*Unedited*

This chapter is dedicated to @bookwormgrll for her amazing votes and support.

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"Assalamualaikum Ammi" I greeted her giving her a side hug and kissing her cheek. She looked younger than her age, yet her eyes showed the hardships she has undertaken.

"Walaikumassalam beta" She replied. "Freshen up soon and help me," She spoke, busy chopping the veggies.

"Who are those guests ammi?" I asked sliding a piece of carrot into my mouth which she chopping. She hit my hand indicating me to stop.

"They are coming here to ask your hand in marriage," said Aisha.

"What?" Her words froze me. I could not open my mouth like there was some glue in it. I just stared at Ammi in shock. The tears were threatening to come out of my eyes. I know this would happen one day, but this early I never expected it.

"Stop teasing her" Ammi spoke "They are just your dad's relatives coming to meet us".

I looked at Aisha, she was laughing like she had seen some funny creature " You should have looked at your face" She said while laughing. I took the wooden spoon from the counter and chased her.

"Stop it" Ammi shouted. "I have asked you to replace the curtains Aisha and you Aimen take the crockery from the shelf". We both silenced looking down, still giggling. She poked out her tongue and I did the same.

"Hey! when is jiju(sister's husband) coming back?" I asked Aisha.

"After two days InshaAllah" Her face lit up on his mention. One can easily predict how much she misses him from that look on her face.

"We have to tolerate you for two more days," I said stressing on word 'two' and showing it using my fingers.

"You!" She threw a pillow at me which I managed to escape.

Jiju went to Dubai on a business trip. Aisha's in-laws are so kind that they asked her to stay here so that she could miss jiju less, giving trouble to us. Not that I don't miss her, but the problem is she can be irritating sometimes.

"Stop creating a mess" Ammi shouted again, I could see how tense she is. She is always like this when someone is about to visit us.

"Assalamualaikum" greeted Sarim.

"Walaikumassalam" We replied in unison.

"Listen I have to say you three something," said ammi. We stood there as if we are in the army and ammi our captain.

"The guests who are going to come are your dad's aunt and her family. We don't meet them often, so be presentable" She said and we nodded in reply.

"Aimen please wear some good clothes, Sarim no phones or video games in front of them, and Aisha you too behave well" She advised us like we are some small kids going to school for the first time.

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It was the time for maghrib salah so I went to my room. I did wudhu and performed namaz. I made dua for everyone, especially for dad. After praying I opened my closet and looked for some good clothes to wear. Ammi's words made me smile, it's not that I wear a bad one. I wear weird ones, weird in the sense of pj's, and a mickey mouse T-shirt, which is considered inappropriate in our desi household. But they are the most comfortable thing to wear.

I took the green salwar kameez with the touch red color thread work. Within a few minutes, I was ready. I wrapped the red hijab which could suit my dress, usually, I want don't wear it at home but today there would be some non-mahrams too right? so I have to wear it.

"Ammi, need any help?" I asked taking pleasure in the great aroma which had filled the whole kitchen.

"Yes, keep these plates on the table," She said pointing to the plates. I obeyed her and kept them on the table.

"They are here," said Aisha, looking through the window.

Ammi opened the door and in came four members. One was an old lady who I assumed to be dad's aunt. There was a man in his late forties and a woman in mid thirty, she was very pretty for her age with blue eyes adding to her beauty. There was also a girl around my age maybe she is her daughter, I could say she has inherited beauty from her mother. Hope that I would get along with her.

We exchanged salams, "Please come in," ammi said.

"Do you know who I am?" asked the old lady. The situation which I hate most. We can't say to them, no we don't, it would be rude so the only thing we can do is just smile.

"I am Sharif's phuppi," She said. Mean she is dad's phuppi(father's sister).

"He is Asad, my son and she is Farida, my daughter-in-law," She said pointing at them.

"And I am Sidra" The girl introduced herself with a sweet smile on her face showing her dimple. MashaAllah she is so beautiful.

"This is Aisha, my elder daughter and she is married. She is Aimen, my second daughter and he is Sarim, my only son." Ammi introduced us to them.

After the introduction session, everyone sat down to start the next session- "knowing each other". This is another thing I hate about having unknown guests. We were never close to dad's paternal side, so it was always awkward for me. Ammi chatted with them like long-lost friends. Aisha became a pro in this after her marriage. Not having any options, I sat there hearing them converse.

The main door was open. Grabbing the opportunity to slip away, I went to close it. Without taking a look, I closed it.

"Ah !" someone groaned. I quickly opened the door and there stood a man with a hand on his nose. Oops, I slammed the door straight on his face. Me and my absent mind. He looked up and my eyes met with a familiar face.

Oh no! Not again!

I came home in a hurry after I got the message from mom. She never asks me to come home directly from college unless there is some emergency. I found her in the living room packing some gifts.

"Assalamualaikum! Is everything okay?" I asked her looking around the room.

"Walaikumassalam. Yeah! Everything's fine, what happened?" She questioned me back. She was very calm.

"Why did you ask me to come home directly?" I asked. Its always been my habit to hang out with friends after college.

"Oh that, we are going somewhere," She said.

"Where?" I asked resting myself on the sofa with my legs up on the table in front of me.

"You need to be taught some manners. I will ask your Granny to teach you some when we go there" My mom said.

"What? We are gonna meet Granny" I asked almost shocked.

Yeah! I love her but we usually meet her only on weekends. But all of sudden, why? Is everything okay? Those questions were roaming in my mind.

"We are gonna meet some relatives, so she asked us to pick her up"

I have no problem going there, but Granny is a great follower of old customs. She wants me to wear only thobe. I like to wear them when we go there on weekends, but in front of relatives, no way.

"I won't wear a thobe," I said.

"As your wish" Mom said leaving the room.

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It was time to go there. We waited in the car for one and only Ms. Late, my sister Sidra. "Let's go, I am ready," She said getting in the car.

"You're late again," I said frowning. What's with girls and being late?

"Try to have patience bro, your wife will also be the same," She said smiling sheepishly.

"Whatever," I said rolling my eyes.

In 10 minutes we were before Granny's house. She lives with my uncle. Today, he will be leaving for London, so she wants to meet our relatives (who are still unknown to me) with us and would be living with us for the next three weeks, InshaAllah. I am excited about this, but I have to give up my habit of getting up late in the morning, which would be a difficult task. Let us see.

After picking her up, we went straight to the house where we are gonna have THE dinner.

"Rehan, park the car and bring the gifts, we are going in," Mom said straightening the creases from her dress. I nodded saying yes.