Part 24
Rahim and Sajid arrange for a splendid feast to welcome Feroz. They wanted a dinner at a lavish restaraunt but Feroz insisted he wanted only proper home cooked food. So Farhat and Saba get together to give him a treat. Everyone has a good time over dinner. Feroz gets to know Sajid and his family and adores the relationship shared between both the families.
At night...Feroz is seated in the lounge thinking over his decision. He decides not to delay anymore and goes to Rahim's room to discuss it with him. Rahim and Farhat are overjoyed to hear about it. Their happiness knew no bound as they loved Muskaan as her daughter.
In the morning...
Zaheer was getting ready for office when he hears a knock on his door.
Zaheer: mom..ap is waqt...kuch kaam tha
Farhat: ha...bohot imp kaam tha...
Zaheer: ohk...but mom thoda jaldi plz...meri imp meeting hai
Farhat: tujhe to hamesha kaam hota hai...par pehle meri baat sun...baith yaha...(indicating to the place next to her on bed)
Zaheer: boliye...but plz thoda jaldi
Farhat(sighs): tune shaadi ke bare me kya socha hai beta
Zaheer: shaadi...kiski shaadi ??
Farhat: meri.!!
Zaheer: huh...apki??!!!
Farhat: uff...are baba teri...teri shaadi Zaheer aur kiski
Zaheer: meri?? mom...achanak kyu...mujhe abhi nahi sochna ye sab
Farhat: kyu... abhi kyu nahi...ye time sahi hai...aur waise bhi humne ladki pasand karli hai
Zaheer: kya?!!!! apko ye achanak kya hogya aaj
Farhat: kuch bhi nahi...tu puch to ke ladki kaun hai
Zaheer(sighs): kaun hai
Farhat: Muskaan...
Zaheer is speechless...just staring at her. He quickly stands up and turns to face the other side.
Farhat: Zaheer...beta aramse soch...koi jaldi nahi hai...agar tujhe abhi shaadi nahi karni to na sahi...par...ha to...kar sakta hai na (she tries to peak at him from behind...trying to catch his expressions)...dekh beta...me...tere abbu aur bade abbu...sabka...bohot armaan hai ki...umm...Zaheer...kuch to bol beta
He slowly turns to her as she tries to read his mind.
Zaheer: aap sab khush hoge isse??
Farhat: bohot...par usse zyada teri aur Muskaan ki khushi mayne rakhti hai...tujhe waqt chahiye...to aramse soch le
Zaheer: uski zarurat nahi ma...agar aap sab khush hai...to fir...jaise aap thik samjhe
Saying that he quickly picks up his bag and heads towards the door.
Farhat: par Zaheer...
He stops at the door..and turns to her...a small smile on his face. But in moments that little smile gives way to a blushing and glowing face. He looks down trying to hide it from his mom and quickly leaves.
Farhat was on cloud nine now. She had got much more than just an approval from her son. Now only Muskaan should agree. And something inside her said that even that good news is not far away.
Zaheer was getting down the stairs when he collides with Muskaan. Obviously he was too busy in his thougths to notice anyone in front of him. But looking at her his face instantly lights up, and eyes get hooked.
Muskaan: Zaheer... aaj itni jaldi??
no response.
Muskaan: Zaheer
Zaheer: huh...hmm..
Muskaan: kya hua are you ok
Zaheer: ha...umm...m good
Muskaan: aaj itni jaldi office
Zaheer: um..ha wo...meeting hai...tum nahi ja rahi
Muskaan: i will go late today..Imran is going to call...abbu n I will talk together (smiles)
Zaheer: wow..k then...c u in office
Muskaan: ohk...(she leaves)
Zaheer stares at her all through..till she reaches her dad's room. Embaressed, he slides his hand through his hair and makes his way out of the house.
As he leaves the house he spots Armaan and runs to him.
Zaheer: office ja raha hai na...chal saath jate hai..
He gets in Armaan's car.
Armaan: ohho...waise itni der se ja raha hai
Zaheer: ha wo...(he realizes Armaan is chuckling...he hits him on head)
Armaa: are...tere timings to adhi raat ke hote hai na...so i thgt...
( he looks at Zaheer and realizes hes not even listening)
Armaan: kya baat hai...aaj tewar badle badle lag rahe hai
Zaheer looks at him and gives a wide grin as he relaxingly stretches himself on the seat.
Armaan: hey! What is it?? jaldi bol
Zaheer( dreamingly) kya bolu ab...
Armaan: Oh God...something is seriously wrong...bol na
Zaheer: tujhe batau...usse acha bbc news par post kar du
Armaan: bolta hai ya neeche utaru tujhe
Zaheer: utar de
Armaan: ja mat bol...tujhse to expect bhi nahi karna chahiye...huh
After few minutes of silence on both ends..Armaan turns to take another look of Zaheer...he was staring out of the window dreamingly.
Armaan: agar duniya ka koi bhi aur ladka hota...to aisi shakal dekh kar hi me samajh jata...ki ladki ka chakkar hai...lekin tujh jaise hopeless...(he glances at Zaheer to check his expressions)...se aisa kuch expect nahi karna chahiye.
At this Zaheer decides to reveal it finally...but he stops. He wants to give a surprise cum shock to Armaan. Surprise coz he knew he will be too happy to know it. And shock coz he may kill Zaheer the very next moment for hiding it from him all the while. But he thinks..'na...itna easily nahi...thoda special tarike se bataunga'
Armaan: tu sun bhi raha hai me kya bak raha hu
Zaheer: ha mere baap...aur aisa kuch nahi hai...bas aaj mood acha hai...aur tujhe thoda tease kar raha tha
Armaan was not at all convinced. But he thinks 'mat bata..mujhe bhi pata karna ata hai...itne saal tere saath papad nahi bele maine'
Zaheer: kuch bola tune?
Armaan: nahi to...acha chod...mat bata...mujhe kuch batana hai tujhe..
Zaheer: bolo
Armaan tells him about the conversation between Muskaan and him the previous day.
Zaheer: nice..sounds good...hope it works
Armaan: hmm
They reach the office and head to their respective cabins.
At night...
Feroz goes to Muskaan's room. She was busy writing her diary when knock at the door makes her look up. She quickly closes her diary and hides it under the blanket.
Muskaan: abbu aap...andar aaiye na
Feroz: mai soch raha tha kahi tum so to nahi gayi
Muskaan: bas abbu sone hi ja rahi tha...Naaz nahi na ayi ab tak...tv dekh rahi hogi
Feroz: hmm.. (takes seat close to her on the bed)...beta...jab me tumhe yaha India bhej raha tha...i was not at all sure of it...dar lag raha tha...ki tum yaha settle hopaogi ya nahi...itne din bhi London me...mujhe yahi tension rehta tha...ki tum yaha kaise reh rahi hogi...kya kar rahi hogi...nayi jagah naye log...tumhe pasand ayenge ya nahi...par ab lagta hai...me bekar me tension le raha tha...hai na?
Muskaan smiles.
Feroz: ji abbu...bohot
Feroz: Muskaan...tumne hamesha koshish ki, apne saath saath apni ammi ki responsibilities bhi puri karne ki...jis tarah tumne apne ghar ko..Imran ko...aur mujhe sambhala hai...me hamesha sochta tha...ki jab meri beti ki shaadi hojaegi...tab me..mera ghar aur Imran kaise rahenge uske begair
Muskaan stares ta him quitely.
Feroz: mujhe bohot dar laga rehta tha...koshish karta tha...ki tumhe ghar ki responsibilites se dur rakhu...taki hum sab ko...aur tumhe bhi uski itni adat na hojae...ki tumhari shaadi ke baad...na hum reh sake...aur na tum..kyui me janta tu...tum kahi bhi raho...tumhara pura dhayn hamesha hum par hi rehta hai
He loked at her sternly, yet lovingly, indicating to her frequent calls at home, almost everyday, and even more to Imran, keeping track of every little thing happening with them. Muskaan bit her tongue lightly and looked away as she realized what her father is hinting at.
Feroz: par ab baat ye hai...ki aisa to hua nahi...tumse ab aisa expect karna bhi nahi chahiye...to lets see...koi option dekhte hai
He acts to be thinking, as Muskaan observes him keenly.
Feroz: agar aisa ho...ki koi aisa ladka mile...jo tumhe in sab ke saath na hi accept kare...balki he becomes a part of our family too...to kaisa rahega...aisa ladka ???
Muskaan's mind spontaneously thinks of Armaan. Coz every part of her existence knew...that if such a guy exists...it is only and only him...and its proven over time too. Her mind...and heart... recalls a number of instances when he was there for her...and was a support for her perosnal problems. But only today she realized how perfectly he fits there...its only him who fits in the place her dad is carving.
Feroz: Muskaan...agar aisa ladka mile..to tumhe nahi lagta...usse shaadi karne me koi harz nahi...??
Muskaan gets alerted.'Shaadi?!' she didnt ever think to that extent.
Feroz: Muskaan?
She smilingly nods in a yes.
Feroz: aur waise bhi...we waqt bhi sahi hai shaadi ke liye...hai na
She nods again, her smile widening. Her dad is relieved to see her reaction. Only he knew how against she was of her marriage coz of her responsibilities. Though not verbal, but her dad knew what was cooking in her mind in all the years.
Feroz: to kya me ha samjhu...ki tumhe shaadi se koi objection nahi?
She blushes and nods in approval.
Feroz: are you sure...aisa na ho beta...ki kal mere faisle se tum hurt hojao
Muskaan: nahi abbu...jaise aap thik samjhe (smiles in approval)
Feroz lovingly pats on her head shoulder and leaves the room too happy to control his emotions.
The following evening...everyone is gathered in the lounge...waiting for Feroz to make the 'important' anouncement...as the elders patiently wait for him to speak, the youngsters are wondering what is up...Muskaan was not still not there, stuck with some work...as Feroz begins...
Feroz: Muskaan ne ha kar di hai Rahim...(smiles)
Farhat: kya usne khud ha kahi? Apni khushi se?
Feroz: ha farhat...khushi se..(he smiles as he thinks back of their conversation the previous night)
All the elders rejoice at the news and get in discussions of how grand the wedding should be. Just then Muskaan enters and stops at the door studying the chaos in the room.
Amidst all this...Zaheer was smiling and blushing all through...but Armaan and Naaz had no idea of what was happening...they keep exchanging confused glances...Naaz goes to her mom to ask..
Naaz: mom kya ho raha hai ye sab...kiski shaadi??
Farhat: apke bhai ki shaadi...Zaheer ki...
Naaz(excitedly): what?! Are you serious...kiske saath mom..whose the bride?
Armaan too goes there quickly on hearing her words.
Farhat(with a wide grin): Muskaan ke saath
she says that and moves to Saba who was calling her...and so she failed to see the shocked expressions on Naazneen's face..who was left speechless.
Naazneen looks around for Muskaan...and finds her...rooted at the door.
Muskaan was trying to register in her mind the words that she just heard and make some sense out of them. Just then she notices her dad aproaching her...Feroz lovingly cups her face in his hands and kisses her forehead..
Feroz: thank u beta...for saying yes for this marriage...so much...(he gets teary eyed)
it then hits Muskaan...he was taking into consideration their conversation of the previous night...and slowly everything around starts to make sense to her...she instantly opens her mouth to clear the doubt...but befire she could utter a single word...she finds herself surrounded by all the elders...who came up to congratuate her and give their blessings, while they cheerfully discussed about the wedding.
Amidst all that her eyes fall on Armaan...who was standing with his arms folded to his chest...observing the whole scene...her eyes grew wide in shock as she noticed his blank expressionless face...she baffled at the thought of how will she explain it all to him.
As the crowd around her moved away...Armaan slowly made his way to her...he stood in front of her staring straight in her eyes...she stared at him terrified to answer him...
Armaan: I didnt expect this from you Muskaan...
Muskaan: Armaan...mein...woh...
He raises his palm to indicate her to cut it out.
Armaan: leave it Muskaan...(he glanced around the room)...itna sab hogaya...aur tumne mujhe kuch nahi bataya..
Muskaan: Armaan meri baat to suno...(cuts her again)
Armaan: maine kaha na mujhe kuch nahi sunna
She helplessly puts her head down and closes her tight. In moments she opens her eyes wide as she realizes Armaan has hugged her. She looks up at him and is shocked to see him grinning widely.
Armaan: stupid...mujhe bataya tak nahi...aur sari khichdi pakali...mein hi stupid tha...why couldnt i see it...you two are...are just so perfect for each other...(he is all excited)...damn...you and Zaheer...two of my best friends...getting married...m soo excited Muskaan...tum dekhna...this wedding is gonna rock...koi kami nahi rehne dunga me...after all...it calls for the happiness of my two favourate people...oh m soo happy...
He turns to as he hears Zaheer grinning.
Armaan( to Zaheer): to ye surprise tha ha?
Zaheer doesnt reply. Only gulps as he notices the killer expression on Armaan's face...and he knows he has to run for his life...as Armaan too runs around to catch him...
Naazneen places a hand on Muskaan's shoulder...Muskaan looks at her...and then back at Armaan...who was excitedly bashing and giggling with Zaheer...tears start to make way out of her eyes and down her face...she takes steps backwards...shaking her head slightly...as if trying to deny the reality in front of her...the world around her seemed to come to a standstill...she found her breathing difficult to put up with...she felt suffocating...and as her tears poured out faster without her consent...she ran to her room to escape from everyone...or perhaps the reality that struck her like thunderbolt...she reached to her room and quickly shut the door...she slided along the door...and sat at the floor curling herself bringing her knees closer...as she dug her face in between them and let the feelings bottling in her burst out through her tears...
Part ends.
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