Khizaan

Chapter 35

Aisa hi hai woh,
Phool bhi apko dena parhta hai
Kehna bhi apko hi parhta hai
Ki mere baalo mein laga do

•••

The next day was no different. Hayder thought he would talk to Hyra in the morning about their previous day's argument, but she had already gotten up before him and gone downstairs. He hesitated to join the ladies' gathering. So he decided to wait for her to come upstairs.

Function was about to start, but Hyra didn't come upstairs. Confused and worried, Hayder decided to go and check on her.

Hayder descended the staircase, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Hyra, adorned in a black churidaar with a pink dupatta. She sat amidst her cousins, her laughter resonating through the room. Without any makeup, her natural beauty radiated, instantly bringing peace to Hayder.

"Hyra, idhar ana," Before he could call her, Bushra's voice called out.

(Hyra, come here.)

Hyra excused herself and went to Neelam.

"Hyra, yeh kuch kapre hain, inhe press kar dogi? Dikkat toh nahi?" Hyra noticed the bundle of clothes in Bushra's hands that were not just 'some,' but rather quite a lot. Now, even if the other person had trouble, what could she say it?

(Hyra, I have some clothes, can you iron them? Will it be a problem?)

"Laiye, mami, main kar dungi." Hyra smiled and took the clothes from Bushra. They were 3-4 heavily embroidered wedding dresses. Hyra was momentarily taken aback when she picked them up for a second, but then she composed herself.

(Of course not, mami, I'll iron them.)

Hayder was watching them from a distance, observing how Hyra was struggling to handle those clothes. Unable to resist, he walked towards them, but Bushra left before he could reach them.

"Kya hua?" Taking the pile of clothes from Hyra's hands, Hayder asked.

(What happened?)

Hyra's hands relaxed because the weight of the heavy clothes was lifted. However, she was not ready to accept it in front of Hayder.

"Wapas karein, mujhe yeh press karne hain."

(Give them back to me, I have to iron them.)

"Yeh sab? Tumse inke wazan toh uthaye nahi ja rahe, press kaise karogi?" Hayder looked at the clothes, then glanced at Hyra.

(All of this? You can't even lift their weight, how will you iron them?)

"Main..."

(I...)

"Kashish, idhar ana." Hyra was about to say something, but Hayder ignored her and called Kashish from the crowd.

(Kashish, come here.)

"Ji, bhai?" Kashish came to them and asked.

(Yes, bhai?)

"Yeh lo, tumhari mummy ke kapre hain inhe press kardo." Hayder handed the pile of clothes to Kashish without even looking, unaware that Kashish's face had paled upon hearing about the task.

(Here, these are your mom's clothes, iron them.)

"Laundry room uss taraf hai." Hayder added.

(The laundry room is that way.)

"Ji," Kashish wasn't pleased, but she couldn't say anything to Hayder. She cast a glance at Hyra, who was looking down. Hyra wasn't happy either, but she didn't want to confront Hayder in front of others.