Chapter 6

The bell rang and Dilshad was sure that it would be Zoya, she indicated Najma to accomplish the job which she has given to her daughter, to cover Aseemah's portrait and all the pictures hung in Asad's room. Najma left the living Area and obeyed her mother, Dilshad's order. 

Dilshad took a deep sigh and closed her tightly to relax herself down and opened the wooden door with a smile and she found Zoya standing at the main door with her luggage. An elegant smile was adorned on her beautiful innocent face which was increasing her beauty even more.

Dilshad welcomed her with a smile, "Come Zoya!! Come inside."

Zoya was smiling and thanked, "Thanks Aun--"

"If you don't mind can I call you Phoopie?", she took the permission and continued with moist eyes but a smile on the face, "Mujhe apni Ammi ke bare mein jyada kuch to yaad nahi, but - but her smile, wo bilkul apki tarah muskurati thi, so if you don't m--"

Dilshad said interrupting her and cupped her cheek, "Of course beta! Jese main Anwar ki phoopie hu tumhari bhi to hoon, and lastly Phoopie ko English mein Aunty hi kehte hain, aur wo thoda odd lagta hai", she chuckled at which Zoya laughed.



Zoya gave an unexpected hug to Dilshad, and wiped the corner of her eyes behind Dilshad's back. Dilshad was wondering that how a girl to whom she knew merely from 24 hours could was behaving as she knew her since years. She was not at all behaving like an unfamiliar and strange girl; it seemed that she was a family member, not a guest.

Dilshad gave a U shaped smile at her innocence and attachment towards her phoopie, and she too welcomed her inside like a familiar person. She came inside and was about to say something when Najma entered the spot, all aghast.

Najma was very well aware with the fact that Zoya was a personality who looks exactly like Aseemah, but she couldn't believe on her eyes that how could it was possible that two person in the world can exist with a same face, and that too with such a proximity. She was staring Zoya and was lost in her own thoughts when Dilshad held her wrist to take her back from her trance and indicated from her eyes to not behave awkwardly.

Dilshad introduced Zoya about Najma, "She is my daughter, Najma"

"Hey Najma!", Zoya bided her with excitement and gave her a hug too. Najma was confused with Zoya's casual behavior but on the same time Zoya was simple chirpy girl.

Najma gave her a smile while separating from her. She was happy that there might be some appropriate reason otherwise her mother would not have asked Zoya to live with them under a same roof, especially with Asad.

Dilshad was also smiling, first time in her life she wasn't welcoming a guest she was welcoming happiness which has somewhere disappeared from her home along with Aseemah.

"My room?", she asked biting her lower lip.

Najma indicated her direction for her room, "There the first right."

And Zoya left for the room along with the luggage.

********

Zoya was entering in a room which was all dull and pale. The floor was transparent but it was crystal clear that the room wasn't decorated since years. The bed sheets, covers, duvet, cushions, and curtains even the whole furniture was in black and white shade. She found it boring as she was a colorful bird, like a peacock, who liked variant and vibrant colors around her which were not present there, but the only thing captured her glance was the portrait hanging near the French window.

She plunged towards that direction and found that the portrait was covered with a curtain which was blowing a little bit with the cold breeze and the curious Zoya was about to unveil it when a voice pulled her hand back.

"Don't open that", the voice belonged to Najma and the pitch was so high which amazed Zoya that why she behaved so awkwardly.

Najma continued in the same desperate tone, "Don't open that! In fact, Kabhi nahi.", she told as she was ordering her.

Zoya crunched her eyebrows and Najma tried to relax herself down and continued in a normal tone, "Zoya! Actually the glass is all shattered, it can hurt you na! That's why I am saying this, Please don't uncover it ever."

"Okie", Zoya replied and smiled.

"By the way Zoya it isn't your room, its...it's my Bhaijaan's room, your room is in right side, please come I will show you", Najma said as she was so desperate to take her back from Asad's room.

Zoya nodded her head, "Oh! Let's Go."

Najma took a deep sigh and closed her eyes to relax herself down when she took Zoya to the guest room, ultimately.

********

In Evening

Dilshad was lost in her thoughts when the landline rang she picked it up and it came to light that it was Asad.

"Salaam Ammi!", Asad bided on the phone.

She bit her lower lip, thinking that what will say to her that Zoya the look alike of Aseemah was going to leave in their home as a guest, when he will come back home.

"Ammi! Are you listening to me", she came back with a jerk and answered "Hmm! Bolo."

"Ammi! Main aj ghar thoda late aa paunga. Ap log so jayiega. Okie", he casually informed.

Dilshad asked, "Hmm!!", she paused for a second and continued herself with nervousness, "Asad! Humare yahan kuch dino ke lie rehne ek bacchi ayi hai. Mein uske jijo ko janti thi to mene--", before she could continue herself Asad interrupted in between, "To ap yeh mujhe kyun bata rahi hain", he asked confusing while typing on his laptop.

"Tumhe uske humare ghar mein rehne se koi problem to nahi hai na Asad?", she asked whereas she knew that he must have problem with Zoya as she was a perfect replica of Aseemah.

Asad crunched her brows and allowed, "Ammi! Apne bulaya hai to mujhe kya problem ho sakti hai"


"Par--", before she could say anything Asad again cut her, "Ammi don't worry! I have no problem with that. Aap kuch jyada hi sochti hai, wese bhi main bahut bbusy hu", and disconnected the phone call before she could inform him about Zoya's familiarity with Aseemah.

Dilshad placed back the receiver and thought, "esa kyun ho raha hai bar bar."

********

Zoya was a look alike of Aseemah, but she was completely opposite to her in nature, dressing sense and her believes. She was a chirpy bird who belonged to today's real world and a chummy personality, a full on pagal.

Najma knew that Zoya had a same face as Aseemah had but, Najma itself never met her. She has always seen her in the photographs which were captured by her brother, which was the real existence for her of Aseemah.

She bonded the string of friendship with Zoya so easily, because of her informal and a full of life behavior which grab her attention easily.

"To Issi baat pe ek sher arz kiya hai", Zoya informed and Najma was looking at her she was expecting a serious kind of poem from Zoya.

"Say irshaad!", Zoya ordered.

Najma smiled, "Oh irshaad irshaad."

                          "honi ko anhoni kar de, anhoni ko honi
                      the hot and handsome mahendra singh dhoni." 

Najma remained speechless as the shayeri was a blunder and she bit her lip to control her laughter but the limit crossed when Zoya bided, "Shukriya Shukriya Shukriya"

Najma wasn't able to control her laughter but on the same time she has established a strong relationship with the newly entered so called guest of the house, Zoya Farooqui.

"Zoya Ammi bata rahi thi aap kisi kaam se India ayi hain?", Najma asked casually.

Zoya remained silent as she wasn't sure to confess her reality with her host or not so she again lied, "Yeah! I am here for writing a thesis on Indian culture", she replied in a low tone.

"That's great! But why did you choose only Bhopal for that? I mean there are loads of beautiful and mesmerizing cities in India with different culture, you can write them also Na.", she queried.

Zoya wasn't expecting this question but she somehow tried to manage her lie, "Hmm! But I have listened so many specialties about Bhopal from Aapi and especially Jiju, so I was curious to write on Bhopali culture, you know from where I belong"

"Oh! But Accha hua mujhe ap se milne ka mauka bhi mil gaya is bahane", Najma smiled and continued herself in her mind, "Ammi shayad sahi keh rahi thi, it is a sign of Allah."

********

The landline phone rang when Dilshad was in the kitchen so she called Najma, who was all lost in her gossips with Zoya.

She shook her hand and finally received it by herself leaving her own work, "Hello!"

"Assalam walekum Phoopie", Zeenat bided Dilshad.

Dilshad smiled and bided with a smile as she was infront of her, "Salam Zeenat! Kesi ho?"

"I am fine. I called to thank you phoopie. You sheltered Zoya in--", before she could continue Dilshad interrupted, "Zeenat! She is my child too, just like you. Or dubara thank you kaha to Zoya ko apne sath nahi rakhungi mein", she gave a fake warning at which Zeenat chuckled.


"Accha Phoopie! Am taur par badi behene kehti hai ki unki choti behen ki wajah se apko koi taqleef nahi hogi, but-but my case is different Zoya is a problem magnet, abhi bhi bachpana hai usme or--"

Dilshad again cut  her and continued thinking something, "Or yahan bachpane ki bahut zaroorat hai"

"Main kuch samjhi nahi", zeenat queried.

Dilshad closed her eyes and replied, "Nahi kuch nahi. Don't worry about Zoya, okie", she assured.


"Wo apke paas hai to muje chinta kis baat ki", she answered.

"Its evening in India but in New York subah to abhi shuru hui hai right? Jao jake rest karo. Okie! Give my blessings to Anwar and take care of the little one", she smiled and blessed her as the mother was blessing her child.

********


In Night

Asad unlocked the main door with the spare keys left over with him as he reached late at the night. The lights were switched off, the whole house was teemed with the darkness, but a dim light of moon was lightening to an extent.

He tip-toed inside with the pin drop silence, so the other members of family can sleep, peacefully. He didn't even switch on the light or any lamp, but enlightened the torch of his cell phone for reaching the room.

********

Asad's Room

Asad was cladding in a crisp white kurta and payjama, he bowed down to switch the lamp placed near his bed where he found a paper note,

          "Mujhe pata hai khali pet sone ki tumhari purani adat hai,
             Mene khana banake rakha, garam karke kha lena

                                                 -Ammi"

Asad shook his head in to and fro motion, but still he switched off the lamp as he wasn't in a mood to have food and lied down on the bed. He tried a lot to sleep but the sleep became disappear from his eyes as she felt that he was the culprit of the person to whom he loved more than anything, Aseemah.

And now, the recent reason of his sleeplessness came into his view, Zoya, the girl to whom he met at dargah, at the dessert and the mall. But top of that, she was the correct replica of Aseemah, and her face was revolving in his mind rapidly and the intensity was increasing after every nano-second so he wasn't able to sleep from the day he met Zoya.

********

Zoya's Room

Zoya was shaking her head as she was feeling unease because her throat was droughty, for few times she tried to avoid her thirst but then she woke up to have some water. She fetched the water jug placed on the corner table, near her bed, but she found it empty. Uncovering her duvet, she picked up the jug to fill it and quench her thirst.

********

The living room was engulfed with dark only the dim light was passing through a window. Asad was still asleep; he turned his head in the direction of the living room and found that a shadow was passing from the corridor.

He assumed that it must be Dilshad or Najma and again tried to have a sleep, but he opened his eyes when he realized that Dilshad must be sleeping after having pain killers whereas Najma didn't have the petite figure as the shadow had.

Asad queried under his breath, "to phir itni raat gaye kaun ho sakta hai?". He creased his brows and biting his lower lip said, "The guest? No! Ammi said that she is a bacchi, but the shadow belongs to an adult... Let me check", he whispered and walked out without making noise.

Zoya was humming the song and was taking her step towards the kitchen, when she realized that a manly body was following her. She behaved as she was unaware with that fact, and started grabbing whatever she got lying on the platform, she started beating him with that.

She was drubbing him with a fry pan and pummeled him badly, whereas he was screaming to leave. Zoya again pulled something from the slab and what she got was a French knife, but before she could hit him anymore, he twisted her arm behind her back, which destined the pan to lie on the floor and she screamed with pain, "Ahh!"

The loud squealing noise disturbed the peaceful sleep of Khan Ladies and they came outside.

Dilshad switched on the light and found that Asad has spun Zoya's arm on her back and she was shouting to leave her hand who was fisting a French knife.

Dilshad and Najma were aghast to witness the messy scene created in the darkness and finally Dilshad ordered, "leave her hand"

"But she is a th--", he started to say but she again yelled, "do as I said", clenching her teeth.

Asad left her arm and she too placed the knife back on the kitchen platform and started massaging her arm.

"Par ye chor hai Ammi/Phoopie", both Asad and Zoya astonished at Dilshad's behavior and asked in unison.

"Ammi/Phoopie?", Zoya amused again in unison and get rooted there.

"Bas karo dono", Dilshad took the command in her hand and scold them.

Dilshad and Najma were aghast when they realized that Asad was behaving do normally after seeing Zoya's face also and that too why, but a feeling of relaxation was adorning them.

Dilshad took a deep sigh and took her steps towards Asad and Zoya, who were gazing each other with angst and making faces, and were confused that who were he or she respectively and what were they doing in Khan Villa.

Taking a deep breath Dilshad introduced them, "Zoya yeh mera beta Asad hai", she introduced Asad's identity casually at which Zoya's mouth was in a perfect O' shape.

"Aur Asad yeh-yeh Zoya hai, mene kaha tha humare ghar ek guest ayi hai...kuch din rokegi yeh wahi hai", she introduced Asad about Zoya with a strange fear that how will he react after listening that the person who was Aseemah's look alike, was going to stay under the same roof with him.

"Ammi Apne kaha tha wo bacchi hai", he asked in high pitch.

Dilshad whispered and answered, "to yeh bacchi hi to hai Asad"

"Bacchi yeh? Ammi ye bacchi nahi toofan hai", he squealed as he wasn't in favor to keep Zoya in Khan Villa.

Before Dilshad could explain persuade Asad to let Zoya live in Khan Villa the gabby Zoya jumped down in the conversation to protect her, "Allah Miyan Whats wrong with you! Main apko toofan nazar aati hoon...main toofan hoon to aap bhi kisi dynamite se kam nahi hain", she shrieked in hoarse tone.

"I am not talking to YOU.", he greeted his teeth and turned his head in Dilshad's direction, "Dekha apne kitni badtameez or beadab ladki hai yeh, and you are..", Dilshad interrupted in between and ordered Najma, "Najma! Take Zoya to her room"

Najma obeyed, "Ji ammi!"

But Zoya protested as she wasn't in mood to gulp down her insult easily, "But pho--", Dilshad cute her and convinced, "Go Zoya! I will handle him, Go beta.", she said in low pitch.

After their departure Asad tried to control his anger and announced, "Ammi, she can't live here"

"Main wada kar chuki hoon Asad", Dilshad too cleared her decision.

Asad pressed her lips and continued, "theek hai ammi. If you say so. Your promise is everything for me." , and was about to leave the spot but again continued without looking at her, "Please unhe kahiyega ke mujhse door hi rahein"

"As--" , Dilshad wanted to say something but he ultimately left the living area by taking big steps without listening her.

And Dilshad left with moist eyes, as she was feeling guilty, thinking that she gave pain to her son in the order to find solace for him.

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A/N: Phew! So okay this was a late-lateef update, but I wasn't writing as I was really busy in the life. Well I really wanna say or I should say request you all that please always leave a descriptive comment for the update, it will help and encourage me to write better and better.

I don't mind criticisms, suggestions and appreciation all, so please comment honestly, what you feel after reading. Even by pointing out mistakes you will help me.

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