Disclaimer: The characters and the story belong to the original writer.
Asfi-Zubia SS: After the cabin scene
Part 1
Asfand walked out of his cabin, her words ringing in his ears.
"Kesi muhabbat?... Mai shadi karna he nai chati... Aisi koi baat to kabhi hui he nai hmare drmyan... Ho jati hai attraction ya infatuation... Iska matlab ye to nahi k hum shadi kar lain."
He walked on without realizing where he was going. He passed the reception where he had first seen her when she came to work here. He reached the waiting area where he had consoled her after Sharafat baba's death. Suddenly he came to his senses, realizing he had an emergency to attend to. In his addled state he had ended up walking in the opposite direction. He hurried towards Emergency, his professional persona taking over his emotions.
Only she knew, how she had mustered up enough strength and courage to push him away, he only ray of hope in her life. She knew he was different. He was not Rameez who played with her feelings and pushed her into an abyss she had not been able to get out of all her life. He would give her the love, the care she had desired for all her life. He was not Rehan, who had thrown her out of her house in the middle of the night. He would give her the respect she had yearned for and not received from any man in her life, be it her father or brother. Yes, her father had loved her but it was more out his own guilt than his feelings for his daughter, but all this made him too good for her. She did not deserve him. He deserved someone who was complete in every aspect, not a characterless girl like her. She could not taint his life with the kind of fate she had. She had to do this for him. The last few months had been pure bliss, with loving friends who genuinely cared for her, his family who had taken her to be their own and most importantly, him. His furtive glances and suggestive comments here and there made her heart race. It made her almost dream of a future with him. If anyone had ever told her before coming here that she would be this happy someday, she would've just laughed it off. Such things just didn't happen in her life. She was happy but she knew all this was a bubble she was living in. The day they came to know of her reality, they'd all shun her. All this would be over. She had to take control of things and hurt him now to protect him from a much worse heartbreak later. She had ended up shattering her own heart. The pain, the helplessness was way too much for her to register whatever was happening around her. She had seen Khajista being wheeled into the operation theatre. She just felt numb, unable to feel anything.
Asfandyar and Dr. Sharoze walked out of the O.T together. She heard Dr. Sharoze telling Khajista's mother in law.
"Hmne apni puri koshish ki lekin Allah ko kuch aur he manzur tha. Uski marzi kea gay insan majbur hai. Jb tak wo hmare pas ayi uska boht zyada khoon beh chukka tha. I am sorry."
Asfi saw Zoobia become pale at this. She held onto the wall behind her for support.
"Abi ne meri ammi ko maar diya. Maar diya meri ammi ko"... "Kambakht Bahadur ne goli maar di Khajista ko"... "Namehram ke samne jaati hai kambakht"..."Bahadur mujhe badkidar samajhta hai." ... "Aurat ka farz hai k wo mard ki tabaydaar rahay"... "Aap us se kuch mat kehna warna wo mujhe aur maray ga".
Asfand walked towards her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She jerked his hand off her shoulder and walked away with an expressionless face.
He knew Zubia had developed a soft corner for this girl but her reaction to the news of her death was something else altogether. He had expected her to cry but she had gone completely numb. There was definitely something more to it than the girl's death, something much more personal.
Khajista's relatives wanted to take her body away but Asfandyar told them there were some legal formalities they had to take care of as it was a police case. They had agreed to cooperate after some resistance.
Asfand found Zubia sitting in the same place where she had come after Sharafat baba's death. He moved to sit opposite her and started to speak.
A: "Dekho...
Z: "Kya kehna chahtay hain aap? Ye sab esay he hona tha. Uski kismet thi k.."
A: "Esa nai hai Zubia. Zaalim ko saza zrur milay gi."
Z: "Huhn! Kon hai esa jo meri am...Khadijta ko insaaf dila sakay?"
A: "Mai hoon na! Zubia jo b baat hai tum mere saath share kr sakti ho. Mujhe btao, mai puri koshish krun ga sab kuch theek krne ki."
Z: "Achi baat hai. Ap ko jo krna hai ki jiay lekin mere maamlaat se door rahen. Kuch nahi kr skte aap mere liye."
Asfand clenched his jaws while he saw her walk away.
"Bhabi chalen ghar?" Asfand asked Gaiti.
"Haan mai bs free ho gai un. Zubia ko b le lain sath, uski duty khatm ogyi e na." She replied while handing over some files to a nurse.
A: "Aap dekh len mai gaari mai wait kr raha hoon."
After some time Gaiti walked into the parking lot alone. She spoke while sitting in the car.
"Wo chali gayi hai. Mai usko ghar jaa kr call krti hoon. Mama bhi chah rahi theen k sham ki chae sb mil kr piyen. Pata hai Asfi mai boht khush hoon k wo hamari family ka hissa bnne ja rahi hai. Tmharay liye us sy behtar koi b nai ho skta. Tum itna chup chup kiun ho?"
A: "Apko sun raha hoon."
G: "Oho. Apni khushi mai maine realize e nai kiya."
A: "Bhabi abhi ye sab nahi sochain. Zruri nahi hai ke jesa hum chahtay hon agla banda b wohi chahay. Hm kisi ko force to nahi kr sktay na."
G: "Asfi kuch huwa hai kya? Tumhari Zubia se koi baat huyi e? Tumne phir se daanta usko?"
A: "Nahi ab har baar mai he villain nai hota kahani mai. Chlen ghar aagya."
"Mai subha se Zubia ka number try kr rahi hoon vo pick he nahi kr rahi. Vo theek to hai na? Asfi tum uske mess ja k check kr ao zra, mujhe kuch theek nai lag raha."
A: "Ap khwamkha he pareshan ho rahi hain. Ho sakta hai vo so rahi ho ya phir apse baat na krna chahti ho."
L: "Wo kiun mujh se baat nahi krna chahay gi. Abhi kal subha he to us se meri mulaqat huyi. Itni achi tarha galay mil k gayi vo mujhe jatay huway."
A: "Bs isi liyay. Apnay usko shock kr dia e shadi ki baat kr k."
L: "Ab shadi to krni hai na."
A: "Usko nahi karni hai aur please abhi aap dobara us sy koi b baat mat kijiay ga is baray mai."
L: "Theek hai nahi karun gi lekin esi kya baat hai jiski waja se usne mana kr diya. Hamay to lag raha tha k vo bhi interested hai. Tmse kya kaha usne?"
A: "Mama mai b vaja jaannay ki he koshish kr raha hun."
L: "Acha jao to sahi. Dekho vo theek hai."
A: "Mai mess call kr k puch leta hoon."
Asfi called the mess and came to know that Zubia had not returned since morning. The gatekeeper said she had gone to the hospital and had not returned since. He next called the hospital from where he came to know that she had left after her shift was over.
He hurriedly got up and went out to look for her. After searching for an hour and calling everyone he could think of, Asfi was now starting to get restless. Where could she be? A number of negative thoughts had starting crossing his mind. He consciously made an effort not to think of anything negative and prayed for her safety. The sun had started to set and it was getting dark. He was now driving aimlessly when he saw her walking with somebody towards her hostel. He parked his car next to her and with every bit of restraint he could exercise asked her to get into his car.
Not wanting to create any scene in front of Rustom she quietly sat down. As soon as she shut the door he increased the pressure on the accelerator.
A: "Kahan thi tum?"
Z: "Khajista k ghar gayi thi."
A: "Zubia ye koi tariqa hai kya? Tumhe pata hai sab kitna pareshan ho rae thy. Mai pichle ek ghentay se paglon ki tarha tumhe dhoondta phir raha hoon."
Z: "Kiun dhoond rahay thy aap mujhe? Meri apni life hai meri marzi mai jahan bhi jaun. Ye apka hospital nahi hai jahan aap mujh pr hukum chalaen. Mai kiun btati apko k mai kahan ja rahi hun. Mai pehle b clear kr chuki hoon k esa koi rishta nahi hai hmaray drmyan."
She stealthily peaked at him, his face clearly depicting his state.
A: "Theek hai Zubia. Agar tum esa chahti ho to esa he sahi. Aj se na mai tumse esi koi baat krun ga na he koi aur mere hawalay se tmse baat kre ga. Jao tmhara mess agya e."
She quietly got out trying to contain her emotions making every effort not to cry in front of him. She had finally successfully pushed away the only chance at happiness she had ever gotten in her life.
To be continued
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