Posheeda (پوشیدَہ) -
Concealed; Hidden
*****
Marwan Qureshi, a commando in the Indian army had two goals set in life. One, not to let his father's poisonous words get to him and two, spend the rest of his life serving his...
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*****
"Malak, meri baat sun. Ro nahi. I can-"
"M-main nahi ro rahi."
"Haw, itna jhut kab se bolne lagi?"
Ziah tried to comfort the lady on the other side of the phone. It had been a week since she came back to the Qureshi mansion- this time as its daughter-in-law and since then, Malak had been inconsolable.
Their separation had taken a toll on the poor soul since Ziah was the only one who treated her like a proper human being. The small town of Bareilly had ill thoughts regarding widows and they seemed to be intensified when Malak was in the picture.
"T-theek hu main. Fikr na kare."
"Kaise na karu? Aur tum-"
Ziah heard a faint yelling from the other side and she waited with a frown for Malak to speak something else. A few minutes passed by in silence from both ends when Malak hastily bid a goodbye, leaving Ziah with a worried expression.
"We can call her here. Kisi ko fark nahi padega."
Startled at the sudden voice, Ziah tried not to fall down the edge of the bed she sat on. Looking behind her, she found her husband staring right at her with an amused expression, failing miserably in hiding the smile that shadowed his lips.
"Humesha darana zaroori hai?"
"Tumhe humesha darna zaroori hai? I didn't even do anything this time!"
He exasperated with a hurt expression and got an eye roll in return.
"Drama kar walo bas."
"Wahi toh. Do you think I'd be paid enough if I joined the drama industry?"
He came to sit beside her with a genuinely curious expression, like he really wanted to know what his income would be.
Shaking her head at him, Ziah kept the phone aside and got up to get the few chores done. A week had passed by in a blur and she still had a hard time believing what she had now and with whom she was.
"Waise, mama ne aaj raat dawat rakhi hai."
"Huh?"
Ziah prayed that she had heard him wrong. She wasn't ready for a huge gathering nor was she comfortable with socializing. Too many people and too many judgemental stares, they could unsettle anyone.
Seeing the change of her expressions, Marwan sobered up and pulled her by her wrist, gently making her sit down beside him. Turning his body to face her completely, he caressed the back of her palms, trying to lull her into calming down.
"We can postpone it, if you'd like. Main mama se-"
"N-nahi, I'll be fine. I-It's better to get it done with."
