Dil e Nadaan

Chapter 25

Neelum x Ibrahim

Neither had slept much , both laid with their backs to one another , the call for fajar stirred them up from their stupor , and Neelum got up without saying much to him.

She headed downstairs to get started on chai , and methodicaly poured it into cups , headed to her mother in laws room

"Aunty ? Chai?" She asked her mother in law was on the prayer mat , her hands up in a dua ,
She nodded .
Neelum placed her cup next to her , heading out of her room, she headed upstairs .

She placed Ibrahims chai on the coffee table , expecting him to have it once he came back from the masjid.

She hadn't been able to process all that had transpired last night . She didn't think she had it in her , how could this have happened.
She took a breathe trying to hold herself together as she brought out her bag and began putting her clothes in it.

"Neelum? What are you doing?" Ibrahim asked , she turned to him , there was a frown on his face ,

"Im leaving" she answered as she continued to gather her things

He sighed exasperated,
"Neelum ruko" he said as he held her hand ,
"Will you stop for a minute" he said to her , and she looked up at him, suddenly everything hitting her finally.

"Why should I stop Ibrahim!" She argued , as tears streamed  down her face ,
"Kyun rukoun mein! Batain! ?" She asked him,
"Kyun k yeh tumhara ghar hai Neelum" he said to her ,
"Kyun k hum baat kar k bhi yeh masla sort karsaktay hain" he said to her ,

She moved back from his arms.
"Baatain phir ? Aap ko pata hai mein kya sunna chahti houn" she demanded.

He took a deep breath trying to keep his irritation at bay,
"Neelum , hum ne iss k baarein mein baat ki thi, I don't want to think about having a child under these circumstances" he answered ,

"And what circumstances are those?" She asked , even though she knew what he meant,
"Financially at this moment we cannot think of having a child , its not that simple" he told her ,

"I can think of having a child in these circumstances, there are no dire circumstances Ibrahim" she said her anger taking the best of her ,

"The only possible way that you can make me stay is by promising to start a family with me" she said to him, this time Ibrahim couldn't keep the irritation out of his voice ,

"Neelum tum itni immature baatein kar rahi ho iss waqt,"he said tersely ,
"This not how you resolve conflicts" he said to her anger in his usually calm amber eyes.

Neelum was tired of the word immature , no matter what the issue was it always came down to her being immature.

"Ibrahim , I'm not the one who is avoiding this conversation , I'm willing to listen , but you have to meet me halfway!"
She snapped ,

"Iss se kam mein loug families start karlete hain!look at my parents where they started from !" She pointed out ,
"They had Rizwan bhai in the first year of their marriage , unn k liye cheeze possible hai tou aap k liye kyun nahi, Allah par bharosa karein" she exclaimed .

"Neelum do you have any clue how privileged you sound ," Ibrahim snapped ,
"Tumhe aadat hai k tumhari har baat maani jaye, but this is bigger than you or me , Having a child is a huge responsibilty, aur naa hee mein emotionally ready hun iss waqt naa hee financially, kuch saal ki baat hai phir we'll plan for a child .!"  , he was reaching the brink of his patience , Neelum had never been this stubborn before .

"No! Mujhe aur wait nahi karna Ibrahim" she said stubbornly
"Agar aap k liye itna hee financial burden hoga tou aap se mein kuch aur nahi maangun gi, uss ka kharacha mere ghar walay utha lein gay." The moment she said it she knew she had gone to far , and she instantly regretted it .