Kashmakash

Part 11

Mobeen sat with Naaziya in her room while the rest of the family gathered in the living room to finalize the dates for Hyder and Shafa's Nikaah. Naaziya had fallen silent ever since she heard about Hyder's proposal for Shafa.

'Sorry Naaz, ye sab meri wajah se hua. Maine hi tumhe jhoota sapna dikhaya' Mobeen said feeling helpless. 'Tum bhool jao bhai ko'

Naaziya managed a weak smile, but her eyes betrayed her pain. 'Pareshan mat ho bhai, humari kismat mein jo hoga wo humne milega'

**

Naaziya laying on her bed, reminisced about the day she considers her first encounter with him. She was 8 years old then, going around and asking people for chocolate until her mother intervened.

"Naazo, aapko pata hai hum yaha kyu aaye hai?" her mother asked.

Naaziya shook her head, clueless.

"Aapke Taya abbu nahi rahe, unhe Allah ne apne paas bula liya. Aapko aise samay mein kissi ko pareshan nahi karna chahiye."

Naaziya realized that she was unintentionally hurting people. She noticed a somber Hyder leaving the house. she couldn't even be away from her father for a single day while he was already shouldering his responsibilities as the elder son.

Sitting on the swing, observing everyone around, she saw a hand extending towards her, holding a chocolate. Hyder stood there with a gentle smile. "Chahiye tha na aapko," he said.

Naaziya felt a sense of shame wash over her. She looked at Hyder with teary eyes and whispered a heartfelt "Sorry."

"Rote nahi bache. Aapko kabhi bhi kuch chahiye ho, aap humko bolna. Haq hai aapko," he assured, pulling her into a comforting hug.

"Ab haq nahi raha," she sadly chuckled, her voice laced with a hint of nostalgia.

**

Naaziya knocked on Hyder's door. It had been almost 15 days since she had seen him. Hyder opened the door to find Naaziya looking disheveled, her eyes puffy, and her nose red from crying.

'Naaziya..' he began, concerned.

Without saying a word, she extended her hand, holding his card in it. 'Yeh kya hai?' he asked sternly, not knowing what she had wanted him to do with it.

'Apne samjhaya tha ki apke nikah ke baad humara haq nahi hoga. To lautane aayi hu' she said, her voice breaking.

'Iski jaroorat nahi hai. Ispe sirf tumhara haq hai' he said feeling frustrated.

'Ab nahi' she said, with a broken smile. She took his hand and placed the card back into his palm and left.

**

Sameer was out with Rafia on a date.

'Samjh nahi aa raha bhai Shafa se kyu nikah kar rahe' Sameer had been holding his emotions 'Naaziya ke liye sab pareshan hai, Ammi ke chehre pe khushi nahi hai. Lag hi nahi raha jashn ka mahaul hai.'

'Par agar bhai ko Shafa pasand hai to isme galat kya hai. Mujhe to wo aachi lagti hai'  Rafia gave her point of view.

'I know tumhe Naaz nahi pasand hai but kya tum thode time ke liye isse side mein rakh sakti ho' Sameer spoke irritated.

'Aisa kuch nahi hai, it's just that I feel irritated jab aap usse mujhse jyada importance dete ho. Aisa to nahi hai wo akeli hai, uska khud ka bada bhai hai, but aap sage aur wo cousin lagta hai. Koi ladki bata do jisko aacha lagega uska husband usse jyada kissi aur pe dhyan de'  Rafia was clearly offended.

'Yaar, akeli behen hai wo meri aur wo bhi sabse choti. But tum khud ko usse kyu compare karti ho, main khud ko tumhare papa se compare karu kya..will it make sense' Sameer tried reasoning with her.

'Haan, dekha tha maine Abbu ke birthday pe...aap pe dhyan nahi de payi thi aur aap poora 2 din mujhse khafa the'  Rafia teased him. 'And mujhe usse nahi, aap se problem hai. Aap mujhe pyar karo main kissi pe dhyan naa du'

'Sorry baba, sahi kehte hai log Biwi se jeet nahi sakte'

'Waise mujhe bhi aachi lagti hai Naaz...Meri jethani hogi to aacha hai...choti hai naa to kuch keh nahi payegi'  Rafia chuckled while Sameer rolled his eyes.

He was relieved to know that his to-be-wife is just jealous and there was no hatred.

**

'Areeb, mujhe Naaziya ki bahut chinta ho rahi hai' Inayat said as she folded his clothes.

Areeb pulled her near 'Pareshan to main bhi hu. Mujhe theek nahi lagta usse Nikah tak rokna. Usko itna dukhi dekha nahi kabhi'

'Mujhe to pata hi nahi chala kab usse Hyder itna pasand aa gaya. Shayad main dhyan deti to aesi halat mein naa hoti humari bachchi' she broke down in front of her husband. 'Tumhari galti nahi, hum naa to Naaziya ko samjh paye, na hi Hyder ko.'  Areeb consoled her.