It has always been you!

Chapter 27

Two days before nikkah:

"Baji? When will Al's mehndi be applied? What time have you given to Kainat?"

"I told her that she can come anytime after six because then Aleyha had to rest also. And, I have also called her sister with her so that whoever else wants to put on henna they can too." She told Zoha whose face instantly lit up after hearing the last sentence.

" That's great! Thank god, I wouldn't have to go to the parlour now," Zoha sighed out as she adjusted her gao-takkiya on the side of the sofa; resting her head on it, she settled her legs on my lap.

"Wali! Who is calling you again and again at this time of hour that you've been wandering back and forth between the lounge and outside?" Hina khala called him out as he entered the room. 
She was right!
All my cousins have been sitting here from the past two hours and in that duration, this must be his fifth call now which he had gone outside to attend. Not that it matters to her but his mobile ringing, again and again, was really annoying me.

Thank god that someone too noticed it!

While all the elders were inside the room having some private-talks, Hina khala preferred sitting with us rather than taking part in those complicated-controversial elder talks, as she told everyone.

" Phuppo! It's not only about today; he had been busy from the past week. I don't know who he is calling and visiting from the past week but Dal main kuch zaroor kaala hai?! I think it's his number next after Aleyha," Haider bhai answered her question instead- with a very devious smirk. I threw a quick look at Wali. Past week? What was he up to?

I couldn't help but wonder. My mind going haywire.

While Wali, who was just typing something on his phone, gave him a death glare to which Haider bhai shrugged and surrendered his arms up in the air.

"Just saying! No need to get all macho on me."

"It's nothing, phuppo. Just some work-related phone calls." He told her. The graveness in his tone left no room for argument. She raised an eyebrow at him and shook her head.

"As you say."

"Talk to him already! He has been calling you since yesterday, Al! Yeh mera dimagh kharab kar raha hai," Manahil barged into the room; stomping her feet towards me and forwarded the phone in front of me. I instantly turned my face away, folding my arms on my chest, knowing very well who was on the call.

"I have told you! I don't want to talk to him. Tell him to stay there forever now. No need to come back now."

With my face still turned away from the phone, I told her- more like told him-assertively.

" Great! She is angry with me?! Khud ko itni jldi horahi thi shaadi krney ki ke ek hafta bhi mere liye nahin ruk sakein aur ab muh phula kr bethi hai!" I could see Zaroon's very-annoyed face from my peripheral view. And, I would have teased him on how big his nose seems on the camera in his annoyed-state but I, really, was angry at him.

I wanted him to be here. I needed him here. Maybe, I could have shared things with him which I was unable to share with anyone else. I needed someone who didn't know about mine and Wali's situation and wouldn't have judged me on that basis if I'd told him everything going through my mind.

My mind's undivided attention was once again captured by everyone as they laughed at Zaroon's stupid comments at which I could barely even smile. Whatever he said was so ironic that my insides laughed sarcastically at his statement. And, this laugh and their laugh were a lot different.

Now really irritated by all of them, turning my face towards the phone, I pressed the red button on the screen and ended the call.

"Al! What is wrong with you!?!" Zoha chided me. "Why are you still upset? You know he has his final exams. He really can't come otherwise he wouldn't have missed your nikkah at any cost!"