Fizaah made herself comfortable on the kitchen counter, with her bowl of pasta. While her best friend was running around the kitchen, looking for the ingredients to make a cake for her and Amaan's 1st wedding anniversary which is today.
" Main fir se puch rahi hun, koyi help chahiye ya nahi? " (I am asking again, want any help or not?)
" Aur main fir se keh rahi hun, main yeh khud banaungi. Tum bass betho aur yeh socho ki Omar bhai se kese baat karogi. ", Zubia spoke pointedly.
(And I am saying again, I will make this myself. You sit down and think how you will talk to Omar Bhai.)
Fizaah sighed and placed the half eaten pasta aside. Yeah, she has to talk to Omar about something which she knew he would never agree to. But this is what she wants or may be needs. She don't know. She would just speak to him.
She again picked the pasta bowl and started eating while watching Zubia whisk the batter and spluttering the bits on the slab and herself.
Poor girl was doing it for the first time.
...
Today was Saturday and the men were out for work, while their mothers have left to attend a distant relative's wedding.
The extended family has the next day of her rukhsati after a small yet lavish Walima. And it has been six months since that incident and 5 months since their honeymoon. And she could swear, the time she has spent with her husband was full of bliss. They have spent it in the comfort of each other's arms and in manali ki wadiyan. A totally different place from Hyderabad with tasty street food and friendly people.
She was laying on the bed, still remembering their time in manali.
" Kya soch rahi hain begum? ", a voice startled her, making her bang her head on the headboard. (What are you thinking?)
" Aap kab aaye? Maine aapki car ki awaaz bhi nahi suni. " (When did you come? I did not even hear the sound of your car.)
She stood up and enclosed her arms around his neck and placed her head on his shoulder.
This has become her habit, since last six months. Whenever he would come back from work, she would take him in her embrace, in her arms. And he would also make himself home there.
" Bas abhi hi aaya tha. Aur car khraab ho gayi thi, isiliye doosri car se aa gaya. " (Just arrived. And the car was not working, that's why I came from another car.)
He spoke placing his arm around her and steering them towards the bed.
" Tum btao konse khyaalon mein khoyi huyi thi? ", he asked while loosening the buttons of his black kurta with his free hand. (You tell me in which thoughts were you lost?)
" Bass Manali mein guzare huye pal yaad kar rahi thi. " (Just remembering the moments we spent in Manali.)
" Accha, aisa hi hai toh Manali fir chalte hai, kuch nayi yaadein bnane. ", he whispered, nibbling on her earlobe. (Well, then let's go to Manali again, to make some new memories.)
" Omar... "
" Hmm... "
The huskiness in his voice made her blush. She bit her lips and gave him more access to her, but her next words made him drop his head on her shoulder and her to laugh.
" Nahakar aayein. You are stinking. " (Go bathe.)
" Kyun itna zulm karti ho yaar. " (Why do you do this.)
