Pyaar Ki Dastaa'n | Short Stories | 3rd Book |

Aashna ~ 6

Slowly, slowly and completely, sky hugged darkness while full moon tried to scattered his luminous. But his light alone wasn't enough, as stars weren't in the mood of showing their face, grey clouds were decorating the sky, birds has returned to their nest and now peacefully sleeping.

Mashal's peace was disturbed. She couldn't sleep, putting her arms over the sill of window, and resting her chin there, she was gazing at the moon.

Saima, who was going to kitchen to take water, saw the faint luminous coming from Mashal's room and decided to check on her.

"Mishi!" Her voice was below whisper, but it startled Mashal.

"Maama!" Mashal sat up straight.

"Kya hua, ab tak soyi nahi?" Getting in, Saima asked and sat on the sofa in front of Mashal.

"What happened? You are awake at this time?)

Mashal didn't say anything, just lay her head in her mother's lap.

"Pareshaan ho?" Running her hand through Mashal's hair, Saima asked.

(You look tense?)

"Mamma, Armaan ka kehna hai ki... ki main bohot attach ho gayi hoon Rayyan aur Rumaisa se... Unhe lagta hai ki main unhe apne bachhe samajhne lagi hoon." Mashal told her in undertone.

(Armaan says that... That I have started thinking of Rayyan and Rumaisa as my own children.)

"Aur mujhe lagta hai... Woh sahi hain. Mamma, main Rayyan aur Rumaisa ko chorhne ka soch bhi nahi sakti. Mujhe har pal sirf unka hi khayal rehta hai. Abhi bhi mujhe unhi ki fikar hai ki pata nahi theek se so rahe hain ki nahi. Kahi Rayyan ka blanket unke uppar se hatna gaya ho, raat ko agar Rumi uth ke rone lagi toh ussey kon chup karayega. Aunty toh sleeping pills leke so jati hain. Pata nahi Shehry ko ussey sambhalna ata bhi hai ki nahi."

(And I think he is right.... I don't want to leave Rayyan and Rumaisa. I always worry about them. Even right now, I am worried about them if they are sleeping peacefully or not. What if Rayyan's blanket fall over from him? What if Rumaisa started crying in the middle of the night? Shehryaar won't able to put her back to sleep.)

"Mamma, mera bas chale toh unn dono ko yaha la aau lekin aunty ki wajah se nahi kehti. Woh already bohot pareshaan hain, bachho ki duri woh nahi bardasht kar payengi."

(Mamma, I want to take them with him but I don't say anything because of aunty.)

"Inn halato mein main shaadi nahi kar paungi. Abhi nahi. Shayad baad mein, jab Rayyan aur Rumaisa bade ho jaye... Ya phir shayad kabhi nahi. Main unhe nahi chorhna chahti. Kya mera aisa sochna galat hai?" Mashal sat up and looked into her mother's eyes, telling her every feeling and asking it is wrong to feel this way.

(I can't marry in these situations. Not now, maybe later, when Rayyan and Rumaisa will grow up. Or maybe never. It is wrong to feel like this?)

"Tumhare dil mein kya hai main samajh sakti hoon, Mishi. Hum sabko Rayyan aur Rumaisa ki fikar rehti hai. Lekin, ab unki zindagi aisi guzregi... hum mein se koi bhi unse jitni mohabbat kar lein, Maa baap ki kami ko nahi puri kar paoge. Mashal, main aur tumhare papa kabhi nahi chahenge ki tum zindagi aise akele guzaro. Meher ke.... Meher ke baad toh main aur tumhare papa yahi chahenge ki tum bas khush raho." Saima brushed Mashal's hair from her face and softly told her.

(I know how you feel right now, Mishi. We all are always worried about Rayyan and Rumaisa but what can we do? No matter how much we love them, no one can replace their parents. Mashal, You father and I won't want you to live your life like this. After... After Meher, we just want your happiness.)