Ishq Fakiri

Aashnaa (10)

Dil ko teri chahat pe bharosa bhi bohot hai,

Aur tujh se bicchad jaane ka darr bhi nahi jaata...

(~Ahmad Faraz)

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"Is ghar me ab ya toh Aayat rahegi ya fir me. Faisla ab tumhara hai, tumhe is ghar me kise rakhna hai"

Ayaan kept tossing and turning on his bed as Rukhsana Begum's words kept echoing in his head. Aayat who was continuously noticing his tensed features ever since he returned from his mother's room, finally got up and turned on the room lights but this wasn't enough to catch Ayaan's attention. He was lost in his thoughts.

Aayat sat beside his laying form and kept her hand on his head, running her fingers through his hairs. This caught Ayaan's attention. He got up and sat straight in front of her. He looked in her eyes which had so many questions. He didn't had the courage to answer them. Finding it difficult to hold her gaze anymore, he just hugged her.

"Kya hua hai Ayaan? Amma ji ne kya kaha hai aap se? Please kuch toh bataye na, mera dil ghabra raha hai."

Not getting any answer, she just sighed and kept hugging him, trying to give him the comfort which he needed right now.

"Aayat?" Ayaan whispered, not breaking the embrace.

"Hmm?"

"Me jo bhi faisla karuga, tum mera saath dogi na?" He asked, even though he already knew her answer he wanted to hear it from her.

"Koi shak" Ayaan chuckled hearing her reply.

******

The next morning, Rukhsana Begum was anxiously waiting for Ayaan to come out of his room and give his decision in front of everyone.

Finally her wait was over when she saw Ayaan coming down the stairs. But what caught her attention was two big suitcases in his hands and Aayat who was walking behind him with a worried face.

Standing in front of Rukhsana Begum, Ayaan kept the suitcases on the floor and held Aayat's hand making Rukhsana Begum's eyes widen.

"Amma, mene faisla kar liya hai." Ayaan looked at Aayat once, and then again started speaking.

"Amma, mene faisla kar liya hai ki iss ghar me aap rahegi. Yeh ghar aapka he, aapne iss ghar me sab ko jode rakha, toh phir me kon hota hu aapko yeh kehne wala ki aap yeh ghar chod de, aapne meri tarbiyat aisi nahi ki hai."

Rukhsana Begum smiled hearing his words. She went near him and kissed his forehead, "Me jaanti thi beta, tum kabhi koi galat faisla nahi karoge. Aur ab tum Aayat, apni manhoosiyat lekar nikal jao mere ghar se aur mere bete ki zindagi se. Aur Ayaan me toh keh rahi hu, abhi ke abhi ise talaq de do aur khatam kar do iska kissa."

"Amma, Aayat is ghar se zaroor jaegi. Par woh akele nahi jaa rahi, uska shohar uske saath jaega. " Ayaan said trying to keep his voice as soft as possible. Rukhsana Begum's words were just igniting his anger and he didn't wanted to lose his cool.

"AYAAN! kya keh rahe ho? " Rukhsana Begum was shocked would be an understatement. She never even imagined that Ayaan would talk about leaving this house.

"Amma, Aayat meri biwi hai. Aur jis Ghar me use apnaya nahi jaega, jis Ghar me Uske liye jagah nahi, waha mera kya kaam. Isliye mene faisla Kiya hai ki Aayat aur me, hum dono is ghar se chale jaege." Saying this he picked the suitcases and started walking towards the door with Aayat besides him.

"Ruk jao Ayaan" Rukhsana Begum said in a defeated voice. Tears were shining in her eyes with just the thought of Ayaan leaving her. "Yeh yaha reh sakti hai" Saying this she went to her room.

*******

Clad in a big white dupatta, Aayat sat on the prayer mat. Hands raised in the air, tears flowing through her eyes, she couldn't help but thank her creator infinite times for blessing her with Ayaan. She remembered how Ayaan had told her about his conversation with his mother and how he had to choose between her and his mother. And then how he took the hardest decision....

Flashback (Early morning)

"Aayat me kaise aap dono me se kisi ek ko chunu. Aap dono mere liye ahem ho. Par pata nahi woh yeh baat kyu nahi samajh rahi"

Ayaan went near their wardrobe and came with two large suitcases. Aayat's heart was beating at its full speed, scared of what was going to happen. Her heart ached when she saw him taking out her things from the cupboard and placing it in the bag. She closed her eyes thinking it was for the best. Ayaan deserved every happiness in the world and leaving him meant he will even get the happiness which she couldn't give him. A few tear drops left her eyes.

She opened her eyes to only get shocked. Ayaan was now taking his things out and putting them in the other bag.

"Ayaan!" She gasped and went near him. "Aap yeh kya kar rahe ho? Aap yaha se Kahi Nahi jaa rahe" Aayat said in a stiff voice.

She started putting his things back in the cupboard when Ayaan stopped her. "Agar tum is ghar me nahi reh sakti toh iska matlab yeh toh Nahi na ki me tumhare Saath Nahi aa sakta"

"Ayaan jaldbaazi me faisla na le. Yeh aapka ghar hai, aapki maa, Bhai Behan sab hai yaha. Aap inhe Nahi chod sakte"

"Me tumhe bhi nahi chod sakta"

Flashback ends.

*******

Ayaan entered Rukhsana Begum's room and saw her sitting on the bed. He went near her and sat in front of her. He could see tear marks on her face and it hurt him to see her tears.

"Amma, please aap ro nahi. " He said and hugged her. But, she didn't return the hug. She just kept sitting still, only one thought consuming her mind. What if Ayaan had left her. Ayaan was her biggest strength ever since her husband died and today Ayaan was ready to leave her for some girl.

"Amma aap please mujhe samajhne ki koshish kare. Me Aayat se bohot zyada mohabbat karta hu, me ab nahi reh sakta uske bagair. "

"Itni mohabbat karte ho usse ki uske liye apni maa tak ko chodne ke liye taiyaar ho gaye? Apni maa ka khayal nahi aaya tumhe?" Rukhsana Begum asked in a broken voice.

"Nahi Amma, aisa nahi hai. Me yaha se chala jaata toh aapke paas Maya aur Bilal toh hai na, par agar me Aayat ko chod deta toh woh tut jaati. Aur usse zyada toh me tut jaata."

Rukhsana Begum sighed. This was the first time Ayaan was opposing her decision, and she didn't know what to do. Just because she let Aayat stay here doesn't mean she has accepted her. She won't let her son stay deprived of a child.

********