Accidental Nikkah

CHAPTER 39

After every sunshine morning, a haunting night comes. We can either get scared and stay up all night, succumbing to the darkness, or go to sleep peacefully, telling yourself that the stars shine in the darkness.

'Yes, sir.' Mason says, and walks out the door, holding his tab. Aayan signs and looks at the laptop screen, his and Ruhee's picture taken at the mall was displayed with the headlines. Aayan had just informed Mason to take this news down before more people saw it. Only this particular news site has got this news and only 223,001 people have viewed it. So, it won't be hard to take it down and shut the news, he just hoped that Ruhee had not seen this.

But he has got to say, the photographer has sure taken a good picture of them. Aayan and Ruhee walking hand in hand, with genuine smiles plastered on their faces. He loved Ruhee's carefree smile, and he was also carefree yesterday. He loved the picture of them so much, that he saved it in his mobile.

Yesterday was really one of the best days of Aayan's life. He did exactly what Zubair had told him. He took her out for lunch and then to the mall, and bought her some clothes. The funcity was just a bonus. He wanted to go out with Ruhee like that again someday. Just the two of them, hand in hand, carefree smiles, that's all he wants. Aayan signs and continues his work.

After lunchtime, Aayan was doing his work as usual when he hears his mobile ringing, he picks it up, fearing it was Ruhee, who found out about the article but was a bit relieved as it was not her, but groaned at who was calling. He contemplated whether to answer or not, but just answered it, 'Yes, Nicholas.' he said, in a calm voice. Aayan could hear Nicholas snicker on the other line and he almost regretted answering the call.

'Oh Aayan, I didn't know that you dated.' Nicholas said, 'But I must say, nice catch.' Aayan was now attentive to him, 'What do you mean?' Aayan asked, seriously, 'Oh, you know what I mean, but why did you take down the article? I rarely see you smile so carefree.' Nicholas said, in his annoying voice. Aayan was relieved that the article was taken down, but if Nicholas has seen it, who else has? 'Shut up, Nicholas. I am not dating anyone.'

Why would I date my wife?

'Oh, Thank God. I wanted to hear that from you.' Nicholas said, all fun gone. 'What do you mean?' Aayan asked, not liking his change in tone. 'Oh, just wanted to confirm that you are not dating her, so that I can freely approach her. Not that I care if you date her or not, because once I get interested in someone, I don't back off soon.' Nicholas said, like it was nothing new to him. 'Don't you dare think about approaching her, Nicholas. I will kill you.' Aayan warned him,'Oh, a warning from Aayan himself, now I have got to see where this goes. Astala weesta, my friend.' and Nicholas ends the call.

Aayan signs in frustration. Nicholas can go to any extent when he is interested in someone, and now, that someone is Ruhee, he was really pissed this time. He looks at the clock to see its past 5pm. He packs up for today and decides to head home. He also wanted to know if Ruhee was okay, whether she saw the article or not, and did it bother her or not?

Aayan entered his home and saw Sahma sitting in the living room watching television. She looked towards her son and smiled, 'Where is Ruhee?' he asks, 'Waah, I guess it is true. Son's forget their mothers after getting married.' Sahma says in a teasing manner, 'Ammi.' Aayan gives her a stern look. 'Okay, Sorry. She is upstairs, in your room.' Sahma informs him smiling. He was about to walk up the stairs, when the door bell rang. Aayan walks to the door and opens it, his expression turns to rage as he sees who it was, 'What are you doing here?' Aayan asked, trying to keep cool.

'Now, is that a way to speak to your elder brother. Won't you invite us in?' says a male voice. Aayan moves back while a man, clad in a beige suit - pant and bronze shoes, walks in, along with a lady, who looked like she was in her mid 50s. Sahma, who was watching the television, switches it off and walks over to stand beside her angry son. The lady, looks at Sahma with disgust and the man, who looked like in his late 20s, was giving Aayan a sly smirk,'How are you doing, little brother and his mother? The man asks.

'I asked, what are you doing here?' Aayan asked again, anger radiating off him. The man smirks at him and shows him his mobile, that held the picture of Aayan and Ruhee, from the article, 'My little brother is dating someone, so I thought, why not give him some dating advice.' the man says, as the lady standing next to him, snickers. The man looks in between Sahma and Aayan and says, 'And seeing that your mother is not shocked by this news, has she already met her? Have you really told her everything, or do you want me to tell her, everything.'

'You wouldn't dare.' Aayan says, glaring at the man, 'Or would I?' he says, matching Aayan's glare, 'Get out of my house.' Aayan says, in a calm threatening voice. 'Oh so soon, but I have just begun speaking.' the man says, with a stern face. 'Does she know, what our relation is, brother?' he adds. 'I said, Get out!!!' Aayan shouts at the man, rage evident on his face. 'That's what my mother said, when you came to my house. Remember?' he shouts back at Aayan.

'When Abbu bought you and your mother home, that's what Ammi said to you and your mother.' the man says, a bit calmer but still angry, as he points to the lady beside him, who is his mother, 'And we did move out.' Aayan points out, staring at him, 'Yes, you did move out,' the man starts, 'Along with our peace and happiness. Tell me Aayan, does your lover know, that Abbu cheated on my mother with your mother? That you were born, an illegitimate child?'

At this point, Sahma's eyes were filled with tears, 'Abbu didn't cheat, he married my Ammi, and I was born after they were married.' Aayan defended. 'Yeah, but their marriage was not registered when you were born, it was registered later on, which means you were born to an unmarried couple, or should I say, to a  married man and his mistress.' That's when Aayan lost it. He held the man's collor, 'You can say whatever you want about me, Mahir, but I will not tolerate you degrading my mother.'

The lady standing next to Mahir, pulls her son away from Aayan's grasps, as Sahma pulls back Aayan's arm as well,'Your mother already degraded herself, when she married an already married man.' the lady says, 'I was unaware to the fact that he was married, he didn't tell, until Aayan was born.' Sahma said, as she controlled her tears. 'Then, you should have left him when you found out.' the lady says. 'How could I, Hydari? Aayan was born by then. You want me to rise my child without a father? Would you have raised Mahir like that?' Sahma questions the lady, whose name happens to be, Hydari.

'So, you mean it was Abbu's fault?' Mahir questions Sahma. 'Not entirely. Yes, Abbu was wrong, to have not told Ammi about him being married, but he didn't look at us in different ways. He treated both of us as one.' Aayan defended his father. Mahir snickers at Aayan, 'No Aayan, he didn't see us as one. He saw me more superior than you. He gave me a well built, high ranked and rich company. The company he inherited from his family, but to you,' Mahir points his index finger at Aayan, 'To you, he gave a small start up company. He didn't think us as equal.'

Aayan's face went blank on hearing this, 'Now, My dear brother, I am done talking. Do tell your girlfriend about us, then we'll see if she wishes to stay with an illegitimate child. I must say Aayan, she is one beautiful catch, after she leaves you, send her to me, I'll take good care of her.' Mahir says. Aayan was seeing red, he fisted his hands to contain his anger. Mahir looks at Aayan and smirks,'C'mon Ammi, let's go home.' Mahir says, and walks out with his mother, Hydari.

As the door closes behind them, a lone tear escapes Sahma's eye. She wipes it away and looks at Aayan. He was so angry that he could breakdown a wall. Sahma takes her sons face between her palms and says, 'Let it go, Aayan. Calm down.' Aayan looks at his mother's stained eyes. Another tear flows down her face and Aayan wipes it away with his finger, shaking his head at his mother, indicating to her, as to not cry.

Sahma smiles at her son and nods her head. They let go off each other's faces and Aayan's anger seems to have cooled down,'Just be glad that Ruhee didn't hear all this. It's still to early to tell her the truth.' Sahma says, and Aayan nods his head. 'Go and freshen up, we can order take out for dinner.' Sahma says to Aayan. He nods his head and turns around. He looks up the stairs and the colour seems to drain away from his face. Sahma saw the look on Aayan's face and looked the way he was looking, she tensed up.

Up stairs, before Aayan's bedroom door, stood Ruhee, gazing down at them.

Oh No!