RAABTA : A collection of short stories

XI

Dedicated to zohakhaleel 😊😊

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"Aaplog aa rahe ho na...." Safiya was talking on the phone in whispers as she was tightly packed in Ibrahim's arms and didn't want to disturb his sleep....as of now.

"Arre kuch nahi hoga................haan mai guarantee leti hun" She smiled and looked at her husband who was in a deep slumber "Bas aise hi sote rahein kuch der"

After sometime, she gently tried removing his hand from her waist but didn't succeed......."Kya huwa" she jumped at Ibrahim's groggy voice and looked at him "Wo..washroom....aap so jaein"
Ibrahim nodded with closed eyes and again fell into a slumber.......

Getting herself out of bed, Safiya took out a packet from the drawer and tore it without making any noise. After sometime she seemed to be tired and walked out of the room taking long breaths.

Her eyes twinkled seeing the result of her hard work gracing the cabinet of the fridge, arranging it on a tray she entered the room with stealthy footsteps.

Hearing the knocks on the door, she excitedly opened it to welcome her brothers who looked a little hesitant ...."Are you sure..the bomb will not detonate?"

"Shut up..Bhaijaan"

Waiting for sometime, the countdown was going on

"10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY"

The howling reverberated and echoed through the walls of the room making Ibrahim open his eyes at once.....
"Safi....are you okay" he immediately turned only to feel an empty space.

His eyes roamed in the room finding not even a silhouette......but his sharp eyes managed to catch a reflection carrying something.....may be some weapon he guessed.

He immediately picked up a hockey stick from a corner cupboard and stood next to the washroom door which was a little open............

As soon as the door opened, Ibrahim lifted the stick and smacked the first person he saw ...."Aaah....."

The familiar sound made him frown and he turned the figure on the ground on his back only to see cake smeared all over his face. Ibrahim wiped the cake only to find Azhar with closed eyes mumbling "Happy Birthday Bhaijaan"

"Bhaijaan" next he saw Safiya coming with a flared nose "Mujhe pehle wish karna tha"

"Haan toh danda bhi kha lena tha na...aah" Azhar winced standing up and glared at his cousins who were rolling on the washroom floor laughing....

"Kya tha yeh...." Ibrahim rubbed Azhar's shoulder to ease the pain...

"Happy Birthday Ibrahim...." Safiya squealed like a child bursting the balloons she had blown an hour ago all alone which had tensed her breathing muscles. Next, she tried to engulf Ibrahim in a hug, but he stepped back pointing at others through his eyes making her pout....."Cake bhi gaya aur hug bhi"

Ayaan, Rahat and Faiz somehow controlled their laugh and wished Ibrahim but one look at Azhar, they again broke into fits of laughter.

"Bhaijaan ko gale lagayein kya?" Ayaan whispered to which Faiz shrugged "Biwi ko toh gale lagne nahi diya...hamaari kya aukaat hai"

"Baat to hai....." Ayaan nodded and dropped the idea.

"Maine itne pyaar se aapke liye cake banaya tha.......sara kharaab ho gaya" Safiya kept looking at her distorted cake lying on the floor.