HKKMJNM: Part 24a, Pg 145 - Page 22

Precap:

"Aunty I will sleep with Shegufta and Heena tonight and Asad G will sleep outside. You don't need to get the guest room cleaned especially for us."

Cw: "Are you mad? In the initial days of marriage the husband and wife should always sleep together. You know what I am saying. Right? After you have children you just don't get time for each other. You are a sensible girl but you surely need some lessons for the betterment of your married life. I will talk to you about this tomorrow."

Part 12

"Wait."

The Chaudary's wife called out to her from the back as Zoya moved to the guest room after wishing her a peaceful sleep. When she turned she saw the old woman advancing towards her with a servant girl who had a tray in her hand.

The Chaudary's wife picked up a glass from the tray and gave it to Zoya.

"Take this kesar milk for your husband. It's good to take milk before going to bed."

Z: "Aunty then why did you bring it only for him then? Why not for me too?"

The servant girl gasped "Haww! Haye mar gayi, Don't you have any respect? What woman talks like that!"

Cw: "Meena shut your mouth. If you want some too, you can share with him. You know sharing increases love. You really need some lessons in this regard, stupid girl. Now go."

Zoya sighed before opening the door of the room that was to be their abode for the night. She looked at the glass the lady had given her.

"I think I should taste it first. If it's good, I will drink all of it. If it's not I will give it to him."

She took a sip from the glass.

"Yuck! So this one is especially for you Mr. Khan. I am glad she didn't bring one for me."

She entered and placed the glass on the side table. When Asad came out of the washroom, he was surprised to see her there.

A: "What are you doing here?"

Z: "Excuse me? At least you shouldn't be the one asking me this question. Drink that."

A: "I am serious Zoya. What are you doing here at this time of the night? What is this? Did you put anything in it to kill me?"

Z: "Don't act so innocent. We recently got married aunty." She mimicked him. "Allah Miyan what is wrong with you?"

A: "Oh! Don't give me that look. If hadn't said that we would have to spend the night out in the jungle. They wouldn't have let us in. Secondly we needed to win their trust."

Z: "You could have made some other excuse."

A: "Like what?"

Z: "I don't know. Anything. What am I supposed to do now? You know what, forget Haseena Aunty, if my mother comes to know about this I won't ever be allowed to get out of my house ever again."

A: "Who is Haseena Aunty? And we are not doing anything wrong. Why would Aunty be mad? Moreover how will she know?"

Z: "No one. Forget it. Hey why are you sitting on the bed? Get up."

A: "Why? I am tired and I am going to sleep."

Z: "I am even more tired than you are and I will sleep on the bed."

She got up and pulled the blanket off the bed. They kept on bickering for some time while the glass laid forgotten on the side-table.

"We can both sleep on the bed with a partition in between. It's big enough."

The thought occurred to both of them at the same time.

"YUCK! NO"

They both exclaimed loudly at the same time.

Z: "What were you thinking?"

A: "Nothing. You can take the bed. I will sleep on this rug."

Z: "Really? Thank you."

She had no idea what caused the sudden change but she was happy what-so-ever.

After some time when he got settled on the floor he commented.

"I fear for the poor guy you will marry."

She shot up on the bed and replied.

"Now where did that come from?"

"Shit! Why did I even say that?" Asad thought to himself.

Zoya being Zoya kept on blabbering without thinking as she was miffed at him for making any kind of judgment about her.

"Listen you have no right to say that and we will see when that time comes."

A: "Yeah right. We will see." He added after some time. "I will ask your husband then."

She didn't say anything in reply.

A: "Zoya?"

"I guess she has gone to sleep." He thought to himself.

"Why was I talking to Asad about this anyway? And I don't want to be a good wife to that buffoon at all. I should do something about this. But what should I say to Baba. Hey Baba although you haven't said any such thing but I know you want me to marry that Idiot but I don't like him at all. Naa, doesn't sound so good. Think of something else Zoe. If Baba tells me to I won't be able to say no to him. Why doesn't Baba see there is something really wrong with these people?"

Lost in her thoughts she fell asleep.

She got up at about 2 a.m. and sat up on the bed. As her eyes fell on Asad she saw him tossing and turning on the rug. He was clearly uncomfortable. She felt bad for him so she got up from the bed and moved to where he was sleeping and called out to him.

Z: "Asad."

A: "Hmmm. Do you need something?"

Z: "No. Get up. Sleep on the bed."

A: "What?"

Z: "I know you are not comfortable here. You can take the bed."

A: "I am fine. Go to sleep."

Z: "I have taken the bed for half of the night. You can take it now. I am not even sleepy anymore."

A: "Are you sure?"

She smiled and replied

"Yes."

He got up and went to the bed. As soon as he hit the bed he instantly fell into deep slumber. Zoya sat down on an arm chair in one corner of the room. After some time she was in deep sleep sitting on the chair.

The next morning when Asad got up, he saw her asleep on the chair in a very uncomfortable position. He walked up to her to wake her up. As he was about to call out to her somebody knocked the door. Zoya got up hearing the noise.

Asad opened the door to see the Chaudary's wife standing at the door.

Cw: "Come down for breakfast. Chaudary Saab is very particular about food timings. Is your wife up?"

Asad: "Yes Aunty. We are coming."

The old lady tried to peep in the room behind him to have a look at the state of the room.

She stopped when Asad cleared his throat. She turned to him, told him to hurry up and left.

When he came back in Zoya was still sitting on the chair.

Zoya: "Ow my neck hurts real bad and my back is even worse."

Asad: "Need medicine? I think I had some pain-killers in my bag."

Zoya: "No its okay. What was the lady saying?"

Asad: "She was calling us for breakfast. This old lady is so nosy. We need to put up a show in front of her to keep our facade of being married."

They both went down for breakfast. As Zoya sat down, her back throbbed with pain due to being in an uncomfortable position for the whole night. Her face reflected her pain and Asad felt really bad for her. He felt guilty for landing her in this situation. What he didn't realize was that he was constantly looking at her during all this time. He placed a glass of water in front of her for which she thanked him. She had a brief eye-contact with the Chaudary's wife who passed her a meaningful smile.

Asad bent towards her and whispered

"Eat as much as you can. No idea when we get to eat something again if they come to know our secret."

Zoya's gaze moved to the Chaudary's wife as a reflex action. She was still smiling stupidly at both of them. After they had their breakfast the Chaudary said.

"Both of you come to the terrace with me. I will show you my large collection of birds."

The Chaudary moved ahead of them all followed by Asad and Zoya. The Chaudary's wife and Meena were right behind them. When they reached the terrace, they saw lots of cages of different sizes with many colorful birds inside at one side of the terrace which was elevated from the rest of the area. The Chaudary's wife stayed back with Meena while the Chaudary climbed the elevated portion and motioned them to follow. Asad climbed up first and then offered his hand to Zoya.

Zoya looked up at him and whispered.

"I can climb myself."

Asad whispered back.

"She is looking at us."

Getting the cue Zoya placed her hands in his and he pulled her up.

Meena observed them for some time, smiled sheepishly and said

"Bibi G looks like they finally did it last night."

The Chaudary's wife smirked and replied

"My magic powder never fails."

Zoya who was in the ear-shot heard their conversation and turned red with embarrassment when she understood what they were implying. Instinctively she looked up at Asad to check whether he had heard anything. Thankfully he had not as he was busy talking to the old man.

Later that day the Chaudary took Asad along for hunting and his wife caught the opportunity to deliver a lecture to Zoya regarding conjugal life.

Cw: "So when did you get married?"

Z: "About two weeks ago."

Cw: "Hmm so did your mother tell you about the important things?"

Z: "What? Yes yes she did. Since how long Shagufta has fever?"

Cw: "Oho you leave her. She doesn't listen to the Hakim Saab and goes under the sunlight when he specifically told her not to. Obviously her body heats up. Let me tell you a few tips to keep him interested in you. These things are very important during the first days of married life. First of all never stop him if he wants to come near you. You are getting my point na?"

Zoya felt really uncomfortable hearing the old lady giving her this lecture especially when she was connecting everything to Asad who was her friend. Oblivious to her discomfort the lady continued.

"Cook his favorite dishes and serve him yourself. Dress up nicely when he comes home'"

Z: "Thank you Aunty I will remember all this. Shagufta told me sometimes she has fever at night as well."

Cw: "Oh don't worry that girl does it just to avoid household chores. I was talking to Chaudary saab about getting her married. She will automatically be fine when her Mother-in-Law will give her the very much required dose. She doesn't listen to me."

Z: "But she is so young."

Cw: "The younger the girls are married the better."

Zoya thought it best not to argue with her regarding this but the girl's health was bothering her. The fact that her family members were least bothered irked her further.

Z: "Aunty you remember Asad G was talking about tablets they have made from herbs. There is an old Hakim I know of who can cure her with those herbal tablets. But she will need to have a look at her first. You see she will check what is wrong with her this way."

Cw: "Really? A female Hakim? Can you call her here? I hope Chaudary Saab will have no problem with the female Hakim. You see women here are not allowed to go out of their houses. All the Hakims are male so they don't examine the women. Our men tell them about the problem and they tell the solution. There are four other girls who have the same problem. They are Shagufta's friends. If the hakim Sahiba comes here I will call them too."

Z: "Don't worry Aunty. As soon as Asad comes, I mean Asad G comes I will talk to him about this. She is around here nowadays to meet her sister."

When Asad came back she told him about her talk with the Chaudary's wife regarding calling the female Doctors to the village. Later that evening they left the village on a horse-driven carriage with the promise of fetching the Hakim.

When they reached the medical camp, Dr. Sapna was really relieved to see them back, safe and sound. They explained the situation to her and she praised them both. Soon they were on their way back to the village with supplies and the female "hakims".

It was finally their last night at the camp. All the students sat around their usual bonfire.

Soha: "What a week it was! I enjoyed a lot."

Amaan: "Yah but I would prefer to practice in a city rather than at a place like this."

Anjali: "I love this place. It's so calm and serene."

Sajjal: "Hey Asad we have had you here for a whole week and haven't heard you sing."

Asad: "I am not in the mood."

Zoya: "Oho now he will act all pricey. Come on."

Asad: "Fine."

Ishaan: "Wait I have a guitar in the bus."

Soha: "Sing some old song. They have such a nice feel to them."

Asad took hold of the guitar from Ishan when he came back with it. He thought for some time and then started.

"Jab koi baat bigr jaye jab koi mushkil par jaye
Tum dena sath mera O humnavaa"

He looked at Zoya for some time and then moved his gaze downwards.

"Na koi hai na koi tha Zindagi mai tumhare siwa

Tum dena sath mera O humnavaa"

"Ho Chandni jab tak raat, deta hai har koi saath

Tum magar andheron mai, na chorna mera haath

Jab koi baat bigr jaye jab koi mushkil par jaye

Tum dena saath mera, O hummnavaaa"

Zoya sang along while the rest of them clapped at intervals

"Wafadari ki wo rasmain, nibhaen ge hum tum kasmain,

Ek bhi saans zindagi ki, jab tak ho apne bas main

Jab koi baat bigr jaya, jab koi mushkil par jaye

Tum dena saath mera, O humnavaa"

Then they all sang along in a chorus

"Jab koi baat bigr jaye, jab koi mushkil par jaye

Tum dena saath mera, O humnavaa

Jab koi baat bigr jaye, jab koi mushkil par jaye

Tum dena saath mera, O humnava"

All of them clapped together at the end.

In the morning they packed all their stuff, while talking about the awesome time they had on the camp. Asad boarded the bus sat on the window seat. When Zoya came she told him to move towards the aisle. He complied and they both sat together again.

Finally they were on their way back.

All of them talked about different things. Tired, Zoya placed her head on the back of her seat and fell asleep. As she dozed off, her head slid from the seat's back to Asad's shoulder.

Asad ignored the faster than normal beating of his heart as he tried to make her a little more comfortable and let her rest her head on his shoulder.

Precap:

Haseena's visit to Zoya's house and she sees Asad there and inquires Sarah about him.

awesome update, i loved the campfire and the song, it seemed like such a nice and cozy scene, i really enjoyed reading this update and can't wait for the next one