chapter number 3
~~~~~~~by Noor ul sehar ~~~~~~
Mahmal went to the washroom to change her uniform after closing the curtain.
When Mahmal came out of the washroom, at that time Mahmal was wearing a sky blue suit. A towel was wrapped around her hair. Her face was fresh. At this time Mahmal's dupatta was placed on the bed. Now Mahmal was freeing her hair from the towel and was drying her hair well with the towel. (Mahmal's hair was very beautiful, black like her black eyes, which came down to her waist. But since Mahmal started wearing hijab, until today no non-mahram had seen her hair except her Baba and brother).
Mahmal dried her hair well with the towel and dried it with a hair dryer. After drying her hair, Mahmal looked at her reflection in the mirror carefully. (In the sky blue shalwar kameez which had white embroidery, black eyes with thick eyelashes, wheatish complexion, and black hair scattered on her back). Mahmal smiled after seeing her reflection in the mirror. She was in love with herself. Mahmal was very grateful to her Lord that her Lord had made her so beautiful. She was in love with her wheatish complexion. She was in love with her hair. She was in love with her eyes. Even she was in love with the black shining mole that was slightly below her lips and a little above her chin.
(It was not that she was self-obsessed or that no one looked at her except for her beauty. Rather, she was not among those people who spend their whole life complaining to their Lord that Allah, our eyes are not beautiful, our color is not good. Mahmal was among those people who remained grateful to their Lord all their life. People used to say, what is so special about you. But Mahmal never suffered from inferiority complex because she knew that her Lord had made her very beautiful. Many people stop giving importance to themselves because people find faults in something about them, so they think they should take that thing out of their body and throw it away. There are even some people like this, if someone tells them that this suit does not look good on you or this makeup does not look good on you, then they take off the suit and wash off the makeup too. Even though they liked that thing, but they changed their choice because of what people said. But this was the specialty of Mahmal Mehar Ali that she was never confused in any of her decisions. Whatever she liked, she did that. Whatever she liked, she wore that. Even if people found faults in her color, dressing, or hijab. But she knew that Allah has said in the Holy Quran:
*(Indeed, We have created man in the best of stature.)*
So who was Mahmal to deny this. Even if she remained grateful to her Lord all her life, it would still be less.)
Mahmal took her eyes off the mirror and started looking for something. After a little effort, that thing was in her hand. It was a kohl box. (Mahmal liked kohl a lot. Whenever she bathed, she definitely applied kohl). Mahmal applied kohl, looked at herself in the mirror, picked up her dupatta and was about to go out when suddenly she remembered that she had not prayed yet. So Mahmal took a step to perform ablution. After praying, Mahmal went down to the kitchen. She had to help Mobeena Begum. Because of papers she had not done any work before and now the work was double because it was a wedding house.
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Mahmal entered the kitchen and Mobeena Begum was cooking food. The moment Mahmal entered the kitchen, Mobeena Begum left all the work to Mahmal and went out. Now Mahmal cooked all the food. While cooking food, evening came. Mahmal offered Asr and Maghrib prayer while cooking food. In the evening Mozeena was still sleeping. Daud had just come from outside. And Mehar Ali had only come to drop Mahmal to college. After dropping her, he went to the office. He had just returned from the office now. Now Mahmal and Mobeena Begum were laying out the food when Mehar Ali came and sat on the head chair and asked, where are Mozeena and Daud. (Mobeena Begum replied) Daud has gone to wash his hands and face and I just made Mozeena get up. (Hearing this Mehar Ali said) Okay Mahmal, you sit down. Who knows how long those two will take.
Mahmal felt like she had been given permission. Mahmal immediately pulled out a chair and sat down and put food on the plate and started eating. Mobeena Begum started staring at her. But when does she look at anyone, and especially when she is doing something wrong, she does not look at Mobeena Begum at all. Because she has the ability to get away with just her eyes. And Mehar Ali, he was smiling looking at her, which was always burning his wife's blood. But because of Mahmal, there was life in their house.
Mahmal knew she was under so many eyes right now, but she did not even try to look up. She just wanted to eat food at that time because she had not even eaten lunch. She was extremely hungry now. (Mahmal got so busy eating that she did not even realize when Daud came. She only realized when Daud's voice fell in her ears).
"Mahmal Api, why are you in shock? Come outside from the shock. It's just one plate. Did I take your property?" (Mahmal was burning with anger after hearing his words, so she immediately lunged for the plate which Daud had already picked up. When Mahmal felt she could not do it now, she immediately turned to Mehar Ali and said) Baba look, he took the plate from in front of me. Tell him to give it back.
(Hearing her, Mehar Ali said to Daud angrily) Daud, give your sister's plate back right now. (Hearing this, Daud made weird faces and gave the plate back to Mahmal. Just like in return Mahmal also made weird faces and took it back.) (If anyone saw Mahmal making such gestures, they would think that Mahmal is a non-serious girl. But Mahmal Mehar Ali was a cheerful, playful girl, not non-serious. People have associated cheerful, playful with non-serious. Whereas cheerful, playful is one thing and non-serious is another thing. But people believe that the person who is cheerful, playful takes every thing in their life as a joke and in the same way they become non-serious. But Mahmal Mehar Ali was very different. She was very cheerful, playful in her life, but she was not non-serious. If you see, there was no one who planned more carefully than her. If Mahmal Mehar Ali talked on a serious topic, Mahmal Mehar Ali looked like a serious girl. But when Mahmal Mehar Ali was in her house, no one was younger than her. She used to make tantrums with her Baba. She liked making tantrums with her Baba).
Mehar Ali scolded, so Daud's face fell. (No one except Mobeena Begum cared about Daud's fallen face, and today also the same happened. Mobeena Begum immediately saw Daud's fallen face and said) Why not? You could have put it in another plate. You got the child scolded. Come Daud, I will serve you. (After getting Daud scolded, Daud felt relieved. Then Daud made Mahmal realize with his eyes, see I also got you scolded. Mahmal also rolled her eyes as if she didn't care).
They both were fighting when Mozeena came from behind rubbing her eyes. So Daud pulled her hair from behind. (Mozeena immediately complained to Mehar Ali) Baba, look at Daud brother, he is troubling me. (Mehar Ali said angrily) Daud. (Daud immediately raised his hand and said) Okay okay, I am not doing it now. Daud had now become serious because Mehar Ali had warned Daud in anger. So now everyone was eating food quietly.
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After eating food, Mahmal went to make tea. The rest, Mehar Ali, Mobeena Begum, Mozeena and Daud sat in the drawing room. Mahmal was making tea in the kitchen and everyone in the drawing room was busy talking when someone called on Mahmal's mobile. So from outside Mozeena brought Mahmal's mobile to Mahmal. (Mahmal asked) Whose call is it? (Mozeena replied) Iltija brother's.
Mahmal thought in her heart, why is he calling. Mahmal took the mobile from Mozeena's hand, received the call, put it to her ear and also said Salam. (Iltija replied to Mahmal's Salam and stated his purpose for which he had called).
"Mahmal, why are you not coming home. You know Areesha and Areeba have sat for Maiyo. You didn't even come to meet them, you didn't even go to give Mehndi."
(In their place Mehndi is done like this that the groom's side brings Mehndi to the bride's side and the bride's side takes Mehndi to the groom's side. While taking Mehndi, the bride and groom stay at home. The bride and groom's family takes the Mehndi). "I don't go to Mehndi. I stay with them at home. Both of them were alone at home. When they went to take Mehndi, you were also alone at home. Okay, you didn't have to stay, but you could have at least come and met. You are making the excuse of papers, this is very wrong."
(Because of speaking in one breath, Iltija's breath was gone, so he stopped to take a breath. Mahmal was holding her breath and listening to him who does not speak more than two words, today he was giving so many lectures. Iltija took a breath and started speaking again).
"All this is what Areesha and Areeba said, which I have heard one hundred and sixty five times since last night. Now I have memorized all these words. So please come home and meet them. I don't have the courage to listen to them anymore."
(He was about to hang up when he remembered his sisters' last line) "Both of them are very angry with you. So don't call them. They will not receive your call and will not call you themselves. This was their final order. Both of them have been eating my head. That's why I called and told you. Now don't tell them that I called and told you to come home. In this way they will get even more angry with you and along with me they will get angry with me too. So please tell them that you came on your own. Okay?" (Iltija fell silent after saying the last thing).
So Mahmal, after listening to his such a long story, only replied "Yes, okay." (And on the other side Iltija hung up the call after hearing her "Yes, okay").
The moment the call was disconnected, Mahmal smiled. Seeing the love of those siblings. Who knows since when both of them must have been eating his head, poor guy. Come on Mahmal, now you have to convince both of them too. Mumbling, Mahmal started looking at the tea which had turned black while boiling. (Mahmal served the tea to Mehar Ali, Mobeena Begum, Daud and Mozeena and herself sat on the sofa next to Mehar Ali and started asking Mehar Ali) Baba, how is the tea? (Mehar Ali praised as always) My daughter always makes good tea. That's why we request our daughter to make tea.
(Daud's tongue got itchy again, so he said) Baba, I have to admit, she does make something good. (Mahmal makes very good tea. Everyone drinks tea made by Mahmal's hands and Mahmal also happily makes it for everyone. Otherwise Mahmal had no interest in cooking food except tea. Yes, if she was in the mood, she cooked very good food).
Mahmal got angry hearing Daud's words. She said angrily) Okay, what about the Biryani I made last week? You ate it with great relish. Now come and eat. (Hearing Mahmal's words, Mozeena made an innocent face and said) Api, I did not say bad things about your food, so will you make Biryani for me? (Mozeena wanted to clear her side). Mahmal said showing off to Daud) See the importance of my Biryani.
Daud made a face and said, yes, it was very good. There was so much salt and chili. I ate it only to save the food from being wasted.
Mahmal retorted, then don't eat. You could have given it to Nafeesa. (Iltija's maid) Anyway, speaking of Nafeesa, I have to go to Iltija's place. I don't have time to talk to useless people like you. Saying this, Mahmal left and Daud was burning behind, and Mozeena and Mehar Ali started laughing.
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Mahmal stepped into the lawn to go to Iltija's house. There was a door in the lawn which opened into Iltija's lawn. This door was made for the convenience of people from both houses to come and go. Seeing the lawn door closed, Mahmal understood that this was an expression of Areesha and Areeba's anger. Mahmal smiled. (Mahmal loved Areesha and Areeba a lot. Areesha and Areeba were both twins and also of Mahmal's age, so Mahmal had very good friendship with both of them. Mahmal understood that today both of them were not going to agree easily. So instead of going to Iltija's house, Mahmal stepped back into her house. And Mahmal had an idea in her mind with which Areesha and Areeba could agree easily. But to bring that idea to completion, she needed Daud, whom Mahmal had irritated a little while ago. So first Mahmal had to please Daud. That's why Mahmal stepped back into the drawing room where Mehar Ali, Mobeena Begum, Daud and Mozeena were all sitting. Everyone looked at Mahmal in surprise).
(Mozeena asked in surprise) Api, you had gone to Iltija brother's place. (Mahmal saw everyone looking at her with questioning eyes, so Mahmal said with sweetness in her tone) I had some work to get done by my dear brother.
(Daud almost spit out his tea after hearing "dear brother". Just two minutes ago Mahmal Madam had called him "free". But when he heard Mahmal's next sentence, he was sure that his sister never talks to him lovingly without any work. Mozeena also could not stay quiet, so she said) You also change trains very quickly, Api. Two minutes ago you were a bitter gourd and now in two minutes what happened that your tongue became so sweet.
(Mahmal got very angry at Mozeena at this time. One, it was not easy to please Daud, second Mozeena Madam was interfering. So Mahmal said angrily) Shut up, Chashma Two. This is my and my dear brother's matter. (Mozeena wore glasses) That's why when Mahmal got angry at Mozeena, she called Mozeena Chashma Two. Hearing Mahmal's words, Mozeena made a bad face and sat quietly. Mozeena knew that speaking in Mahmal's matter was not safe for Mozeena.
(Seeing Mahmal's changed sweet tone, Mehar Ali was smiling because Mehar Ali knew that a big battle was going on in Mahmal's mind. But unlike Mehar Ali, Mobeena Begum was staring at her child in surprise, who changed colors faster than a chameleon).
Mahmal made Mozeena quiet and now addressed Daud again, who was still in shock. "My dear brother, will you do my work?"
(Daud raised one eyebrow and looked at Mahmal and then said) Tell me the nature of the work and what will I get in return?
Mahmal said cheerfully, "You just have to do this much work, that you bring Mehak and Muskan, Safeena Phupho's daughters. After that, whatever you say, I am ready to do it."
(Daud puffed out his chest and said) Think carefully, whatever I say, you will do it.
(Mahmal quickly said) Yes, I will do it. (Mahmal was in a hurry because she had little time. Daud raised his finger and said) Don't go back on your word.
(Mahmal puffed out her chest and said) Mahmal Mehar Ali does not go back on her commitment.
Mehar Ali's smile deepened. Whenever Mahmal took her full name, Mahmal Mehar Ali, Mehar Ali felt proud that he got a daughter like Mahmal. The rest, Mozeena and Mobeena Begum, were trying to understand why Mahmal had the urge to call Mehak and Muskan at this late night.
(Daud said in a way as if doing her a favor) Okay, I am going. But what will I tell Phupho, why have I come to take them?
What do you think is going on in Mahmal's mind? How will Mahmal convince Areesha and Areeba? 🤔