15.

                                    

                                          
The garden was luminous with yellow lights and lamps, the ambience being everything one could ask for. There was a big daree on the grass covered in pillows, a basket filled with henna cones placed in between two women who were busy working on the hands of the little girls. 
Opposite them sat two more women doing the same, the girls scattered on the daree, laughing, talking, showing one another their henna designs on their phones and the ones who had already had theirs done screaming for the others to maintain a distance.
In the middle of the mat was a tray of dry fruit, crackers, juice boxes, chocolates, everyone now and then stealing a handful of it. There was a speaker placed, the girl who had her phone connected clearly gaining attention and pleads to play certain songs.
Fairyilghts hung from the rooftop down, adding the element that made a Pakistani wedding Pakistani, to have a house covered in lights. The men were dispersed around the house, standing, sitting, a conversation over a cup of tea or the fresh warm  jalebis one of the guys brought on the way back from their errands. 
Umeed smiled, she had nailed it, and she knew it. Traditional touch, keeping it true to an environment that was s close to her heart - the essence of a Pakistani wedding where laughter was heard from every side. Whether it be the girls who were applying henna, whether it be the girl who were arguing over their dance moves for dance practice, whether it be the boys who were running around chasing a half inflated ball, whether it be the women laughing over their own wedding stories, or whether it be the men discussing nonsense over tea. She captured it well, she knew that, she organised it brilliantly and the smiles over everyone proved it.
"Umeed, bachay." Walked in Rubina, cheering smile, genuine happiness on hr face. "Umeed this is genuinely perfect." She came and side hugged Umeed. The firmness of the hug added to Umeed's confidence.
"I'm glad you like it aunty." Umeed pulled away to observe her works once again.
"Beta sachi baat bataun, mujhe itni koi umeed nahi thi isse, ye tou proper event bhi nahi tha isliye mene kuch socha nahi. Liken... tumne waqayi ehsaas dilaya hai why these are as important as the other events." He gently patted Umeed's shoulder. "Mujhe waqayi apni baaji ki shaadi ke din yaad aa gaye, unki mere se aik saal pehle hui thi. Us waqt hum mohallay mein rehte thay, aur mohallay ki sab larkiyan hamari chat par aati thin baaji ki shaadi ke dinon mein. Aese hi bhet kar mehendi lagwa rahe thay, dance practice, ammi aur khala sharbat ki tray la rahi hain, mard kisi konay mein apni gup shup ein gum, mera bhai mithayan aur gol gappe lata tha. Nostalgia ho raha hai." Umeed shifted to notice Rubina tearing up, she understood the significance of those events, those times.
"Chalein aunty, wohi yaadein hamesha rehti hain. Ab apke bachon ko mauka mil raha hai wesi yaadein banane ka." Umeed went to side hug Rubina again to cool her down and bring a smile to her face. This is why she loved doing what she did, to see how it connected with people. Even for people like the Hashim's who had a fairly materialistic lifestyle, it was such core memories that left an impact.
"Mujhe tou yahi afsos tha ke in bachon ko us tarhan ki takrebaadon a kya pata. Liken tum ne waqayi mera dil phir se jeet liya hai." Umeed couldn't help but blush this time, the compliments were not being said for the sake of it, she could feel that they were genuine. She was not that good with taking compliments anyway, so this was her trying to fight the urge to run away because she didn't know what to say. "Tumne mehendi lagwayi?"
"Nahi aunty, mujhe mehendi nahi achi lagti." Umeed shook her head, looking down at her hands. She was never a fan of it. The last time she remembered putting it on was when her mother made a small flower at the back of her hand. Since then, it's not something she likes.
"Acha chalo tumhari marzi hai. Tum aao, mein tumhe apni bari baaji se milwati hoon." Umeed nodded and followed Rubina to where the women were sat. 
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