Chapter 8...
Dilshaad sat out the garden bench, remembering the times she saw Asad and Zoya sit right here sharing moments over a cup of coffee. She closed her eyes and felt the sting of tears, her lovely children were gone now. She said a prayer for their souls and looked around.
Ayaan had cleaned out Khan Villa when he came back from London, he knew his Asad bhaijaan built this house for his mother. For all the hardship she faced as a single mother raising two children on her own, he strove to make his mother's life as comfortable as possible. A cruel twist of fate left Dilshaad to struggle alone again, with two young grandchildren this time.
Dilshaad saw her children in every corner of the house, feeling very much at home at last after 20 years of running away. This is my home, where I lived with my children, my pride and strength and joy. Najma and Asad. And then, finding spirit in Zoya, my family was complete.
Dilshaad went to Zoya's room was, Sanam was asleep there, while Dilshaad took Asad's. She went in and saw Sanam asleep, looking uncannily like Zoya that she was shocked for a moment. Sanam slept in a prone position, her tear streaked face puffy, as though fallen asleep accidentally. Her right hand was lightly clutching her phone, placed prominently on a pillow.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated, and Sanam twitched in her sleep. Who was calling at 1 a.m.? Dilshaad went closer to look.
Aahil calling ...
She watched the phone continue vibrating, and Sanam let out a jerky sob and went back to sleep. The phone continued to ring, and stopped by itself. 37 missed calls, the phone flashed.
Tanveer has played with too many people's lives.
Dilshaad knew her plan to take down Tanveer, but the torture the young lovers will face made her hesitate for a moment. No, I have to take Tanveer out, she is a cancerous person.
***
The next morning, Dilshaad, Ayaan, Haider and Sanam went to the Criminal Investigation Department and met with a senior officer, the detective who held the cold case portfolio of the death of her family members.
Seated beside family, strong and secure, Dilshaad spoke. "I am the sole witness of the massacre of my family at Siddiqui Mansion 22 years ago. The murderer is Tanveer Baig, the current Begum Sahiba of Bhopal... And I will testify in court..."
The detective sat forward in shock, his keen eyes scenting victory over the mysterious case that had plagued him over many years.
***
2 days later...
Sanam adjusted her ornamented fuchsia colored dupatta, very reluctant to attend this wedding function Badi Ammi is insisting upon. Badi Ammi had shopped for her, enjoying retail therapy after so long. Sanam smiled slightly at remembering how young Badi Ammi looked smiling so happily. It was a beautiful anarkali suit, but it only reminded her of the ones Aahil had chose for her. Sanam applied make up carefully to hide the dark circles around her eyes.
Ayaan Chachu wasn't terribly keen for them to attend either, but Badi Ammi resolutely refused to hide away like cowards. So he beefed up security around her and Sanam, and is himself escorting them to this wedding of a close relative. Dilshaad Ahmed Khan was back in Bhopal, and she is determined to embrace her own society again, after being a fugitive for so long.
Sanam entered the wedding reception with her family, feeling a little like a fish in a bowl, people gawking at her and Badi Ammi in surprise. After initial awkward staring, some older aunts came hugging Badi Ammi, tearful reunions and catching up with stories. Badi Ammi had so much here, and she had to run away with us leaving everything. She must have felt so alone for all those years we were small...
Sanam settled herself comfortably in a corner, noticing the plain clothes lady policewoman seated nearby. She left her phone at home, each missed call from Aahil was dragging her back into her sorrow.
Suddenly she felt goosebumps prick her skin. An intense awareness , her heart thudded fiercely in her chest, a sensation of being watched.
Aahil is here somewhere...
She had ignored his calls for days now, didn't reply to his long messages to listen to him. She needed to make a decision, not influenced by anyone, about her future and her family's. The divorce papers sitting on her dresser drawer, the papers Aahil has signed, omnipresent as though alive. She knew he was searching for her, not successful because he knew nothing about the house Abbu built.
She got up slowly, and made her way to Badi Ammi, thinking it safer among the ladies' circle. Truthfully she had no idea what Aahil would do, he was unpredictable when prodded. Her breath hitched nervously. She didn't dare look around for where he was, because she felt his eyes on her already.
The aunts moved to mix around with other guests and she unwillingly followed them. She looked up suddenly and instantly met an angry pair of eyes looking straight at her, willing her to acknowledge him.
In a split second, her eyes unfocussed from him and fixed on her Ayaan Chachu who stood behind Aahil a distance away. It looked as though she looked right through Aahil like he wasn't there at all. Chachu gave her a small nod of strength and she blinked back. Turning away, she stayed close to Badi Ammi, keeping her back towards Aahil.
Aahil wouldn't dare come up and create a scene among women ...
An aunt suddenly gasped. "I was wondering where I have seen your Sanam before, Dilshaad Bi... Now I know! She is Begum Tanveer's bahu, the Chote Begum, nahin? I remembered as soon as I saw Nawab Aahil right there... What a lovely couple!"
The walls were constricting around her. Her throat was parched and she moved to the refreshments counter for a drink. While she drank, she saw a hand rest next to hers. She knew the hand instantly, the jewelled ring on the index finger confirming it. As the hand moved to grasp hers, she turned swiftly in the opposite direction and moved away.
(Gif by magicasya@tumblr)
She felt his disapproval beating at her back, he was furious for sure. He was not used to being denied anything in his life. But she was not ready to confront him yet, the betrayal too raw. Feeling claustrophobic and dizzy, she slipped into a side corridor of the mansion, and found herself on a covered verandah overlooking the back garden, drying laundry proving cover from prying eyes.
She leaned over the wooden balustrade and breathed deeply. All of a sudden her breath whooshed out as she was grabbed and pushed against the wall, and a strong grip of masculine hands squeezing her in desperation.
(gif credit magicasya@tumblr)
"What are you doing Sanam? Don't ignore me ! I've been trying to reach you for days?! Where were you, damn it??!"
His rough hands released hers and cupped her face, forcing her to look at him. She averted her eyes, defiantly refusing to meet his. He put his forehead against hers, making her close her eyes instead.
"Sanam... You love me...Look at me Sanam! " His lips captured hers in a desperate kiss. After her initial resistance broke down, his lips softened in a cajoling, loving way, making her cry because she had missed him so much.
(gif by magicasya@tumblr)
"Sanam...? It's me babes... Don't do this? Don't just discard me from your life like this! I love you!"
"Where was this love when you signed those divorce papers??" her voice was low, a wealth of hurt disguised in the calm of it.
"I didn't know it was divorce papers Sanam!! I was tricked !!"
Sanam finally raised her eyes, fixing him with a withering look, Really??
"I know it's stupid, Sanam! But I thought I was signing property papers for the lawyers. Ammi was after us about it remember? I got fed up and just signed them, and this happened...!"
He clutched at her, holding a stiff Sanam in his eager embrace. "Don't leave me Sanam!!"
"You signed divorce papers Aahil..."
"Give me the damned papers and I'll burn them in front of you! You're mine Sanam! I will NEVER let you go...!"
"I need time Aahil. To figure out things. So please stop calling me..."
"No! This is our decision to make, not yours alone! I will not let you go !! Don't sign those papers please!!"
Suddenly Aahil was yanked away from her forcefully. Chachu pushed him back and hit him hard.
"I told you the next time I see you around Sanam I will bury my fist in you!!"
As the men struggled, Sanam shouted and tried to break the fight. The security detail appeared and whisked Sanam away and broke up the fight.
Dilshaad watched Sanam cry uncontrollably in their car as they were driving away. A fresh wave of hate welled in her at the mountain of destruction at Tanveer's feet.
This fight is between Tanveer and me.
Sanam and Aahil shouldn't be punished...
To be continued...
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