Assalam-o-Alaikum

Quickies are........???? 

Dear readers I just can not thank you all in words for all the positive feedback on Redemption and specially on the current track of the story. You people are awesome. I owe you so much <3 

36| The Acquaintance 

"Mominah beta kesi ho ub?" Maulana sahib inquired worriedly as she laid in the bed, a thin blanket covering her till her neck, and dunno it was her condition or the color of the blanket which made her look even paler. She just stared the ceiling when on Maulana's voice she looked into his direction coming out of her thoughts.

"Bar bar itne ziada bukhar ka hona achi bat nai hea beta. Doctor ne jo dawa di thi pichli dafa wo nai li tum ne theek se. Jan ki hifazat ferz hea her insan per" he was saying. "ye jan to amanat hoti hea or ub to wesey bhi tum....

"Kon hen wo Maulana sahib?" Mominah asked cutting him through, looking into his eyes. He was expecting the question, this is what she was repeating in her sleep as well.

"Asiya nam hea unka or...

"Nam ap mujhey bata chukey hen" Mominha cut him through as she pulled up and sat straight in the bed, she wrapped the shawl closer to her self and the blanket remained over her, covering her legs and waist. "or mein bhi bata chuki hoon ap ko k wo Asiya nai hen, unka nam Asiya nai hea"

"Nam se kia ferk perta hea, tumhara nam bhi to kabhi Maya hua kerta tha ub Mominah hea to kiya ye mumkin nai k Asiya behen ka bhi koi or nam ho?"

"Ap mujhey batana nai chah rahe maulana sahib?" Mominah's tone had complain and remorse. He sighed deep before he got up from the chair and neared the open window.

"Band rakha karo, thand buhat hea or tumhen bukhar bhi. Thandi hawa theek nai tumharey liye beti" he closed the open window and let the curtains pulled aside so that light won't be blocked.

A few moments he stayed quiet then his voice felt like coming from a deep abandoned cave of Srinagar.

"buhat andhera tha, tahajjud perh ker men or merey kuch or tableeghi sathi poonch (derya) k kinarey jama thy. Fajir ka intizaar tha or sath he bar bar nazar ooper aasman ko uthti k shaid kaheen se koi madad aaye, shaid ye Hindu Raj humein kabhi chain or sukoon se jeeney dey. Ek taraf Pakistani doosri taraf Hindu. Kashmiri kahan thy?" He was speaking, and Mominah hadn't listened anything more attentively in life. "Kaheen bhi nai, Kashmiri to kaheen thy he nai, Pakistani apni hadd mein kheenchty to Hindu apni hadd mein. Hum jamaat k liye log ikhatta ker rahe thy, aesey no-jawan jo Kashmir k liye uth saken, jin ka khoon or paseena bus Kashmir k liye ho"

Maulana sahib took a pause. Mominah's breaths were caught up as every inch of her was listening to him only.

"Hamarey Ameer-e-jamat ka beta, jo siraf dus sal ka tha tahajjud per ker derya kinarey matti se mehel bana raha tha, wo kab nazron se ojhal hua maloom na chala. Abhi kuch der he guzri thi k kaheen se us k chillaney ki awaz aai. Hum ghabra gaye. Humari jamaat khufiya tor se kam ker rahi thi or hamara manzar-e-aam per ana khatre se khali na tha. Aesa na tha k maut darati thi magar aesa bhi na tha k Kashmir ko azaad hota dekhne se pehley maut ko kubool ker letey"

There was something in his words, his tone which made Mominah's eyes moistened. She was now sitting in the bed, with her legs hanging down, her toes touched the cold wood and a shiver ran through her spine. Kesa hota ho ga aazadi k liye lerna, she could have never fought letting her life, love and loved ones aside. How difficult it could be she didn't know. But Maulana and his words made her realize that sometimes the sacrifices are worth giving.

"Sab ghabra ker awaz ki taraf lapkey he thy k bacha dorta hua kareeb ata nazer aya. Wo hanp raha tha, kaprey geeley thy or aankhen khauf k marey phati jati theen"

"Wahan koi hea Abba, wahan sahil kanarey koi hai" Maulana's eyes were narrowed to a point in space. "Wo bar bar peechey ki taraf ishara kerta tha. wahan ek aurat hai Abba. Hum kuch aadmi us k bataye hue rasty per chal parey to kuch door he mati or rait k beech-o-beech koi tha, pani ki lehren us se takra takra k wapas ja rahi theen. Ameer-e-jamaat dorey or jhuk ker dekha to ek aurat....laash thi ya nai ye maloom kerna mushkil na tha. Nabz choo ker dekha to Ameer-e-jamaat ka chehra jesey kafan ki terha safaid per gaya"

"Ye marr jaye gi. Nabz doob rahi hea. Jaldi karo sahara do! ye marr jaye gi"

"Camp mein la ker jitney kambal ho sakey khatoon per dal diye gaye, un ka jims buri tarah jama hua tha, hont jamni or chehra safaid, mano baraf ka ban chuka ho. Magar merey Rabb ki shan dekho nabz chal rahi thi, koi tha un ka buhat apna jis ne khoya tha unhen, jis ki siskiyan or aanso'on ki tapish unhen zinda rakhey huye thi beta"

And he stopped as Mominah hiccuped, her face soaked up in tears. He just stood there looked at her who cried hiding her face in both her palms.

"Wahan Jamaat k ek haami k han panah mili, doctor ko dikha chukey thy, jis k mutabiq unhen mathey k siwa koi gehra zakham na aya tha. Wo shaid coma mein chali gaeen theen. Hum unhen wahan chor nai saktey thy or na wahan ziada ruk saktey thy. Ameer-e-jamaat k kehne per hum wapas Jammu aa gayae unhen sath ler ker or yun wo is madrasey ki pehli khatoon theen" Maulana said and Mominah looked up at his face, she didn't care about the tears flowing through her eyes.

"wo kam-o-beish maheena behosh raheen or jab hosh aya to....." he stopped, Mominah's gaze was firm on his face. "Mein yaheen tha or sath Maryam ki Ammi theen, Allah jannat naseeb kare unhen" While saying this a strange kind of pain and remorse oozed up in his old eyes.

"Ameen" Mominah could hardly remarked.

"jab unhen hosh aya to buhat der chatt ko dekhti raheen. Hum mein se koi kuch na bola, unki aankhen jesey ooper ko jamm gai theen phir achanak se jism mein herkat hui, becheni si, takleef si or zuban se bus ek lafz nikla...

"Hussain" Mominah's voice cut him through. "Wo tha un k sath jab wo hadsa pesh aya. Wo sab dekh raha tha Mualana sahib. Wo apni maa ko apne samney door jata dekh raha tha. Wo Hussain he tha jis ka nam tha un ki zuban per".

He looked down at her; crying broken state of Mominah. She was unstopabbaly crying and hiccupping. "Wo Hussain ki Ammi theen. Wo Hussian ki Ammi hen Mulana sahib... wo Hussain ki Ami hen.. wo itney saal se takleef mein hea, dard mein hea siraf meri waja se... siraf meri waja...." And she broke down into painful cries, hiding her face in her palms she let the storm out.

He then came nearer and softly touched her shoulder, she was trembling and still in tears. "Mominah, beti un ki yaddasht ja chuki hea. Unhen kuch yad nai. Wo nam Hussain tha bhi k nai, mujhey yad nai. Na un se theek se bola ja raha tha bus becheni thi chehrey per, dard or khuaf tha jesey buhat sari takleef se guzer k aai hon"

Maulana was saying, trying to calm her but she wasn't listening anymore. She was lost in the storm, and she knew the storm had to come out or else it would destroy her inner self, it would shackle her up and never let her breathe the same way.

The doorbell made me jump out of my trance, I quickly wiped my cheeks, rubbing away the tears and looked up, thankfully no audience. The doorbell rang again. It had never felt more annoying to my ears, finally it stopped somebody must have opened the door. I leaned in with the crown of my bed and picked up the pages Mr. So-called P. A sent to me.

"Fati!" Aani it was.

"Fati, come downstairs"

"Oh God please Aani am not comin....wait!.... oh Shitt! P.A.... Haider" and with that I threw the blanket away and jumped down.

"Fatiiii!"

"Am coming Aani, just give me a minute" I screamed and looked my reflection in the mirror.

"Oh eff yourself Fatima!you look pathetic. Ugly. Moti to tu thi he badsoorat bhi lag rahi hea aj.... Aaarrrghhh!" I literally wanted to pull my hair out. He was there, right there waiting in out hall room probably and here I am standing in my pajamas looking like a dry piece of poop.

Mentally groaning I quickly pulled out a jeans with a coffee color sweater. Well, darker shades make me look smart. Pulled out a fresh towel and ran in the washroom, almost tripping in the door frame. Clumsy me!

Haider

Maha phuppo.

"Fatima is coming just give her a minute. And Uh- would you like to have something?"she was asking, a smile was there on her lips; her eyes warm full of life like Ammi always depicted, face still a full moon round and her hair all straight and silky tied back in a ponytail.

"Coffee, tea anything?" she further asked shrugging, she clearly felt a little uncomfortable or maybe suspicious as I stood there staring her, oooops! Apni he phuppo ko check out?!

"Are these pakorey I can smell?" I frowned sniffing a little in the air, well, I couldn't help it and the aroma was tempting enough for me to jump into my badtameez mode. Phuppo went a little speechless and then smiled nodding her head.

"Yes it is, you like them?" she was asking,and I gave an assured nod. "just give me a minute" she informed and turned to leave.

"Mint sauce would be a favor I would never forget" I called out and heard her chuckling. I smiled and turned around, looking at the interior of the place Phupo called the hall room.

Okay, so here you are Haider Hussain, woa!!!" I puffed a breath out and then the beautiful calligraphy held my attention. Over the main wall, around a huge carved mirror in the middle there were different ayahs mesmerizingly hung over the wall, all graceful and powerful.

"What the hell Haider!" Over the voice I turned and found her standing there in a dark brown sweater and blue jeans, her hair tied up in a bun and her eyes popping out in surprise. "What are you doing here? P.A of Craig? How? since when?" she bombarded me with gritted whispers and I frowned.

"Why don't you wear something light in color? I mean, tints of blue and shades of purple or maybe pink.... Would suit you better, no? why always this black and brown and all the dark shades......?"

"Haider Hussain!" she glared me with an expression screaming no funny business.

"Who is Haider Hussain? My name is Ram. Ram with a double aa phonic like Raam, not a ram having horns on the head you know" I explained and she frowned.

"You lied to Ayesha?" she was in disbelief. "She is far more clever than you can possibly think Haider and trust me she will know and when she will get to know the truth, you my friend....will get busted for life" She announced, still keeping her voice low but dangerous and I popped my eyes out.

"Oh am scared" I pretended and she looked at me helplessly.

"okay listen, don't be afraid. I didn't lie to your Hitler sister, am just giving a favor to Craig and he....

"Craig? As if he is your bestie? Nam to aesey le rahe ho honey waley suser hen tumharey" She hissed and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Oho we know each other, it's a long acquaintance. And by the way if you think this poor ragged writer is a ragamuffin with no references in this city so you are wrong dear cousin. Kun k nacheez adeeb hone k sath sath ek adad aam or maloomi he sahi mager chemical engineer bhi hea who can at least help you in your poor, as much as  a pinch knowledge of the subject" I kept on ranting, and succeeded as she smiled at the end, though she tried to hide it in her eye roll.

"so before hitler comes and shuts me up in a gas chamber sit down and show me the topics you wanna study" I pointed at the couch and before she could respond I sat down.

She turned and looked at me still a little uncertain. "So, you didn't come here for telling me the sto.....

"Ms. Shehryar you can better bring your book and please, bring a rough pad too I have observed your knowledge of the subject is almost zero" I quickly cut her through as I saw a shadow in the door frame.

"But....."

"Are you bringing your books or should I complain about your not so serious behavior towards studies to your Mom" I tilted my head and looked at Phuppo. Fatima on getting the signal quickly turned and found her standing in the door frame behind the trolley.

She smiled and stepped in side dragging the trolley. I stood up when she stopped me... "Keep sitting please" but I took the hold from her anyways with a smile.

"Am used to of helping my mom in kitchen and with almost every other chore. So no worries" I stated and she smiled, I could feel her gaze fixated on my face.

"What is this Aani?" Fatima who was staring down at the platters and tea blurted out.

"Uh- nothing just refreshment dear" Phuppo said and Fatima looked at her with zero understanding of the scenario. "Theek se perhna, is bar top grade lena chemistry mein, hm? Shabash mera bacha!" she then softly patted her cheek and with a smile towards me Phuppo left the room

"Ap fiker he na Karen mein kerta hoon is ki chemistry theek" I remarked assuring she was nowhere near and fatima rolled her eyes as she plopped down into the couch next to me.

"so you will teach me?"

I nodded and she continued. "And you will take fee?" 

"Oh that from your Hitler sister. Inn Shaa Allah" Fatima's eyes widened and i winked. 

"So, bring your books. Bring it on!" I clapped excitedly though teaching sucks and I knew I wasn't good at it but still I had to.

Fatima

I dunno then how time flew, I couldn't get where the whole two hours went, like puff! And gone. And Oh mmm gggg! Haider was a miracle, trust me the way he explained those topics which used to be the pain in my ass.... With in an hour two completely life threatening topics were covered and I had actually mastered them. Well, at least what I felt.

"Okay, you have to practice all this and tomorrow I will be asking you to solve all these chemical equations plus these formulas...

"Sir, could you please hold your horses and let me breathe?!" I faked a smile, Haider stopped and frowned at me.

"What?"

"I will not prepare all this okay, I will only revise what you have taught me today and...." I stopped him again as he tried to protest. "And here you go..... this is for you" I handed him a few pages, carefully stapled and folded. He looked down, then up at my face.

"Nikah nama hea ya iqrar-e-khudkushi? Ya phir izhar-e-nafrat apne tutor k liye wo bhi pehley he din?! La haula wila qoowata!" he literally touched his earlobes and I shook my head.

"kia sab kashmiri tumharey jitney dramebaaz hen ya tum khas piece ho?" I fluttered my eyelashes with a smile and his face had an instant pride oozed up on it.

"Kashmir k barey mein kuch na kehna lerki! Kashmir se ziada sadgi, sachaai or husn kaheen nai. Kabhi aao Kashmir phir dikhata hoon" he smiled warmly and got up holding the pages. I smiled back. Ah! I so wish I can come with you to your Kashmir.

"By the way this is....?"

"A return favor I guess" I replied. "Read it. Though I haven't finished reading what you had sent me in the morning, am gonna do it now" I rubbed my hands excitedly and he rolled his eyes.

"Go and revise the topics, forget about stories"

"Mr. Cousin you don't have to jump into to the sariyal professor mode okay!" I warned him, though I kept my tone low. Even walls have ears. No?

Together we walked outside. "Wesey it was a coincidence or was it on purpose, you coming on the exact time when Chachoo goes to mosque and dadi receives her physiotherapy?" I asked and he frowned, appearing oblivion.

"Really? He isn't here at home? I didn't know" he shrugged and I rolled my eyes.

"Liar! And yup chachoo attends evening sermons in the local mosque, he comes after isha, then we have dinner and then a little family time then off to beds...." I informed while he just kept on nodding, as if his thoughts were somewhere else. I looked closely at his face trying to read the expressions but failed.

"I know this is wrong keeping it hidden from all of them; dadi, Abbu, Phuppo but... but I duuno Fatima I am just not ready to face them all as in Haider, as in Haider Hussain" he stopped by his car parked outside our home. He was looking down at his own feet. 

"The way Phuppo smiled at me today I want to intact the memory... I don't want to lose it, you all have seen enough and somewhere people related it with Ammi, with bad luck and curses and revenge... and am afraid knowing who I am they will never look at me with the same smile. They will hate me fatima. Mujhy nafraton se darr lagta hea" he seemed vulnerable all at once, he wasn't looking up just kept on blabbering.

I wanted to launch myself on the epitome of innocence standing in front of me and wanted to give him the warmest, coziest most comforting hug but, a). I couldn't hug my tutor standing outside my home b). he was a little too tall and I was sure in hugging him I would embarrass myself being a too shorty and c). I was Fatima, who had always snubbed her heart not listening to its voice.

But one day... one day I will listen to my heart. I will.

....

Coming back to my room, I dunno why I was sad and for some strange reasons I was missing Haider's presence badly around me. God! Was I getting addicted of him or maybe his words....

Taking out the pages I leaned back with the crown of my bed and pulled over the comforter as I continued from where I had left when he had come.

It was getting colder and colder, Mominah turned in the bed keeping the quilt firm to her body when her eyes slightly got parted and with an electric current passing through her spine she sat up in the bed; her eyes wide open staring the presence in front of her, on the chair.

"Leti raho beta" she softly spoke as she saw her panicked. "mein bus tumhari khariyat maloom kerne aa gai thi. Tum kal sham mein behosh ho gaeen theen na. ub kesi ho?" she was asking with a soft smile and Mominah who was staring her as if she was some ghost couldn't utter a single word.

Asiya was wearing a different suit today but she had the same black shawl elegantly covering her head and shoulders, coming down till her legs. There was a strange softness in her expressions and her eyes had a glint, a sparkle.... It reminded Mominah of a pair of same deep orbs, same glint...same sparkle. Hussain!

"mera nam Asiya hea, yad hoon na mein? Kal sham wahan neechey.....mein quran perha rahi thi jab tum....

"ap ko kesey bhool sakti hoon mein" Mominah cut her through, still in a trance. Her gaze not leaving her face at all and Asiya smiled. Mominah just gawked her face, still in disbelief but whatever it was her faith in Allah was getting stronger and stronger every day since Hussain had abandoned her.

Ya Allah! Terey khel bhi ajeeb hen, tu gira ker, thaka ker, hara ker apne kareeb ker leta hea. Itney kareeb k phir koi haar, koi thakan koi bhi chot dard nai deti. Mominah was amazed.

"mein theek hoon ub, ap ka sukriya k ap aaeen" Mominah tried to press a smile and Asiya looked at the side table picking up something, Mominah couldn't look away from her face.

"Ye laai thi tumharey liye, aesey behosh ho jana wesey to koi derne ki bat nai hea mager aesi halat mein apna buhat khayal rakhtey hen beta, laperwahi theek nai" Asiya was saying, the softness in her tone was never leaving but Mominah had a sudden discomfort, a frown appeared on her forehead.

"Ye cheerh ka halwa hea, buhat taqatwarr hoti hea cheerh. Ye khaya karo nihaar moo roz, maa or bachey dono k liye faidemand hota hea" Asiya kept on telling her, the frown faded along with her heartbeats. They had suddenly stopped inside her chest as Mominah pulled away the comforter restlessly.

"Kia matlab hea apka? Mein.... Ye....mein ye q.....mera matlab...

Mominah looked inbetween her face and the plastic container when she smiled with a light frown on her forehead.

"Tum maa ban'ney wali ho na beta" and Momianh's breaths caught up in her throat. She felt the whole world spun around her as she sat there speechless.

....

Haider Hussain stopped his car in front of a small red bricks building, it seemed a desi place as a few brown people were seen around. For a few indecisive moments he remained in his car looking up at the dome, listening to the birds chirping around.

"If you can't face him, don't face him Haider but at least you can see him you can go closer and feel his presence" He gulped a lump down his throat as he stepped down the car, it wasn't the same indecisive moment anymore.

He locked his car and walked into the small mosque that looked very much inviting at the moment. which had Hussain inside, his father. 

....

Ah how was the surprise guys?

And Who wants Haider and Hussain's meet up soon???

Mominah got a mother but Haider still has to find his father in Hussain :(