Vaaste (short stories)

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"Ammi aap nahi jaanti ye aaj kal ladkiya kitne hoshiyar hoti hai. Mai toh kheti hu aap isse mana karde bahar jaane se kya pata kuch kar baithi"

"Safa! Aise kaise bol sakhti ho tum meri bahu hai woh mujhe bharosa hai uspe poora" juveriya frowned at her daughter's words. She adored her daughter-in-law.

Safa rolled her eyes "acha na sune meri baat. Fir mat kahiye ki maine nahi bola aapse" she got up and left the room.

Juveriya started at the retreating back of her daughter. She let out a deep sigh and massaged her temples.

"Aunty mai jaa rahi hu" came Esin's sweet voice, she stepped in the living room with her bag ready to go. Juveriya smiled at her but safa's words made her contemplate her decision. "Esin na jao aaj kuch zaroori kaam hai" she hesitantly refused her.

Esin looked confused at her "par-" before she could ask why safa entered the room "aami ne kaha na nahi toh zaban kyu lada rahi ho" she glared at her.

Esin raised her brow "nahi safa aapi maine toh aisa-" Safa raised her hand stopping Esin amid her sentence. "Aane do Qahhar ko use bhi toh pata chale uski bewi kitni badtameez hai"

"Safa abh baat ka batangar na banao Esin ne kuch zaban nahi chalayi." Juveriya stood in defence for her daughter -in-law. Safa turned red in embarrassment and glared at Esin.

"Esin jao tum kitchen mai aur safa tum bhi jao uski badat karo" she ordered. Esin dejectedly went back to her room to keep her bag not before calling her friend and telling her that she won't be coming she then proceeded towards the kitchen where safa was waiting for another drama.

"Kya karna hai aapi?" She asked Safa. Safa whipped her head in her direction "mera gala dabana hai!" She scowled.
Esin's eyes widened the hell is wrong with this woman now?

It had been a month since her marriage with Qahhar and from the second day onwards Safa had become a noose around her neck. She didn't say anything to her husband since they were not close yet, but she was trying not to exploded. She had been bottling up her anger and today she decided to open up to her husband.

"Ji?" She asked bewildered. Safa glared at her and moved around the counter and picked up the knife, for a moment it looked like as if she was going to stab Esin but decided against it and started chopping the veggies.

Esin took hesitant steps forward before picking up another knife and doing her chore.

The two cut the vegetables in silence for a few moments before esin decided to start a civil conversation with her for the first time "aapi waise aapke liye Qahhar ne ek ladka dekha hai agr aap haan kahe toh photo batayu?" Esin prayed in her mind that safa would respond like a normal person but it was safa we are talking about, a jealous, crude person.

Esin jumped when she heard a loud thud of the knife being thrown on the floor. Her heart pounded against her chest "a-api?" She clutched her dupatta in her fist. "Abh tum mera future decide karogi? Haan! Bolo, tumari himmat kaise huyi mere liye kya sahi hai kya galat hai decide karne ke liye" safa's eyes turned red from anger, she glowered at esin.

Esin shook her head "nahi aapi aisi baath nahi hai maine toh bas-" a loud slap resounded through the kitchen. Safa grabbed her face and squeezed it "apni hadd mai raho samjhi na agr dubara mujhse baat ki ya mere baare mai baat ki toh qatal kardungi" she growled and threatened Esin who was now at the point of crying.

Esin quickly nodded. Safa let go of her face with a push which made esin stumble back but she caught herself before her back could meet the floor. Esin timorously wiped her tears before resuming back to her work. She didn't utter a word for the hour until juveriya came.

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Still scared out of her wits Esin entered her room. Her mind kept going back to safa's words is she mentally disabled? She wondered. What happened today was her breaking point she had to say something so making up her mind and mustering up some courage she left her room and took steps toward her mother-in-law's room. She's an elder she would understand.

She knocked on her door and entered the room. Juveriya who was reading a magazine kept it aside seeing Esin. "Kya hua?" She asked and patted the space in front of her indicating esin to sit.

Esin reluctantly sat down playing with her hair "voh Aunty kuch baat karni thi aapse" she bit her bottom lip while looking down not able to meet juveriya's eyes.

Juveriya frowned seeing her hunched figure "batao kuch baat hai toh" she encouraged her. Esin took a long breath and narrated what happened in the morning. "Ye kaise baath kar rahi ho esin safa aisa kuch nahi bol sakti" she frowned at esin.

Esin shook her head "aunty mai sahi keh rahi hu" she was more scared now. Juveriya pondered "SAFAA!" She called out Esin's eyes widened "aunty" she whispered. A minute later safa entered the room. "Kya hua ammi aapko pata hai na mai ek client se baath kar rahi thi"she whined and sat on the edge of the bed opposite to esin who was now sweating.

Safa had ignored her presence and looked at her mother "farmayiye" juveriya looked at esin before meeting safa's gaze "esin ne mujhe aap ke bare kuch kaha hai kya woh sahi hai ki aapne use thappad mara?" Safa's eyes widened, she quickly covered her mouth "ye kaisi baath kar rahi hai ye ladki mai isse kyu maarungi" she turned to look at esin.

"Esin aise jhoot nahi kehte tum meri choti behan ke jaisi ho tum family mai daraar kyu daal rahi ho" safa looked at her with sad eyes. Juveriya glared at esin "esin tumne jhoot kyu bola?" Esin shook her head looking scared.

"Kahi tum badla toh nahi leri? Aaj ammi ne tumhe jaane se mana kiya mere kehne par....lekin mai toh bas tumhara khyaal rakh rahi thi dekha ja kitni barish huyi aaj" safa looked at juveriya with a tearful eyes "tum asi niklogi mujhe nahi pata tha" she lowered her head and sniffled.

"Ammi mai jhoot nahi bol rahi hu" esin cried out. Safa changed her game. "Bas karo esin shaadi huye ek mahina hogaya hai aur tum aisi gandi harkat kar rahi ho? Aane do Qahhar ko batati hu uski bewi kaisi hai" she glared at esin.

Safa wiped her tears "jaane de ammi asi hota hai aaj kal ki ladkiyo ke saath kuch inke liye acha karo ye wapis humpe haawi hojati hai. Aap Qahhar ko na kahe kuch" she got up and let the room. Once the door closed behind her she let out a mute laugh and patted her shoulder kya baat hai safa tum toh ek actor ban sakti ho.

Inside juveriya frowned at esin "chahe safa ne mana kardiya hoga lein mai Qahhar ko zaroor shikayat karungi tumhari. Abh jao yaha se" she scolded esin.

Esin got up and left the room. She walked towards her room while wiping her tears when she crashed into someone. She looked up and saw a smiling Safa. "Kya hua? Shikayat karne gayi thi?" Safa smirked at her.

Esin ignored her and side stepped only to be roughly pushed back "tum aage dekho kya hota hai. Qahhar ko maine tumse alag nahi kiya na toh dekh lo mera naam bhi safa nahi"

Esin glared at her with tears "waise bhi chudail zyada suit karta hai aapko"