Khamosh Mohabbat

Part 16

The next morning Hamza came down for breakfast, she was there at the table, seated at the same place where she was sitting yesterday. As he entered the room she looked up at him and greeted him,

"Assalam u alaikum", she said in a small voice.

Hamza took the head of the table chair, and replied "Wailaikum salam'. Now she was sitting on his right side.

He was about to call for Ajmal Bhai for breakfast when he emerged from the door himself with a plate of paratha for her. He placed it in front of her, and she smiled and thanked him.

He then turned to Hamza and said, "Hamza baba aap bhi paratha khain ge?"

Hamza was busy looking at her plate, and replied, "Nahi aap mera usual nashta laa dain."

She was eating paratha with egg & sipping her tea along. He couldn't resist asking, "Tum roz paratha khatee ho?"

"Nahi jab ziada bhook lagti hai tau kha leti hoon, aur raat main ne khana nahi khaya tha tau ziada book lagi thee." She just said in a simple tone.

No complaint, no explanation, just a simple statement. He observed that was her usual style
of talking, simple and straight.

"Khana kion nahi khaya?" He got confused.

To which she just shrugged and did not reply. But Hamza felt guilty, apart from being his (unwanted) wife, she was also a guest in his house and he should have at least cared about her food and living.

"Tum doosray room main shift ho gayee, hope you are comfortable there." Half in Urdu and half in English that's how he had always talked. But then he looked at her thinking she might not understand.

"Jee theek hai, shukriya! Mujhe sirf woh room hee khali Mila, so main wahin shift ho gayee." She was not looking at him.

He tried to look for anger or sadness on her face and he found nothing.

He kept looking at the way she was enjoying her food. It was interesting, in his circle people eat everything with a fork and knife, Ayesha would never eat a paratha, and that too right in the morning, and yet she would take spinning classes like M&M to maintain her weight.

And here this girl was sitting next to him, having no interest in him, enjoying her meal, she would tear a morsel of paratha, take some egg with it and eat, then she would just take the paratha piece and dip it in tea. He was mesmerised by how she was enjoying her food, it was so interesting.

He got his breakfast and started siping his black coffee. He always likes light breakfast, usually just boiled eggs with toast and a bowl of granola with yoghurt. And two cups of black coffee before and after his breakfast.

"Tumhara mobile number kya hai?" he saw the latest iPhone lying next to her plate. Of course, Mom must have bought her new phone.

"03222812463" she replied without looking at him.

"Aik second let me note it." he stopped her and opened his phone to note it.

She repeated it, he saved it and gave her a missed call. She did not bother picking up the phone, just kept having her tea.

"Save Kar lo." he was surprised at her unbothered attitude.

"Abhi haath dho kar kar loon gee." oh of course her hands were all oily with paratha.

"Text me if you need anything," he kept looking at her.

That's when she turned and gave home a look. What was there in her eyes, 'shikwa, dukh, loneliness'