Miscellany Of Desi Tadka

Chapter 3🖤

Didn't know how many emotions were running inside him? But he was sure, anger was above all of them. He paced in the living room and then looked at all of them, Dadi, Sameer, Maira, and then that unknown girl, nobody had the guts to look him in the eye.

He forgot his mobile at home and good that forgot, else didn't know till when his family members would be hiding this secret from him.

"Adi, she was unconscious at our door and she needs our help, we can't let her-"

"That's what I am trying to tell you, Dadi. How can you trust some stranger just like that?" His voice reached an octave as Adeel stopped in front of his grandma, "Do now I have to keep a watch on you all? Can't you just understand-"

"It's not their fault. I needed help and I insisted them-"

"Look..." He moved to stand across the girl, "I'm not talking to you so just shut up."

"But I'm talking to you." Her voice stopped him in his tracks, "first of all that's not how you should talk with her. Yes, I understand you are all protective and tensed for their safety but still she's older than you, she's your grandma."

Was it the first time in his life someone silenced him? Maybe, yes. And who was it? This girl with green eyes, who looked too pale to even stand in front of him. Her forehead was wet with sweat and if he noticed correctly, she was shivering. From the corner of his eyes, he knew Maira and Sameer were smiling at each other during this ordeal.

"I need a place to stay for fifteen days then I will go without any fuss. I can't show you any proof right now but I study at Delhi University, I'm pursuing BSc."

She completed in one breath and looked down, her fingers fidgeting with each other as he looked at others who were still looking at the girl.

"What's your name?"

"Danah Firdous."

"So Ms. Firdous, you stay at a hostel in Delhi University?" To his question, she nodded, "Why did you come to Agra when there's no house for you here?"

She remained silent for some time and then she looked dead in his eyes, "I'm not bound to answer you."

"Ok then," Adeel looked at each one of them and gave a final look to her, "There's no place for you here."

"But why?" She came ahead, now they were standing face to face and Adeel noticed she seemed quite short in front of him, "Amma- Amma had no problem with me staying here, she's the head of this house-"

"I can't keep suspicious people. Tomorrow I will come to know that you were from a terrorist group-"

His fears were overpowering his speech but Dadi's loud voice put their argument to a halt.

"Stop it, you both." Dadi held his hand, "Adeel, she needs our help and I want to help her. And this is my final decision. You don't have any say in it."

Adeel pursed his lips and bit it, just to stop himself from yelling out loud. Why were his family members so stubborn? Why were they so eager to jump into danger?

Without looking at anyone he went into his room and slammed the door shut.

***

"Here take this, Danah." Danah looked confused as Amma extended some money towards her. "I got my pension today. My grandkids get a little share of these crisp notes. So this is for you."

It had been three days after that heated argument and she was trying her best not to be a burden on anyone. And this lady here was pushing her down in favor, "Amma, you're giving me a place to stay and that's enough for me. I can't take this."

"Don't think that I am paying for what you're doing for us. I'm giving these with love as I give them to my grandkids. Also these will help you in future, so keep it."

Danah took the money from her and a ball of sadness was stuck in her throat, making her emotional. She couldn't give them anything in return while they were doing everything for her. Even if Amma and Maira stopped her from doing the house chores, she was sharing their workload except for Adeel's work. His one glance could tell anyone that he doubted her to no end and Danah was sure, he already admitted her to any terrorist group in his mind.

"I have called Azeem, pick some dresses for you." Amma's dresses were too big for her and Maira's dresses were too short so she had no option to remain in her blue salwar kameez.

"Amma, there's no need-"

"Danah, don't stress over it. That's my final decision."

Amma's favorite term as she was coming to know. Her mind was automatically noting everyone's habits. Her eyes filled tears of gratitude on Amma's concern as she held her hands and kissed them, "I don't have anything to give you, Amma, and you're burdening me with so much. How will I repay you?"

Amma placed a kiss on her forehead and cupped her face, "I'm not doing anything to get something in return. It's just an attempt from Allah's slave for Allah's slave."

"Dadi," It was Adeel who was yelling from the living room, his policy to never be in her vicinity, "I'm leaving for the office."

"This boy, leaving without food." Amma facepalmed, getting up and she came with her, glancing at Adeel who threw a hatred-filled glare at her.

She quickly came into the kitchen, making a tray of his breakfast and also fetching his tiffin box but he was nowhere to be seen when she entered the living room.

"He will not have breakfast," Amma told in a defeated voice, clearly this behavior of Adeel was because of Danah. She ran outside with the tiffin, where Adeel was still dusting his bike.

"Your tiffin."

Danah extended the box towards him and never in her entire life felt so unheard. He didn't even turn and showed himself busy.

"Your tiffin."

She placed the box on his bike and that was when Adeel looked at her with a cold gaze, "Look, Ms. Danah, there's no need for you to be so caring with me. You can throw your magic on my family members but I clearly understand your tactics. So just-" He picked the tiffin and pushed it in her hands.

"Thank... Thank you sir for understanding me and my tactics. Here's your tiffin. Stop throwing your anger at people around you and on your food when your problem is only with me."

She put back the box on his bike and came inside, locking the door at his face. Now Danah had no problem if he would take that tiffin or throw it. She had done her part! But maybe she would need a few hours to gather her disrupted breath.

***

"Is that you, Danah?"

Zulekha heard a soft voice from the phone and quickly called her husband. But just when she spoke again, the line was cut off.

"It was our Danah. I'm pretty sure. It was her voice. She called me."

Zulekha hid her face in her dupatta as tears gathered in her eyes. Her mind was only thinking about Danah, nothing else.

"I will tell some of my men to search for her." Safdar squeezed her shoulder, taking her in an embrace, "Don't worry. We will get to meet her. The number in this caller-id will help us."

She didn't want this thing to come out in the open, her husband, being one of the famous real estate developers, had quite a following and if that about Danah came out in public, it would hurt his honor and Zulekha never wanted that!

~Zeba

𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚊𝚊𝚊𝚊𝚊𝚊..!𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙰𝙻𝙰𝙼𝚄𝙰𝙻𝙰𝙸𝙺𝚄𝙼 𝙱𝙴𝙷𝙽𝙾 𝙰𝚄𝚁 𝚄𝙽𝙺𝙴 𝙱𝙷𝙰𝙸𝚈𝙾....;)𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚂𝙴 𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚁𝚂 𝙰𝚁𝙴 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙳 𝚃𝙾 𝙱𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙹𝙾𝚈 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚃𝙰𝙸𝙽𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙾 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝙶𝚄𝚈𝚂.𝚂𝙾 𝙼𝙰𝙺𝙴 𝚂𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝚂𝙿𝙰𝙼 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙵𝙸𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝚅𝙾𝚃𝙴𝚂 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚂. 

~𝙽𝚄𝙶𝙶𝙴𝚃