شرر Sharar

Sixty-Nine

Ek hadsa maa''muli sa, dil par iss tarah laga
Ki ab kisi cheez mein dil nahi lagta

••

Bechain rehte hain woh log
Jimhe har baat yaad rehti hai...

•••

"Hanan!" Khushnuma knocked on the already opened door of Hanan's bedroom and went inside.

Hanan was sitting on his bed, with his laptop on his laps. When he saw Khushnuma entering his room, he quickly removed AirPods from his ear, and shut his laptop down.

"Mummy, aap? Apko koi kaam tha toh mujhe bula leti." Putting his laptop aside, he sat straight.

(Mummy? If you had some work you should have called me.)

"Koi kaam nahi tha, bas tumhe kheer dene ayi thi. Tumhari favourite haina." Khushnuma put the tray on the bed and sat down. Smiling, she said.

(I came here to give you kheer. I know It's your favourite.)

"Apne banayi?" Hanan felt joy that Khushnuma made kheer for him at this time, after eating that bizzare kheer by Ayat, he was craving it even more. Picking the bowl, he started eating.

(You made it for me?)

"Bohot achhi bani hai." He compliments her.

(It's delicious.)

"Waise maine nahi banayi." Slowly, Khushnuma started saying.

(I didn't make it.)

Confusingly, Hanan looked at her. If she didn't make it, then who did? Maids go to their quarters after dinner. It is unlikely her to call them to make kheer at this time.

"Ayat deke gayi hai." Hanan almost spit out the kheer on this information, cupping his hand in front of his mouth. He put the bowl down.

"Aram se." Standing up, Khushnuma went to pick water from the side table, passing him that, she rubbed his back. Hanan chugged water down.

(Be careful.)

"Us.. uski banayi hui kheer mujhe kyu di." Coughing, Hanan asked.

(Why did you give me the kheer which she made.)

"Ab unse jiske liye kheer banayi woh hi na khaye toh kya fyada." Khushnuma once again sat on the bed, in front of him.

(She made it for you, it won't be good if you don't eat it.)

"Mere liye nahi banaya hoga. Bhukkad khud ke liye banayi hogi. Mere liye chai banate hue bhi usko mout ati hai." Putting the glass on the side table, Hanan told her. Then he looked at the kheer resentfully. If she really made it for him, why did she have to put salt in it earlier?

(She didn't make it for me. That gluttonous has made it for herself. She doesn't even like making tea for me.)

"Khalo!" Khushnuma misread his expression and thought he wanted to eat it. "Ayat ko nahi bataungi tumne kheer kayi, balki ussey keh dungi tumhare papa ne sari kheer khali." She suggested in a voice as if she has planned a big conspiracy.

(Eat it!)

(I won't tell Ayat that you've ate it. I will tell her your papa ate all the kheer.)

"Mummy!" Hanan didn't like her suggestion.

"Mujhe nahi khani uske hath ki kheer." Pushing the tray away from him, he told her.

(I don't want to eat the kheer which she made.)