrhi kyu rehti ho?” Anas asked, blocking her path with a stubborn persistence. Azlan couldn’t tolerate this. But before he could go down, Rubab's angry voice came.

(Why are you always so rude to me?)

"Aap thappar khake hi hatenge kya?" This brought a subtle smile on Azlan’s face.

(Will you only move after getting slapped?)

Anas was about to respond when Azlan made his presence known.

“Kya ho raha hai yaha?” He asked in a commanding tone, casually slipping his hands into his pockets as he descended two steps from the staircase.

(What’s going on here?)

Both Rubab and Anas froze at the sound of his voice. Rubab took a step down while Anas quickly moved aside, startled.

“Ji, woh apke liye chai, amma ne kaha tha...” Rubab said softly as she extended the tray toward him. Azlan descended the remaining steps with a composed manner as if the place belonged to him. Standing before Rubab, he took the cup from the tray.

(Your tea... Amma said to give it to you...)

“Apko bhi koi kaam tha mujhse?” Azlan asked Anas, slightly turning his body in such a way that Rubab was hidden behind him.

(Did you need something from me?)

“Main bas guzar raha tha.” Anas quickly made an excuse and hurried away.

(I was just passing by.)

Azlan’s eyes remained on him until he was sure Anas was really gone. Without looking at Rubab, he turned to leave, but she called out.

“Suniye,” Azlan paused and looked back at her.

(Listen,)

“Kal raat ke liye hume apse maafi mangni thi.” Rubab didn’t have the confidence she had last night. Holding the tray in her hands, she was looking down in hesitation.

(I wanted to apologize for last night.)

Azlan said nothing, taking a sip from the tea, only to find it had gone cold. He placed the cup back in the saucer.

The long silence made Rubab finally look up and notice that Azlan wasn’t even looking at her. She was stunned.

Noticing her surprise, Azlan finally looked at her and addressed her. “Phir mangiye maafi.”

(Then apologize,)

He said it calmly, but Rubab’s eyes widened. Hadn’t she just apologized? What more did he want to hear?

“Hum abhi...” Rubab wanted to scold him for this behavior, but she remembered the embarrassment her parents had to face yesterday due to the misunderstanding.

(I...)

“Kal hume misunderstanding ho gayi thi, uske I'm sorry, hume apse badtameezi nahi karni chahiye thi." Holding back her frustration, Rubab finally apologized, though part of her wished she could throw the tea at him instead.

(There was a misunderstanding last night, I’m sorry for that. I shouldn't have been rude to you.)

Azlan said nothing, simply shrugged his shoulders and placed the cup back on the tray.

“Chai thandi ho gayi hai, dusri le aiye,” he ordered before walking away, leaving Rubab stunned as she watched him go.

(The tea’s gone cold. Bring another one.)

Rubab was just about to turn away with a pout when she heard a sweet feminine voice behind her.

“Apke kapre, maine istri kar diya hai.” It was Sabiha, handing Azlan his clothes.

(I ironed your clothes.)

“Lekin maine apko koi kapra nahi diya." Azlan replied, slightly confused as he didn’t take the garment from her.

(But I didn’t give you any clothes to iron.)

Rubab noticed how Sabiha's face fell at the tone of Azlan’s voice.

“Khala ne diya tha," she answered softly.

(Aunty gave it to me,)

“Shukriya," Azlan said curtly, taking the clothes without asking further questions and headed to his room.

(Thank you.)

“Pata nahi konsi sultanat ke raja hain," Rubab muttered to herself before heading to the kitchen to prepare the tea he had ordered.

(Don't know which kingdom’s king he thinks he is...)

•••

Mayoon's function had been different; Azlan had stepped outside and met everyone. But for the mehendi, what was there for him to do outside? It was an entirely women's event, so Azlan stayed in his room.

Whoever this room belonged to, their taste was evident from the bookshelf. There were various kinds of literature, not just in Urdu but also in Hindi, English, and Arabic. At the moment, Azlan had picked a book from that very shelf and was enjoying it while sitting on a rocking chair. He hadn’t even needed to unpack his own books here.

There was a knock on the door, and Azlan put the book down. "Ajao," he called out, not getting up, expecting it to be one of the children who often came by to check if he needed anything. But seeing Mahajbeen at the door, he quickly stood up.

(Come in,)

"Mami, aap? Koi kaam tha toh mujhe bula leti," Azlan said, feeling slightly embarrassed as he closed the book.

(Mami, you? If you needed something, you could have called me,)

"Aap toh bahar aye hi nahi, humne socha hum hi ajaye apse milne." Mahajbeen said with her usual gentle smile.

(You didn't come outside, so I thought I'd come to meet you.)

"Woh bas... bahar toh khawateen ka function hai aise main bahar kya karu..." Azlan explained. Riyaz and Mahajbeen had been so hospitable, taking care of him throughout his stay, and he didn’t want to inconvenience them further.

(It’s just... it's a women's function, so what would I do out there...)

"Chaliye jaisa apko munasib lage, lekin khana toh chalke kha lijiye, waise bhi aaj koi bhi bahar ka nahi hai sab ghar wale hain," Mahajbeen said, and Azlan, nodding obediently, followed her.

(Alright, as you prefer, but at least come have some food, today it's just family members, no guests.)

As they left the room, Azlan started a polite conversation. "Iss kamre mein kitaben kafi achhi hain, yeh mamu ki collection hain?"

(The books in this room are quite nice, are they mamu's collection?)

"Haan, collection toh unhi ki hain, lekin yeh Ruby ka kamra hai." Mahajbeen informed him. She noticed Azlan’s smile falter slightly at the mention of Rubab, but he quickly regained his composure.

(Yes, the collection is his, but this is Ruby’s room.)

"Unhe parhne ka shauq hai?" Azlan asked, his tone now more neutral.

(Does she enjoy reading?)

"Yahi sab parhne ka shauq hai, baki apna course toh shayad hi kabhi unhe parhte dekha hai. Iss saal college mein gayi hain, lekin apne baki bhai behno ki tarah unme zara bhi parhai ka shauq nahi. Bas kisi tarah unka graduation ho jaye," Mahajbeen explained in detail, and Azlan listened carefully.

(She likes reading this kind of stuff, but I’ve rarely seen her read her own course material. She started college this year, but like her other siblings, she doesn’t have much interest in studies. Hopefully, she’ll graduate somehow.)

•••

Mahajbeen led him to the dining area, where the aroma of delicious dishes filled the air, mingling with the cheerful sounds of the gathering. As Azlan entered, he was surprised to find Rubab serving food to Naziya Khan with a quiet focus.

Azlan walked over to the table and took a seat next to Naziya Khan, who greeted him with a smile before resuming her conversation with another lady. Rubab's eyes briefly flickered with surprise at his arrival, but she quickly composed herself and continued with her task.

Rubab was wearing a black and golden churidaar, the contrast highlighting her demeanor. The carefully draped dupatta added an elegant touch, complementing her neatly braided hair. Golden bangles adorned her wrists, their soft tinkling adding a gentle melody to her movements. Despite the festive occasion, Rubab’s hands were free from henna, as she had been occupied with household chores all day.

She moved with quiet efficiency, serving food to Naziya Khan without drawing attention to herself. But Naziya’s response was cold, barely sparing Rubab a glance. Whether others noticed or not, Azlan certainly did.

After serving Naziya, Rubab turned her attention to her brothers, avoiding eye contact with Azlan altogether.

Mahajbeen soon noticed Azlan’s empty plate and walked over, concerned. "Beta, aap kuch le kyu nahi rahe?" she asked.

(Dear, why aren’t you eating?)

"Mujhe kisine serve nahi kiya." Azlan’s voice was devoid of any emotion, but the words were cold, lacking the warmth he earlier had.

(No one served me.)

Rubab stiffened at the remark. She was the only one serving food at that table and hadn’t even realized she had overlooked him. Mahajbeen shot her a stern look.

"Ruby, bhai ko serve karo," Mahajbeen instructed firmly, refraining from scolding Rubab in front of the guests but clearly expressing her displeasure.

(Ruby, serve bhai.)

Rubab, now acutely aware of her mistake, nodded meekly. "Ji, amma..." she muttered before nervously turning her attention to Azlan.

Her hands trembled slightly as she served the biryani, fully conscious of Azlan’s gaze that seemed to linger on her longer than usual. Lost in her thoughts, Rubab absentmindedly overfilled his plate until she was brought back to reality by Azlan’s hard voice.

"Kya apka mere sath khane ka irada hai jo meri plate mein itna nikal rahi hain?" he asked, his cold eyes stuck on her.

(Are you planning to eat with me since you’re serving so much onto my plate?)

"Sor.. sorry," Realizing her mistake, Rubab quickly set the bowl down, her face flushed with embarrassment. Without saying a word, she hurriedly left the table, her nervousness palpable.

Azlan’s eyes followed her as she exited the room. Unknown to him, Naziya Khan had been quietly observing the exchange. While her initial concern had been whether Azlan was eating properly, she now noticed something else, an unmistakable spark in his eyes as he watched Rubab.

A wave of realization crossed Naziya’s face, her maternal instincts kicking in as she pieced together what was happening.

•••

Thankfully, there were no awkward incidents like during the mayoon ceremony. The mehendi function went smoothly, with everyone enjoying themselves and moving on to other activities afterward.

After dinner, Azlan joined the other men in the outer room, where they were enjoying tea. The air was filled with laughter and light conversation, but Azlan’s mind was elsewhere.

“Nawab sahab, aap bura na mane toh apse ek baat karni thi.” An elderly man named Jahangir requested Nawab Riyaz’s attention.

(Nawab sahab, I wanted to talk to you about something.)

“Ji, bhai, boliye.” Nawab Riyaz responded, setting his empty cup aside.

(Yes, bhai, please say.)

“Ghar ki baat thi...” Jahangir seemed hesitant as he glanced at Azlan, perhaps feeling uneasy discussing this topic in his presence since Azlan was the only non-family member there.

(It's a family matter...)

Before Azlan could excuse himself, Nawab Riyaz spoke up. “Yaha sab ghar ke hi hain, aap boliye.”

(We're all family here. Please speak.)

Jahangir gave Azlan a brief look and then continued addressing Nawab Riyaz. Azlan, sensing the conversation was not meant for him, pretended to be more interested in his tea than anything else. While Raza and Anwar were curious to hear what Jahangir had to say.

“Ab apki badi beti ki shadi ho rahi khair se, Rubab ke barey mein kya soch rahe hain aap?” Jahangir began, making Azlan’s heart skip a beat.

(Your elder daughter's wedding is going well. What are you thinking about Rubab?)

Nawab Riyaz understood what Jahangir was implying but remained silent, allowing him to finish his thoughts.

“Main apne bade bete Anas ke liye uska hath mangta hoon.” Jahangir finally said, causing Azlan to feel a sudden jolt.

(I would like to ask for her hand in marriage for my elder son, Anas.)

Anas? Azlan recalled that this was the same man who had tried to approach Rubab earlier that morning, only for her to rudely brush him off. Her dislike for Anas had been obvious.

“Anas toh ghar ka larka hai, Masha'Allah bohot achha hai...” Words barely registered with Azlan earlier, who now found it hard to even sip his tea as he awaited Nawab Riyaz’s response.

(Anas is like our son, Masha'Allah, he is very good...)

“Lekin Rubab toh abhi bohot choti hai, parhai kar rahi hai.” Nawab Riyaz politely deflected, signaling a soft rejection without offending their old neighbor.

(But Rubab is still very young, she is studying.)

“Haan, toh shadi uski parhai ke baad hi kar lenge.” Jahangir persisted, clearly unwilling to take ‘no’ for an answer.

(Yes, so we can wait until her graduation,)

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and a teenage boy peeked inside. “Azlan bhai, apko Naziya khala bula rahi hain.” he informed before leaving.

(Azlan bhai, your mother is calling you.)

Azlan quickly set his cup down and excused himself, grateful for the timely interruption, though he couldn’t help but wonder why his mother would need him now.

As he reached the doorway, he overheard Jahangir’s determined voice. “Main na nahi sunuga, bohot maan se Anas ka rishta laya hoon.”

(I won't take no for an answer,)

Azlan’s walk to Naziya Khan’s room was filled with thoughts of Rubab and this unexpected proposal.

Naziya Khan had called Azlan to make him understand that whatever happened yesterday should be forgotten. Once the wedding is over, they won't be visiting that place again anyway. But her son shocked her with his response. "Main Rubab se shadi karna chahta hoon."

(I want to marry Rubab.)

•••

Dadi jaan toh aaj tak nahi samajh payi Rubab ki khoobsurati Azlan ko pasand ayi thi ya uska thappar, apko kya lagta hai Azlan ko kya pasand aya jo dusre din hi rishte ka keh diya? 🐒

Do vote and comment.

-Ufaq

P.S, I know short chapter, but issey pehle ke the na achhe khase long🤨 so just accept this chotu chapter too 👉🏻👈🏻🥺