Chapter 40

Saad's pov:

I was completely full. But aunty had so generously emptied the food platter on my and bhai's plate that we couldn't even do anything about it but silently finish it. When she was feeding her mom, I couldn't stop myself from thinking about my parents. I missed them. This was such a special day and they weren't here for it. It would have been much more fun if they would have been here. But it could have turned out bad too. Who knows?

Maybe that's what Allah had planned. Maybe it wouldn't have turned out well that's why they weren't here. Because if they were meant to join us, then they would have been here. Because even bhai wasn't here but since it was written in his fate to be with us, to join us for this special day, he came. One way or the other he got to know and that too just a day before the nikkah and he came, I reminded myself.

So it was all Allah's plan. I shouldn't be worried or think about what might have happened or anything. But I was a human being and I couldn't always be how I wanted to be. Sometimes I let my mind wander off to think about things and sometimes I got lost in them. But I got out of them too. Like how, when I realised that she was looking at me, I averted my gaze. A lot of emotions were swirling in my orbs, I was aware of that fact, which was the reason for me to look away before she could read them.

It was sometime after aunty left and Emaan was settled back in her place, finishing her food as she argued with her best friend that bhabi looked at me with a raised brow and eyed my plate, which still had some biryani and chicken on it. I silently gestured that I was full and I would be dead if I eat any further. She nodded in understanding as a thoughtful look appeared on her face.

"Okay Saad, come on get up. Sit here and feed Atifa." Smirking, she stood up and gestured for me to stand up and follow her orders.

Baffled, I looked at her, confused. "Bhabi..." My voice trailed off, not knowing what to say. I knew I had to finish the food on my plate but that didn't mean that I was going to force her to eat it.

"Bhabi I'm full. It's okay, sit down." Atifa interjected, her eyes wide.

"What I'm full? You fed more than half of your food to aunty. How can you be full so soon?" Bhabi inquired with a raised brow.

It was then that I understood what her plan was. She wanted me to feed her because she knew she wouldn't eat on her own. And if I feed her, she would eat it and even the food on my plate would be finished. Bhabi was really smart, I would give her that. A smile tugged at my lips but I resisted. This wasn't the time for it. I loved my life and I would like to live a bit more.

"But I don't want to eat anymore." Atifa protested slowly. I just shook my head.

"No if's or buts. Come on Saad, get up!" Bhabi told her sternly before looking at me. Getting up, I took my seat beside her as bhabi settled beside bhai happily.

Bhabi urged me to start feeding her and I had never felt more awkward and uncomfortable in my life. Like feeding a girl in front of everyone? It was... I didn't even know what it was. It was just different.

Sighing, I took a spoonful of biryani and extended it to her. Glancing at her through my lashes, I waited for her to eat it. Pouting and glaring at bhabi, her gaze flitted towards the extended spoon before landing on me. Composing herself quickly, she averted her gaze before having the food, making me smile slightly.

I continued to feed her for a while until she held my hand, stopping me before grabbing the plate from me. "It's okay, I will eat it myself." Then her gaze flickered in the direction of bhabi who was laughing at something bhai said. "She should have just told us that she wants to sit with her husband. What was the need of this drama?" She muttered with a frown, making me chuckle.

I was kind of thankful for that, her grabbing the plate from me I mean. We were starting to get some attention which was making me more uncomfortable. If I thought that all was good now, I was wrong. Emaan still had to jump in and comment something.

"No man! You should have let him feed you. It was so cute! Like that was couple goals. And-" Emaan groaned and started complaining, making her shoot a glare at her friend, which, thankfully, managed to shut her up.

"Apiii!" The shrill voice of Amira and Alayna caught our attention. They were both pouting as they stared at her.

"Yes princesses, what's wrong?" She asked them with a frown, concern etched on her face.

"You have forgotten about us since you-" Alayna paused, a thoughtful look on her face. Their plates were kept on the table now and all of our attention was on them.

"Since you got married to bhai!" Amira completed the sentence with a frown.

Before she could reply, Emaan interjected, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Nuh uh-huh, not just your bhai anymore. He is your bhaijaan now."

Amira looked at her, confused as she hit her friend's arm and glared at her. "Don't focus on her talks. He is still your bhai, okay?" She told Amira sweetly.

"What don't focus on my talks? No Amira, listen to me, he is your bhaijaan now since she got nikkahfied to him. And Alayna, she is you bhabi now." Emaan stated proudly.

Their lips formed an o shape as they nodded their head in understanding. "Emaan!" She warned her best friend who smiled at her sheepishly.

"So, you are my other bhabi. That's nice, I already liked you." Alayna confessed cheekily while looking at her in admiration. I raised my brow, kind of stunned at her confession.

"But that's not the topic here!" Amira whined and their banter continued as I watched them with a smile, silently thanking Allah for blessing me with so many beautiful souls.

._._._.

I was lost in my thoughts blankly staring at the wall when I heard aunty asking her to take me to her room with her, making me jerk out of my thoughts and sit up straight. I looked at aunty in disbelief until I realised she had a point. Where would bhai and bhabi stay if not in the guest room which was currently occupied by me.

All the sleepiness which I felt seemed to vanish at once and I could feel a headache coming up. Nodding my head, I stood up and followed her silently. I was very much aware of the fact that it would be the first time we would be left alone and I could feel my nerves playing with me.

Sighing, I entered the room after her as she plopped down on her bed after dropping her stuff on it. My gaze roamed around, examining the room. It was simple yet elegant. As aunty mentioned the other day, she really liked simple and elegant things. The combination of the room was grey and pink. Matching with the theme of the nikkah. So I guessed she really liked that combination.

It had a door at the far right corner, which I assumed, led to the washroom. The grey bed was also on the right side of the room kept with the wall opposite to the door with pink bedside tables on either side. Opposite to the bed there was a grey coloured couch, and behind that couch was a table with drawers.

The area in the front of the door was empty save for the pink fluffy carpet on the floor. On the left side of the room was a cupboard and beside that, almost at the middle of the wall was the dressing table. "Uhh... Welcome to my room I guess." As I was looking around, I heard her voice and our gazes met before she looked away.

"It's nice." I told her as I closed the door before making my way towards the couch and plopping down on it.

._._._.

Rushing back upstairs, I opened the door. I forgot my mobile in the room and bhai was waiting for me downstairs. As an instinct, my gaze landed on her who seemed to be going to do wudu. I froze at my place as I realised that she had removed her hijab and my God! Was she looking beautiful?

Her hair seemed to be in some kind of complicated braid with a few hair strands framing her face. It really made her features stand out. Her chocolate brown eyes met my gaze and I realised just how innocent she looked when she was flustered and clueless as to what's happening.

When she shifted her position, I realised I was actually here to grab my mobile. Clearing my throat, I stuttered. "Uh... Sorry, my mobile..." I gestured towards the couch and she nodded her head while tucking her hair behind her ear.

Flustered at being caught staring at her, I grabbed my mobile before dashing out of the room. Taking a few deep breaths, I went downstairs and joined bhai. "What happened? What took you so long?" He asked me, confused.

I shook my head at him. "Nothing bhai, let's go. It's getting late." I replied as I started walking ahead to avoid his gaze. He still seemed suspicious as he followed me and we made our way to the masjid nearby.

._._._.

"Yaar seriously, bhaijaan is so good looking. God! He seriously looked like a-" I heard Emaan's voice coming from our room as I neared it, making me confused. She went back with her parents, didn't she?

(Buddy)

"Have you called me just to praise him?" Her annoyed voice replied back.

"Ab agar you won't praise him to kisi na kisi ko to karna padega na." Emaan teased. I came to a stop as I realised the door of the room was left open and she was on call with Emaan.

(Now if)

(Someone else will have to do it)

"Haa haa, but tum to mujhe kuch bolne ka mauka hi nahi de rahi. So what can I say?" She countered back and I hid my smile. Folding my arms, I leaned back on the door, amused. I wanted to see what she would tell her friend.

(Yeah yeah, but you aren't giving me any chance to say anything.)

"Accha ji, chaliye ab hum aapko mauka dete hai, bataiye. How did he look today?" Emaan asked her teasingly.

(Oh yeah? Okay now I'm giving you the chance, so tell me.)

"Acche dikh rhe the." I heard her whisper after a while of silence, making my lips tug up in a smile. "Now don't you dare say anything else about him. He is your bhaijaan, remember that." She added warningly, making me suppress my chuckle. But a grin still made its way on my face.

(He was looking nice.)

Emaan laughed and asked her curiously. "Accha accha theek hai, I won't say anything about him anymore. But did you tell him that?"

(Okay okay,)

I decided it was enough of me eavesdropping on them. Although technically, it wasn't eavesdropping because the door was left open so literally anyone could hear their conversation. "You were looking beautiful too." I interrupted as I lazily strolled in.

She froze at her place hearing my voice and I had an idea about her flustered state. Even I would have been flustered if I would have gotten to know that someone was listening to my conversation. "Accha suno, I guess mom's calling me downstairs so I will just talk to you later. Take care and Allah hafiz." Without even waiting for her reply, Emaan ended the call and once again, I had the urge to chuckle at their craziness.

(Okay listen,)

I stood beside the bedside table while folding my arms and leaning on the wall as I stared at her flustered state with a smug smile on my face. And I had the privilege of watching her blush. Her face was devoid of any makeup and I could clearly see the pink colour adorning her cheeks. Even without any makeup, she still managed to look beautiful. And this was the first time I was looking at her without any kind of makeup from this close. "Jazak Allahu Khairan." She murmured silently as she busied herself in the work at hand.

"Wa Antum Fa Jazak Allahu Khairan." I replied back. Noticing the confused look on her face, I pointed towards the door and added. "The door of your room was left open." She nodded her head but avoided looking at me.

"We still have to pray those two rakaàts. Do you want to pray now?" Standing straight, I asked her as I tried to tone down my smile.

"Yeah I guess. I still have to change..." She replied, finally turning to look at me before glancing down at her gown. I noticed that she was still in her nikkah gown and we still had to change.

._._._.