Khaani Reboot

To let go or to hold on

Sanam wakes up in a hospital, as she begins to open her eyes, she sees her parents and sisters gathered around the bed, waiting for her to be conscious. She also sees Junaid leaning against the wall, looking at her. She has a minor bruise on her forehead due to falling.

"Sanam beta, theek ho?" Sonia asks.
"Uh-han?! Kya hua tha mujh-" She remembers it all in a split second. It's Hadi!
"Had-Hadi!" She tries to get up and run but everyone stops her.
"Sanam kya ho gaya hai?" Junaid holds her arm stopping her.
"Yahin kahin nahi hai Hadi, woh jail mein sarh raha hai apne gunaahon ki sazaa kaat raha hai." He exclaims.
"Nahi, nahiiii. Please chhod dein mujhe." She has tears.
"Arrey Sanam beta kya baat hai kyun Hadi ka naam le rahi ho ussne fir se kuchh kaha hai kya? Sach sach batao beta usne fir ke kuchh dhamki drava diya hai?" Her father asks.

"Baba iss waqt mujhe jaane dein mera jaana bahot zaroori hai."
"Beta kahan lekin? Junaid ke saath chali jao."
"Nahi, please mai ghar aa jaungi aap-aap meri chinta na karein."

Junaid follows her and tries to ask where she is heading but she leaves in a hurry.

She goes straight to the jail where Hadi is. She is denied to meet him, but as she is leaving, one of the senior police officer, Detective Ahmed Saleem, sees her. He asks who she is, and calls her back in his office.

"Aayein baithein." He offers and she sits, nervous as to why he called her.
"Dekhein jaise aapko pata hai ke Mir Shah ke bete, Mir Hadi ko faansi ki sazaa mili hai. Mujhe bataya gaya hai ke aap unki ex-wife hain. Lekin maine bahot dhoondha mujhe aap dono ki marriage ke koi government records nahi mile."
"Woh-uh- main Hadi se mil sakti hun kya?"
"Apne mera jawaab nahi diya."
"Jawaab ke baad aap milne denge?"
"Ji theek hai, lekin mujhe puchh tash karni hai aapse."
"Lekin kyun, Mir Hadi ko toh sazaa mil chuki hai. Ab toh kuch din hi-" She stops, and a gulp forms in her throat, not letting her speak further.
"Ji, sazaa toh mil chuki hai. Government ne public ke pressure mein aa kar faisla toh le liya, lekin aisa lag rahaa hai ke usko phasaya jaa raha hai."
"Ap-apko aisa kyun lag raha hai?"
"15 years in the force Sanam ji. The gut feeling is rarely wrong. Lekin uske elaava bhi, story doesn't make sense. Aur Mir Hadi, Pakistan ke sabse powerful politicians mein se aik ka beta, aik din yun hi confess kar leta hai ke usney murder kiya hai. Anyways, we still have a few days, warna toh apke shohar- oh sorry yeh baat toh reh gayi. Aap mujhe batayeingi please apke nikaah ke papers ke baare mein."
"Mir Hadi mujhe pasand karne laga tha. Usney meri family ko bahot tang kiya mujhe paane ke liye lekin woh nahi maane toh usney mujhe farmhouse par lejaa kar nikaah kiya."
"Aur aap maan gayin?" His eyes are wide.
"Meri behnein bhi thi wahan pe. Maine unke ghar jaane ke badle mein haan kar di, lekin shart rakhi ke yeh nikaah mai papers par nahi karungi. Woh maan gya."
"Huh?! Usko aap pasand nahi aayin thi, junoon ban chuki thi aap uska shayad. Lekin, woh papers pe nikaah na karne ko kaise maan gaya."
"Usney mujhe poochha tha agar main Allah mein yaqeen rakhti hun toh is nikaah ka maan bhi waise hi rakhungi."
"Politicians!" He scoffs.
"Officer pata nahi Mir Hadi bahot badal gaya hai. Jab main uskey saath thi toh woh baar baar yehi bolta tha k usney nahi maara aur woh bahot jald koi saboot mere samney lekar aayega, taa ke mere dil mein bhi wohi jazbaat hon uskey liye jo wou mere liye rakhta tha. Lekin jab se woh dubai se aaya hai, usney aik baar bhi aisa nahi kahaa, balke ilzaam qabool kar liya."

The detective looks up at her and falls into a deep thought.
"Officer? Uh-officer?"
"Haan? Ji-ji boliye?"
"Hadi se milva denge please."
"Ji iss taraf."
As she goes in front of his cell, the officer leaves her alone. He sees Hadi chanting something with his eyes closed.
She softly whispers, "Hadi?"
His eyes open, not looking at her.

"Mujhe pata hai tum mujhe sun paa rahe ho."

"Dekho Hadi, tum apna bayaan vapis lelo, mujhe pata hai tumne kisi cheez ke dabav mein aakar yeh gunaah qubool kiya hai. Haan main tumse nafrat karti hun lekin main tumhein sazaa-e-maut nahi hone dungi. Apna bayaan vapis lo Hadi."