"Waqt? Kaisa waqt?" Ruhi asked her husband who was looking at her with nothing but utmost sincerity.
"Aap toh janti hi hai humara nikah kinn halaton main huwa hai. Uss sab se cope up karne ke liye waqt chahiye tha." Arham told to his wife finally. The same wife he always adored from a distance because he didn't had the guts to tell her about his feelings.
Two months back, Ruhi's ammi took her last breathe. She was a sweetheart, a trait Ruhi took over from her.
And her last wish was to see her daughter tied to her favourite man, Arham Hussain. Only son of her bestfriend Azra Hussain and Danish Hussain. So she asked for this on her death bed.
And since no one could deny the ailing woman's wish, Ruhi Bano became Ruhi Arham Hussain near the hospital, at a Dargah.
"Woh hum samajhte hai. Humara gila bass itna hai ki aapne ye hume bataya kyu nahi. Pehle bata dete toh hum wese hi ummed na lagae baith te aapse." She said and looked around, outside the big bay window of their bedroom.
Following her gaze, Arham looked out side as well.
"Hum jante hai humse bohot badi khata hui hai. Aur maafi ke haqdaar nahi hai hum. Par ek mauke ki guzarish toh kar hi sakte hai na aapse?" The twenty two year old pleaded her with sincerity. So much that it made her rethink about her decision of ignoring him for two months. Just the same way, as he did.
But then come to think of it, he had always been gentle to her. Sure they hadn't met much before as it was considered haram in Islam, but even after this alliance of matrimony, he always provided her with everything.
Even when she was bullied outside her college once because of her traditional outfit choice by some behaya seniors, her chauffeur was quick enough to kick the boys in stomach and hand over the girls to lady gaurd. Later Ruhi found out it was all the order of Arham. And that he was connected to the chauffer via call all the time.
"Kya aap wada kar sakte hai iss rishte ko jaan dene ka? Fir muqar toh nahi jaenge humse?" Ruhi asked, innocence in her eyes and fear in her voice.
"Apni jaan se bhi zyada sambhal ke rakhenge iss rishte ko. Aapki aur apke dil ki aakhiri saas tak hifazat karenge. Bass ye mauka de dein hume." Arham let out, his eyes shedding unseen tears.
"Wada?" Ruhi asked once more.
"Wada." Arham replied and took a hold of her hands.
