Still The One ✔

chapter 16

"Uss ko rukhsat toh kiya tha
Mujhe maloom na tha,
Saara ghar le gaya
Chodkar jaane vaala!"

------------------------------

"You are awake, finally." Daniyal said sarcastically looking at his brother, his eyes shooting daggers making him lower his gaze. He studied his weak form and ordered the servants to make some healthy soup and give him tablets on time.

"You broke Hoor's favourite vases in the house. How dare you?" He scolded him angrily remembering how much his wife loved them and bought it to the home from their honeymoon.

"You could have drunk in a bar. Why did you destroy the furniture and all the other things? Now I have to arrange new interiors and new furniture. I don't know how I am gonna pacify mom." He again scolded him, his voice rising decibels making the younger cringe and feel guilty. Imran knew his brother was hardly controlling himself with self-distraction to not kill him for his mistake.

"I am sorry Bhai." He muttered gathering enough courage which soon died with Daniyal's one look. He picked the glass filled with water to perch his dried throat.

"What are you sorry for?" Daniyal questioned looking at him intently which made Imran gulp thinking of the scenarios. Before he could ponder upon them, Daniyal ordered him to take a shower and be presentable which meant he should be clean shaved and smell good. Daniyal hated unhygienic people.

----------------------

"Bhai, I have to tell you something." Imran said breaking Daniyal's gaze from looking at the portrait hung on the wall. He and Hoor were all smiles. It was the first pic which they clicked on honeymoon. She was wearing his favourite shirt and his arms were wrapped around her waist lifting her in the air.

"I love Kinza." Imran muttered closing his eyes fearing to see his brother's reaction. He opened his eyes when he didn't hear any sounds or any movement around him. He saw his brother calm. Still, looking at the portrait with a smile playing on his lips.

"About time Imran. But you should have confessed it to her. Not to me." Daniyal replied sighing, turning towards his brother, holding his gaze. Imran could see his brother all cool. There was no sign of anger or hurt.

"You are not disappointed? You are not angry with me?" He questioned unable to come in terms with his composed self while he was nervous. His heart was beating rapidly. He didn't expect his brother would be this cool about the situation.

"Disappointed? Yes, I am. Angry? Yes, I am. But for all the different reasons." Daniyal explained patting his shoulder. He took hold of his hand and dragged him to the dining table. He pulled a chair for him, making him to sit, he served some palak panner and roti on his plate. He urged him to have his lunch which he obliged.

"How can you call your love as a sin?" Daniyal questioned looking at Imran. He gulped the morsel realising his mistake once again. He didn't know how much Kinza told his brother or how his brother got to know about the matter. All he wanted was to clear the topic.

"I didn't have any rights on her Bhai. She was your wife. Despite all the things, I fell in love with her. I love her Bhai. I love her so much but at the same time I can't break you and Hoor Bhabhi. I knew I have to break her heart so I said about whatever came in my mind. I know you are hating me. You might be disgusted with the thought itself. I promise you Bhai, I won't come in your life again." Imran replied not able to look at his brother. His guilt was eating him.

"Don't do the same mistake which Hoor did. Don't push your love away from you. She loves you so much. You don't have any idea how much she is suffering from being away from you. I never loved her or gave any rights to her. I didn't even touch her for once if you are hesitating because of that." Daniyal replied looking at his brother whose eyes were moist.

"No. I love her for what she is, not for her body. I love her soul. I will keep loving her even if she is not virgin or not mine." Imran replied furiously thinking that his brother mistook his love as lust for her body.

"You better get her back. I will be happy if I see you both married. You don't have to feel guilty of cheating. You didn't cheat. Love is a beautiful thing which doesn't have any control. It just happens with the ones whom you least expected to fall." Daniyal said eating his chapati explaining his brother of what all happened in his drunken absence.

--------------------

"You look better." Daniyal replied looking at Kinza. As he said, he arrived in London after a week solving the mess of his home. Now Imran was back to his own cheery self and he started going to the office with a new zeal and new happiness. His smile never left his lips which made Daniyal smile wholeheartedly. He loved how things are falling in place now.

"Well, you look better too." Kinza replied looking at her husband. She saw his genuine smile for the first time. Else he was master in giving fake smiles and fake answers.

"I got you something as a birthday present." He replied sipping his coffee made by her, pointing her the box wrapped in the yellow shimmery gift wrapper placed on the couch.

"You remembered my birthday. Wow, you used to always forget my birthday during our school days." Kinza replied feeling happy that someone remembers her day apart from her. She hurriedly opened the gift with excitement which came to halt looking at the papers.

"Did you like it?" she heard his question which made her confused and shocked at the same time. She was unable to understand her feelings. She didn't know whether she should be happy or cry at the moment.

"How did you get this sign? Have I done something wrong?" She questioned unable to stand as her knees gave up. Before she could fall, he caught her in his arms. He made her sit on the couch. Giving her a glass of water, he took her hands in his.

"Remember before leaving to London, you signed some documents claiming that you are gonna be the sole owner of this project. I hid the document in it. You signed it without reading. Not my fault though." A smile adorned on his lips remembering her trust in him. She never stopped to amuse him.

"You didn't do anything. Before you can ask your whole set of questions, I have to confess that I read your diary." Daniyal replied looking at her intently which made her skip her breath, listening to the word 'diary'. A few tears rolled down her eyes and soon she started crying heavily. Wiping her tears, she looked at him but she saw him smiling crazily looking at her.

"Gosh woman, stop crying. Nah, you didn't cheat on me. I cheated on you. A woman doesn't cheat on her husband if she gets his respect, his love and his trust. I didn't give you any of these three, so you shouldn't blame yourself. I was at fault here." Daniyal explained wiping her tears with his thumb. He pulled her in his embrace like a friend offering her comfort. Soon, they joked and pulled each other's legs feeling content and happy.

"Should we take our first picture which means something?" Kinza asked cautiously looking at him while Daniyal hit her head playfully.

"Sure. For the new beginnings and loads of happiness." Daniyal replied placing his hand on her shoulder whilst Kinza smiled whole-heartedly. They took a selfie marking a new journey with new destinations.