𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒚

6.

Zulfiqar took his seat making Sofia sit next to him, he had to hold her hand while walking into the living room lest she escapes once again. He looked at her with adoration thinking how beautiful his daughter has grown up looking just like her mother and it was time that he fulfils the wish of her long-gone wife.

“Baba?” Sofia called her father who was looking at her fondly with a smile tug on his lip.

“Jee Baba ki Jaan?” Zulfiqar responded while letting go of her hand.

“Aap theek hain?” she asked him worryingly.

“Jee theek hu…toh bataye kab tak bhagne ka plan hai aapka humse? Taki hume bhi toh maloom pade aap kab ready hain baat karne k liye?” Zulfiqar folds his arm around his chest with a questionable look on his face.

Sighing Sofia thought it’s time she faces her father rather than running from him. She never was a coward but this marriage topic made her that “nahi bhag rahi hun. Boliye.”

“Aap janti hai hum kis liye aapko baithein hain yahan.”

“Baba nikah bhut badi zimmedari hai aur mujhe nahi pata agar mai woh zimmedari uthne k liye taiyar hu bhi ki nahi,” Sofia said fidgeting with the hem of her shirt sleeve.

“Taiyar toh koi bhi nahi hota hai phele se Sofia aise toh aap kabhi bhi taiyar nahi ho paogi. Malakeh bhabhi be sabri se aapke jawab ka intezaar kar rahi hain aise rukana aacha nahi lagta hai. Aap k haan ki sab ko be sabri se intezaar hai hume bhi. Kya aap aapne Baba ka sapna pura nahi karengi? Bal k yeh toh aapki Mama ki wish hai ki aap ka nikah ho Arsalan k sath kya aap unki bhi wish ko puri nahi karengi?” and Zulfiqar played his emotional card. He knows Sofia is pretty emotional when it comes to her mother and she would not say no to her mother's wishes which were truly her last wish.

Biting her bottom lip she didn’t dare to look up at his father instead she lay her head on her father’s lap and this softens Zulfiqar’s heart he slowly soothingly runs his hand through her daughters head and said “aapko pata haina aapke Baba aap se badi mohabbat karte hain?” she nods her head on his lap and he continues “toh yeh bhi jaan lijiye aap ko dur bhejne me bhi hume badi takleef hogi.”

“Toh na bheje na,” Sofia said whining even she didn’t want to leave him or Bi Jaan the thought itself made her sad.

Zulfiqar chuckled “lekin humara sapna bhi toh hai aapko dulhan bante dekhne ka bal k har baap ka sapna hota hai aur waise bhi aap itni badi hote jaari hain humare bas me hota toh aapko kabhi bada hone nahi dete” he kissed her head lovingly and continued “beta hum jante aap nikah ka naam sunte hi bhagna chalu kar deti hain” he laughed making Sofia smile too “per sach batayein toh nikah bhut hi khubsoorat rishta hai beta aapko khud hi pata chal jayega. Baki aap pe hai Sofia hume aapse zabardasti haan nahi bulwana lekin uska yeh bhi matlab nahi k aap hamesha bhagti rahogi nikah k naam se kabhi na kabhi aapko samna toh karna hi padega aur dariye bilkul bhi nahi aapke Baba Jaan zinda hai abhi bhi aapko koi takleef hone nahi denge” Sofia looked at her father her protector who smiled at her lovingly making her believe that whatever happens her father would never leave her alone and that thought itself gave her strength to help her face the fear. Smiling she nodded at him.

Bi Jaan who was standing in the corner of the living room smiled at the father-daughter duo and then walk to them “agar aap dono ki baatein hogayi hogi toh chale khana khane?”

Zulfiqar nods at Bi Jaan while Sofia got up and hugged her to which Bi Jaan chuckled and asked her to go and get freshen up.

The dinner went pretty good it lifted Sofia’s mood when they sat and remembered how brat of a child Sofia was and while talking Zulfiqar said something interesting to which Sofia had came to his room to check the photo that he mentioned while they were having their dinner. Zulfiqar was in his study so Sofia could take her time to adore his room. It was the same as usual the touches of her mother on this room reminds her that nothing has changed even after all these years. Everything in this room was of her mothers choice from curtains to bedsheets to their table lamp on their nightstand to the floor carpet and everything else. Her eyes landed on the photo wall, she walked closer to have a good look and the first person she saw was her mother. Instantly her eyes watered seeing her mother she really was a beautiful woman. She is seeing her picture after so long maybe after years and that made her feel bad.