Aas-e-Ishq (Hope Of Love)

Chapter 4

They fell into comfortable silence after that.

"Pata hai Hooriya ap bhot special ho." She looked at Ahmed through her lashes. He was the most silent among the kids and speak only when necessary.
This caught attention of Zaydan who was doing his office work on laptop.

"Bhot kam log hai jo Dadijan k karib hai." Ahmed continued seeing now everyone was interested in this.

"Dadajan k bad to unhone hamse bhi baat karna kam kar diya tha."
It was Azhar who understood his twin's point.

"Haa yaha tak ke Zaydan bhai se wo dono adhi raat tak baate karte the Dadajan k jane k bad unhone Zaydan bhai se bhi sirf mukhtasir baat hi ki." Safiya also joined the conversation.
Hoor looked at Zaydan who had a painfull smile adjorning his features.

"Ab to wo intezar karti hai k ap kab college se ayegi or kab wo apse baat kar sakegi." Haider said in a trance as if remembering something.

"Hooriya..." Mirha looked at Hoor who had tears in her eyes.
"Kya hua tum ro kyu rahi ho?"

"Nhi...kuch nhi bas kuch yad agaya tha." Without listening to everyone calling her name she ran inside to her room.

Zaydan looked at her retreating form where she disappeared. He knew why she spends time with his grandmother. He knew how much she missed her grandparents.

"Don't!" He stopped Fajar from going after her.
"But Bhai..."
"No Fajar. She needs some alone time. Let her be."

No one argued and went inside to their respective rooms.
No one noticed how the cheerfull atmosphere turned gloomy in seconds.

×××××××××××

Next day was sunday. Hoor didn't get enough sleep because of all the thoughts swirling in her mind. She woke up for Fajar and went downstairs to help for breakfast. No kid was up untill now except Zaydan who went for jogging.

She entered the kitchen seeing ladies of the house preparing tea for the males who were about to return after their morning walk and preparing breakfast alongside.

"Aj nashta or chai hm banaege ap log jaye or jakar apne shoharo k sath baithe" She ordered them and not giving any chance to speak forced them out of the kitchen. She sure as hell was aware that she didn't knew cooking perfectly but just the basic breakfast items. But the damage was done now.

"Areee aj yeh kya hua ap sab log yha"
"Kuch chai wai ka intezam hai k nahi"
"Aj suraj kaha se nikla bhai"
"Mai khwab to nhi dekhra"

This were the reactions of Jahangir brothers upon seeing their wives waiting for them in the house garden.

"Apki hone wali bahu ne aj chai or nashte ka zimmedari li hai"
Rukhsar whispered when her husband sat beside her. Junaid smiled knowingly in return at her.

"Areee dekho Zaydan bhi agaya. Aao beta aj hmare sath chai k maze lo."

"Ji chacho bas fresh ho kar aya."

Zaydan was astonished seeing everyone in the garden but got his answer when he entered the kitchen. He leaned on the doorframe and looked at her who was adorned in plain white shalwar frock and was working swiftly in the kitchen as if she was the owner. Her dupatta was tied in the form of hijab and her silver bangles was making tinkling noise.

"To ye apka karishma hai!" She got startled at his voice and drop the spoon which was in her hand. She turned around and looked at him who was now drinking water from waterbottle leaning on the fridge still staring at her continuously.

"Waise hai to ye apka kam". She said picking up the spoon.

"Ab tum mujhe sikhaogi kya karna hai kya nahi"
His eyed turned cold which would have feared the one standing in front of him but it was Hooriya Rehman not any girl.

"Ha to jab apko samaj nhi raha to kisiko to samjana padega na."

"Tum..."

"Just looked at their faces" Hoor cut him off. "Just look how happy they look sitting there with their wives and brothers. Ap hi bataye last time kab baithe the ye log 1 sath is tarah."

Zaydan looked at his elders through the glass window and sure as hell they were beaming with happiness. He didn't remember when was the last time he had seen them this happy.

He looked at Hoor who was now bringing Shahana Begum to the lawn talking with her animatedly. He was about to turn when she came back to take tea for everyone.
"Hmara apki family me jagah banane ka koi irada nhi hai. Hm sirf yeh chahte hai k hmari zaat ap logo ko bojh na lage. Ap log ka bhot ehsan hai hm par jo hame ghar se dur bhi ghar jaisa mahol rehne ko mila bas usi k badle hm ye choti choti khushiyo se ap logo ka ehsaan chuka ne ki koshish karte hai."

He knew why she was saying this. She knew that he feels like she will destroy his family. That was the main reason of his rudeness towards her. But how can he remain rude at her when she was such a sweetheart.
Sweetheart???? Really zaydan...
He scolded himself and proceeded towards his room.