Ishra rehman-
As I entered di’s room I saw Zania di sitting in front of her vanity, a soft green dupatta draped loosely over her shoulder, the makeup artist doing her makeup . Her face looked calm—too calm—I had a small feeling about it something being off
She smiled when she saw me in the mirror entering her room. “You look so pretty, Ishra,” she said lightly her voice sweet, she gets up walking towards me and hugging me tightly
"Di, if you hug me anymore I will not be able to breath" I say sarcastically
"Your still the same childish ishu aren't you" she says laughing to which I nod giggling
She pulled away and sat back down in her seat in front of the vanity to get her makeup done
“You okay, di?” I asked, watching her carefully. She nodded, too quickly. “Haan, sab theek hai. It’s a good match, the family’s nice... I’m happy,” she said,
but her words felt hollow, like they were stitched together just for show. There was something in her eyes—something that flickered and faded too fast. I didn’t push. I just sat beside her quietly.
“Are you sure di?” I ask, still not convinced
“Ishu meri bachi don’t worry, I’m just tired from all the shopping and I’m feeling…a little nervous” she said in a reassuring tone, oh so she just felt nervous about the marriage, thats normal with brides to be
“Arey sab mujhe bacha bacha bula rahe hai, main koi bachi nahi Hu!!” I say pouting while fake glaring
[why is everyone keep calling me kid, I’m not a kid!!]
“Because you are the youngest so your still a bacha for us” she responds smiling, patting my cheek softly and I sigh
“Ok tell me, how’s your internship going?” She asks to which I start telling her about my day to day life at the hospital, how in the children’s ward they all love me when I go to visit them during my break and how they are so cute and how during my the surgery’s I feel so scared and determined at the same time
soon di’s make up was done and now we were just sitting on the sofa in her room
Suddenly two voices came behind us startling both me and di "Aren’t you both bored here and that two without us?”
As me and di looked behind us we saw Aarav and Zahir bhai to which I glared at both of them while di looked at them with a done face
"Bhaiiii!, when will you both stop scaring me like this" I whined to which they both laughed, to which made even di glare at them
"Zahir bhai your the oldest one and your supporting Aarav" Di said in disbelief
"Your our sisters, obviously we will annoy both of you" Aarav bhai replied instead
“Especially since ishu is back after a long time and zania you’re going to get married and after that ishu is going to go back to. Meaning then we won’t be able to annoy you both anymore as much and our sibling time will be shorter and shorter” Aarav bhai continued
“Ishu how are you my bacha and how are your studies and internship going?" Zahir bhai asked pulling into a hug
"I'm good and my studies and internship is amazing!” I reply
“Anyways congratulations on becoming a father and making me a bua!! And how’s bhabi?” I say enthusiastically, Zahir bhai had gotten married a few months before I had left for London and while I was away 4 months ago bhabi gave the news that she’s pregnant. I didn’t want to bother bhabi after coming because she was resting
“Thank you, and manika is fine” bhai replied smiling at me
“Main aur tum toh single hi marenge” Aarav bhai said dramaticly to me
[me and you are going to die single]
“Let’s go the the ceremony is about to begin” Zahir bhai said smacking the back of Aarav bhai’s head and we all made our way towards the backyard
The backyard was full of lights, music, everyone was in conversations smiling. I sat next to Zania di, both of us getting mehendi on our hands after we told the mehendi artist how we want it to look like
Mumma and Manika bhabhi were with us too, In a conversation after explaining to their mehendi artist how they wang their designs.
The other female guests were also in conversations smiling and getting their mehendi done.
Papa was talking to guests nearby, smiling but looking a little emotional. About how one of his daughter was about to get married
Aarav bhai was being his usual silly self, carefree, dancing, and joking as well as helping around and entertaining the guests and the children in the function.
Zahir bhai was talking to a few of our business partners, his demeanor as always calm
both zahir and Aarav bhai making sure bhabi or any of us weren’t having any problems or feeling any discomfort, and bringing us food and drinks, zahir bhai feeding bhabi while papa fed mumma and Aarav bhai feeding me and do both
“What’s the grooms name again?” I asked di
Just then the mehendi artist asked me if I had a husband or boyfriend who’s name I want to write in my mehendi and di also replied saying “his name is arnaaz” and I replied to di saying “oh ya, his name is arnaaz” to which di nodded and I said “I had forgotten”
I looked at the mehendi artsist who had started doing my mehendi again and thought did she ask me anything? Maybe not
Just then the dances started and I paid attention to them along with tell the photographer to take a few pictures of my mehendi and me getting my henna down and as well as di and everyone else
I also told Aarav bhai to take a small video with his or my phone of us having family time and getting our mehendi done along with secretly taking cute pics of zahir bhai taking care of bhabi and feeding her and getting all worried and restless about if nah I was comfortable or not
After the functions the close family friends and relatives and our family sat on the living room talking and joking around
Some topics being about mine and Aarav bhai’s wedding while others being about what zania di had planned for the future after the wedding, some being that I should try and visit more or which my internship and take online classes and move back to India now that my university offers online classes and I was about to finish anyways
Though throughout the conversations di seemed to be distracted and focused on something else looking nervous and something didn’t feel right but I ignored it and paid attention to the conversation going on thinking that she’s just nervous about the marriage
Suddenly I saw my dadi who decides everything, I might be loved by my family but only my family, which is my parents, my siblings and my bhabi, everyone else for some reason hates me, mostly my dadi, she doesn't like me nor my sister Zania, she doesn’t favor any of the girls in my family. she has those old day thoughts, she likes her grandsons over her granddaughters.
She came towards us and looked at me and di and said “larkia zada haste nahi hai, shanti se batho” and looked over to and my brothers
“You guys don’t have to feed them, they can eat after their mehendi dries or they could’ve eaten Before getting their mehndi done” she said to my brothers she
before leaving she gave a quick glance towards me, bhabi and di “you guys are girls you shouldn’t be too hyper, you should be calm and collected and zania you better not do anything which will make the khans want to end the marriage” and she left giving one last glare to di
“Just ignore it” zahir bhai says and we nod but everyone’s mood was ruined now so me and Aarav bhai started fake fighting
Thank god she doesn’t live here and just came here for the wedding
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