Hemayal entered their room, twisting her hands nervously as she eyes Yahya reclining on the couch and watching TV. She swallowed nervously before walking to the dresser and mindlessly moving some perfumes around. She glanced at Yahya who was engrossed in the football match he was watching, the remote held to his lips as he tapped his foot continuously. She bit her lip as she walked to the cupboard and opened it, starting to sort out her clothes and then looking through Yahya's but everything was perfectly organised. Finding nothing else to do, walked to where Yahya was sitting on the recliner and sat on the bed near it. She glanced at him before swallowing again when Yahya looked at her and then back at the TV.

A few more seconds passed before he turned to look at her again and turned the sound off.
" Kya hua, Mayal? Pareshan lagg rahi ho?"

She licked her lips. Her face was a little blushed and the white dress she wore reflected noor on it, the silver bangles she was wearing fell on her slim wrist. The only colour on her was the tint of lips which looked like the softest pink rose petals of the world and the round teeka of enriched red mehndi on her palms. Entwining her fingers together, she looked at him again and he raised his eyebrows, gesturing her to speak, he was listening.
" Wo mey.. wo d-doctor par gayi thi.."
His eyebrows came back to their normal place before he bent to hold her hand, feeling for temperature.
" Kya hua tumhey? Kal tak tau theek thi."

"Bibi k saath gayi thi."
Her voice was so tiny, Yahya had problem hearing it but he got confused.
" Bibi khud gayi theen? Doctor ko ghar bula leti. Hua kya hai yey tau bta dau?"
Bibi never went out of the house for any chores. It was shocking that she did, she could have just called their family doctor.

" Aap samajh jayein na.."
There was a minuscule smile on her lips that she bit down by biting her lip and Yahya stared at the glow on her face before realisation dawned upon him.
He stood up from where he was sitting, there was wonder in his voice when he asked to confirm,
" Gynaecologist k paas gayi thi?"

She nodded her head and stood up when he held her hand and a smile broke out on his lips that the whole world was envious of.
" Sahi sey batao kya kaha usney?"

There was mischief, jubilance, wonder and eagerness in his voice and the shine in his eyes as they roamed over her face made her cover her face with her hands due to shyness.
" Positive. teen haftay hogaye."

Yahya immediately wrapped his arms around her tightly, a laugh escaping his lips as he kissed her hair where his lips met them. The joy he felt in that moment was inexplainable, he felt over the moon. He was the happiest man alive in that moment, this joy was purer than any other joy in the world.  His eyes became wet as he smiled with the thought of having a child after 5 years nearly. When he moved back, there was only happiness in his eyes mixed with a shine that was particularly his as he said,
" Sach keh rahi ho nah?"

He was looking ay her with so much expectations, the light in his eyes was phenomenal and she felt like she was everything for him in that moment. Her heart thudded inside her aa he throat went dry.
" Main kyun jhoot bolun gi?"

He smiled again, a smile that reached the depths of his eyes as he stared at her with love and compassion, so much that she could hardly contain it in her hands.

//////////////////

The maroon zari dress she wore fitted her perfectly as she tried to set the heavy dupatta properly. Her hair were in curls that hung near her hips, the soft tissuey material of the garaara tickling her calves and her make-up done by a professional. She raised her hands to try and rub some lipstick off, the red colour too dark for her liking. Biting her stained lips, she suddenly smiled when she remembered the activities of the whole day. It was her godh bharai (baby shower) today. Everyone in the their estate knew about it and were there to congratulate her. Yahya had distributed buckets and buckets of mithai and ladu. He had danced and did bhangra with the young boys from the village and she had watched with all the women from the balcony. She could still hear the dhol beating as she got ready.

Yahya entered their room as the door opened, dressed in a black kurta with small beige coloured motifs on it. He stopped just behind her, looking at their reflection in the mirror.

"Akelay kyun muskuraya ja raha hai?"

She turned around and was suddenly flustered by the way his eyes roamed over every detail of her, stopping at her eyes as his hand came up to cup her jaw.

" Achi lagg rahi ho."

His thumb brushed her stained lips as his eyes took in every little feature of her flushed face, the dimple like indent on her cheek and the plumpness of her lips as he bent down and placed his lips on hers.

////////////

She was sitting in the main hall of the haveli among all the women as the ceremony went on when Bibi called Yahya and asked her to sit with her.
" Bibi, mera kya kaam yahan? Sab auratain hain."

" Lo, kuch nahi hota. Aa kar apni begum k saath baith."

He was made to sit beside her on the seater and he smiled when their eyes met. The women started coming one by one and placing some flowers in Hemayal's lap after moving some money around them in three full circles. Then Bibi gave Yahya a set of heavy golden bangles.
"'Chalo pehna dau ussay."

The women awed as Yahya held her hand and started putting a bangle after bangle in her hands. Hemayal could only lower her lashes  when he light her whispered so only she could hear.
" Itni pyaari lag rahi ho, dil kar raha hai utha kar ley jaun yahan sey."

The cycle of women started again and some would whisper something in Hemayal's ear that made her blush more. Suddenly she felt Yahya tense up and she raised her eyes to see Neha who was watching them both with something wet in her eyes and a little red nose.

" Mubarak ho."

She whispered lightly and Hemayal could clearly see the pain in her eyes and how her hands shook as she completed the ritual. Hemayal's heart hurt for her

لیکن عشق میں،رقیب رقیب ہی  ہوتا ہے۔
ہمدرد نہیں۔

After doing that, she gave a look to Yahya and went away and Hemayal's eyes followed her till she left the hall.

A little while later, Yahya left too.'
                    //////////

Lightly touching the heavy bangles that adorned her wrists, Hemayal tried to handle the garaara and the dupatta as she walked to her room. The event was over and she needed to rest. Behind the pillar in the segregated corner, she came across a silhouette which looked like Yahya. Smiling, she intended to walk towards him when she saw another silhouette. A woman. Neha. She placed her head on Yahya's chest and Yahya said something in her ear that she could hear,

" Jo Allah ki rza hai usmey raazi hotay hain. Meri Neha hasid hai? Hmm?
Tum jaanti ho k meray liye jo tum ho, jo tumhara muqaam hai, wo koi aur nahi hosakta."

" Acha? Mjhey haveli sey nikal kar bahir phenk dia aapnay."
Her voice was heavy with tears.

" Yaar tum khud zidd kar k gayi ho. Haveli mey tumhara kamra abhi bhi wesay ka wesay hi hai. Aaj hi aajao wapis."

She said something Hemayal couldn't hear, maybe because her heart beat fastened and she could hear it thud in her ears.

" Shh. Bus ab. Ab menay tumhari aankh mey aik aansu bhi dekha na, tau meray sey bura koi nahi hoga."

" Aap sey bura koi hai bhi nahi."

Hemayal could agree with her in that moment.

"Acha? thehro zra tum. Batata hun tumhey k mey kitna bura hu.."

Hemayal heard the mischievous undertone of his voice and could not bear to stay there for a single more second. As she walked towards her room, she could only smile tauntingly at her fate. A day which was the most important for her was ruined again. Her happiness dampened by someone's sorrow.

            ///////////////