ان کی محفل میں جب کوئ جاۓ
پہلے نظریں وہ اپنی جھکاۓ
وہ سنم جو خدا بن گۓ ہیں
ان کا دیدار کرنا مناۓ

" Meow."

A few says later, Minal stood in the vast backyard, the evening sun ready for setting as she looked at the large apple tree and imitated a loud meow sound. A fluffy white cat meowed back at her, this exchange continued for a few seconds until Minal spoke up,

"Neechay aa jao na please!"
(Please come down.)

The cat started looking at the branch above before Minal spoke up again in hurry,
"Please!"

The cat jumped on the ground and Minal sighed, picking it up and petting its thick fur.
" Kahan ja rai thi meri beti? huh?"
(where was my child going?)

Ahmed, who was hiding behind the pillar since he first heard her saying meow, started laughing.

He walked closer to her as Minal scrunched her tiny nose at his arrival,
" Kya hai?"
( What?)

Ahmed stepped closer to her as she stepped back, the cat meowing before jumped off her hands, into the bushes. He placed his hand on the large apple tree behind her as his amused smile lighted his face,
" itna shok hai bachon ka?"
( You want children that much?)

"Aapko kya masla hai?"
(What is your problem)

Ahmed looked up in thought.
" Mjhey tau koi masla nai hai lekin agar tumharay bachay hongay tau meray bhi tau hongay na."
( I don't have nay problem but if you have kids then i'll have kids too right?)

Minal's eyebrows scrunched in thought at his weird explanation before Ahmed laughed.

" Chhorain, Miss. Masooma. Yey batayein k meray saath kahin chalain gi?."
(Leave it, miss.innocence. Tell me, would you go out with somewhere?)

Minal scrunched her eyebrows again in thought, pinkish lips pouting before she looked away at the lone bird singing at the other side of the tree.
" Nahi. Mein kyun jaun aap k saath? Shehryaar bhai ney manaa kiya hai."
( Nope. Why should i go with you? Shehryaar bhai has stopped me from it.)

Ahmed rolled his eyes, murmuring under his lips,
" haan haan Shehryaar sahab ney apni tau shaadi manaani nahi hai, dusron ko kesay mananay dein gey."
( hmm shehryaar bhai won't even celebrate his own marriage, how would he let others celebrate.)

" What did you say?"
She asked.

"Nothing. I said I'll ask Shehryaar bhai myself. You just go and get ready. We are already late."

Minal hesitated but agreed, excited to see the world outside and the colours of the carnival she had heard so much about.

" We will take Mirha, too. Right?"

Ahmed looked down at her with distaste.
"Wo kabab mey haddi bann kar kya karay gi?"
( Why do want to make her a third wheel.)

Minal glared at him with eyebrows scrunched, she looked like a child, he thought.

" I won't go without her."

He grunted,
" She can come."

Then he watched and Minal smiled, his heart drowning his chest and then floating as he witnessed that smile. That smile became his treasure, in that moment. She looked at with wide beautiful eyes, and then ran away, her dupatta floating around her.

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

Mirha stood in the kitchen when Fasih came, he looked rather fresh.

He bent down a little to whisper in hurry,
" Did bhai say something that day? Did he scold you? I am so sorry!"

Mirha shook her head in no,
" He didn't."

Fasih was shocked, his brother was so angry but he didn't scold her? He knew that his brother was always against the clever house maids who try to trap them or have a relationship with them that would help them later in life. Fasih was sure that Mirha wasn't anything like that but his brother didn't know did he?

"What did he do then?"

" He yelled a little and then left me there."

Fasih eyebrows raised and then fell down,
" I am so sorry, Mirha! I didn't mean for it to happen. I just.. liked you and- "

He was words were left unspoken as he saw Shehryaar coming in the garden, who unknown to Fasih was going upstairs when he watched them and then, he needed to some air so he came out.

Fasih quickly changed his words upon his arrival,
" Did you water these plants? They are dying, you should water them more", he said a little bit loud so Shehryaar could hear and then walked inside, asking for forgiveness with his eyes from Mirha.

Shehryaar was going to tell his stupid brother that he was not stupid and watering the plants was the gardener's work, not Mirha's but he stayed quiet as Mirha looked at him and ran back inside, leaving him to watch the darkening sky.

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

Red, pink, blue and orange, every colour of the rainbow decorated the streets as the three of them walked through them, Mirha and Minal's mouth opened. They were watching every swing, every vendor and every shop with fascination in their eyes. Candy floss, roasted butter corn, gol gappay, they tried everything.

A while later, Ahmed finally got Minal aside while she looked at some flower jewellery with awe, the high cultural pathan music dancing around them as Ahmed watched her with a smile. She would go to every store and claim that she wanted to buy this or that he would get it for her, but this time, he already had something.

He bent down a little, holding her wrist to capture her attention, his always laughing eyes looking directly in her awed ones,
" Aik baat mano gi?"
( Will you listen to me?)

Minal was happy today, so happy that she finally gave him some attention, a smile on her face as she said,
" Kya baat?"
( What?)

He bent a little more down, to an extent which was appropriate for the pathans around so that they they won't murder him out of gairat,  eyes still meeting eyes.

" Meri bann jao."
(Be mine.)

Minal looked at the intensity in his eyes, a blush flushing her cheeks even though she couldn't understand his meaning.
" Kya matlab?"
(What do you mean?)

Ahmed sighed, his hand now holding her hand lightly, like he was afraid to touch her.Then, his eyes asked for permission from her and he brought out a ring from his pocket, the diamond glinting in the golden lights as he slowly held up her trembling hand, slowly putting the ring on her ring finger and nervously letting out a chuckle after.'

"Minal, you.. you are too young and innocent yet. You don't understand these emotions, this love and you won't yet, but when you do, I want your every emotion, every thought to be about me. I want to be all of your firsts, even the first thought."

Minal gulped, her tongue peeking out to wet her lips as she meekly said,
" Mey tau masoom nahi hun!"
( I am not innocent!)

Ahmed let out a chuckle,
" Is that all you got from what I said?"

" Nahi jee. I understood everything. I am not innocent like Mirha, ammi used to say that I am a sheytaan.( devil)."

Ahmed laughed out loud this time, hand till holding hers.
" Acha? mjhey bhi batao apnay kya kya sheytaani ki hai tumney."
( Really? Tell me about the devilish things you have done them.)

And she started babbling, telling him about she always used to copy Mirha's homework or made her do the her's too, how she would eat achaar secretly in the middle of the night.

                  ///////////

This chapter will be continued.

And I would like to make a request. I don't know if I should mention her name, but one of the most beautiful readers and a great friend had passed yesterday due to sudden health problems. We cannot even imagine how devastating it would have been for her loved ones. Please pray for her.

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