"Amma....mai raazi hun is nikaah ke liye lekin meri kuch shartein ladki tak pahucha di jayein"
Nawab Almas Chaudhary stood in a sheer black pathani suit infront of an elderly lady who seemed to have run out of words.."Par beta"
"Amma ye mera aakhiri faisla hai"
"Hum aaj wahaan jaa rahe hain...aap khud mil kar unse baat kar lete toh acha rehta" The lady gave a pleading look to which Almaas nooded and turned to go.
"Bhai..shaadi ke liye ready ho gaye" A boy had attached his ear to the door which all of a sudden opened with a thud..."Bh..bhai...mai bas..mai bas"
"Mai bas" Almas raised his brows crossing his arms by his chest
"Wo mai..darwaza paint karne aaya tha" The boy's eyes went to a paint container and without thinking, he spewed a lie.
"Achha....shuru karo"
"Huh..."
"Azaan..shuru karo"
"Bh..bhai mai soch raha hun aapki shaadi ke din kar dunga"
"Kyunki chugli karna zyada zaroori hai...nai" Almas scoffed at his brother who lowered his eyes in shame...mock shame. He would be seen repeating the same thing by the evening.
"Jao"
"Ji bhai...." Azaan bit his inner cheeks and turned towards the lounge to flee out and share the hot gossip with others.
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As the screeching sound of tyres reached Raima's ears, her breath hitched.
Oh how she badly wanted to flee out so that she could escape her own wedding talks. Yes, she didn't want to get married..not now not ever.
She was very wary of personal touch and just imagining herself with some man without any barriers in between disgusted her to no ends.
But, her Chachu was adamant on the rishta as it had come from the Chaudharys who were the most influential people in the city.
She had once encountered Almas Chaudhary..her prospective groom and couldn't even utter a word un his presence...his aura was scary. He hadn't even lifted his eyes but then too he seemed to be very intimidating.
Her thoughts ceased with a knock on the door. Putting her dupatta around her neck, she opened the door to see his Chachi "Beta..wo Almas tumse kuch baat karna chahte hain"
"Sherry aur Mirha unhe terrace par le kar gaye hain..jaldi se muh haath dho kar jaao"
"Ji"
Seeing Raima on the door of the terrace, Sherry and Mahira excused themselves to the farthest corner.
Raima had covered herself with a shawl. She cleared her throat but Almas didn't turn.
"Mai aapse shaadi sirf aur sirf apne bete ke liye kar raha hun"
Raima was confused.....he had a son. Before she could think more, the hard voice continued
"Mai aapka shohar sirf logon ki nazar me rehna chahta hun....aap bas mere bete ko sambhaal lein..mai aapse aur kuch expect nahin karunga" Almas knew he was being totally unreasonable ... which girl in her right mind would want to marry to take care of a child who was not hers, but next moment he was proved wrong when a soft voice echoed
"Humein manzoor hai"
"Aap phir se soch lein...."
"Soch liya aur hum raazi hain" Raima didn't know the amount of happiness and relief she felt. She wouldn't have to be a wife to anybody. She didn't mind turning mother to a baby boy. Atleast this way she will be spared for lifetime. No physical intimacy.. nothing. She absolutely detested such things...why..she had no idea.
