Ishq Fakiri

Aashnaa (13)

Tere saath ne phir waha himmat di

Jaha har ummeed hum haar chuke the...

(~Wajid Shaikh)

_____________________

"Ayaan mujhe aap se kuch baat karni hai" Aayat said in a low voice while tying his tie around his neck. Ayaan who was standing with his hands on her waist, just hummed in response.

"Abhi nahi, bas aaj nikkah aur kal Bilal ka walima ho jaaye toh fir sukoon se baat karege hum" Ayaan removed his hands from her waist and moved back, looking at her with a scrutinizing gaze, he asked

"Aisi kya baat hai? Anything serious?" Aayat's eyes welled up just thinking about it, but she just hugged him to avoid eye contact.

"Kya hua hai Aayat? Koi problem hai? Amma ne kuch kaha hai tumhe?"

Aayat just nodded her head in a no and tightened the hug, her head was resting on his chest and hands wrapped around him while Ayaan hugged her back and kept rubbing her hairs.

"Aayat kya hua hai meri jaan? Kuch toh bolo" Aayat still didn't say anything making Ayaan sigh. He decided to let it go for now.

__________

All the wedding functions had ended on a good note. But with every passing moment Aayat's fear was increasing. She knew she had to talk to Ayaan but she didn't know how he would react. What if he agreed for a second marriage? What will she do then?

Aayat was moving towards her room when she heard Rukhsana begum calling her,

"Aayat ruko"

Aayat turned towards her and kept standing with her eyes lowered.

"Tumne Ayaan se baat ki?"

Aayat just nodded her head in a no, tears were already starting to form in her eyes.

"Me chahti hu tum jald se jald Ayaan se baat karo. Maine Ayaan ke liye ladki bhi dekh rakhi hai"

Aayat's head snapped towards her after hearing her words. Tears which she was trying to control fell down her face and she kept looking at Rukhsana Begum with a complaining gaze.

Rukhsana Begum felt bad looking at Aayat but nevertheless turned to go back to her room.

_________________

Aayat wiped her face, took a deep breath and stepped into the room. Her eyes were searching for Ayaan but he was not there. She went in the balcony but he was not there, so she just leaned on the railings and kept waiting for him.

Hundreds of what ifs arose in her mind making her heart thud in fear, tears were shamelessly flowing down her cheeks. Just the thought of seeing Ayaan with someone else was killing her, if that thought ever turned into reality what would she do.

She felt a pair of hands wrapping around her waist from behind, she immediately wiped her tears recognising Ayaan's touch and leaned on him. Both kept standing there close to each other, feeling each other's presence.

"Aayat?"

"Hmm"

"Kya hua hai meri jaan? Kyu itni pareshaan rehne lagi ho? Mujhe batao, hum milkar koi solution dhoond lege, par tumhe aisa dekhkar mujhe bhi takleef hoti hai" Ayaan said lovingly while tightening his hold on her. Hearing his words, Aayat's tears again started flowing, and this time she couldn't stop her sobs. She turned around and hid her face in his chest and sobbed in his embrace.

After five minutes of crying, Ayaan pulled out of the hug and made her sit on the bed. Pouring some water in the glass, he made her drink it. Her sobs had reduced but she was still hiccupping.

"Bas kar do meri jaan, tumhaare aansoo dekhkar mera dil ro raha hai, takleef ho rahi hai mujhe." He cupped her face and kissed her forehead, letting his lips stay on her forehead for a little while.

_______________

"Amma, aap bohot ghalat kar rahi hai"

Maya barged in Rukhsana Begum's. Rukhsana Begum who was siting on the couch lost in her own thoughts, looked up hearing Maya's voice.

"Kya hua? Maine kya kiya? Aur yeh kya tareeka hai kisi ke kamre me aane ka" she sternly asked but Maya was unaffected. Rather the rage on Maya's face was confusing her.

"Amma aap bhabhi ke saath jo kar rahi hai woh bohot ghalat hai" Maya said, trying her best to keep her voice low,

"Kya matlab hai tumhara? Maine kya kiya hai tumhare bhabhi ke saath? Dhoka toh usne diya hai hume" Rukshana Begum said angrily.

"Koi dhoka nahi diya hai unhone. Shaadi se pehle hi unhone Ayaan bhai ko sab bata diya tha, ab Ayaan bhai ne aapko nahi bataya usme bhabhi ki kya ghalti?"

"Tum chup raho tumhe kuch nahi pata" Rukhsana Begum's anger was increasing but Maya still kept igniting it with her words.

"Acha chale chode bhabhi ki baat. Mujhe aapse aur ek zaroori baat karni hai" Maya said coldly looking straight in Rukhsana Begum's eyes.

"Kaisi baat?"

"Jis wajah se aap Aayat bhabhi se nafrat karte ho, Allah miya ne aapki beti me bhi woh aib daal diya hai. Ab kya aap apni beti se bhi nafrat karegi?" Maya said forwarding a file to Rukhsana Begum.

Hearing Maya's words was like someone threw a bucket of ice cold water on her. For a minute, she just kept standing still but then as if something clicked in her mind she looked at Maya,

"Maya yeh kya behoodgi hai? Tumhe kya lagta hai, tum aise jhoot bologi aur me Ayaan ki dusri shaadi ka faisla badal dugi? Kabhi nahi. Ab jao yaha se, mazeed mera dimaag kharab na karo"

Maya laughed bitterly,

"Amma aapko lagta hai me aapse jhoot bol rahi hu. Nahi amma, mere reports toh kuch din pehle hi aa gaye the, par me hi aapko batane se darr rahi thi. Par kab tak chupati? Amma yeh dekhe mere reports, aapko mujhpe yaqeen aa jayega."

_______________________________