~Mujhmein Tera AKS~
Part 4
Qutub entered Altamush's study with a servant on her side. She asked the servant to keep the tea with the kettle on the table and leave.
Altamush: What is it?
He said the moment the servant left the room.
Qutub: It's your morning tea. I thought we could have it together.
Altamush: I know that it's tea. I am asking why you are here.
Qutub bent down and made the tea to serve it to her husband.
Altamush smiled a sarcastic smile and continued.
Altamush: Am I in heaven? Is it really you Qutub or am I dreaming?
He taunted her seeing her so affectionate towards him.
Qutub: its high time now Altamush. It's high time that we...
Altamush: What do you want from me now?
Altamush didn't let her finish and interrupted.
Qutub: Razia's happiness.
She said with tears in her eyes. Altamush immediately looked at her giving his full attention.
Qutub: It's high time we see things beyond our differences. We married each other for our children Altamush, so that we could give them a complete family and to give them love of both the parents. But what has happened was not something either of us ever wanted.
Qutub tried to reason.
Altamush: Are you accusing me of treating Razia like a step-daughter? How dare you? She is much more than a real daughter to me. Do you understand?
Qutub: I know that and I can never question your love for Razia. But we both know that our relationship has affected Razia in worse ways than both of us could ever think of.
Altamush looked down with shame in his eyes. He loved Razia more than a real father would. And that was the truth. But their family circumstances had almost ruined their children's childhood specially Razia's.
Qutub: We should think about her future now.
Altamush: What do you mean?
Qutub looked down hesitating for a bit.
Qutub: I think we should get her married now.
Altamush: What? Are you out of your mind Qutub? She's just a young girl.
Qutub: No Mr. Altamush Khan, she's a 24 year old young woman; A woman who deserves to be happy. She's a woman who deserves a man, a companion and a friend. She deserves someone who would always keep her happy no matter what. And she deserves a husband who would love her so much that she would even forgive her parents for never giving what she deserved all throughout her childhood!!!
She literally shouted those words out.
Altamush slowly turned towards Qutub, and for the first time in their 16 year old marriage he saw not his wife but a mother. A mother who just wanted her daughter's happiness.
Altamush: But...
Qutub: I know a daughter never grows up for her father. She always remains the same little doll for him. But we need to accept this reality.
Altamush: Hmm, Do you have someone in your mind for her?
Qutub: Yes!
Altamush: Who?
Qutub: Iqtiaar, Iqtiaar Ud-din Mallik.
***
The phone in the Mallik house rang and OSMAN received the call.
OSMAN: Yes?
OSMAN: May I please know who is on line?
OSMAN: I will just transfer the call to Begum Sahiba. Please hold on.
Shamshad Begum (Nani): Hello!
Altamush: Good Morning Mrs. Mallik. How are you?
Nani: Altamush? Oh! What a pleasant surprise, we all are very well. How are Qutub and your family doing?
Altamush: They are doing well too. Qutub and I were very happy to see Iqtiaar this morning, that too after so long.
Nani: Oh! Had he come to your residence?
Altamush: Oh yes! We were pleasantly surprised to see him. We were unaware of his stay in India.
He turned over to look at his nervous wife standing beside him, waiting for her husband to come to the point.
Nani: Yes. He is currently in Delhi itself. Actually Iqtiaar spends about two months in Delhi every year.
Altamush: Actually there is something important I wanted to speak to you about this time...
He said hesitantly.
Nani: Regarding?
Altamush: Regarding Iqtiaar and... my daughter RAZIA!
***
Qutub knocked on Razia's door and entered. Razia immediately hid the magazine she had been reading with Iqtiaar's interview article in it.
Qutub: Razia beta?
Razia: Yes Ammi! She said hiding the magazine behind her smiling at her mom.
Qutub: Beta! We are expecting some guests in the evening for dinner. I hope you don't have any other plans.
Razia: No.
Qutub: Good. Dress well tonight. I want my princess to look the most beautiful tonight. She said kissing Razia's forehead.
Razia: Ammi? She asked confused at her mom's reaction.
Qutub: I am so sorry sweetheart. I never wanted such a life for you. I am so sorry for last night. But I am sure my princess knows that Ammi and dad will always love her.
Razia nodded in a yes trying to calm her mom down.
Qutub: I was utterly wrong when I thought that Altamush and I will bring both you and Rukn-ud-din happiness. But I don't know why after meeting him today, something inside me tells me that he will always keep my darling happy!
Him' and he' caught Razia's attention. She immediately looked at her mother who was smiling back at her.
Razia: WHO are you talking about?
Qutub: Don't you know? She said raising an eyebrow at her daughter. I am your mother Razia. I have given birth to you. You can't hide anything from me. Ah! Not even that MAGAZINE in your hand. She said with a wide smile on her face.
Razia became rooted at her place. Her face was pale out of shyness and she really wanted the ground to crack and herself to fall in it.
Qutub: I know you LOVE him Razia.
Razia: Ammi?
Qutub: Yes! I do know. All these years, I haven't missed even one smile on your face that immediately formed on the slightest of mention of his name. Every single time there was a mention of his or his work, the glow that I saw in your eyes, I will not forget for the rest of my life sweetheart. And all those magazines and newspapers that went missing from your father's study; I know they are all in the last shelve of your cupboard.
She said winking at her daughter.
Razia immediately hugged her mother.
Razia: I love you mom, I really love you a lot.
Qutub: I know. Mom knows everything. Now stop being so emotional, I don't want my princess to look sad in front of her in-laws tonight. Keep smiling. And be ready to confess your love to him today. Its time!
She kissed Razia's forehead and left the room.
Razia was on top of the world. Her dreams were coming out to be true. Soon she would be his; in his world and happy.
But there was still a problem!
Razia: Confess? Tonight? No way! I can't do this. What would I tell him? What?
She smiled and shied away to herself.
Please play the song now and read on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K57aFHAyWC4
Chahoon bhi toh main kaise kahoon
Saari jo baatein dil kehta hai
Lehar sapno ki kaise ginnu
Dariya behta hi rehta hai
Razia stood there shying, trying her best not to smile and control her thoughts. She took the magazine and opened it back to the page with his photograph. She couldn't control her smile any longer and smiled widely falling on her bed.
Chahoon bhi toh main kaise kahoon
Saari jo baatein dil kehta hai
Lehar sapno ki kaise ginnu
Dariya behta hi rehta hai
She went to her cupboard and took out all the magazines and newspapers out of the last shelve. She kissed each and every clipping of his multiple times and then took all the collages that she had made from the cut-outs into her embrace tightly as if hugging him.
Keh rahi hai kya yeh suno, meri khamoshiyan
Raat se hai lambhi kahin, dil ki yeh dastaan
Kaise kahoon
She lied down back on to the ground and remembered her meeting Iqtiaar the night before. She sang as if to tell him that her love for him was just not a night long. She asked his photograph how she should tell him. "Kaise kahoon?".
Chahoon bhi toh main kaise kahoon
Saari jo baatein dil kehta hai
She ran towards her sliding door to the terrace and danced along with the curtains talking and singing to them.
Lehar sapno ki kaise ginnu
Dariya behta hi rehta hai
The wind blew and she closed her eyes feeling his presence like she always did in her dreams. She ran towards her stuff toys.
Keh rahi hai kya yeh suno, meri khamoshiyan
Raat se hai lambhi kahin, dil ki yeh dastaan
Kaise kahoon (kaise kahoon)
She sang to each one of them as if singing to Iqtiaar and pulled on a face in front of the third one on "kaise kahoon?"
MUSIC: She ran to the shower and took a long bath playing with bubbles and the water. She washed the soap of her body using her hand shower and came out wearing a white bath robe.
Tumse mujhe yeh kehna tha woh keh raha tha humdum
Ho saamne toh kya kahoon, kya kehna tha humdum
Kaise yeh, jazbaat hain
Iss dil mein toh, din raat hain
Using her hand she removed the steam of the mirror and looked at her image in it while shying and singing the above lines.
Honthon pe kyun aane se yeh sharmaate hai
She sang while putting her lip gloss.
Aankhon mein kyun yeh har gadi aa jaate hain
She put her eye makeup. She then stood in front of her wardrobe confused to choose her dress for the evening.
Singing the following lines.
Chahoon bhi toh main kaise kahoon
Saari jo baatein dil kehta hai
Lehar sapno ki kaise ginnu
Dariya behta hi rehta hai
MUSIC: She suddenly felt two strong arms around her waist. His hot lips in the nape of her neck travelling towards her ear. He bit it slightly before singing further.
Hum kyun kahe, joban kahe, ik baat hai jaana
Dhadkan kahe, dhadkan sune, woh raat hai jaana
Dil bole bin hai bolta
Sab raaz hai yeh kholta
Jab khwab hai, jazbaat hai, ehsaas hai
Toh kehna kya, toh sunn na kya, awaaz hai
He looked deep into her eyes and sang the answer to her questions. He turned her towards him and gestured how his heart can hear her hearts beating. And how all her secrets have been revealed mercilessly to him by her heart. She will never need her words to express her love from him.
Chahoon bhi toh main kaise kahoon
Saari jo baatein dil kehta hai
Lehar sapno ki kaise ginnu
Dariya behta hi rehta hai
Keh rahi hai kya yeh suno, meri khamoshiyan
Raat se hai lambhi kahin, dil ki yeh dastaan
He took out a red saree off the hanger and turned her back towards him. He took of the bathrobe off her shoulders which dropped down to her feet. Razia closed her eyes feeling just him. He draped the saree on her and just as his hands moved in to tuck in the pleats, her eyes shot open.
Kaise kahoon
She stood there in the dressing room clad in a beautiful red lehenga with gold dupatta. ALONE.
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