Danish's sisters once visited Madiha's home and they both liked her very much. Either by her polite nature or by her looks Madiha was better than their brother. They understood very well that a girl like Madiha couldn't happily marry an average face holder who was 15 years older than her, but what was the reason behind this decision? Danish's sisters were unable to conclude. 

Danish wanted to get married before marrying his sister off so that his wife's presence would make his home a sweet home. There was no reason for him to set back this marriage. Only twenty days were left before his sister's wedding and he wanted to be free from all the formalities of his own marriage before getting busy with his sister's wedding arrangements. After all he was the only brother and fatherly figure. Almost twenty days passed in a blink of an eye. For Madiha, the pain of her mother's demise was still fresh but this marriage couldn't wait any longer. Everything happened so soon that Madiha or Danish didn't get a chance to talk or meet, nor any of them were interested. 

No one of the two were excited or happy for this marriage, for Madiha it was a sacrifice which she was doing to save his uncle from all the wedding expenses and for Danish it was a task of bringing a woman who would take care of his home. But it's not like that they both weren't expecting anything from this marriage, Madiha wanted a person who would shower his love and respect on her, who would give her a place which she could call home and for Danish, he wanted a reason to stay at home on weekends. He wanted to start a family, due to responsibilities and struggles of life he had already ruined the golden phase of his life and now when he sees people of his age with their wife and kids he realised what he had

been craving for. 

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Sitting in the corner of her room her eyes were fixed on the mobile screen which was dark and locked. She was waiting maybe for the last time. She knew he wouldn't call, but she was still waiting… Maybe he'll call her a third time. She knew what she said when he called her the second time but she still had hopes that he did forget that… if not entirely forgot then at least ignore that for a moment… at least for this moment….

But what would be the benefit if he forgot that for this moment only? Nothing can be altered now. That time was gone. Sometimes she regretted it, sometimes she smiled at her foolishness, sometimes she cried helplessly and Sometimes she felt angry at him… but why? Who gave her the right to be angry at him? Who was she to even think about him? 

Struggling with herself she was still fixing her eyes on the mobile screen which suddenly glowed up. Her heart, what was praying with every passing moment to receive a call from this very person, suddenly skipped a beat. One part of her was praying to get a call from him but the other part of her was praying that this prayer didn't get answered because it's not easy to handle everything now. 

Without bothering to look at the already open door of the room from which anyone could come in at any moment, she slid her thumb on the green arrows appearing on the mobile screen. "Assalamualaikum." She muttered while placing the mobile on ear. 

"Waalaikum as salam" and there was silence after that. Words forgot to make their way to their tongues. 

"Aaj shadi hai." After all the silence was broken from his side and she smiled sadly. 

(Today's wedding.)

"Ye aapne bataya hai ya puchha hai?" She asked in the same hushed tone, now her eyes were fixed on her other hand which was decorated with mehndi and showing initials of Danish.

(Have you told or asked?)

"Bulaya bhi nahi, Madam." Instead of replying to her question he preferred to say something else. 

(You haven't even summoned me, Madam.)

"Main bulati to aap aa jaate?" Her voice was so soft and slow that not even a person beside her could listen but he did. What's new in that? He listens to everything, said or unsaid. He even listens to what she says in heart.

(If I had called, would you have come?)

"Ek Baar bula kar to dekhti, Meri ye majal ki madam ka hukm na maanta?" His voice was hushed and Madiha's heart skipped a beat.

(You would have called me once and seen, I can't dare to disobey Madam's command.)

He didn't lie! He couldn't lie! If he said he would then he would! But what did she do? If she had power to reverse the time and undone her one action, she would never receive the call Athar made a second time. Just a simple action could change the past as well as her present and future too.

"Ab roo to nhi." He whispered and she tried to stop herself from crying but couldn't, he one more time understood her emotions from the other side of the mobile screen... How? She still didn't get it. However she soaked her tears in the tissue present in her fist.

(Now stop crying, Madam.)

"Aapse kisne kaha main roo rahi hu?" She asked in a hushed but challenging tone, she couldn't let him know that she was crying because understanding the reason wouldn't be a difficult task for him. But she listens to a dry laugh from the other side. 

(Who told you I am crying?)

"Ye khamoshi sun'ne ka hunar hota hai Madiha Bibi. Kaash tumhare paas bhi yahi hunar hota, tum to lafzo ko bhi ansuna kar deti ho." He was laughing but she suppressed her sob and soaked new tears in the tissue.

(It is a skill to listen to silence, Miss Madiha. I wish you had the same skill. You even ignore the words.)

"Hasi ke peeche chhupe aasu dekhna bhi ek hunar hai sahab, aur wo hunar seekh chuki hu main." Her hushed voice stopped the loud laughter which was coming from the other side. Was he also hiding something behind his laughter?

(Seeing the tears hiding behind a smile is also a skill, Mister, and I have learned that skill.)

Now there was a pin drop silence in between them. The phone call was exchanging her silent sobs and his harsh breath. 

"Madiha." After a five minute long silence his voice echoed which brought a smile on her lips but fresh tears to her eyes. How badly she loves her name when it slips out of his tongue, but maybe this is going to be the last call from him.

"Hmm?"

"Main 25 din tumhari call ka intezaar kar raha tha." there was a pain in his voice.

(I was waiting for your call for 25 days.)

"Kyu?" Holding the same pain in her voice as well as heart she questioned in a hushed tone and made sure to soak her unshed tears in the tissue present in her hand.

(Why?)

"Main soch rha tha tum mujhe bulaogi." he took a pause to run his tongue on his lips and resumed. "Lekin tumne bulaya hi nhi," They both knew what he wanted to say… he wasn't interested in coming to Madiha's wedding but he wanted to be a special person in her life however he never made his intentions clear. Madiha was silent unlike her heart which was screaming loudly. 

(I was thinking that you'll summon me.)

(But you didn't.)

"Main to 2 saal se intezaar kar rahi thi aap kabhi to aane ki baat karte, aapne kabhi irada hi nahi kiya." She muttered while pressing her lips together to gulp her tears, but it wasn't the complete truth... He intended many times but never dared to, on the other hand she waited for him for so long but never expressed her desire. After a few seconds she listened to a harsh breath from his side. 

(I had been waiting for 2 years for you but you never intended.)

"Ab aa jau? Tum kahogi to abhi aa jaunga, bina ek lamha second waste kre. " He asked in a hurry, she felt he was standing up from his place while throwing things here and there carelessly.

(May I come now? If you say, I will come right now, without wasting a second.)

For a moment Madiha was silent but then lifted her eyes, there was a floor length mirror just in front of her, she could clearly see a bride in it, a tear slipped down from her eyes. Standing up from the chair she walked to the window of the room and another tear slipped down when she saw some people entering the home. One was too tall among them, he was wearing white coloured kurta pyjamas with a camel brown waistcoat, there was nothing special in his dressing, still something special to indicate that it was his big day. "Bolo Madiha? Main ab aa jau?" The voice comes from the other side of the mobile. She glanced at the clock which was showing at 4 pm, there was only half an hour in Asr Namaz, and she knew her nikkah was going to take place after Namaz. 

(Tell me Madiha, may I come now?)

"Ab nhi… ab to bohot deyr ho gyi hai. Jab tak aap pohchenge main Mrs Madiha Danish ban Chuki hongi." She tried to sound normal but wiped her tears, before she could say anything else a voice grabbed her attention. 

(Not now, it's too late now. By the time you arrive, I will have become Mrs Madiha Danish.)

"Aapi, Abbu bol rahe hain tayyar rahiyega, wo log nikkah ke liye aane wale hain." Said her cousin sister and she nodded while looking at the mobile present in her hand. He must have listened to Madiha's cousin too. 

(Aapi, Abbu is telling you to be ready, those people are going to come for Nikkah.)

"Main phone rakhti hu." She muttered and he hummed from the other side. 

(I'm hanging up.)

"Hmm… jao. Baad mein baat karte hain, Madam." His voice was almost dead but she smiled and shook her head. 

(Hmm, go. Talk to you later Madam.)

"Ab koi baat nahi hogi, ab meri duao pr, meri wafa par, meri mohabbat par, mere intezaar par aur khud mujh par kisi aur ka haq hai. Kisi ne mujhe apni izzat ki chadar udane ka feysla kar liya hai, aur wo ladkiyan bohot Bewaquf hoti hain jo apne hatho se apni chadar utar phekti hain. Main izzat aur wafadari se is rishte ko nibhana chahti hu. Aaj ke baad aapse koi baat nahi karungi, aur aap to wese bhi mujhse baat karte huye sirf bezaar hi hote the, to Mubarak ho aaj aapki Jaan Bach gyi, dua dijiye mujhe." She muttered and this time her tears dried up, and while saying the last part she chuckled, for a moment he was silent then she unexpectedly listened to a laugh from the other side. 

(Now there will be no more conversations. Now someone else has the right on my prayers, my loyalty, my love and even on myself. Someone has decided to take me in the shade of his name and dignity, and I'm not going to destroy it. I wanna be loyal and truthful in this relationship, now I won't talk to you ever. And I know, you were only irritated to talk to me so congratulations, see you're safe from me. Thank me later.)

"Haan haan… Bach gya, warna tumne to meri raato ki neend aur din ka chain barbaad kar diya tha. Jab chahe muh utha kar call ya text kar deti thi." He laughed and Madiha regretted it one more time. This man made her realise from time to time that she needed him but he didn't need or want her. 

(Yes of course… I am saved, otherwise you have ruined the peace of my days and given me sleepless nights with your unpredictable calls and texts.)

"I'm sorry for that, and thank you so much for everything. Allah Hafiz." She sighed and disconnected the call, he was about to say something but she immediately switched off her mobile after deleting the last call from the call log. 

Before she could think about something, a lady entered the room and asked her to sit down on the chair. Following the order she sat down there and a red dupatta was spread all over her head which eventually covered her face. 

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To Be Continued...

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