Humsafar (short stories)

Atish e Ishq

"Mama, I wanna tell you something"
Aleena said keeping her head in her mother's lap

"Yes my baby"
Sharia kissed her hands. She has been emotional since she got married

"Mama I don't know how to say"
Aleena stammered

"What is it Aleena?"
Now Shazia got worried as Aleena had tears in her eyes

"Mama yesterday before the mehendi function started. I was passing by the guest rooms. I didn't know someone was stalking me. I suddenly got pulled into an empty room where no guest was staying. There was a guy who put his hand on my mouth. I couldn't even scream. He st started touching my body inappropriately. I bit his hand and screamed. Heyam Api came and started knocking on the door. The guy covered my mouth again. My dupatta fell on the floor. I dropped the vase on the floor. She stayed there knocking at the door. As soon as she left the guy pushed me onto the floor and threw my dupatta on my face. I ran towards my room but didn't tell anyone"
Aleena said while crying

Shazia Khan covered her mouth with her hands and said immediately
"I will tell Hamza and Saad. They will find out and kill that man"

"No mama, please. Don't do this. Now I will be conscious. They will kill him surely. Please, mama, leave our family but the people here will call me a bad woman"
Aleena said wiping her tears

Shazia sighed and said
"You will not go anywhere without me until the functions end because this is the only time men can visit our side"
Shazia said at which Aleena nodded
.....................................................................

Heyam was having a fever again because she wasn't habitual of this weather. There was heavy snow falling outside. She told the maid to give her a paracetamol. Which the maid brought from Shazia Khan and gave it to her. She was better by the afternoon. Everyone was getting ready. Sehrish came to make her ready. Heyam got up from the bed and bit her lips looking at the dress. She always used to make fun of people who got heavily dressed in someone's wedding. She wanted to wear bridal dresses at her wedding only. But remembering yesterday's insult she wore it silently and sat on the chair saying weekly
"Please do light makeup"

Sehrish nodded but did what Rubina Khan told her. She told her to do the bridal makeup only. She did her bridal waterproof makeup. As Heyam was wearing a wedding dress she couldn't even imagine that she was not the bride. Other beauticians, did the other bride's makeup. While Sehrish was assigned to her

"Don't be scared. Everything will be fine"
Sehrish said caressing her hand which was shivering due to the cold

"I am not"
Heyam whispered at which Sehrish smiled

"Open your eyes now"
She said at which Heyam opened her eyes and gasped seeing herself

"Mash Allah such a pretty bride you are. Your husband is very lucky"
Sehrish said setting her dupatta as almost the whole valley has to come for nikkah. So men and women are separated today. Upton and Mehendi happened just because of Hamza's wish otherwise they do only two functions nikkah and walima