IBTIDAA ابتدا

six

" Aapne chaand dekha?" Gulaisha asked her husband over the phone.

" Hmmm, chhat par gaya tha akele hi" Bakhtaawar sighed softly. He was missing his wife and son too much these days.

His Amma doesn't climb the staircase anymore due to her aching joints.

" Nikaah ke baad ka pehla humara Ramzaan hain aur hum saath nahi hain" Gulaisha sniffed softly.

" Hmmm, par In Shaa Allah, Eid tak humara beta hoga humare saath. Uske liye sab kuch manzoor hain mujhe" Bakhtaawar pacified his wife and that brought a smile on her face.

" Aap sehri ke liye kuch laaye hain?" Gulaisha didn't want her Amma to stand up in the kitchen and work so early in the morning.

" Haa, Amma ne donuts khaane they toh woh laaya hoon aur Sahil ne taazey bun banaye they woh bhi laaya hoon warqi ke saath" Bakhtaawar was good friends with their Baker Sahil.

" Fridge mein upar wale shelf par blue dabbe mein makhhan rakha hain. Doodh lein aaye aap?" She knew he would not be able to find the butter in the morning and then would crib all day that he couldn't have his favorite Bun-maska with doodh for sehri.

" Haa, doodh bhi lein aaya. Kal Mill jaate hue tumhe bhi donuts de jaunga. Aur kuch chahiye hoga toh bata dena" he knew she loved the cream filled bakery product.

" Nahi mujhe nahi chahiye donuts. Aaj kal maide ki cheezon se mujhe kabz ho raha hain" Gulaisha made a face at the mention of her once favorite thing.

" Pehle kyu nahi bataya mujhe? Main kabz kusha laakr dein deta na. Tum bhi na Gulaisha hadd karti ho" Bakhtaawar reprimanded her for her lack of attention on her health.

" Achaa na, ab daanta band karein. Har waqt mujhe daante hi rehte hain aap" she cribbed like a child and Bakhtaawar smiled at his little wife.

" Tumhaari harkatein hi aisi hain daant khaaney wali" he teased her and she poked her tongue out at him.

" Aap kal ki iftaari yaha karein. Pehla roza toh kamaskam saath hoga humara" Gulaisha wanted to see him on the first roza of their first Ramzaan together.

" Hmmm, Amma ko phone karke bata dena phir subah" Bakhtaawar too wanted to spend the first day of Ramzaan with his wife and son.

It was customary to extend a formal invitation even for small gatherings and get-togethers, or there is a high chance of someone from the family to be naraaz with the other for the lack of it.

" Aapko kuch khaana ho toh bata dein, main wahi banaungi" Gulaisha wanted to make something special for her husband on their first roza.

" Bohot dino se tumhaare haath ke Chargha Kebab khaaney ka dil chah raha hain" Bakhtaawar was missing his wife and her delicious cooking.

" Chaney ka pulao bhi banau saath mein?" She smiled listening to his demand.

" Podiney ki chutney bhi banana phir toh" he was already looking forward to the iftaari now.

" Aur meethey mein?" She wanted to pamper her husband properly, for it has been months since she has fed him.

" Fruit trifle bana do. Tumhe zyaada taqleef bhi nahi dena chahta" Bakhtaawar suggested the simplest of desserts that was made everyday in every household.

" Aur Khuda ke vaastey usme kharbooza nahi daalna" he made a face at the particular fruit which did not go well with the dessert and yet his wife and mother both did not hesitate before putting it in!

" Astaghfirullah Zayd, maine kabhi trifle mein kharbooza nahi daala hain. Woh toh sirf Fruit Chaat mein daalti hoon" Gulaisha laughed thinking about the faces he might be making hearing her.