Page 4 of First Comes Marriage
‘No, no, Ruqayyah, please don’t change your plans, and certainly not on my account. I’m actually feeling fine to come along, especially after that little rest at your place just now while we waited for the girls to get ready. We can all leave together as you’d originally planned to.’
Reshma was about to move off when Khalil’s arm, which was still slung over her shoulders, tightened. He lowered his head and whispered to her out of the corner of his mouth. ‘The adults are distracted. You should use the opportunity to—’
‘Go away.’ She pushed him away and he staggered back, laughing. ‘I don’t need you meddling, thank you very much. Especially if you don’t even identify as an adult, even though you’re creeping closer to thirty with each day.’
Before he could respond, his father called him away and Reshma turned and faced Saleema, who had come down the steps with her but, at just the right moment, had raced ahead and now Reshma knew why.
‘Your expression was priceless.’ Saleema opened and closed her mouth three times in succession, presumably imitating her, and her cousin Haniya – Uncle Jawad’s daughter – laughed.
‘You’re the world’s biggest traitor, Saleema. You knew! You too, Niya.’
They simply grinned at her.
‘Yes, I knew and, like Mum said, it was super hard to keep it a secret, but, boy, am I glad I did. Uncle Jawad called to tell us that they would all be coming today, including your mister and his grandmother.’ She waggled her eyebrows when she referred to Zafar. ‘Papa needed to arrange the airport pick-up and they got here a little while ago, but we decided to time your surprise for just before we left. It gave them all time to change and have a breather. It was actually Uncle Jawad’s idea to surprise you. Didn’t you see Papa recording the whole thing on his phone just now?’
‘I’ll get both of you back for this.’ She pointed at her cousins in turn who continued to smile at her, completely unrepentant. She would deal with Uncle Jawad in due course, though she was happy that her family was with her.
‘Oh, please. It was such a cute surprise.’ Haniya looked in Zafar’s direction, as did she and Saleema, watching as he hovered around his grandmother, presumably trying to get her to take Auntie Ruqayyah up on the offer of a rest. He was the perfect example of a helicopter grandson.
‘I’d be so chuffed if my fiancé did something like that for me. Come all that way just to surprise me,’ Saleema added dreamily, both her and Haniya looking like they were about to melt on the spot as Reshma frowned.
‘Yeah. OK.’ She knew she sounded a bit churlish, but she didn’t know what to say or how to react in a way thatdidn’t give her true feelings away. She didn’t want to bring that all out in front of everyone, but she certainly wanted some clarity from Zafar at some point. She felt a sense of nervousness as he made his way towards them. Everyone else seemed to have gone towards the cars, ready to leave.
Zafar came to where she was standing.
‘Hi. I’m Saleema. This one’s cousin.’ Saleema canted her head towards Reshma, before opening her arms towards Zafar for a hug. She sounded like an overexcited child meeting Mickey Mouse for the first time. Though to be fair, she was meeting Zafar for the first time. She hadn’t come to London for their wedding last year, only her parents had.
Ever the consummate gentleman, Zafar gave Saleema a megawatt smile before returning her hug, towering over her. ‘Hi. I’m Zafar. This one …’ he cleared his throat though his voice was laced with amusement, ‘Reshma’s husband.’
She just about stopped herself from rolling her eyes.
Very funny.
Except she seemed to be the only person not amused. Zafar, Haniya and Saleema were all smiling away quite happily.
‘I believe congratulations are in order,’ Zafar continued.
‘Thanks. I’m so pleased you came out here for my wedding. Reshma said that you had loads of work to do and that’s why you didn’t come with her. But I’m glad that—’
‘Saleema? Come on, guys. I know being late is the bride’s prerogative, but I’m starving,’ Khalil called out.
Saleema rolled her eyes and shook her head. ‘We’ll catch up later.’ She linked arms with Haniya and they walked towards the cars, leaving Reshma behind to follow them as Zafar fell in step with her.
‘Hello, Reshma.’ His voice was low and slightly gravelly as he spoke.
‘Hey.’ She looked up at him and he smiled at her, his hands stuffed into his pockets as they reached the parade of cars in the driveway.
Her uncle, Imtiaz, stood beside the open door of the third car in line, the first two cars already full. ‘You and Zafar come in this one, Reshma. No sense in squashing in with the others when we’ve got the cars and drivers at our disposal. We’ll see you at the restaurant.’
Reshma nodded at her uncle as she slid into the back seat. Zafar went around to the other side, and after a few minutes, the driver moved off.
Aside from the low hum of the engine, there was silence around them as they drove out of the gates and then Zafar spoke. ‘Still not talking to me?’
‘I never really stopped talking to you.’
Except she kind of had.
After he’d refused to come with her or even discuss the subject any further, she’d backed off and said even less than she usually did to him, though part of the reason for that had been because she’d been in her own head, trying to make sense of the myriad thoughts vying for attention.
