"I love you the most." His voice held so many emotions yet only love could be felt

"Promise me you won't change, you'll always love me like this." Her voice was undertone and full of worry,

"I'll love you more than this, wifey." A peck was placed on her button nose which made her smile and her cheeks crimson

He didn't stopped there, his lips travelled from her nose to cheeks, from there to her jaw then finally making their way to her lips

"In this life, I'll only love you, Anna." Before connecting their lips, he whispered which increased the beat of her heart even more, if it was possible

Anna Khan wake up in the darkness of her room, gasping for air as her forehead formed sweat even in a.c

Gulping down the lump, she looked at her left side and found Hadiyan sleeping there on his stomach, his one hand under his pillow another stretching out,

Averting her eyes away from him, she wiped her sweat but her glister eyes weren't drying, removing the comforter away from her, she got down from bed and went to balcony attached to the room to take fresh air, maybe it'll clear her mind

≤≥

Losing his tie, Hadiyan threw himself on sofa of lounge room to rest there a little bit, he didn't wanted to go to his room, knowing Anna must be and seeing him, she will get hesitate

Anna! There was a time when he thought he lost her forever, but Allah is the best planner of all, Anna is his wife, but still not his

"Hadi, beta yaha aise kyu baithey ho?" Nirma voice made him opened his eyes,

(Why are you sitting here?)

"Mom, kuch nahi bas aise hi... Abhi office se aya Tha...." He started up properly and said

(I just returned from office, so I thought of resting here....)

"Shaadi ko din hi kitne hue tumhare ki tumne phir office join Karli, yahi toh din Hain tum dono ke ghoomne phirne ke... Ussey kahi ghoomane kyu nahi le jate tum?" Nirma sat beside him on sofa and advised him

(Not many days have passed of your marriage that you have joined office again, why don't you take Anna for vacation?)

"Mom, ussey waqt chahiye...."

(She needs time.)

"Ek mahina hone ko aya Hai tumhari Shaadi ko, aur kitna waqt chahiye?"

(Almost one month have passed, how much time she needs?)

"Aap janti hain kin halat mein humari Shaadi hui Hai." Same thing which he is telling himself for her absent mind and heart

(You know in what situation we got married.)

"Jin bhi halat mein hui Hai, Shaadi to hui Hai na... Tum ussey waqt dene ke liye Durr rehto ho, iss tarah toh kuch bhi theek nahi hoga." She was adamant, she knows in what situation her son is, she can feel his pain of not receiving love from his wife, but he is the one who needs to work on their marriage,

(You two are married, Doesn't matter in what situation, the way you are giving her time won't make anything work.)

"Shaadi bhi usne sirf Chachu ki Khushi ke liye ki Hai, ab main ussey mazeed kisi cheez ke liye force nahi karunga."

(She marry me just because of her father's happiness, now I don't want to force anything on her.)

"Achha! Aur agar woh tumhe chorhna chahegi tab? Chorh dog ussey, uski Khushi ke liye?" This felt a stab in his heart, for her happiness he could kill and die, but he doesn't think he will able to leave her

(Really? For her happiness will you able to leave her too?)

"Hadiyan, tumhe koi nahi keh raha Hai ki tum usse force Karo, but at least ussey yeh yaad toh dilao ki she is married to you now. Woh toh abhi bhi pehle jaise hi behave Kar rahi Hai. Aaj dophar apne purane kamre mein band Kar liya Tha khudko usne." She put her hand on his shoulder and informed him

(No one is telling you to force her in this marriage but at least remind her that she is married to you, she still behaves like before, today she locked herself in her old room.)

"Kya? Kyu?" This cought him off guard,

(What? Why?)

"Mujhe Kya maloom, Tumhari Begum Hai, Jake pucho ussey."

(I don't know, she is your wife, go and ask her.)

"Mom, please! Main na raha Kar to khayal rakha Kare uska, aap janti hain uski tabiyat theek nahi rehti." Before getting up, Hadiyan requested his mother and left for his room

(Please, take care of her when I'm not present.)

≤≥

"Anna!" When he entered the room, Anna was laying on bed with her arm covering her eyes, she removed her arm to see who called her, seeing him there startled her as she quickly sat up and proper her dupatta

"Relax! Tabiyat kaisi Hai tumhari?" Telling her, he sit on the edge of bed which made Anna scoot her feet away from him nad closer to herself, he ignored this act of hers

(How's your health?)

"Theek." She nod her head and replied in undertone

(Fine!)

"Woh... Ammi Bata rahi thi ki tum apne purane kamre mein gayi thi...." Hesitatedly, Hadiyan asked, he didn't wanted to interfere in her matters but he can't leave her completely on her own too

(Mom told me that you went to your old room..)

"Kuch purani cheeze dhoondhne... Par lagta Hai jaise kisine jaan boojh ke mere sarey saman waha se hata diye." She raised her head to look at him but his bright blue eyes shuddered her as she turned her head other side. Hadiyan was glad for the first that's she didn't made eyes contact with him, otherwise she would have noticed his bright eyes enveloping darkness

(I went there to find some old things of mine... But seems like someone moved my belongings from there.)

"Shifting mein shayad idhar udhar ho gaya hoga.... Tumhe agar kuch chahiye toh Bata do main le aunga...." Making up excuse, he shrugged his shoulder

(Maybe it got mixed up in shifting, if you want something then tell me, I'll get it for you.)

"Rehne dijiye, uski zaroorat nahi." Anna shook her head

(Let it be, I don't need anything.)

≤≥

"Hadi!" They were having evening tea when Nirma called her son, everyone present there also took their attention to Hadiyan, who was sipping his warm tea as well as reading evening newspaper

"Tumhe toh kaam se fursat mil nahi raha Hai ki biwi ko sheher se bahar ghoomane le Jo, Kam se Kam dinner ke liye hi bahar le jao."

(You don't get time from office to take Anna for vacation, at least take her out for dinner.)

"Uska bhi Dil behel jayega." Nirma said

(She will also get some fresh air.)

"Mom, woh....." Hadiyan put his cup down and started saying

(Actually...)

"Koi bahana nahi, Hadiyan. Tum Anna ko dinner ke liye baha le ja rahe ho bas." Nirma didn't gave him any chance to make excuse

(I don't wanna hear any excuses, you are going to take Anna for dinner.)

"Anna ko bhi Jana Hai, haina, Anna?" She suddenly turned to Anna, who was looking at her hand unaware of her surrounding. Just like always, where she would physically present but mentally her thoughts would be somewhere else

(Anna also wants to go, right, Anna?)

"Ji?" Feelings eyes of everyone on her made Anna scared as she asked, Anna didn't know what she is asking or what they were talking about,

(What?)

(Ji can be translated as yes as well as what too,)

"Dekha, Jana Hai usse..." Nirma again turned to her son which made Hadiyan sigh, they both knew this isn't agreeing

(She wants to go.)

"Kisi aur din...." Hadiyan again said

(Some other day.)

"Aaj hi, balki abhi." Other members of the family present there was looking at them, tossing their eyes time to time on nirma and Hadiyan both

(Take her out now.)

"Anna, Jao taiyyar ho jao." This time Anna was also looking then, wanting to know on what she said yes

(Go and get ready.)

"Ji?" She again asked

(What?)

"Jao, taiyyar ho, dinner ke liye Bahar Jana Hai." Hadiyan fold his newspaper and told her

(Go and get ready, we are going out for dinner.)

≤≥

Hadiyan entered the room to get car keys when found Anna getting ready in front of mirror,

First time after their marriage she is getting ready, she didn't put extra efforts in her dressing, juts a little touch up and her hair open but this was enough for Hadiyan Khan

Catching his gaze in reflection, Anna nervously turned to him, not knowing why is he staring, is she looking weird, touching her hair, Anna thought

"Chale?" Hadiyan realize what he is doing and that his gaze made her uncomfortable, he quickly avert his eyes away from her, only for them to fall on her again

(Shall we?)

Anna nod her and walked out of room first, which made him took a defeated breath,

This wasn't the Anna whom he fell for,

He loved Anna for her witty personality and sarcastic replies, the Anna, who knows what she wants and how to get it,

This Anna was more likely a puppet, who do whatever she is told and this was making him frustrated

≤≥

"Are you okay?" Hadiyan asked Anna once they placed their orders

Anna was every there nervously looking around her surrounding, as if anytime something or someone will hurt her

"Yeah!..." Her big eyes looked at him as she nod her head

"If you are not comfortable then we can leave." Hadiyan again asked when saw her removing the creases from her kurti which wasn't even there

"It's fine." On her reply, Hadiyan also thought of keeping silence as she with say anything

"Did you enjoyed it?" After dinner when they were leaving, Hadiyan asked her

"Yeah! Dinner was good." This made Hadiyan smile

"I'm glad you liked it... Waise toh tum hamesha...." Hadiyan sentence was interrupted in middle but a voice which didn't belong to Anna

(You always liked....)

"Anna! Is that you! OMG!" Before both Hadiyan and Anna could look at the owner of the voice, someone hugged Anna which made her startled, somehow she didn't fall otherwise the person has put lot of force in the hug

"How are you! I can't believe we have finally met after years..., come on, don't give me this look." The girl broke the hug and asked Anna still holding Anna's hands in in her own hands,

Anna akwardly smiled at her and her excitement

"Waqai men kitne saal ho gaya.. six or five years something?" The girl did some match in her mind and asked, it's when her eyes fall on he person beside Anna

(It's been years since we last met.)

"Hadiyan?" She was surprised to see him there, just like Hadiyan was confuse who she is

"Jasline, Anna ki classmate..... Tumhe nahi yaad hogaya..." She tried to remind him

(I was Anna's classmate in college, you must have forgotten me....)

"Jasline! Of course I remember you... It's just, you have changed alot." Hadiyan shook her hand and said

"Kya kahu... Mujhe London ki Hawa lag gayi..." Jokenly she said, after it a laugh left her mouth, both Anna and Hadiyan awkwardly laughed at her joke, before she could crack more lame joke, her husband came there

(What can I say... That London changed me.)

"Murad, guys meet my husband.. aur Murad, Meri best friend se Milo... The one whom I have mentioned to you before..." holding her husband's arm, Jasline introduced them

(Meet my best friend...)

"Oh, hey! She talks about you alot." Anna softly smile at him, Murad took his hand to Hadiyan and waited for his wife to introduce them

"And he is Hadiyan, Anna's cousin."

"Husband." Hadiyan corrected her while shaking Murad's hand

"Oh! When did this happened?" Her smile wiped off as she looked at Anna for confirmation

"Just some day ago, it was small nikkah ceremony." Hadiyan informed her, while his hand got placed on Anna's waist, which made Anna flinch but she didn't said anything

"I'm really happy from you guys, I think we should celebrate it, let's have dinner together, what say?" Jasline quickly hide her shock and smiled,

"We already have dinner, Jasline. Maybe some other day," Hadiyan politely decline

"Okay! At least give me your number so we can be in touch." Jasline looked at Anna

"You guys exchange number, I'll just come, I have to take this call...."Hadiyan's phone started ringing, excusing himself, he left them

"Ah! Murad... Why don't you go and book the table for us..."

"Table is already booked under our name..." Murad remind her

"Then go and make sure it's good.... Just leave, Murad." Her stern voice made Murad shut his mouth as he left two friends alone

"When did this happened?" As soon as Murad left, jasline asked

"Ah? Oh our marriage? just few weeks ago..." Anna looked at Hadiyan who was just few distance away from them, talking on his phone, they couldn't hear what he is talking nor he could hear their conversation

"I'm seriously very happy for you, Anna."

"I'm glad that you moved on." Jasline took her in another warm hug and said

"Mujhe tumhari bohot fiqr hoti thi... Amir ke barey mein sunke jab mujhe itna sadma pohcha tab tumhara dard toh koi soch bhi nahi sakta."

(I was worried about you alot,..... When I heard about Amir I was shocked, no one can really understand your pain.)

"Mujhe toh abhi bhi yaqeen nahi hota ki... Amir.. Amir humare beech mein nahi Hai." Holding Anna's hand, she tried to give her comfort, Jasline wanted to say more but got interrupted

(I still can't believe that Amir... Amir isn't with us anymore....)

"Amir Kon?"

(Amir who?)

≤≥≤≥≤≥

Ab yeh Kya hogaya?😯

-Ufaq