PART 15:
Zindagi Har Pal Khas Nahi Hoti
Phuloon Ki Khusbu Hamesha Paas Nahi Hoti
Milna Hamare Taqdeer Me Likha Tha Warna
Itna Pyaara rishta Hamare Ittefaq Nahi Hota
(anonymous)
Asad was excited about his trip back home. He had been fasting for Ramadan and couldn't wait to break the fast and celebrate Eid with his family. Fortunately, the weather at sea had been pleasant and their ship docked in Mumbai a day before they expected.
"Would be good to shop before I get home," he thought, "I bet Najma has lost a few kilos during Ramadan." He perused through some salwaar suits at the local mall in Mumbai. He also purchased a designer purse and watch for his sister.
As he paid for the gifts, the shopkeeper enticed him, "sir, if you buy two watches, you get a 50% discount."
"But I have only one sister yaar."
"Kyun sir, girlfriend nahin hai kya?" the shopkeeper teased him.
Asad paused for a second and thought, "she wouldn't care for this. I bet she has zillions of these designer watches."
"Kya hua sir? Changed your mind?"
"Of course not! I don't have a girlfriend but go ahead and pack the other one also." He kicked himself for thinking about Zoya again. She is not my girlfriend! Kyun sochta rehta hoon uske baare mein?
"Ha-ha. I am sure whenever you have a girlfriend, she would love this watch."
"Aap apne kaam se kaam rakhenge?" The nosey shopkeeper irritated Asad. Asad gave him a dirty glare and left with the packages.
"Ab ammi ke liye kya loon?" He ran his fingers through his hair, "it's so hard to buy anything for ammi." Finally, he decided to buy a whole collection of old Bollywood movies for Dilshaad. She loved watching and critiquing movies and with her illness, that was her favorite past time.
ASAD's HOUSE:
"Asad ki ship kal aa jaayegi." An excited Dilshaad made an announcement that morning.
"Ammi aap ko kya lagta hai bhaijaan Eidi mein mujhey kya denge is saal?" Najma's enthusiasm was palpable.
"Jo bhi dega achcha hi hoga. Najma, tumhein hamesha gifts mein zyaada interest rehta hai." Dilshaad chided her.
"Ammi! Kyun na ho? Aakhir mere bhaijaan bahut dildaar hain. You know Zoya, he loves to buy gifts for us. I am sure you get a lot of gifts on Eid too, haina?"
Zoya nodded with a faint smile, "Abbu- I mean in our family- matlab hum log Eid zyaada zor shor se nahin manaate."
"Kyun? Aapne Ramadan ka fast tho kiya hai lekin."
"Wo- my ammi- unka Eid ke din hi intakaal hua tha," Zoya replied softly.
"Oh- I am sorry Zoya," Najma apologized. Dilshaad overheard their conversation, "beta, tumhare abbu tumhari ammi ko bahut chaahte honge. Waise Islam yeh nahin kehta ki apno ko bhula diya jaaye, lekin Eid celebrate karna bhi utna hi zaroori hai. Eid is Allah's blessing and we should all celebrate it. Ab tum hamare saath ho, tho saari celebration hamare saath karna."
"Sure phoophi," Zoya smiled back. Her abbu had never given her a convincing reason for why he didn't like celebration on Eid; as far as she could remember, she had always seen her parents fight more than love each other. It was one of the many mysteries of her family that she was oblivious about. While she never questioned her abbu and his way of thinking in the past, she found herself wanting more answers. She was beginning to understand the world a lot more and staying with Dilshaad had given her a new perspective to life.
"Achcha Zoya beta, Asad kal aa raha hai na, do you mind shifting your stuff to Najma's room for a few days?" Dilshaad requested.
"Of course phoophi," Zoya's heart fluttered but acted nonchalant, "waise aap chaahe tho main kisi friend ke yahan shift kar sakti hoon for a few days." She crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping to get a rejection from Dilshaad on her absurd idea.
"Bilkul nahin Zoya!" Najma protested, "I can't wait for bhaijaan to meet you."
"Oh really?" Zoya tried to suppress her smile and rolled her tongue, "aisa kya khaas hai tumhare bhaijaan mein?"
"Wo tho milke pataa chal jaayega," Najma winked at Zoya, "you will probably give him a headache waise." She chuckled.
"Headache?" Zoya was incensed at the thought.
"He is a very quite man. Bhaijaan ko shor sharaaba achcha nahin lagta."
"Tho main shor machaati hoon kya phoophi?" Zoya pouted.
"Thoda music ka volume tho down rakhna padhega bhai," Dilshaad teased Zoya. Zoya frowned but smiled inwardly and picked her bag, "dekhte hain. Ok, I am outta here. I have a class in a few minutes. See you all later."
Zoya had just left, when the doorbell rang.
Najma answered the door. Her face lit up at the sight, "BHAIJAAN! Aap aaj hi aa gaye? Wow! What a surprise!"
"Kyun? Are you disappointed to see me home a day early?" Asad teased Najma.
"Of course I am! I will have to tolerate you an extra day!" Najma teased him back and laughed, "Ammi! Dekho kaun aaya hai?"
Dilshaad came out of her room, "Asad? What a surprise? This is the best Eid for all of us." She gave him a big hug and kiss on his forehead.
"We were lucky the ship got in early. Socha aap sabko surprise kar doon." Asad hung his cap and jacket in the closet, "Main oopar jaakar freshen up hota hoon. I am sweating like crazy."
"Oh bhaijaan. Aapke room mein abhi wo hamari nayi guest ka samaan hai."
"Oh!" His face fell, "is she there?"
"Nahin abhi wo college gayi hai."
"That's okay. I just need to change. Abhi aaya bas," he strode up the stairs and ran towards his room. He couldn't wait to see his room again- all his favorite childhood memories were buried in that room. His room was his sanctuary- his safe haven from the perils of life.
"Bhaijaan!" Najma tried to follow him but he was long gone. She shut her eyes in anticipation of what might happen next.
His enthusiasm was short lived. His footsteps came to a grinding halt as he walked in, "YEH KYA HUA? IS THIS MY ROOM? Lagta hai koi tornado aaya hai yahan!"
Asad could not believe his eyes-his neat and orderly room was a MESS!
He was livid- if there was one thing in life he detested- that was mess and clutter!
There was a bag on the floor, half open with clothes hanging out from the sides. There were books and magazines all over the bed and floor. His well-organized desk was all chaos!
Asad managed to walk inside, trying his best to not step over all the stuff on the floor.
He opened his closet and saw a number of salwaar suits, tops, women's jeans and dresses hanging right next to his shirts and pants, "How disgusting! Mere closet mein aise dhaak jamaa liya hai jaise useeka ho! Yeh ladki apne aap ko samajhti kya hai? Kya haq hai usey? Mehmaan ko mehmaan ki tarah hi rehna chahiye. She has taken over my whole room. Practically taken over my whole existence in this room! Najma se keh kar is ladki ko jaldi hi alvida kehna padhega. I can't stand this house guest."
He took his shoes off and placed them aside. He saw a pair of beautiful sandals on the floor. He placed his shoes right next to the sandals. Asad was intrigued at the sight. The style of sandals looked familiar. He felt a faint smile on his lips but quickly changed it to a growl, "imagine that! Mere pak kamre mein ek aurat zaat ke joote?"
He took a deep breath and walked into his bathroom where he was greeted by another shocking sight.
He shut his eyes at the sight of a woman's lingerie hanging all over the towel rack, "No way! Najma kahan ho tum? Mujhey pehle warn kar diya hota," he pushed her lingerie with a toothbrush to the side and hung his towel cautiously, away from her stuff.
He went to get his shaving razor and saw Zoya's personal items all scattered on the counter, "kitni lipsticks hain is ladki ke paas? I am glad I am a man. I just have a few needs, warna is ladki ne tho poora department store khareed rakha hai."
As he tried to adjust his toiletries on the counter, he accidentally knocked over one of Zoya's perfume bottles. The bottle came crashing on the floor. A familiar scent filled the bathroom. He rolled his eyes and kneeled down to pick up the shattered glass. As he inhaled the fragrance, he couldn't help recall his proximity with Zoya. He wondered why the fragrance reminded him of her but dismissed his rousing feelings; "I bet this is the in fragrance these days. Most women probably use this."
He mumbled and cursed her with choicest words as he cleared up the glass splinters.
Zoya returned from the college sooner than expected. She had keys to the house now, and let herself in. Najma and Dilshaad were busy in the kitchen. Zoya decided to go upstairs and change up as she had paint all over her clothes.
As always, she was in good spirits; hummed a tune as she walked into the room.
She picked a change of clothes; didn't notice his shoes on the floor and decided to take a shower. She danced and twirled her way into the bathroom after picking her towel. Zoya hung her towel on the rack and was about to remove her top when she saw a hand reaching from behind the shower curtain. Too stunned at the sight, she pulled her towel from the rack and covered her face with it. In that process, his towel slid and fell on the floor.
"Who are you?" She yelled.
"Where the hell is my towel?" His fingers slithered along the towel rack anxiously.
"Ahhh!" Zoya screamed again. Asad stuck his head from the curtain and was horrified to see a woman standing with her face buried in a towel.
Quickly, he picked his towel from the floor and wrapped it around his waist. Angrily, he opened the curtain, "can I please have a shower in my bathroom?"
Gradually, Zoya pulled the towel off from her face; her eyes popping widely as they came face to face. His jaw dropped to his knees. As water dripped down his torso; she couldn't help noticing the familiar six packs and muscular physique.
"AAP?"
"AAP?"
They both yelled, pointing fingers at each other.
"Mr. Khan, aap mein koi tehzeeb ya tameez naam ki cheez nahin hai? Kaise aap ek ladki ke bathroom mein aise hi?"
"For your kind information, this is my bathroom? Aap mein koi sharam naam ki cheez hai ya nahin?"
"At least lock the door!" She yelled back and averted her gaze, "Allah ka shukr hai ki I didn't you know-what."
He inhaled a deep breath and held his palms in the air, "alright. It was my fault. Lekin aap yahan kaise?"
They both avoided eye contact; too embarrassed to face each other.
"I am your house guest." She turned her back to him, trying her best to suppress a giggle.
"House guest? America se seedhe aap yahan house guest ban ne aayi hain? Wo bhi mere ghar?"
"Let's talk once you are outside Mr. Khan," she pursed her lips and ran out of the bathroom.
He collected his clothes and bolted the door. After changing, as he walked out of the bathroom, he found her collecting her stuff on the floor. She hid her excitement and happiness under her thick locks as she bent over her suitcase. Asad stood quietly, still dazed and shocked by what had happened in the bathroom. Was he still dreaming? How could Zoya be here?
He cleared his throat, "excuse me. Can I have an explanation here?"
"I am your house guest, bataya na aapko," she continued to hide her excitement from him.
"Aap jaan boojh kar mere hi ghar kyun aayi hain? I mean, all the way from America? It just doesn't make sense."
"Mr. Khan!" She stood up with a stern expression, "kya aapko mujh par shak hai?"
"Jee!"
"Isey aap ittefaq kyun nahin samajhte?"
"Ittefaq?" Asad gave her a ludicrous look.
"Kyun cruise bhi tho ittefaq tha, haina? Or were you following me there?" She teased him
"I think it's the other way around Ms Farooqui! Aap mere peeche peeche yahan aa gayi hain."
"Really?" She folded her arms across her chest and took a step towards him, "you really think main aap jaise insaan ke peeche peeche aaungi?"
"So, why are you here?" He placed his hands in his pocket and stepped forward. They were just inches apart from each other. His piercing gaze and her faint smile crippled their defenses. As they stood face to face, silently caressing each other's face with their eyes; momentarily pausing at the lips, their hearts sang in unison, ecstatic at the sight in front of them.
"A-aap," she replied softly, "aapne galat phone number kyun diya tha?"
"Mujhey kya pataa tha aap galat phone number dial karte karte sahi number tak aa jaayengi?" He replied with a husky tone.
"Tho aap mujhey dekh kar khush huye Mr. Khan?" She raised her eyebrows quizzically.
"Hairaan zaroor hoon," he had a faint smile on his lips, "aur taajjub bhi!"
"Kyun?"
"Aapke abbu ne yahan aapko kaise aane diya? Wo bhi mujh se milne?"
"College mein course kar rahi hoon Mr. Khan. Don't get too excited. I told you it's just a coincidence," she winked at him and turned around to leave.
He shook his head as she walked away, "yeh ladki itni innocent nahin hai jitni dikhti hai. Ab yahan kya nayi museebat khadi karegi mere liye?"
"MS. FAROOQUI!" he called after her, "I hope- you know-ammi-Najma'. Do they know anything?"
She stopped and turned her face, "don't worry Mr. Khan. Yeh mehez ek ittefaq hi hai. They don't know anything and unless you want them to know, they will never know."
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed deeply, "ittefaq! Yeah right!"
'.to be continued'.
Edited by bheegi - 11 years ago
comment:
p_commentcount