Khaani: Mera Dushman Mera Ishq

Fireworks

Once settled at home Khaani threw herself into Sarim's election campaign. She spent her days at the party office interacting with the party workers, going over their campaign iterinary with Ahmed, Sarim's friend and unofficial campaign manager and going through voters opinions and polls on social media. After one such hectic day, Khaani threw herself on the bed talking to her mother on the phone. "Bhai ke campaign ki taiyaari kaisi chal rahi hai Khaani?". Khaani yawned and replied,"Hectic. Mujhe to baithne ka time hi nahi milta. Aur Sarim aur Dad ka schedule to mujhse bhi zyada hectic hai. Press meetings, party meetings, social gatherings pata nahi kaha kaha jana padhta hai voters ke support ke liye.". Sonya replied,"Waise mujhe iss baat ki khushi hai ke tum waha ho usko support karne.". "Thank God, main yaha hu.", Khaani replied earnestly. Her serious tone puzzled Sonya. "Kya baat hai? Tum kuch pareshan lag rahi ho.",she asked concerned. Khaani realised there was no point in hiding the truth from her mother. "Mom", Khaani said,"Sarim yaha pe bohot khush hai, Dad aur Nayeema aunty usse bohot support karte hai...lekin iss ghar mein aur log hai jo shayad usse yaha dekh kar khush nahi hai.". "Tum apne Daadi ki baat kar rahi ho?",Sonya asked. Khaani shook her head and replied,"Nahi main taayi-ammi aur taaya-abbu ki baat kar rahi hu. Mujhe lagta hai Sarim ke party join karne se woh samajte hai Abul ke political career aur uske party ke andar position par asar parega. Taayi-ammi ne to baato hi baato mein yeh tak keh diya ke Abul party ka future hai...aur iss baat pe kisine unse kuch nahi kaha. Hum cousins mein sabse bada Sarim hai toh party ka agla chief usse hona chahiye na Mom?". Sonya remained silent. If she had her way, Sarim would've not been a part of the party at all. He would have been safe in New York with her. Sonya asked,"Toh iss baat par Sarim aur tumhara Baba ka kya reaction tha?." Khaani rolled her eyes, "Dad ne koi reaction nahi diya. Aur aap Sarim ko jaanti to hai. Woh kitna seedha hai usse tehre log aur unki tehri baatein nahi samajh mein aati. Woh sabko apne jaisa samajhta: straightforward aur good-natured.". "Iss liye to main chahti thi ke tum Pakistan jao",Sonya said,"Sarim dil ka bohot achcha hai lekin usse waha ke log aur unki chalakiya nahi samajh mein aayegi. Kon kab kaunsi chal chalega usse pata bhi nahi chalega. Tum please uske aas paas ke logo par nazar rakhna.". "Haa mom main-",Khaani stopped at her tracks. She looked towards the door. She had the odd sensation of being watched. Quickly but quietly she hurried to the door and opened it. Nobody was there....save for a freshly distinguished cigarette butt on the floor.

______________________________________

Khaani came down to find Sarim at the dining table. Khaani smiled and said,"Achcha hai tum aaj ghar par dinner kar rahe ho....warna main to darr gayi thi ke bahar ka khana kha kha kar kahi tum beemar na padh jao.". "Main bhi Sarim se yahi keh raha tha", a voice said. Khaani hadn't noticed first. Sarim wasn't sitting alone at the table. Sitting opposite the head of the table was Abul, their cousin. Standing behind her chair, Khaani gave Abul a bright smile. "Kaise ho Abul?", She asked pleasantly. He gave her an equally bright smile and said,"Allah ka shukr hai..sorry tumhe pehle theek se mil nahi paya...Karachi mein tha nomination submit karne.". Khaani nodded and said,"Haan Sarim ne bataya tha...waise Sarim hum kab Jaa rahe hai Sibi tumhare nomination papers file karne?". Sarim replied,"Tum kal khala ke waha se hokar aana... main parso subah tumhe wahi se pick kar lunga.".
"Theek hai",Khaani replied. "Kya baat hai...Khaani",Abul said teasingly,"Suna hai bhai ke election campaign mein jee jaan laga rahi ho...kabhi humari madad kar diya karo.". Khaani gave a saccharine sweet smile and replied,"Tumhe mere help ki kya zaroorat Abul...tumhare sir par to alhamdulillah humare Daadi ka haath hai tumhara career to set hai...mehnat to ab mujhe aur Sarim ko karni hai.". Abul frowned at her words. Sarim gave her a sharp look which Khaani ignored. Before Abul could respond to her snide remark, they were joined by other members of the family.
_____________________________________

Khaani generously applied the red gloss on her lips. She wore a shimmery black cocktail dress from Balenciaga. The dress was secured by two thin shimmery straps on either sides of her shoulder and ended right above her knees, flaunting her toned arms and legs. Khaani inspected her appearance. Agar Khan Mansion ke kisine mujhe iss haal mein dekh liya, mujhe to khandan se bedakhal kar denge, she smirked and thought. Thank God, she wasn't at the Khan Mansion. She was at Anji's - her maternal cousin's house. Sonya's younger sister's husband was a retired UK ambassador. Eight months ago, the couple had returned to Pakistan with their only daughter Anjum or Anji as she was known to her close ones. Anji was a second year BBA student at the Islamabad University and one of Khaani's closest friends. Like Khaani, her liberal lifestyle had suffered a major culture shock in Islamabad. And tonight was one of the those rare nights when both of them can step out of their stuffy jodas and let their hair down.