Kabhi main, kabhi tum, kabhi yeh, kabhi voh

Part 7: Weekend Plans

As the days passed, Sharjeena found herself slowly regaining some strength, both physically and emotionally. While she still felt distant from Mustafa and missed their old connection, a sense of independence and self-reliance began to emerge within her. The spark of excitement about her work and the time she spent with her friends slowly returned. Mustafa, on the other hand, was engulfed in a constant state of anxiety and inner turmoil, worried about losing her. Every time he thought about addressing the growing distance between them, fear held him back. He knew that he was terrible at conversations and didn't trust himself to express his feelings without making things worse. Besides, work was consuming him as he and his team brainstormed tirelessly, trying to expand the market reach of their game. Despite his realizations, Mustafa's focus on earning more money before the baby arrived kept pulling him away from Sharjeena.

One week later, as Sharjeena arrived at her desk, she was greeted by two small succulent plants sitting on her table, along with a handwritten note: "Don't forget to take a break and water us." The note was signed with just an "R." She instantly recognized it was from Rehan. Before she could process the gesture, Rehan approached her from behind.

"I hope you like them," he said, a friendly smile on his face.

Sharjeena forced a smile, feeling slightly uncomfortable, "Yes, I do. Thank you."

Rehan noticed her hesitation and sat down next to her, "Um-kya maine kuch galat kia, Sharjeena? Uh-Actually, yeh meri sister ka idea tha. Maine bataya tha na aapko the she is also expecting and lives in the US. Kal maine unko aapke baare mein bataya tha and also how you remind me of her. I also told her ki aap kaise is time mein bhi apna kaam itne achhe se manage karti hain and how you've been such a great mentor to me. Toh she told me ki is time pe aise chhote chhote gestures achhe lagte hain bohot, and I should also thank you for being such a great mentor to me, and she assumed you'd like the same things she does. But now, I think I may have overstepped."

Realizing that his gesture was meant in kindness, Sharjeena relaxed a little and said, "Aisi baat bilkul nahi hai, Rehan. Mujhe bohot achha laga tumhara yeh gesture. It's sweet of you, and your sister sounds really amazing and thoughtful."

Rehan's eyes lit up at the mention of his sister. "Yeah, she's amazing. Bohot yaad aati hai unki, especially ammi ko, unka bohot dil karta hai is time pe unka khayal rakhne ka. Jab bhi kuch special khaane ka banaati hai, she just starts missing her and cries."

Sharjeena's face softened as Rehan spoke, she realised that it's not only Rehan who tries to see his elder sister in Sharjeena, but slowly, she had also started to care about him the way she would care about her younger siblings. Every time, Rehan did a good job, she would feel so proud of him, always making sure Mr. Hussain knows about it. She would go out of her ways to make sure that he feels comfortable at his new job, his naive nature and positive outlook towards everything would always melt her heart.

"I'm also the eldest daughter," she said as she decided to share a bit about her own life with him. "My sisters, Yumna and Rameen, they're my world. Yumna and meri saath hi shaadi hui thi, and now she has a baby. Rameen abhi padh rahi hai and lives with our parents. Ammi abba ka ghar office se zyaada door nahi hai."

"That's wonderful," Rehan responded, leaning in with genuine interest. "Aap toh phir aaye din unse milne chale jaate hoge yaa phir voh aapse milne aa jaate honge. Your mom must be thrilled, especially with you expecting."

Sharjeena's smile faltered as she realized the weight of his words. She hadn't seen her family much at all. In the months leading up to this point, she had distanced herself, prioritizing Mustafa over everything. Even when he wasn't around, she'd spend time at their empty apartment, waiting for him to return. Her mother, ever eager to be with her, had often expressed the desire to pamper her during her pregnancy, to cook her nourishing meals. But Sharjeena had refused each time, saying she was fine. In truth, she didn't want to upset Mustafa again. He had made it clear that he felt hurt and insulted by her family's well-intentioned gestures.