AsYa FF: Destiny Comes Calling (suspended) #2 *Note* 3/12/13 Pg 26 - Page 13

Chapter 23: Just Another day in Paradise

Zoya and Najma had to cut short their conversation since Dilshaad had stopped by with the intention to spend some time with the girls. Najma was finally free after a hectic week and Zoya too was a little relieved now that the PI had taken over her investigation. They spent a good amount of time talking about everything under the sun.

The next morning was a routine one for everyone. Najma went to college, Mr. Khan to his office and Dilshaad decided to go to the orphanage she volunteered at for the day. She hadn't been there in a week due to her illness.

Zoya had spent a good part of the night researching good immigration lawyers in Bhopal, ones that could help her extend her visas. Infact, she was planning on stopping by the office of one of the lawyers she had narrowed down.

Her meeting with the lawyer went well. Some of the options he gave, namely marriage and engagement, were thrown out the window immediately. He suggested employment visas, be it with a company or volunteer work with NGOs, but they would need a lot of documentation from the company. Zoya considered it but was not sure if she would be able to get the documentation ready in time, since she did not even have a job. The lawyer informed her that if she did find a job, it was possible for them to request for extra time to get the paperwork ready.

Armed with all the information, Zoya got home and started weighing her options. Aapi and Jeeju asked her to come back and go only once the PI had some solid leads. However, Zoya was not comfortable with the idea since it would delay the process while she got back to India. She promised them that she would return, if she was not able to resolve the visa issues in the next 4-5 days. Not that she had other options.

She spent the rest of the day job hunting. Najma was the first one to return and from the look on her face, Zoya could tell that the girl was bursting with exictment. As they settled down with a cup of coffee, Zoya asked Najma to spill the beans.

"There is nothing to say Zoya." She shrugged as she eyes Zoya excitedly

"Is that so? Ok no problem." Zoya pretended to believe her and started working on the I-pad.

"No wait...listen MQ. I think I have made a decision." Najma turned a shade darker as she spoke, if it were still possible.

"About?" Zoya was enjoying pulling her leg.

"Zoya!!!" she gave her friend an exasperated look.

"Oh! The mystery guy? It had completely escaped my mind. What have you decided? Did you just meet him? Is that why you are blushing?" Zoya nudged her, making her blush some more. It was nice to see the girl smiling after so long.

"MQ, aap kitne sawaal karte ho? Nahi. [How many questions do you ask? No.]I did not meet him. I just spent a good part of my day thinking about our situation, and I know I want to give us a chance. That's it." She said the last part looking away from Zoya, avoiding meeting her eyes when Zoya tugged at her hand in surprise.

"OMG tamatar, tum tamatar se bhi laal ho sakti ho, yeh main nahi jaanti thi. Kitni pyaari lag rahi ho tum sharmate hue. [I had no idea you could turn redder than a tomato. You look so adorable all shy like this.] But in all seriousness are you sure?" Zoya sobered up, she was still unsure about this guy and now with Najma's decision, she was even more concerned.

Najma only nodded in response, calming down herself and getting serious.

"What about Mr. Khan?" Zoya asked, remembering how Najma was scared of her brother.

"I think we will get there when we will. We might just be able to wing this one." Najma confided.

"Confident much? Anyways, tell who is this guy and when can I meet him?"

"Soon. He is" "Azam" Najma had just started to say when a third voice spoke from behind them.

"Azam?" "Azam!" Zoya asked and Najma exclaimed as they turned in their seats in the direction of the door, to see Dilshaad standing there.

"Haan bolo Azam [Yes tell me, Azam]. Sure. What? In person? Why don't you join us tomorrow evening for dinner? Yes, I am curious what life changing decision you have made this time? Yes I know. No problem. Bye." Dilshaad smiled into the phone before hanging up.

"Ammi? Aap... aap kab aayi? [Mom? When did you come?]" Najma asked as she stood up.

"Bas abhi abhi. [Just now.]I was just at the door, when my phone rang. It was Azam, I am guessing you heard. He is coming for dinner tomorrow, he wants to discuss some life changing decision he has made. Every time this boy uses those words, my heart starts to palpitate. Last time he called me with this news, he told me how he was planning on masquerading as a female fashion designer and needed my help to launch him. I wonder what new madcap scheme he has come up with this time. Lekin, main bhi kya karu. Har waqt mujhe yaad dila deta hai ki uski ammi ne uski zimmedari mujhe saup di hain, aur ab mein hi uski ammi hoon. Mein bhi pagal hoon jo uski baton mein aa jati hoon. Ya Allah, kab bada hoga yeh ladka? [But, what should I do? Everytime he makes sure to remind me that his mother had asked me to look after him and that now I was his mom too. And I am also mad, that I agree to his whims. Oh Lord, when will this boy grow up?]" Dishaad continued her monologue as she sat down and took the glass of water that Zoya offered her.

Najma who was standing to the side, heaved a sigh of relief to be completely missed by the other two ladies. Just like last night, Najma and Zoya's conversation was cut shortas they got busy preparing dinner.

Zoya as usual played the clown and entertained them with her shayaris and jokes while the women chopped and stired. Of course, her trusty assistant, Jaan had also joined the ladies and was enjoying the little nibbles that were being thrown his way. The conversation had slowly veered towards recent movies and plays, which Najma and Dilshaad enjoyed whenever they got a chance. They had gotten to the point where each of the younger girls had started recounting the many merits of their favorite actors.

Dilshaad continued to work besides them, laughing at the antics and giving her input when asked.

"Ek baat batao phoopi? Aap kisse pasand karti hain? I mean, aaj kal ke heros to itne handsome aur dashing hai, aap ko kaun acha lagta hai?[Tell me something, Phoopi? Who is your favorite? The actors these days are so handsome and dashing, is there anyone you like?]" Zoya nudged Dilshaad since her and Najma's conversation was getting repetitive and boring.

"Main bataoo? Main bataoo? [Can I tell?]" Najma jumped in.

"Tum nahi phoopi batayegi, Ranbir? Ranveer? I know, Hrithik! Ya phir meri tarah Salman?[Not you aunt will respond. Ranbir? Ranveer? Hrithik? Or is it Salman like me?" Zoya questioned a smiling Dilshaad.

"Zoya yeh sab to mere saamne bacche hai. [They are all kids in front of me.]" Dilshaad laughed.

"To kya Amitabh Bachan? [So Amitabh?] Even Dharamji was quite handsome in his younger days." Zoya giggled.

"Nahi MQ. Kaka mera matlab Rajesh Khanna. Mujhe yaad hain jis din unke guzarne ki khabar aayi thi to ammi chupke chupke royi thi.[No MQ. Kaka, I mean Rajesh Khanna. I had seen ammi cry in secret when the news of his death came out.]" Najma pitched in and started giggling.

"Haaaw Phoopi... itni mohabbat? [Aww Aunt...so much love?]" Zoya teased.

"Mohabbat nahi pagal ladkiyon, use lagaw kehte hain. Arrey har ek ladki us zamane mein unhe pasand karti thi, main bhi. Ismein kaunsi nayi baat hain? [It's not called love, foolish girls, it is mere liking. In those days every girl was crazy about him, me too. So what is new in it?]" Dilshaad corrected them. Zoya was enjoying that Dilshaad was not taking offence and was instead playing along.

"Who bhi hain. Aur fida se yaad aaya. Aap bhi to itni khoobsurat hain, to jawani mein to aap qayamat dhalti hongi. Aap ke upar bhi bahot se ladke fida honge. Hain na, Phoopi. [That is so true. And that reminds me. You are so beautiful yourself, so in your younger days you must be very sought after. Isn't it?]" Zoya continued her teasing, failing to notice the smile falter from Dilshaad's face before she covered it up.

"Yeh kaise behood sawaal hai? Yeh koi tareeka hai apni ammi ki umr ki aurat se baat karne ka? [What sort of ill-mannered conversation is this? Is this how you talk to women your mother's age?]" Boomed a voice from the entrance to the kitchen.

Zoya shivered in anticipation as she waited for more, she knew this was directed at her. She looked up to find a very angry Mr. Khan staring down at her.

"Asad, beta tum kab aaye? [Son, when did you come?]" Dilshaad intervened as she walked towards him.

"Ammi, aap baat mat badaliye. [Ammi, don't change the topic.]" Asad glared at his mother who was pulling on his hand before redirecting it back to Zoya.

"Mr. Khan main to bas...[Mr. Khan I was just...]"

"Asad, beta hum to bas... [Son, we were just...]"

Both Zoya and Dilshaad spoke in unison.

"Aami aap beech mein nahin bolengi. Itna toh mein pehle din hi samaj gaya tha ki yeh bahot hi badtameez and bin tehzeeb ladki hain. Lekin, phir dheere dheere lagne laga ki nahin, shayad mein galat tha. Magar aaj yakeen ho gaya ke yeh belihaz bhi hai. Umra ka lihaz karna inhe aata hi nahi. Jo maan mein aata hai who bol deti hain bina soche ya samjhe. [Mom, you will not speak in the middle. The day she arrived, I had figured out that she was illmannered and ill cultured. But then slowly, I felt that no, I may be wrong about her. However, today she proved me correct, she is all that and inconsiderate. She has no consideration for other people's feelings or even respect for their age. She speaks without thinking.]" Asad's eyes did not blink or waver as he enunciated every single word so that its meaning could not escape the intended audience.

"Asad tum khamakha bigad rahe ho us bechari par. [Asad, you are getting upset on that helpless girl over nothing.]" Dilshaad spoke up, angered by the words her son was using for Zoya.

"Ammi who bechari nahin hai. [Mom she is not helpless.]" Asad argued.

"Bas. Hum sab mazak kar rahe the, samjhe tum. Bacche bade ho jaate hain to maa-baap unke dost ban jaate hain. Aur is tarah ka mazak doston mein jayaz hain. Lekin yeh baat tum nahi samajh paoge. Choti si umr mein bade to ho gaye, lekin woh tajurba nahi aaya hai tumme abhi. Aur to aur mazak aur dosti ka matlab tak bhool gaye ho. Agar tumhare abbu aaj hote to shayad tum samajhte... [Enough. We were all just joking around, do you understand that? When the kids grow up, parents become their friends. And it is allowed to joke around with your friends. But you will not understand it. You grew up at a young age, but you do not have the experience to be a grown up. And you have even forgotten what it is like to joke or have friends. IF your father was around today, you would have understood what I am getting at...]" Zoya was surprised by the force in phoopi's voice. Now she got where the anger in Mr. Khan came from. She would never have believed it, if someone were to tell her that her mild and demure looking phoopi could turn into a female Mr. Khan too.

"Agar abbu hote to bahot kuch alag hota ammi. [If my father was alive, a lot of things would have been different.]" He turned around and walked away without a backward glance.

"Ya allah, yeh meine kya keh diya. [Oh Lord, What did I just say?"] This is exactly why I keep telling him to learn to reign in his temper."Phoopi sat down on the nearest chair, holding her head in her hands as silent tears escaped her eyes.

Zoya turned to Najma who was rooted to her spot, her gaze followed the path that her brother had just taken and her eyes shedding tears. Zoya went up to Najma and shook her out of her stupor. They both approached Dilshaad who was now weeping unrestrainedly.

"Zoya, main ammi ko sambhal loongi. Kya aap..? [Zoya, I will handle mom. Can you?]"

"Ofcourse. I was going to suggest the same thing to you." Zoya agreed with mock bravado which was evident as she gulped in fear. Off to the Lion's den then.

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Let me know your thoughts. The part to come, I had visualized a long time ago. I hope I can do justice to it.

Rivs