Khaani Reboot

Confessions

Momina slowly opens her eyes to find Hamza pacing his room impatiently, Hadi standing in the corner with his arms crossed, and she thinks, "Where is Shehryar? Did he leave already?"

"Thank God tumhein hosh aaya." A familiar concerned voice speaks up from beside the bed where she lay. Momina turns to find that it was Shehryar

"Bhabhi are you okay?" Hadi springs up forward.

"Mona!" Hamza follows him. 

He sits beside her with his hand on her forehead, caressing her slowly.

As soon as Momina comes to her senses, she gets up hurriedly, away from Shehryar, who was holding her arm and closer to Hamza. She then studies Hamza's face to realise that the shock he was in upon knowing about Shehryar, has now subsided. She checks the clock, it had been an hour since she was unconscious. Shehryar and Hamza have probably talked about it.

"Chale jao yahan se." Momina says, hurt oozing from her words.

"Haan tumhare utthne ka intezaar kar raha tha." In this moment, Shehryar looked like an older brother and not the ruthless businessman he was. He reluctantly moves his body to get up and leave, not wanting to leave his sister's side. Hamza gets up to see him out.

Momina scoffs, tears flowing while she sat hugging her knees.

"Bhabhi, if you don't mind me saying. I think you should resolve this with Shehryar- err- your brother." Hadi sits on the chair beside the bed, hunching forward. He gives her his handkerchief to wipe her tears.

"You don't understand Hadi."

"You're right I don't. I can only say anything from my perspective. Lekin Sanam ke saath rehkar mujhe ehsaas hua, aik ladki ke liye uski shaadi par uskey bhai ka hona kitna zaroori hai. You're the strongest person I've met Momi. Stronger than me, Hamza everybody else I know, but you know what, Sanam has to be strong because she lost her brother, but you- you can still be your brother's little sister. I don't care what kind of business he does or what relations he has with dangerous people, including my own brother. But before the world turned him into a feared man, woh tumhara bhai tha, so tumhara uspar haq sabse pehle hai. Aur haan, yeh shayad akhiri baar tha ke maine tumhara nickname se tumhein bulaya hai. I already got the warning that 'Momi' name is copyrighted by him." Hadi laughs, lightening the dense environment.

A small smile forms on Momina's lips as she remembers Hadi shouted the word 'Momi', when she fell. And Shehryar must've warned him not to call her that since he was the only one who could do that.

"Yeh jo advise mujhe de rahe ho, apne upar apply ki hai?" Momina says in a low voice.

"Nahi, ab tak yeh advise thodi unrealistic lag rahi thi. Lekin aaj mujhe realise ho raha hai."

"Kya?"

"Ke kitna galat tha, Sanam ka haath na thaamkar, US jaane ka decision. Usney kis par haq jataaya hoga? Usney kis se shikayatein ki hogi. Bhabhi I think I- I've made up my mind."

"Mujhe behosh hona padaa tumhein yeh baat realise karvaane ke liye."

"Mujhe lagta hai aapko bhi-"

"Hmm. Roko uss- Shehryar sahab ko. I need to talk it out. Koi aur raasta nahi hai."

"On it." Hadi says and runs out, calling Hamza.

15 minutes later, Momina comes out, wrapped up in Hamza's shawl.

"Mona are you sure you're okay going with him?" Hamza asks, a sheen sweat forming on his forehead despite the cold weather.

"Hmm. I'll text you when I reach home." Momina says and walks towards Shehryar's car with him.