RAABTA : A collection of short stories

V

"Kabhi kabhi na mujhe lagta hai jo hota hai ache ke liye hota hai" Gulaab spoke taking a slice of apple in her mouth.

"Kya ho gaya aisa" Ahmed smiled

"Maine toh aas hi chhod di thi ki Ibrahim kabhi nikaah karega.......har waqt kaam...college se aa kar journals me ghuse rehna........" She made a face but then smiled "Par ab sab kuch theek hai.....meri gudiya theek kar degi use"

"Kaun kise sudharega....kuch kaha nahi ja sakta" Ahmed chuckled at his wife.

"Mujhe nahin pata....lekin mai apni bahu ki side hun" Gulaab huffed looking at Ibrahim's photo in the room.

"Ye kya pehen rakha hai?" Nusheen frowned looking at Safiya who was dressed too simply for her mother's liking

"Kapde" Safiya didn't pay heed earning a smack on her head

"Ammi.." she pouted

"Ammi ki bachi..."

"Wo toh mai hun" Safiya interrupted in between making Nausheen scowl "Bas maskhari karwa lo ........ shaadi ko 3 mahine  ho gaye hain..kuch toh khayal kar lo"

"Ibrahim ke samne ache se jaya karo........jab wo ghar aaye toh usse puchha karo kuch chahiye.....tumhara shauhar hai wo.....apna behaviour thoda change karo uske sath"

"Kyun......bhaijaan mujhe taiyyar hua dekh kar mantra mugdha ho jayenge"

"Aaauuu" Safiya yelped when her mother twisted her ear "Kitni baar bola hai wo ab tumhara bhaijaan nahi hai......"

"Sorry Ammi....sorry..chhodein please"

"Tum samajhti kyun nahi ho...wo ab tumhe ek shauhar ki nazar se dekhta hoga....pehle ki baat aur thi" Nausheen tried to put some into her daughter's head "Wo toh acha hua rukhsati me time hai..aur tumhe kuch samay mil gaya cheezein samajhne ke liye"

"Aapko lagta hai wo mujhe kabhi us nazar se dekhenge bhi" Safiya chuckled

"Dekhenge ??....maine dekhte dekha hai......bechara mera beta...apni biwi ki ek nazar ke liye taras jata hai...aur ek tum dekha nahi ki bhagna shuru" Nausheen exclaimed

"Usse bhaagna band kiya karo......uske saath thodi der baitha karo shaam me"

"Ji Ammi" Safiya all of a sudden started feeling shy

"Ab sharm aa rahi hai..." Nausheen chuckled shaking her head...her daughter was one of a kind.

-----------------

"Goodmorning........." Safiya greeted Ibrahim who raised his brows in amazement  "Saalon baad mujhe goodmorning wish karne ki wajah"

"Mai toh roz karti hun"

"I was not talking about the chorus goodmorning you do in the class" Ibrahim chuckled making Safiya embarrass

"Safiya...aaj Ibrahim ke sath hi college chali jao..." Nausheen dropped the bomb on Safiya who gulped in nervousness

"Nai...mai Ayaan bhaijaan ke sath" Safiya tried to escape

"Ayaan ko kuch kaam tha..wo jaldi hi nikal gaya" Nausheen waved off her hand perfectly knowing her daughter.

"Nikal gaya ya aapne nikaal diya" Safiya mumbled which was quite audible to Ibrahim who chuckled.

"Sir.........."
"Sir........"

"Kaan me kya lagaya hai ki sun hi nahin rahe......." Safiya frowned and tried once again

"Sir..."

"Bhaijaan" and this time a reaction came with the car halting all of a sudden.

"Come again...."