RAABTA : A collection of short stories

H4

"Tabhi mai sochun ye Shahzain bhai ko itna pyaar kyun aata hai Amara par" Asma said sipping her tea. When Hania revealed the truth on constant nagging, Asma and the cousins were shocked.
She made a face remembering how she had been making a fool out of herself all this while infront of Shahzain.

"Haan abhi bhi usi ke paas baithe hue hain bina kuch khaye piye..." Aliya said pointing towards the room where Amara was shifted to

"Haan toh kya ho gaya...tumlog aise kyun behave kar rahe ho....sab pehle hi jaisa hi toh hai...aisa kya badal gaya...haan hum itne anxious rehte the na ki kyun kyun...toh kyun ka jawab mil gaya" Ahil said shrugging .

"Amara ko hosh aa gaya..." Aamir  informed others with a big smile and without even waiting returned back to Amara's room.

"Aaram se araam se " Shahzain helped Amara in sitting..... "Mai theek hun bhaijaan..."

"Wo dikh raha hai...kya zarurat thi bhaagam bhaag karne ki seedhiyon par" Shahzain lightly scolded Amara who pouted looking at Aamir who was shaking his head signalling her not to take his name. He feared Shahzain might make him lay on the same bed Amara was lying on.

"Sorry" Amara said

"Acha ab yeh lo soup piyo.." Shahzain brought a spoon of hot liquid to her mouth..

"Nahi..mera man nahi hai"

But next second, Amara opened her mouth big seeing his glare.......

Farida was sitting next to Amara and caressing her head "Shahzain...tum kuch kha lo..mai Amara ko pila de rahi hun"

"Nai Aunty .. mai theek hun"

"Aise kaise....Aamir bhai ke liye ek plate le kar aao" Sikander who was standing next to Farida ordered his son

Aamir brought a plate of sandwiches for Shahzain who took it on Amara's requests.

A few days later, Amara was discharged and brought back home.

She was spending most of her time in her room only with Shahzain and Aamir giving her perpetual visits and
one day in a flow, Aamir told her the secret of Shahzain being her cousin and everything. She couldn't describe how she felt when Shahzain showed her parents' picture along with their childhood ones for the first time.

"Aap ne pehle mujhe kyun nahin bataya?" Amara had asked Shahzain who had replied that he didn't want her to know about any painful incident of the past.

Amara started becoming more open to Shahzain with time.

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"Hum abhi tak galat kar rahe the....arre badshah par waar karne se acha hai...aisi jagah waar karo jahan uski jaan atakti hai" Hania was talking to her sister in law Shabana in her room

"Matlab"

"Shahzain badshah hai aur uski jaan basti hai us Amara me......toh Amara ko sambhalo.. badshah apne aap haath me aayega...apne bete Ahil ka nikaah usse karwa do" Hania suggested having a slice of apple.

"Nahi .. apne bete se kabhi nahin.." Shabana atonce refused

"Toh phir zindagi katon isi tarah"

"Meri behen k bete Rashid se kara dete hain na Amara ka nikaah..wo use pasand bhi karta hai"

"Hmm....tum udhar baat chalao mai idhar baat chalati hun" Hania passed an evil smile "Kuch dinon me Shahzain desh ke bahar jane wala hai lambe samay ke liye .... usi beech ye sab nipta do..."

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"Baaji...bina Shahzain se baat kiye hum Amara ke liye itna bada decision kaise le sakte hain" Farida and Sikander objected