Kashmakash

Part 2

The gang sat gloomily in Naaziya's room, sulking over the rejected plan. 'Kya yaar, 2 saal pehle gaye the saath mein ghumne. Iss baar phir mana ho gaya' Sohaib whined.

'To aap logon ko chutti nahi milli?' Naaziya inquired.

'Nahi yaar, ulta daant bhi pad gayi' Zain replied with a tinge of sadness.

'Aap log bhi chalte to maaza aata' Naaziya said innocently.

'Arey Mohtarma, aap ko kya lag raha aap jaa rahi hai?' Mobeen said sarcastically and Naaziya nodded with a pout.

'Jee nahi. Aapko lagta hai bhai tumko akele ghumne bhejenge..Meri rajdulari behen, bhai ko saans nahi aati hai jab tum akele Mall bhi jaati ho....solo trip pe outstation jayengi ye...what a joke' Mobeen scoffed.

'Yaar bhai ko kya problem hai...humne to bola nahi tha head banana ko. Abhi humari age kya hai college khatm hone se pehle hi company join kara di...itni responsibility dena koi sensible baat hai. Ghoomna phirna bhi dushwaar kiya hai' Zain complained, venting his frustration.

'BAASS...tum sabko pata hai bhaijaan kyu strict hai tum logo ke saath. Abhi jao sab apne room mein. Ab aur baat nahi hogi iss baare mein' Sameer interjected, defending his brother.

'PATA HAI...PATA HAI...but kya frustration bhi nahi nikal sakte' Zain replied before storming out, followed by the others, leaving Sameer alone with Naaziya. Sameer smiled and gently patted her head 'Naaz tum udaas mat ho, hum tumhare exam ke baad shopping pe challenge...theek hai' he said, trying to cheer her up.

***

As everyone gathered for dinner, they eagerly awaited the gang's arrival, but as the wait extended, Agha Jann finally inquired, 'Kahan hai sab?'. 'Wo wo agha jaan...' Sameer fumbled , unable to come up with a new excuse.

'Wo Agha Jaan sab bahar gaye the shaam ko, udhar se hi kha kar aaye the. Aap start karein' Hayder lied, covering for his brothers. Agha Jaan nodded with disappointment 'Areef aur Areeb, bacho se baat karo, ab thoda serious ho jaaye. Roz kahin na kahin ghumte firte hai. Ghar pe pao nahi tikte aur office mein bhi kaam chori hoti hai.' Agha Jaan scolded his sons.

'Ji Abbu' they replied, feeling embarrassed and shooting glances at their wives, as if silently urging them to discipline the kids. 'Rehne dijiyega chacha. Main baat kar lunga sabse. Aur Agha Jaan aap pareshan na ho, aache se kaam karte hai sab. Abhi bache hai, thoda to bachpana rahega' he defended them.

'Ab meri umar ke ho kar bachpana jayega. Tum to 18 pe inse jyada samjhdar the. Inke baapo ne chutt di hui hai' Agha jaan said, glaring at his sons.

'Bas bhi karo. Bacho ko haste dekh pata nahi kya pareshani ho jaati hai tumhe. Budhe tum ho, tumhe sada khana chahiye; wo bahar ka khana pacha lenge' Dadi said defending her grandchildren; while others chuckled seeing Agha Jaan getting scolded by his wife.

'Kahan hai sab?'. 'Wo wo agha jaan...' Sameer fumbled when he was not able to come up with a new excuse.

'Wo Agha Jaan sab bahar gaye the shaam ko, udhar se hi kha kar aaye the. Aap start karein' Hayder lied for his brothers. Agha Jaan nodded disappointed 'Areef aur Areeb, bacho se baat karo, ab thoda serious ho jaaye. Roz kahin na kahin ghumte firte hai. Ghar pe pao nahi tikte aur office mein bhi kaam chori hoti hai.' Agha Jaan scolded his sons.

'Ji Abbu' they replied embarrassed and glared at their wives for not discipling the kids. 'Rehne dijiyega chacha. Main baat kar lunga sabse. Aur Agha Jaan aap pareshan na ho, aache se kaam karte hai sab. Abhi bache hai, thoda to bachpana rahega' he defended them.

'Ab meri umar ke ho kar bachpana jayega. Tum to 18 pe inse jyada samjhdar the. Inke baapo ne chutt di hui hai' Agha jaan said glaring at his sons.

'Bas bhi karo. Bacho ko haste dekh pata nahi kya pareshani ho jaati hai tumhe. Budhe tum ho, tumhe sada khana chahiye; wo bahar ka khana pacha lenge' Dadi interjected, defending her grandchildren; while others chuckled at the sight of Agha Jaan getting scolded by his wife.

***

Sameer chatted with his fiancé on phone.

'Aaj phir ye sab dinner pe nahi hai. Mere paas to bahane ki list bhi khat mho gayi thi; Shukr hai bhai ne Agha jaan ko samjhaya warna sabki class lagti'

'Wo koi chote bache hai kya ko zid pakad ke baith gaye hai'

'Bache hi hai; Naaz ke naam ke bharose sab apna bachpana dikhane lagte hai'

'Naaz hi kaun si bachi hai. Mujhse sirf 2 saal choti hai par aap log usse abhi bhi sar pe chadhaye rehte ho'

'Yaar...tum Naaz ke peeche hi padi rehti ho' It was almost every day that she had something to complain about Naaziya.

'Main uske peeche nahi padi hu. Aap log ko bas akal de rahi hu; kuch saal mein jab uska nikah hoga to uske Sasural wale aise nahi uski baat manenge'

'Arey chinta mat karo hum apni Naaz ka nikah aise se karienge jo uske saare nakhre jhele' he said with a slight chuckle.

'Haan haan...dekhte hai kidhar se aap uske liye shehzada laate hai'

'Aacha uska choro apna batao. Khala chali gayi tumhari?' he swiftly changed the topic, successfully diverting her attention from Naaziya.