AsYa FF:|And the past comes to Visit| Banner+Very Imp. Note pg-120 - Page 47

Three weeks later:

Dear diary,

The last three weeks have have passed in a frenzy! Ever since we found out about Zoya bhabhi's pregnancy the house has turned upside down... literally! Bhabhi keeps feeling sick, throwing up almost every morning, Bhaijaan has gone crazy and has suddenly become extremely over- protective of Zoya (as if he was any less before!) and it gets worse when she gets one of her mood swings. Ammi is going mad trying to keep everything under control and it seems as though I am the only person who is sane enough in this house... correction, mad- house. Allah only knows how long my sanity is going to last! See I have started to lose track of things already... I am writing to you after so much time! I never missed before... and I finally found time today!

Boy I have to tell you about an incident that occurred around a week back! My tummy still hurts from all the laughing! As usual now, bhabhi was having one of her mood swings... and this time, bhaijaan was the unfortunate victim... but I think it's safe to state that he called for it.

Well, bhabhi has already started to grow bigger and has piled on a few kgs in the in the past month... just that we didn't notice it before we found out about the tiny one inside her. And her clothes have started getting tight too... nightmare for every woman! Ask me! I think I have lost count of how many times I have complained about my never reducing waistline to you, ammi, bhabhi, bhaijaan or to anyone else for that matter. And if you have an awesome figure like Zoya... gaining weight can be depressing... like really.

So her favourite pink kurti wasn't fitting her and she was stressed out. When bhaijaan came home from office, he found almost her entire wardrobe out on their bed. And she was sitting in the middle of the bed in her pile of clothes hugging her kurti and crying like a baby (well, that was his description of the situation!). Apparently bhai asked her what was wrong... but she kept bawling and asked him if he couldn't see for himself. And that's when he messed up. He told her that he could see her entire wardrobe out on their bed and she sitting in it and crying... wrong choice of words, part one. And by that time ammi and I had heard the noise and had come to see what was wrong and what we saw is etched on our minds forever.

Bhabhi was standing on the bed, yelling at bhaijaan through her tears. It was something like, "Aapko koi farak hi nahi padta hai na? Main moti ho ja rahi hoon, mere favourite kapde mujhe fit nahi hote aur aapko sirf aapki saaf- safaai ki padi hai!" Bhai looked as though he couldn't decide whether to laugh or to cry! He said, "Mujhe pata nahi tha Zoya ki tum moti ho jaa rahi ho. I am so sorry!"

Wrong choice of words, part two.

Bhabhi flared up again and yelled, "Aapki matlab kya hai? Main moti hoon?! Maine aapse kitni baar kaha hai aap mujhe moti kabhi bhi nahi bolenge! Aur aap ko pata bhi kaise chalega? Aap bohot bure ho Asad! Aap toh meri tarf dekhte bhi nahi! Sirf kaam, kaam aur kaam! Main kya itni badsurat hoon? Apki laptop mujhse achhi dikhti hai? Toh fir usi se nikaah kar lijiye na aap!!"

Ammi and I were in splits by then... we both knew that it was more her fluctuating hormones talking than her... but it was hilarious none the less! And bhaijaan's 'Mujh- bechaare- par- koi- rehem- karo' type expression... OMG! He said, "Par zoya, main kyun bura ho gaya?! Tum hi ne toh abhi kaha ki tum moti ho gayi ho... maine kab kaha? Aur bed se toh utro! Neeche gir gayi toh?" And that did it. Bhabhi clenched her fists and gritted her teeth and shouted, "ASAD AHMED KHAN! GET OUT! BAHAR JAYIYE!"

And that's how bhaijaan had to spend the next three nights sleeping on the living room couch. And I am still laughing my heart out as I am writing to you! And that reminds me, I'm starving too! Wonder what ammi has made for lunch... I bet it's another of bhabhi's favourites.

Until the next time I get to write to you...

Tamatar...

Najma smiled as she shut her diary. Life was so beautiful now... all this happiness, excitement... just perfect. Just how it should be.

If only she knew the half of it.

Asad shut his file and pinched the bridge of his nose... no, he wasn't irritated, just tired. It was past 6 in the evening now and he was dying to go back home now. He had been reading the same clause in the file over and over again for the past 40 minutes but nothing seemed to get registered in his head. Office work was increasing by the day and at home there was Zoya's pregnancy and mood swings... well, he couldn't complain about that! And on top of that there was the search for her abbu...

Asad reached for the drawer to to take out a bottle of pills as he felt another headache coming up... he had been getting a lot of those lately. He gulped down the tablet with some water when he heard the phone ringing... again. That had to be the 30^th call he was receiving that day... nevermind the fact that the 19 of them were from home. He had made ammi and Najma promise him that he would be getting a status update of his dear wife from them every half hour, only then did he agree to not work from home like he had been doing since his anniversary, and actually go to office for a change.

He kept the glass down and picked up the phone, and fortunately, this wasn't from home.

"Yes Arif, kuch khabar mila?"

Arif was one of the best private investigators in Bhopal, and Asad had hired him to look for Zoya's abbu... and find his link with Razia Siddiqui. He hadn't found out anything as of yet, but he was well on track.

"Aapne jinhe dhoondne ke liye kaha tha woh toh nahi mile, lekin ek aadmi ka pata laga hai jiska Razia Siddiqui se taaluk malum hua hai... aur aap se bhi."

"Kaun? Kiski baat kar rahe hain aap?"

"Raghu Singh."

"What?! Woh aadmi zinda hai?!"

"Zinda hai aur issi sheher mein hai. Aap shayad jaante honge ki woh ex- armyman hai aur ek security agency mein bhi kaam ker chukka hai, par ab woh ek full- time criminal ban chuka hai."

"Jaanta hoon. Usne meri ammi ko maar daalne ki koshish ki thi... ek baar agar woh mere samne aa jaye, chhodunga nahi usey! Faansi me usey nahi chadhaya toh... ek minute, aapko Raghu ke baare mein kaise pata? Maine toh aapko is baare mein nahi bataya..."

"Main samjhata hoon. Aap ne jab mujhe hire kiya tha tab maine aapke baare mein aur aapki family ke baare mein saari information collect kiya tha... kyunki mera aisa karna koi bhi case lene se pehle zaroori hota hai. Mujhe jisne hire kiya hai agar uske baare mein sab kuchh pata hua, toh mujhe aisa kuch pata chalte hi jisse aapka faida ho aur case aage badhe, main aapko bata sakta hoon. Isiliye."

"Oh! Par Raghu Singh ka iss sab se kya relation hai?"

"Relation hai Mr. Khan. Mere khabri ne mujhe pakka news diya hai ki Raghu kanoon ke nazar se bachne ke liye choohe ki tarah chhipa hua hai. Aur uski madat ismein Razia bi hi kar rahi hai... aur woh unke liye kaam karta hai."

Asad was shocked. "Kya?! Are you sure?"

"Mr. Khan I'm always sure of what I say. Raghu Singh Razia Siddiqui ke liye hi kaam karta hai and I'm sure woh humein kuchh bata sakta hai. Razia bi ne jo kaam kiya hai woh gair kanooni hai, aur unki almost saari gair kanooni kaam mein Raghu Singh surely madat karta hai. But Mr. Khan you have to promise that you will control yourself and not hurt him in the beginning... hum pehle usse information nikaalenge. We will use force if he doesn't comply... which I am sure he won't. Kaam ho jaane ke baad we will hand him over to the police. Agreed?"

"Theek hai. It will be difficult for me but I promise not to kill him."

Arif chuckled dryly. "Alright. Mujhe khabar mila hai Raghu ye state chhod ke jaa raaha hai, aur kal shaam ko uski train hai. Toh kal subah hum uske adde par raid daalenge. Aap taiyar rahiyega."

"Theek hai Arif. Khudahaafiz."

"Allahaafiz."

Asad put the phone down and let out a heavy sigh. Where was this leading to? All he wanted to do was find Zoya's abbu and now this had that family and that woman involved, and even that criminal Raghu Singh... Where was this going?!

He finished his pending work quickly and left office. He couldn't stay here if his mind was constantly at home and imagining Zoya slipping somewhere and bumping into something, somewhere, being the total klutz that she is. He shook his head immediately to clear the disturbing thoughts and images... Snap out of it Asad! Zoya is fine! he mentally chided himself as he started the car.

At the Khan mansion:

Asad ran into his room as soon as he entered the house. He had to see Zoya just now... he still felt a chill go down his spine as he remembered the call he had receive while he was driving...

(Flashback)

"He..hello As..Asad?"

His heart had momentarily stopped beating as he heard the quivering voice... Zoya was crying?!

"Zoya? Kya hua tumhe? Are you alright?"

"Na..nahi Asad! I need you... abhi! Pl..please ja..jaldi ghar aa..aajayiye na!"

"Zoya kya hua hai tumhe? Please bolo! Tum ro kyun rahi ho?! Zoya?!"

Beep, beep, beep.

She had cut the call.

(Flashback ends)

Asad looked around the room and heaved as sigh of relief as he spotted her. There she was... sitting on the couch near the huge window with her legs folded up, looking blankly outside. And she looked... fine? But then... what about the call?

He approached her and called her. But she seemed too lost in her thoughts to hear anything. He slightly tapped her back and she jumped up.

"Asad? Aap kab aaye?"

Wasn't she the one who called him and made him break God knows how many red signals in his hurry to get back home?

No one in the world had the talent to understand this woman.

He took in a deep breath and replied, "Abhi abhi Zoya. Par tumne call kyun kiya tha? Kya hua tha tumhe? Ro kyun rahi thi?"

Zoya seemed to be in deep thought. "Oh!" she exclaimed and clapped her hands together. "Woh kya hai na, mujhe na, aapse baat karne ke bohot mann kar raha tha. Par aap to yahan nahi the... isiliye maine phone kar liya!"

Asad closed his eyes and pressed his temples... another mood swing?! Ya Allah, ab aap hi iss bechaare par rehem karo... he prayed. Well at least this was the first time in the day, thanks heavens! "Zoya tum ro kyun rahi thi? Pata hai main kitna darr gaya tha?"

"Woh aap yahan nahi they na... toh main aapko bohot miss kar rahi thi. Isilliye rona aa gaya tha..."

"Zoya... kya karun main tumhara?" he said exasperatedly while smiling. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get mad at her.

"Kuchh nahi!" she said and started giggling.

Great... just 15 minutes ago she was crying like the world had ended and now she was giggling away.

"Zoya main fresh hoke aata hoon. Fir hum achhe se baat karenge, theek hai?"

Just as he turned to leave, he was stopped by Zoya who was holding his wrist with both her hands. "Asad rukiye na! Mujhe aapse abhi baat karni hai! Please!" she pouted cutely.

Asad sighed for the umpteenth time that day and occupied a seat beside Zoya. "Boliye begum sahiba, aapka shauhar aapke khidmat mein haazir hai!"

Zoya had a serious expression on her face... she looked as if she was tensed... "Asad..Mujhe bohot darr lag raha hai... "

"Par kyun?"

"Main bohot der se soch rahi thi... Kya main acchi ammi ban paungi? Main apne bachhe ka theek se khayal nahi rakh paayi toh?"

"Tumhe aisa kyon lag raha hai ki tum ek achhi ammi nahi ban paogi? Aur humare bachhe ka khayal rakhne ke liye hum dono hain, aur ammi aur Najma bhi hain na... toh fir aisa darr kyun?"

"Kyunki mujhe meri ammi se parvarish naseeb nahi hui thi na... haan aapi aur jeeju ne mujhe khud ke ammi abbu se bhi zyaada pyaar diya hai lekin... Mujhe kabhi pata hi chala ki ammi hoti kaun hai... Par jab mujhe yahan phoo.. sorry, ammi mili, tab mujhe pata chala ammi sach mein hoti kaisi hain. Agar main unke jaisi achhi ammi nahi ban paayi toh?"

"Toh kisne kaha tumhe ammi jaisi banne ke liye? Tum jaisi ho, sabse achhi ho, aur sabse achhi ammi ban sakhti ho."

"Sachhi?"

"Mucchhi. Zoya main samajh sakta hoon ki tumhe darr lag kyun raha hai par... sach bataun toh darr mujhe bhi lag raha hai..."

Zoya looked up suddenly, baffled at Asad's confession. "Asad" and "darr" did not fit into the same sentence unless there was a "nahi" in between.

"Aapko? Par kyun?"

"Tumhe pata hai kyun... Zoya. Us aadmi ne humein us waqt chhoda jab humein unki sabse zyaada zaroorat thi... abbu kinhe kehte hain mujhe ab tak nahi pata. Meri jo parvarish thi, sab ammi ne ki, lekin... Main kaisa abbu banunga Zoya?"

Zoya chuckled softly at his response.

"Aap has rahi hain?" Asad was surprised.

"Aur nahi toh kya karu main Asad? Pichhle teen hafton se aap jo kar rahein hain... iske baad agar aapko lagta hai ki aap achhe abbu nahi banenge, toh fir mujhe kuch nahi kehna hai." Zoya turned and cupped his face with her hands and turned him to face her. "Asad main aapko kitni baar samjhaun ki aap aapke abbu nahi hain. Agar aap koshish bhi karenge toh aap unke jaise nahi ban payenge... mujhe nahi pata ki unhone jo kiya woh kyun kiya lekin... mujhe yeh zaroor pata hai ki aap humein kabhi bhi chhod ke nahi jayenge. Aur aap iss duniya ke sabse achhe abbu banenge, mujhe aap par poora bharosa hai."

"Sachhi?" he asked her the same she had done.

"Mucchhi." Zoya smiled and flashed her dimples and wrapped her arms around Asad's neck, engulfing him in a bone- crushing hug. Asad hugged her back buried his nose into the crook of her neck, snuggling there. They stayed there like for a long time, deriving strength from each other's warmth...

But something clicked in Zoya's mind and she broke the hug suddenly. "Allah Miyan what's wrong with me?! Main bhool kaise gayi?!"

Asad was still reeling from the hug but he managed to answer "K..kya bhool gayi Zoya?"

"Asad kal shaam ko meri pehli ultrasound hai? Aap bhi bhool gaye?!"

Amidst all the work Asad too had forgotten... but he made up a lie immediately. "Na...nahi toh Zoya! Main kabhi kuchh bhool sakta hoon kya?"

"Jhoot mat boliye! Aap bhi bhool gaye na?" Zoya was eyeing him accusingly.

"Wo..woh sab chhodo na Zoya! Kal bohot bada din hai... you need rest. Chalo main jaldi se fresh ho jaata hoon, fir hum dinner karke so jayenge, theek hai?"

"Asad I'm so excited! Kal hum humare baby ko pehli bar dekhenge!"

"Iss pal ka maine bhi besabhri se intezaar kiya hai Zoya... kal humara intezar khatam hoga." Asad replied and gently stroked her belly, making her break out into giggles again.

Asad smiled and stood up and made his way out of the room, while trying to figure out what the next day had in store for them.

______________

Phew! Done! I'm so so so sorry guys for my super late updates, but my Mid-term exams/ Half Yearlies are less than a month away and since I'm in the final year of school its really hectic. I really do hope you understand! And I gave a long update like I used to do before, to apologize 😃

Please like and comment guys, you have no idea what they mean to me! 🤗