Chapter 168: Guest List

Two days passed as the inhabitants of the haveli were busy with the marriage preparations.

It was chaos in the haveli. Now, everybody was gathered in the lounge as the evening blue

had pulled up in the sky. Some held cups filled with tea in their hands while others munched

on nimco and biscuits. They were all ears to the little speech being delivered by their

grandmother.

"Okay... so, I will now make the guest list, my dear daughters and sons. You may tell who

you want to invite," she said in her warm, old voice. The next second, the place filled with

screams of requests. Everyone in the room started talking simultaneously, making it

impossible to hear anything clearly and effectively ruining the purpose of the meeting.

"Grandma, from my school friends to college friends, university friends, academy friends,

friends that I made once while drinking tea on the corner of the street, and oh yes, friends

that I made at Irtaza bhai's wedding and... and..." Haseeb said, but he was cut off by Dua.

"Grandma, listen to me first. Not him!" she said and passed Haseeb a deadly look. Haseeb

countered the look.

"Grandma! No! Listen to me first!" Haya cut in. Grandmother, however, looked a little

overwhelmed, with eyes wide open and a worried look on her face.

"Silence, everybody, silence!" She raised her hands in an attempt to quiet the horde, but her

efforts seemed futile. The yelling in the room grew louder by the second.

"Everybody here needs to hear me," it was Saif.

"Grandma, I'm the youngest, so I will have the first turn," Alizey pleaded.

"Mother, I too want to invite a few friends of mine," Asma uttered.

"And me too!" Zahra was there as well.

These dialogues kept on repeating and mixed with each other so her old ears couldn't grasp

what any of them was saying.

"Everybody quiet!" she at last said, and the place became silent as their eyes landed on her

elderly figure. The old lady's stern command seemed to have an immediate effect. All the

voices gradually died down, and the room fell quiet again.

"I will start with my daughter, Sheharzaad," she said and pointed towards Sheharzaad, who

was sitting quietly in the corner. Every head turned towards her, and she suddenly became

conscious and alert. Her eyes slightly widened. She was lost in her wonderland.

"What-what... is happening?" Sheharzaad uttered cluelessly in a whispery tone. Her heart

began to beat faster as all eyes in the room turned to her. She had expected to sit unnoticed

in the corner while the commotion unfolded around her. Now, suddenly, all the attention

was on her.

"We are making the guest list, daughter. So, you may tell who you want to invite."

"Shehryaar..." She tried to maintain a calm composure.

"What are you saying, sister-in-law? Why wouldn't Shehryaar bhai come to his own

wedding?" Haseeb cut her off, but Sheharzaad quickly shook her head. "No... I didn't mean

that... I meant... I..." Haseeb's interruption left her scrambling for words.

"I will ask him," she nodded quickly and mustered up a nervous smile.

"You can tell me, daughter. Actually, I am making the guest list," her grandma passed her a

smile.

"I..."

"Do you not have any distant relative or anyone you want to invite?"

Amna's thought came to her mind, and she thought to add Amna's name to the guest list, but

again, Shehryaar didn't give her permission, so she remained quiet.

"I... don't have any," she simply replied and bit her lips to stop herself from tearing up.

There was a visible silence in the room after Sheharzaad's words. Even her grandmother

looked a bit surprised by her answer.

"You don't have anyone in mind, dear? Not even old school friends or acquaintances?" she

asked again, concern in her voice.

Sheharzaad shook her head. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "No, not really," she

murmured, avoiding eye contact with anyone in the room.

"No friends?" It was Haseeb who asked in surprise when suddenly everybody's attention

shifted as Shehryaar entered through the main door. As he was coming closer, Sheharzaad

found his gaze resting on her, and she squirmed, her toes curling inwards. He came and sat

beside his grandmother before kissing her on the forehead.

"What are you doing?" he asked his grandmother.

"Making a guest list, son."

He eyed the paper in her hands. "It's empty."

"I started with my dear daughter, Sheharzaad, but apparently, she does not have anyone

whom she could invite." As she said this, his eyes drifted towards Sheharzaad, who was

already looking at him. As soon as their eyes met, she lowered her lashes.

"Is that so?" he asked, his voice cool and composed as his eyes remained on her. A faint

smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as if he already knew the answer and was merely

toying with her. "You really don't have anyone you'd like to invite, Sheharzaad?"

She fidgeted with her fingers in her lap, trying to find the right words, but nothing came to

her. She so wanted to invite Amna. The thought of Amna came to her mind again, and a

wave of sadness washed over her. Yes, she would have loved to include her friend in the

wedding, but she knew Shehryaar wouldn't allow it.

"No," she managed to utter after a few seconds, averting her eyes. "I don't have anyone."

"Grandma, add my friends' names to the list!" Alizey said, taking her attention as she moved

the pen while Alizey recited the names.

Meanwhile, his eyes remained on her. And remained on her.

Their eyes met for another moment, and a strange sensation washed over him.

Maybe he had something more than obsession for her? A hint of possessiveness, a flicker of

warmth, an ache that ran deeper than words—or perhaps even something deeper?

As soon as the thought came, it was brushed off as lifelessness again marred his grey eyes.