"I sort of like your brother, Rauf." What? How do I react to that? My nand had just told me that she was interested in marrying my older brother. I just stayed silent as I looked at her, gaze empty. She had pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she hopefully looked at me.

"You like Rauf bhai?!" I whisper-yelled because if I actually yelled, the entire house was going to hear.

"Yeah... Is that such a bad thing?" Her face fell as she diverted her gaze back to her hands on her lap and I felt guilty. I just made her feel bad about herself for liking someone, even if he was my brother. She didn't look up so I pulled her in for a hug.

"It's not a bad thing at all and now I think I'm kind of excited. My nand and my bhai. We'd all be double relatives!" I thought of how everyone was finding a rishta for Rumi but no one had thought of Rumi and Rauf bhai together even once.

"Thank God. For a second, I thought I was going to die. I told you first because telling you would actually do something and I think you had a right to know before anyone else that I was interested in your brother. I hope you aren't mad at me." She smiled at me.

"No, silly, I'm not mad. This is very interesting. I was planning to visit my parents soon so I will put in a word for you but I'm not sure if they would agree or no though they've got no reason to disagree. You're a very nice girl." I complimented her and she blushed, either from my words or the thought of getting married.

"You're the best bhabhi I could ask for. I'm so glad bhai married you." She told me as she gave me a quick hug again.

"I'll tell you that too when you become my bhabhi." I teased her and then laughed at how her face turned red again. "Alright, I think we should go now before everyone starts banging at your door." We both went down together, our arms looped and I was sure I had found another friend in her.

"What took you so long? Rumi, you didn't do anything right?" Ahad and everyone looked at us suspiciously and I just dismissed them.

"It's something that will stay between me and Rumi, you can take your nose and butt it in someone else's business, my dear husband." I smiled innocently at him as he put his arm around my shoulder on the couch and everyone laughed.

"Looks like bhabhi knows how to tame bhai." Zoha Appi teased her brother and he smiled at me with adoration.

"That she does."

Rehana aunty, on the other side of her son, mumbled 'Masha Allah' under her breath that only Ahad and I heard.

I know I should be enjoying my time with my in-laws and I was but I was so excited to talk to Mama about what Rumi said that I felt restless and just wanted to run over to my parents' house, barefoot, right now.

"What's the smile for?" Ahad narrowed his eyes at me and I realized that I was smiling while lost in my thoughts. It must've looked so creepy.

"Nothing." I sobered up and shook my head and turned to Zoha Appi. "So, Appi, are you planning to find out the gender of the baby?" I asked her and she tried to keep a straight face, though I could see that the topic still made her shy.

"I'm not really sure but I think I want it to be a surprise for when the baby is actually born. We've thought of some names though." She lovingly gazed down at her stomach and put a hand on it as Sameer bhai pressed a small peck on her forehead from beside her.

"Bhai, her older brother is right here." Ahad playfully glared at Sameer bhai and I stifled a chuckle.

"So? She might be your younger sister, Ahad Sahab, but she's my wife too." He nonchalantly shrugged and Zoha appi hid her face in her hands, flustered.

The family moments together were so joyous and filled with laughter that I had almost forgotten that these were my in-laws. I was truly blessed to have such beautiful families.

***

In the evening, everyone had retired to their room for a while and Ahad and I lounged on the bed in his old room. I had a habit of letting out everything and not being able to keep a secret but I knew I had to respect Rumi's privacy so I didn't tell anything to anyone. I could tell that Ahad knew there was something going on but he didn't push me to tell him. When I had had enough of staying silent, I turned to Ahad.

"Ahad, can we go to my parents' place for a while? Just a few hours and then we can come back here. I really want to talk to my mother about something. Please?" I pleaded. I knew he would take me there if we were at our own house right now and I didn't want him to think that I didn't want to be here so I was asking him to leave me at my parents's house.

"Are you pregnant?" What the hell?! I let out an incredulous gasp and looked at him like he had gone nuts, which he obviously had.

"What the hell, Ahad? How can that even be possible? Have you lost your mind?!" I smacked his arm and he stifled a laugh before raising his hands in surrender.

"Sorry, sorry. I was just teasing. But seriously, what do you want to talk to her about?" He tried to turn his face to a serious one but struggled when he couldn't stop smiling.

"You don't have to know everything. We can just go now for an hour and come back before anyone even realizes we are gone." I nibbled at my lip.

"Okay, let's go." He grabbed his keys and wallet from the nightstand beside him and got off. I followed after him.

Mama welcomed us with open arms and apologized for the absence of baba. Rauf bhai, in his typical style, hugged me and then ruffled my hair. My husband and I sat on the couch as mama brought out a few snacks while bhai kept us company.

"Mama, actually I had to talk to you about something." I admitted seriously and she frowned in concern. I was a married daughter asking her mother to talk to her in private, of course she had to be concerned. I took her hand as we went up to my room.

"Is everything okay, Nawal?" She looked so worried that I thought she would get sick.

"First, you can relax because I'm here to give you some good news." She instantly sagged in relief and placed a hand over her heart.

"Are you...?" I understood what she was hinting and I smacked a hand over my forehead. Why couldn't there be any other good news that a married woman had to tell her mother?

"God, no, mama. It's been a month since I've been married. I'll just get to the point. I found a girl for Rauf bhai." I crossed my arms as I saw her face light up and then turn into a suspicious one.

"Do not tell me its one of your friends." Technically, Rumaisa wasn't only my friend.

"No, she isn't. I'm talking about my nand, Rumaisa. She pulled me aside and told me that she liked Rauf bhai."

"Are you saying that they have been going out behind our backs, Nawal?" She unbelievingly looked at me as she crossed her arms.

"No, mama, they haven't even talked. She just likes him from observing him. She's a really nice girl too and aunty is looking for someone for Rumaisa as well. They would be perfect." I gave her the puppy dog eyes, just for good measure so she couldn't refuse.

"Hmm, I'll think about it." I hope she meant she'll actually do it.

"Thank you, now I should leave. We were actually at my in-laws place but I couldn't hold it in so I dragged Ahad over here so I could talk to you." I told her sheepishly and she gave me a lecture on how to talk to my husband with respect and that I shouldn't have impulsively come to meet her like this.

We both went downstairs where I saw Rauf bhai and Ahad talking to each other and occasionally laughing. I was glad they got along and now they'd have a double relation too. I couldn't wait for my bhai's wedding.

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