Aapki Haya

6

The Siddiqui family entered Hamza's room and smiled as they saw Hamza already asleep in Haya's lap who was now playing mindlessly with his tiny fingers, lost in her own reverie.

Shazia sat on the stool next to the bed, which broke Haya's trance. Offering her a smile, Haya greeted, "Assalam Walaikum, mami" to which Shazia greeted back.

"Tum kaisi ho Haya? Ghar pe sab kaise hain?" Shazia asked, and Shazain settled down on the other chair near the bed, facing Shazia.

Atif took out his clothes from the bag his mother brought along and went to shower in the washroom which was within the room, Haya's eyes subconsciously following his moves, while she answered Shazia, "Sab khairiyat mami, Alhamdulillah"

The trio continued with small talk, nobody bringing out the marriage topic, pushing it for as long as they can, before actually having to address it.

After a few minutes, Atif came out, dressed in a full sleeve solid white button down shirt with black trousers, obtaining a semi formal look.

Discarding his old clothes on the sofa, out of habit, he pulled out Hamza's clothes with a diaper and padded towards the bed.

Awkwardly, he gestured to Haya to pass him Hamza so that he can change him. Before Haya could do so, Shahzain interrupted, "Shazia aur mai cafeteria jaa ke aate hain, kuch chahiye tum dono ko?"

As if on cue, Shazia stood up and followed Shahzain out of the room once they received an awkward head shake from both the kids.

"Ma.. Main kar deti hoon?" Haya fumbled, her plead almost felt like a question. Atif looked at her, gulped and nodded, before fowarding Hamza's clothes to her.

As Haya engaged herself in changing Hamza, Atif sat on the end of the bed, keeping his gaze on her.

"Kyu nikkah kar rahi hain aap mujhse?" He asked, crushing the silence.

Haya, looked at him abruptly, before back to her business. She didn't know what to say, so she kept mum. Atif sighed, not getting an answer.

"Haya" He, for the first time, with extreme difficulty, called her by her name instead of 'aapi' and that surely brought butterflies in her stomach to life. Instead of answering his call, she just looked at him.

"Kya aap Hamza ki maa bann ke unhein ek maa ka pyaar dengi?" His words unclear, voice doubtful but his message was as clear as a summer, cloudless sky.

Would you undergo the surgery to feed Hamza your milk?

Haya bit her lip, taking a second before signing up her life to the man she loved since she understood the meaning of love. Her meek nod, gave Atif a sense of relief.

"Shukriya" He muttered, Haya smiled.

Atif continued, with a little more confidence than before, "Main aapse ishq - mohobbat ke waadein nahi karunga, kyuki aap bhi jaanti hain main yeh nikkah kyun kar raha hoon"

Haya nodded, hiding her hurt very well. Well, she knew he wouldn't love her like she loved him.

"Lekin, main aapse yeh waada karta hoon, ke aapko ek biwi hone ka poora darja doonga. Joh aap chahengi woh aapke kadmo mein rakh dunga" Atif's voice sounded confident and promising.

"Iss liye nahi ke aap mujhpe ya Hamza pe ehsaan kar rahi hain, balki iss liye ki aap meri biwi hongi, meri zimmedari" He made himself clear with every word, all Haya could do was nod.

"Badle mein main aapse sirf ek cheez maangunga, aap please mana na karna" He left his words un-completed to invoke curiousity in Haya, who finally muttered hed first word, "Kya?"