"Love comes when least expected"

~Anon

_________

Wedding Preparation

One week and three months to go

The whole house was a chaos again

like almost everyday, people were walking about talking and asking for things

While all of it was going on, Loriza locked the door of her room and turned to Edris, her eyes flaming with anger and pain

"Why?" she questioned him, almost whispering

But Edris knew what she was asking for

"I swear Riz, She wanted to talk! Nothing happened!" Replied Edris. He was sure about himself

so sure that Loriza almost trusted him

"Then why on earth do i have your pictures?" she asked him, showing her phone, swiping the photos

never had she imagined in her life, she would face such things. Edris and her were always happy, she gave up her career for family, gave up her family for his and even overlooked his second wife, just coz she loved him!

And what did she get in return?

nothing!

"W-what? H-how do you h-have t-them?" he questioned, his face draining color

"Why stammer? You went there, no?" she questioned him, menacingly

"Riz, step out of the lawyer mode!" snapped Edris and Loriza smiled at him

"Answer the question, Edris" she replied, her voice however calm

"Riz, this is not your court, this is your house!" he told her and Loriza sighed, putting the phone down

"I would, I would if i did not have to face this all the time! I would not be all lawyer mode if you were truthful! You said i was your choice! Was i really?" Loriza questioned and Edris was taken back with her fury

What Edris failed to realize was the pain he caused Loriza was far more than what he had imagined.

He had asked her to share her husband!

Which wife would do that?

None

When things got worse, when Shumayll was born, his second wife left baby Shumayll to him, Loriza took him in and nursed him and mothered him like her own child, Edris had forgotten all that.

"Loriza, calm down" he said, taking a step ahead

"No, I can't! I can't knowing i-" with that she choked on her tears, as they began falling furiously

"Riz, Riz, stop crying" said Edris, walking closer to her but she stepped back, clearly indicating she did not want him near her

"Until Shumayll's wedding is over, this is between us, once its done- we are done" she muttered and stood straight

"Riz, you are not thinking straight-" said Edris and Loriza smiled weakly

"I wish i was when i believed every word of yours before" she muttered, before wiping her tears and smiling at him

"Till then, promise me you won't ruin Shumayll's day?" she asked Edris and he sighed

"I won't" he muttered

"Alright then, later" with that Loriza walked out of her room, attending to the people around her

all the while, clenching to her sorrows tightly

Aarib was going no where with Nabaahat and Waarith was still intrigued with Nafaasat, all the while the two girls were oblivious to the boys

"Bhai what are you looking for?" asked Aariz as he eyes his brother suspiciously

"Nothing" replied Aarib, almost immediately

"Well then, shall we go? We have fitting to attend to" said Aariz and the brother nodded, still looking for Nafaasat

The boys got into their respective vehicles and drove to the design store where the fitting was taking place

the girls had done their's and it was now the boys turn

"Salaam! Come on in!" said Saleha, grinning at the boys

Iqraam, Waarith, Aariz and Aarib nodded at them

"Where is Shumayll?" asked Saleha

Shumayll was yet again meeting Edreena, reasons for god knows what

"So what's the deal?" he asked her, directly

"The deal is that i want to attend your wedding" she said

they were back in square one

"I am sorry Edreena, i cannot allow you there" stated Shumayll, all serious

"But why?" she asked back

"Thats because i don't want drama in my wedding! Its a grand one where thousands of guests will be coming from all over the world! I do not want rumours the following day!" fired back Shumayll, clenching his fist

the wedding pressure, Edreena and the whole business were taking a toll on him

"Fine then! Keep your ego and don't let me come! But remember Shumayll, i am your real mother- your birth mot-" she says when Shumayll cuts her off

"My mother is Loriza Edris- I don't know what you are speaking of- so please leave me and my family all alone!" he growled out and Edreena winced

Shumayll was angry and an angry him is not a good sight

"Alright then, i am out" with that Edreena stood up and walked away, leaving Shumayll to his solitude

He took out his phone and called the one human who can calm him down

his wife

Iqra was setting up her room when her phone rang

Taking the phone, she smiled when Shumayll's name flashed on it

"As salaam" she answered

"Was salaam" muttered a worn out Shumayll

"What happened?" Iqram asked immediately, while standing up and locking the door of her room

"Edreena" replied Shumayll

Iqra sighed

"Shumayll, you have to leave her for now, she will not ruin your family, i promise you that!" said Iqra, trying to calm the love of her life

"I wish Iqra, we both know that she won't give up, honestly, i don't even know what her problem is! What does she actually want!?! I feel like she is doing this without a purpose!" said Shumayll and Iqra nodded

She also felt that somehow but she never spoke of it

The two talked a little more before it was time for Iqra to get downstairs with Ruqayyah

When everyone was in the hassle and chaos of things, Nabaahat set in one corner of the terrace and skimmed through her book called 'Rage of Angels'

"hey"

She looked up to see the person blocking her vitimin D

"h-hey" she muttered to Aarib who was smiling widely

"Mind if i join you in the sun bathing?" he asked, in a teasing tone

Nabaahat let out a small chuckle

"No problem" she muttered

Aarib took a seat on the tiled floor beside her and sighed

"So hows the wedding preps?" he asked her casually, trying to make conversation and not sound crazy

"Good, hows yours?" Nabaahat asked, turning her head to him

"Its......... hectic" he said, chuckling lightly and Nabaahat let out a small laugh

"Tell me about it" muttered Nabaahat to which Aarib chuckled

"So you read huh?" questioned Aarib but immediately felt stupid because if this girl did not read, why would she be carrying a book?

Nabaahat noticed his discomfort and smiled assureingly at him

"Yeah, do you?" she asked him back

"At times, i hardly have time though" he said and Nabaahat nodded

the two talked a little more before a comfortable silence took them over

Nabaahat was in her own world, staring out to the green surrounding the Edris house while Aarib was looking at her in admiration

the two had no idea what this wedding would so with them in the future

Waarith grinned at Nafaasat who slapped his head with the cardboard box she was holding

she was infuriated by this human and she did nothing to hide that face

"Go away!" she whined and Waarith chuckled, casually leaning on the frame of the doorway

It was unlike him to be playing about with a girl but with Nafaasat, he could not help it-

the girl's quirks and sassy remarks made me challenged and more on his toes

he liked that

"No- Annoying you is my pasttime hobby" he said, pulling away the cardboard box from her hand

"Go look for some other hobby! Stop being around me!" muttered Nafaasat, pushing her lose hair back

Why did they keep falling?!!

Waarith noticed it and grinned

"So you play rugby?" he asked her

'Soccer and i am also a master in Karate- that means you go away or else i will throw kicks at you!" she snapped at him, taking the boxed flowers out of the cupboard

Waarith helped her with the boxes

"Oh really? Well i know defence, its totally good" he remarked, causing Nafaasat to growl more

"Oh come on Allah, why me?" she whined, walking away with a laughing Waarith on the tow

The wedding of Iqrayll will surely bring a few hearts together