HUMDUM- Laiba & Fahad

06| misery

Fahad ran his fingers through his hair in deep thought.
It was 1am.
Exhausted, he laid back on the reclining pool chair, thinking if he should get back to his room. He closed his eyes for a moment of respite.

Sana walked out of her room to the balcony in distress and looked at Fahad sleeping in the garden. Her eyes widened as she tried to make sense of it. Why is Fahad sleeping outside that too on his wedding night? Sana thought to herself, a grin spreading on her face.

[MORNING]

Fahad's eyes fluttered open, gently adjusting to the morning light. He slowly rose to a sitting position, the realization hit him. He had fallen asleep in the garden, not in his room.
Fearing anyone would see this he immediately goes to his room to freshen up.

He entered his room and glanced at Laiba getting ready for the day. She turned to look at him, his hair messy he looked restless. Fahad walked towards the washroom to freshen up.

[DINING HALL]
"Assalam alaikum" Laiba said hesitantly coming towards the dining.
"Walaikum Assalam." Insia said and made her sit with her trying to make her comfortable.
Seeing this Sana turned towards Laiba and with a smile asking, "toh kaisi guzri raat Laiba?"

"Tumhe badi dilchasvi hai Sana?" Jiya taunted as she entered.
Insia looked at Sana with a mix of frustration and annoyance, "yeh kaisi baat kar rahi ho?"

"Main isliye puch rahi hu badi ami kyunki kal raat Fahad apne kamre mein nahi bahir garden mein soya tha!"
Insia and Jiya are shocked by Sana's revelation.

"Kya bol rahi ho tum?" Insia asked in disbelief.

"Maine apni aankhon se dekha badi ami, Aap khud soche, shadi ki pehli raat dulha garden mein soya hai iska kya matlab hai?"
Laiba looked down and stayed silent hearing all this.

"Tum hoti kaun ho aisi baat karne wali?" Fahad said entering the dining.
"Fahad..jo yeh keh rahi hai kya woh sach hai?"Insia asked.
Fahad remained silent. He then said looking towards Laiba. "Nahi"

"Fahad..tum..jhoot kyun bol rahe ho maine dekha tha tumhe—" Sana tried to explain.

"Aap jante hai na Sana kaisi hai..yeh sab baatein chode." he said trying to end the topic.
Sana fell silent feeling humiliated.

"khair yeh sab chodo Laiba, Fahad..
tum dono nashta karlo." Insia said as Fahad got seated next to Laiba.

(ROOM)
"Yeh kya harkat thi?" Laiba said storming into their room.
"Kaisi harkat?" Fahad asked in a calm tone wearing his watch.

Yeh raat ko bahar jake sona..kya sabit karna chahte the ? Ki mein kitni buri hun? Kal raat jo maine kaha..uska badla lena chahte the? She said angrily.

"Tumhara dimag thik hai?" Fahad fumed.
"Agar mujhe aisa hi karna tha toh main sabke same tumhe defend kyu karta?"

He sighed in disappointment and Laiba watched him leave

"Fahad!? Aaj bhi office ja rahe ho?" Insia asked stopping Fahad.
"Maa important meeting hai.."

"Jo bhi ho aaj kyu? Aree bhai abhi shadi hui hai tumhari..thode din kaam se break le lo apni biwi ke saath waqt guzaaro..or aaj toh..tumhara waleema hai."

"Maa jaldi ajaunga don't worry. okay bye.." he said leaving without giving her a chance to say anything else.

She sighed and turned back to see Laiba standing behind her.

LAIBA
"Aree..ao baitho mein tumse kuch baat karna chahti hu.." Fahad's mom said in the most appealing way.

"Beta tum comfortable ho na? Agar kisi bhi cheez ki zarurat ho toh mujhe ya Fahad ko batana.."
Ji aunty.. I said hesitantly.
"Aunty? Tum ab bahu ho meri..aur Zeenat ki beti, matlab Meri bhi beti jaisi. Isliye aaj se tum mujhe maa bulaogi." She said with a smile. I agreed.
She was such a sweet soul. Her smile and talks made me feel so much better.

"Wese Laiba, Fahad bohot Accha hai..usse sirf pyar ki zarurat hai.."
Maa said.
"He has been through a lot in the past few months, so please uski koi baat ka bura mat maan na..
Tumhe pata hai..tum pehli ladki ho jiske liye usne foran haa kahan hai..warna Fahad toh shadi ke naam se hi bhagta tha."

Woh bohot chahta hai tumhe. Tumhe Bohot khush rakhega. She says keeping her hand on my shoulder.
We talked for a while. I've always heard stories about terrible mother-in-law experiences, but mine... well, mine was quite the opposite.

[EVENING]
Jiya stands in front of a full length mirror looking at her bhabhi getting ready.
The beautician set Laiba's hair. "Bhabhi idhar dekhein, mujhe aapki photo dalni hai story par"

"Honestly bhai bohot lucky hai, ke unke sade hue shakal ke Liye aap jaisi khoobsurat biwi mili hai."
Laiba gave a faint smile listening to her.
"Haa yeh baat toh sahi hai, pata nahi Kaise bardasht karte hai aap usse." Jiya chuckled.

"apko bhi adat ho hi jayegi..akhir puri zindagi ap hi ne toh bardasht karna hai. Laiba remained silent.
Fahad entered the room talking to someone on the phone.

"Bhai aap ab arahe hai?" Jiya said to him before leaving the room along with the makeup artist.

Fahad glanced over at Laiba. Laiba caught Fahad's reflection in the mirror
Their eyes lock.

Fahad's eyes still stuck on Laiba looking at her though the mirror while a knock on the door interrupts him.
His suit was here. He picked it and went inside the walk-in.