Chapter 4 White Flowers

After dropping Iram and Zara off she came straight to her room. It was time for dinner. She got dressed according to the occasion, and juice was spilled over the dress. She quickly washed the stain and pressed it. Her subconscious was reminding her of the transgender again and again.

People like her used to ask for money all the time but never did something bizarre like this. Her weird gaze.. a chill ran down her spine.

When she was satisfied with her appearance she came out of the room and opened the lobby door, something struck her foot, and she was shocked.

With the door was placed a white flower bouquet. She bent and picked it up. With it was a sealed envelope. Picking up both of the things from the flower she straightened her back. When she opened the envelope "Haya Salman" was written inside it.

Inside it was a square of white paper.

"I hope you enjoy your dinner tonight." Was written on it in Urdu.

She turned the envelope nothing else was written. On the back, yesterday's date was written. Who was this and why was he sending her flowers? Placing the bouquet and letter in her room, she thought about the sender.

Uncle Furqan's house was buzzing. All the cousins were seated inside the lounge. On one side bunch of women were seated gossiping among themselves. Men are surely going to be in the dining room. In their family, openness with cousins is not frowned upon.

Uncle Furqan was the strictest among all of his brothers. But his strictness was only enforced upon his daughter Iram. Iram and the rest of the cousins only talked to each other and never conversed with an outsider. Haya and Iram used to study at an all-girls university. But their weddings used to take place in mixed gatherings.

Their family was not that big. They were three brothers and one sister. Uncle Furqan was the eldest among them. Dawar, Farah, and Iram were their kids. Farakh has finished medical and he was doing a house job at the Polly clinic. He was 3 years older than Haya. Sameeh was a year younger than Farakh and he was doing a job after completing his MBA. Iram was a year younger than Haya. Nowadays the wedding festivities of the eldest one Dawar were going on.

After Uncle Furqan was Salman. Haya was his only daughter and Rohail was his only son. Rohail has gone to the USA for further education. In their house was only Salman, his wife Fatima, and their Daughter Haya.

Then was Uncle Zahid. He had the eldest twin daughters, Mehwish and Sehrish. Then his son Raza was an engineer. The youngest one Sana was doing her A levels.

Girls were sitting on the carpet in a circle. Iram's hand was on an Indian drum. Her scarf slipped from her head and was on her shoulder. (Whenever Uncle Furqan comes, she used to put the scarf back on her head." Mehiwsh, Sana was sitting alongside her while the boys were sitting on the chair passing comments on them.

"Hello Everyone."

She was walking with her hands folded and stopped near them. All of them looked up at her.

"Haya how are you?"

"Come on let's beat these boys."

"Sit"

Countless voices hit her eardrum and she shook her shoulders smiling.

"First let me help Aunt Saima in the kitchen." She called Iram's mother which she had seen going towards the kitchen. Aunt Saima had not seen her otherwise she would have called her. Haya was more popular than Iram. Aunt Abida wife of Uncle Zahid followed after Aunt Saima. Her mother Fatima was sitting alone on the sofa.

"Mom I am going to go and help Aunt." Seeing her mother looking at her she repeated.

Satisfied she walked toward the kitchen, at the entrance she heard Aunt Saima speaking.

"Don't I know why she gets ready all the time? It is only to flirt with my son."

She stopped in her tracks. Who was she talking about?

"That is what I was saying why Raza says Haya all the time." Aunt Abida was the one who spoke now. Hearing her name she got surprised.

"Last time when we went to her house for a meal she was all dolled up, After that day Raza is eating my ear off that he wants to marry her."

"That girl knows how to make the boys turn their heads. Abida! it was so difficult to convince Dawar. The idiot was after her. He was persitent he was going to marry her or no one else. But when Furqan said strictly that he was never going to make a shameless girl like her his daughter-in-law he was persuaded. But now Farakh what am I going to do with this boy? She will get dolled up again and Farakh's heart is going to jump out of his throat. Look at my iram how modest she is."

Aunt Saima said proudly. Haya was so hurt she could barely stand. If she has to hear more, she is going to pass out. Controlling her nerves she turned around.

Amid conversation, Farkh's eyes fell upon her who was in the doorway. He broke out in a huge smile looking at her.

She gave him a side eye and took a seat with her mother.

"What happened to you?" She asked looking at her gloomy face.

"Nothing mama." She tried to pretend everything was fine. Fatima believed her words and she started thinking about Aunt Saima who used to call her "My life Haya" all the time and Uncle Furqan used to consider her his daughter. They harbor such thoughts about her, that she could not have imagined in her wildest dream.

That flowers? She is sure either Farakh or Raza must have sent it.

But yesterday night when the flower came in Farakh was on his night shift and Raza was in Islamabad. But how did they know about her selection? Maybe when she was telling Zara somebody must have heard it. But the stamp on the courier was from a day earlier. Maybe he used a fake stamp. But Raza and Farkh are not the ones to involve themselves in such a mess.

Her heart was saying it was neither Farakh nor Raza. Whoever it is can go to hell.