Zubiya nodded her head as she slowly answered the call and spoke, "Gaiti bhabi?"

"Zubiya, where are you?! I have been waiting for you in your room for about 15 minutes! Where are you?!" Gaiti bhabi exclaimed.

Zubiya's eyes widened as she looked up at Asfandyar who had the expression on his face.

Oops!

"I think I should go now... before she suspects anything." Zubiya nervously said to Asfand who unwilling nodded.

"Yes. You better go now. I'll follow you later." Asfand told Zubiya who nodded her head in agreement. Giving him an apologetic smile, she turned and ran down the stairs and into the house.

Asfand sighed heavily as he leaned against the handrail, staring at the sky as he thought-

Maybe next time.

Zubiya quickly tiptoed up the stairs and ran to her room. As she stood at her door she gasped for air. She quickly righted herself to not seem as if she has run through a marathon. She took a deep breath and opened her door to find not only Gaiti bhabi but even Faryal in room. They had switched on the television in her room and were currently watching .

Both of them looked up to her as she entered the room.

"Where were you, Zubiya? We are almost finished with the movie!" Gaiti bhabi whined while Faryal looked at her with inspecting eyes.

"Um.. I was just taking a stroll at the terrace. You know how I love to sky-watch, don't you? Anyways.. how did Daniyal bhai let you away from him tonight? Hmm?" Zubiya teased her back in order to divert attention from her.

"Huh. As if he would let me come if I had asked for his permission?" Gaiti scoffed as she smirked.

Zubiya flopped on bed next to her and asked quizzically, "Then? How come- ?"

"I just told him we have a girls' night tonight. That's it!" Gaiti said smugly as she saw both Zubiya and Faryal watch her with disbelief.

Gaiti laughed hard as she watched their expression and exclaimed, "You both will get my point only when you will be married. Don't you worry your pretty little heads now! Let's watch the movie!"

Zubiya stared at the TV screen as she thought over what Gaiti bhabi said. Marriage was something she hadn't given a thought about since her incident. But when she thought about it now... She slightly gasped as Asfand's face came into her vision.

No.

Oh God. What am I thinking?

She was startled out of her thoughts as her phone beeped with a message.

She smiled softly as she read Asfand's sms:

It was a Friday afternoon and everyone was enjoying and just talking among each other after they were done with their lunch.

Daniyal bhai had been forced to spend time with them despite him being busy with his case.

Gaiti bhabi nudged Zubiya as she signaled her to bend her head towards her.

Zubiya looked at Gaiti bhabi confusedly while bending her head towards her and listened to her as she whispered, "Tomorrow it's mamo and mami's wedding anniversary. And we have to plan a surprise for him. I have already discussed with Asfi and Daniyal. They have agreed to bring the decoration items and Cake. What do you think?"

"Hmm. It's a good idea. Let's do it in the lawn. I'll distract them. Have you decided on what you are going to gift them?" Zubiya asked her back as her eyes slightly shifted towards where Asfand sat and was currently animatedly discussing a topic with Daniyal bhai and Faryal. She felt a pang of something unknown in her belly as she watched him and Faryal sit close together.

Gaiti bhabi clicked her fingers in front of her as she asked, "Zubiya! Where did you get lost? Anytime I'm about to do some serious talk you always start daydreaming!" Gaiti bhabi grumbled.

Zubiya cleared her throat embarrassedly as she looked back at Gaiti bhabi and apologized guiltily.

As the day turned to dusk, they had sent the boys outside for the purchases while Gaiti bhabi and Faryal were preparing Usman uncle's and Lubna Aunty's favorite sweet dish. The elders had gone out for dinner with Faryal's parents so that they won't be back before everything was prepared for the surprise.

Asfand who had tried to ask Zubiya if she wanted him to bring anything from the shop for her (as he had done for others) had got a curt reply in negative. Confused by her sudden harshness Asfand left with Daniyal bhai with a shrug of his shoulder.

Zubiya glared at his retreating back as he headed towards his car. She huffed as she prepared for the performance that Gaiti bhabi and she was about to perform that night.

"munday-aaaaa

munday-aaaaa

mundayaa dupatta chud mera, ni sharam da kund laie daaa hai, thay enj nai sataana chaaidaa"....

Zubiya sang along the song that played in the background as she danced playing the part of the girl while Gaiti bhabi played the part of the man, donned up in Sherwani, Lungi, Pagdi and the typical mustache.

Everyone had a blast watching the performance including the elders, especially Usman uncle and Lubna Aunty. And then Asfand had joined them bringing his parents along with him to the center and danced merrily to the song as they celebrated their parent's wedding anniversary.

Their plan had been a huge success. They had diffused the electricity and Zubiya had taken them to the terrace with the excuse of sky-watching instead of sitting in the darkness waiting for the electricity to come.

The elders had followed her while they finished setting everything down in the lawn. Just as she got a signal from below she called them towards the hand-rail under the excuse of showing them something.

Confused, they had accepted her request and as they squinted down in darkness trying to look at the object she was pointing at the fairy lights lighted up forming the words -

Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary, Baba and Mama!

Asfand, Gaiti bhabi, Daniyal bhai and Faryal stood next to the table which held the huge cake that awaited to be cut.

Stunned, they looked back at Zubiya as if to confirm to which Zubiya laughed and nodded. She grabbed them both in a bear hug, surprising them as they hadn't ever seen her this emotional and open. They equally hugged her back, and lovingly patted her head. It was no doubt that they now considered Zubiya as their own. They knew if anyone tried to hurt her, they would fight them with their lives as they would for their own children. She meant so much to them now.

Zubiya thanked them for giving her another chance at life and that she will remain grateful to them her entire life. She laughed through her tears as Lubna aunty wiped them off and kissed her cheek and said,

"Let's head downstairs before they wonder what we are up to and send Asfand to check on us."

Usman Uncle and Lubna Aunty, then cut the cake, feeding them each a slice. And as they had their sweets, a song started playing in the lawn - and hence began their performance.

As Zubiya danced with Gaiti bhabi and Faryal, she felt a hard push to which she looked back and found no one. As she searched for the person her eyes automatically found the one it was quite very familiar with - Asfand.

To her surprise, he was looking right back at her.

She confusedly raised her eyebrows at him as if asking - What?

Asfand just smiled back and winked at her.

Which left Zubiya frozen in her place with her eyes wide and mouth hanging open.