"Has Abba left?"
She closed the perfume bottle and kept it on the dressing table. On hearing the car horn and opening of the gate she took her mobile and purse and ran outside. For quite sometime her door was closed and she was getting ready for the baraat. Fatima begum (her mom) knocked at her door at least ten times and reminded her to hurry up. They were already getting late. Sulaiman sahab had to reach their early to look into the arrangements. They were aware that Haya would run late.
The porch was empty. However there were noises coming from Taya Furqan's house. Looked like there were some people still left. Should she call Abba or wait at Taya Furqan's place and ask for a lift?
She was immersed in these thoughts and turned back to go inside the house when she heard the honking of a car at the gate. She stopped and turned to look at the car. A black shining Accord stood at the gate. The headlights were quite bright. Haya's eyes got blinded by them. Reflexively she put her hand on her forehead and shaded her eyes.. she tried looking through them when suddenly the bright lights went dim and the face of the person sitting in the driver seat got revealed.
That was Waleed Lagari. His dad was sitting in front with him and behind in the passenger's seat was is mom..
"Assalam Alaikum Haya!" He opened the door and came out and gently smiled at Haya.
She was standing in front of the car with dim headlights shining on her, wearing a deep red coloured sequened, sleevless frock that touched her feet and with that fitted chudidaar pajaama of the same color. But they were hardly visible because of the length of the frock. Golden dupatta was by her neck and hanging from her ears were long danglings that touched her shoulders. Her eyes smeared with kohl and straight hair falling behind her back.
"We are not sure about the direction of the marriage hall..is uncle still here?" He was looking at her with interest and asking.
She hesitatingly moved forwards, ignoring Waleed and stopped at Lagari sahab's door.
"Uncle! I have to go to Paradise Hall and Abba has left. I did not even realise it." She was genuinely worried.
"Oh!.....So your chacha and all?"
"They had left even before Abba. Wait! Abba must not have gone far, i will call him back...."
"Arey why should he come back? Its a must that he reaches early, you come with us beta! Even we are going there anyway."
"Yes beta, come!" Mrs Lagari opened her side of the door and moved inside.
She stood there in uncertainty. If she waited for Abba to come back and take her she would have missed half of the function and if she left with them...Abba wouldn't mind.. she was sure of this.
" Oh ok. " Hesitating she moved towards the back seat.
"So what does our daughter do?" Mr Lagari asked her.
'When did I become their daughter?!' -_-
"I am doing L.L.B honors with Sharia and Law"
That means you are an Islamic lawyer?"
"Yes" she faintly smiled. 'Why were these people talking with her so affectionately?
"So how is this subject Sharia and Law?" Umair Lagari continuing the conversation said " because I am an engineer by qualification and I felt wngineering was difficult in the beginning but late it became easy."
"Sharia looked difficult in the beginning but later I got used to it." All the three started laughing so she realized she shouldn't be unnecessarily be frank with them..
"Haya beta, do you plan to practice after marriage? Because me and your uncle dont believe in forcing in these matters. From choosing the field of study to deciding a career we have always given our children the priority to decide. Even Waleed has no problems with his wife working after marriage."
Mehnaz was saying, she was perplexed and was staring at her. Had situation gone this far or were they sure that Abba won't reject them.
Dejectedly replying in yes and no she finally relaxed when she saw the lights of the function hall.
" Thanks for the lift uncle." She came out of the car with uncle and aunty. At that moment Lagari sahab received a call and he excused himself. Mehnaz followed behind.
"Haya, listen." She was about to leave when Waleed called her, he was still holding the steering wheel and sitting in the car.
"I have to talk to you." He had rolled down his side of the window and was talking to her.
"But this is not possible."