Saturday - 9th November

5:32 pm

It was finally 9th.

Hemayal smiled to herself as she sat in front of the mirror, lips curled into a permanent smile of shyness and sheer joy. Billions of nerves in her body and every single one of them was elated, experiencing a kind of happiness she'd never felt before in her entire life.

"I'd never seen you this happy before." Anisha Bhabhi said as she entered the room, clad in an elegantly embroidered white dress, uttering the words so many people had said to Hemayal these past few days.

"I've never been this happy before." Hemayal answered as always, layering her face with bridal make up with little help from Mehmal who was busy painting her own face.

"May you always smile like this!" She exclaimed, hugging her gently from behind before moving ahead to get a clear view of her face.

Although the notes had disturbed a little of her peaceful life, she'd tried and succeeded at not paying much attention to them. Ever since Ibrahim told his friend, Ali, about that situation - she'd been relaxed. If Ali could gather her information within a night, he surely could find the man threatening them.

And besides, it was her wedding day and she wasn't spoiling it for any man who didn't even have the guts to face them openly. This day would never come again in her life and she had every intention of living every moment of it.

"How much more time? Your Lala is getting impatient outside." Anisha Bhabhi said, casting a quick glance at the clock.

They were supposed to leave by six, the arrangements having been made in a hotel nearby. Although, Hemayal and Ibrahim had wanted a private affair with only close friends and family in their lawn, nobody had bothered to listen to them, insisting that they didn't know the dynamics of a wedding. Begrudgingly, they had conceded.

"The make up is done, I'll be ready in about 20 minutes." Hemayal said as she once again resumed the movements of her hand, brushes adding final touch to her look.

"Okay, I'll inform him," Anisha Bhabhi said before hesitating for a moment, her teeth biting her painted lip in a gesture of nervousness. "Baba wants to see you."

"Why does he need permission to see me? Send him in." Hemayal said, rather too cheerfully, for both the ladies turned to look at her with apprehension. "What? I'm getting married. It's time I let go of old problems, I'm sure Ibrahim will give me plenty more to deal with."

Hemayal's joke earned a hefty laughter from the two ladies before Anisha Bhabhi went outside, just as Mehmal turned to her.

"Sure you don't want to run? I can help." Mehmal said, grin dancing on her face, and Hemayal only rolled her eyes.

"Thanks, but I think I'll live." Hemayal said before the both ladies broke into another fit of laughter.

"Oh, Hami, what a joy it is to see you this happy." Mehmal murmured, the grin now reducing to a sad smile.

"Say Masha'Allah." Hemayal narrowed her eyes at her cousin - all in good humor.

"Well, I'm sure Ibrahim will be saying plenty of that tonight." Mehmal added and Hemayal, despite her attempts, ended up blushing but before Mehmal could roast her any further for that, Baba entered the room.

"May I come in?" Baba asked from behind and Hemayal quickly nodded before vacating her seat, gesturing Mehmal to leave the room for a while.

"Yes, yes." Hemayal said.

"You look very pretty, child. I wish your mother and Dadu were here with us tonight." Baba began, sadness glistening his eyes, and Hemayal took a step forward, placing her hand on her father's shoulder.

"They are here with us." Hemayal said, rather softly and Baba smiled.

"Hemayal...child...I'm so sorry -" Baba began to say but Hemayal cut him off gently.

"Let it go, Baba." She said, genuinely wanting to forget all and every bad memory life had ever given her.

"No, let me speak tonight, let me say how much I have wronged you." Baba said, such force and ache behind his words that Hemayal stilled for a second.

"Okay." Hemayal nodded.

"My regrets ate me, Hemayal, they ate our relationship. My guilt killed us both," Baba began and Hemayal took back a step, bracing herself. "I loved you so much that you can't even imagine. But when you were made to marry a man you didn't even know at the mere age of sixteen, something broke in me or maybe all of me shattered. I just couldn't be the same man again."

"Baba, it's okay, it's all in the past." Hemayal said, voice quivering.

"No, I should have loved you more instead of abandoning you, I shouldn't have let my own guilt and regrets affect you. I'm so sorry, my child." Baba said, taking a step forward and bringing Hemayal into his chest, his tears disappearing in the mess of her hair.

"I forgive you, Baba." Hemayal said, her own tears now flowing freely down the cheeks, unbothered about the makeup she'd spent an hour applying.

"You do? From your heart?" Baba asked as he stepped back, wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve.

"Yes, from my heart." Hemayal smiled before wiping her own tears with slight dabbing of tissue against her face.

"I love you, child." Baba said and Hemayal pressed her lips to keep the tears at bay.

She was hearing this sentence after a total of nine years.

"I love you, too, Baba." Hemayal smiled, nodding her head in utmost happiness.

"You should get back, now. You know how your brother is when he becomes impatient." Baba said, laughing slightly, and Hemayal nodded her head.

"Okay." She said just as Baba turned on his heels and exited the room - leaving behind his daughter in a shade of happiness she'd never witnessed before.

6:23 pm

"We're just leaving for the hotel." Hemayal spoke in her phone as she glanced at the woman in the mirror - a woman dressed in a red and golden wedding dress complimented with gold jewelry adorning her features, a small, contented smile playing on her lips.

"We are too." Ibrahim responded from the other side, his voice just as relaxed and Hemayal for the hundredth time in these three weeks, felt warmth flooding her insides.

"I still can't believe this is happening." Hemayal murmured after a second, playing with the hem of her dupatta as she listened to his deep breathing.

"Me neither. It feels like yesterday when our cars crashed, and you entered my life again." Ibrahim chuckled from the other side and a lopsided grin lifted Hemayal's lips.

"Yeah," Hemayal mumbled, mind distracted. "We'll be okay, right?"

"I think so. You keep up your sass, I'll keep up my patience, and I think we'll be alright." Ibrahim laughed as he said and if he were here right now, Hemayal would have slapped him on the shoulder, shaking her head, but right now, she just settled for a scoff.

"Oh, right, how did I forget your patience of a saint?" Hemayal rolled her eyes as she said, smiling softly.

"Exactly, how did you forget and baby, please stop rolling your eyes at me." Ibrahim said and Hemayal stopped short for a second before laughter gripped her, along with joy and contentment.

"I have no idea how I'll spend the rest of my life with you." Hemayal said, a smile of mischief dancing on her lips.

"Too late for that thought, now." Ibrahim chuckled, a throaty laugh that went directly to her heart and sent it into arrhythmia.

"It's never too late, sweetheart." Hemayal answered, using an endearment for him for the first time, and maybe Ibrahim realized that too for a sudden silence filled the line immediately.

"Oh, God, my life with you might make me want to kill myself sometimes but at least it won't be boring," Ibrahim said, shock lacing his voice and laughter again filled the line from Hemayal's side. "Don't you think you're laughing too much?"

"Why shouldn't I? I've paid a heavy price to earn this laughter." Hemayal replied, voice sad now and silence again entered their conversation for a second.

"I will always keep that smile on your face, I promise." Ibrahim replied, voice soft and a gentle laugh left Hemayal's lips.

"And I'll try not to piss you off too much." Hemayal replied in a beat.

"Okay, that, baby, is not possible. I think the only reason Allah sent you on this earth was to test my limits." Ibrahim said and Hemayal could almost see him rolling his eyes.

"I said I'll try, didn't I?" Hemayal repeated forcefully, smiling.

"Sure, we'll see. We have a lifetime together, anyway." Ibrahim said, repeating her favorite sentence of all time, and every single never of her settled down in peace.

"I like the sound of that." Hemayal whispered.

7:15 pm

"Oh, God, Hemayal...you look ravishing. Abi will be floored." Safaa exclaimed from a far just as Hemayal entered a small room outside the banquet hall, surprise and happiness lifting her lips in a smile.

"Thank you." Hemayal replied with a shy smile of her own as she hugged her, eyes taking in a few of her close friends gathered around the room.

"You bitch," Arsala remarked as she approached Hemayal, placing her hands by her waist in an intimidating gesture. "He's no one, Arsala, I don't know him. What was that?" Arsala mimicked her and despite the attention that was currently directed at her, Hemayal burst out laughing.

"My attempts to steer him clear of your bad eyes and intentions." Hemayal responded as she hugged her friend, the smile now a permanent part of her face.

"Bitch," Arsala repeated, before shaking her head, smiling. "God, Hemayal, you look so beautiful when you're happy."

"You say as if you've never seen me happy before." Hemayal rolled her eyes as she took a seat on the sofa, adjusting her dress.

"Not like this, never." Arsala said and Hemayal only smiled.

How had she been living her life before Ibrahim?

"Hemayal, child." Ammu entered the room and approached her daughter-in-law, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Assalam-u-Alikum." Hemayal began to get up but Ammu forced her down, taking a seat beside her and looking at her with nothing but love in her eyes.

"Waalkium-Assalam. You made such a pretty bride," Ammu complimented and Hemayal smiled slowly, blush tainting her cheeks. "Ibrahim and the rest are here, we'll be starting the function in a few minutes."

"Okay." Hemayal nodded, adjusting her dupatta.

"Always be happy, child. You're just as dear to me as Abi is, even more so. And from now on, I'm your mother. Any problem, you come to me, okay?" Ammu gently patted her head and Hemayal nodded, tears gathering in her eyes at the love that resided in the other woman's gaze.

"Okay, Ammu." Hemayal smiled and Ammu kissed her forehead before exiting the room.

7:47pm

The entrance song began to play softly in the background just as Hemayal rounded the corner and crossed the threshold of the main door, Baba on her right and Hadeed Lala on the left. At the far end, she could see Ibrahim vacating his seat and standing to his full height - dressed in a golden and white sherwani and looking every bit regal and graceful.

Lowering her eyes, she focused on her steps, heart in her throat as she started the last journey she'd ever make with her father and brother by her side. At the end of the carpet, her life would change irrevocably and from then on, it'd be Ibrahim matching her steps in life.

"We'll always be with you." Hadeed Lala whispered from the side and Hemayal found herself smiling softly.

Ironically, whenever in life she used to think of this moment, her heartbeat accelerated but now, now that the moment was finally here, she felt a warm, steady feeling flowing through her veins - every inch of her relaxed and eased. Maybe it was Ibrahim's doing or maybe life had finally graced her with mercy - but whatever it was, Hemayal welcomed it.

After reaching halfway down the aisle, Hemayal tightened her hold on her father's arm, bracing and strengthening herself for the life to come and for a moment everything was perfect - the music, moment, time - and that's when all hell broke loose too, and a gunshot sounded in the air, effectively piercing through the slow hum of the music.

Screams, of all types and frequencies, filled the hall and with widened eyes, Hemayal raked a desperate gaze through the room, heart filling with dread and horror as people rushed past her and outside the hall. Hadeed Lala pushed her back, movements frantic when Hemayal registered that Baba was rooted on his spot.

Her gaze darted past her father and landed on her husband and her eyes found him stilled in his position too, shocked.

Why weren't they moving?

And then finally, her gaze landed on him.

An old man, probably in his mid-sixties, holding a gun in his hand pointed directly at his audience - of which only Yazdanis and Khakwanis were left now - all the other guests having long left the hall. Hemayal saw with wide eyes as his sinister eyes found hers across the room and immediate terror filled Hemayal as she witnessed the hatred that rested there.

"I told you, Hemayal, warned you that your ninth will never come." The man spoke vehemently and Hemayal felt Baba shifting beside her, coming to stand directly in front of her to shield her from the man.

The man - whoever he was - was standing on the centre stage, gun pointed directly at Ibrahim but without a care, Hemayal saw Ibrahim move, the man's words must having hit at home, before hurriedly approaching her.

Locking eyes with Ibrahim as he came to her, she realized that it was this man; he was the one sending those cryptic notes and by the looks of shock on the faces of Yazdani family, Ibrahim was right - he was someone close.

"Adam!" Ibrahim's father shouted and Hemayal sighed - they'd discussed Adam.

Hemayal cast a quick horrified glance in Ibrahim's direction, and in return, Ibrahim only took hold of her hand as he stood beside her, his touch rough but warm, terrified but supportive.

"What are you doing?" Ibrahim's father hissed as he ushered Ammu and Safaa back, coming to stand directly in front of the man who hadn't lowered his gun yet.

"You remember my son, Morad?" Adam suddenly asked, his voice losing the harshness and bordering desperation.

"Hassan? Yes, but -" Morad Yazdani was rudely cut off as the man laughed hysterically - looking more and more like a mentally unstable person than a vindictive one.

"He died. Do you know how he died?" He asked, a smile of sheer hatred lifting his lip.

"My father killed him." Morad Yazdani sighed, lowering his head for an instant.

"And why did your father kill him?" The man repeated, voice now a shout, and Hemayal flinched, casting a quick glance at all the people in the room - all horrified.

"Because he couldn't protect Maktub when Shehryar came to kill him." The father said, and everything fell back to pieces - every mystery, every puzzle, every confusion.

Whatever had happened in her life - all the miseries and aches - it was because a man never forgot the murder of his son, and spent his entire life looking for revenge. And finally, he found one - a perfect stage to extract his revenge, flawless timing to strike where it hurt the most.

"My father apologized to you, Adam. He gave you money -" Morad Yazdani spoke and was brutally cut off with a jab of the gun in his chest.

"What kind of a sick bastard apologizes after killing someone's son, Morad? And giving me money? For killing my son? Allah!" Adam almost wailed and Hemayal pressed her lips tightly - the years of pain on Adam's face too much for her to bear just as Ibrahim tightened his hold on her hand.

"Look, Adam, whatever issues you have, we'll sort that out later. It's my son's wedding, not right now." He said, desperate, and Adam ended up laughing.

"No, Morad, your son's wedding ain't happening tonight. You stood and watched when your father emptied his barrel in my son's chest, and now you'll stand and watch when I'll do the same to your son." Adam said and a shiver like she'd never known before gripped Hemayal, freezing her heart.

Turning to face Ibrahim who had shock lacing his features, she tightened her hold on him, refusing to let go of this man. She'd found him after years and years of struggle and heartache - she isn't going to lose him now. Not now when their happiness seemed only a breath away; not now. Oh, Allah, please not now.

"Adam Uncle!" Hemayal shouted, and everyone turned to her, Ibrahim pulling her back slightly from direct harm but, no, she wouldn't give up on her happiness. "Look, I'm sorry for your son, we all are, but Ibrahim, me, we had nothing to do with it. We are as much a victim of what happened twelve years ago as you are!"

"Oh, my sweet child," Adam said, a sad smile on his face and this time, Ibrahim succeeded in pulling her back, tightening his hold around her waist. "This isn't about you or Ibrahim, God, no. But this is about revenge, Hemayal, and who else knows it better than you do?"

At that, Hemayal froze in her place.

Ibrahim was right; it was him all along - the one who got Hemayal kidnapped, the one who leaked the news of the arrest to the media, the one who got Anas Ali killed.

Oh, Allah!

"If it isn't about us, why did you go to such lengths to kidnap me? Why did you leak the news of his arrest to the media?" Hemayal asked, just as everyone's shocked gaze turned to them both, and if it weren't for the strong hold of Ibrahim's arm around her, she'd have collapsed long ago.

When she said she wouldn't handle another heartbreak, she meant it.

"To break you two, to end this marriage, so I wouldn't be forced to do what I'm doing right now!" Adam yelled and Hemayal tightened her hold on Ibrahim, horror lacing her features. "But you two survived everything, didn't you? The kidnapping, your grandfather's death, the revenge, the arrest - you survived everything, so now, I have no choice."

"You don't have to do this," Morad Yazdani said, having recovered from the shock of Hemayal's words. "Your son, he promised to protect my brother, he was conscious of his decisions, he knew the consequences. But my son doesn't know shit, Adam, he's innocent. Let him go."

And to Hemayal's utter horror, Adam stepped down from the central stage, approaching Hemayal and Ibrahim with his gun pointed at them, determination lacing his gaze. Stopping a little few feet away from them, he laughed, looking directly at Ibrahim.

"Let him go? Did your father let my son go when he begged?" Adam asked, his gaze menacing and Hemayal took a protective step forward. "I've waited all my life for this moment, Abi, to rob you off your happiness and life right in front of your father's eyes."

Hemayal's heart broke into so many pieces as she witnessed their exchange, shiver raking up and down her spine. Eyes wide and frantic, mind reeling - she didn't know what to do, how to stop this madness. All she knew was that she couldn't lose Ibrahim - not now, not ever.

"Take my life, Adam! Let go of my son!" Ammu wailed from behind, crying hysterically and began to move towards them but Safaa held her back, tears sprawled all over her face too.

"I've always thought of you as my father." Ibrahim said, his voice strong and ruthless but she knew the havoc going on in him, knew the storm behind his steady gaze, just as he tightened his hold around her.

Oh, Ibrahim.

"This is for my son!" Adam whispered and Hemayal's breath hitched - saw what would happen before it even did.

And then it finally happened.

One second, she was held strongly in place by Ibrahim's arm around her and the next, his hold had loosened infinitesimally but that was all Hemayal needed to move. A small movement to the right and she was covering Ibrahim, turning quickly to face him directly, her back to all the commotion of heartbreak and revenge going on. Looping an arm around his neck, she stared into his wide, horrified eyes, their bodies pressed.

And then the first jolt of pain hit her.

Then another.

And after that, there was no count. Placing a hand to her side with wide eyes still staring in Ibrahim's, she felt hot liquid sticking to her fingers, mind numbing from the immense pain as she brought her trembling hand up between them and just when the vision cleared, chaos ensued.

"HEMAYAL!"

"HAMI!"

Losing her vision, she felt her eyes closing just as Ibrahim pulled her down with him, his cries too loud for her, his pats on her cheeks too harsh, his tears burning her face. Then she felt hands, too many, shaking her; and screams, too loud, all crying her name.

"Hemayal...Hemayal...no, no, no," Ibrahim's cry was all she could hear as he gathered her in his arms on the floor, the red of her dress and crimson of the blood all mixing up to leave a stain on his dress. "Stay awake, baby, please. The ambulance is coming...you'll be alright...Hemayal."

As she struggled to hold on to a tiny ray of light, everything dulled around her - the colors and voices and cries mixing, the nerve endings retreating until no stimulus reached her brain - only darkness.

"Dadu..." She whispered softly before the night engulfed her and she finally realized something;

She had never completed the rest of her walk down the aisle.

|¤¤¤|

...the next chapter is going to be the last and I'm not sure if it's going to he happy or sad, but i warn you, it'll break your heart.

till next time,
salam!