Ek Nayaa Aaghaaz - A sequel to Yakeen ka safar

Chapter 3

It was Sunday and Asfandyar's family had gone to Peshawar to visit Zubia's Khala as per plan. Asfand was at the hospital as usual. Weirdly, today wasn't a very busy day for him. There weren't any emergency cases either.

Asfandyar decided to take a final round of all the wards and then leave for the day. Just as he entered the children's ward, he thought of Zubia. "Agar Zubia hospital mein free hoti, toh childrens ward mein hi hoti"; he thought to himself.

After he was done with his rounds, he decided to call her.

"Hello", he said.

"Hello", she responded in a groggy voice

"Tum so rahi thi?", he asked.

"Haan, voh bas kitaab padhte padhte ankh lag gayi thi", she responded.

"Achcha, How are you feeling today?", he enquired.

"I'm feeling much better. Kal se hospital join Karne ki khushi hai.", she said.

"Suno, agar tum jyaada busy nahi ho toh, kya hum walk par jaa sakte hai?", Asfand asked.

"Aap toh abhi hospital mein honge na?", Zubia asked.

"Haan, bas nikal hi raha tha hospital se. Aaj jyaada patients bhi nahi the aur emergency cases bhi nahi hai filhal.

"Achcha. Main dus minute mein aati hoon", she said.

"I'm waiting at the hostel gate", he said.

Ten minutes later Zubia came to the hostel gate. She was wearing the same shalwar kameez that she had worn to Saim's birthday party a few months back. When Asfandyar caught a glimpse of her, he was reminded of how far both of them had come. From thinking that she was an incapable, novice doctor who didn't know how to handle patients and people, he had grown to like her so much over the past few months that she was soon going to be his wife. He couldn't help but smile while these thoughts crowded his mind.

"Achchi lag rahi ho", Asfand said with a light smile.

"Thank you..., chalein?", Zubia asked and they started walking in silence.

"Kuch toh kaho", he said.

"Kya kahun? Kuch samajh nahi aa raha", she responded reluctantly.

"Haan, main samajh sakta hoon.. Itne kam waqt mein kitna kuch ho gaya humaari zindagi mein. It will take some time to process all of this.. Main bhi abhi yahi soch raha tha", Asfand said.

"Achcha haan, Mujhe aapko batana tha ke maine Dr. Haroon se baat kar li thi, Gaiti bhabhi ke baare mein. Woh Thode hairaan the, par mujhe lagta hai ki woh maan jayenge.

"Arre yeh toh bahut achchi baat hai. Agar yeh Rishta bhi ho jaata hai toh Mama-Baba ki do sabse badi pareshaniyan ek saath hi hal hojayengi", Asfand said.

"Mujhe lagta hai voh dono maan jayenge. Saim bhi Dr.Haroon ko bahut pasand karta hai", Zubia said. Asfand smiled in response. Just then, his phone rang and it was his mother.

"Hello, Asfi? Tum busy ho kya?", Lubna asked.

"Nahi mama, khairiyat? Aap log peshawar se nikal gaye?

"Haan beta, hum toh aadhe ghante mein ghar pahunch jayenge. Hum soch rahe the ke jaakar Zubia ka muh meetha kar detein hai, usi bahane usse milna bhi ho jayega.

"Ji mama, aap log chalein jaayein..", Asfi said.

"Arre, tum toh hospital mein hi ho na, toh tum bhi aajao uske hostel..", Lubna said

"Actually Mama, Zubia abhi mere saath hi hain. Main hospital se jaldi free ho gaya tha aaj toh...", Asfand said.

"Arre, yeh toh achchi baat hai. Tum ek kaam karo, use lekar ghar hi aajao phir. Vahi celebrate kar lenge", she said and disconnected the call.

They walked home in the dimming sunlight. They didn't talk much, just ocassionally. However, it wasn't awkward at all. Both of them felt more at peace than they ever had before.

By the time they reached, Gaiti,Lubna and Usman were already waiting at the gate to welcome Asfand and Zubia.

"Mubarak ho tum dono ko! Aaj se theek teen hafte baad ki taareekh tai hui hai! Main toh itni khush hoon ki finally mujhe Zubia ke roop mein ek aur beti mil rahi hai", Lubna said while hugging the couple.