Believe! [Completed]

Chapter 16

The biggest house in the street was covered with lights and decorations. From garden to the living room and to the dining area; the whole place was oozing with a festive feeling. The fragrance of mehndi (mehndi) and of flowers was spread in every side of the house. As the sunset covered the sky in orange, the white and gold lights were turned on to lit up the outside and inside of the house.

Guests had begun to arrive as the hosts of the event rushed from one corner to the other to finish up the arrangements. In the far corner of the house, Minaal was nervously getting ready despite having Sidra, Maliha and Hooriya by her side. Sidra had come from London the moment Faiz told her that Minaal was getting married. Hooriya also came from Canada to join her best friend to celebrate her big day and Maliha was in Lahore already. Minaal had opted for a semi-fancy golden lehnga kameez with a simple gold set of jewellery. Hooriya and Maliha had done her makeup which also added to her natural glow and joy that her face was already shining with.

Minaal was looking at Sidra, Hooriya and Maliha in turns and they could tell that with the feelings of excitement, Minaal was also very nervous. She never had known that she would be marrying someone whom she loves. With the kind of childhood she had, she had no expectations or hopes. But life is about changes and surprises. Who would have thought that the man who advised her to not marry three years ago was going to be made her husband in just a couple more hours.

"Tum itni nervous kyun horai ho? Jab tum Esha ke case ko defend karte hue nahi ghabrai, Syria ke refugees ke liye awaaz uthate nahi darri, to aj jab tumhari khushi se yeh sab horaha hai toh tum itna pareshan kyun ho?"

Maliha had held her hand and questioned her calmly with a smile on her face.

"Bas pata nahi kyun darr lag raha hai."

"Ab sab acha hi hoga Minaal. Allah apne pyaaron per unki himmat se ziyada bojh nahi dalta. Tumne apne hisse ke mushkil din deikh liye hain. You came out as a winner and things only get better after that. Allah per yakeen rakho."

Maliha had tried to make her understand. Sidra and Hooriya also nodded at Minaal to reassure her some more.

While they sat and talked some more, Zahra knocked on the door and entered inside. Seeing Minaal dressed in a wedding outfit looking so beautiful had made her very emotional. She had known how difficult Minaal's life had been before she went to London. Now that she was moving towards a new chapter in life, she was doing so, with a content and satisfied heart. Seeing her daughter so happy and beaming, Zahra shed some tears and then embraced Minaal in a warm hug.

"Hamesha khush raho, meri jaan. Allah tumhare sath ho. Ameen."

"Ami Jaan, aap royein toh nahi. Mein apko aise nahi deikhna chahti."