Chapter 17: Chapter 15

"Cutie jee, we are getting late!" He called after her as he patiently waited for his wife in the veranda!

"Coming in 5 min Simp jee! I just need to check up on Ala and Maqsood Khalo......" She responded.

Mehr and Behzad had requested Mehreen Ala and Maqsood Khalo to live with them in the Alam Haveli as their wedding gift. Because it felt like home. They both had initially refused but once Behzad set his mind on something it is very difficult to make him do otherwise. And he wanted Ala to live with them like a little family.

Grabbing his phone, he texted Abdullah and Mustufa to know what they both were up-to. It was Mehr-un-Nisa's first birthday tomorrow after their marriage and he wanted it to be as special as it could be. He only hoped that things worked out like he wanted them to be.

9 months! They had been married for 9 months and he was glad that he had decided to break the stupid oath had taken. Their nikkah had been quite a family affair with friends and only close relatives. He'd never forget the stunt Mehr-un-Nisa pulled on the day of their nikkah.

"Mehr-un-Nisa Jehangir wald Jehangir Alam kya apko Behzad Haider wald Haider Malik, say (add the sikkah rajul-waqt stuff....) nikkah qabool hai ?"

Qabool hai, kya? Mehr had looked around anxiously at her friend Irsa who gave her the eyes and then at her Ala, who nodded at her to proceed. Why was she taking eternity? Bus Qabool hai he tu bolna hai...It's not the first time. Why am I being this nervous? Ahmad say bura tu nai ho sakta Behzad....

Ho sakta hai? A voice asked her.

"Nahi hai! Nahi hai!" She had replied. Looking up at the horrified expression of Molana , she had realized that she had said it out loud ! Funk....

"Cutie jee , dekhain this is not funny. Mera dil band ho jae ga... Aisay nai karain..." Behzad who was sitting on the opposite side of the partition pleaded. The horror he felt, visible on his face. Was this his makafat-e-amal? He could feel the beads of cold sweats forming on his forehead. After ditching all the girls, he was getting ditched by the woman he loved. That too on the day of their nikkah! Something that he had pledged to not do but had changed his mind for her. Because she was special and he couldn't let her walk away from his life.

While the guests were shocked and exasperated, Behzad was numb. He had looked at his best friend Abdullah, who had been standing beside him in the chamkila golden kurta adjusting the collar every now and then because it was irritating him. Mehr had selected that for him. She had insisted on him wearing that as a wedding gift. Initially Abdullah had refused but then agreed because 'bestie . The hues of the kurta matched with her dress. Both him and Mustufa wore golden kurtas. But Abdullah being her bestie had the chamikila kurta on while Mustufa's kurta was as decent as it could be.

"Sorry Molana Sahab! Apko nai bol rahi the... Ap dobara pochain?" She asked as she gave him a nervous smile.

"Mehr-un-Nisa Jehangir wald Jehangir Alam kya apko Behzad Haider wald Haider Malik, say (add the sikkah rajul-waqt stuff....) nikkah qabool hai ?"

"Jee Qabol hai !"

"Kya Apko Qabool hai?" He had asked again.

"Jee Qabool hai !"

"Kya apko qabool hai....?" He asked for the last time, and she had whispered... "Jee Qabool hai..."

And then she saw him exhale. Whoosh! He had signed. Her husband. It felt funny. Behzad , her husband? She didn't know why but she felt like laughing! As she saw him make his way towards her, gone was the urge she felt to laugh. Looking handsome as ever in that Sherwani that Irsa had designed for him, he stopped an inch away from her, and Mehr could bet her life that he would have to stand on his tippy toes to kiss her forward if she was standing- courtesy to the heels that she was wearing. She couldn't help but blush and then let out that giggle as he kissed her forehead.

"Apko set karna paray ga...." He said as he took her hand as led her away from the people into Mamo ki library.

"Simp jee! Mehman humara intezar kar rahay hain... We can't leave them..." She protested but he wasn't listening.

"App log khana khaien. Main zara apni begum sahiba say zaroori batain karkay ata hoon." He told the guest who smiled.

"Behzad yeh thora zyda time nai lay rahay tum...." Mustufa had called after him and the guest had laughed but Behzad didn't care.

"Mainay kya kara?" She asked as she looked at him- who looked grim but then smiled.

"Have I told you I really found your 'kara' cute...."

"Nope, you didn't! You never tell stuff..."

"I nearly died."

"Nearly ?"

"Haan jee" He replied.

"Who invited Sana, Saba, Maheen...and...." He asked as opened the library and gestured for her to get inside.

"I did... I invited all of your exes so they know....." She said giving him that unapologetic smile.

"They are not my exes...."

"Sure... If you say so...."

"App mujhse pochti tu asal wali exes ka number deta. Unko bola lete...."

"Asal wali?"

"Hmmm..."

" There are more?"

"Hmmmmmmmmm......"

"Molana sahab yani hai... let me ask him if we can....."

"Ask ki bachi...ruko zara..." And then he had turned and locked the door.

"Tu app kya keh rahi theen?" He had asked turning away from the door and facing her. His eyes were glittery. Shinny like the bright diamond on her finger that was her mother's.

"Yehi k app sherwani main kitnay pyare lag rahay hain, Simp jee..." She told him.

"Aur...." He had asked, preying towards her like a tiger. Slow but steady! While she stood there like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Aur?" She asked.

"Jee Aur......" He had replied closing the distance.

"Aur yeh k....." but before she could complete the sentence , he was holding her face. And then he kissed her, like she had never been kissed before. Lost she was lost. His apple watch beeped, and it made her giggle. Not, his heart beating faster for her. It was the cutest thing ever and she couldn't hold her giggles. When he released her, she was holding her stomach.

"Itna bhi funny nai hai....."

"I really do love you! Cute ho baray...." She replied trying to hold her laugh and then ruffling his hair. One thing that she liked about being even heighted as him, was that she could ruffle his hair whenever she liked.

"Sorry!", she said as she got into the passenger seat pulling him out from the memory lane.

"Chalain?" He asked.

"Jee chalain..." She replied holding his right hand in hers and intertwining her fingers with his. Behzad being a leftie drove his imported left-hand drive Audi, leaving his right hand free for her to hold. She really loved that and every other little thing about him. She loved that he tried to match the outfit with her without being conscious about it. If she wore black, he'd find a black shirt or sweater or even just black jeans to match with her. Like he was now! His fawn jacket matched her beige cord set.

"Cutie jee, app ajj zyda pyari nai lag raheen?"

"Hainaaa!!! Do you think Hassan Raheem will give me his number?" She asked winking at him. Another thing about their relationship was that they would joke and goof around without the other person taking it personally.

"Nai day ga... Par ek aur banda hai jo day sakta hai apko apna number..." He replied.

"Kon banda ?" She asked genuinely curious.

"Apka banda! Behzad Haiderr!", he had replied doing his crappy joke and laughing as if it was the most funny thing.

"If you tolerate my mood swings, then I tolerate your crappy jokes...",She replied as she turned the heater on!

"Do you know I really wanted to go to the strings concert. Dreamt about it but they broke up. But who knew that Red bull was going to get them together." She told him excitedly. He knew all that because she had told him that, when he had announced that he had tickets for the Red bull event. But he was going to let her fuss about it. Because he loved her, and she loved talking about the things that she loved.

The ride to the expo center (can we pretend that Skardu has a expo center) wasn't silent at all. Both of them had things to say. When they reached the venue, Mehr had intertwined her hands with his as if she was the little girl who'd get lost if he let her go.

Behzad loved it when she used to glue herself to him like this, in the public gatherings. It made him feel more empowered and masculine. Like she was now. Her head was resting on his shoulder, his arm on her waist as she sang her heart out. His cutie!

"Simp jee..."

"Hmmmm..."

"Ek sawal pochna hai?", she whispered in his ears.

"Pochain?" He replied whispering back. It was difficult to hear otherwise over the loud music from the speakers.

"Itnay achay kyun hain app?", She asked leaning on his shoulder only to have him give that careless laughter.

Mehr hooted as Hassan Raheem left the stage. The next singer in the lineup was Abdul Hanan. "This one is really special dedication....", Bilal Maqsood said, and he felt his cutie stiffen while the rest of the crowd cheered.

Mehr stared at him awestruck as the pianist began playing the intro music.

"Sar kiye yeh ........" Bilal Maqsood began but Mehr wasn't paying attention. She wasn't at all. She looked at him and knew. Why? How? She didn't know. She didn't know what she did to deserve a man like him. She didn't know what she'd do without him. Her eyes with teary as she looked at him. She felt the tears drip.

"Mehr-un-Nisa?" He asked concerned.

"You did it haina?" She asked.

"The song, my dream?"

"Abdullah and Mustufa helped. Red bull organizes the event every year. Mustufa just made sure to ask them to request to Bilal Maqsood to well sing this song..." He told her and she cried.

"I am sorry..." He began.

"Nooooo! I am sorry... You are perfect....." She said hugging him like a koala.

"I don't deserve you...Why do you love me?", She mumbled.

"Mehr-un-Nisa...." His friends were looking at him all concerned. It was supposed to be a special birthday. But she was crying. Behzad could see it in Mustufa's eyes. The question was pastured on Abdullah's face too. HOW BADLY HAD THEY FUKED UP !!

"Did you not like it....." He asked hesitantly.

"Noo, its perfect. You are perfect." She told him and kissed his hand.

His apple watch pinged, and he looked at her, wiped the tears that had escaped. "Happy Birthday Cutie jee" He kissed her forehead and she ducked.

" Your friends are looking...." She complained.

"Tu?" He asked.

"Tu ?"  She repeated.

"Hey Mustufa..." He called and when he was sure he had everyone's attention. He went

"Watch this..." And then pulled her face in his hands and kissed her cheeks.....  His friends hooted while she turned red.

"Thankie youuuu !! Thankiee youuu...It is the best birthdayyy everrrrrr......."

"Mere liye bhi kahain na kuch...."

"Kuchhh..." She replied and then laughed.

Shaking his head, he looked at Abdullah-who from afar was observing them and mouthed 'women' followed by a thumbs up.

The crowd cheered and sang along to the Mera Bichara Yaar that was now being sung by Bilal Maqsood.

"Karayyy mera intezarrrrrr, meraaaaaa bicharaaaaa yaar......"

It was perfect. Everything felt perfect. A year ago, neither of them would have thought that they were going to end up with each other and be happy about it. A year ago, if someone had told Mehr that she would marry Behzad on her own will, she would have laughed. Giving marriage a second chance that too with the most non serious person she had ever meet. It was laughable. But didn't seem laughable at all now. It was perfect. They were perfect. He brought imbalance to her perfectly balanced life. The most unapologetic person to her always sorry person. In a way they were opposite but at the same time very similar given their childhood traumas!

Assalam-Alikummm

I hope you guys doing good. Lots of love and prayers your wayyyy ♥♥♥

Remember me in your prayers...

And its a wrappp !!!

So head over to epilogue and the thank you note!!! I am waitinggg ( Hahahah usually you all wait for the updates ... Ab meri bari hai...)

Khudaaa hafizz ♥♥♥♥

Alyna