Father of the Bride

Chapter 21: Second Thoughts

When Mahnoor told Sheetal the next day about the good news, Sheetal felt it was attached to bad news deciphering Mahnoor's sombre tone. Wading through her files, Mahnoor briefed Sheetal so could take interim lead whilst she concentrated on the wedding over the next three weeks. Time was short and there were many preparations to finalise.

"Stacey Cullingham's next MARAC is on the 5th." Mahnoor prompted Sheetal so she could write it on her diary. "She's currently in a refuge. I'll call her today and let her know that you will be attending the MARAC just so we have a smooth handover." Slipping her hand her white shirt, Mahnoor scratched her collar bone in through. "Make sure you ask her about her Child Benefit and if she has transferred it to her name."

Mahnoor closed the file and proceeded to the next. "I have so much to organise with this wedding, I can't risk anything going wrong."

"Hang on a minute-what does this mean for you and Khizar? Does Ayaaz know? Does anyone know?" Sheetal leaned forward and took the file off her. Mahnoor was tight lipped about her non-existent marriage to Khizar.

"That's not important." She took the file back and began to skim through the notes.

"Oh Mahnoor, you are important!" Sheetal slapped her hand on the file. "You're doing it again. Stop making yourself insignificant." She stressed.

"I've never seen Ayaaz so excited, he's redecorating his room and stripped it bare. Ayaaz and Amirah are back on track, why would I spoil it?" Mahnoor was thrown aback by her son's new found attitude. It was refreshing.

"Have you spoken to Khizar; in private?" Sheetal took the file off her and began addressing the issue at hand. Mahnoor gathered her hair and straightened it over her left shoulder. She leaned back on her leather office chair. "Of course I've spoke to Khizar-" Mahnoor took her mind back to the day she went to see Khizar. "When the news erupted, I went to see Khizar at him."

"What did he have to say for himself?"

Mahnoor wasn't sure how to explain it, she didn't want to make him look heartless. "He was busy. He had things to do." Mahnoor fidgeted with the pens on the desk. When she looked up Sheetal's eyes pressed on her.
"He didn't want to talk about Amirah." Mahnoor shook her head trying not to delve into that evening. It was about Ayaaz's wedding. "Anyway, he probably didn't want to talk, Kara was there." Mahnoor distracted her thoughts and opened her laptop

"Kara?!" Sheetal stressed.

"Kara was there looking after him." Mahnoor thought nothing of it.

"After everything that Kara did, the lies, the drama and building a rift between his daughter, he let her in?"

The pendant on her neck troubled Mahnoor, she was certain she'd seen it somewhere. "He was cold and aloof like he didn't want me there." Mahnoor brow creased. "He blamed me. He said I made him blind to his family obligations and I understand."

"Seriously? Khizar said that."

"Have you checked my emails?" She turned her laptop around to face Sheetal.

"He can't blame you for Ayaaz's mistake? Khizar can't be that fickle. Ayaaz is a grown man. Mahnoor, what are you hiding from me?" Sheetal grew worried. "It's me."

Mahnoor closed the laptop shut and decided to vent her feelings. She rubbed her forehead "Sheetal, Khizar wouldn't look at me. He said I blinded him and distracted him that's why Amirah and Ayaaz were off the radar." Mahnoor had never been rejected or pushed away. She didn't know how to handle it. "At least with Basharat I knew he loved me, I knew he was interested."

Sheetal raised her eyebrow with worry. Why was Mahnoor comparing Khizar to her psycho ex? 

"Basharat was obsessed. He was dangerous. That's an unhealthy relationship. What you have with Khizar its normal."