Guys, this idea wouldn't stop at all, so I'm going to write a few chapters for it anyway.
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1. A Twist in the Story
Wali was going to drag Farah to the haveli no matter what it took even if he had to divorce her for it. This wasn't about him anymore, it was about Aghajaan and there was no way he'd risk Aghajaan due to his own bruised ego. However, as he arrived at Farah's house, he saw the door was wide open and there was an eerie silence. That was odd. Farah should be sleeping right now or at least having breakfast and even if she were sleeping, why would she leave the door open?
His eyes scanned the surroundings, eyes widening as he saw the police taking Farah's mamu away in the car. Oh gosh, what had happened? He entered inside the house, putting a hand to his mouth as he saw the housemaid regaining consciousness, blood on the ground.
"Wali sir aap?" The housemaid asked.
"Haan, lekhin Farah bibi kahan hain?" Wali asked, knowing his tone sounded a little rough when he mentioned Farah's name.
The housemaid looked down. "Farah bibi ki toh kismat khi kharaab hai, apne kamre mein hai."
Wali wasn't sure what that meant but he ran up the stairs, opening the door to Farah's room. However, all anger faded from his system as he saw Farah sitting there on the floor besides the bed, clothes visibly torn and expression completely blank. Where was Ruhi? Had Tayee-Ammi left Farah and gone somewhere and someone had broken in? He saw a shawl lying there in the open cupboard and grabbed it wrapping it around Farah's frail body. She looked up, taking the shawl silently and wrapping it tighter around her body.
"Farah?" Wali said, voice softer than it had been before. "Kya hua? Kisne kiya hai yeh? Tayee-Ammi kahan hai?"
Farah didn't reply, she just continued to stare into outer space. It was as if she couldn't hear or see anything besides her. Wali turned, seeing the housemaid come in.
"Kisne kiya yeh sab?" Wali asked. "Aur Tayee-Ammi kahan hai."
"Woh jab aapke dada ji aye the na, uske baad Bari Bibi aur Farah bibi ki lara ho gaya thi," The housemaid explained. "Farah bibi ne apna hissa lehne se inkaar kar diya tha aur baut lari hui thi donoon mein. Uske baad ussi din Bari Bibi ghar chor ke Karachi chali gayi thi. Aaj subha ke chaar baje Moeez saab aye the. Keh rahe the jab Farah bibi ne shaadi ka faisla kar hi liya hai unke saath toh woh shaadi seh pehle hi kyun na..."
Wali put a hand to his head. "Oh god..." All this had happened and Moeez...the bas***d, he had never liked the guy but Farah didn't seem to understand why he disliked him. Now he had...gosh, even the thought made him furious, he had raped Farah and left her like this. No wonder the police was outside. Well now he definitely needed to take Farah away from here just not how he had thought.
"Farah?" Wali said again and she looked at him. He held out his hand. "Mere saath haveli chalo gi. Raaste main doctor ke paas bhi le jaoon ga."
Farah's face paled minutely and she looked to the housemaid hurried over to Wali.
"Nahi Wali saab, Farah bibi doctor ke paas nahi jayengi, warna mamla bighar jaye ga," The housemaid explained and Wali sighed. He could tell Farah was traumatized but Moeez needed to be punished for his crimes, however he didn't want to push Farah too far right now. He almost wished Suhaib was here to guide him for what to do at the moment.
"Theek hai, hum phir haveli chale jayein ge yahan se," Wali said softly, having his hand still held out to Farah. Farah took Wali's hand and Wali helped her to her feet. He didn't know whether to be thankful at Farah not fighting him and silently following him to the car or feel disgusted at Moeez for taking away any fight, any pride left in her to even think about resisting against him.
Would Farah be comfortable sitting in the front with him? Well, considering she completely was shut down at the moment, asking her would be like talking to himself but thinking about what she had been through, he opened the back door for her. It was better for her to sit in the back, only so if she wanted to lay down, she could. The way was quite long.
Farah got into the back and they headed off for the journey. Wali didn't think he had ever seen her this silent even when they had first met and for once, he had no idea how to make conversation with her. When he was coming for her, he had been extremely angry and had planned to drag her to the haveli if she didn't come quietly, but seeing what had happened to her, it was like the anger had drained out of him.
It seemed as if time seemed to move at a snail's pace as they arrived at the haveli. Wali had to cringe at the look on his mother and sister's face as he and Farah came through the door.
"Lala, yeh yahan kyun ayi hai?" Zarmine said, sounding annoyed.
"Wali..." Arjumand began as well but Wali spoke before she could say anything.
"Ammi, please mere paas baut bari waja hai joh main Farah ko apne saath le aya hoon," Wali said. "Lekhin yeh main iske saamne nahi zikhar karna chahta hai. Please, aghar aap dou minute tehr jayein toh main Farah ko uska kamra tak chor ke aap ke saare sawaloon ka jawwab de doon ga. Please, Ammi, Zarmine."
Zarmine huffed and Arjumand looked disapproving.
"Farah ko koi aur naukar kyun nahi chohr sakta kamre main?" Arjumand asked.
"Is baat ka bhi jawwab de doon ga," Wali promised and Arjumand sighed.
"Theek hai, Wali beta, jaldi karo," Arjumand finally agreed. Wali smiled, taking Farah's hand again, knowing she wouldn't go anywhere herself in this condition. However, this time as Farah followed, she stumbled slightly almost falling.
"Farah!" Wali caught her before she could fall. Were her injuries acting up? He knew he should have taken her to a doctor.
Arjumand frowned. "Kya hua Farah? Kahin ghir gayi ho kya? Wali, tum isse doctor ke paas nahi le gaye beta?"
Wali shifted. "Main abhi aata hoon." He supported Farah to her room, helping her lie down. "Kisi bi cheez ki zuroorat ho toh mujhe bula lena." He waited for a second for her reply but Farah simply seemed to stare through him. He almost flinched at her empty gaze but managed to look back at her before leaving the room to find his mother and sister waiting for him.
"Lala, ab batayein bhi, kyun layein hain isko?" Zarmine demanded to know.
"Main pehle toh Farah se baat karne gaya tha," Wali said quietly. "Ke woh beshak mujhse divorce lele lekhin Aghajaan pe reham khaye. Lekhin jab main wahan pauncha toh koi baat karne ki zaroorat hi nahi pari."
"Kyun? Kya Farah ka dil phir gaya tha?" Arjumand asked sarcastically.
"Farah kabhi bhi jaidaat mein hissa nahi chahti thi," Wali said. "Tayee-Ammi chahti thi ke Farah ko uska hisse mile aur Moeez bhi yehi chahta tha. Farah aur Tayee-Ammi ki larai hui aur Tayee-Ammi ghar chor ke chali gayin."
"Kya?" Zarmine said shocked. "Tayee-Ammi Farah ko akela chor gayin?"
"Haan," Wali replied. "Aur Moeez ne is cheez ka pura pura fyada uthaya, zahir hai uska plan toh yahi tha ka Farah se shaadi kar ke uski jyidat pe kabza kar le. Lekhin usne toh is baat ka bhi sabr na kiya ke uski aur Farah ki shaadi ho jaye." He looked away, fists clenching.
Arjumand began to pale. "Wali, khul ke baat karo, paheliyan mat bhejo."
Wali shifted a little bit. "Ammi, usne Farah ki izzat pe haath dala hai." His eyes watered and the room was filled with dead silence. The silence was so thick that it could not be cut through with even a knife. No one seemed to know what to say before Arjumand held her head.
"Wali, tum jitni jaldi ho sake divorce papers tayaar karao," Arjumand said firmly.
Wali's head snapped up in shock as he stared at his mother, bewildered. "Ammi yeh aap kya keh rahi hain..."
"Ammi?" Zarmine was also looking surprised. "Isme Farah ka kya kusoor hai?"
"Aik aisi ladki jisko kisi aur mard ne chooa ho mere bete ki biwi aur meri bahu kabhi nahi ban sakti," Arjumand said firmly.
Wali wanted to say something, he wanted to protest but he couldn't find the words to do so. It was as if the shock of hearing this from his own mother had taken away his voice. How could she say that? This was Bare Baba's daughter, she was also a part of their family and right now needed their support more than anything, how could his Mom just be so cold? Farah hadn't cheated on him, after all. Moeez had forced her.
"Ammi..." Zarmine began but Arjumand cut her off.
"Zarmine, yeh mera aakhri aur attal faisla hai," Arjumand said firmly. "Ab Farah ki kahin aur shaadi hoti hai yah nahi isse mera koi taluk nahi." She got up and left the room.
Wali held his head. He didn't understand why his mother was being so cold. If he divorced Farah now, she'd be destroyed. She'd be defamed in the entire family and no one would want to even look towards her. He couldn't even think of throwing his Bare Baba's ladli to that sort of cruelty. But he didn't want to go against his mother either, oh god what was he supposed to do? Usually Aghajaan could convince his mom but this wasn't something he could discuss with him because if he knew what Farah had gone through, he wouldn't be able to survive that trauma.
"Lala," Zarmine's voice snapped Wali out of his thoughts and he turned to look at his little sister.
"Aap fikhar mat karein, main Ammi se baat karti hoon," Zarmine assured him. "Main unko samjaoon gi."
Wali managed a weak smile. "Thanks Zarmine. Lekhin mujhe nahi lagta woh is waqt kisi ki bhi baat sunein gi. Kaash...kaash is waqt Baba Jaan yahan hote, woh unki baat sunti bhi aur samaj ti bhi. Woh kabhi bhi apni bhatiji aur bahu koh yuhun ruswa nahi hone dete." His eyes watered and for the first time in awhile, he missed his father. If his father was here then.
Zarmine hugged him and Wali pulled her close to him, just holding her.
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