AsYa FF:|And the past comes to Visit| Banner+Very Imp. Note pg-120 - Page 42

Asad and Zoya were both silent as they walked away from the shop... neither of them could link what was going on with the name of that woman. That woman, whom they detested with every cell in their body... how much grief she had caused them! Slapping Zoya, bad mouthing Dilshad, creating rifts between the two brothers and unknown to Asad and Zoya, she was the reason why both of them had to live without their fathers...

Zoya finally broke the silence... she simply couldn't take it anymore."Asad... aap chup kyun ho gaye? Kuch boliye na...!"

Asad sighed. "Kya kahoon main Zoya? Mujhe toh kuch bhi samajh nahi aa raha hai... bhala tumhare abbu se Razia Siddiqui jaisi ghatiya aurat ka kya taaluk ho sakta hai? Aur unhone tumse tumhare abbu ke bare mein jhoot kyun bulwaya... aur mujhe ye bhi samajh nahi aa raha hai ki unhe ye bhi pata kaise chala ki tum apne abbu ko dhoondhna chahti ho? Woh toh tumhe theek se jaanti bhi nahi!"

"Asad... samajh mein toh mujhe bhi kuch nahi aa raha hai... par ye zaroor keh sakti hoon ke humein thos saboot chahiye us aurat ke khilaf taaki humein unse mere abbu ka rishta jaan sakein... kyunki ab wo hi hain jo mere abbu ke bare mein kuch jaanti hain."

"Zoya... tum aise mauke paar bhi itni shaant kaise ho sakhti ho... mera matlab hai..."

"Kyunki aisa karna maine aap se seekha hai." Zoya said, interrupting him. "Aur mere abbu jo bhi hon aur Razia ji ka taaluk unse jo bhi ho... sach baat ye hai ki aap, ammi, Najma aur mera hone wala bachha hi mere asli wajood hain, mere asli taakat hain... Haan ye sach hai ki jab main India aayi thi tab meri priority thi mere abbu... par ab nahi. Ab aap sab se main hoon... unse nahi jinko main pehchaanti bhi nahi. Woh zinda hain, ye iss baat ka saboot hai ki woh mujhe chhod kaar gaye they... par fir bhi main unse sirf isiliye milna chahti hoon kyunki mujhe apne sawaalon ke jawab chahiye... bas. Aap samajh rahe hain na main kya bol rahi hoon?" she asked, cupping her husband's face while looking into his warm eyes.

Asad was stunned by Zoya's speech... After all this time, when she had finally found some clue of her father... she chooses her husband over him... How much more selfless can she be? he thought, as he held her hand which was on in cheek.

And as though she had read his mind, Zoya answered "Nahi Asad, I'm not choosing you over my past because I'm selfless... no. I'm doing this for myself. Just for me. Main India aayi thi apne abbu ko dhundne ke liye but... yahan mujhe aap mile. Aapka parivaar mila... itna pyaar, itni mohabbat... Meri duayein qubool hui, balki jo maine kabhi socha nahi tha woh mujhe mile, ek bhara- pura parivaar. Duniya ki sabse achhi ammi, ek pyari si chhoti behen, aur ek shauhar jo mujhe khud se bhi zyaada mohabbat karte hain... aur ab, hum dono ki pyaar ki nishaani... humara bachha. Main apne khoye hue abbu ke liye aap sab ko khona nahi chahti. Aur main aapka mind nahi pad kar sakti Asad... But I can read your eyes" she said and caressed his cheek. "Jab abbu ko milna hoga, tab woh mujhe zaroor milenge. Aur hum unhe dhundne ki poori koshish bhi karenge... par apne aaj ko sacrifice nahi karenge. Aur woh jab milenge... tab ki tab dekhenge! Par ab... its pani- puri time!!!

"Pani- pu... what?! Zoya tum theek toh ho?! Itna sab kuchh sunne ka baad bhi tumhe khane ki padi hai?! Ya Allah! Main kya karoon iss ladki ka?!" Asad said, stunned and amused at the same time.

"Main toh aisi hi hoon! Aur Asad maine abhi kuch der pehle aapse kya kaha tha? Ki news chahe acchi ho ya buri, mujhe panipuri khaana hai aur abhi khana hai! Chaliye na Asad!" Zoya pined and dragged him by his arm to the pani- puri stall, while he sighed in defeat and smiled.

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Meanwhile, a cellphone rang in the Siddiqui mansion. It was picked up as soon as it started to ring...

"Maine tujhse kitni baar bola hai ki mujhe phone mat kiya karo!" Razia Siddiqui hissed into the phone through her gritted teeth.

"Kya Razia bi, itni badi khabar dene ke liye phone kiya aur aap toh gussa hi ho gayi!" the man on the phone grinned.

"Khabar? Kaisi khabar?"

"Badi khabar bi, badi khabar! Ab aap kya karengi...?" the man chuckled.

"Paheliyan bujhana bandh kar! Jo bolna hai jaldi bol warna...!" she threatened.

"Arre arre bi kyun gussa ho rahi hain? Gussa baad mein ho lijiyega... waise jo khabar hai woh aapke sehat ke liye kuchh theek nahi hai... toh main soch raha hoon ki main bataun ya nahi..." the man replied, an evil smirk adorning his face.

"Meri sehat ke bare mein tum fikr na hi karo toh behtar hoga! Ab apna mooh kholo!" Razia was irritated and tensed at the same time... he never called unless he had big news to give...

"Aap pakdi gayi Razia bi, pakdi gayi! Asad Ahmed Khan ne aapki chaal pakad li hai... aapne jo us framewaale se jhoot bulwaya tha Zoya ke abbu ke baarey mein... ki woh mar chuke hain... us aadmi ne sab kuchh bak diya hai... ab aapka kya hoga, Razia bi?" the man laughed.

"Kya...? Tumhe pata bhi hai ki tum kya keh rahe ho?" Razia gasped. This was beyond what she had expected... no, this couldn't be happening... not after all this time...

"Sahi keh raha hoon main bi. Khud apni aankhon se dekha hai aur apni kaanon se suna hai... Asad aur Zoya ko aapka jhoot pata chal chukka hai. Ab boliye mujhe kya karna hai?"

"Ab tumhe kuchh nahi karna hai. Jo karna hai, woh main khud karoongi" Razia said.

"Kya karengi aap bi?"

"Iska tumse koi lena dena nahi hai. Tumhare paise tumhe mil jayenge. Usey lekar tum iss shehar se dafa ho jao. Samjhe Raghu Singh?"

Yes, that man who had been keeping an eye on Asad and Zoya was none other than Raghu Singh... Razia's henchman, who had previously attempted to murder Dilshad. After the incident at the doll factory a year and a half ago when Asad had beaten him senseless, Raghu had to spend a whole month at the hospital, obviously funded by Razia herself. He had recovered, and one would think that he had changed his ways after that horrible punishment he had recieved... but sadly, that was not the case for Raghu. He remained a criminal and kept an eye on Asad, Zoya and the framemaker, while occasionally commiting a few petty crimes for money. But he had been well hidden... away from the clutches of Asad and the law.

"Theek hai Bi" he smirked and cut the call. His work here was finally done and now he would escape... nobody could catch him.

On the other end of the line Razia shut her phone and sat down on her bed with a thud. She had to do something. Quick.

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"Bhaiya do plate panipuri dena!" Zoya chirped as soon as she reached the stall, still dragging a reluctant Asad by the arm.

"Do plate?!"Asad gasped... and then he realised that he himself had volunteered to have... that. "S...sure!" he added, just as he saw Zoya giving him a glare.

"Actually you know what Asad? Ek hi khaafi hai. Bhaiya, ek hi plate dena!" Zoya said, smiling. "No need to be relieved janaab," Zoya said as she saw relief flash in Asad's eyes, "hum share karne wale hain! Waise bhi aapne kabhi yeh khaya nahi hoga, toh lagta hai mujhe hi aapko khilaana hoga...!" Zoya said, mocking exasperatedness.

"Agar tum khilaogi toh main zeher bhi kha loonga!" Asad said.

Zoya gasped and put her hand on his lips. "Don't you dare say that again Mr. Asad Ahmed Khan! I warn you!"

"Zoya... Main mazaak kar raha tha! Mujh mein itni himmat kahan ki meri sherni begum ko gussa dilaun?!" Asad smiled and winked at her.

A soft blush appeared on Zoya's cheeks. "Asad! Aap bhi na! Kuch bhi!" she scolded him and punched his shoulder playfully. The stall owner smiled at the sight of the beautiful couple in front of him... True, he was a witness to many a lovers' banters and this was no different, yet this couple was special in their own way... They seem to be so much in love with each other... he thought as he handed them their plate.

Zoya took the plate from him and held up a panipuri in front of Asad's mouth and as he opened it, she put the snack in. Asad had never had it before... when he was a kid they couldn't afford three full meals in a day so having streetside snacks was not in question... and as he grew up he became so busy in his studies and later in his business, that having food like this was not an option. Also his OCD had set in by then... so he had never bothered to have them either.

But as he crunched the crispy outer layer in his mouth to release the soft and tangy fillings and tamarind water... he knew exactly why Zoya craved for it so much. It was delicious! He chewed and swallowed it quickly and smiled at Zoya who was eyeing him questioningly and gave her a thumbs up. Zoya grinned widely and Asad took another panipuri from the plate and held it up for her to eat and she gobbled it up quickly. The two enjoyed eating from each other's hands as they laughed and ordered for a second plate, then the third, fourth...

Finally when they were full, they noticed one left in the plate... and it was Zoya's turn to eat. So Asad held it up for her and as soon as she opened her mouth, he pulled his hand back; put the panipuri into his mouth and ate it... while Zoya stood there with her mouth open, shock evident on her face and Asad grinned at her like a mischievious kid who had gotten away with a prank... which he had.

Zoya, feeling stupid, closed her mouth but just as she saw her husband's twinkling eyes and grin she started laughing and playfully hit him again. He was not The Asad Ahmed Khan anymore... just Asad, her Asad, she thought, as the feeling sunk into her for the millionth time.

Asad was only a child whose smile, mischief and innocent playfulness had been taken away from him at the wrong time by fate... And he had got those back now, thanks to Zoya... Asad thought. He still couldn't believe how much he had changed over time... it still surprised him. Love changes you in ways you never thought possible... he had no idea that these words held so much truth. He had changed... and he loved every bit of it. He made his family happy, and there was nothing that he could regret.