SULTANATE سلطنت

Nawaab-۵

" ...the swearing in ceremony would be held in a week now and Baba I think you should go. Jahaangir Bhai ko bura lagega agar humare ghar se kisi ne attend nahi kiya toh" Baasit gently told his father over dinner one night, careful of his brothers.

The older Gashkori boys were still vary of their only brother in law and didn't leave a single chance to show it. Baasit knew it hurt their sister despite her apparent indifference. Even now she was sitting like a doll eating with them, barely uttering a word and hardly showing interest in their conversation. She was just physically present because mentally she was still back in the Dehwaar Haweli, trying to recreate her life before the tragedy.

Abbas hummed in response, not missing out on the scowls on his older offsprings. He knows that Jahaangir had committed a sin but the poor boy has been repenting for it too. He also has been apologizing to his daughter fervently and honestly, in his opinion no third person is allowed to speak in matters of spouses. Even if the said third person is a blood relation!

He observed how dull his daughter looked and was just about to ask her something when a house help informed them about the arrival of Jahaangir, who was waiting in the lounge. He would visit them everyday and his stubborn daughter would send him away without so much as letting him have a single glance at her!

Zartaaj's eyes lit up as soon as she heard of her husband's arrival and wanted to run in his arms but her hurt didn't allow her to show any sentiments. Today she had decided that she'll ask him to stop coming here and not waste both their time. Although secretly, she love the fact that he kept on trying and kept on apologizing despite her apathy.

She stopped her father from attending to him and surprised him even more when she showed interest in talking to him. A first in the whole month of their separation. Abbas muttered a silent Alhamdulillah for maybe there is still hope after all.

Zartaaj walked in the lounge to see her husband's broad back outlined by the soft light in the window, where he stood looking out at the vast expanse of their estate. His muscles stiffened sensing her presence and he immediately turned around to see whether his instincts were true. And they were.

Jahaangir felt his eyes fill up as he finally saw his wife after a month. An entire month after he had come to apologise for his sins. A month after she had vowed to not forgive him and a month of utter despair of not being able to even see her.

Here she was, his hoor, his wife and the mother of his lost child.

Jahaangir hurried to her side and tried to take her in his embrace when she held him at an arm's length, inspecting him more like scrutinizing him top to bottom.

" Have you not been eating?" Zartaaj had an accusatory tone in her voice and Jahaangir never knew that even a scolding from her would be so soul soothing.

He shook his head in negative, not having courage to utter a single word.

Zartaaj had come with the sole purpose of telling him to back off but one look at her husband's weak form flipped her heart and she found herself worrying for him all over again.

" Aur aap theek se sou bhi nahi rahe hain?" She traced the bags under his eyes with her thumbs caressing his pale cheekbones, smoothening out the fine lines.

He looked like he had aged ten years in the last thirty days, as he shook his head in a negative again.

" When have you eaten last? You look like you're about to fall down any moment now. Allah! Kya karu main iss bewakoof aadmi ka?" Zartaaj muttered under her breath as she dragged him by his hand towards their dining room where her family was still seated.

Jahaangir let her pull him with her, not saying a single word. He still can't believe that she decided to meet him. Him! Her sinner and her gunahgaar!

Zartaaj made him sit on the chair beside her's and pushed her own plate in front of him which was half full. She served him some more gravy and tore into a piece of paratha before dipping it in and forwarding the morsel to his lips.