Chapter 5

Zoya entered the spot enthusiastically and drew the attention of the trio, Anwar, Zeenat and Dilshad, "Hey Jeej! I am back", she said in a chirpy voice.

Anwar startled for a second with her instant entry and all the three pair of eyes drew in her direction. Anwar shook his head and welcomed her, "Aiye Aiye! Aap hi ka intezaar tha.". She pouted for a second and then again curved her lips in a perfect U shaped smile and shrugged her shoulder like a kid. 

Her eyes fell on a middle-aged lady present there along with her Aapi-Jeeju, who was staring at her with wide open eyes. Zoya found it strange that why this lady in an unknown country was staring at her as she was an alien or if she has seen a ghost.

Zoya creased her brows in anguish and turned her head in her Aapi's direction and tilted her eyebrows as was asking for the lady's whereabouts. Anwar turned in Dilshad's direction, he too was amazed that why was she constantly gazing Zoya, without even was blinking her eyes. He shared a glance with Zoya and then Zeenat.

Anwar tapped Dilshaad's shoulder to take her out from her trances with a jolt and asked, "What happen?". Dilshaad was still numb and in aghast she asked, "Yeh?", she asked pointing her finger in Zoya's direction.

Listening Dilshad's question Anwar quickly started introducing Dilshad and Zoya, "Phoophie she is--", but Dilshad was stunned and lost in her own world and was staring Zoya constantly, so Anwar stopped in between and called her name again, "Phoopie...Phoopie", and shrugged her hand a little which startled her.

She gasped and all the colors of her face were faded. Zoya along with Zeenat was astonished with the strange behaviour of hers. Anwar again introduced, "Phoopie! Yeh Zoya hai, my sister-in-law about whom we were discussing". Dilshad became more shock when Anwar introduced Zoya with her but she gulped down the fresh lump formed in her vocal cords and while closing her eyes, she tried to control herself.

Dilshad was in disbelieve that how it was possible that Aseemah was in-front of her eyes, on the contrary she has seen her dead body with her own eyes. But when Anwar introduced her with Zoya, she somehow realized that she was not Aseemah, but she was a look-alike of Aseemah.

Zoya again looked at Anwar as she was curious to know the identity of the lady in front of her who was gazing her like hell. Anwar said, "Zoya she is my Phoopie...Dilshad Phoopie.".

"But you have no phoopie right?", she asked with unawareness.

He hung his head and sighed, "Yes. She is my father's sworn sister. Actually she is my father's best friend, Imtiaz Chachu's younger sister, but Abbu always treated her as his own because as you know I have no Phoopie. But still she is mine Phoopie", he continued chuckling at last.

"As-Salam-Waliekum. Main Zoya. Zoya Farroqui", she bided a salam to Dilshad nodding her head with a wide smile at which Dilshad smiled a little and nodded her head, but her face again become amused that how it was possible. 

Dilshad was constantly thinking that how Zoya could looks alike Aseemah. The same face, same smile and the eyes, the shape was just like a fish as Aseemah had but the orbs were dissimilar. Aseemah had black orbs but Zoya has hazel. But her dressing sense her behavior was completely opposite to Aseemah's. She somehow started trying to console her that it was nothing but a coincident, but still her heart was in battle with her mind, that the co-incident can't be so major as well as rare of the rarest. She was in reverie that what if she was Aseemah, so she decided to seek some information about Zoya's wereabouts.

She was thinking this when her cell phone rang, it was flashing Najma. She picked it up and answered, "Yes Najma.". Dilshaad was anxious but still she wanted to know Zoya's identity so she kept trying to control herself and her emotions.

"Ammi! I have to leave for Bhaijaan's office. He wanted me to sign some legal documents so, Shall we wait for you in the parking Area?", she asked.

Dilshad denied in a low tone, "No. I will be back home by myself. You can go".

"Okie", and with the agreement she disconnected the phone call.

Mall's Cafeteria 

Dilshad started the topic, "Ah! Zoya. You are not from India right?", she asked directly as she wanted Zoya to say that she belonged to India but Zoya nodded her head in denial and lied in a low tone, "No. I have never come here".

Zoya lied with chocked throat as she didn't want anyone to point a question on her identity. Whereas, her answer depressed Dilshaad because she thought may be Aseemah would be alive but the reality was opposite. She very well knew that Aseemah is no more and the girl was sitting in front of her was nothing but her perfect replica.

Dilshad sighed and again asked, "Yahan Kis kaam se ayi ho Zoya?", she tried to squeeze more information about her. 

"I - I wanna write a thesis on India a-and its culture. So-So I decided to stay in Bhopal.", she stammered and tried to find a lie and she did find a perfect white lie which seemed Dilshaad as a truth.
Dilshad lost all her fake hopes regarding Zoya to be Aseemah and finally accepted that she could never be Aseemah. She concluded that Zoya has never visited India in her lifetime and rose in New York only. Plus, her behavior, dressing sense and the manners were completely opposite to Aseemah's and controlled her.



They all were sitting in the silence after a question-answer session of Dilshad's, Anwar observed that Zoya was woeful after answering the question and more than that for lying about herself. He knew how to enlighten the mood of her Sali, so he uttered, "Zoya waise you have gone to bought a mobile phone ...It was a matter of few minutes...Itna time Kese lag gaya", and showed a fake giggle.


The colors of Zoya's face changed and her yellow face became red and she creased her brows and clenched the jaw and started gazing at something but nothing, "Bas yahi mat poochiye Jeeju...Ki kya hua", she said as she was throwing someone else's anger on Anwar.

"Dekha Bola tha mene. Saas-jesi-Sali", he giggled looking at Dilshad at which she smiled and Zoya gasped in disbelief.

"Haw!! Aap bhi shuru ho jaiye ab.", she said in disbelief.

Zeenat laughed and fakely requested joining her hands, "Accha Meri Jhansi ki rani ab bata bhi do hua kya"

Flashback Started

"Hmm!! This is looking more stylish. I am going to buy this.", Zoya ordered to the attendant of the gazette store, looking at a funky cell phone. She paid the amount of the cell phone and after spinning on her heels she started inserting the newly bought SIM card. 

Zoya narrated the whole story with anger but somewhere she was scared assuming what would be her Aapi's reaction at the whole scenario. Anwar laughed looking at Zoya that how fearful she was while reciting the part where the certain man pinned her and clutched both her arms, he has never seen her this much fearful and angry before which forced him to laugh. Dilshad gasped and rested with open mouth after hearing the whole encounter whereas Zeenat was fuming with anger, she was even angrier as Zoya was.

Zeenat scolded both Zoya, "Tumhari harkate hi aisi hai Zoya. You have messed with a stranger T-W-I-C-E and that too in public area in an alien country. Have you eaten your mind with breakfast?", she highlighted the word twice' and clenched her jaw.


She rotated his head in Anwar's direction who was still trying to bit his laughter and smacked his hand, "And you"you are laughing as she has done an award winning job.", and darted her eyes into his as was ordering him to not laugh.

Dilshad was witnessing all this and expressed her scorched desire in her mind, "Kash! Us din Aseemah na jati to mera Asad kabhi khudko nahi badalta. Aur Meri bhi ek aisi hi hasti-khelti family hoti. The picture perfect Family.", and her eyes become moist.

Dilshad was gulping down her pain rapidly and trying to controll herself when she heard Zeenat asking Zoya with anger, "What if he found here again. Abhi to use rukna pada but age na jane kya kare. Zoya you are hopeless.", she showed Zoya an angry look but the anxiety was clearly visible in her eyes and Anwar noticed this and tranquilized her, "Don't worry Zeenat! Tum bhi na yun hi fiqr karti ho. Itne bade Bhopal mein kahan milega woh.".

But the concerned Zeenat raised the question, "They have already met twice Anwar. Don't forget that. What if he started following her?", she became eager.

"Come on! Ittefaq ek baar hota hai baar-baar nahi", he assured his wife and Zoya lifted her eyebrows as was indicating that listen him, he is right.

Listening about ittefaq', Dilshad lost herself in the trances as she came to know the another aspect of ittefaq', about which they all were unaware but she smiled a little, as she came to know that Allah has decided some twist and turns in the path of life and when it will appear in front of you that too how is a mystery, from which she has recently introduced herself.

Dilshad was all engrossed in her reverie that she remained oblivious to the question asked by Zeenat. Zeenat shared a look with Anwar that why was Dilshad behaving like this and touched her palm with hers which took her back from her senses.

"What happened to you Phoopie? I have noticed that you are not comfortable, Is everything all right?", she concerned.

Dilshad nodded in affirmation and agreed, "Yes I am.", and smiled.

"Wese. I was asking ke apko to pata hi chal gaya ki ye kitni badi musibat hai. Still you are sure that you can bear with her and we can leave her at your home", Zeenat tried to confirm hesitatingly. 

Dilshad smiled and stated, "Yes Zeenat! I am sure. Don't worry she will be with me. And trust me, she will be fine."

Zeenat cupped Dilshad's hand in hers and again confirmed, "Are you sure?"

"Arey! Kitni baar poochogi Zeenat. Ha baba Main sure hoon. Aur kya pata jitni jaroorat ise meri hai. Mujhe usse jyada zaroorat iski ho", she firstly scolded Zeenat and then looking at Zoya she hoped imagining something in her face.

Dilshad stood up from the chair and bided a good-bye to Zeenat and Anwar hugging them.

Zoya smiled in moist eyes because she was assured that she was at least took a step ahead in the search of her identity. He lifted her head and chanted some hymns thanking Allah and her Khala.

"Aapi ab ye kuch jyada ho raha hai, If Jeeju's phoopie has said that she will send--", the ring of landline phone interrupted Zoya when she was scolding her Aapi because now Zeenat was being so over-protective. She stopped in between and replied, "Wait!"

She picked the landline phone and answered, "Hello!"

"Good Morning Ma'am! Someone is here on the reception and saying that he is here to pick you up at Mrs. Dilshad Ahmed Khan's orders.", the receptionist informed in the sugar-coated voice.

She smacked her head because she hasn't packed her stuff yet and uttered, "Oh! Tell him to wait there for few minutes, I will be there.", she was about to disconnect the call and asked, "Can you please send a service boy after five minutes, as in I'm checking out from here."

"Sure", the receptionist agreed politely.

She informed Zeenat that Dilshad has sent a driver to pick her up and started stuffing her belongings messily in the suitcase and zipped it.

Dilshad has already informed Najma about the Zoya and Aseemah's similarity, so she couldn't behave as aghast in front of Zoya. She described everything keenly to Najma as this was sure that if Najma remained oblivious about this fact, she could behave awkwardly in front of Zoya and which she didn't want. 

Najma was horrified as how it possible that the look-alike of Aseemah exists could and who was coming here in the house to stay there along with Asad. She was confused that if Dilshad has seen her face and came to know about her and Aseemah's similarity then why she was taking Zoya at home.

"Ammi! If she is so similar to Aseemah then why are you taking her home? I don't know how Bhaijaan would react after seeing her. If the date of Aseemah's death hurts Bhaijaan this much...then how painful it would be when Zoya will come in front of him with Aseemah's face", she queried confusingly.

Dilshad tried to give reason, "I have already promised Zeenat, before Zoya's arrival then how could take my words back."

"I agree Ammi. But you could at least avert It.", asked Najma.

"Yes I could. But I didn't want it", she stated.

Najma was shocked with this and she asked again, "Why Ammi? Did you want to see Bhaijaan pain?"

"Nahin Najma! Because I care for him", she reasoned in tears.

Najma shrinked her brows in disbelief and faced her, "Which kind of care is this Ammi? Bhaijaan jab bhi Zoya ko dekhenge unhe...unhe Aseemah yaad ayegi"

"Haan! Wo jab Zoya ko dekhega use Aseemah ki yaad ayegi.", she repeated and continued, "Tumhi batao Najma...Zoya NewYork mein badi hui, usne poori zindgi wahan jee or Aseemah ne yaha Bhopal mein, Zoya tab Bhopal kyu nahi ayi, jab"jab Aseemah yaha thi? Aur agar ayi bhi hai, to main Anwar se kyun takrayi or mene kyu uski responsibility li. Wo bhi tab jab mene use dekha nahi tha. Don't you think that Allah is trying to join the dots.", she asked.

Dilshad kept expressing herself, "Wo bhi tab jab hum ek anjaan Asad ke sath reh rahe hain. Can't you see Allah sign, his agreement?...Jo kuch bhi ho raha hai, sab Allah ki marzi se ho raha hai, aur jis baat main Allah ki marzi hoti hai na, Wo kabhi galat nahi hota", she concluded which forced Najma also to believe in her mother's believe.

They both paused for a second and Dilshad broke it and ordered, "Go and veil Aseemah's portrait" 

"But Ammi!", Najma tried to object but Dilshad again ordered to which she was going to follow when she heard the door bell.

Najma stopped for a while but Dilshad indicated her to accomplish the job which she has given.

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