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It was night time. The Ahmed family was having dinner silently sitting at the dining table. Sid was taking glance at his father, Zakir Ahmed. He badly wanted to talk to him but was not getting a chance. He knew how strict he was and didn't like talking while eating. But still he need to talk to him. It was about his future.

"Abba jaan humein aap se kuch baat karni hai." Said Sid suddenly dragging everyone's attention.

"Thik hai. Khane ke baad humare kamre mein aa jaana." Said Zakir Ji calmly without even looking at him.

"Abba jaan humein abhi...."

Zakir Ji didn't let him say and told, "Kaha na khane ke baad?"

Sid took a deep breath and gathered courage. He had to speak at any cost.

"Abba jaan humein yeh nikah nahi karna." Said Sid in one go making the elders frown.

"Kyu?" Asked Fatima Ji immediately.

"Aap samjhi nahi Ammi? Bhai jaan ko koi aur pasand hai. Hum toh kehte hai, girlfriend ka naam baata hi di jiye Bhai jaan." Said Rihana, Sid's younger sister, in a teasing way.

"Rihana!" Shouted Fatima Ji. "Humne kitni baar kaha hai badho ke bich mein baat nahi karte."

"Lekin Ammi hum badhe ho chuke hai....."

"Jaao jaa ke Dadi Jaan ko khana khila ke aao." Said Fatima Ji handing her a plate of food.

Rihana made a sad face and left from there with the plate.

"Sid Beta, rishta accha hai. Humare jaan pehchaan mein bhi hai. Phir tumhe nikah kyu nahi karna?" Asked Arshad Ji, Sidharth's uncle.

"Kyu ki Taya jaan, Nusrat humare khala ki Beti hai. Bachpan se jaante hai hum usse. Humesha ek behen ki tarah maana hai. Ab hum aise achanak se usse apni biwi toh nahi maan sakte na." Explained Sid.

"Iss mein dikkat kya hai? Tum iss duniya ke pehle mard nahi ho jo apni khala ki beti se nikah kar rahe ho. Haan agar iss nikah se inkar karne ke peeche tumhari koi aur wajah hoti toh hum zaroor sochte. Lekin yeh wajah hum nahi maan sakte." Said Zakir Ji.

"Aur toh aur maine Nagma se waada kiya tha ki uski Beti ka nikah humare bete ke saath hoga. Main apni behen se kiya hua waada nahi tod sakti." Said Fatima Ji.

"Aur Nusrat itni pyaari bacchi hai. Sid Beta tum maan jaao na. Phir humare Aftab aur tumhara nikah ek hi saath ho jayega. Hum sab ke sir se zinmedari bhi thodi kam ho jayegi." Said Shabnam Ji, Sid's aunt.

Sid understood that they were not going to hear anything. He looked at Aftab who was eating and said, "Bhai jaan aap...."

"Keep me out of this." Said Aftab immediately. "Hum apne nikah ko le ke pehle se hi tension mein hai. Inn sab mamle mein humein nahi padhna."

Sid then looked at Shahid.

"Humein kyu aise dekh rahe hai? Hum toh chhote hai. Faisla toh ghar ke badhe lenge na?" Said Shahid.

With a sigh, Sid stood up and said, "Thik hai. Aap hi log li jiye saara faisla. Humari zindagi pe toh humara koi haq hi nahi hai na? Toh phir kariye jo karna hai."

Saying that, he left from there being annoyed.

"Sid khana chhor ke kidhar jaa rahe ho? Siddiqui!" Shouted Fatima Ji but he didn't stop.

"Kaha tha mat bhejiye USA. Badal gaya hai humara Sid. Zuban lada raha hai hum se. Agar nikah karne se maana kar diya toh hum Nagma ko kya muh dikhayenge?" Said Fatima Ji to her husband.

"Fikar mat karo Fatima. Sid maan jaayega." Said Zakir Ji. "Aaj tak humari marzi ke khilaf kabhi gaya hai jo aaj jaayega?"

Fatima Ji sighed and said, "Kaash aap ki baat sahi ho."

On the other hand, Sid went to his grandmother's room and saw Rihana feeding his grandmother.

"Rihana!" Called Sid and she looked at him. "Tu dinner kar le. Dadi jaan ko hum khila dete hai."

Rihana nodded and stood up. While leaving, she asked Sid in a low voice, "Waise kaun hai woh ladki?"

Sid suddenly remembered the girl he saw in the traffic and smiled.

"Paata nahi." He replied being lost.

"Kya?" Asked Rihana making a confused face.

Sid came back to reality and said, "Kuch nahi. Tu jaa."

"Okay." Said Rihana and left from there.

Sid then went and sat beside his Dadi jaan and started feeding her.

"Kya baat hai Siddiqui? Jab se aaya hai, itna udaas kyu lag raha hai?" Asked Dadi jaan noticing his sad face.

"Nahi Dadi jaan. Hum thik hai." Said Sid smiling forcefully.

Dadi jaan forwarded her trembling hand and pulled Sid's ear slightly.

"Apni Dadi jaan se chhupayega? Haan? Baata kya baat hai." She said.

Sid chuckled and said, "Aap se kaise chhupa sakte hai? Asal mein..... Hum Nusrat se nikah nahi karna chahte."

"Toh yeh baat hai. Lekin kyu? Tujhe koi aur pasand hai?"

"Ab aap bhi Rihana ki tarah baat kar rahi hai? Aisa nahi hai. Koi aur ladki hoti toh hum nikah ke liye sayad haan bhi kar dete. Par Nusrat nahi. Usse hum behen maante hai apni. Hum kaise uss se nikah kar sakte hai?"

Dadi jaan understood his problem and said, "Dekh Beta, bachpan aur jawani mein bohut fark hota hai. Tune Nusrat ko bachpan mein dekha hai. Par kya bada hone ke baad tu kabhi uss se mila hai? Tu toh school khatam hone ke baad hi bahar chala gaya tha. Tune jab akhri baar Nusrat ko dekha tab woh 12 yaa 13 saal ki thi. Par ab woh 25 saal ki ek jawan ladki hai. Kya paata uss se milne ke baad tera usse dekhne ka nazariya badal jaaye? Isliye main kehti hoon tu ek baar uss se mil le. Agar pasand aa gayi toh thik hai aur naa aaye toh saaf maana kar dena. Hum denge tera saath."

"Pakka waada? Aap humara saath dengi na?" Asked Sid to confirm.

"Pakka waada." Replied Dadi jaan smiling.

"Thank you Dadi jaan. You are the best."

Saying that Sid side-hugged Dadi jaan happily.

Later that night, Sid was lying in his bed when he again remembered the same girl. He now got irritated.

"Haaye Allah! Yeh kya ho raha hai humare saath? Woh ladki humare dimaag se jaa kyu nahi rahi? Har jagah sirf uss hi ka chehra dikh raha hai. Par kyu? Kya nata hai humara uske saath?" He asked himself and tried to find answers of his questions.

On the other hand, Shehnaaz was lying keeping her head on her mother's lap who was caressing her hair.

"Toh Nusrat ka nikah tay hogaya?" Asked Mariyam Ji, Shehnaaz's mother.

"Haan Ammi, uske Khala ke Bete ke saath. Kaal woh log aa rahe hai baat pakki karne. Aur maze ki baat toh yeh hai ki Nusrat ko apna hone wala sohar bohut pehle se hi pasand hai. Woh bohut excited hai iss nikah ke liye." Said Shehnaaz.

"Arrey wah! Yeh toh bohut acchi baat hai." Said Mariyam Ji smiling.

"Accha Ammi, ek baat puchhu?" Asked Shehnaaz sitting up from her mother's lap. "Nikah ke waqt kya har ladki ko itni hi excitement hoti hai? Aur agar hoti bhi hai, toh kyu hoti hai?"

"Umm.... Iss sawal ka jawab toh tujhe tab hi milega jab tera nikah hoga. Baata, rishta dekhu kya tera?"

Shehnaaz gave a huge smile hearing that. But then her smile faded away remembering something.

"Nahi Ammi. Hum kabhi nikah nahi karenge." She said sadly.

"Kyu?" Asked her mother.

"Kyu ki humein darr lagta hai. Agar humare sohar bhi Abbu jaise nikle toh?" She asked and Mariyam Ji's face fell immediately.

"Upar se hum aap ki tarah strong bhi nahi hai jo itna kuch seh le. Hum toh pakka marr hi jaayenge." She said further.

"Shehnaaz!" Uttered Mariyam Ji loudly. "Aisi baatein dobara kabhi mat karna. Aur tujhe lagta hai hum tera nikah tere abbu jaise kisi jahil admi ke saath hone denge?"

Shehnaaz nodded her head negatively. Mariyam Ji became quiet for sometime.

"Accha Ammi ek baat baataiye." Said Shehnaaz after sometime. "Kya Abbu ne aap ko sirf iss wajah se talaq diya kyu ki aap unhe beta nahi de saki?"

"Haan." Replied Mariyam Ji sadly. "Tere hone ke baad doctor ne keh diya tha ki main phir se kabhi conceive nahi kar paaungi. Lekin tere Abbu ko humesha se ek Beta chahiye tha. Isliye unhone humein talaq de ke dusra nikah kar liya. Pehle hum bohut roya karte the iss baat pe. Par ab yeh sab sochte hai toh khushi hoti hai. Kam se kam uss janwar jaise admi se chhutkara toh mila, jo har roz hum par haath utha te the, humari izzat nahi karte the. Aaj unhe talaq de ke hum khush hai. Agar aisa nahi hua hota toh hum kabhi college ke professor nahi ban paate, tujhe apne hisaab se bada nahi kar paate. Iske liye hum aaj bhi Allah ka shukriya aada karte hai."

Shehnaaz smiled hearing that.

"Ab humare do hi sapne hai. Pehla, tujhe bohut kamiyab hote hue dekhna. Aur dusra, ek aise ladke se tera nikah karwana jo sahi maine mein mard ho. Jo tere khwabon ko samjhe, tujhe duniya ki har khushi de aur sabse zyada important, jo teri izzat kare." Said Mariyam Ji further.

"Kya khuda ne aisa ladka banaya hoga Ammi?" Asked Shehnaaz.

Mariyam Ji smiled and said, "Zaroor banaya hoga. Sirf aur sirf, humari Shehnaaz ke liye."

Shehnaaz smiled and hugged her mother tightly.

Later that night...

Shehnaaz went to her room and started thinking about her mother's words. She closed her eyes and saw someone coming towards her riding on a horse. She tried to see his face but failed as there was fog. But she smiled realising that he was the man of her dreams.

She opened her eyes and blushed. Then she immediately took her phone and started singing keeping it near her mouth.

Ho ho o...

Heer Heer na akho adiyo

Main te Sahiban hoi

Ghodi leke aave le jaaye

Ghodi leke aave le jaaye

She remembered the man of her dreams and hope for him to come one day and take her away with him.

Ho mainu le jaaye Mirza koi

Le jaaye Mirza koi

Le jaaye Mirza koi...

She went near the window and continued singing looking at the moon.

Heer Heer na aakho adiyo

Main te Sahiban hoi

Ghodi leke aave le jaaye

Ghodi leke aave le jaaye

Next Day...

Sid came with his family to Nusrat's house. Though he was not willing, he agreed for his family's happiness.

"Gharwalon ki khushi ke liye hum aa toh gaye yaaha. Par ghar wapas jaa ke seedha na kar denge. Humein nahi karna Nusrat se Nikah." Said Sid in his mind.

Nusrat's parents made them sit on the sofa and they all started talking. Meanwhile Sid was getting bored. After sometime he started scrolling his phone but then stopped when his mother glared him. He kept his phone aside and started hearing their conversation being least interested.

"Waise Sid Beta, iss baar permanently aaye ho na USA se?" Asked Nusrat's mother, Nagma Ji.

Sid gave a slight smile and said, "Ji khala."

"Accha Nusrat kaha hai?" Asked Fatima Ji. "Kitne din ho gaye usse dekhe hue."

"Woh apne kamre mein hai. Hum abhi bula ke laate hai."

Saying that Nagma Ji left from there. After a while she came back with Nusrat.

Sid, who was looking here and there until then, his eyes got fixed all of a sudden. Not at Nusrat, but there was someone else who came with her. It was none other than Shehnaaz who came there just to help Nusrat to get ready.

Sid couldn't believe his own eyes. The same girl whom he met at the traffic, whom he never expected to see again, was now standing in front of him, just beside his would-be-wife. Sid kept staring at her in such a way that he even forgot to blink.

Shehnaaz noticed it and whispered to Nusrat's ears, "Dekhiye Nusrat Di, aap ke hone wale sohar kaise iss taraf dekh rahe hai. Humne kaha tha na, hum aap ka aisa make-up karwayenge ki aap ke hone wale sohar nazre hi nahi hata paayenge."

Nusrat also noticed Sid's gaze and blushed while Shehnaaz chuckled seeing her face.

"Arrey Shehnaaz Beta, kaisi hai tu?" Asked Fatima Ji to Shehnaaz. She knew her as it had been 8 years since they were staying at Nusrat's house in rent.

"Thik hoon." Replied Shehnaaz smiling.

"Shehnaaz.... Beautiful name." Thought Sid being lost in her.

"Waise dono baccho ko thoda alag se baat kar leni chahiye. Khamkha hum badho ke bich aise chup chap baithe reh ke kya karenge?" Suggested Nusrat's father to which others agreed.

Sidharth became annoyed as he wanted to stay there and see Shehnaaz more. But he couldn't express that. So he had no option other than going with Nusrat.

"All the best." Said Shehnaaz teasingly making Nusrat blush again.

Soon Sid and Nusrat left from there and went to the rooftop.

"Kaise hai aap?" Asked Nusrat looking down which made Sid awkward.

"Badhiya...." He replied. "Tu kaisi hai?"

"Abhi toh thik hai. Par aap ke jaane ke baad bohut udaas ho gaye the. Bohut rulaya aap ne humein."

Sid just smiled. Then he said, "Woh sab toh thik hai lekin.... Tu aise kyu baat kar rahi hai?... Yun nazre jhuka ke.... Ajeeb lag raha hai humein. Waise baat kar na jaise pehle baat kiya karti thi."

"Tab ki baat alag thi. Ab toh humara nikah hone wala hai na? Toh apne hone wale sohar se aise hi baat karni chahiye."

Sid didn't say anything else as things were getting more awkward for him.

After sometime he said, "Accha sun. Woh jo ladki tere saath thi... Kya naam tha?.... Haan Shehnaaz... Woh kab se tum logo ki kirayedaar hai? I mean, hum ne pehle kabhi nahi dekha, isliye puch rahe hai."

"Unn logo ko yaaha aaye 8 saal hogaye. Aur aap 12 saal pehle USA gaye the. Iss hi liye nahi dekha hoga. Par aap abhi yeh sab kyu puch rahe hai?"

"Nahi bas aise hi." Sid paused for a while and then again said, "Accha ek aur sawal. Koi boyfriend toh nahi hai na?"

"Nahi nahi. Humara koi boyfriend nahi hai." Said Nusrat immediately.

"Teri nahi.... Hum uss Shehnaaz ki baat kar rahe hai. Woh single hi hai na?"

Nusrat thought for sometime and said, "Jaha tak humein paata hai, woh single hi hai."

Sid gave a huge smile being happy. But Nusrat's next line made him worried.

"Ab uske college mein koi boyfriend ho bhi sakta hai jis ke baare mein usne nahi baataya."

Sid's face turned pale hearing that and he said in his mind, "Paata karna padega."

"Lekin uska boyfriend hai yaa nahi, yeh aap ko kyu jaan na hai?" Asked Nusrat being puzzled.

Sid became nervous and said, "Woh.... umm..... Asal mein...... Hum bohut der se yaaha hai. I think we should go back."

Saying that Sid immediately left from there.

"5 minutes bhi nahi hue aur yeh aise chale gaye? Humari toh kismat hi kharab hai." Thought Nusrat being sad.

Later That Day...

Sid returned home with his family. The whole way he thought about Shehnaaz and finally decided something.

"Hum nikah ke liye taiyar hai." Said Sid suddenly and everyone looked at him being surprised.

"Lekin hum Nikah Nusrat se nahi..... Shehnaaz se karenge." He said further leaving the whole family shocked.
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Will the Ahmed family embrace Sid's wish?

Will Shehnaaz agree for the Nikah?

What will be Nusrat's reaction?

Stay tuned...

Also vote if you liked this chapter.

DM for plot suggestions.