Author's POV:
Shaharyar and Noor sat down on the cot. Shaharyar's mother came with two more bowls from the kitchen. Noor's eyes widened.
They served into plates and waited for them to taste. Noor's eyes widened again. How was she suppose to eat everything on the plate.
"Arre khao na.. Plate ko kya dekh rahe hon?"
"Wahin toh.. Ab khana khud aapke munh mein thodi hi ghoos jayega.. Ammi bohat accha bana hain.." Said Saad who was already digging in his plate.
Shaharyar's mother sat in front of them. She reached to Shaharyar's plate and took a piece of tortilla and dipped it in the vegetable curry. She then took her hand near to his lips. Shaharyar looked at her. She nodded.
"Khaa.."
Shaharyar leaned in and took the piece in his mouth. He relished it, maa ke haath ka khaana, after ages. He looked at her and smiled, a small one. Shaharyar was someone who still craved for love, he wanted to be loved but he didn't knew if he deserved their love.
She then reached out to Noor's plate. She again dipped a piece of tortilla in the curry and reached to her lips. Noor looked at her shocked.
"Dekh kya rahi hain, sirf use hi khilaungi kya??"
She looked at her for some time and slowly leaned towards the bite. As soon as she took it in her mouth, a tear drop trickled down her cheek. Nobody noticed it luckily.
Shaharyar's mother then went to Saad and fed him too. She again fed them some dal-chawaal too. And then they insisted to eat on their own. Shaharyar leaned towards Noor's ear.
"Khane mein namak jyada ho jayega.."
She looked at him with a questioning look.
"Yeh jo namak wala paani tumhari aankhein inn par gir raha hain, namak jyada to ho hi jayega na?"
She looked at him and he smiled. She smiled too.
They reached Shaharyar and Saad's home an hour back. The entry was an emotional affair. Shaharyar's mother hugged him and shed some tears. He too reciprocated. Saad was too very happy to be at home, between all the people. And Noor, she actually felt nice, no suffocation, no restlessness nothing. She was good.
##
"Kyun na thoda gaon ghum ke aaye.." Saad asked.
"Haa jao.. Kitne dinon ke baad aaye ho.. Dekh kar aayo..."
Noor with Shaharyar, Saad and their siblings came out. They came out into their farm where they had fruits and veggies cultivation.
Shaharyar looked at Noor who had a soft smile etched on her face.
"Noor niche utro, kya kar rahi hon.. Lag jayegi?" Shaharyar yelled worriedly.
Noor climbed a tree in order to have a fresh apple and Shaharyar was hell worried that she would fall and break her bones.
Noor swiftly catched on to the branch and tore an apple.
"Aap chilla kyun rahe hain, main thik hun.. Nahin girungi main.."
"Noor abhi ke abhi.. Pagal ho gayi hon kya.. Main la dunga. Tum niche aao.."
"Kyun, mujhe chahiye na.., main khud laungi.."
Shaharyar huffed, why is this girl so stubborn? What if she fell? He had to do something.
As he looked up, he could see Noor falling down with a yelp. His instincts reacted quick. And he stood at the down of the tree. She fell into his arms.
Noor expected to fall with a thud and when she didn't she thought she was floating in the air. She opened her one eye first to look and when she saw him, she opened her second eye too.
He could see her teary eyes.
"Agar itna hi dar lagta hain, toh chadhi kyun thi Mohtarma.."
He kept her down lightly and wiped her tears which were ready to fall. She looked at him and smiled sheepishly. She then forwarded one of the apples to him.
"Shukriya."
He chuckled at her act.
"Bhai..."
Shaharyar's trance and he looked around.
"Kya kar rahe hon? Yahan aayo?"
Shaharyar nodded and went towards them. He brought some sugarcane sticks and gave one of them to Noor.
Noor looked at him surprised.
"Kya... Lo.."
"Main yeh sab nahin khati.."
"Bas bohat gaya haan.. Jitna mujhe pata hain tumhe yeh sab bohat pasand hain. Aur agar us wajah se nahin toh issliye kha lo kyunki roj nahin milenge.."
"Lekin.."
"Noor.."
Noor sighed and took the stick from him. She tried to pluck a part with her teeth but because of the force she applied the stick fell down.
Shaharyar smiled but hide it quickly. Noor pouted and looked at him. They looked at each other for few seconds and burst out laughing.
"Kya... Has kya rahe hain.. Dijiye.."
She snatched his stick from him and started chewing. He looked at her, she looked too adorable. He couldn't help but smile at her cute antics. He missed Noor.
##
"Ammi, itna laad toh aapne aaj tak mujhe kabhi nahin kiya.." Saad whined.
"To, tu meri beti hain.. Nahin na.. Phir?"
"Accha toh yeh pyaar sirf beti ke liye.."
"Bilkul.."
Noor chuckled.
"Noor.. Aur lena. Kya kha rahi hain tu.." Mahaa said.
"Nahin Appi bas hogaya.."
"Itna mein hi hogaya.. Marungi tujhe, chal kha.."
"Nahin.. Bas, aur nahin khaya jayega.."
"Thik hain phir, ek last mere haath ka kha le.." Mahaa said and fed her a morsel.
"Aur ek mere haath ka bhi.." Minal too came and made her eat a morsel.
"Ab sab tujhe khila rahe hain toh main kaise reh jaun, ye le bandariya.." Saad too made her eat.
"Ek aur le.." Said Mahaa..
"Par khana toh khatam ho gaya.." Said Noor in a cute way.
"Accha, aisa kya? Tu ruk main aur le aati hun.." Minal stood up.
"Are.. Nahin nahin.. Bas mera ho gaya.." Noor hurriedly denied.
Mahaa and Minal laughed looking at her antics.
"Pagal.."
"Uthiyo mat, teri pasandita kheer banayi hain, lati hun, ruk.." Said Shaharyar's mother. She came back with a bowl.
"Aapko yaad tha?"
"Arre yaad kaise nahin hoga.. Pichli baar tujhe kheer itni pasand aayi thi ki ek hi din tune do bowl kheer khayi thi.."
Noor smiled sheepishly and started having the kheer happily.
****
Here's the next chapter..
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