شرر Sharar

Sixty-Five

Muddat ke baad jo awaz di usne
Kadmo ki kya majaal, saansein bhi ruk gayi

•••

"Kal hi tumhe fever tha, Kabir. Aaj tum fir office ja rahe ho." Rukhsar scolded him, when saw he was ready to leave for office.

(Just yesterday you had fever, Kabir. Now you are going to office.)

"Mummy, important meeting hai..." Wearing his shoes, Kabir told her.

(Mummy, I have an important meeting...)

"Tumhare papa dekh lenge. Office mein tum akele toh nahi jo kaam karte ho." Rukhsar scoffs, putting juice glass on table.

(You father can manage. You aren't the only one working at office.)

"Tum kahi nahi ja rahe ho." Crossing her arms over her chest, she ordered.

(You are not going anywhere.)

"Mummy..."

"Tum nahi ja rahe. Agar tumne meri na suni toh... toh main tumhare papa se keh dungi tumhe nikal dein office se."

(You are not going. And if you won't listen to me then... then I will tell your father to fire you.)

"Yeh aap dono har waqt mujhe fire karne ki dhamki kyu dete rehte hain." Kabir groaned.

(Why do you and papa keep threatening to fire me.)

"Kyuki pyar ki language tum samajhte nahi. Dhamki hi sahi." Picking up the glass again, she told him, and give him the glass.

(Because you don't understand love's language.)

"Meri tabiyat theek hai." Mumbling, he drank the juice. If he wants to appease his mother, he had to drink it.

(But I am fine.)

"Theek hai chale jana." Waving her hand, Rukhsar told him. He did look better than yesterday, and he wasn't a kid that she can keep him in the bed all day.

(Fine, you can go.)

She sat on the chair. "Lekin pehle meri baat suno."

(But first listen to me.)

Kabir was drank the juice then put the glass on side table. Getting up, he went to his dresser.

"Tumhare papa ke dost hain Zaman bhai, unki beti Naaz hume tumhare liye pasand hai." Slowly, she started saying.

(Your father's friend Zaman bhai, we like his daughter Naaz for you.)

"Mummy, I already have assistant." Wearing his writs watch, Kabir told her.

"Tumhare assistant ke liye nahi." Rukhsar glared at him.

(Not for your assistant.)

"Toh fir?" Confusingly, he turn to looked at her.

(Then?)

Rukhsar mentally smacked her forehead on her son's oblivious question.

"Tumhari shadi ke liye." She told him.

(For your marriage.)

"Kya? Mujhe abhi shadi nahi karni." She got the reaction which she was expecting.

(What? I don't want to marry yet.)

"Kyu nahi karni shadi? Kya tumhe koi aur pasand hai?" Rukhsar stood up and asked.

(Why? Do you like someone else?)

"Ma..." Kabir opened his mouth to reply, but no answer came.

Yes! He wanted to tell her, but there was no point in it. Even if he say her name, no one would get them married.