It's not a marriage house, if it is not bustling with happy and busy people.

Ruhee's house was busy and crowded with all her aunts and uncles. Her thayba's family and her big phuppu's family had finay landed for her wedding. Her house was on full on celebration. Ladies cooking in the kitchen with their usual family gossip and men in the living room going on about sports. The girls were hurdled in one room and the young boys in the other, the perfect big family situation.

Today was a special day aswell, they were just waiting for the right people to come. The girls in the room were all teasing Ruhee with Aayan's name, 'OMG, Ruhee di is getting married!!' Faiza, her thayba's daughter said with excitement. Ruhee laughed at her enthusiasm. Being in America, Faiza had never gotten to experience a traditional muslim wedding of her culture, and now she was and the excitement was clear, 'We are applying henna on our hands today, right?' Faiza asked, 'Yes, Faiza. And you can apply till what length you want.' Aisha didi told her.

'Oh, no. I am going to apply only till my mid arm. Don't wanna steal Ruhee di's shine.' She said in a teasing manner, 'Oh, we have to consider Ruhee aswell?' Saima, her elder aunt's daughter said, 'Ever since Sanya was born, I had not gotten the time to apply henna on my hands. This girl is too much to handle.' Saima said, pinching her one year old daughter's cheek, 'Tell me bout it. These kids are sure a handful.' Aisha didi, added looking at her 3 year old boy and 4 month old daughter, 'Oh, don't say that. These kids are joy to have around.' Ruhee said, picking Sanya up and placing her on her lap.

Saima scoffs, 'Of course, she is adorable for you. You only see her once or twice a week, we have to handle these innocent demons daily.' Saima says and Aisha nods. Ruhee pouts and holds Sanya'a arms and moves them, 'Ammi is very mean na Sanya. She called you a demon.' She tells to Sanya who just laughed her cute innocent laugh. Everyone joined her laugh soon. The ladies enter the room seeing all the laughter, 'Oho, what's so funny? Tell us, we'll also share a laugh.' Her aunt Zaina asked, 'Oh, nothing Ammi. Just how handling kids is tough.' Aisha answers her mother.

'Oh, you think this hard. We have nurtured you to grow so old and bare your own kid, think how hard it must have been for us?' Ruhee's elder aunt, Jannat said. The ladies sat down on the bed as the new mothers and old mothers started their banter on handling kids. Ruhee and Faiza just gave each other looks as they had no idea what to do. They looked at Sana to see her playing with Ahaan, Aisha didi's son. Sanya also crawled out of Ruhee's lap and down the bed. She slowly walked over to Ahaan and Sana and sat playing with them.

Ruhee and Faiza stared at each other and signed. These non mothers were stuck between only mothers quarrel. They heard the bell ring and Sana ran out of the room in anticipation. Sana was waiting for the henna applying girls more than anyone. Sana ran back in and said, 'They are here, they are here.' Sana jumped along. The ladies stopped their banter and quickly walked out the room and the girls followed. They walked into the living room to see all the men had gone into the other room, 'It's usually us girls who rush into the room when a bell rings, but seeing all the men crowded in there just completed my life.' Aisha didi whispered and the other girls snickered along.

The ladies opened the door to see 3 ladies dressed in abaya and hijab. They welcomed them in and took them inside the house and into the room the women were previously seated in. The henna ladies sat down and started filling their cones of henna. Faiza was watching with amazement as they filled the cone. Faiza was really new to all this. Ruhee laughed at Faiza's expression. The ladies served the henna ladies tea. They accepted the tea, 'Who is the bride?' One of them asked. They all pointed to Ruhee. Ruhee controlled her growing blush.

Ruhee was asked to sit on the bed and one of the ladies began her work on Ruhee's hand. Faiza sat with one lady and Sana with the other lady. Since the others designs were not as authentic as Ruhee's and not as hand covering as hers, it would be done fast for the others. The ladies had cooked the lunch and dinner early as with henna on, they cannot do much and the men would have to order takeout. Faiza and Sana were done. The excitement on their faces were unmatched.

Next were Aisha and Saima. They had handed over their kids to their husbands, 'Let's enjoy our kids free time.' Saima and Aisha said as they sat down. Ruhee's one had was done and the lady had moved on to her other hand. One by one all sat down and got their hands filled with henna. Ruhee was smiling as the cold henna touched her skin to draw beautiful patterns, 'Where do you want me to write his name?' The henna lady asked. The grooms name is hid in the girls hand and it is a sort of game invented by the old people so the bride and the groom don't feel awkward on their first night, 'Anywhere is fine.' Ruhee said to her. She wrote his name on palm of her finger admist the designs.

All the girls were done and the henna ladies had left after having lunch. Everyone gathered around Ruhee to see where the name was hidden. It was hard for even them to find. His name was written in such away that it was mixed in the designs, 'Oh Oh, I found it. It's here.' Faiza said and she was right. It was lunch time and sure the ladies couldn't eat by themselves, so the men had to feed them. The sons fed their mothers while the fathers fed their daughters and the two husbands just watched. Ruhee showed her father Aayan's name on her hand and he smiles at her.

Aayan sure is going to have a hard time finding his name.