Chapter 5 Trouble in Paradise

"Iram" Haya called her with her arms folded.

"What."

"Have you sent the card to Sabeen's Aunt in Turkey?" She looked at the facial expressions of Raza and Farukh from the periphery.

"We have given her card to uncle Salman, he must have sent it. Dad called her too, is she coming?"

"She is a close relative, not to you but to us." She stressed on the close relative and looked a Farukh and Raza. Both of them were lost in deep thought.

At the dinner time, Aunt Saima was the first one to call her.

"Haya my life, Iram can't do anything, you are intelligent. You have to take care of the food and make sure no dish is empty, okay?"

"Sure aunt I am going to take care of it all." She smiled coldly.

After a few minutes, everyone started to put the food on their plates.

"Uncle you have not taken any salad." She forwarded the bowl with the Russian salad to Uncle Furqan and her dad who were talking among themselves. They were surprised at her intrusion.

"Thank you, child." He poured some salad on his plate. A shawl was wrapped around his shoulders.

"Dad you take some too."

"Salman have you mailed the card to Sabeen." Uncle was at once reminded after looking at her face.

Salman's hand stilled in the air and his expressions turned sour.

"I did." His tone was gloomy which was new for Haya.

"Dad is Sabeen aunt going to come for the wedding?" She could not help asking.

"Tomorrow is henna. If she wanted to, she would have come by now. It has been 30 years but she has only bothered to meet us a handful of times.

Not only that Uncle Furqan was also surprised.

"Salman, what has happened?"

"Thank you kiddo." Instead of answering him he turned to Haya and said "Haya now you can go" She shook her head and left. She picked up her plate but she has lost her appetite.

What has happened to Dad? Why is he talking about her in such a tone? She stood behind the pillar, one the other was her dad and uncle. She was eavesdropping.

"Umair Laghari has sent a proposal of his son for haya." Salman said about her business partner. Haya's hand shivered.

"What are you talking about?" Uncle Furqan was surprised.

"Brother, why are you so surprised? Waleed is a very good boy, I will introduce you to him when he comes tomorrow. I am thinking I am going to say yes after asking Haya."

"But.... But how is it possible"

"Why can't it be possible brother?"

"How can you marry off Haya?"

"I am her father, I can do this. Her mother gave her agreement too. I am sure Haya is not going to have any reservations."

"What about Jahan? What is going to happen to him?"

"Who is that?" Salman pretended to know him.

"Husband of Haya how could you forget him?"

He replied to her with a disapproving glance.

"It has been decades. Haya is 22 now. It was a childish mistake. Has ever Sabeen asked about her daughter-in-law? Every six months she calls once and talks for 3 minutes. Do you think this relationship can work out?"

"But you know Sabeen because of Sikander..."

"How can i believe that she is only like this because of her stupid and selfish husband? All these years she has not once acknowledged the relationsjip and expressed the desire for marriage."

"But Jahan is a good boy you met him when you went to Istanbul last year."

"Yes Jahaan good boy... my foot." He said strictly.

"He has been born and brought up in Turkey. He has never seen Pakistan. He neither knows Urdu nor Punjabi. Has all these years he has asked about me? Has he ever called? Even if I forgot all of this when I went to Istanbul last year believe me I stayed there for 18 days. I used to go to Sabeen's house daily, and Sikandar did not even bother meeting me. Jahan met me on the last day only for 15 minutes. Do you know what he asked?"

"Does it blast every day in Pakistan? Do you have internet? Then he received a call and left. I would have thought of Haya's divorce if I had not seen him dropping off a girl When I was saying goodbye to Sabeen before my flight. You should have seen him with her. He is the son of Sikandar Shah, he must be like her. I used to think despite how great Ahmad Shah was his son was polar opposite. I thought the situation would be the same for Jahaan but it is not like this. He is very proudy, Who was Haya, what was her relationship with them they have forgotten it all. Neither Sabeen remembers this nor her son. Sabeem has never once mentioned this. You tell me should I send her forcefully there? Leave this stupid discussion. Waleed is coming tomorrow I am going to introduce you to him, if you like him we will take your relationship forward and I will get Haya married there."

Haya could not hear anymore. Her face has frozen. With slow steps, she walked away from them.

Haya has never seen Jahan nor does she remember him. She has heard all of the stories growing up. She was the only 1 when Sabeen came to Pakistan. Emotionally she decided to get them married. Jahan was 8 years old then. Then they went to turkey.