Love, Lies & A Cup of Chai

Chapter 4

Time was something Farjaad was always particular about. Ever since he could remember, he had always been the boy who reached the school first, the teenager who made it to his first date fifteen minutes early and the man whose impeccable punctuality extended to most of his professional meetings and commitments. Even though he had to intensify his already unblemished time management when he took over the business post his father's death, he had always been a person who liked punctuality on himself and others surrounding him. Just that back then it was more of a personal preference, and now an obligation.

Seven years of tending to that obligation had turned it to dawn over him as a trait of rigidity. It often left him agitated, perched on the edge of discomfort whenever he encountered someone who was not taking time as significant as he did. It often left him agitated, perched on the edge of discomfort whenever he encountered someone who didn't share his unwavering appreciation for punctuality. Consequently, he usually found himself having things his way. But sitting in his office drumming his knuckles on the polished wooden table, he was convinced that wasn't the case for this one specific tempest he had accommodated in his life, in the interest of his baby sister.

After dropping Umeed off, he spent the night tossing and turning, her words about her exhaustion and the sight of her passed out in the front seat of his car refusing to leave his mind. The image of her in slumber, appearing so innocent and delicate, continued to haunt him, and strangely, he didn't mind. But one thing he also realized as fast how wrong he was to perceive her as demure as she had started crossfiring him left and right the moment she woke up, accusing him of kidnapping her and later trying to get her way once again. Farjaad chuckled scornfully, taking a sip of his coffee, mentally chastising himself for momentarily believing she was as vulnerable as she appeared.

Or was she?

The image of her from the past day was imprinted in his mind in such a way that he questioned his own judgment. It wasn't until his phone chimed with a reminder for a meeting at six in the evening that he snapped out of his reverie. Farjaad had idled away an hour in his office, waiting for Umeed to arrive. They had scheduled a meeting to create a comprehensive task list and timetable for the wedding, which was just two months away so that they can get on with the work as fast as possible. He even did a little tour to Miss Mehak's table to make sure the events of Umeed's first time visit to his cabin wasn't repeated. However, Umeed had indeed not shown up, nor had she replied to his texts from earlier and now his priority was to make it to the meeting where people would actually show up.

Umeed tossed her phone onto the bed in frustration before taking a seat in front of the dressing table. With a hint of irritation, she snatched up the hairbrush and aggressively combed through her hair. Haya, who had just entered the room, immediately took notice and decided to intervene. She reached over and gently took the comb from Umeed's hand, stepping in to help her cousin.

"Kya ho gaya hai Umeed, cafe na jaa paanay ka gussa tum apnay in baalon par kyun nikaal rahi ho?" Haya asked, her soothing voice filled with concern as she gently stroked Umeed's head while running the hairbrush through her hair. Umeed, in her black anarkali suit, wore dark, slightly smudged kohl that emphasized her naturally large and expressive eyes.

Umeed's index fingers touched at their tips, pointing towards each other, her shoulders tensed with frustration. "Gussa tou mujhay uss Farjaad Khan Bahadur par aa raha hai. Yeh sab usi ki wajah se ho raha hai."

"Umeed, woh tumhari baat maantay tou bhi yeh hona hi tha. Pasha Sahab waisay bhi aaj Waleed aur uskay ghar walon ko daawat par bula liya tha, nahin jaanay detay aaj tumhein."

"Lekin unko mauka tou mil gaya na mujh par aur gussa karnay ka? Mimi wali baat ka bhi pata chal gaya unhay. Haye Allah Jee kitni beizzati huwi kal meri, kya kya nahin kaha Pasha Sahab ne mujhay? Ab me kya muh dikhaungi Mimi ko? Yeh sab uss khadoos ki wajah se huwa hai, aur uski himmat tou dekho message kar raha hai mujhay kay me uss se milnay jaaun. Yahan insaan ka baahir nikalna mushkil huwa para hai aur me iski sadi huwi shakal dekhnay jaaun?" Umeed ranted, throwing her hands in the air as she spoke, exasperated.