Be-panah

FIFTEEN

Gulab aise hi nahi gulab hota hain,
Yeh ada kaanton mein palne ke baad aati hain.

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"Mehr called to inform." Zaroon heard Parishay speak when he came down for breakfast.

"What did you say to her?" Mahad asked.

"Nothing. I just said we'll think about it and reply. But I don't think we've anything to think about. I mean it is too soon." Zaroon was curious about what his parents were talking about, but it intensified ten fold when he heard his name. "I don't think Zaroon is ready for it right now."

"What am I not ready for?" Zaroon asked while entering the dining room.

Parishay's eyes widened in shock. "Umm," She fumbled with her words, "nothing. Come let's eat."

Zaroon took a seat and filled his plate with omelette and two slices of bread. "Ammi, I'm asking something. What were you talking about?"

Parishay looked at Mahad, and he nodded his head.

"Actually, a friend of Mehr saw you at Adab's wedding and liked you for her daughter. So she has sent an informal proposal." Parishay nervously said.

Zaroon, who was spreading butter on his bread, froze. He eyed both his parents for a few seconds.

"Don't worry. I'll call Mehr today and ask her to say no." Parishay hurriedly said.

"No," Zaroon continued buttering the toast, "tell me more about the family."

Raising her eyebrow, Parishay was surprised at Zaroon's calm behavior. She again looked at her husband, but Mahad was silently eating his breakfast.

"Umm, her name is Qirat Hashmi. Her father died years ago, mother works in an NGO. She has an older brother, whose name I don't know, he's married."

Zaroon nodded his head. "Doesn't she work?"

"She does. I guess Mehr said she's in finance or HR. I don't know where she works though." Parishay replied.

Zaroon finished up the plate on his food and picked up the glass of orange juice. In a single breath, he drank the whole glass. He stood up and wore his coat.

"If you find the family good, you can schedule a meeting with them. It is yes from my side." Saying that, he padded off to the porch of the haveli, where as usual Jahangir was waiting for his boss, while Parishay kept sitting in her place with a shocked expression and Mahad looked like he was in some deep thought.

"Good morning, sir." Jahangir greeted Zaroon like everyday.

Zaroon nodded in acknowledgement and got inside the car. Jahangir sighed and sat in the passenger seat before asking the driver to start the car. Jahangir had seen Zaroon change in the last couple of weeks, and he got to know the reason on Adab and Mirhaan's wedding day. After being with Zaroon for so many years, Jahangir knew his boss very well. And to say that he was devastated for him would be an understatement. He had never seen Zaroon this silent, cold and unhappy.

His employees were also getting used to the changed, more strict behavior of their boss. Zaroon had started getting more angry lately, and this had also resulted in him firing a few employees. But the most impact had been on Rohit, his personal assistant. He had been a direct target of Zaroon's short temper, but he took it without any complaint. He knew what had happened, and could only hope that he would see his previous, cheerful boss again.

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It was almost midnight when Zaroon came back from the office. Lately, this was the usual time for him to come home.

"Ammi?" He said when he saw Parishay waiting for him in the living room. "Why are you still up?"

"I had to talk to you about something. And since you've decided to not come home on time any day, I had no option but to stay up." Parishay sarcastically said.

He sighed as he had no answer for her.

"I'll serve dinner." She said, while walking to the kitchen.

He was not really in a mood to eat anything, but he still washed his hands and took a seat at the dining table. He knew Parishay had been worried about him, and he didn't want to increase it by saying no to food.

She served him rotis, mutton curry and salad. He tore a bite of the roti, dipped it in gravy and put it in his mouth.

She sat beside him and started speaking, "Are you sure about meeting Qirat?"

He nodded. But seeing her unsure face, he asked, "What are you thinking? Don't you want to see your son married?"

"I do. But I'm just worried about all this happening too soon. Are you really ready to move on with someone else, or is it just a kind of rebound?" Parishay voiced her fear.

Zaroon didn't answer her and kept eating. When his roti finished, she tried to serve him some rice, but he denied saying he was done.

As he got up with his plate, Parishay stood up as well and put away all the leftovers in the fridge.

When she entered her room, she found Mahad reading a book. She raised her eyebrow, and he understood her unasked question. "I can't sleep without you in my arms." He shrugged.

She smiled at his cheesiness and got into bed. He put the book away, shut the lights and then pulled her in his arms. She raised her head to kiss his lips.

"Did you talk to him?" Mahad asked.

"Yes," She drew random patterns on his chest, "he is adamant. Now I'm not only worried about him, but also his future wife. I just hope he knows what he's doing, and doesn't end up hurting a poor girl."

Mahad caressed her back. "Don't worry. Our son is mature enough. I'm sure if he decides to marry, he'll also fulfill his responsibilities towards his wife."

"But what about love?" She asked, "Do you think he'd be able to love anyone else after Adab?"

Mahad had no answer to Parishay's question. He just hugged her tighter and hoped for the best.

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