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@EiraSK96 : The cousins have arrived 🤗🤗🤗

EIRA

"Eira, ab to mayoon beth jao." Ammi pleaded, looking at my face and frowning.

"Ammi..please. Today I have to go for the final fittings with Ali Zeeshan, tomorrow I have to go pick up the jewellery with Reem, then the group is throwing me a bridal shower. I can't right now." I said and then dialled the number of Farhan bhai who had to send the driver to pick me up.

"Theek hai. Phir roop na aaya to mujhe mat kehna." Mom said, grumbling and making a face.

Mayoon was basically a ritual in which the bride had to wear yellow clothes for a week or two, and use no make...the point was that the bride had to look simple so she could look different on her wedding day.

"Mumma, I'm your daughter, I'll look pretty anyway." I said, cuddling by her side. She was still not satisfied.

"Jo karna hai karo. Call Virat then, ask him if the visa problem is solved." Sje said.

"I did. The problem is solved, they'll be arriving on a private jet, 40 people only because they were only allowed that much."

I told her. Virat. This was all happening because of him. I never thought after the engagement that we would get married so early, neither did I think that he would come to Pakistan.

When Virat had called me, to ask if I would like to marry him in the next two months, to say that I was shocked would be an understatement.

I told him he was rushing into it. He said the media could ruin our relationship if we waited any longer. I told him I had to complete my studies, he told me there were universities in india too, I told him I couldn't throw away the hardwork of three semesters and start it all over again, he advised that I could freeze my semester for the time being and then continue my studies online, from my university. I told him wedding preparations took alot of time, he told me if we really wanted this, we could prepare everything in this short span of time.

I told him I wasn't ready in my head to live in india, he told me that I would have him by my side..I had nothing to worry about.

Virat, basically was too strong headed. He had an answer for every question and it was okay..it was fine. It didn't matter.

Later on, after Farhan bhai called me to advise and take my opinion on the whole thing, I asked him if he was ready for all of this..he said 'As long as my sister is ready, I am too'

Our families, well they were okay with things. Obviously they wanted more time for preparations but Virat managed to convince everyone.

So I froze my semester, landed in Pakistan and started to shop for my wedding. I had already bought alot of designer dresses from Dubai, but Pakistani clothes had their own charm. Especially our wedding clothes.

Whether it was Ali Zeeshan's color combination, Yasmin Zaman's celebration designs or Nomi Ansari's classy traditional clothes, they were all too beautiful..too perfect.

So I had come down here, ordered and chosen my wedding dresses and had to go for the final fittings today.

All the relatives were slowly arriving, my cousins were excited for me, they really were while the older relatives, the desi aunties, smiled on my face amd talked about me behind my back.

Some even had the audicity to taunt my mother right in front of me.

Khirad aapi, my sister came into the living room and was about to say something to me but mom butted in, asking her about her husband.

"Khirad, Hamza's flight landed?" She questioned.

"Yes mom, just now. Driver went to pick him up." Aapi answered and then looked at me.

"Eira, that gown you ordered for bridal shower? It just got delivered. Try it." She informed me.

"Oh okay, I'll do that in a minute."

I said and went inside my room. First, I tried on the gown and it fitted perfectly, making me look so stunning that I had to see myself twice to check if it was actually me.

After taking that off, I decided it was better to change into a shalwar kameez considering mom would be happy seeing me wear that.

I chose a yellow one, just to please my mother and then sat on the bed, I dailled Virat's number as I hadn't talked to him since morning.

"Hello? Hi babe, what's going on?" I asked, smiling.

"What's going on is that I ordered the Royal blue sherwani and they got me the off white one." He replied and I frowned. That sucked.

"Oh.."

"Yeah, and the house is filled with the fuckin decorators and noise, can't sleep at all." He grumbled and I chuckled this time.

"It wasn't my idea to have the wedding now, ab bhukto." I said, being playful.

"Jaan, this was the best idea. Anyway, bhabhi sent you some designs, check them out. Reception ke liye." He told me, I nodded this time..looking at my samsung, I opened whatsapp and saw the pictures.

"Ahan? Who was that designer again?" I questioned Virat.

"Manish Malhotra." That name sounded too familiar.

"Isn't that the one-yaar wo bollywood movie thi na..Alia and Varun ki? His name was being taken after every minute. Never thought he was a real person." I mumbled.

'Well..he is. So I'll be coming to Pakistan next week." Virat said after a while and I nodded, even though he couldn't see me.

That was pretty cool huh?

"Lahore to be precise."

"And not to play in Gaddafi stadium but to marry someone. Crazy." Virat spoke again as if trying to wrap his head around the news.

"And I'll be coming to India. Not to watch the world cup but to live with my husband." I said it with a little hesitation and Virat was smart enough to catch up with it.

"You say that with hesitation."

"Because it's scary, Virat. Living in India, it sounds crazy you know? And I'm hesitant about it as I don't know what to expect,." I truthfully stated.

"What's so scary? I don't get it." I got up from the bed and stood near the window, looking in the garden downstairs that was being decorated.

"Virat, I will be leaving my whole family and I'll be living in India, not in Paris or NewYork but in India." I commented but realised that my words might have offended him.

"India is better than all. It's my country." He said, being defensive.

"Vee, I don't mean it like that. It wasn't my dream or anything to come live there right? As a Pakistani, I mean. I won't have my brothers or my mom around, it's scary."

"But you'll have me. And my mom, and my family." He tried to console me.

"You said we weren't going to live with them?" I questioned in confusion.

Virat had his own house in Mumbai, where as his family lived in Delhi. So we had to stay in Delhi in his family house until the the reception, that would take place in Mumbai.

"Arey, obviously. We'll be living alone but start main a few days to uder hi rehna hai na."

"Yeah,"

"Don't worry, jaan. What did I say to you?" He interrogated.

"One step at a time." I murmured.

"Yes."

"And what's today?"

"Fittings day, what about you?" I asjed him.

"I have to go pick up a few things too, meeting with BCCI..they said it was really urgent, then IPL auction tonight."

"Oh, all okay?"

"Haan, don't worry. I'm not gonna be announcing anything this time. Cricket pe focus karunga and Pakistan jaane se pehle, a tweet. Wo bhi airport se." He said chuckling but his voice has a tinge of worry.

"You better bring Rahul Dravid with you or I'm not marrying you." I warned, teasing him.

"How about seeing him at the reception?"

I was about to talk more when mom yelled my name from downstairs.

"Acha, theek hai. Haan aayi mom, babe I gotta go, talk later?"

"Yes, I'll call you. Love you."

"Love you too, jaan. Bye." I ended the call, took my phone and the clutch, and then trailed downstairs.

"Yes, ammi?" I looked at her.

"The car is ready, abhi chali jao, shaam main guests aane hain." She told me and I nodded, texting Reem that I'll be arriving soon to pick her up.

I looked at mom but she had a frown on her face, as if she might cry.

"Okay, ammi, kya hua?" I enquired out of concern. Mom sighed and sat on the couch. I went, sitting beside her.

"Nothing, your mami called, she taunted alot, hindu larka, Indian as well, Eira has taken advantage of your leniency." I rolled my eyes.

Fucking maami and her stupid tongue 

"Ammi, She has never been there for us. Never. After father's death, I've never seen anyone around, don't let her upset you."

"But she isn't wrong?" Mom mumbled.

"Yes, she is. She has no right to call me out on anything, call you out, What I'm doing is marrying someone I love after my family agreed to it." I said, firmly. Nobody had the right to talk shit about me or my family.

Especially not the people that left us half way.

"Eira, I'm scared for you. I won't be there, you're going in a completely different world and I won't be there." She laid out her worries and held my hand. I smiled at her.

"You'll be here, mom. In my heart. I'm scared too. But one step at a time..okay?" I repeated Virat's words.

"Ab se raat ko mere room main sona." She told me, no..she ordered me.

Here goes my late night calls with Virat.

"Why?"

"Because you're my daughter and I need to keep you safe untill you're here." My heart warmed at her words and ny eyes watered.

"Acha chalain, emotional na karein mujhe. I'm leaving."

"Dhiyaan se jana." She yelled.

"Yes, mom."

I yelled back, knowing nothing would ever cure her worries.

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