"What do you mean?" I looked at my mother. "Chori kaise ho gaya hai?"
*"How were they stolen?"
"Chori nahin huay." Fariha said. "Locker main rakhwa diye thay, Ammi Jaan. Maine aap ko bataya tha na? Aap kamon main busy theen, to shayad bhool gayi hon gi."
"They weren't stolen." "We kept them in a locker, Ammi Jaan. I told you, remember? You were busy in work, so you must have forgotten that."
"Fariha..." I put my hands on my hips and shook my head.
"I'm sorry, Ammi Jaan. I didn't mean to worry you." Fariha immediately looked guilty.
Ammi Jaan shook her head, wiping away her tears with the rumaal (handkerchief) that Baba Jaan handed her. This was a sweet habit of his. Every time he saw his wife crying, he handed her either a clean rumaal or a tissue immediately, before patting her shoulder lightly. That's why they had an entire collection of rumaals in their wardrobe.
Let me make clear a list of ingredients that are essential to cook up a desi wedding: drama, gossip, rishta selection and minor heart attacks like this one. If these key ingredients are not present, are you really getting married?
"We'll get them from the locker early tomorrow morning." I reassured Ammi Jaan.
She nodded, looked relieved and exhausted simultaneously.
"Mahnoor," I told my sister. "Take Ammi Jaan to the room. We have another big day tomorrow and we all need the rest."
Mahnoor nodded and obediently took Ammi Jaan to the room they shared.
I shook her head. "Don't be. Shaadi ke ghar main sau kaam hote hain, cheezain nikal jaati hain dimagh se."
*"There are hundreds of chores at a wedding home, things slip out of our minds."
She gave me a grateful smile. Sometimes her reactions made me wonder what Umair had put her through to make her on guard each time she felt she'd done something wrong.
I hate baduas, as Ammi Jaan believed that they might come back to us, but I could imagine what Umair had put my Fari through, and just the thought makes me wish nothing but bad for him.
****
Zoya
It was the big day. Mahnoor and I were on one end of the parlour, while Fariha and Dua were on the other.
Mahnoor looked like a queen in a long golden maxi dress with silver and gold sequins and embroidery, truly fitting the role of the twin sister of the bride. She was the desi version of a 'Maid of Honour'. She wore a silver set with it, with pearls attached.
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