Posted:
Wow, Zubia in Asfi's house, 😳amazing update, love the way you write, it is as if watching a drama. Great job.. 👏
Late at night, Zubia woke up with thirst. She tried to wake Gaiti up but then decided against it. Asfandyar was at the hospital so she decided to go to the kitchen herself. When she turned after filling the jug, she was stunned to see him standing there. The jug almost stirred while the glass she was holding fell from her hands.
How did he find her? What was her Bhabhi's brother doing here?
She started to tremble.
Right then the light behind was turned on and Gaiti walked in.
Part 6
Gaiti walked upto Zubia, placed her hand on her shoulder and softly asked her.
"What happened? Tum theek ho na?"
Zubia blinked her eyes and stirred as if coming out of a reverie and looked around. Lubna had also come out of her room. Asfandyar was standing at the kitchen door looking at her confused.
Lubna came forward and said.
"Ye is time kya kr rae o tm log?"
Z: "Wo mai pp..paani, paani peene ayi thi."
Gaiti passed a mischievous look at Asfandyar and said.
"Aur tum ne dara diya bechari ko. Asfi tum bhi na!"
A: "Maine dara diya? Dara to isne diya mujhe. Ye esay puray safaid kapron mai raat ke do bajay kon si badruhain phirti en?"
Zubia observed them silently, making light of the situation which was nothing in actual but if she were at her own house, by now her Bhabi would have proven the zillionth time how characterless she was. She had always seen Asfandyar to be a serious man of few words. His easy camaradie with his Bhabi pleasantly surprised her.
Lubna observed them from a distance thinking to herself.
"Mera Asfi zindagi ki taraf laut raha hai bilkul jesay pehle huwa karta tha. Ye sb Zubia ki waja se hai. Allah mere ghar ki khushion ko isi tarha salamat rakhna."
Asfand paced in his room thinking about her reaction at seeing him in the kitchen earlier. She was not looking at him actually. The glassy look in her eyes made that evident. She was clearly reliving some disturbing old memory. What it was, he had no idea. The woman was an enigma to him. The more he tried to understand her, the more confused he was getting. He wanted to break into that concrete shell she had built around herself, peak into her soul and share her sorrows but she had closed all the doors that could lead him to her. If she was stubborn, he too was resilient. He could wait close by till she would let him in but that too would require some catalyst. He had to do something but what? This was where Dr. Asfandyar Ali Khan was completely clueless.
The next evening, Zubia was sitting and trying to read a book when Gaiti walked in.
"Tum doctor loag b kitne bore otay o na. Ye parhai bhi kabhi jaan nai chorti!"
Zubia sighed and replied.
"Acha chlen aap bata den ke kya krna chahye life ko interesting bnane kay liye?"
G: "Wesay to bohat kuch lekin is waqt mama bula rahi hain. Bahir aajaen. Mil k chae peete en, gappain lagatay en."
The two of them walked towards the kitchen while deciding the menu for the evening tea time.
"Eid anay wali hai. Mera dil hai hum sab Peshawar ka ek chakar laga letay hain."
Lubna put forward the idea as Zubia and Gaiti came out to sit with her.
"Good idea mama. Mujhe Saim ki bhi kuch cheezen leni hai aur mazay ki baat hm sab he Zubia ki khala se bhi mil lain ge. Tumhara kia khyal hai Zubia?"
Z: "Kaafi din ho gaye hain meri Khala se baat he nai huyi. Mai soch rahi hoon k wapis apne room mai shift hotay he kuch dino k liye unko yahan bula loon."
"Wapis shift honay ka idea to ab tum bhool jao. Maine Asfi ko bol dia e wo karma kisi aur ko de dain."
Lubna saw Asfandyar approach and smiled at him.
"Aray tum jaldi aa gaye aaj."
G: "Inka ab hospital mai dil nahi lagta na Mama."
While picking at the pakoras on the table, he replied.
"Hospital bhi koi dil laganay ki jaga hai. Mera ab wesay ghar mai dil lagne laga hai."
He spoke nonchalantly while their eyes met for a brief period.
Gaiti laughed, playfully hit his shoulder and said.
"Ye tum jahan se bol rahay ho na, sab samajh rahi hoon main. Zubia kuch pareshan lag rahi ho."
Z: "Wo mera karma..."
G:Oho tum fikar nayi karo. Hum wese e tumhari taang keench rahay hain. Kamra tumhara waheen ka waheen hai lekin ab tumhain yahan se hum janay nai den ge. Hum kya achay nai lagtay tumhain?"
Z: "Nahi, aisi baat nahi hain, lekin..."
G: "Lekin vekin kuch nai. Tum kahin nai ja rahi aur ye final hai."
Zubia quietly observed them chanting animatedly while Saim played at a distance. How she had always wished that her own family were like this. This was all so close yet so far. Why couldn't she just embrace what life was offering her? Once again she drowned herself in the thoughts of why this was just not possible.
"Zubia."
She was brought out of her reverie by Gaiti.
"Kidhar gum ho bai?"
Z: "Kuch nahi. Mai soch rahi thi hospital rejoin kar lun. Kaafi chutian ho gayi hain aur wese bhi ab main theek hoon."
G: "Lo jab tumhare is khaufnaak,haibat naak aur baaqi sab naak hitler boss ne tumhe chuti de rakhi hai to tum khudi kiun is naimat ko thukra rai ho?"
At this Asfandyar interjected.
"Agar tum ab behtar feel kr rahi ho toh I think, it's a good idea. Humay vesay bhi zrurat hai tumhari."
"Hospital mai." He added, his lips twitching with a smile, when she looked up at him mortified.
Right then a car parked at a distance and Usman's brother got out with his wife and daughter.
Gaiti and Usman moved forward to greet them while Lubna's face clearly showed disdain.
"Usman, my brother! Please forgive me. I was so wrong. I don't know how I can make up for whatever I did. We should have supported you back then."
A teary family reunion followed. Zubia quietly slipped away from there.
At dinner time, Lubna asked Gaiti.
"Zubia kahan hai? Gaiti bulao usko. Subha se pata nai kidher hai."
Before Gaiti could get up Faryal spoke up.
"Ap bethain Gaiti baji. Main bulati un. Apke room se na?"
Zubia stood up when she saw Faryal enter the room.
"Ap yahan reh rahi hain?"
"Gee." Zubia replied.
F: "Kiun?"
Z: "Wo meri tabiyat theek nahi thi to Aunty ne zabardasti."
F: "Acha!" After a pause she added. " Gaiti baji se boht dosti hai apki."
Z: "Gee."
F: "Bohat faidaymand dosti hai."
Gaiti entered the room before Zubia could reply.
G: "Tum log baton mai lag gae o yahan aur bahir sab wait kr rahay en khanay k liye."
The next morning Zubia went to Lubna and said.
"Aunty main Eid ke liye Peshawar ja rahi hoon."
L: "Beta mera to dil tha hum sab jatay. Tumhain wahan drop kr detay aur tumhari khala se bhi mulaqaat ho jaati. Lekin ab guests agae en to ye to nahi ho sakta. Tum jao gi kesay?"
Z: "Jesay ayi thi Aunty. Bus pe."
"Bilkul bhi nahi." Asfandar interjected as he sat down next to Lubna. Right then Usman called Lubna and she left leaving the two of them alone.
"Main bilkul is baat ki ijazat nahi doonga keh tum is waqt public transport istemaal karo."
"Maine aapse ijazat nahi maangi. Mujhe zarurat nai hai..." An irate Zubia repied.
"Bilkul hai. Aap bhool rahi hain Dr. Zubia keh aap meri employee hain aur is lehaz se meri responsibility. Jin logon ki waja se aap is waqt zakhmi hain, wo dobara bhi apko nuqsan pohncha saktay hain."
"Wo issue ab resolve ho chukka hai aur hospital se bahar mai paband nai hoon..."
"Zubia mai is baray main koi behas nahi sunu ga. Agar tumhain jana hai to driver chor ayega. Teen din baad wapis lai ayega."
He got up and left before she could say anything.
"Ajeeb zabardasti hai!" He smiled as he heard her mumble after him.
Khalla was very happy to see her. Farheen, however, made her displeasure at Zubia's arrival evident by passing caustic remarks.
"Ye esay kon se hospital mai kaam krti ho tum jo itni bari bari gariyon mai ghoomti ho?"
"Meri beti ko tang nai karo. Jao khanay ka intezaam karo." Khalla shooed her away.
After she was done with dinner, Zubiya was getting ready for bed when her phone started ringing. Asfandyar was calling. As soon as she answered , he started speaking.
"Kahin jayen to pohanch k inform krte hain."
"Wo bas abhi thori der pehle ponchi."
Overwhelmed with an inexplicable sense of warmth, Zubia couldn't wrap her head around the thought that there was somebody who cared for her for just being her. Yes, she had Khala Ammi who looked out for her but that was more out of her being indebted to her mother.
"Wapis kab aogi?"
Z: "Driver subha ajae ga."
A: "Mai driver ki baat nahi kar raha."
Z: "Wo Khala Ammi bula rahi hain mujhe. Allah hafiz."
She hurriedly cut the call trying to control her heartbeat. Try however she may to stay away, he was slowly creeping into whole of her existence. She slipped into an uneasy sleep into the world of her dreams where life was not this complicated.
comment:
p_commentcount