Love, Lies & A Cup of Chai

Chapter 3

Ending the call, Umeed was met with Farjaad's raised eyebrows and questioning eyes. She frowned, confused at his scrutiny as she stood up and picked up her bag. "Phir kal shaam ko miltay hai aapkay ghar par?"

"Shaam ko kyun? Kal tou Sunday hai." Farjaad inquired, momentarily pushing his disapproval of the recurring habit of hers he noticed to the back of his mind.

Umeed rolled her eyes in frustration as she replied; "Baat yeh hai kay kehnay ko hum dono apnay apnay businesses kay maalik hai lekin yeh jo cafes hotay hai na, woh Sunday ko bhi khula rehta hai aur me itni ameer nahin hun kay me off le lun aur meray sau do-sau staffs cafe sambhal lengay peechay say. Isiliye shaam ko Taha kay paas key dekar aa jaungi woh raat ko band kar dega."

Farjaad's eyes widened at Umeed's verbose explanation, and he marveled at her ability to turn a simple answer into a thesis. As he tried to process her detailed response and return to his initial intent of questioning and perhaps taunting her about what he perceived as a tendency to tell unnecessary lies, Umeed simply mouthed a "see you" and made a hasty exit from his office, almost as if she was trying to escape. Farjaad leaned back in his chair and began idly toying with a pen, his face puzzled and lips parted as he silently mulled over what just happened, shortly before he went back to work.

The lazy Sunday evening sun cast a warm, golden glow across the living room, painting the walls with a soft, amber hue. The air was filled with a sense of tranquility as Farjaad and Mimi sat in their cozy drawing room, surrounded by an array of the latter's preferred designs for her wedding invitations spread across the coffee table. Mimi was meticulously arranging the papers, delicately placing them alongside various notes she intended to organize within a file. The soft rustling of paper was the only sound that disrupted the otherwise silent room. As the clock on the wall hinted that it was almost five in the evening, Farjaad occasionally glanced at the living room door, seated next to Mimi sipping his coffee thoughtfully.

"Ab tak tumharay dost ko aana nahin chahiye tha?" asked Farjaad, putting on his best effort to sound as nonchalant as possible. The absolute disregard for punctuality was starting to bother him, along with numerous other qualities that were possessed by his sister's best friend.

Mimi glanced up; "Kaun Umeed?" Farjaad nodded, urging Mimi to give an explanation. "Usnay shaam ko aanay ka kaha tha abhi tou paanch bajay hai, aa jayegi Bhai. I'm sure woh kisi kaam mein phansi hongi."

"Aisa kaunsa kaam hai usay kay apni commitments ko pura nahin kar paa rahi hain?"

Mimi's lip quirked upward in bewilderment as she focused on arranging the files; "Bhai woh tou tab hi pata chalega jab woh aayegi, aur late ho bhi gayi tou aap dekh lena koi wajah hogi."

"Wajah" Farjaad chuckled. "Mimi tum kitni naadan ho, ek number ki jhooti hai yeh tumhari dost. Har waqt bilawajah jhoot bolti rehti hai aur waqt ki paabandi ka koi concept hi nahin hai mohtarma ki dictionary mein! Bas tum hi uski baaton mein aa jati ho, bewakoof banati hai woh tumehin."

Farjaad's ruthless attack on Umeed was more than enough for Mimi to take offense. She turned to scowl at him, "Bhai aapko ho kya gaya hai? Kya bekaar mein Umeed ki buraiyan karnay baith gaye hai?"

"Me buraiyaan nahin kar raha hun sach keh raha hun. Tumnay uss din pucha tha na kay tumhari dost kay saath meeting kaisi rahi? Me batata hun, intehaai bura gayi woh meeting." said Farjaad, in an animated tone that was almost alien to him before this moment. "Ek tou woh ek ghantay late aayi, phir mujh par usnay chai phenki, phir jhoot pe jhoot bol rahi thi ooper say badtameezi bhi ki! Ooper say kal office aati hai aur menay dekha woh kisi aur say phone par bhi jhoot keh rahi thi, kitni jhooti hai woh. Aisay dost hai tumharay Mimi?"

Mimi looked at him in absolute horror, her eyes drifting between the animated mess that her brother is, talking more words per second than he ever did in the twenty eight years of his life and the door behind him. Farjaad paused, waiting for her response, but she seemed utterly horrified and appeared to be staring right past him. He turned, only to consequently mirror his sister's face.