Ishq Fakiri

Aashnaa (9)

Koi samjhe toh ek baat kahu,

Ishq taufiq hai, gunah nahi..

(~Firaq Gorakhpuri)

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"Aayat, me hu na tumhaare saath. Tum bilkul na daro, bas mujh par apna yaqeen qaayam rakhna. Theek hai?"

Ayaan cupped her cheeks and wiped her tears which were not stopping. He knew she was scared, but he needed her to understand that no matter what, he will never leave her.

"Ab chale?" He wiped her face once more and asked her. Aayat looked away and nodded her head half-heartedly. She was scared to face Rukhsana Begum.

Ayaan sighed seeing her. He himself was scared, he knew his mother very well. She was not an easy nut to crack. He knew he'll have to make some harsh decisions. But he was also sure that no matter what, he is not going to let Aayat go away from him. Aayat is his and he is Aayat's.

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Getting out of the car, both of them started walking towards the Raza House. A few steps taken, and Ayaan couldn't find his Aayat beside him. He turned behind and found her standing a few steps behind fidgeting with her fingers.

He went towards her and held her hand, intertwining their fingers. He placed a kiss on her forehead assuring her through his eyes and started walking with her.

As soon as they stepped in the house, Rukhsana Begum was shocked to see them. She didn't knew Ayaan had returned, and seeing Aayat beside him made her angry.

"Ayaan! Tum wapas kab Aaye? Aur yeh ladki kya Kar rahi hai Yaha par?"

She gave Aayat a hateful glance.

"Me subah hi aaya hu. Me aapke room me Aaya tha par aap so rahi thi."

Saying this, he bent forward and lowered his head. Rukhsana Begum placed her hand on his head, giving him blessings. All this time, his fingers were still intertwined with Aayat's. Moving behind, he looked at Aayat briefly and again turning towards Rukhsana Begum, said

"Aur yeh ladki, jiska naam Aayat Ayaan Raza hai, woh meri biwi hai. Aur meri biwi toh mere saath hi hogi na?"

Rukhsana Begum was shocked hearing Ayaan's cold voice which was so soft just a few seconds ago.

"Ayaan, tum nahi jaante yeh kitni badi jhoothi aur dhokebaaz hai. Isne aur iske khaandaan ne hume andhere me rakha, aur humare gale baandh diya isko. Humse aaj tak yeh baat chupaayi gayi ki yeh ladki ek ba-"

"Mujhe sab pata hai Amma. Koi jhooth, koi dhoka nahi diya hai Aayat ne. Agar kisi ne aap ko dhoka Diya hai toh Woh me hu" Ayaan roared cutting Rukhsana Begum's words.

By now, everyone had gathered and were shocked to see Ayaan's speaking so coldly with his mother. Ayaan, who never dared to raise his voice in front of his mother, who always did what she wished.

"Ayaan, tum shayad bhool rahe ho, tum apni maa se baat Kar rahe ho. Awaaz neeche Karo, aur yeh kis rawaiyye me baat kar rahe ho tum mujhse. Woh bhi kiske liye? Is manhoos ladki ke liye! Mujhe poora yaqeen hai isi ne tumhare kaan bhare hai. Hai na?" Rukhsana Begum scolded with venom dripping from her words.

Hearing such ill words for his wife was igniting Ayaan's anger. He was already very angry at his mother for what she did a night before. Unknowingly, he tightened his hold on Aayat's hand.

Aayat, whose face was completely drenched in tears, looked at him who looked so angry. She pressed his hands and tried to calm him down. She didn't want him to fight with his own mother because of her.

Ayaan took a deep breath, "Amma mujhe nahi lagta me is waqt aap se baat kar pauga" saying this, he started moving towards his room with Aayat besides him.

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Once inside their room, Ayaan locked the door and moved towards balcony. Aayat went behind him and saw him standing there with his hands on the railings. She went and hugged him from behind. Keeping her hands on his chest and her head on his back, she kept standing there. She knew he must be so upset. He loved and respected his mother so much. And today because of her, he had to stand against that same mother.

Feeling some water on her hands, she gasped. She immediately moved behind and made him turn towards her. Her heart clenched looking at his tear struck face. He held his hand and moved towards their bed. Making him sit on the bed, she wiped his tears, her own tears flowing.

"Aayat, me... Mujhe samajh Nahi aa raha kuch. Maine jitna socha tha usse kai zyada mushkil hai Amma ke saamne khade hokar, unke faisle ko mana karna. Me unse oonchi awaaz me baat nahi karna chahta tha, par unhone tumhare liye jin lafzo ka istemaal kiya, me nahi rok paaya khud ko"

Aayat just hugged him and whispered in a very low voice between her cries "I..I am so..sor..sorry"

Hearing her apology, Ayaan broke the hug. Cupping her cheeks, he looked straight in her eyes, "Apne aap ko kasoorwar mat thehrao. Tumne kuch nahi kiya hai."

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A few hours later, Ayaan entered Rukhsana Begum's room and found her sitting on the couch. He went towards her and sat on the floor in front of her. Keeping his head on her knees, he started speaking

"Mujhe maaf kar de Amma. Mujhe aapse oonchi awaaz me baat nahi karni Chahiye thi."

Rukhsana Begum just hmmed and kept running her fingers in his hairs.

"Amma, Aayat ne mujhe koi dhoka nahi diya hai. Usne mujhe sab kuch usi din bataya tha jis din hamara rishta tai hua tha. Woh toh aapko bhi batana chah rahi thi par Maine hi use roka tha."

Rukhsana Begum's fingers stopped in his hairs, and she made him look at her.

"Kya keh rahe ho Ayaan? Tumne aisa kyu kiya? Agar mujhe pehle pata hota toh me kabhi tumhari shaadi usse na karti. "

"Isliye toh aapko nahi bataya Amma."

Her eyes widened hearing his words.

"Amma, aaj kal ki duniya me jaha koi apna apno se jhooth bolta hai khud ke fayde ke liye, wahi Aayat ne himmat Kar mujhe sab sach bataya, yeh jaante hue ki me usse juda hua rishta tod bhi Sakta hu. Usse kya zaroorat thi mujhe sab sach batane ki, par usne bataya. Aur Amma mere liye isse badhkar Kuch nahi hai. Ek rishte me sabse zaroori ek dusre ke beech sacchai hona aur bharosa hona hota hai. "

Rukhsana Begum sighed hearing him. "Par beta, yeh kaafi nahi hai. Aulaad ka hona bohot zaroori hota hai. Aur woh ladki, tumhe kabhi aulaad ki khushi nahi de paayegi."

"Me maanta hu Amma, aulaad zaroori hai, par aulaad ke bina bhi hum khush reh sakte hai. Aur waise bhi duniya me hum aise pehle toh Nahi hoge jinki aulaad nahi hogi. Amma, me Aayat se bohot mohabbat karta hu, me use nahi chod sakta"

"Yeh sab baate bas kitaabo me aur filmo me achi lagti hai beta. Abhi shayad tumhe ahsaas nahi hoga, Kuch saal tum dono khushi khushi reh bhi loge, par fir tumhe samajh aaega ki me sahi hu. Aulaad hamare budhape ka sahara hoti hai. Mujhe dekh lo, tumhare abba ke jaane ke baad tum bacche hi toh mera sahara ho."

"Amma par-"

"Nahi Ayaan, mujhe Kuch nahi sunna. Me tumhe is tarah apni zindagi barbaad karne nahi dugi. Tumhe use chodna hi hoga"

Ayaan sighed. Running his hands through his hairs, he got up.

"Ayaan tumhe abhi faisla karna hi hoga." He heard his mother's authorative voice. "Tumhe Aayat ko chodna hi hoga."

"Me Aayat ko nahi choduga. " Ayaan said in a cold voice.

"Is ghar me ab ya toh Aayat rahegi ya fir me. Faisla ab tumhara hai, tumhe is ghar me kise rakhna hai" Rukhsana Begum smirked knowing that this move of hers will make her win. Ayaan will never choose that girl over his mother, this thought was enough for Rukhsana Begum to enjoy her victory.

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