Jaana : The Girl He Loved Too Much

Chapter 34

"This place looks so different," Sitara murmured, glancing around. "You came here before?" Shahzain asked her, surprised. He didn't think she could have visited this area.

"Yes, I came here with my father. Our housekeeper used to live here. She used to have some issues. "Ruku's mother, you mean? " his response widened her eyes. They never spoke about it, and their family never mentioned it to anyone except for Nargis. Even Ruku herself doesn't know she is adopted. "I knew everything about you, Sitara, before our marriage even got fixed. Why is this still a shock?" He said, looking ahead, feeling her stare on him.

She turned her face towards the road, hearing his words.

"There weren't any houses here back then, just huts," she said, looking around. "The road also seems like repaired, I remember this being a cobblestone route." She said, observing.

He halted the jeep at the square, and people were gathered around chilling. "What's going on?" She asked, seeing a little party.

"See for yourself," he said, getting down. Following his suite, she walked beside him. "Khan Saheb, Salam!" She heard greetings from all around as everyone started reaching them. She recognized a few faces like that of the spice vendor she met at the fair and few from the commotion she encountered on her wedding day. She saw Shahzain responding to everyone's greeting. "Come," she heard him call out for her, and realized she wasn't moving. She reached closer to the bonfire with him, and they sat in the chairs brought immediately by a few kids. Soon, people were serving food and drinks to them. Still, she couldn't figure out the reason for their celebration, and she couldn't ask also, considering he forbade her to talk. Her curiosity was reaching its peak.

"Khan Saheb," a voice caught her attention as she saw a woman in her late fifties with a tray in her hands. No matter how much anxious she was, seeing the sevaiyan her mouth watered for a second. It was her favorite dessert and her weakness. She fisted her hand to resist the urge of not taking the bowl and devouring the kesar colored delicacy. A smile came to Shahzain noticing her and he took one of the bowls from the lady. Seeing him taking only one bowl, made her feel dejected that she will not be able to eat it, however, she made a note of writing it to Bahar to get it cooked for her back in the house. Now when she has the craving, she is not going to kill it without having it. But soon her thoughts were interrupted as a spoon made its way towards her.

A smile came to her as Shahzain fed her the first bite. Her eyes closed on their own accord as her tongue tasted heaven. She hasn't eaten such a delicious sevaiyan ever. She urged her senses to not let out a moan. "Looks like the magic in your hands in unwavering Chachijaan" Shahzain said to the lady with a smile looking at her face which is explicitly showing the pleasure she got in just one bite. Sitara blushed slightly and he smiled as he fed her complete bowl. "Will you not eat?" the lady asked him and he cupped Sitara's cheek saying "I had my fill when she ate. Its the same thing"

"But this is the celebration of the anniversary of this place, we celebrate this day because of you. We can never forget the conditions we used to live in, the broken roads, poor sanitization, we even had to struggle for hours for drinking water. All the applications we submitted were never responded by the departments. Because of you we had cemented roofs, toilets, the roads are constructed, we now have 24*7 water supply. You even built a proper hospital here,no pregnant women lost their child since you came into our lives because we don't have to cross miles to get treatments. If you do not eat, it will be like we haven't offered our prayers to God." she said with tears brimming her eyes.

Shahzain got up and held the tray from her hand. Keeping it aside, he held her arms "Chachijaan, I haven't done anything that was not supposed to be done. You just give me too much credit." he said, making her sit on the cot beside Sitara. He knelt in front of her and took the bowl of sevaiyan. Offering her a bite, he continued, but a sudden scream broke his words.