Kashmakash

Part 3

Sameer entered Hayder's study after a maid had informed that Hayder had called him. 'Kya hua hai ye log itne din se khane kyu nahi aa rahe?' Hayder questioned. 'Wo bhai..trip ki wajah se' Sameer replied embarrassed at his cousin antics. 'Aur Naaziya bhi?' he asked surprised. 'Nahi, wo to isliye nahi kha rahi kyunki baaki nahi kha rahe' Sameer replied.

'Wah...Naaz jinke liye khana chori hui hai unko to sirf trip ki padi hai; dekha tha maine lunch kaise bhukado ki tarah karte hai. 2-time ka ek baar nipta lete hai. Bade kab honge ye sab'.

'Bhai ho jayenge...apne bhi to abhi agha jaan ko yahi bola tha naa' Sameer tried to calm him down.

'to kya kehta ki mere sab bhai ekdum nalayak hai...27 ka ho gaya hai Zain..chacha uske nikah ka soch rahe hai aur usko 'bada' hona abhi baaki hai' he said sarcastically.

'But kabhi bacha rehne kahan diya gaya unhe' Sameer mumbled but was heard by Hayder. His brother's complaint melted Hayder's heart 'Kya karu main Sameer? tu janta hai main na kismat, na hi khuda..kisi pe bharosa nahi karta. Ek jhatke mein sab cheen leta hai. Inko self-reliant nahi banaya to bahut asaan hai inke liye bigadna. Paisa aur aaram, handicap bana dete hai insaan ko' Hayder explained with a sense of helplessness. 'Bhai, main nahi kehta aap galat hai, par thoda unko bhi samjhe. Aap par majboori thi, unpe nahi hai' Sameer attempted to convey their viewpoint.

'Theek hai...bahut der ho gayi hai...tum sone jao'  Hayder swiftly ended the conversation, not wanting to delve further into the topic.

**

Late at night, Hayder knocked on Naaziya's door. When she opened it, she saw him holding a tray filled with food. She couldn't help but feel delighted internally, but she maintained a poker face. Being the youngest in the family had its perks, and one of them was the special attention and pampering from almighty Hayder. He entered the room and placed the tray on the bed, then turned to her, pretending to be angry 'Khana kyu nahi kha rahi?'

'Kyuki hum udaas hai. Aur jab hum udaas hote hai to humne bhook nahi lagti' she said looking away from him.

'Aur itni udaas kyu ho?' he asked with a smile.

'aapko nahi pata...' she said glaring at him.

He shook his head innocently. 'Kyunki aap ne humare ghoomne ka plan cancel kar diya' she scolded him. He pulled her gently by the shoulder and made her sit on bed 'Naaz, tum batao main kaise sabko ghumne ki permission du. Itni badi deal hai, agar kuch bhi gadbad hua to company ki image kharab ho jayegi' he explained her softly.

'Aur humare mann ka kya...who badi deal nahi hai aapke liye' she retorted with an angry pout.

He chuckled at her response 'Arey aapke mann ke liye to aisi sau company nilaam'.

'To hum jaa rahe hai' she asked, her eyes hopeful. Hayder nodded 'but ek month baad'.

'NAHI...itne din baad to baarish ho jayegi. Humko aacha sa trip chahiye' she whined. 'Baarish manali mein hogi...par tum to Switzerland mein hogi naa' he said, and her frown immediately turned into a broad smile, which brought a smile to his face too. 'Chalo ab khana khao...aur unn namoono ko bhi bol do, kal se dinner pe dikhe' he said moving out of the room.

**

Hyder sat in his office, occupying the highest floor of a towering building. The office decor was mainly grey, his favorite color, although Naajiya always teasingly referred to it as boring, much like his life. He reached for the intercom and dialed his PA's extension.

"Shafa, please come in," he called out.

A beautiful woman in her late twenties gracefully entered the cabin, clad in a peach floral churidar and carrying a tablet, her face adorned with a warm smile.

"Good morning, Hyder. I hope you had a good weekend," she greeted him.

"Good morning, Shafa. Indeed, I did," he replied, returning her smile genuinely, a smile that was missing last week when his cousins were on strike.

Shafa was his chosen PA, highly qualified and competent. She happened to be his maternal cousin, and she was the only one from that side of the family with whom he had a close bond. She was not just his assistant; she was his confidante, his sole friend to whom he could share everything.

"Can you please arrange for a vacation with some travel agency after we wrap up the current H&K deal? We are planning to go to Switzerland," he requested.

"You're going as well?" Shafa asked, clearly amazed.

"Do you think Naaziya will let me live if I don't go?" he chuckled, his eyes gleaming with a special adoration reserved solely for Naajiya—a love she had yearned for, hidden behind a brave smile. "Sure, I will make the arrangements," she assured him.