"NAHI"

Everyone in the Nikaah mehfil turned their head to the direction of the voice.

"QUBOOL NAHI HAI ! Aur na kabhi hoga!!"

Zoya's lips curved into a teary smile when she recognized the voice. It was her Aditya walking inside the door.

"Woh aa gaye, Appi. Woh hume lene aa gaye"

Maya took a long breath of relief and thanked her Allah when she saw the two of them at the door. Her eye met with her husband who stood right next to her would-be brother-in-law. Sahir had a big smile on his face when he nodded at his wife. She mouthed an emotional thank you to her husband and her smile widened.

But it wasn't over just there! Drama was yet to start!

Aditya then went straight to the Maulvi reading Nikaah vows, "Kisi ladki ki marzi ke bina uss se Nikaah qubool karwana gunaah h. Itna to jante hi honge aap?"

The religious man who was just there to follow God's wishes and bond Allah's decided people for life, looked Aditya up & down questionably. "Janab, aapki tareef?"

"Yeh zaroori nahi h ki main kaun hu. Aap mere sawaal ka jawab dijiye. Aap ek ladki ka Nikaah usski marzi ke khilaaf kyun padh rahe h?"

His claim to the Maulvi started series of doubts and questions among the guests. Forcing a girl to QUBOOL a Nikaah is a sin! Nobody of them good people wanted to being a part of the sin!!

Hearing people having doubts on his relevance, & questions being raised on his reputation, the angry Maulvi turned to Aditya.

"Kon ho tum? Aur kis binah pe yeh dawa kr rahe ho? Koi saboot h tumhare paas apni baat ka?", the Maulvi asked for proof strictly when he saw the mehfil getting disturbed.

"Zoya yeh Nikaah kabhi qubool nahi karegi kyu ki woh yeh chahti hi nahi h", Aditya answered.

"Kon lgte ho tum Zoya ki taraf se yeh dawa krne wale? Kis haq se tum kisi aur ki hone wali Biwi pr apna haq jata rahe ho? Kya rishta h tumhara usske saath?"

"Main woh hu jisse Zoya pyaar karti h aur jiske saath woh apni saari zindagi beetana chahti h. Aap chahe to khud Zoya se puch skte h, Maulvi sahab", Aditya's open claims made eyes raised at Waseem-Roshnaq.

"Siddiqui sahab, aapke hote hue yeh sab kya ho raha h? Aap chup kyun h? Hume koi smjhaega yahan ho kya raha h?", Gafur Malik stood from his position and questioned angrily to Waseem.

Waseem finally spoke up in order to calm angry Gafur who was concerned about his reputation. "Malik sahab, aap hamari baat ka yakeen karen yeh ladka sirf bakwaas kr rha h. Zoya to janti tk nahi h isse. Maulvi sahab, yahan kisi ko bhi iss rishtey se koi aitraaz nhi h. Aap Nikaah padhen. Hamari Beti Nikaah zaroor qubool karengi"

Trying to handle the situation, he requested and prayed that his daughter not say or do anything stupid that could make situation worse for him and his family.

"Zoya Waseem Siddiqui, kya tumhe apni marzi se yeh Nikaah qubool h? Kya tum Arshad Gafur Malik ko apna Shauhar qubool krti ho?"

Directly looking at Zoya this time, Maulvi read the vows for the third final time while everyone in the room anticipated as their eyes sticked to the bride and their ears to her response.

Aditya looked in Zoya's direction, "Bol do, Zoya"

Maya firmly kept her hand on Zoya's shoulder. "It's time! Bata do sbko tum kya chahti ho"

"Waseem agar tumhari Beti ne Nikaah qubool nahi kra, to hum bhool jayenge ki tum aur hum kabhi dost hua karte the", Gafur whispered his warning in Waseem's ears who was sweating.

Gathering courage Zoya stood from her seat & withdrew her veil. "Hume yeh Nikaah qubool nhi h", she answered.

"Zoya bete, yeh aap kya keh rahi h. Apne Abbu ki izzat ka to khyaal karein", Roshnaq scolded her daughter in a low voice from behind.

"Ammi usse kehne dijiye jo woh kehna chahti h. Please", Maya held her Ammi's hand.

"Maya, aap bhi inke saath mili hui h?", Roshnaq unbelievably looked at her elder daughter.

"Ammi yeh waqt inn sb baaton ka nahi h", she asked her mother to quit.

But Zoya was too firm in her decision this time. She further spoke, "Iss Nikah me hamari marzi shaamil nahi h. Hum isske liye Raazi nahi h"

Waseem was barging in to shut her but Maulvi stopped him. "Kya yeh ladka jo keh raha h woh sach h?"

Zoya looked at Aditya whose eyes had nothing but love for her. She smiled with her eyes and started confessing, "Zindagi usske saath bitayi jati h jisse hum beintehaa mohabbat krte h. Aur hamare Allah se behtar yeh baat koi nahi janta ki hamare dil me sirf Aditya h. Unke siva humne kisi aur ke baare me socha bhi nhi. Hum chahte h ki hamara Nikaah issi Mehfil me ho Aditya ke saath, aap sbki maujoodgi me".

Her confession was surprise to the guests but her last words shocked everyone including her family.

After giving it a lot of thought & as if God was in their favor too, Maulvi spoke granting Zoya's request, "Agar tumhari yahi marzi h, to hum yeh Nikaah zaroor padhenge. Aur iss baar sb kuch tareeke se hoga".

And he began to make some changes in words and papers to get the couple married on spot. This broke the hell for Waseem. "Maulvi sahab, aap yeh kya kr rahe h", he shouted.

"Siddiqui sahab, humse unchi awaaz me baat krne ka anjaam jante h aap? Apni Beti ke saath zabardasti kr k pehle hi ek galti kr chuke h aap. Hume mazboor mat kijiye ki hum aapke khilaaf koi kadam uthane pr mazboor ho jaye", warning Waseem of his mistakes in a serious tone, the wise old Maulvi forced him to shut his mouth.

Arshad, the supposed groom, being a sensible man knew wasn't worth being there any longer. "Abbu, hamare yahan rukne ka koi mtlb nahi h. I think we should leave", removing his sehra, he insisted his father to leave without any drama.

"Yeh dushmani tumhe bahut mehengi padegi, Waseem Siddiqui. Hum yaad rakhenge yeh din", before exiting the door, Gafur Malik threatened Waseem whose face has lost all the colors.

Aditya was made sit at the place where Arshad was sitting earlier. Upon Maulvi's instructions, his Assistant placed the new Sehra on Aditya's head. Ignoring Waseem who seemed irrelevant at that time while he still cribbed, Maulvi stood in between the new couple for completing the ritual and started reading.

"Janab Aditya Hooda, Nikaah se pehle aap ko apni dulhan ko Meher ki rakam pesh krni hogi"

Without even thinking Aditya replied, "Sb kuch! Main apna sb kuch Zoya ke naam krna chahta hu. Jo bhi mera h, aaj iss pal se sb Zoya ka h"

He had swamped her sister from her feet long ago, and now she too was not any less amused with her new brother-in-law's romantic gesture. "You know dear sister, I only had liking for him until this moment. Now this man has my heart", proud of her sister's choice, Maya teased Zoya who was blushing.

Impressed with his offering, Maulvi finally read the Nikaah vows to both of them to which both of them took no time to say yes to. Maya-Sahir happily became the witness of the marriage as they welcome the new couple to the family.

"Nikah Mubarak, Aditya. Welcome to the family, Aditya", Sahir hugged Aditya patting his back.

"Thanks to You. Yeh sb aap dono ke support ke bina possible nahi tha. Thanks so much guys", Aditya obliged them with his best smile.

"Anything for the family", said Sahir giving him another tight hug.

Maya who was cutely watching the sweet bond between new brother-in-laws, tapped Aditya's shoulder. "Hi Jeeju. Ab to Jeeju bula skti hu na tumhe?"

"Aap jo chahe mujhe bula skti h, APPI", with a charming smile Aditya teased her back.

"Aditya, we already decided tum mujhe Appi nhi kahoge? It's only Maya for you", with that Maya pulled her brother-in-law for a welcoming hug.

"Okay, as you say. Appi!", he winked at her. "Pr aapki behen kahan h? She didn't even hug me", the fun-natured Aditya made a face. Amidst the greetings they missed the bride only as Aditya mentioned his new wife.

Maya turned back to look at her sister who was right behind her a few minutes ago but wasn't there now. "Where did she go? Ab yahin to thi"

~~~~~~~~~~

Zoya fell on the bed from the impact of the slap hit right across her face imprinting her father's fingerprints on her pink-now-turned-red cheek.

"Yeh hi din dikhane ke liye paida kia tha aapko? Ki ek din hamari apni Beti sari duniya ke samne hamare chehre pe Badnami ki kalip ponch de?"

Furious Waseem whose eyes were burning with the fire of rage left marks on her other cheek as Zoya felt the vibration on her entire left side.

"Aaj sirf aur sirf aapki wajah se hume duniya ke taane bardasht karne pad rahe h. Naa jane kya kya baatein fela rahe h log hamare khandan ke baare me. Kahin ka nahi choda aapna hume .."

Holding his head in his hands, Waseem lost his sense of mind as he slipped on the floor by the bed traumatized. It is not easy for a daughter to see her father breaking down like that, and so it isn't for his wife.

"Kuch nahi bacha hamare paas.."

Watching her husband lose his oneself in front of her eyes is the worst thing a wife has to see. Roshnaq being the unfortunate wife had gone emotionally numb. In the same room was the person responsible for her father's destruction. Zoya who had never imagined such an Avataar of her Ammi was more shocked than hurt when she pulled her hairs making her cry in pain.

"Ammi aahhh .. ", Zoya got petrified by the look on her mother's face.

"Agar hume pata hota hum aisi beti janam dene jaa rahe h to apni kok me hi maar daalte aapko. Hume apne Shauhar ki yeh halat to nahi dekhna padti. Kisi ko muh dikhane layak nahi choda h aapne hume aur apne Abbu ko. Kya bigada tha hum ne aapka, boliye?"

Mothers aren't supposed to be cruel. But Zoya's acts had taken away that right too from herself. Roshnaq who was neither less humiliated not less ashamed for bringing up such a daughter, was in no less fury than her husband.

"Ammi-Abbu, aap jo chahe hume saza de lijiye. Jitna chahe hume maar lijiye. Please, hume aur Aditya ko apna lijiye. Hume aapke aashirwad ki zaroorat h"

Hearing her daughter talk back made Roshnaq even angrier and she made Zoya stand on her feet by pulling her hairs tightly from the scalp only to slap her again.

"Besharmi ki aur kitni hadhein paar krni reh gyi h, Zoya? Kya nahi kia aapke Abbu ne aapke liye jo iss tarah saza de rahi h aap unhe? Yeh silaah dia h apne Abbu ke pyaar ka?"

She wasn't just her mother at that moment, but also a faithful wife to her husband who had lost his reputation that had taken him years of hard work to built.

"Uss ladke ki 2 din ki mohabbat me apne Abbu ke barso ka pyaar bhula dia aapne? Apni Ammi ki sikhayi Tehzeeb bhool gayi aap?"

There were tears of shame & guilt in a mother's eyes who was feeling defeated in giving a good upbringing to her daughters. Roshnaq sank on to the floor next to Waseem who sat in shock & trauma of everything that had happened.

"Hum iss ladki shakal bhi nhi dekhna chahte h. Roshnaq, inse kahiye yahan se chali jaye aur fir kabhi hamare saamne naa aaye", with shaking voice, the shattered father told.

Roshnaq who couldn't see the broken state of her husband wiped tears her tears & turned to Zoya. "Suna nhi hamare Shauhar ne kya kaha?"

Roshnaq who had always been a strict mother with her two daughters always made sure that they their punishment was such that they never repeat the mistake in lifetime. And no matter if their mistake was small or big, the punishment was a rule. She held Zoya's hairs from the roots & dragged her outside the room seeping her on the floor.

Zoya screamed holding her stomach, begging to just listen to her once.

"Ammi sirf ek baar hamari baat sunn lijiiye naa, please .. Hume aapko kuch batana h. Aaahhh"

All the guests heard and saw Zoya on the floor being dragged by her mother to the same place where just few minutes ago they had witnessed her as a happy bride. To the place where a new relationship had shaken the roots of many old relationships. At the very same place stood her newly wedded husband who felt his heart stop beating seeing his wife in that state.

Roshnaq kept dragging Zoya to the exit of the house which was beautifully decorated for her Bidaai when her way was blocked by her elder daughter.

"Maya, hat jaiye hamare raaste se. Aaj hamare raaste me koi nhi aaega. Aap bhi nhi", Roshnaq warned Maya to stay out of her way.

But when Maya didn't move, she pulled Zoya's hair even tighter. "Humne kaha hamare raaste chod dijiye. Varna humse bura koi nahi hoga"

Maya shook her head refusing to obey her.

"Mayaaa"

Roshnaq shouted.

"Ammi, Zoya is pregnant"