CHAPTER 18

“Chachoo… I had to talk to you” Maryam said, sitting near him, he was watching the evening bulletin and was too busy cursing Pakistani politicians

“Don’t know when they are going to do something for the sake of their country? It's always so disturbing watching these news” Aqeels said, he looked disturbed and Maryam also sighed

“Han you were saying something dear” Aqeel suddenly looked at her and asked

“Yeah chachoo… wo… I was thinking I should visit home back in Pakistan, I didn't even call them once since am here” Maryam’s anxiety was evident on her face

“Neither did they” Aqeel made a face

“But Chachoo wo to is liye because they don’t know where I am, they don’t have my contact” Maryam tried to defend them

“Beta actually they know…. They do know” Aqeel looked seriously at her face

“But how come Chachoo?” she asked all confused

“Beta I did call them once at the time of your divorce hearings” Maryam looked at him as if she wanted an explanation

“I called Asad, and I told him that You are with me and you are getting a divorce from that rascal Rohan. He told me that he tried to contact Rohan a lot of times but he didn’t reply” Aqeel continued. Maryam looked shattered, her brothers knew all this time that what she was going through, but didn’t even contact her once

“I know what is going on in your mind beta, I honestly didn’t want to tell you all this but then I thought k sachaai tumhen pata honi chaiye” Aqeel told her putting his hand on her’s

“Chachoo I loved them and I still love them… I don’t understand why they are so angry with me” Maryam said trying to stop her tears

“beta they don’t have any reason to be angry with you, they are perverts” Aqeel said angrily, Maryam felt he was hiding something from her, he looked so much angry with them

“Chachoo is there anything else? What did they say? How was bhabi? did they sale the house?” Maryam asked and Aqeel looked at her face in utter shock

“Do you already know about that?” he asked

“g Chachoo, though they didn’t tell me about that but I overheard them once talking about selling the house and making two separate units for themselves” Maryam looked down at her hands

“oh! I thought you didn’t know about that…. But Maryam why did you let that happen? That was not just a house made of mud and brick, it had the love and affection of Afzaal and bhabi… I was angry at them, but now am angry with you as well” Aqeel said his voice shattered. Maryam put her arms around his neck, hugged him, her eyes pooled up with water

“Chachoo I couldn’t stop them Chachoo, I was broken when I got to know that I was the hurdle in their happiness…. I..I just couldn’t do anything” maryam said in between sobs and Aqeel patted her back

“But Maryam, what about your rights, you should stand for that at least. That house had your share in that. I am not saying this because I am asking you to get greedy about money or getting materialistic, but it's about your right” Aqeel looked at her face closely and she rubbed her face, removing the tears

“Chachoo I don’t need anything, if they are happy like this then I don’t have any issue I don’t want to become a hurdle in their happiness once again” Maryam said a tint of bitter evident in her tone full of grief.

“Okay, it's completely your choice, but you still want to go to Pakistan?” Aqeel asked softly he didn’t feel like pushing the issue

“Um, I don’t know Chachoo am not sure” Maryam said and without saying anything else she stood up and went to her room

Maryam felt broken once again, she was thinking of going back to Pakistan meeting her only blood relatives left there, but who knew her relatives, her own brothers didn’t even care she was even alive or not. This brought tears in her eyes and she picked up her phone, dialed Shehry’s number.

“Hey sweetheart! Hello!I was thinking about you” Shehry’s voice came and a smile appeared on her lips, she was amazed how unhappy and grieved she was just a moment before and just a voice made her heart swelled up with joy…. Shehry was not just a person he was magic for her…..

“Hey!..... begum???? kahan gaeen?” Shehry asked mischievously and Maryam stopped a tear to flow on her cheek

“Yeah! Hi! Kese hen ap?” Sheh managed to utter

“umm mein theek nai hoon…bilkul theek nai hoon” his tone changed

“Why?.... what happened?ap ki tabeat to theek hea?” Maryam asked, with in a second she forgot her pain

“mein theek nai hoon q k tum theek nai ho?.... now hurry up batao whats wrong? You sounded tensed” Shehry said and Maryam sighed with relief that he was fine

“you are such a drama kind Shehryaar” Maryam said and he chuckled

“Don’t deviate me, okay tell me what happened?” he asked becoming serious

“Nothing Shehryaar, bus ap se bat Kerne ka Dil chah raha tha” she said innocently and Shehry smiled ear to ear

“Hayeeee mein vaari jawan…… to karo naaaw bat” Shehry said dramatically and Maryam chuckled

“you said you were thinking about me…. What were you thinking?” Maryam asked, she was constantly looking down at her fingers which were tangled in her locks

“Ummm bata Doon?” Shehry asked mischievously and she turned pink

“Beta dejiye” Maryam said still looking down and playing with her hair

“Am not like this, I will tell you face to face” he said very seriously

“Acha? Then what are you waiting for? Aa jaiye” Maryam said with a smile

“Okay, give me 5 minutes” Shehryaar said in the same tone and Maryam jumped up

“What? Where are you? ...... Shehryaar? .... Shehryaaar?” Maryam looked at the phone in utter shock while he hung up

“wo aa rae hen? Is waqt? But 5 mint mein kese?” Maryam looked at the clock and said to herself. She rushed towards the mirror and looked at her reflection, she was wearing her night dress as always, a short T and a baggy trouser that was ruffling in her feet.

“Shitt am looking such a mess” Maryam said to herself when she heard knock, she jumped up

“Aa Gaye?” she headed towards the door slowly and reluctantly turned the knob and opened, she looked around, but there was complete silence and nobody was there to be seen. She was closing the door when she heard the knock again and when she turned;

“Oh My God!........ no!” maryam rushed towards the window and removed the curtains aside and she found him standing in her balcony, smiling ear to ear waiting for her to open the window. But Maryam was too much in shock to just move

“hey!..... open up” Shehry waved his hands before her and she slowly opened the window

“hiiiiii! You are so quick Maryam… am amazed actually” Shehry made fun of her and chuckled at her silly weird expressions

“A… AP? Yahan se kese” Maryam stammered

“bus ap ne yaad kia or hum haazer” Shehry smiled cutely at her… “ can I come in?” he added and she shook her thoughts away

“Oh… yeah yeah, come in” Maryam said and gave him a forced smile “am looking like an idiot and you are an idiot too, at least you can tell me an hour before coming……..” she felt so self conscious at that time.

“hey!..... Are you with me/” Shehry asked, waving his hands in front of her and then he put his hands on the window sliding and jumped in like a superman. Maryam on time stepped back otherwise he would have landed on her.

“Aha! Nice room han” Shehry examined her room while going round and praised. Maryam was still looking at him, the after effects of shock were still there.

“I know I am very handsome and girls have this effect on them when I am around but don’t you think you are checking me out a bit too much?” Shehry took a step towards her and said seriously, a tint of mischief in his eyes was evident and Maryam at once took a step back….. She realized what she was wearing and she turned red.

“aap seedhe raste se q nai aaye?” Shehry asked to try to make the environment normal

“yaaaaar if I had come from the gate, I had to meet uncle, then probably Mehru and Nabi who would have talked an eternity and then I would have got a chance to see my pretty wife… or wo bhi kahan wahan us bekaar se living room mein” Shehry gave her a total detail and she chuckled at him

“to ap kahan milna chah rae thy?” She asked smiling at him

“jahan khara hoon is waqat…….. In your room, where there is no one but you and me” Shehry said and with each word he took a step closer to her while she kept on backing off, until she hit the open window. They kept on standing there for a couple of minutes and Maryam felt that time was like eternity… she could look into those eyes for hours without getting exhausted, though it was very difficult to breathe with him in such close proximity. The air was coming from the open window and Maryam’s locks were flying in air now, shehry brought his hand up and slowly he bent forward and closed the open window. While doing so his cheek brushed up with hers and she closed her eyes, inhaling Shehry’s scent. It was all just too much for her to bare, when Shehry looked up at her face with eyes shut tightly he smiled at her cuteness and brushed his cheek once again with hers

“Oooww!.....” maryam opened  her eyes and started rubbing her cheek while Shehry kept on smiling

“kia hua?” he inquired

“Your beard…… you have spines on your face” Maryam said like a kid complaining about a bad toy and Shehry chuckled at her

“Achaaw g? you got hurt? Let me see, ” Shehry said and bent down, but right when he was about to do something fishy, maryam pushed him back and he couldn’t maintain his balance and came thudding on the wooden floor

“oh! Shehryaar” maryam hurriedly bent down to him and took his head in her palm he was holding his back in pain, his eyes closed

“Am so sorry Shehryaar…. You okay?” maryam rubbed his head with one hand while he cupped his cheek with the other, Shehry opened his eyes and he lay straight on the floor

“aahhhh itni bari sazaaa… mar dala begum” Sherhy said dramatically and Maryam mentally slapped herself

“Okay, come lie on the bed, I will bring some balm or ointment for you” Marian put her hand under his head and helped him get up, he got up one arm on her shoulder and with the other holding his back. He laid on the bed and Maryam opened her drawer to find any pain relief balm. She took out a small tube and turned towards the bed when she jumped up to see him taking out his shirt, he stopped in the middle looking at her shocked expressions

“you will put the balm over my shirt?” Shehry asked, raising his eyebrows and Maryam let the breath out that she was holding in the middle.

“Eh….” Shehry while taking his shirt off felt pain in his back and his hands stopped…. He closed his eyes when suddenly, but softly, he felt warmth near his body. He opened his eyes and saw her sitting there in front of him. Maryam held his shirt from his hands and slowly moved her hands down to the last tucked button, she untucked that and without looking at his face she pulled the shirt off from his toned shoulders. He kept on staring her face, the way her lashes move up, down, the way she licked her lips, the way her cheeks turn pink and then red when her hands touched his body…. She kept on looking at his chest not able to look in his eyes, a cute smile appeared on his face and he bent his head down to look into her eyes

“Stop checking me out, am in pain begum” he said and she hurriedly looked away and stood up from the bed

“Yeah…you lie down” maryam said, ignoring his deadly smirk and he lay down

“Ultaaaaa letiye” maryam rolled her eyes at him and he chuckled, he turned and maryam sighed in relief at least his face was turned and he won't catch up her blush now. She sat near him on the bed looked at the door it was locked and then it was 10 at night so nobody could come for sure “ maryam what the hell are you thinking about, this man is not a stranger he is your husband”

“Now you are checking my back?” Shehry’s voice came and she slapped her head

“g nai….” Maryam said like a stubborn kid and Shehry smiled. Maryam took out some balm on her fingers and started rubbing it on his lower back… she felt those electric shots throughout her body, her hands all numb

“Your hands are cold” Shehry said tone and she shivered. Suddenly he turned on his back and took her hand in his, Maryam froze on her place, her heart pounding in her throat. Shehry put her hand on his heart she felt his heart was racing as well

“Can you hear this Maryam” he asked softly

“Yeah…” she answered

“you know what is this?” he asked and she remained silent looking into his eyes

“This is out heartbeat…. yours and mine together, because I have your heart now and they beat together…..” She smiled at him, every word as if pouring in her heart from his heart and melting her soul and body. He pulled her towards him and her smile faded away, their faces inches apart, breaths fanning each other’s face

“Shehryaar Koi a Jae ga” Maryam said in a whisper, knowing where all that was heading to.

“Doesn’t matter, ” he whispered back looking at her eyes, then lips, her wrist still in his grip… Maryam closed her eyes almost melting when something vibrated under her and she jumped up straight, Shehry left her wrist and they looked at eachother awkwardly

“It's your cell phone Shehryaar” she said, hiding her smile and he took it out of his pant pocket

“aaarrghhh Waqas!.....sale ki timming ka jawab nai” Shehry silently cursed Waqas and put the phone back on the bed…. He also sat on the bed and looked sheepishly at her face and then both of them chuckled.

“You feeling okay?” she asked hesitantly, looking at his face and he touched his back

“Wow! tumhare hath mein to jadoo hea” he dramatically said and Maryam rolled her eyes

“kia keh rae thy Waqas bhai?” maryam asked sitting back on the bed at some distance this time and Shehry laughed at her “Waqas Bhai”

“yar actually we are planning for a movie….  We asked Waqas to talk to Nosh and her hubby about that, bus usi k liye messege kia tha, Kal Brooklyn Jana ha. He told her

“you will be working on that too?” she asked, looking sideways to Shehry

“Yup ofcorse… I’ll be the heeeeero!” shehry said in a filmy way and maryam rolled her eyes

“So for how many days you will be staying there?” she asked

“Umm dunno, maybe a couple of days, but not confirm yet” Shehry told her

“Hmm” She thought something

“Kia Hua?..... Missing already?” Shehry asked cheekily and she smiled

“Maybe” maryam said mischievously

“to tumhen bhi sath le chaloon?” he asked in the same tone and Maryam chuckled

“nope you do your work….. and now I think you should be going back home” maryam said getting up from the bed and Shehry stood too.she picked up his shirt and  extended it to him, Shehry looked at the shirt then at her face a smirk appeared on his lips

“I can’t wear it ….. Help me yaar” Shehry said making a puppy face and maryam rolled her eyes, she came closer to him and helped him wearing the shirt. She tucked up the buttons one by one, when she reached to the upper button he took her hands in his and stopped her

“maryam…. You didn’t tell me, why were you upset on the phone when you called?” he asked seriously this time, holding her hands

“Nothing Shehryaar… seriously, I was just feeling a bit low nothing else” she didn’t look into his eyes and he felt not to drag up the topic any more

“hmmmm and what about now?....you feeling okay?” Shehry asked softly and she smiled warmly at him

“yup….. much better”

“So what do you think yaheen na ruk jaoon aj rat?” Shehry asked sounding very serious

“ji naheen…. You should go now” maryam pulled her hands away from his grip and said hiding her smile

“How unfair” Shehry made a cute, sad face and Maryam laughed

“Okay…. going, ” he said, waving a goodbye to her, she waved back and he headed towards the window

“Hey! Go from the stairs Shehryaar” maryam stopped him

“Yeah, yeah why not……. By the way you I can go from the stairs but you know chup chup k milne ka apna maza hai” he win ked at her and she smiled back. Shehry opened the window and jumped out in the  lawn. Maryam came near the window

“Hey!..... He turned towards her

“Good night…she said sweetly and he mouthed a good night to her.

Next morning Dhommbros went to Brooklyn for settling issues about their movie… they hadn’t thought enough about that, but they were quite serious to make a big jump now and all ready for that.

Maryam woke up late in the morning and when she came out in the dinning hall, every one was already there… mehru and Nabi were looking at her in a strange way…she sat next to Nabi and pour some juice for her in the glass

“Good morning!” she said with a cute smile

“Yeah, yeah a very good morning baby” Mehru said and Maryam felt she was hiding her smirk

“What happened?” Maryam asked, sipping her juice

“Do you know Nabi when does a morning really gets good…. Like really good?” Mehru asked stupidly to Nabi and she shook her head

“When your night was really spent good….. Simple! Hai na Maryam?” mehru winked at Maryam and she choked on her juice

“What… yeah yeah, you are right, ” she said, putting her glass back on the table

“So what exactly happened last night?” Mehru asked and Maryam looked at her with wide eyes

“Mehru…… nothing! You are crazy” maryam couldn’t hide her blush

“han han na batao…..ub hum hen he kon ap k ub to bus ap hen or ap k WO hen…. Dost dost na raha” Mehru said dramatically and Nabi and maryam chuckled

“And you tell me how do you know about last night?” Maryam asked narrowing her eyes

“Well…. We saw him jumping on your balcony like a monkey” Nabi said and Maryam slapped her arm

“we?..... Who else?” Maryam asked

“Um… me and dad” Nabi said simply and Maryam’s jaw dropped

“No!..... sach mein?” Maryam was hell embarrassed

“Yup, and dad said k he will talk to Asif uncle about all this…. Ye sab bilkul theek nai” Nabi said very seriously and Maryam’s face turned all pale

“ub kia ho ga….. Am finished” Maryam said very sadly she was feeling so embarrassed at the thought of it

“Yes ofcorse baby you are finished… dad was really angry, he left a message for you as well” mehru added calmly eating her apple

“What message?” she asked worriedly

“Yei k he doesn’t want to talk to you anymore and that’s why he is sending you to Pakistan” Nabi said sipping her tea and Maryam burst into sobs….. Mehru and Nabi looked at each other worriedly and then came to her seat

“Ohooo…. Maryam you are such a child, we were kidding yar….oh! Come on stop crying now” Mehru said, putting her arm around her neck and she looked angrily at them

“And only Nabi saw the monkey no one else… I promise” Mehru added and maryam glared at her

“Don’t call him a monkey” Maryam said and both of them laughed

“Okay, now finish your breakfast… and wo Pakistan Wali bat such thi, dad told us in the morning k he is planning to send you for a visit” Nabi patted her head and took her seat back

“He said k he will arrange things for you… I mean he’ll check the flights and all” Mehru added

“Okay…. Why don’t you two come with me as well?”Maryam said and Nabi made a sad face

“We would love to yarrr but you know that we are having out summers” Mehru said sadly and Maryam nodded

“So be happy yar… you are going to Pakistan” Nabi looked at her sad face and put a hand on hers

Maryam gave her a weak smile, she didn’t know what she was going to face in Pakistan, it wasn’t her home anymore… she would feel like a stranger in a strange land. She thought and headed back to her oats.