"Wo Bhabhi aa gayin" Manal directed towards Naimal who was coming out of the college campus with some of her friends.

"Bhabhi idhar" She waved and Naimal was surprised to see her sister in law along with her husband.

"Arre waah shohar sahab khud lene aaye hain" her friend teased and she just rolled her eyes. Walking towards them in a slow pace, she waved back at Manal.

"Hi jeeju"

Shehryaar passed a polite smile to Naimal's friend "Hi"

"Bhabhi hum shopping par jaa rahe hain aur  " Manal turned back and frowned "Arre Bhai kahaan gayein"

"Here we are behna" Rafeeq, Sumaiya and Armaan came with three plates of chaat

"Haww mere bina" Manal narrowed her eyes at the traitor club

"Arsal bhai ne tumhe junk khaane se mana kiya hai na " Rafeeq wiggled his eyebrows and moaned at the flavours of the delicious chaat

"Toh woh yahaan kaun sa aa kar dekh rahe hain"

"Acha ab chalna hai ki yahin par waqt bita dena hai" Shehryaar finally intervened and all of them got seated inside the car

"Bhai aap bhabhi ke sath peeche baithein..main drive karta hun" Armaan smiled taking the keys from Shehryaar

"Bhabhi chaat" Sumaiyya made Naimal have a spoonful of the snack and she craved more.

"Rafeeq apni plate bhabhi ko de do" Shehryaar observed his wife's expressions and asked his brother to sacrifice his share.

"Nai nai bhai aap khayein..mai toh khaati rehti hun" Naimal resisted

"Arre mai aapse zyaada khaata rehta hun..ye lein" Rafeeq smiled and forcibly made her hold the plate.
Amidst all the gossiping and snacking, they reached the mall and first moved to the apparel section.

"Naimal aapko kuch nahin lena" Shehryaar asked seeing Naimal just looking here and there

"Main card le kar nahin aayin hun"

"It's ok mai pay kar dunga"

"No .. thankyou "

"Naimal hum kya thoda normal behave nahin kar sakte?"

"Humaare case me kuch normal nahin hai Shehryaar" Naimal spat and started looking the other way

"Bhai Bhabhi par wo Saree kaisi lagegi" Manal came from behind and made Shehryaar look to his right

"Achhi lagegi .. aap pack kara lein Bhabhi ke liye"

"Nai iski zarurat nahin hai"

"Arre bhabhi bhai bahut kanjoos hain..aaj khud se offer kar rahe hain bahut badi baat hai" Manal giggled

"Nai Manal mere paas is colour ki already hai" Naimal was trying to escape the situation but her sweet sister in law was not buying any of it.

"Toh wo maroon me dekhein wo bhi bahut achi hai....mai grey wali le leti hun" Manal winked and walked ahead to look for some more colours.

"Aap kyun apne aap ko itna acha dikhane ki koshish kar rahe hain..." Naimal glared at Shehryaar who was not expecting such a reaction.

"Mai bas "

"Apni duty puri kar raha tha nai...kitne baje tak chalegi aapki ye duty haan...9 to 5 yaa 10 to 6" 

Not knowing what to say, he just kept mum

"Aur aaj ki duty khatam ho gayi ho toh please kya hum ghar chal sakte hain" Naimal snorted and walked away making her husband follow her with slow steps.

============

"Mai kya karun Naimal agar mera dil kisi aur ko chahta hai"
Since the time, the couple had entered the room, Naimal was showing her displeasure through some way or other and Shehryaar finally reacted

"Aap bas ek selfish insaan hai ... aapne us ladki shaadi kyun nahin ki"

"Kuch cheezein par apna kaabu nahin hota aur yahi hua........meri situation kuch aisi hi thi" he said making her more furious

"Toh aapne socha chalo kisi aur ko bhi apni tarah dukhi bana dete hain..nai"

"Mera wo intention nahin tha..mujhe laga aap bahut practical ladki hain isliye"

"Acha practical hone ka matlab ye hota hai.....thankyou so much Mr Shehryaar Alam Shah for teaching this new thing to me" she gritted her teeth
"Mai puchti hun agar meri jagah aap hote aur maine kisi aur mard ka zikar kiya hota toh aap"

"Mai samajhne ki koshish karta Naimal na ki aapko blame karta" Shehryaar didn't let her finish

"Achha....lekin mera dil itna bada nahin hai. Aur ye baat ab meri taraf se nahin aayegi...mai khud khush rehna jaanti kisi ke pyaar ki zarurat nahin hai mujhe khaas kar aapke" Naimal wore her specs and started typing furiously on her laptop signalling him to leave her alone.

A month passed and they became a little normal with each other.
Normal meant Naimal answering Shehryaar without glaring as it was only him who initiated a talk or tried to converse.

She had made peace with the type of relationship they share. She was just waiting for some more time to pass so that she could take an action.

"Chai" Naimal passed a cup of tea to Shehryaar who acknowledged with a smile "Aap nahin piyengi"

"Maine aadhe ghante pehle hi pi thi"

"Sabki chai ek taraf aur aapki haath ki ek taraf" He genuinely praised taking a sip and she just shook her head 

"Maine Manal ke liye ye ring pasand ki hai..kaisi hai" she showed a design on her phone

"Achhi hai..rings ka toh use bahut shauk hai"

"Mujhe samajh nahin aaya Arsal bhai ke liye kya lun...wo itne chup chup aur serious rehte hain ki unka pata hi nahin chalta"

Shehryaar smiled "Use pens ka bahut shauk hai"

"Seriously....pen "

He nodded and then asked
"Aapko kya pasand hai?"

"Kyun...gift karenge?"

"Agar aap chahengi toh" He smiled but  just then someone knocked on the door "Bhabhi"

"Haan Manal..andar aa jao"

"Bhabhi aap mehendi lagayengi.."

"Nahin yaar mujhe assignment complete karni hai apni" Naimal pouted

"Haan toh Bhai kar denge na..kyun bhai" Manal raised her brows at her elder brother

"Uhhmm ... hh haan why not" Shehryaar somehow uttered as he himself had a presentation to make but he just couldn't say No.

"Ok then" Naimal smiled and Shehryaar sulked "Is baar kaise maan gayin ye..wo bhi itni aasaani se"

=====

It was 2 when Shehryaar finally shut down his laptop as he got done with his wife's assignment. He saw her enjoying her beauty sleep with no worries. She looked so innocent..just like a baby. He shook his head at the thoughts and decided to call it a day now.

The next morning Sadia had caught hold of him to drop her to a friend's function and he didn't get any option beside saying Yes as Rafeeq miyaan was busy in his dreamland and wouldn't blink an eye even after continuous knocks on his door and
Shahryaar finally had to take a day off to accompany his mother.

==========

"Sherry tum theek to ho na"

"Ji Mama"

"Toh phir aise kashmakash me kyun lag rahe ho" Sadia caressed his son's face

"Mama...jab aap apni mohabbat ko kisi aur ke sath dekhte ho toh dil me thodi chubhan hoti hai na"

"Sherry" Sadia was alarmed. She thought his son was over all this

"Batayein na Mama"

"Bachcha mai samajhti hun beta lekin you need to"

"Mujhe kuch feel nahin hua Mama" Sadia was cut off midway by her son's innocent acceptance

"Mujhe zara bhi fark nahin pada...ulta function me jo saare couples aaye the unke liye bas dua nikal rahi thi. Ye kaisi mohabbat thi meri Mama....mujhe uske wajood se bhi koi matlab nahin reh gaya"

"Shayad wo mohabbat ho hi nahin....mujhe aaj bhi yaad hai tumne bas use kahin dekha tha aur ek do mulaaqaton ke baad tumne tai kar liya tha ki tumhe shaadi karni hai" Sadia recollected and again looked at him

"Mama.. Baba ne shaadi ke liye na kyun kaha tha"

"Baba ne na nahin kaha tha...jab wo Ramsha ke ghar gaye toh Ramsha aur uske Baba ne tumse nahin Arsal se rishta banaane ki khwaish rakhi"

"Kya"

"Lekin tumhare Baba nahin chahte the ki tumhe yeh baat chale....ye tum bhi jaante ho ki Arsal tumse zyaada kamyaab hai kyunki usne tumse pehle business me kadam rakha lekin agar us waqt tumhe ye baat pata chalti toh tumhare mann me apne aap ko lekar Arsal ko le kar ulte seedhe khayaal aane lagte isliye Rashid ne sirf ye kaha ki unhe ye rishta manzoor nahin aur Arsal to humaari Manal ke alawa kisi aur ke baare me soch bhi nahin sakta"

"Aap logon ne mujhe itna kamzor samajh liya tha Mama" Tears welled up in Shehryaar's eyes as he questioned his mother who held his hand "Tumhare Baba nahin chahte the unke bachche ka dil dukhe..unki jaan ho tum"

"Mai Baba se aaj tak achhe se baat nahin karta ye soch kar ki unhone meri zindagi se meri khushi chheen li ... kaise nazrein milaunga unse" Tears of guilt and pain came out and Sadia cupped his face

"Bas unke gale lag jao...unhe aur kuch nahin chahiye" she smiled Shehryaar didn't take even a second to rush out to go to his father.

His car drove in high speed not wanting to make his owner wait to get embraced in his father's love.

===============

Rashid Alam Shah was signing some papers when he felt a little uncomfortable. Loosening his tie he had a few sips of water and then dialled his wife.

"Aur Rashid sahab aaj khush toh bahut honge aap" Hearing his wife's cheerful voice, he smiled a little

"Aur mere itne khush hone ki wajah jaan sakta hun Begum" he humoured her

"Aap Sherry ko phone dein pehle main usse baat karun phir aapki class leti hun"

"Sherry toh nahin hai yahaan"

"Lekin use toh bahut der ho gaye nikle..mujhe laga baap bete daawat utha rahe honge"

Sadia informed her husband about the the morning events and even before a full fledged smile could come on his face, he heard a beep sound and saw a call coming from another number.

"Sadia ek minute .. mai baat karta hun aapse..ek call aa raha hai"

"Hello" he answered the call

"Rashid Sahab"

"Ji"

"Mai Jayant Mathur bol raha hun"

"Arre SP sahab bolein bolein" Rashid sat comfortably on his chair

"Aap R M Hospital me zara aa jayein..."

"Kyun kya huwa"

"Hum aapke bade bete ko yahaan le kar aayein hain....City centre ke paas unki gaadi ka accident hua hai..mai wahaan hi inspection karne gaya tha aur tabhi..."

"What....kaisa hai wo...mai aa raha hun aap please uski treatment na rukne dein" Rashid ran out of his office in panic

"Rashid sahab ghabraane ki zaroorat nahin hai..he is stable..aap panic na karein"

S.P's advice was not paid any heed but Armaan saw his Taya Abbu rushing out and followed him

"Taya Abbu..kya hua kahaan jaa rahein"

"Armaan....RM Hospitals ke taraf chalo jaldi"

"Hua kya hai..."

"Sherry is there"

Armaan didn't ask any questions as he saw his uncle's panic stricken face. Instead he drove as fast as he could.

Reaching there, they came to know that a car had hit Shehryaar's car from behind and it looked like a case of drunk driving.

The doctor announced him out of danger after a few hours and by then every family member had been making rounds one by one. Even Arsalan had taken the next flight to home.

"Unhe hosh aa raha hai dheere dheere...aur shayad wo apne Baba se milna chahte hain." One of the caretakers informed the family

Rashid just heard the first line and rushed inside to see his son attached with machines.
"Baba" his eyes flickered and Rashid couldn't keep his tears in check

"Bachche mai yahin hun" he carressed his face affectionately

"Baba...."

"Mai yahun hun...kuch nahin hoga meri jaan"

"I am sss sorry Baba"

"Maine maaf kiya bachche" Rashid kissed his palm

"Dekhein mujhe saza bhi mil gayi" Shehryaar's lips lifted into a painful smile

"Kuch nahin hua..bas kuch dinon me theek ho jaoge tum samjhe"

"Haan aapka peecha mai jaldi chhodne bhi nahin wala ... bahut saari baatein karni hain aapse"

"Main kal hi retirement le lunga" Rashid smiled through his tears with his son mirroring the same expressions.

=======

"Sherry chalein uthein.."

"Nahin mujhe neend aa rahi hai"

"Medicines leni hain aapko..chalein uthein"

"Uff .. " Shehryaar moaned but keeping aside his tantrums woke up and walked inside the washroom with his wife's support.

Naimal brushed his teeth as he had problem is lifting his hands upward.

Taking a shower, he knocked on the washroom door and Naimal walked to him. He could wear trousers but needed help in wearing shirts.

Drying his hair, she helped him with the clothes and brought his breakfast.

"Phir se poha" Shehryaar sulked

"Bhoolein mat aap beemaar hain"

It was one night when Naimal had seen him groaning in pain and she rushed to his help. That night she took care of him single handedly and from the other day she took it upon herself to help him out with everything. She couldn't see anyone in pain and here it was her own husband...whatever the situation be..the truth was he was the person she was married to. With time, he had become a friend too.

"Aapne nashta kar liya" Shehryaar asked her as he was being fed.

"Haan Manal ne pasta banaya tha" Naimal teased

"Mere liye bhi zara le latin aap..aapko toh apne shohar ke taste buds ko bland karke hi manna hai" he pouted

"Bilkul...taaki jab bhi mai kuch bana kar dun..seedhe pet ke andar daal lein no criticising n all"

"Acha..but aapki jaankaari ke liye bata dun mai ek bahut achha cook hun" Shehryaar took a few sips of water and passed a haughty smile

"Maggi dus saal ke bachche ko bhi banaani aati hai Sherry..." Naimal chuckled and fed him some more

"Par mujhse achi nahin"

"Haan aadhi duniya isi khushfehmi me rehti hai"

"I will prove it to you someday"

"We will see!!"

******

I have come to know that I can't write a story. The things which I planned, I just couldn't pen them down (the way I wanted). So, I will just wrap it up in the next chapter.
But I have ideas. If somebody is willing to work on them, I will be happy to share.

-Meher