Chapter 3

Sana

@sweetangel_25

Part 3

Tears were heavily flowing down her eyes now as she sat in the car with her head laid back..as flashes continued to appear..her mom's dead body..and when the men were taking it away for burial..her breaking down on the floor...a 10 yr old Imran crying in her arms .....the days she spent after her mom......the emptiness in the house......in her life.....

Tears continued to flow...and she didn't wipe them even once....

It had been some moments like this when her cell starts ringing again and she picks it up from the deck. On seeing the number she wipes off her tears and receives the call'.

Muskaan: ha naaz..bol..

Naazneen: muski kahan hai tu?

Muskaan: mein..wo..( recollecting)..supermarket ja rahi thi...(wiping the remains of her tears)

Naazneen: are wo sab chod aur foran Reagents Park pohoch....ek bohot badi problem ho gayi hai...

Muskaan: kyu...kya hua?

Naazneen: wahi par batati hu... bas to jaldi se pohoch..

Muskaan(little tensed): ok...I'll be there in 10 mins...

She keeps her cell side. Then removes some wet tissues and cleans her face thoroughly checking herself in the car mirror. She didn't want Naazneen to get the slightest hint that she has cried'.nor anyone else.

She then starts her car and accelerating it heads towards Reagents Park.

She reached there as soon as she could as she was getting worried for Naazneen. She goes inside and looks for her but Naazneen wasn't there yet. She sits on a bench nearby waiting for her.

A lot of time had passed like that but Naazneen was nowhere in sight. Muskaan gets more worried now.

She was about to dial Naazneen's number when she felt a palm placed on her eyes blocking her vision. She gets alerted first..but then breaks into a smile.

Muskaan: naaz ye kya bachpana hai...

The person doesn't respond. Muskaan gets a bad feeling and she touches that hand on her eyes. She realizes it's a male.

She gets up with a jerk and moves the hand from her eyes turning to face the person.

Muskaan(surprised): tum??..

The person is about to respond when a voice interrupts him.

Naazneen: yaha ho tum ..kabse dhund rahi hu..

Person : ha wo.. Muski ko yaha baithe dekha to.

Naazneen : to.to socha ki ab Muskaan to agayi hai...to Naazneen ka kya kaam..

Person(teasingly): are ha! maine socha.jaan bachi us Bandariya se!

Naazneen : kya?kya kaha?

Naazneen gets irritated'.the person laughs at her and then moves towards Muskaan'

He gives her a light hug which she returns back smiling.

Person : kaisi ho?

Muskaan : thik hu Aman..aur tum? wapas kab aye?

Person : aaj subah hi'.aur ate hi tumhari yaad agayi'.to socha mil hi lu...

Well! the person here is Aman..Aman Alavi..Muskaan and Naazneen's friend'.the three of them were classmates in college and share a great friendship since then'.

Naazneen : oh! itnt jaldi yaad agayi hamari'

Aman : tumhari nahi'.Muskaan ki'

Naazneen : Amaan tum..

Aman : ab tum zara apni bak bak band karo to mein Muskaan se baat karu'kyu Muski'.

Muskaan only gives him a weak smile.

Aman notices her expressions and realizes that something is wrong. He gives a questioning look to Naazneen' but Naazneen herself didn't know so she just shrugs her shoulders.

Finally Aman asks Muskaan..: kya baat hai..itni chup chup kyu ho?

Muskaan :kuch nahi'.bas aise hi'.tumhara trip kaisa raha?

Aman : okk..ab ek long business trip adventurous to nahi ho sakta na!(giggles)

Naazneen : bad joke

Aman : tumse kisne pucha'..Muski tum kaise jhel leti ho ise'.

Naazneen : jaise tumhe jhelti hai'.waise hi'.

Aman : o god!!.Muski ise chodo tum meri baat suno..evening me ek party rakhi hai maine.. For all friends..tum 7 pm tak pohoch jana'

Muskaan : party?par achanak? kis liye?

Aman : wo mein actually..(he is about to say something when he notices Naazneen signaling him a 'no')

Muskaan : kya hua?bolo..

Aman is still staring at Naazneen trying to understand her expressions: hmmm.wo.

Naazneen : wo Muskaan aise hi...bas ek get together.

Muskaan : ok.

Muskaan : Naaz..tumne to kaha tha ki koi badi prob ho gayi hai..kya hua?

Naazneen : are kuch nahi baba'.bas is Aman ka plan tha tumhe surprise dene ka.

Muskaan : oh!aur me aise bhagti bhagti ayi yaha'.by the way..tum office jaogi abhi?

Naazneen : ha..kyu tum nahi ja rahi?

Muskaan : me to market ja rahi thi'.but..ab to kafi late ho gaya..office hi chalte hai'.evening me office se ate hue chale jaenge..

Aman : matlab tum dono ja rahe ho abhi..?

Muskaan : ha Aman..kafi kaam pending hai..tum bhi chalo na..abbu se bhi mile kafi din ho gaye tumhe.

Amaan : okk.

Muskaan moves forward towards the car while Aman pulls back Naazneen : tumne mujhe roka kyu Muski ko batane se?

Naazneen : are.wo pehle se upset dikh rahi hai..ab tum use batate ki tum India ja rahe ho to wo aur upset nahi ho jati? Nut!

Aman : are ha!.ye to maine socha hi nahi..

Naazneen : kaise sochte Amaan.. Tumhare paas utni akal kaha..

Aman : apni stupid baatein band karo aura age badho..she must be waiting for us..

So Aman and Naazneen follow Muskaan and all of them leave for office...Malik Industries..

They get out of their cars in front of a huge state of the art building..in one of the most posh industrial areas in London. The watchmen takes their cars and they enter inside.

It's a busy office.. workers moving around notice the three of them entering and stop to greet them in between their work, while they move towards Feroz Malik's cabin.

Feroz is busy with some files when Aman enters inside..Muskaan and Naazneen following him.

Amaan : may I disturb you uncle?

Feroz looks up and is surprised to see Amaan.

Feroz : Aman beta!(he gets up and Amaan comes and hug him)

Aman : kaise ho aap uncle?

Feroz(seperating) : bas beta thik hu..tum kaho....wo training ka trip kaisa raha?

Aman : sab 1st class uncle..aur aap ki tabiyat and all to thik hai na?

Feroz : wo bhi 1st class hai.

They all take seats.

Feroz : acha ab tumhara business training course to khatam hua..batao office kabse join kar rahe ho?

Aman : me to kal se hi kar du..bas aap appointment letter issue kar de is nacheez ke naam..

Feroz : are beta..tumhe formalities ki kya zarurat..jab jee chahe ajao..

Aman : ok uncle..me to mazak kar raha tha.. But ha.mujhe yaha ane ki kaafi jaldi hai..(turns to Naazneen and winks..while she gives him an irritated look)

Aman : ok uncle then..me chalta hu..are ha. sham ko ek party rakhi hai maine..aap bhi aiye na..

Feroz : are nahi beta...you all go and enjoy..shaam tak kafi thak jata hu me.

Aman :..ok uncle.take care of yourself..me chalta hu.khuda hafis.

Feroz : khuda hafis beta.

He leaves and the rest get to their office work.

The day passes like that. The three of them stay busy in office and Imran in university with his friend Cris. Muskaan gets worried for him and gives him a phone call in the afternoon. He ensures her that everything is going smoothly and that he would return home by evening. So she too stays back in office and returns home by evening with Feroz and Naazneen.

Muskaan and Naazneen on returning home wind up all the house work hurriedly and even keep dinner ready for Imran and Feroz. They then get ready and leave for the party.

The party was in full swing when they reached and Muskaan gets surprised to see most of her college friends there..she was meeting them after such along time. Aman had arranged a real happening and rocking party..and he sees to it that Muskaan enjoys there forgetting all about the bad mood she had earlier in the day'.whatever be the reason for it. And Muskaan was indeed enjoying a lot with all her friends around. It was like college times back for all of them.

Back in Malik Residence'..

Feroz was busy with sum work after dinner when he gets a call. He checks the number on the cell and a smile appears on his face.

Feroz : hello?

Person on the other side: assalam-walaikum bhaijaan..

Feroz : walekum-assalam Rahim..

Rahim'..Rahim Malik is Feroz's younger brother and Naazneen's father, staying in India with his family. Naazneen had shifted to London after completing high school in India and is staying here since then with Feroz.

Rahim : kaise ho aap? Aur bachhe?

Feroz : sab thik hai.. Tum batao. waha sab kaisa hai?

Rahim : thik hi hai bhaijaan'.wo Singhanias ke project details mail kiye the maine'.mil gaye aap ko?

Feroz : ha mil gaye..aur jald hi contract bhi mil hi jaega..

Rahim : insha allah!.

Feroz : aur sunao.. Kaisa chal raha hai waha sab?.

Rahim : kya sunau bhaijaan...ab aap aur bachhe to waha hai...me aur Farhat to jaise akele hi pad gaye..

(Farhat is his wife)

Feroz : tum kaha rahim.akela to me pad gaya hu..yaha.apno se itni dur pardes me'sare rishtedar bhi to wahi hai...aur tum bhi..

Rahim : to wapas ajaiye na bhaijaan.. Aisha bhabhi ke rehne tak bhi aap kabhi milne ajate the..par unke baad to jaise aap ne mu hi mod liya..

(Aisha was Feroz's wife and Muskaan's mom who is no more now)

Feroz : aisa nahi hai rahim..par ..unke jaane ke baad to sab kuch hi badal gaya.(his eyes get num while saying that..Rahim senses it)

Rahim : ab bohot hua bhaijaan.. ab aap aa hi jaiye..kabse se keh rahe hai ki sab wind up karke araha hu.. Itna waqt ho gaya sunte sunte mujhe..

Feroz : kya batau...tum to jante..ye business ke ups and downs..

Rahim : aap mujhe ye bahane na de..usi business ka ek hissa me yaha India me chalata hu..har cheez ki khabar hai mujhe..

(Both of them share the same business and Rahim handles the Indian office)

Feroz : thik hai me koshish karunga ki jald se jald yaha ka sab wind up ho jaye..mujhe khud ab yaha nahi rehna'

Rahim : ye thik hai..par tab tak kam se kam bachho ko to bhej dijiye..Naazneen bhi itne waqt se ayi nahi..wahi ki ho kar reh gayi wo to..

Feroz : are use kaise bhej du..usi se to ghar me itni ronak rehti hai..aur agar me kahu to bhi wo nahi manti'.kehti hai nahi jana aap sabko chod kar...khas kar Muskaan ko..ab dono saath hi to pale bade hai..ek hi umar ke..

Rahim : to is baar use bhi bhej di jiye na...har baar ye baat bhi kehta hu me..is baar aap teeno ko hi bhej di jiye, Imran ko bhi..

Feroz : bhai Imran to abhi nahi aa sakta..college join kar raha hai na..aur Muskaan ko to ghar aur office se fursat hi nahi...

Rahim : ha bhaijaan..(thinking something).. Par mujhe lagta hai ab aap ko muskaan ko bhej hi dena chahiye...bachpan me hi dekha tha use.aur aakhir use yahi to rehna hai..shaadi ke baad..behtar hoga agar wo yaha ghar par sab ke saath ghul jaye..aur wo dono bhi ek dusre se mil le'samjh le..aap samajh rahe hai na..me..

Feroz(thinking) : ha rahim shayad tum thik hi keh rahe ho..humne jo inke bachpan me tae kiya tha..shayad use pura karne ka waqt agaya hai..tum fikar na karo..is baar me use kisi tarah se bhej hi deta hu..waise aap ka beta hai kaha...itne dino se koi khabar nahi..

Rahim : thik hi hai bhaijaan..filhaal to out of town gaya hai'. ek deal ke silsile me..uske liye to bas kaam hi..

Feroz : ha janta hu...usse bhi milna hai..bachpan me hi dekha tha use'ab to bas kabhi kabhi phone par baat ho jati hai'

Rahim : aap aa to jaiye..fir khud hi dekh lena..

Feroz : hhmmm!

Rahim : thik hai bhaijaan.. Ab rakhta hu..apna khayal rakhiyega..

Feroz : ha Rahim.tum bhi..

Rahim : khuda hafis'

Feroz : khuda hafis'.(and he disconnects)

Here the party gets over and Muskaan and Naazneen return back home.

Here ends the 3rd part..

Comments are eagerly awaited..

Love,