Unsiyat ✓

13|

Lying on the bed I was looking at the photos that I took of her at the farewell. She looks pretty in saree and this hairstyle suits her the most.

When she slipped because of that friend of her, how hard I controlled myself from yelling at the other one.

On the way back I just wanted some time alone with her and she got all her friends....... Anyways, her sitting next to me was everything.

"Paise lene gai thi ya paise wala." Her one of the friends teased her, the shyness she had on her face was everything I wanted to capture in my phone and keep it with me forever.

This paise wala is hers.

When the sun will rise, and I'll go there and see her again.

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I wasn't able to sleep all night, soon it was Fajr, I left the apartment informing Maa Jaan who woke up for prayer.

"Aj Dua ko lete aana kl to laye nahi aur Atiqa ne kya surprise ki rat lagai hui hai."

"Ji."

After namaz, I went directly at her place. Should I honk the car? Should I call? But for her I don't have her number. I should wait. I stayed looking up one of the balconies is of hers.

Soon she came down. Let's go. Tees and plazzo? Yet we left. On the way I got blue and white suit which used to be her favorite color. I wish it's still same as even I have started liking it only to wear matching as hers sometimes.

All the way she just slept. No talk. Nothing. As soon as she woke up, I broke the news of Atiqa and Paro's proposal. I regret now. Her face left a shade. I just said in irritation because of her sleeping.

"Tum kya chahte ho?"

"Jo tum chahti ho." Please just say tumhe mere saath rehna hai.

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Maa Jaan did great at making her stay back and the fact that she can never say no to her. Finally as Sameer Bhai said I'll show all my good side and convince her.

"Tum uncomfortable nahi ho jaoge mere hone se?" I looked at her and then again infront.

Why didn't I thought about her being uncomfortable around me?

"Nahi." I said, I can't let her know my desperation. "Zyada tr hum kaam k silsile me bahar hi rahenge."

"Fine that means I can rest in peace there!" She surely thinks she just thought but she uttered it out.

A rush of anger, I can feel it in my body. Uncomfortable? Peace? Am I a cheap kind of guy or characterless?

Later I started spending most of my time at office working on my projects and helping others just to avoid going home.

If I make her uncomfortable I should stay away.

"Ye bhi." Kaifi threw few cans of non alcoholic drinks in the cart. After hectic work time and overtime we got because of the Boss's professor who want some undue favour from him. We are at nearby supermarket.

Strolling through the beverage section I came across Horlicks. She likes this.

I got few original taste ones and kept it in the cart receiving a smirk from Kaifi.

"Hume pasand hai."

"Tumhare bacche bhi hain?" He is really something.

"Nahi hain."

"Inshallah future me honge." He walked away with the cart leaving me standing there still. Bacche? She doesn't even want to live with me.

We were standing in the billing queue when my eyes fell on the Frozen cup. Will she like it? Ofcourse.....no.

"Hum abhi aate hain." I ran and grabbed the cup.

"Tere pakka bacche hain." He looked at the cup. "Nahi bacchi hai." I just shook my head.

Bacchi to hai wo.

We came back at office and kept on working it's Fajr time. I stood up from my chair, streching. My phone rang.

"Ji Maa Jaan."

"Ghar nahi aaoge aaj bhi."

"Bahut saare kaam hai aur abhi Atiqa ke shaadi k liye chuti bhi to leni hai."

"Choro ye sab. Lucknow me hai to basa basaya buisness jaise Sameer sambhalta hai tum bhi lena."

"Maa Jaan hume family business me koi interest nahi hai hum architect ke line me kuch karna chate hain na ki mithaiyo ke dukaan me makhiya udana."

"Hum rukhsati ke baad Dua ko rakh lenge tab dekhte hain kaise man lagta hai yaha."

"Maa Jaan ye to na-insaafi hai."

She have disconnected the call. Maa Jaan is the one who fought with the family when said I'm not interested in family business but architect.

"Toh Lucknow ke halwai hain aap." Kaifi stood up straight. I can say anything to my family business but not anyone else. And this teasing smile of his.

I held his shoulder and forcefully made him sit back. Typing Khani & Sweets on the search bar I made him see the screen. His teasing smile turned into surprising gasp with open mouth.

"Khani & Sweets" it started by Dadu for Dadi, as she likes sweets. From one shop to branches all over U.P. Dadu had work really hard alongwith Dadi's tahajjud turning all into shukarana. Soon Dadu built the haveli and started his family becoming a forever tale of love.

"Yaar tu toh accha khasa Ameer hai yaha kya kar raha hai."

"Ye jo tumne achi khasi eavesdropping ki thi usme se sirf halwai hi samjh ayi thi." I started walking out of building.

"Accha yaar naraz kyu hota hai."

"Fazr padhne jaa rahe hain."

"Ops!"

"Tum bhi chalo."

"Na bhai tu hi jaa ye zameen pe sar patakhna mere samjh ke bahar hai." He walked toward the washroom.

Namaaz? Kya is se bhi dur hua jaa sakta hai? Ye to hume Allah se kareeb karti hai.

After namaaz I was sitting in the prayer hall when sleep took over me.

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"Namaaz nahi padhna se hume saza kyu milti hai Dadu?" A eight years old, Fakhir asked.

"Saza to nahi milti. Jabki namaaz se dur hona khud me ek saza hai mere bache." Mustakim Khan, Dadu had a voice that can please anyone standing there hearing him.

"Accha." The little boy thought for a while. "Aur... baat chupane se saza milti hai ya jhoot bolne se?"

"Dono me fark kya hai?" Dadu asked back.

"Pata nahi." He did his shoulder up while dangling his leg sitting on the head chair.

Dadu kept on answering and he kept on asking different questions. This wasn't anything new to Mustakim Khan, Fakhir often used to find ways to ask him questions that no one else answers or when the other's answers didn't satisfy him.