RAABTA : A collection of short stories

PART 3

It was a Sunday afternoon and everybody was home.
Rukhsar was watching some daily soap when she saw Riyaaz come in the hall.
She immediately wetted her eyes with water kept in a glass on the side table.

Riyaaz sat on the couch next to his mother "aur mama kya dekha ja raha hai?"

"Bas aise hi" Rukhsar's gruff voice attracted Riyaz's attention "kya huwa....aap ....aap ro rahi hain?"

"Nahi....Riyaaz...bas"

"Mama..."

"Bas Mahi ki yaad aa gayi" she sniffed a little making him frown "Maru....toh yahin hai.."

"Kab tak?" She couldn't believe she could act

"Hamesha......." he shrugged making her temperature rise a little but she controlled.

"Kyun..... tumne kabhi nikaah nahi karne ka faisla liya hai usne nahi." Rukhsar's voice got a little louder.

"Ek to ye shaadi.....mai nahi chahta bahar se koi ladki aaye aur ghar ka mahaul barbaad kar de......." Riyaaz was dead against his marriage.

"Maine kabhi tumhe pressurise nahi kiya hai Riyaaz kyunki jo tumhare dost k sath hua..uska tum par bahut gehra asar pada tha.......lekin har ladki waisi nahi hoti hai" Rukhsar never liked the judgemental nature of his son towards women......she never pressurised him for marriage because she knew no woman would like his strong attachment with Mahira....it would be better if he married Mahira only. And also she loved his gudiya too much to let her go.

"Guarantee toh koi nahi le sakta...mai risk lena bhi nahi chahta...I am a content man" he smiled

"Lekin hum Mahi ki baat kar rahe the....tumhari nahin"

"Maru.....Maru toh abhi bahut chhoti hai" he picked up a magazine carelessly.

"Ji 16 ki hone jane rahi hai agle hafte nai" sarcasm was dripping from Rukhsar's mouth.
When she didn't get any reply .. she added "Badi ho gayi hai wo Riyaaz ... aur upar se bala ki khubsoorat.....bahuton ki nazar hai us par........wo toh aadhe logon ko ye lagta hai ki tum usse shaadi karne wale ho......." as soon as the words got out of her mouth Riyaaz's neck snapped at her direction "Kya"

"Tch...lekin ye toh ho hi nahi sakta" Rukhsar shrugged off the matter as it was nothing and continued speaking "Tumhe kya lagta hai Mahi ko koi pasand hai?"

"Mu mujhe nahi pata...aur wo aisi nahi hai " agitation was clearly seen in Riyaz's eyes

"Aisi ka kya matlab...kisi ko pasand karna gunaah nahi hai..........khair chhodo ..uske nikaah k baad chale jane ks khayal se hi hamara man bhar jata hai" she said pushing her head backwards.

"Ahhh ... mai bahar se aata hun mama" Riyaaz got up kneading his neck with an unreadable expression.

"Ya Allah.....mehnat zaya mat hone dena" Rukhsar prayed drying her face with the dupatta.

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"Riyaaz...Riyaaz" Sarfraaz shook Riyaaz's shoulders "kahan khoye hue ho......subah se dekh raha hun...koi baat hai"

"Na nahi Abbu...bas kaam ka stress hai thoda"

"Jo bhi zaroori kaam hai isi hafte khatma kar lo...agle hafte Noor ki engagement hai....bahut sare rishtedaar bhi aayenge " Sarfraaz said sitting on the chair opposite to Riyaaz's.

"Ab iske baad toh Mahi ki hi baari hai"

Riyaaz's fingers halted and he started squirming in his place. It's like everybody is going to have the epiphany today only.

"Arre Abbu..aap kab aaye?" Zain entered the cabin with a file in his hands.

Showing the file to Riyaaz, he asked " kya baatein ho rahi thin?"

"Kuch nahi Mahi k bare me baat ho rahi thi kyunki Noor k baad toh usi k number hai" Sarfaraz smiled.

Zain chuckled with a sad smile

"Kya huwa?"

"Kuch nahin Abbu... wo ghar me na rahe toh ghar kitna soona lagta hai..." Zain said ruefully making Riyaaz loosen his tie a bit in restlessness..."Mai aata hun zara"

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The rains lashed down on the window panes which were a bit open and allowing the water droplets to enter the room. Riyaaz stood up to close the windows when a melodious voice of laughter hit his ears. He pulled out his head to see the source and found a feminine figure responsible for the enchanting laughter and next second a never felt emotion hit his heart pulling its strings in a rhythm.
He immediately tore his gaze away " Ye mai kya soch raha hun...wo Maru hai...." But the strings again pulled his gaze towards the beautiful sight involuntarily and this time his eyelashes didn't blink...they stood mesmerized.

He was sitting on the recliner with closed eyes which had captured a lot for the day. " Maru ko maine aaj tak iss nazar se nahi dekha toh aaj kyun" the thoughts  making him take turns.
"Mama ki baaton ka itna asar...."
"Nazar andaz kiye hue ehsaas se unhone ne mukhatib kara diya toh unhe dosh kyun"

His mind was full of thoughts which he was sure, were not going to give him a wink of sleep the entire night.

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"Waah kabab...Mahi pass kar " Zain came running to the dining table where everyone was present probably waiting for him.

Rukhsar hit his head lightly "Thoda jaldi utha karo."

"Arre Riyaaz tum kyun kuch nahi le rahe aur aankhein laal kyun hain...soye nahi ho kya" Hania said pushing kababs in Riyaaz's plate.

"Kaam k thoda stress hai chachi" Riyaaz smiled a little

"Kaam kaam kaam....bas karo ab" Razia scolded him affectionately.

Mahnoor's engagement was close and so everybody was busy in the preparations. Everyday the girls were out on shopping for one thing or the other. They were having a blast while  there was someone who was torn between emotions. By the end of the week everyone was ready and so was Riyaaz, the man who seemed to have won over the battle in his mind.