Part 17
Its night time…after having a delightful dinner together with all their children Farhat and Rahim retire to their rooms. Zaheer too is in his room engrossed in his work. Naazneen was watching tv. And Muskaan…hmm…lets see…she is nowhere in sight. Oh…she is in the lawn…all by herself…in deep thoughts perhaps. In London she had more than enough of work and responsibilities to keep her busy. Right till bed time, she would hardly find some moments for herself. But here she had nothing much to do. So she is spending time here in the garden…her thoughts are wandering…to London…her friends…her family…past present…and all the transitions in between.
Armaan completes his dinner quickly and gets out of his house excitedly. He wudnt leave such a chance to tease Zaheer and Muskaan. He is about to enter the house of the Malik's when he notices Muskaan sitting alone. He goes and sits by her side, not surprised that Muskaan didn't notice him. He fake coughs to get her attention, and with some success.
Armaan: what r u doing here
Muskaan: nothing…I have nothing to do…m getting bored
Armaan: if u isolate urself…ofcourse u will get more bored…acha ye sab chodo…tumhara koi boyfriend to hoga na
Muskaan: hehe…nope …nahi hai
Armaan: huh…common Muskaan…me kisi ko nahi bataunga
Muskaan: batane k liye kuch hai hi nhi Armaan…sach me nahi hai
Armaan: what…u have been living in London… dikhne me(observes her from head to foot) thik thak ho…aur waise bhi achi ho…fir kyu koi mila nahi abhi tak
Muskaan: hey…mujhe bohot mile…mujhe koi chahiye nahi tha
Armaan: kyu
Muskaan: hmm…bas koi acha nahi laga
Armaan: kyu…prince Charles ayega tumhare liye…ya Hrithik Roshan
Muskaan: mujhe koi prince ya roshan nahi chahiye…jane do…tumhari samajh ki baat nahi hai…tum batao…tumhari koi gf hai
Armaan: koi? Huh…Kitni hai pucho
Muskaan: ohh…really (raises her brows)
Armaan(grins): I am kidding…koi nahi hai
Muskaan: kya…don't tell me…aisa kyu
Armaan: umm…I don't understand how do people do all this…I mean…being in a relationship…such a headache…100 formalities.. har tarah ki stupidity..(shrugs his shoulders)…I mean…pata nahi kaise kar lete hai
Muskaan laughs…: kya bol rahe ho…kya kaise kar lete hai
Armaan: I mean…I have a lot of friends…but I cud never think beyond that for anyone…
Muskaan: hmm…so Mr. Armaan has never been in love
Armaan: love! (laughs out loud)…ya…I never wanted to…I loved spending time with my friends…I didn't want a relationship
M: Armaan…I said love…not relationship…love to khud hota hai…we don't decide
A: common Muskaan…now u r giving me filmi dialogues…aisa kuch nahi hota
M: tumhe kaise pata ki nahi hota
A: aur tumhe kaisa pata ki hota hai..tumhe kabhi hua?
Muskaan gets surprised. But it is more surprising to see that she doesn't have an answer for him.
A: dekha…you cant prove, right?
M: ummm...Armaan…tum bhi na…chodo jane do
Just then they hear Naazneen calling out for Muskaan.
N: Muski…bade abbu ka call hai
Muskaan rushes inside. Everyone was present there and had had talked to Feroz to their hearts content. Naazneen was still stuck on the phone and Muskaan was waiting impatiently for her to finish. Finally Naazneen gets done and Muskaan gets the phone. She talks for a while…and her eyes get num. She pretends that the network is not clear and goes to the window. Armaan notices that.
Naaz comes and stands by Armaan's side. She points at Muskaan then at Zaheer. Armaan looks at a emotional Muskaan and shakes his head signaling a no.
Zaheer looks up at the duo…and easily understands they are upto something. He gives them a knowing smile as if saying don't you dare. Naaz gulps and rushes to the kitchen following her mom. Armaan too leaves quickly.
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The following day…all the four are busy in office. Naaz and Muskaan are still working in Armaan's cabin. But all the four meet and interact frequently. They meet for lunch and tea break too. Muskaan and Zaheer get well acquainted with each other.
About a week has passed. Its Sunday and everyone are relaxing in their respective rooms. Muskaan too is in her room and is going through a file. A servant comes to give her a cup of coffee. He hands it to her when he hears Rahim call for him. He has another cup of coffee on his tray and he gets confused where to go now.
Muskaan: aap Rahim chachu ke paas jaiye…ye coffee mujhe de dijiye…mai dekar ati hu
Servant: ji beti… wo Zaheer ki hai (he smiles to thank her)
Muskaan takes the cup and the file and proceeds to Zaheer's room.
The door was open…Zaheer was working on his laptop…she knocks to get his attention.. he hears that and looks up to her.
She puts the cup near his desk.
Muskaan: tumhari coffee..that servant was busy so I got it
Zaheer: thank you so much..baitho na…
M: nahi... I have some work…ye file tumne di thi na…I think its all fine…baki sab kal meeting me engineer se discuss kar lenge
Z: ok…(takes the file)
Muskaan goes to the door..then turns.
M: coffee pi lena ha…aisa na ho ki Farhat chachi ko fir check karne ana pade (grins and leaves)
Zaheer looks at her go and gives an embarrassing smile. He picks up the cup and touches the surface…as if feeling her touch on it. Then takes a sip and relaxes back on the couch.
Muskaan reaches her room. She picks up her coffee cup and sits on the edge of the bed when her cell beeps. She reads the msg…'From: Armaan…u free? Need some help..m sure Zaheer must be busy and Naaz must be taking a nap. Hurry up.'
Muskaan looks at her coffee…but she knows Armaan will not spare her if she gets late. She sighs…looks at a sleeping Naaz next to her..and leaves her room.
She reaches Armaan's room and notices he too is engrossed in his laptop.
M: aaj Sunday hai shayad...log kehte the ki mai aur Zaheer similar hai…hamesha kaam karte hai…par yaha to
A: ha ha…mujhe malum hai…taunt mat karo…but jabse ye project aya hai na…raato ki neend haram hogyi hai
M: ohh
A: tumhe bhi pata hai..ye project kitna important hai..its a big fish
M: hmm…mujhe itna urgently kyu bulaya
A: are ha…ate hi mera mind divert kar diya…ye dekho…kuch doubts the isme…
He shows her some documents and they get busy discussing them. At the end Armaan feels his tension relieve.
A: that's better…warna I thought this will require another meeting
M: bas itni si baat…iske liye mujhe itna urgently bulaya..(makes a puppy face)..
A: ye itni si baat thi?
M: to kya… mujhe apni coffee chod kar ani padi
A: coffee? Ok then…tum bhi kya yaad karogi…aaj me tumhare liye coffee banata hu
M: what…sach me
A: to kya…me apne liye banane ja hi rha tha..ab tumhare liye bhi
She gets up and gets in his way.
M: tum rehne do…mera proper insurance nahi hai abhi tak…me hi banati hu…baato kitchen kaha hai
A: oho... aaj to hamare naseeb khul gaye.. chalo I will show u
Both of them reach the kitchen pulling each others leg. It was evening so Armaan's mom was taking a nap and dad was out.
Muskaan finds the ingredients for coffee and starts preparing it.
A: dekho…acha hua yaha ayi…mere saath coffee peene ka chance mila…warna waha khud ko hi company de rahi hoti
M: acha…but waha coffee ready thi…abhi tak to thandi hogyi hogi…aur yaha mujhe banani pad rahi hai
A: tch tch tch…yaha thode dino me kitni lazy hogyi tum..London me bohot kaam karti thin na
Muskaan pours the coffee into cups and hands one to him.
M (grins): actually ha…yaha Farhat chachi mujhe kuch karne hi nahi dete…ghar par to mujhe ek min ka aram nahi tha
A: hmm…and what about Imran's exam..kal tha na…kaisa hua
M: kya pata…subah se phone hi nahi aya..kal abbu keh rahe the…jaldi se yaha ajaenge…unse waha akele raha nahi ja raha
A: hmm ofcourse…akele hogye na
M: aur Sulekha aunty bhi unki daughter-in-law se frequently milne jate hai na...ab new born baby hai unka…dhyan rakhna padta hai…dad ko kafi kaam khud hi karna padta hai
She finishes her coffee and gets up to leave…
M: chalo m gng…ek file check krni hai…aur Imran ka bhi phone ata hoga..
A: are…ruko na..cell saath me nahi layi?
M: nahi bhul gyi…its ok…waise bhi waha kaam hai…c u later
A: bye
She leaves.
End of part.
Comments awaited.
Love, Sana.
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