Chapter 18

The bushman introduced Asad and Zoya to his father, who was on his death bed, ""He is my father. Currently, he is struggling with his life but I still hope, maybe he can help you".

And he turned towards his father and informed, "Abbu ye log badi haveli ke bare mein pata karne aye hain"

"Badi Haveli ke bare mein?", the old man surprisingly whisper asked.

Asad took the command and said, "Ji! Actually ye Zoya hain, apne abbu ko dhoondh rahi hain"

"To is baat se badi haveli ka k-kya talluq hai", he stuttered as he wasn't in the good health condition.

"Talluq hai!", Zoya took the photograph of her mother with her Khala and showed it to the old man.

She was about to explain the whole scenario but the old man exclaimed after recognizing for a second, "Ye to Zainub baji hain!"

Zoya exchanged a look with Asad but the old man kept saying gaspingly, "This haveli is your na-nanajaan's prop-property"

He was breathing hardly when Asad anxiously said, "Zoya, I think we should take him to the hospital"

But the old man interrupted, "No! I don't have much time. Mujhe keh-kehne di-dijiyeh"

"Apke nana, Bhopal ke ameeron mein se ek the. Aap-apki ma unki iklauti aur laadli beti thi. Par- Par...", he started gasping even more hard.

The old man was whining in the pain and whispered, "Par ek din unho-unhone apke-apke abbu se nikah kar-kar liya. Jo apke nana ko qubool nahi tha"

"Aur unhone apki ammi se sare rish-rishte tod liye", he completed himself and groaned.

Zoya's eyes filled with tears and she murmured, "Who is my father?"

"wo -wo!!...", but before the old man could complete himself, his breathing stopped and the tears streamed out from the eyes of bushman.

The shocked Zoya, was not even understanding what happened and she again asked looking at something but nothing, "Who is my father? Where is he? You have to tell me"

She cried out loudly and knelt down on the floor. Asad collected her, holding her shoulder and after few seconds he took her outside the bushman's house.

"Najma! Do you have any idea, kaha gaye hai ye dono?", Dilshad asked while stirring the dal.

Najma kept solving her mathematics riddles and replied without looking at her, "No Ammi, I don't know"

And she shifted her face from the book and asked with disbelief, "Waise ammi, haven't you seen so many changes in Bhai. Ek din mein pata nahi esa kya ho gaya"

"Yeah! I too was thinking the same. Tumhe pata hai Zoya bata rahi thi, that Asad sang a song for her. That too his favorite song, Zindagi ki yahi reet hai", Dilshad shockingly explain.

"What? Par bhai ne to Aseemah ke baad gaana hi chod diya tha", stun Najma exclaimed and left her book aside.

Dilshad sighed and took a seat near her daughter.

"I know, that's why I am more worried", Dilshad confessed worriedly.

Najma shut the lids of her eyes and said, "Ammi aap bhi na. Kitni bewajah tension leti hain?"

She stopped herself and casually continued, "If Bhaijaan is becoming normal, then it's a positive sign, why are you taking it so negatively"

Dilshad took a deep breath, "He is changing so instantly, it can't be a positive sign"

"Why am I thinking that it's a lull before storm", Dilshad mumbled.

Najma bit her lower lip and was confusingly looking at her mother.

Zoya was standing alone, her eyes were moist and her hairs were waving with the flow of cold breeze, and the same time a hand touched her shoulder.

It was Asad's hand and he asked with concern, "Are you okay?"

Zoya immediately flung her arms around Asad's neck; she rested her head on his shoulder and cried out loud. He fisted his palms and didn't wound them around her back.

But after thinking for few minutes, he unknowingly embraced her back with his arms, as he was giving her a huge support. They both rested in the same position for few minutes.

Zoya kept crying on his shoulder for God knows how long, but it seemed that she found a solace in his arms. Asad too didn't leave her, even he didn't know why he was doing this for Zoya.

But after few seconds they parted and Zoya kept looking into his eyes.

Zoya entered inside with faltering steps; her eyes have become red and puffy with the storm of tears. She was walking with umpteenth questions and kept walking being numb. She was staring on the floor constantly but wasn't in her senses.

Dilshad tried to step forward and hold her but Asad nodded negatively and signaled Najma to take her to the room.

Najma and Zoya took the exit from the living area and Dilshad immediately asked, "Kya hua Asad where were you both?"

Asad narrated everything to her and Dilshad chanted some hymns in her mind looking above towards the skies.

"Ya Allah! She was so close to her identity then why did it happen?", Dilshad said with sorrow.

Najma came back with the tray of food and said, "Zoya isn't ready to eat"

Dilshad sighed and said, "Okay! Give me the tray"

Dilshad entered inside Zoya's room with the tray of food and pressed her lips when she witnessed Zoya crying, she gulped her fresh lump down and stepped forward.

"Hmmm! Ye kya rumors hain? That my Zoya is upset", Dilshad said normally to lighten the sad situation.

Zoya caressed her cheeks to wipe the tears and lied, "I'm not sad"

"Wahi to yeh Najma bhi na. She was saying ki meri Zoya ro rahi hai, khana bhi nahi kha rahi", Dilshad mocked.

And a tear drop rolled down from Zoya's cheek.

Zoya flung her arms around Dilshad's neck and resting her head on her shoulder, she let her tears to roll down and said in chocked voice, "Why this all happen to me Phuppie?"

"I was so close to my-my father, but why Allah did this to me", she gasped.

Dilshad caressed her back and consoled her, "Don't cry meri jaan!"

Zoya gulped and fresh tears rolled down from her eyes and took her arms back. She held Dilshad's palms and replied, "Phuppie! Har clue ke sath mere sawaal aur kyun bad jate hain?"

She cried out loud and shut her eyes to let her tears roll down. Dilshad wiped her tears and cupped Zoya's face in her hands.

"Zoya! At least ek clue to mila. It will help us to find the details about your nanajaan", Dilshad tried to explain her.

"And mera baccha! Aise naumeed bethne se to kuch nahi hoga na. Come on! Have some food", Dilshad said with love and concern.

Zoya nodded her head negatively but Dilshad glared at her and fed Zoya with her hands.

"And don't cry again. Nahi to main naraaz ho jaungi", Dilshad mocked as she was a child of 5.

Zoya nodded in affirmation and Dilshad kissed her forehead.

At which Zoya smiled but she came to know that someone was witnessing them, who was none else than, Asad. She realized it when her eyes automatically shifted to him, who has turned to left, but she didn't showed that with her expression to Dilshad, that Asad was present there.

In the backyard Asad was sitting alone, when a melodious voice took his attention.

"Thank you!", he turned and found Zoya with two coffee mugs in her hand and offered one to him.

Asad received the coffee mug and said, "Why are you thankful? Coffee to aap hi ne banayi hai"

Zoya was about to sip the coffee but stopped at his reply.

She looked at him with amusement, "Kisi ne aapse kaha hai, ke aap bahut ajeeb hain?"

"Haan! Aapne, kayi baar kaha hai", he taunted back.

She shrugged  and replied, "Aap itni multi-tasking kaise ho sakte hain. Mr. Complicated Ahmed Khan"

He glared at her when she gave him another name and taunted, "Aap ke paas koi book hai, logon ko stupid naam dene ki"

She laughed and giggled, "Nahi but aapke paas mood change karne ke 101 tareeke, naam ki book zaroor hogi"

He again glared and she stopped laughing. But she was still pressing her lips to not laugh.

He shrugged  and whispered, "Incredibly Foolish!"

"kya?", she asked to confirm but he gave a fake smile and spoke, "Nothing!", and caressed his temples.

She took a sip of her coffee and sincerely said, "Jokes apart! But you've been helpful to me today Mr. Khan"

"Phuppie was right! I am left with questions but a step ahead to my destination", she said looking towards the grass.

She lifted her head and continued herself, "And that's just because of you. Thanks a lot for your support", and smiled.

He sighed and replied before sipping, "Well that's just because ke aap jaldi jaye yaha se"

Zoya looked at him with wide open mouth and replied, "You are so mean Mr. Khan"

"May be!!", he shrugged his shoulders.

"Ek baat pooch sakti hoon?", she asked for the permission.

He nodded in a yes with disinterest and Zoya taunted, "Sach bataiye! Apke upar koi saya to nahi hai?"

"What the hell?", he exclaimed at her reply.

"Haan! After all jitni jaldi aapka mood change hota hai utni jaldi to koi saya hi apna mood change kar sakta hai", she laughed out loud taunting him.

"Kehna to ye apse chahiye. Sabse jyada ajeeb hain aap", he taunted back.

"Accha! Aap itne din se mujhpar bas chillate aa rahe the, phir pata nahi kab aapko mere liye gaana gane ka idea aya, phir mere abbu ko dhoondhne mein meri help karne lage. Ab phir snap karna shuru kar diya...aur ajeeb main hoon", Zoya exclaimed while jumping from the bench and rested her hands on her waist.

Asad rolled his eyes and snapped at her again, "Abhi ammi ke samne aap ro rahi thi aur ab itna has rahi hain, haven't you switched your mood?"

"Ah! Haan wo-wo I was upset at that time, but humesha to nahi reh sakti na", she retorted back.

"Haan to main bhi itna sweet zyada din tak nahi reh sakta", he replied back.

"You are such a moron. Aap ke dil mein seena hai ya patthar?", she asked and popped her eyes out.

He started saying, "Mere dil mein--", but he stopped in between and continued himself with a taunt, "Seene mein dil hota hai, dil mein seena nahin"

"Arey! Jo bhi hota ho, aapka to patthar hi hai na", she snapped back.

"Main kyu argue kar raha hoon aapse", he said with fake smile.

"Wo to aap hi jaane". She replied.

He sighed and was about to leave when she giggled, "well aapse ladne mein jyada maza hai"

He turned back with open mouth but she continued, "Itni sweet mat baniye ki mujhe diabetes ho jae"

She twisted her lips to hide her grin but he arched his brow and showed thumbs up sign.

"Chalein andar?", he asked at which she nodded.

They were supposing to part their ways for their rooms, when something tugged in Zoya's foot. Her foot faltered, so she closed her eyes tightly as she was thinking that she will fall on the floor. But she slowly opened her eyes and found herself destined in Asad's arm.

She lost herself in his eyes, where as he too was connecting with her eyes, even he didn't know why. They kept rooted in the same position for few seconds but the alarm of pendulum took them to their senses and she started looking here and there. He too left immediately shuffling his hairs.

She looked here and there as she has heard something from surrounding, but she found nothing, so scrunching her brows she entered inside her room.

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A/N: Well this is such a late update I know, But hope you will like the track, to which it is turning. All your suggestions, criticisms and appreciations are welcome with open arms. Please hit Like and Comment.