Faasle-ff based on KYPH pt46, 47 END

New fan fic: Faasle

This story is about a Muslim girl, Tehzeeb (Kripa's character) and a Hindu boy, Angad.

Before I start the story, I just wanted to make it clear that please take this story as a love story between 2 individuals and not a conflict between two religions or cultures. I have no intention of hurting anyone's personal/religious sentiments. If there are any discrepancies or disagreements about anything, please let me know or pm me as this is my first attempt at writing an interfaith love story.

PART 1:

TEHZEEB's 21 st BIRTHDAY:

Tehzeeb is excited about finally turning 21 this year. Her friends have organized a big birthday bash for her at the Four Season's hotel banquet hall in New York City. Tehzeeb is the only child of a rich Investment banker, Mr Javed Khan (imagine Dilip from KYPH), whose heart beats in harmony with the ups and downs of the New York stock exchange. Javed Khan is a self made man. He immigrated to the US 14 years ago after a major disagreement with his parents in India. Soon after immigration, his wife of 10 years passed away under mysterious circumstances. People speculated that she might have committed suicide. Javed Khan never talked about his deceased wife. Tehzeeb had fond memories of her mother, Salma from when they had lived in India, but after moving to the US, she remembered her mother would just spend her time alone, locked in her room. Her mother barely interacted with anyone during her last few months.

Tehzeeb had spent most of her school years under the care of a nanny, Begum (imagine Nishant's bua from KYPH). Begum had been a faithful housekeeper cum nanny to Javed and Salma since they lived in India. She was their only link to the past now. Tehzeeb was very close to Begum, especially after her mother's demise. Javed Khan spent most of his time on Wall Street. He had a Midas touch; he could make money for anyone and anybody with his financial acumen. He barely spent time with his daughter, but made sure Tehzeeb was brought up properly with good Islamic values. Tehzeeb was not allowed to stay out late, party with friends, wear revealing western outfits, and go out on dates with anyone. Drinking and smoking were of course out of the question. Tehzeeb had attended the local Islamic school in their nearby mosque every friday since she was a child. She tried to say her namaaz everyday, but could not understand why she had to pray so many times in the day. Occasionally she would lie to her dad that she had prayed five times; Begum was always there to defend her in such situations. Tehzeeb had always tried to obey her father, but lately had started questioning his strict rules.

She was in college now and craved to hang out with her friends and be able to see the world like everyone else. She had an inclination for arts and music, but her dad insisted she join the undergraduate business program at Columbia University, so she could follow his footsteps. She hated math and crunching numbers, but felt obliged to follow her dad's wishes.

Tehzeeb got dressed in a long black skirt and full sleeves red top for her party. Javed had promised that he would join her at the party and surprise her with a special 21 st birthday present.

Tehzeeb had a great time at her party. Her friends were aware of Tehzeeb's religious and cultural background. They made sure that there was no booze/smoking/close dancing at the party. They ordered her favorite chocolate cake from her favorite bakery and favorite dishes from the hotel's kitchen.

Javed walked in towards the end of the party and hugged his daughter. He kissed her forehead and said, "beti…aaj main bahut khush hoon….tumhari 21 st birthday par main tumhey ek surprise dena chahta hoon…..yeh dekho….in se milo….yeh hain Aamir Baig (imagine Prithvi from KYPH)!"

"Hello!" Tehzeeb said politely to a young man in his mid-twenties.

"Aadaab!" he said shyly.

"Beti…Aamir mere puraane dost ka beta hai…he is the new blood in our company! He is very bright…he just graduated from Wharton business school with high honors!. Tum dono ek doosrey ko jaan lo…..main chahta hoon tum dono jaldi nikaah kar lo!…Kyon kaisa lagaa mera birthday gift?" Javed said proudly.

The color from Tehzeeb's rosy cheeks faded. She was stunned and shocked.

"Abbu! Main…abhi shaadi ke liye tayyar nahin hoon…." She hesitated, unable to look at her dad in the eye.

"TEHZEEB! Yeh faisla mujh par chhod do….tum ab 21 saal ki ho gayi ho….Aamir se behtar shauhar tumhey kahin nahin milega….jao beta Aamir….Tehzeeb ke saath thoda waqt guzaar lo….mujhey ek meeting mein jaana hai…," as usual Javed left Tehzeeb with someone else, expecting his daughter to obey his command as she had always done.

Tehzeeb exchanged a few words with Aamir and then politely excused herself.

After reaching home, she ran to her room and buried her face in her pillow, "nahin…main aisa kabhi nahin kar sakthi…..abbu aakhir kaun hote hain mere saare faisle karne waale?….main is shaadi ke liye tayyar nahin hoon…."

Begum realized that Tehzeeb was upset. She went to her room, "kya baat hai beti? Mujhey tho bataa sakti hai…"

Tehzeeb got up and hugged Begum, "Daijaan….main abhi shaadi nahin karna chahti…" she poured her heart out to Begum.

"theek hai beti…main tere abbu se baat karoongi….tu ab so jaa…bahut raat ho gayi hai…."

Next day, Begum tried to reason with Javed, but he was adamant about his decision, "BEGUM! Apni haisiyat mein raho….main Tehzeeb ka baap hoon aur uskie liye kya theek hai aur kya nahin…iska faisla sirf main kar sakta hoon….bas ab tumhara kaam hai usey samjhaana….yeh mat bhoolo tum sirf ek aaya ho….maalkin nahin!"

Tehzeeb overheard the conversation and the dejected look on Begum's face told her that Javed would not change his decision.

Later that night, Tehzeeb tip-toed into her dad's room and took out an old box from his closet. She had seen this box several times in her parent's closet, but knew never to ask any questions about it. She took out a photograph and an envelope addressed to her father. There was a return address on the envelope from a place in Istanbul, turkey.

She tip-toed out with the photograph and the address and thought, "Aapi…main aapke paas aa rahi hoon….."

…..to be continued
Edited by bheegi - 15 years ago

hey that was really good..kaafi alaag hai yaar..
cont soon..
👏

Originally posted by: srk1

hey that was really good..kaafi alaag hai yaar..
cont soon..
👏

thanks

next part coming up

PART 2:

"Aapi….main aa rahi hoon…" Tehzeeb said to herself as she hid the photograph and envelope in her blouse.

She rushed to her room and packed her bags. She stayed up all night, pacing up and down in her room wondering whether she was doing the right thing, "haan…mujhey is ghar se bhaag jaana chahiye….yahan Abbu sirf apney baarey mein sochthey hain….kabhie meri khushi ke baare mein nahin sochtey…..meri Aapi hi bas mujhey samajh sakti hain….mujhey koyi pyaar nahin karta…..," she cried silently.

Aapi…..her paternal grandmother! Tehzeeb had fond memories of her grandmother from her early childhood. She had spent her first seven years of her life in India under her "aapi's" shelter. Both her parents worked to make ends meet, but her grandparents stayed home with her all day. She was particularly close to her grandmother, as her grandfather usually spent time with his newspapers and radio. Aapi would let Tehzeeb indulge in anything she wanted. She would even sleep with her on most nights.

Then one day, Tehzeeb remembered her dad had a major argument with his parents and before anyone realized, they were on a plane to New York along with a distant relative, Begum. Since then Tehzeeb had not seen her grandparents or heard from them. She had discovered the secret box in her parent's closet when she was about 12 or 13 and had discovered an envelope inside the box. There was a letter written in urdu, which Tehzeeb could not read. She recognized her grandparents in the photograph enclosed with the letter. She figured out that her grandparents had moved to Istanbul a few years ago.

Next day, she quietly slipped out of the house with her bag and headed for the bank. She had left a note for daijaan…. "please meri chinta mat kariye….main ghar se jaa rahi hoon…Abbu se kehna meri fikr na karein….Love you daijaan…"

Tehzeeb's dad had given her a credit card on her 18th birthday, but she also had a bank account, which she was eligible to access after her 21 st birthday. Using a credit card would leave a paper trail behind her, so she decided to withdraw hard cash from her account. Her dad had been generous and she was pleasantly surprised to see a million dollars in her account! She withdrew $100,000.00, as she would not know how to carry any more cash!

She stuffed the money in her bag and purse and headed for the airport.

She was unable to find a direct connection to Istanbul. She decided to fly to Barcelona, Spain. Tehzeeb felt like a free bird…..she had never before taken such a bold step in her life. All her decisions were taken by her dad or her daijaan….whether it was her education, her choice of friends, her clothes……everything!

She felt that now that she was 21, she had to see the world for herself and not do everything her father insisted on. She was excited and nervous at the same time. What if she never found Aapi in Istanbul? What if she ran out of cash? Should she go back?….she pondered as she looked out of the window of the airplane still parked at the gate. Something inside her urged her to leave….it was now or never! She thought that if things did not workout, she could always come back!


MUMBAI: A FEW DAYS AGO-

A handsome naval officer, Angad Khanna was bidding goodbye to his mother, Naina Khanna and sister, Mishti at the airport.

"Mama….main bas do hafte ke liye jaa raha hoon….aap apni dawaa time se leti rehna…." Angad touched his mother's feet and hugged her.

"Angad…tum pareshaan mat ho…..main mama ka poora dhyaan rakhoongi…tum jao….yeh experience accha rahega tumharey liye…." Mishti reassured him.

"Jaanta hoon Mishti…tum mama ka dhyaan dogi…tabhi tho befikr ho kar jaa raha hoon…" Angad hugged his twin sister.

Angad was on leave from his duties as a naval officer in the Indian Navy. Naina had been recently diagnosed with Leukemia (blood cancer) and was undergoing aggressive treatment at a cancer hospital in Mumbai. Her best chance of cure was a bone marrow transplant. That was an expensive treatment and Angad's meager salary from the Navy was not sufficient for the treatment. Their father was deceased and Mishti was a school teacher. Angad was lucky to find a temporary job as a cruise ship officer for the next two weeks while he was on vacation from the Navy. The cruise was a 12 day Mediterranean cruise which started from Barcelona, Spain. They were going to pay him well for the next two weeks. Angad had told Mishti his real reason for taking up the job, but reassured Naina that he was just taking up this job just for more experience.

BARCELONA AIRPORT:

Tehzeeb had not traveled beyond the US since she had moved to New York at the age of 7. Spain was very different from New York. The airport was more crowded with most of the signs in Spanish. "Thank God, I had taken Spanish in high school…" she sighed. She decided to spend a day in Barcelona before taking a flight to Istanbul. She hailed a cab and decided to check in at the nearest hotel. Barcelona was a very beautiful city; it was an old city as was evident by the buildings and architecture of the city. There were more people on the streets than she was used to seeing, cars and homes were much smaller than one saw in the US. At a distance, she saw the harbor with a number of large ships docked at the port.

She asked the cab driver in her broken Spanish to divert the cab to the harbor.

As they came closer to a large ship at the seaport, Tehzeeb had a brain wave.

"Queen of the Mediterranean- Spain to Turkey" was the name of the cruise line docked at the harbor.

She took her bag and went to the ticket counter.

"Yes…we still have some tickets madam," the person at the ticket counter informed her politely.

Tehzeeb presented her passport and paid for a luxurious suite in the cruise ship. The ship was about to sail in a few hours.

Tehzeeb entered the large ship and was surprised to see a beautiful lobby at the entrance. It seemed like she was inside a five star hotel rather than a boat!

A number of uniformed men were greeting the passengers as they checked their tickets and passports in the lobby of the ship.

Tehzeeb greeted the handsome men in white uniforms.

She suddenly heard her name pronounced in a familiar accent, "Tehzeeb? Kahan ke rehney waali hain?"

Tehzeeb looked up and saw a handsome south Asian man staring at her with a friendly smile.

"New York," her American accent gave away that she was a NRI.

"nice to meet you Ms Khan…..I am officer Angad Khanna from India….aapka cabin 5 th floor par hai……I hope you have a pleasant stay on our ship…."

She looked up again, as their eyes met each other's gaze, "th…thanks officer…." She walked away towards the elevator.

What was so familiar about that stranger?…..mujhey aisa kyon laga ki main usey jaanti hoon……ho sakta hai ki doosrey Indian ko dekh kar aisa lag raha hai…..

……..to be continued………..
Edited by bheegi - 15 years ago

Awesome Parts Edited by Anam Ali - 17 years ago

PART 3:

Tehzeeb checked into her cabin. She had an ocean view suite with a private balcony overlooking the vast body of water. There was a separate living area with a king sized luxurious bed on the other side. She threw her high-heeled sandals in a corner and plunked herself on the bed. She lay down on the soft covers and stared at the beautiful ceiling with artistic moldings and a beautiful chandelier. She was used to living amongst luxury, but this was all new. She was here all alone; ready to experience life herself as an independent person. She had heard stories from her friends back in the US about their vacations, shopping, beaches; spring flings……now she was free to try all those fun things she had been deprived off thanks to her strict dad.

She felt a little sad as she thought of her father and her daijaan…., "wo log kya soch rahe hongey? Mujhey dhoond tho rahe hongey…..Abbu ko ab ehsaas hoga ki wo mere liye har faisla nahin le sakte….aakhir yeh meri zindagi hai….ab main apni zindagi khud apni tarah jeeoongi…..bas ek baar Aapi se bhi mil loon…phir ghar wapas chali jaaoongi…." At least she realized that ultimately she would have to go back where she came from, but not before experiencing the world!

She changed up into a short denim skirt and sleeveless red top, something she had never dared to wear in front of her father. She left her long hair loose; flowing on both sides of her face and wore long dangling earrings and matching bracelet. She took the elevator to the open deck on the top floor.

The deck had a large swimming pool in the center. The deck area was already teeming with fellow passengers. Most of them were either lounging in the pool or ready to take a plunge into the pool under the warm Mediterranean sun. There were a lot of couples, may be on their honeymoon or just in love, shamelessly making out in the pool and other areas. Tehzeeb felt a little embarrassed, as she was not used to such open display of affection in the US. She had heard that Europeans were very comfortable and open about their relationships and did not hesitate to hug, kiss and make out in public places.

Tehzeeb found a lounge chair in a corner. She had just settled into the chair when she felt a big tug. There was an announcement, "ladies and gentlemen…welcome aboard the Queen of the Mediterranean….we have just set out to sail and hope you have a great stay with us over the next 12 days….."

Tehzeeb was excited; she got up and walked towards the end of the deck. She could see the ship sailing towards the open seas now. She spread out her arms and closed her eyes; the fresh breeze from the sea blew her hair gently, as she felt like a bird soaring in the sky.

Angad, who was on the deck interacting with some of the passengers, saw Tehzeeb at the end of the deck. He could not help smiling-there was something about her face which drew him towards her…..was it her child like innocence?…..her beautiful smile?....or was it something else??


He came closer and gently whispered, "do you feel like a free bird Ms Khan?"

Tehzeeb opened her eyes and was surprised to see the handsome South Asian officer standing in front of her and reading her thoughts.

"OH..hello Mr A..A..Khanna" she tried to read his badge on his chest.

"I hope you are enjoying yourself Ms…uh..Tehzeeb?"

"Thanks…I love it here…"

"Please let me know if you need anything…I am at your service…" he took his cap off and gently bowed.

Tehzeeb realized that Angad was much younger than she had originally thought. Without his cap, his hair was blowing in the breeze-his boyish looks and a little grin on his face made him look much younger.

After he left, Tehzeeb walked towards the bar area and decided to order something.

"What would you like Senorita?" the bar tender asked her

Tehzeeb had no idea what to order. She suddenly remembered her favorite TV show, "Sex and the City." Her favorite character, Carrie Bradshaw always ordered a 'Cosmopolitan'

"One Cosmopolitan," she said authoritatively.

She decided to buy a pack of cigarettes also, "why not?…," she thought, as she saw a lot of men and women on the deck puffing away.

She settled down on a chair and sipped her drink. She made a bitter face, as she had taken a large gulp, as if drinking a soda or juice, "oh my god!...kitni kadvi hai yeh drink….but I have to keep drinking it…..kuch tho special hai is drink mein jo itney log peete hain…."

She took out a cigarette, trying to appear cool and hip. She placed the end of the cigarette between her lips and suddenly saw a flame lighting up the other end. She looked up and saw Angad with a lighter.

"Thanks…" she said and took a big puff. She started coughing and hacking as soon as the smoke touched her delicate throat. Angad returned the lighter to the passenger he had borrowed from.

"Jab in buri cheezon ki aadat nahin hai, tho kyun kar rahi ho yeh sab?" Angad asked with a grin.

"Excuse me! Who said I was not used to this?….wo bas mera gala thoda kharaab ho raha hai….," she looked away, unable to meet his piercing gaze.

"Ghar se bhaag kar aayi ho?" he came closer and tried to look into her eyes.

She was startled at his question, "Wh..What do you mean? I am here on vacation….can you please excuse me now officer….aapka kaam sirf passengers ka dhyaan dena hai…not to probe into their personal lives….," she picked her purse and started walking towards the elevator.

"That is what I am doing Ms Tehzeeb…..I am just taking care of my passengers…..waise is ship par aur bhi bahut entertaining cheezein hain….just drinking and smoking are not the only fun things here….," he followed her to the elevator.

"Can I decide for myself, what I like and what I don't….," she gave him an angry look.

"Of course you can…bas aapko dekh kar lagta hai ki aap ek shareef muslim ladki hain….aur yeh buri aadatein aapko shobha nahin deti…aapke parents bhi shayad approve na karein….," he added.

"Listen Mr Khanna! YOU ARE NOT MY PARENT! YOU JUST WORK ON THIS SHIP….JUST STICK TO YOUR JOB AND DON'T INTERFERE IN MY LIFE!"

Her nostrils flared in anger as she took the elevator to her room.

Angad stayed back and just smiled to himself, "typical spoilt rich girl!"

Tehzeeb was fuming inside and thought, "yeh Abbu ke roop mein kaun ladka mil gaya ship mein??"

…..to be continued…
Edited by bheegi - 15 years ago

wow abu key roop ka larka 😆 interesting concept

PART 4:

After Tehzeeb had calmed down, she left her room and went to the floor where all the shops were. She checked out some clothes and jewelry, but nothing caught her fancy. She was used to shopping at the best department stores back home in NY. Her dad had given her freedom to spend as much as she wanted on clothes, accessories and jewelry as long it met his conservative tastes.

Tehzeeb finally checked out some swimsuits. She was a good swimmer and very fond of the water. Back home, they had a beautiful indoor pool at home, where Tehzeeb spent most of her time during her summer breaks. She was not allowed to swim in public places or the beach. Her friends loved coming over to her indoor heated pool and they would spend hours frolicking in the water. She became a little sad as she thought of her friends in New York. She had not informed even her closest friends that she was leaving home. She had left on such an impulse and at this point she thought, 'kaash maine Aaliyah ko tho bataaya hota…yadi mujhey kuch ho jaaye…tho kisi ko pataa nahin hai ki main kahan hoon….." Aaliyah was her best friend from school. They had grown up together and were virtually like sisters. Her father did not mind Tehzeeb spending hours with Aaliyah, as Aaliyah's parents were also devout muslims with similar values as Javed.

Tehzeeb had always envied her American friends for the freedom their parents had given them. How she wished she could also date, dance and kiss boys freely….go out with them to night clubs…..swim in a bikini on the beach….. Most of her American friends had already slept with a number of guys, some of them were even planning to get married to the guys they had fallen in love with.

Tehzeeb loved the idea of falling in love one day, but she had never liked any boy so far. Her dad wanted her to marry Aamir, who seemed like a nice boy, but somehow did not evoke that feeling, her heroines in the romantic novels felt when they met their dream man. Tehzeeb dreamt of getting swept away by a man of her dreams…….pata nahin kab hoga aisa…..kyon na abhi cruise par masti karoon…..may be even have a fling with some hot guy, so I can tell my friends……

Her dream man….hmm…he would treat her like a princess, would be tall…handsome….with a good sense of humor……make her go weak in her knees every time she would see him….she was lost in her thoughts when she bumped into a tall figure.

She looked up and saw Angad Khanna smiling at her, "looks like you are lost Ms Tehzeeb….kahan jaa rahi hain?"

Tehzeeb was infuriated; she was upset that she bumped into Mr Pain-in-the-neck again and he had interrupted her sweet chain of thoughts about her dream man!

"aap mere peeche peeche kyon aa rahe hain?" Tehzeeb asked angrily

"I am sorry Me Tehzeeb….par peeche peeche tho aap aayi hain….main tho deck se seedha issi floor par aa gaya tha…..aap baad mein aayi hain…..waise zaahir hai ki ship par baar baar mulaqat tho hothi hi rahegi…..unless you want to go outside….if you want I can arrange for that…..we have some small rescue boats on board…."

"May not be a bad idea…..aap se RESCUE hone ke liye mujhey shayad ek boat ki zaroorat padhe….now if you will excuse me!" she walked away.

Angad turned around and shook his head, "pata nahin kiska gussa mujh par nikaal rahi hai….par gusse mein aur bhi khubsoorat lag rahi hai…."

Angad did not know why, but he had felt an instant attraction to the petite, pretty girl from the moment she had entered the lobby of the ship. He felt protective towards her; he could tell that she was not used to being away from home, and that too in the middle of no where…..whether she liked it or not, he was going to make sure no one would harm her or take advantage of this nave, spoilt rich girl……..

Tehzeeb purchased a swimsuit. As she was paying for the swimsuit, she saw Angad was still standing outside the store and looking at her. As a part of her defiance, she exchanged the suit for a two-piece bikini! She had never worn one before, but somehow she thought Angad was trying to challenge her by saying, "mujhey nahi lagta tum itney logon ke beech, issey carry kar paaogi…." She was bent on showing him that she could carry off the bikini as comfortably as anyone else on the ship. She gave him a sharp look as she exited the shop with a defiant expression on her face. She hung the bag with the bikini on her shoulder, almost teasing him to follow her.

"Aakhir main usey kya prove karna chah rahi hoon? Wo mera lagta kaun hai?….I think he is just a typical Indian male…..I don't care what he thinks about me….I will do as I please…..may be I will find some hot Italian guy to hang out with…tab Angad ko pataa chalega ki main ek cool American ladki hoon….not a conservative Indian girl!" She talked to herself in the elevator.

She changed into the bikini and checked herself in the mirror, "hmm not bad Tehzeeb!"

She headed out for the deck. As she stepped out towards the elevator, she became a little self-conscious and went back to her cabin. She was not used to parading around in a bikini so openly. She went back to her cabin and put on a bathrobe provided by the cruise along with her sunglasses and hat. She checked herself in the mirror again, picked a book and headed for the deck.

The deck was even more crowded now. There was a live band playing some mambo music. Couples were dancing and tapping with the music. Tehzeeb was also fond of dancing, but was hesitant to join in. She had always danced with her friends in a group, but there were no familiar faces here she could dance with.

She saw a handsome white man with dark hair, well-sculpted body wearing a Speedo walking towards her.

"Senorita….come dance with me….," he spoke in his Spanish accent.

Tehzeeb put her book down and smiled at the stranger.

He held out her hand and pulled her towards him. She was a little startled at his aggressiveness, but shocked when she saw he was loosening her bathrobe and trying to pull it off, "senorita…..I need to see your beautiful body….then we can dance…."

Tehzeeb hesitated but complied. She was very self-conscious and uncomfortable. The Spanish man had his hands all around her waist and tried to rub his body against hers while dancing. Tehzeeb tried to keep a distance and was very stiff while dancing. The Spanish man was getting a little frustrated, "what's the problem senorita?"

The man pulled her closer and tried to squeeze her bottom.


Tehzeeb turned red with anger. No one had ever dared to force her like that.

"Stop!" she said

The Spanish man, obviously under the influence of some drinks, did not budge. The music was playing louder now and no one noticed Tehzeeb struggling to free herself from the Spanish man, except someone who was standing at a distance…...

Just then there was a tap on the Spanish man's shoulder, "por favor…Mr Ricardo….your wife is looking for you…..," Angad spoke in fluent Spanish.

Ricardo looked behind and was shocked to see his wife approaching them.

"Gracias…." Ricardo let go of Tehzeeb and bolted from there.

Angad looked at Tehzeeb standing with her arms shielding her chest. She looked a little embarrassed and lowered her head.

Angad picked up her robe and handed it to her. He did not say anything, but turned around and left.

Tehzeeb put on her robe and walked away from the dance floor.

She was relieved to get rid of Ricardo and silently thanked Angad for 'rescuing' her….

….to be continued….

Edited by bheegi - 15 years ago

PART 5:

Tehzeeb ran back to her cabin. She was still upset over the dancing incident. This time she was upset at herself for getting carried away and putting herself in such a vulnerable position. She realized that although the stories of her friends having flings and dates on vacations sounded very exotic to her, but in reality it was not her idea of romance and excitement. She could still feel the Spanish man's hands over her body-it was disgusting…. thoroughly disgusting…..thank God Angad came to her rescue!

She jumped into the shower trying to remove any memories of Ricardo's touch from her body. She thought about Angad…..may be it was not a bad thing that he was also on the ship…so what if it reminded her of being under her dad's constant scrutiny, but there was something about Angad that made her feel secure in these foreign surroundings.

She tried to sort out her feelings and changed into a knee length light blue sleeveless dress with matching accessories.

She walked out of her cabin and looked at the calendar of events on the ship.

She decided to join a group of young girls who were taking ballroom dance classes.

She met a few American girls from Chicago. She struck a rapport with them and decided to join them at their dinner table that night.

The dinner on the cruise was a 4 course exquisite affair. Everyone was dressed in his or her best; very different from the wild crowd on the deck she had seen earlier in the day.

Tehzeeb spotted Angad in his crisp white uniform talking to guests on a different table. She was surprised that he was at ease with people from all types of backgrounds. She had heard him speak fluent Spanish earlier today, and at that moment he was entertaining a group of Arabic passengers.

The girls on her table were whispering and going ga-ga over the different officers in uniform in the dining hall.

"Hey check that Indian guy…..isn't he cute?" said Bethany, one of the girls on Tehzeeb's table.

"I think he is a killer…..so charming and such a gentleman….he helped me carry all my shopping today….," Michelle added.

Tehzeeb was surprised, "tho iska matlab Angad sab ko help kar raha hai….main soch rahi thi ki wo sirf mere peeche peeche aa raha hai…"

"Hey Tehzeeb! You must speak his language….have you talked to him?" Bethany asked

Tehzeeb blushed unknowingly, "Oh…ya…..just here and there…."

"I would love to go out with him!" Kathy, another girl in the group added, "you know I once dated an Indian guy in school…they are the best kissers…."

All the girls laughed and looked at Tehzeeb, "hey Tehzeeb….tell us whether he is a hot kisser…I bet he would love to go out with you…" Michelle teased her.

Tehzeeb was now red with embarrassment, "I..I don't date guys….I mean I am not allowed to…."

"Oh …sorry….I know I have a friend from Pakistan…her parents don't let her date either…..well…maybe that handsome Indian guy will date me then.." Kathy laughed.

Tehzeeb was a little disappointed at Kathy's comment. Somehow, Tehzeeb had assumed that Angad would only pay attention to her; she could not fathom the thought of other women wanting his attention….aakhir kyun …wo mera lagta hi kya hai?…Main tho usey jaanti bhi nahin…phir kyun aisa soch rahi hoon?……

Just the Angad walked to their table, "Hi ladies! I hope you are enjoying the food tonight….we have a gourmet French chef tonight who has prepared the meal specially for us….enjoy your dinner…," he just bowed and took leave, without glancing even once at Tehzeeb.

All the girls ooh-ed and aah-ed after he left, but Tehzeeb felt a little left out as he did not even acknowledge her presence.

After dinner, they all decided to go and check the casino out. Cruise ships usually have large casinos on board which helps them make a large amount of money.

Tehzeeb saw Angad at the door of the dining hall, wishing people as they left. "Let's go to the Casino…" she said loudly as they exited, hoping Angad would hear her. She glanced sideways, but saw that he was engrossed in a conversation with another gentleman.

At the casino, her newfound friends disappeared in the crowd. Tehzeeb had never gambled before and looked lost amongst the various slot machines, black jack tables, Russian roulette tables.

She purchased a few coins and settled in front of a slot machine.

She kept playing for a few minutes, but had no luck. Just as she was about to leave, a handsome Italian man approached her, "Bon journo Bambina…..c'mon let me show you how to play….I am Romano!" he introduced himself and sat down next to Tehzeeb.

He started playing with her coins and to her surprise, her fate changed suddenly. The slot machine started spitting out a lot of coins in return. She was impressed.

"Romano….you are really good!"

"I know bambina…..let's buy some more coins….can I get you a drink?"

"No thanks…" she said

"OK…I will get some for myself…"

Romano came back with 2 glasses. He gave her one glass, "don't worry…it is just coke…"

Tehzeeb accepted the glass and started playing again. They kept winning and Tehzeeb got addicted to the machine. She realized that she was getting a little light headed, but was enjoying her winnings so much that she did not want to quit.

Romano kept buying more coins with Tehzeeb's account and kept refilling her 'coke.'

Before she knew it, Tehzeeb had spent almost $ 5000.00 on the slot machine. Romano kept collecting her winning coins and exchanged them for dollars at the counter.

"Let's go bambina…." Romano finally said, after he realized that Tehzeeb was completely smashed from the drug he had mixed in her drink, and he was $5000.00 richer that night.

Tehzeeb tried to get up and slurred, "Romano let's play mmmore…I have lot's of mmmoney….mmy dad is very rrrich…"

Romano had a wicked smile on his face, 'OK..bambina…give me your room card…I will buy more coins…"

As Tehzeeb was about to take her room card out, someone caught her wrist.

"Mr Romano, you have an urgent matter to attend to….please go to the cash register…" Angad spoke firmly. Tehzeeb looked up with blurry eyes, "tum yahan kya kar rahe ho….baar baar mere peeche kyon aa jaate ho….?" Before she could complete her sentence, she passed out in Angad's arms.

Angad supported her and helped her walk towards the elevator. She kept collapsing in his arms, holding on tightly to his shirt. Angad finally picked her up with both his arms and took the elevator to her cabin. He placed her down and looked for her room cardkey. He remembered seeing it in her hand just before he had grabbed her wrist.

He checked his pockets and checked her purse, "kahan gaya? Abhi tho iske haath mein tha..," he finally saw that Tehzeeb had tucked the cardkey inside her blouse, resting on her bosom.

Angad tapped Tehzeeb, "please apni keys de do…room kholna hai…," but Tehzeeb was completely smashed.

Angad gradually advanced his hand to pull out the key from inside her blouse. His fingers felt a tingle as they gently brushed against her skin. He felt his face flushing when he pulled out the key and opened the door.

He carried her to her bed, removed her sandals and purse. He covered her with a blanket and sat down beside her. She looked so innocent, almost like an angel while sleeping.

"Kyun kar rahi ho yeh sab? Kitni bholi aur ziddi ho tum…par jaane kyun phir bhi tumhey is buri duniya se bachaane ka mann karta hai….kyun main tumhare paas rehna chahta hoon…..kyun tumhara hona chahta hoon….hamesha ke liye…..," he gently bent over and kissed her forehead. Tehzeeb moaned in her sleep as her lips broke out into a gentle smile as his lips brushed against her skin.

He got up and saw that Tehzeeb's room was a mess. Her bag was wide open, with her passport, cash, clothes and an envelope all scattered around. He gathered all her belongings and put them away carefully. He made sure that her passport and travel documents were all secured in the closet carefully. He finally picked the envelope and saw the Istanbul address on it. He opened the envelope and saw the photograph. It was a photograph of an elderly couple. He saw the letter enclosed inside. It was written in Urdu, but fortunately Angad was fluent in many languages. He was familiar with the Urdu script. Tehzeeb's grandmother wrote the letter to her son, Javed. In the letter, her grandmother was urging Javed to come and meet her and Tehzeeb's grandfather in Istanbul. Looked like Tehzeeb's grandfather was terminally ill and his last wish was to meet his son and grand daughter.

Angad had tears in his eyes as he folded the letter, "tho Tehzeeb iss liye apney ghar se itni door aayi hai….," he put the envelope safely in the closet and looked at Tehzeeb.

"Tehzeeb…main promise karta hoon ki tumhey tumhari manzil tak pahuncha kar hi rahoonga…yeh mera vaada hai…."

As he left her cabin, he remembered this old George Michael song: "father figure"

Father Figure

http://www.amazon.com/Faith-George-Michael/dp/B0000026CH


That's all I wanted, something special,
Something sacred in your eyes,
For just one moment, to be bold and naked
At your side

Sometimes I think that you'll never understand me
Maybe this time is forever, say it can be

That's all you wanted, something special,
Someone sacred in your life
Just for one moment, to be warm and naked
At my side

Sometimes I think that you'll never understand me
But something tells me together, we'd be happy

I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine
I will be your preacher teacher)
Anything you have in mind
I will be your father figure
I have had enough of crime
I will be the one who loves you
till the end of time

That's all I wanted
But sometimes love can be mistaken for a crime
That's all I wanted just to see my baby's blue EYES shine
This time I think that my lover understands me
If we have faith in each other
Then we can be strong

I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine
I will be your preacher teacher
Anything you have in mind
I will be your father figure
I have had enough of crime
I will be the one who loves you
till the end of time

If you are the desert, I'll be the sea
If you ever hunger - hunger for me
Whatever you ask for, that's what I'll be

So when you remember the ones who have lied
Who said that they cared
But then laughed as you cried
Beautiful darling, don't think of me

Because all I ever wanted
It's in your eyes baby, baby
And love can't lie, no...
(Greet me with the eyes of a child)
My love is always telling me so
(Heaven is a kiss and a smile)
Just hold on, hold on
I won't let you go, my baby

I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine
I will be your preacher teacher
Anything you have in mind
I will be your father figure
I have had enough of crime
So I am gonna love you
till the end of time
I will be your father
I will be your preacher
I'll be your daddy
I will be the one who loves you
till the end of time…to be continued….

Edited by bheegi - 15 years ago

oh angad is such a darling good parts............but can being a muslim she could fall for hindu guy .... 😕


amna