A Promise | 🗸

30 | only child

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30

It's been a couple of days since I got back from the hospital, and nobody has mentioned a word about the proposal - even Bhai. I was getting suspicious, but I was relieved. I was sitting on my bed, staring at the room when Mama came in, "Saima go to the store and buy me some onions. We have guests coming over," She said super fast. Before I could question it, she ran out of the room.
I needed some fresh air, so I left and bought Mama her onions.

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When I came home, the house smelt amazing. I could smell Mama's biryani and all of the sweets she had made. I gave her the onions and took the candy that I compulsively bought upstairs. 

"Saima, where that pretty Salwar Kameez, we got you from Bangladesh," Mama said as I went up the stairs. I stopped walking, "Why? Who's coming over?" I asked suspiciously.

"Asmaaunty," She said so fast I couldn't even comprehend, "Hurry, they'll be here in 10 minutes."

"Mama, who's coming?" I asked again, very slowly.

"Fine! Asma aunty's coming," She said, defeated

"To see me?! For the proposal?" I asked 

"No, no, we would've told you, this is just a simple gathering," Mama waved it off.

"But what am I supposed to say or do? The dude wants to marry me, and I haven't decided anything. What do I tell them?!" I rambled

Mama placed her hands on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes, "We won't speak about it until you're ready to. I'm only telling you now because I know you'd panic and run away," She said
There was no way. We all would go all night without talking about it.

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"Saima, come down, they're here," Bhabi yelled from downstairs. After finding out my potential husband was coming over, I got dressed and stayed in my room with Maya Aunty. Not daring to leave.

"Beta, if you don't want to marry him, just say so," Maya aunty said, patting my leg.

"It's not that I don't want to... It's just I'm scared... Like today they're not officially here to see me for the marriage but still! He wants to marry me. That's so weird I never expected him to..."

Maya aunty wrapped her arms around me and started to reminiscence, "When you're uncle, Anum's Dad wanted to marry me. I was shocked. It was so unexpected, and I didn't think I was even ready to marry him. I didn't even know him; I didn't even see his face until after we got married. I didn't think I could ever love someone I didn't know. But then look now we had an amazing 55 years together, an amazing daughter, and now a granddaughter on the way. He would've been so happy to see Anum married, and he would've spoiled his grandchildren. Look, Beta, just because something is unexpecting doesn't mean it's bad after Allah's the best planner. Just go through this with an open heart," She said with a small smile.

 I nodded, slowly processing everything, and we went downstairs. I walked down, greeting everyone, and ran to the kitchen, not daring to look at him. I was too nervous. I went to the kitchen to find Bhabi, Zara, Rukaiya, and Fatima, along with my mom and Asma Aunty. 

"Hi, Future Bhabi!" Fatima exclaimed, hugging me. I started to blush like crazy.

"Fatima!" Asma aunty scolded, 

"It's okay, Beta, don't listen to her," she said, glaring at Fatima.Fatima still winked at me, and we all went upstairs. After that, nobody commented. But I still blushed like crazy whenever I thought about it.

When it was time for dinner, all of us "kids" were told to sit in the living room. Despite the fact I begged Mama to let me eat in my room, she would not budge. So I reluctantly sat beside Bhabi, trying not to get noticed. Zayn was sitting on the far end of the room beside Bhai, and I could feel his eyes on me, which made me blush even more. Up until now, I didn't even think I could blush this much. 

"So, Saima..." Bhai said with a smirk.

Oh no 

"Yes, Bhai," I mumbled. 

"Why are you so red?" He asked, fully knowing why I was so red. Once everyone was gone, I was going to beat him up. I glared at him and responded, "Makeup."

Bhabi then quickly changed the topic, still glaring at Bhai. While everyone else was talking, she whispered into my ear, "I will punch him for you later," She said with a wink.

"Saima, can you go grab me some hummus and pickles from the kitchen?" She asked, rubbing her belly. Bhabi had the weirdest cravings. I nodded and went to the kitchen.

I was about to grab a spoon from the drawer when I turned around to see Zayn. "Ah," I shrieked, jumping a bit.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," He said, rubbing the back of his head, his cheeks red. He was standing near the island of the kitchen, he was pretty far, but that didn't stop me from being scared.

"Uhm... I just wanted to say about the proposal... uhm don't feel pressured to say anything take your time," He said very awkwardly, fiddling with his fingers, "Oh, and I'm sorry for uh making you faint... Zara said it was my fault." Stupid Zara why would she say that? I couldn't even open my mouth, so I just nodded, and he walked away. 

I was going to kill both of my siblings tonight. I grabbed the pickles and hummus and went back to where we all were sitting. Zayn had just sat down, and I took a seat, giving Bhabi her food. Her eyes were growing wide at the sight of the Pickles and hummus. "Thank you, Jaan," she said, digging in.

 I leaned back. That had to be the worst of it, right? I tried to relax, but all peace in me gone when Bhai started to talk, 

"Dang Zayn, you're just as red as Saima. Are you wearing makeup too?" He said with a devious smirk. 

Today I will become an only child. Both of my siblings were evil. 

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