Muntaha | ✔

Chapter 15

people linked by destiny
will always find each other

~

The nikaah went in a blurr as they both were lost in their own thoughts rather than paying attention to what the Qaazi was saying.

First, the Qaazi was brought in the room where Muntaha was sitting on the bed with a veil endowed with heavy embroidery covering her face. Her heart was thudding inside her ribcage, ready to escape. When the Qaazi asked her the question, she froze. A tear escaped from her forest green eyes and fell in her lap. The Qaazi asked again when she didn't reply and the old lady whom she now referred to as Bibi put a hand on her shoulder.

"Beta."

"Qubool hai." Muntaha said so quitely that they wouldn't have heard it if not for the silence in the room.

She was given the Nikah Nama to sign. She couldn't help but cry and a few tears fell on the papers. She signed with trembling hands and then recieved duas and mubaraks from everyone.

Faris was seated with the men in the hall. A vein over his eyebrow was throbbing and he was almost about to lose it. He hasn't felt so helpless in all his life. When the Qaazi asked him, he replied in a firm voice.

"Qubool hai."

Everyone made dua after the nikah was done. Faris asked Allah to give him strength and wisdom to handle this new responsibility and asked for guidance and help. Muntaha asked Allah to give her strength and guidance for she could not understand what to do with this new relation she was tied in.

After dua was made everyone congratulated Faris but he couldn't bring himself to smile even for show.

Bibi was trying to be the mother figure for Muntaha as she was continuously crying. She consoled her and fixed her running kajal. The women around them said something in pashto and started giggling to which Bibi gave them a stern look.

There was a knock on the door. One of the ladies went to open the door and all of them giggled when they saw the groom standing at the door. Bibi dropped Muntaha's veil again so that her face was covered and the ladies rushed outside still giggling wanting to leave the 'love-birds' alone. Faris patiently stood beside the door with his gaze bowed down. When all of the ladies left, he entered the room and locked the door.

All the giggling was getting to Muntaha's head as she was finding it very annoying. But then she realised these teasing giggles were actually because it is supposed to be her wedding night. She was terrified.

'What if Faris was expecting something from her?' She thought incredulously.

When Bibi hurriedly dropped her veil and the ladies left with their annoying giggles, she got confused but then realised her husband was here.

'Her husband.' That thought sent shivers down her spine.

'What the hell, Muntaha?! Stop thinking like that.' She mentally scolded herself.

She was already quite scared when she realised that she was his wife now. She knew in her heart that Faris was not a guy who'd try to impose himself on a girl but still she couldn't help but think like that.

She was anticipating what he will do. Faris locked the door and turned around taking a step towards the bed where his bride sat with a veil covering her face. She jolted out of the bed throwing the ghoongat back.

"Don't get any funny ideas!" Muntaha said in strict tone -as strict as she could with a trembling heart and withering legs- with a finger pointed towards Faris. He stopped dead in his tracks confusedly and said with a raised eyebrow.

"Pardon?"

"I don't believe in this....this nikah."
She felt a weird sensation in her abdomen when she hesitantly pronounced the word. "So don't think I would...uh-I mean don't expect me to do....to do any wifely duties."

"Huh? Wifely duties...?" Faris was confused for a moment but then he reaslised what she was talking about.

"O Khuda ki bandi, get your head out of the gutter. I would never impose myself on anyone. Itna gira hua samjhti ho mujhe?" Faris knew she would not think highly of him given the circumstances but he didn't know her thoughts were wandering so low for him.

(O woman, .......Do you think so lowly of me?)

"I just wanted to clear up things before you got any ideas." Muntaha said embarrassedly, clutching the green and golden chunari which was flowing over her shoulders from the back exposing her swan-like neck and collar bones.

"I am not getting any 'ideas' so relax." He said with an eye-roll. "I think the tirdness and hunger is taking a toll on your brain. C'mon lets eat and then we can take rest." Faris said, gesturing to the tray of food one of the ladies left on the coffee table before leaving. He went and sat on the couch and started dishing out the food. Muntaha looked at the spot beside him hesitantly but her growling stomach urged her to go and she sat on the couch beside him with a considerable gap between them. Faris, being the gentleman he was, handed her the plate piled with food first and then dished food for himself.

Muntaha didn't realise how hungry she was until she took the first morsel of roti dipped in what appeared to mutton karahi. She was one of those people who only ate chicken and fish in the name of meat and couldn't bring theirself to appreciate mutton and beef other than the occasional steaks, but at the moment she didn't really care what she was eating since whatever it was, it tasted heavenly-maybe because she was starving-but still heavenly.

They both ate in a comfortable silence as they both were too tired and too hungry to make a conversation. Faris was the first one to finish so he went in the ensuite to clean up before sleeping. Muntaha finished her food shortly after and started collecting the dishes and covering the bowls with remaning food. She was about to take them to the kitchen to wash but then she realised she didn't know her way around the massive haveli and since it was quite late everyone must be sleeping so it would be wrong to disturb them. She put them at a side and got up. Faris exited the bathroom with the kameez sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Muntaha went inside the bathroom to clean-up. She didn't have anything to sleep in so she just took off the heavy jewellery and brushed her hair and teeth. The lip tint wasn't coming off since it was made of natural arq and she romoved the kajal as much as she could. When she came out of the bathroom, Faris was laying on the couch with an arm over his eyes and the lights turned off. Since Muntaha had already offered the isha prayer, she went straight to bed to sleep. But when she realised Faris didn't have any blanket, she felt bad. She got up again and took an extra blanket out of the cupboard she had seen Bibi putting there and draped it over Faris.

The moonlight coming from the window behind the couch was shining over his face, highlighting his manly features. She turned around to go back but halted when she heard the faintest whisper that lingered in the air.

"Thankyou."

Muntaha looked back over her shoulder and was surprised to see Faris looking at her with his piercing grey eyes which appeared silver in the moonlight. She gave her a light smile and tugged the chunri more tightly around her and returned to the bed to sleep.

There was a havoc of what's and if's in their minds but they both were very tired physically and mentally. They both just closed their eyes and slept with a blanket of serenity surrounding them and the clouds and the stars gushing over the new couple and giggling at the fate's play.

Author's Note
Stay home and stay safe. Pray for yourself and the people around you in this bad time.
Vote, share and leave your thoughts in the comment section.

P.s. Please bear with my lazy self and sorry for the late and short update.