Chapter 31

“Ashar,” Bisma held his arm and he turned to see his wife who was looking beautiful in this red dress. 

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.” She whispered and Ashar furrowed.

“For what?” He asked 

“For taking Fayra along, I know she is being a third wheel but she needs an outing.” Bisma shared her thoughts and Ashar wrapped his arm around her shoulder, lightly pulling her in a hug. 

They were standing in the middle of the mall, waiting for Fayra to come back from the restroom so that they could go to the cinema hall. 

“I guess she needs Danish more than an outing.” Ashar gave his opinion but Bisma shrugged.

“Mummy was telling me that there is something odd between her and Danish. She asked Danish but he denied, when she asked Sara mami she also denied but… there is something for sure. They both are not behaving with each other like before.” 

“Earlier they two were cousins, their affection and love were visible to everyone but… the affection of husband and wife is a subject of privacy. Maybe you people are misunderstanding.” Ashar represented a sensible opinion on which Bisma hummed, maybe he was correct. 

“Bisma, go and check please. Why is this girl taking too much time? I don't want to miss a single scene of this movie.” Ashar unwrapped his arm from her shoulder and looked towards the direction from where Fayra should come. 

“Okay, coming back in a while.” She walked towards the end of the corridor, the mid-crowded place giving her space to walk comfortably regardless of heels. 

“Faru…” Bisma was surprised, she found no one in the restroom. “Faru, are you here?” Her voice echoed in the empty restroom, other than the sound of water drop there was no trace of any movement. 

“Where is this girl?” Bisma walked out of the restroom and drew out her mobile to call Fayra but the network bar was blank. 

“Ashar, Fayra is not here.” Bisma informed him and the very next moment they both were worried. Without wasting their time they started searching for this girl everywhere. Ashar was calling her but she was not answering the call which was making them even more worried. 

They checked everywhere, in the gaming corner, in the cosmetic shops, in the food court, ice cream shop and at the end they both were standing in the middle of anxiety. 

“What? Where is she?” Ashar muttered, worried. Still calling her but her phone was ringing, not being answered. He called her, but she didn't pick the call. “Excuse me.” Bisma reached to the security guard standing only a few steps away, “have you seen this girl here?” Showing a picture of Fayra in her mobile Bisma asked, the middle aged man furrowed and looked at both of them.

“This girl, she was running here and slipped on the floor, but before I could reach out to help her she again ran away.” Bisma and Ashar exchanged a look. “She was going downstairs, maybe to the disco.” The additional information shocked both of them. 

“No, she must be someone else.” Bisma shook her head but Ashar walked towards the stairs eventually followed by Bisma. In no time they were entering the nightclub, the environment was yelling loudly that it was against the ethics of Rizwi’s to even step in. Bright neon lights were illuminating the dark hall which was packed with a number of people. Many girls were dancing in half clothes, and a few of them were in namesake clothes showing vulgar moves providing free entertainment to themselves as well as others. Loud beats of music were bursting eardrums. The right counter was serving alcohol, and a hookah bar was infusing the air with different flavoured smokes. Bisma was surprised to see this scene in real life. It wasn't a movie, it was real. She was busy gulping the fact that these places actually exist when a hand grabbed her shoulder. She recognised this touch, it was her husband. She looked at him but he was watching someone else, following his gaze she found the one who was missing till a few moments ago. 

Fayra was standing in the corner of the huge place watching a man long left modesty and shame behind, and had now crossed the threshold of indecency, going far beyond it. 

Tears  down her eyes as she kept watching the intimacy growing in the ongoing scene. He was no one else but the man whom she loved crazily. 

Was he the same Arsh who claimed only a few hours ago that he still loved and missed her? 

He was the same Arsh for whom she had been fighting with Danish. 

All those flirtatious words were echoing in her ears. 

All those feelings hammering her heart. 

All those beautiful promises turned into ugly lies.

“Fayra.” Bisma pulled her by arm and noticed her uneven breath. “Fayra, why did you come here?” Bisma asked but neither her voice managed to cross the hurdles of loud music to reach Fayra's ears nor was she in a condition to hear anything. All her senses were at rest. This was the reality check she needed long ago but better late than never. 

“Faru?” Bisma cupped her face, who was crying silently but breathing heavily. 

“Take care outside.” Ashar said after watching her condition and very soon she was breathing heavily with open mouth, legs weren't ready to lift her weight and head started to feel light.

It was the first proper panic attack of her life, surely not the last! 

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“Take a rest, call me if you need anything.” Danish said the most formal sentence. He didn't want to leave Aisha alone but staying with an alone girl was morally incorrect. She didn't reply and Danish walked towards the door, before he could walk out a loud cry echoed in the home which stopped him from going back. 

Filling a glass of water he walked back to her. “Aisha, your tears will give him pain. Nothing else.” Kneeling in front of her he whispered but words don't heal the wounds, only time does. 

“Why always with me? Why do my most loving things go away from me?” She asked and Danish had no answer. He shrugged and passed her the glass of water. 

“Hume usi cheez se aazmaya jata hai jiski sabse zyada khwahish ho.” Danish muttered. He was also being tested by his desire. 

(Life tests us with our desires.)

“Mene to zindagi mein kisi cheez ki khwahish hi nhi kri sirf pyaar ke alawa.” 

(I desired nothing but love.)

“That's the most expensive thing to desire.” He muttered and suddenly realised that Aisha hadn't had anything from yesterday. That sandwich was her last meal.

“Aisha.” His voice held urgency, the girl who was crying unstoppable looked at him, trying hard to stay strong but couldn't. “Aisha, listen.” 

“Hmm?” 

“I'm hungry. Do you have something at home?” His question shocked her for a moment. Was he really asking for food when she was moaning for her father? That man passed away only yesterday. People buried him just a few hours ago.

“There is nothing at home.” She looked away. Disappointed. 

“Get up, I'm hungry.”

“What?” She looked at him again. Confused, frustrated, angry, broken–all at once. 

“Either cook for us, or come with me for lunch.” it was an order unlike ever. Aisha's swollen eyes looked towards him, eyelids felt heavy to lift.  She shook her head but Danish didn't care, all he wanted her mind to be diverted. 

“okay I'm cooking Daal Chawal for both of us, come and help me otherwise I'll make your kitchen a mess.” 

“Danish please go back to your apartment and cook.” 

“No, don't tell me you're running out of groceries.” His dead humour wasn't working at all but his stubbornness was surely working properly, as a result, soon they both were standing in the kitchen. Aisha was doing nothing other than giving instruction and Danish was following them like a good subordinate. 

“Taste it?” Picking a spoonful of almost cooked daal he passed it towards the sad lady who wanted to yell at him and say to get out of her home however she showed some etiquettes and only glared at him with deadly sight, the very next moment tears flickered in her eyes and she looked away. Danish finished the rest of the work. Dish out a small portion of rice in a bowl, because he couldn't find a plate, pour a good amount of Daal over it and take the chair present next to Aisha. 

“It's too hot. And this orange soda is too cold.” He muttered while mixing rice and daal but Aisha felt rage and hatred towards him for the first time. How could he talk to her about food and beverage when an important man was gone from her life? 

“Have it, now it's not too hot.” Still flipping the rice and daal in the bowl he muttered without looking at her then placed it in front of her.

“You have it.” She replied without looking at her. Anger was stopping her from glancing at him.

“But I have cooked this for you. I'll have something in my home.” He pushed the bowl a little towards her and this time Aisha looked up suddenly.

He cooked for her? 

“I don't want to eat.” She shook her head, tears again fleeing from the shaft of those hazel eyes.

“How long will you stay hungry?” He asked softly.

“Dil nhi chah rha.” She muttered while crying, “Main Baba ke bina khana nhi khati thi.” Danish knew this fact, from the time he started coming over for dinner he noticed that Aisha never picked a single bite until Usman started having his meal.

(I don't want to.) (I never ate food without Baba.)

“Tumhe andaza bhi hai tum apne Baba aur Ammi ki ruh ko kitni takleef de rhi ho? Unse pyaar karti ho na?” His tone was so soft as if he wasn't talking to a girl of his same age but a toddler. 

(Do you have any idea how much pain you are causing to the souls of your Baba and Ammi? You love them, don't you?)

“Pyaar karti ho na Ammi aur Baba se? Chalo phir unhi ke khatir thoda sa khana khaa lo.” His voice forced her to lift the very first morsel. She cried miserably, Her hands trembling, but she successfully delivered the morsel into her mouth. 

(Do you love Ammi and Baba? Come on, eat some food for them.)

“Not like this, without crying.” Pouring some water in a glass he placed in front of her, but Aisha rested her head on the table and cried out one more time. Danish was having tears in his eyes, his hand lifted in the air to reach towards her head which was covered with dupatta but he curled his fist and pulled it back. His intentions were pure but he shouldn't touch her. 

“Aisha,” he muttered but didn't know what to say next, before he could choose some words a voice grabbed his attention. It was his ringing mobile showing Maizah's call. 

“Hello, baad me baat karunga abhi busy hu.” Knowing very well that his mother won't be satisfied with a text he made sure to let her listen to his voice and pulled the mobile away to disconnect the call but…

(Hello, I will talk to you later, you are busy right now.)

“Danish.” 

“Yeah?” He again placed the mobile on his ear. 

“Where are you? And what are you busy with at this time?” 

“Can we talk later?” He whispered and ended the call. He didn't want Aisha to see him talking to her mother and miss her parents but he didn't know what he did to her parents. 

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A tired and sleepy Anzala was lying down on his back, his eyes were closed but he was unable to sleep. Placing his left forearm on his eyes and trying to sleep while his right arm was curled like a necklace around Maizah's neck who was laying straight placing her head on his abdomen. 

“Anzu.” she muttered

“Hmm?” He didn't open his eyes.

“I'm missing Danish.” She muttered again.

“Call him tomorrow, he must be sleeping now.” a sleepy whispered echoed 

“Sari raat jaagta rehta hai wo, main to abhi call kar rhi hu. Tu baat krega?” She asked while picking up her mobile phone.

(He stays awake the whole night, I am calling him right now. Will you talk to him?)

“Hmm.” Another short yet sleepy reply. She dialled Danish's number and put the mobile phone on speaker mode. This was the first time when she didn't talk to her son for more than two days, otherwise he himself called his parents at least once a day. 

They both heard the ring then Danish's voice, “Hello, baad me baat karunga abhi busy hu.” Was he the same Danish who showed his love to his mother in every possible way? No greetings, no proper response, just an order. Maizah was surprised. But there was something else which took away Anzala’s slumber too. Removing his arm from his eyes he saw Maizah who was now sitting down on the bed. 

(Hello, I will talk to you later, you are busy right now.)

“Danish.” she stopped him to cut the call.

“Yeah?” No salutation at all? This way of communication was unexpected from Danish. But there was another Unexpected thing in this call. 

“Where are you? And what are you busy with at this time?” Maizah asked, brows furrowed, making many unpleasant scenarios. 

“Can we talk later?” and the call ended with a beep. Anzala also sat down on the bed, putting on his glasses as he watched his wife's face. Pale. Same as his. 

“What was that sound?” Anzala dared to voice his fear but Maizah was unable to say anything in reply.

“Was someone crying?” Anzala asked again and this time Maizah nodded. 

“A girl.” 

“Call him again. Let me ask him what kind of business he is doing? What is he doing with a girl at this part of the night?” knowing very well that it was midnight in UAE, Anzala asked with rage and fear at the same time. The call wasn't picked from the other side. 

“Anzu.” She muttered “I don't want another Adnaan and Sara's story.” Anzala's slumber was gone, not for this night but for many upcoming nights. He wasn't a prankster boy anymore, now he was a responsible father who was scared for his young son to take any wrong step. That's why he didn't want to send Danish to UAE. 

Long ago he was against his parents and grandparents to cage their children, but when he got to know about Adnaan's deed in the past, all those restrictions started making sense. Parents didn't want their children to take any wrong step, in this process they cage them, and now Anzala was also a parent. He didn't want to cage Danish but he was afraid, what if his son picked the wrong path to walk on? 

“Mazi.” He muttered looking at her and she tried to Humm but couldn't, “Ya to ise wapas bulao ya Fayra ki rukhasti ki tayyari karo aur usko Danish ke paas bhej do.” 

(Either call him back or prepare for that delayed farewell and send Fayra to him.)

“Hmm, kal hi Adnaan aur Sara se baat karti hu.” They both lay down to sleep but now slumber wasn't coming to them, but suddenly they turned their sides to face each other. 

(I'll talk to Adnaan and Sara tomorrow only.)

“Anzu.”

“Mazi.” 

A call at the same time. 

“Are we going to repeat the past?” Anzala asked and Maizah nodded. 

“First of all we should talk to Danish, we have to trust our son.” Maizah muttered and this Anzala nodded. 

“We won't punish him for a sin he never committed. But, it's better if he doesn't stay alone. Either his wife or someone from his family should be with him. We are trusting him, that's another matter but I am still afraid of whatever Adnaan had done in his past. Mazi, I don't want my son to choose a wrong path. you understand what I am saying?” 

“I always understand you.” she smiled and felt grateful for her elder to distrust them years ago, otherwise they both would never get each other. 

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After a Few Days 

“Have this.” Passing a bowl of pasta, Sara sat down beside Fayra and slowly caressed her head. “You're looking better than before.”

“I was fine at that time too, it was just because of suffocation.” Fayra muttered. They didn't tell the truth at home, Bisma and Ashar told everyone that Fayra wasn't feeling well, that's why they came back soon. But from that time her silence was disturbing everyone, especially Sara and Adnaan. 

“Have you talked to Danish?” Sara asked and Fayra shook her head. 

“Beta baat kar lo us se, pehle to tumhe dant kar Danish se dur rakhna padta tha, ab kya ho gya hai? Ab to shadi ho chuki hai tum dono ki.” Sara wasn't scolding her but talking very politely. 

(Beta, talk to him, earlier we had to scold you to stay away from Danish, what has happened now? Now you both are married.)

“Hmm… I was already thinking of calling him.” Fayra told the truth which brought a smile to Sara's face. She understood that Danish was correct, Arsh was not a good man, she was blindly trusting a wrong person. Now the weight of guilt was pushing her to apologise but for the first time in her life she was hesitant to talk to him.

“That’s good.” Sara smiled and paused for a moment before breaking news “Anzala bhai and Maizah asked Adnaan for your farewell. They want you and Danish to live together. And it will be good for both of you. Right?” Fayra's hand stopped to lift the very first bite and she looked at her mother. Face turned pale, heart started beating faster and she felt goosebumps covering her arms.

“Who wants this farewell to take place? Bade mummy or Danish?” Fayra asked in a hushed tone. Her brain was echoing with the words Danish sayd while going away 

Ab main tumhari zindagi mein kabhi wapas nhi aaunga… tumhe kabhi koi takleef dunga…

(I won't return to your life… I won't trouble you ever.)

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