The colourful commotion of wedding was overwhelming.
The constant clash of harsh noises, with an undercurrent of many voices murmuring an undecipherable tongue, made a bedlam within which she was securely tied.
And challenging the pandemonium, her heart pounded thunderously against ribcage as she felt someone holding her hand.
That was it. For her, everything around her stopped and her mind went blank.
She was flabbergasted.
She watched him, Mouth agape in utter shock unable to fathom out the reason behind her husband's unexpected action.
Why the hell did he hold her hand? Or touched her intentionally?
But as always her dear robotic husband didn't spare her a glance. His eyes were fixed on somewhere else and he continued walking the rest of the way down the stairs, still holding her hand... securely might she add.
She walked noiselessly in her soft khussa, being guided the way by her husband like a toddler.
She felt like sinking to the floor, for all the curious eyes were making her jittery.
And The pin-drop silence worsened her condition.
She wondered if they were looking so strange or mismatch together, for to attract all the shocked and strange gazes,
Or Jahan and Jannat were so different and their empty relationship was so easy to understand by a single sight of their togetherness that they belong to two different world!
At this point she cursed her husband. He could have made any excuse, but what was the need to make her the centre of attention and take to meet his friends in front of thousands of people like this?
And what kinds of friends were they who came to see their so called friend's wife after sixteen years of marriage. Unbelievable!
Jahan took her to the lawn and stopped infront of a few people engaged in a cheerful conversation.
"Hey guys" Jahan spoke loudly to attract their attention.
Everyone present there looked at them. "Is this your wife?" asked someone from among them.
A long silence followed by the question. His hold on her hand tightened making her gulp in apprehension. The one word always results unpleasant consequences. She knew he loathes to even admit her as his wife. His body language revealed that one word was Still capable to ruin his mood and turn his world upside down.
"Yes, my wife" He replied rather sweetly "They are my friends...from London..." as well introduced his friends to her!
Miracle happened! But then again him consciously holding her hand told indeed all of it was a miracle.
"Hello sister-in-law" His friends greeted politely.
"A...assalamualaikum" came her sweet, timid voice.
"Holy shit, man, true to his words the Greek god Jahan Shahnawaz got himself a goddess of beauty" one of his friend exclaimed.
"Jeez! You aren't supposed to say such words Liam, otherwise Jahan the possesive lord will kill you here itself" Another one said playfully and others burst out laughing.
"That is why he kept his beautiful wife hidden from us for so long and then the epitome of truth and justice himself lied that he didn't marry."
A sharp pain pierced through her heart. He lied about his marriage with her!
She looked up at her husband, who maintaining his cold demeanor was just casually listening to his friends....or to be precise was patiently waiting for his friends to end their useless conversation.
"A lot of injustice has been done to us, man. He had been matchmaker to all of us but himself played such a cruel game with his friends"
"That's why we should give special thanks to the bride and groom. Because it is only for them after so many years the judge Shahnawaz granted us the permission to see his wife and our coveted wish is fulfilled finally."
"But I must say the wait was worth it."
"Swearing to God, you are a lucky bastard in everything Mr. Jahan Shahnawaz."
"Yeah yeah, luckiest human in this world" This time he spoke out, voice dripping sarcasm.
"Cross my heart bud, the queen of your heart, the special person talking, dreaming about whom day and night was your favourite job apart from study and for whom you became a poet is much more beautiful than our imagination"
She internally shuddered at the new found information. He had been in love with her since forever!
Now the conversation was making her uncomfortable. She squirmed in her place finding it difficult to stand in front of them and get unwanted entertainment by their brazen banter.
"Aap ka nam kya hai waise? "
The voice!
It oddly felt very familiar. And the surprising thing was how could his British friends speak Hindi?
She glanced at the direction of that voice and caught the eyes of a man upon her, sitting with his friends, but looked so different from others. Immediately she dropped her eyes, wondering why she was so keenly watched by the unknown man.
A sudden realisation hit her. Holding breathe she moved her eyes towards that man and again caught those familiar black eyes staring at her from how long she had no idea.
She stood rooted to the floor, staring at him.
What was he doing there? And when or how did he become her husband's friend?
Jahan was annoyed to the core. Not because of his friends but the unwanted situation he got stucked into with his so called wife. And he hated his friends for this.
Otherwise, he loved them all a lot. The five monkeys ... Aaron, Liam, Jack, Henry and Nick) were his best friends. Friends, classmates and flatmates since he went to London for higher studies. From then until their education was completed, they stayed together through thick and thin. They were famous as golden brotherhood of six, and he was the leader of their group.
Then he came back to his country and followed by his marriage happened in rush that he couldn't even inform his friends. But still he promised to throw a grand party and invite them all, but it never happened. Cruel fate played cruel game with him, changing his life drastically.
For a long time he kept his marriage a secret. But his every visits to London costed out all his brain cells to make excuses to avoid his friends constant nagging.
To either marry.
Or to show his wife.
Their demands increased when one more friend was added to their list.
Zafiq Alam, friend of his friends and Aaron's business partner, and later became his friend as well.
Very strangely, his new friend Zafiq was staring at his wife From the moment he came in front of them with her. And now his docile wife took equal participation in the staring session with him, an unknown man....when she didn't even properly glance at his other friends.
The scenario was quite unexpected and suspicious.
Their constant staring, his moist eyes and her trembling hand in his hold... told entirely a different story. It didn't look like two unknown people's first meeting, rather it seemed 'long-lost lovers' reunion after years.
"J... Jannat.." He felt pain in the quiver of his wife's voice and tears in his friend's eyes.
"Jannat Alam?" Zafiq asked, still staring at her.
Finally she broke the eye contact and glanced at him "Jannat Shahnawaz" stated without any hesitation and briskly went inside the Haveli.
That feeling wasn't pleasant at all.
YOU ARE READING
Hope Of Love
General Fiction"Do you want to go back to him? Are you still in love with him?" He asked, staring at her in trepidation. The fear of losing her was visible in his voice and tearful eyes. "I wish! " A wistful smile appeared on her face, "But That's impossible now...
