New York Se Aaya Mera Dost…
…Dost ko salaam karo…
Here is a lightweight version of Farhan-Zoya track to ease the stress hormone levels on the forum. Please no bashing of characters. Take it in good humor.
Presumptions:
- Zoya has taken up Tanveer's offer of maintaining silence regarding her evil deeds in exchange for information on her abbu.
- Zoya is staying back in KV on Dilshaad's insistence at the pretext of completing her search for her father before leaving for NY.
- Zoya knows that Tanveer is pregnant but believes it's not Asad's baby. There is no way for Zoya to prove Asad's innocence as he believes Tanu and no one has asked for her medical reports.
- Zoya is back to her chirpy self (on the outside but stays awake crying at night)
DING! DONG!
"Arre Zoya, dekhna tho kaun hai darwaaze par?" Dilshaad poked her head out from the kitchen. Zoya was at the dining table, sorting out all the old information and photographs about her abbu. Asad, who had been taking care of a pregnant Tanu in her room, walked out to see who was at the door. Asad and Zoya exchanged glances; he lowered his eyes when he saw Zoya walk towards the front door.
"I got it Mr.Khan. Please take care of your pregnant fiance. Aaj kal waise bhi Tanu ko bahut vomiting ho rahi hai." Zoya hummed a song all the way to the door.
Her words stung him fiercely. He hated the phrase pregnant fiance! Her demeanor disheartened him. While he had been sulking and not slept a wink since he had called off the nikaah with Zoya, she had bounced back and seemed totally unfazed.
He clenched his fist and turned around to go back but a loud shrill caught his attention.
"FARHAN! ALLAH MIAN! AM I DREAMING OR WHAT?" The excitement in Zoya's voice forced Asad to stop and turn around. A tall, lean and handsome man at the door with a big grin stood with his arms outstretched. Dressed in a pair of designer jeans and a black t-shirt, he could easily be mistaken for a model or a celebrity.
He walked in and gave Zoya a bear hug.
"ZO! I can't believe you are still in India! I am glad aapi told me about your whereabouts. Wapas US aane ka iraada hai ya nahin?" His deep voice resonated in the foyer.
"I know! I know Farhan," Zoya returned the hug and stepped back, "kaash main pehle hi wapas aa gayi hoti. In fact the immigration officers almost deported me. Wish they had," she added softly, "lekin jis mission ke liye aayi thi, wo abhi poora nahin hua, I got side tracked you see," she gave Asad a sharp look.
Asad tried to look away guiltily but couldn't take his eyes off the stranger in his house. Flashes of the airport engagement and Zoya's abbu's graveyard scene haunted his thoughts. He had let her down on both accounts; he was her offender.
Finally, he mustered courage and came forward, "Aadaab! I am Asad Ahmed Khan. The owner of this house."
Farhan nodded gently, smiled and stretched his hand out for a handshake, "Hello Mr. Khan! What a pleasure! I am Farhan Akhtar (sorry, don't know Haseena's family's last name so made up the last name). Zo and I are good friends from NY. Just came home for Eid. Have heard a lot about you, Mr.Khan."
Asad glanced at Zoya from the corner of his eyes, wondered why Zoya had never mentioned Farhan's name in the past while Farhan apparently knew a lot about him.
Zoya caught Asad gazing at her, "Mr.Khan, Farhan and I have known each other since childhood. We were a gang of four best friends- Farhan, Ishaan, David and me. Chaar dharam-Chaar dost! Bahut dangaa fasaad karte the hum log." She had a smile as she reminisced her childhood days, "MashaAllah! Who bhi kya din the , haina Farhan?"
"And Zo was the leader of the gang!" Farhan chuckled and punched Zoya's arm playfully, "we were like the four spies! We would make up all these spy games and Zo would be the first one to crack them."
"Lagta hai spy games khelna inki purani aadat hai," Asad replied wryly, his eyes glued to Farhan's fist that had just grazed Zoya's arm. He detested the name 'Zo' and hated the fact that Zoya seemed so comfortable being addressed that way by this stranger.
"Kyun Zo? Are you still at it?" Farhan raised his eyebrow. Asad cringed again.
"Koshish tho zaari rehti hai Farhan," Zoya smirked as she glanced at Asad, "just need some reliable partners. Yahan India mein log aksar sawaal nahin karte. Kai log apne dimaag aur aaonkhon ki khidkiyaan hamesha bandh karke rakhte hain. They assume everything they see and hear is true. How would they make good spies? They are like robots!"
Asad turned red and flared his notsrils. He knew her taunts were directed at him but he felt helpless "I-I have some work to do. Main chalta hoon. Aap log baithiye. Ms Farooqui, please ask Najma to offer some tea to your guest, Mr. Farhan."
"Thanks," Farhan found a comfortable spot on the couch. Asad gnashed his teeth when he saw Farhan plop on his favorite corner of the couch.
"Why bother Najma? Wo tho college se abhi aayi hi hai" Zoya chuckled, "Wasie bhi Farhan loves coffee, not tea! Main banaakar laati hoon. Farhan, you still like two spoons of sugar with cream?"
"Wow Zo! Abhi tak yaad hai?"
"Of course Farhan. Aakhir puraane doston ki baatein hum kaise bhool sakte hain?" Zoya glanced at Asad who was still standing in the living room. She noticed the frown and stiffening of his jaws. With a sardonic smile, she stared at Asad, "waise aap chaahe tho main aapke liye bhi aapki favorite black coffee with no sugar banaa sakti hoon Mr.Khan. Waise bhi aaj kal aap double duty de rahe hain- office and Tanveer seva- coffee break bhi nahin milta aaj kal aapko."
A visibly angry Asad averted his gaze, "no, I am fine. I don't drink coffee anymore."
"Really Mr.Khan? Aapne yeh shauk bhi chhod diya? Oh, I forgot! Pregnancy mein caffeine manaa hai na?"
"Ms Farooqui! Aap baat ka---," Asad was fuming.
"Well Mr. Khan, America mein aksar aadmi log bhi pregnancy mein apne partner ki diet par aa jaate hain. I just thought- you know sympathy diet?"
"Pregnant? Farhan asks. "Congratulations Mr. Khan! Aapki wife expect kar rahi hai?"
Asad almost lost his balance and coughed hard; his face turned red at the mention of the term –wife. How he hated that term. Even though he had agreed to marry Tanveer, he still cringed at the thought of her being his life partner.
"Are you okay Mr. Khan? Here- have some water," Zoya handed him a glass of water and smiled, "Farhan, Mr. Khan is not used to this- pehli pregnancy hai na- iss liye shayad nervous hain."
"Oh, I see! Waise how many months pregnant is she?"
Asad was stumped by the question. Although it'd been about a week since Tanveer had thrown the bombshell at him, he had never bothered to ask her how far along she was.
"Yahi koi-maybe-uh-who," he scratched his forehead for an answer.
"6 weeks Mr. Khan? Max 7 weeks?" Zoya folded her arms and raised her eyebrows.
"Y-yeah-something like that," Asad replied but turned his head away.
"Oh, so you guys just found out?"
"Jee!" Asad mumbled. It seemed like an eternity.
"I would like to meet your wife."
"Unki tabiyat kuch naazuk hai," Zoya intervened, "you know morning sickness? Waise she has been throwing up a lot these days. Morning-afternoon-evening-poora time. That's normal na Farhan? I am kind of worried about her." Zoya sounded genuinely concerned.
"That's unusual this early in pregnancy. Kahin twins tho nahin hain?" Farhan asked. Asad turned a beetroot color; his eyes popped wide.
"Aap aisa kyun keh rahe hain? How do you know?" Asad panicked.
"Don't worry Mr. Khan. I am training to be an Obstetrician in the US. I am a second year resident. If you want I can check her reports. Ultrasound tho kiya hoga na? It would be easy to tell."
Asad shuffled in his feet. Zoya felt bad for him. She was aware of Tanveer's shenanigans and her gut feel told her that Tanu had been pregnant longer than she claimed. Tanu had bound her to secrecy and even if she tried, there was a good chance Asad would have never listened to her. He had even neglected her frantic voice message from Ajmer. Obviously, he never believed her allegation against Tanu. At times she felt sorry for Asad but there were times she cursed his blind faith in his childhood friend.
Farhan was her last hope.
"Ultrasound? Wo-actually," Asad lowered his head, "I-I am not sure."
"OH? Maybe India mein ultrasound karte na ho. Ultrasound is the norm in the first trimester in the US," Farhan replied, "but in this situation I think you should get an ultrasound from a reliable clinic. Kahin koi complication na ho."
"That's good advice," Asad nodded his head, "I should ask Tanveer. Ho sakta hai uske paas reports ho."
"Tho aapko nahin pata?" Farhan was baffled, "Zo? Do men not accompany their wives for their doctor appointments here? Sit down Mr. Khan. Let's talk about this."
Asad complied and sat down next to Farhan. Frankly, he had no desire to sit with Tanveer while she whined and threw up her guts. Zoya's friend and her friendship with Farhan intrigued him. There was so much about Zoya he had never bothered to find out.
"ZO! ANSWER ME!" Farhan raised his voice as Zoya had walked to the kitchen to prepare the coffee, "? DO MEN NOT ACCOMPANY THEIR WIVES FOR THEIR DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS HERE?
"MEN JUST BELIEVE WHATEVER THEIR WIVES TELL THEM FARHAN! THEY DON'T EVEN TALK TO THE DOCTOR!" She yelled from the kitchen.
"Really? US mein tho wives se zyaada husbands questions poonchte hain. Mera dimaag kharaab kar dete hain. You know Mr. Khan, what's the most common question I get asked in the clinic?"
"What?"
"How do I know this is my baby?"
"Oh! Don't they trust their wives?" Asad narrowed his eyes incredulously.
"Mr. Khan! Aap kis century mein rehte hain? Ever since the world started, even if they don't say it, men have always wondered if their wife is pregnant with their baby." Farhan laughed aloud, and then spoke softly "I am sorry, I am not pointing fingers at anybody but tell me frankly, haven't you ever wondered?"
"Aap kaise behudaa baatein kar rahe hain Dr Farhan? Main tho sapne mein bhi nahin--," he paused, his mind started spinning some wheels. While he was worried about Tanveer's health, he wondered why Tanveer had not shown him any reports. Not even a confirmation of the pregnancy. Her incessant vomiting was probably due to her pregnancy but what if there was something else going on? Didn't she say she had an ex husband? What happened that night? Someone whacked him on the head. Wasn't her ex husband also there? He shook his head and kicked himself for not being able to recall the details.
"I am sorry Mr. Khan," Farhan slapped Asad's back, "that was just a man to man talk. Waise don't say anything to Zo. She is feminist types you know. Naaraz ho jaayegi."
Asad pursed his lips and rested his elbows on his knees. He didn't hear what Farhan said; instead tried hard to recall events from that fateful night.
Absent mindedly, Zoya poured two cups of coffee. One, black and sugarless; the other with cream and sugar. As she stirred the cup with black coffee, she recalled how she had dreamt of making coffee for Asad everyday. How she would wake him up every morning with his favorite cup of coffee and have a cup ready for him when he got back from work. Tears rolled down her eyes and flowed into his cup of coffee. She came back to her senses; wiped her face and forced a smile on her face.
Asad noticed her misty red eyes. He could tell she had been crying in the kitchen. He noticed the two cups in her hand. Without protesting, he took the cup of black coffee from her hand. Even though he had refused the offer, he was glad she went out of her way and prepared the coffee for him. This was a little pleasure he would savor for a long time, he thought.
"AHH! Thanks Zo! Mmm. Delicious coffee! Waise Indian coffee ki baat hi alag hai." Farhan quipped.
"India ki har baat hi alag aur ghazab hai Farhan," Zoya sat across from both men and glanced at the newspaper.
Asad sipped his coffee and shut is eyes with pleasure. He would take his sweet time in finishing the cup today.
"I know Zo. The news stories here always amaze me. The other day, I read about a woman who was buried alive! Man! Can you imagine something like that happening in the US?"
Asad was startled by that comment; he came out of his coffee heaven and exchanged glances with Zoya. They both had flashbacks of the infamous Mangalpur incident; still a secret that only the two of them shared. For a few moments, both were lost in their thoughts
"ZO!" Farhan snapped his fingers, "hello! Kya soch rahi ho?"
"Oh! Kuch nahin! Waise Farhan, US mein bhi tho bahut ajeeb baatein hoti hain."
"So tho hai."
"Remember jab hum college mein the, we had that date rape incident at one of the parties?"
"Ya Allah! How can I forget that? That became national news. Remember that woman? How she drugged that poor Hispanic boy and raped that poor fellow and later accused him for impregnating her!"
"I know Farhan. This was the first time I ever heard a woman do that to a man." Zoya shook her head with a disgusted expression.
"That was the only time I heard it Zo!"
"Farhan! India mein bhi sab hota hai," she stared at Asad who was listening intently with his eyes lowered, "bas yahan wo news mein nahin, balki ghar mein hi baat ko dabaa diya jaata hai. Aur sawaal bhi nahin pooche jaate."
"What a strange country!" Farhan placed his empty cup on the coffee table and stood up, "got to go now Zo."
"Farhan, India is a strange country indeed," she stood up and spoke softly, "lekin yahan jaise miracles bhi kahin aur nahin hote."
"Oh that's true. Suna hai yahan kisi ne kisi ko pahadi se push kar diya tha, but Ajmer Sharif ke dargah ki chaadar ne usey bacha liya. Apparently, a green chaadar came flying and saved this woman."
Asad's ears perked up at the mention of Ajmer and chaadar.
"What do you mean Dr Farhan?" Asad kept his cup down and stood up, "yeh aapne kahan suna?"
"I just got back from Ajmer sharif Mr. Khan. US se aane ke baad main pehle wahin gaya tha. Phir Bhopal aaya hoon. People were talking about it. Koi recent incident tha shayad."
Asad took a deep breath and recalled his chaadar that had flown away. He gazed at Zoya and pondered.
"Ok Zo! See you tomorrow," Farhan gave her another gentle hug and walked towards the front door, "it was nice to meet you Mr. Khan. Thanks for taking good care of my precious friend all these months."
Asad averted his eyes guiltily and nodded gently, "Ms Farooqui is quite apt at taking good care of herself."
Zoya felt a lump in her throat. Of course, Asad was thinking she was not bothered or didn't care about their breakup. Why would he make such a statement? Wasn't he the one who had called it quits? Why was she even trying to save him? Perhaps, he deserved a life of loneliness and misery with his best friend. But his unhappiness guaranteed a lifetime of misery and pain for her too. How could she ever be happy, if he was not?
Zoya stepped out to say goodbye to Farhan. She looked up and prayed, "ya Allah! Meri yeh dua please qubool kar lena." Farhan was her only hope now. Tanu and Asad were planning a court marriage in two days. She had to act fast; it was a do or die mission for her. She shut her eyes and walked towards the next step of her mission
Asad stayed glued to the window. He saw Zoya place her arm on Farhan's shoulder. They were standing very close to each other and engrossed in a deep conversation. He turned green as Farhan placed his hands on Zoya's waist. They were laughing and talking, oblivious of anyone around them. Farhan pulled Zoya closer, almost at kissing distance.
Asad couldn't take it anymore. He barged into Tanveer's room, "Tanu! Tumhari doctor reports kahan hain sab?"
"Kya hua Jammy?" She pretended that she was asleep, "humein bataaiye. Aap itne pareshan kyun hain?"
'Tanu, I am worried. Tumhein itni vomiting kyun ho rahi hai?"
"Jammy, yeh tho bahut aam baat hai, aksar early pregnancy mein hoti hai vomiting. Jee bhi mitlaata hai aksar. Kuch khaane ko mann nahin karta. Hum jaante hain aap hamari bahut fikr karte hain."
"Jee mitlaana?" Asad was confused.
"Haan, aksar jo cheezein khaane mein waise pasand ho, unse nausea hone lagta hai."
Asad recalled the incident at the dining table a few months ago. The fish. The smell. The nausea. The doctor. The blood sample.
"Tanu! We should get an ultrasound."
"Ultrasound? Jammy aaj kal nahin karte hain kyunki sarkar ne ban kar rakha hai." Tanveer panicked.
"Koi baat nahin Tanu. I am worried kahin pregnancy mein koi problem na ho. Mere jan pehchaan ke achche doctor hain. Main aaj hi unse appointment leta hoon."
"Nahin Jammy! Nahin!" She got up frantically and started shaking with fear, "aap tho jaante hain humein doctor se kitna darr lagta hai. Please hum seh lenge. Kuch hi din ki tho baat hai." Tanveer kicked herself for overdoing the vomiting bit; she was forcing herself to throw up more than was expected for her stage of pregnancy just to get Asad's attention but now it had backfired on her.
"Jammy. Hum gharelu ilaaj kar lenge. Please doctor ke paas nahin jaayenge."
"Tanu! Yeh bachcha mera bhi hai! Haina?" Asad clenched his teeth, "tho mera haq bantaa hai ki main tumhein doctor ke yahan le jaaun. Agar mere bachche ko kuch ho gaya, tho mujh se bura koi nahin hoga! Samjhi!"
Tanveer had never seen so much fury in his eyes.
'Theek hai Jammy," she shivered fearfully, "kal hamare doctor ke paas chalte hain. Unke paas hamari saari files hain."
"Ab tum meri zimmedari ho Tanu. Doctor bhi main decide karoonga aur appointment bhi main hi loonga!" He barged out of the room angrily as Tanveer stood there, stupefied and astonished.
She dialed her doctors's phone number to get some forged reports from them but as she hung up, a middle aged doctor stood at the door with a portable ultrasound machine in his hand.
"Hello Ms Tanveer. I am Dr Tiwari. Mr Khan ne bheja hai mujhey."
Tanveer felt dizzy and passed out on the bed. Asad helped her lay comfortably, "Dr Tiwari, please go ahead. I want a full ultrasound report with all the details."
"Aap chinta na karein Mr. Khan!"
"Thanks!"
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE:
Zoya took out a check from her pocket and handed it to Farhan, "thanks Farhan sahib. Allah kare aapki help se Mr. Khan ke dimaag ki light bulbs on ho jaayein."
"This is my job Zoya jee. I am an actor. Haan TV waale aur Bollywood waale meri kadr nahin karte but I hope our acting today will save your Mr. Khan and your love."
'Umeed tho yahi hai. "
"Lagta hai kuch action tho liya hai unhone. Did you see that doctor in a white coat walk in with that machine?"
"Haan!"
"Ok bye," he sat on his motorbike and as he was about to speed off, he turned around and asked, "waise aapko itni medical details kahan se pata chali?"
"NET SE!" Zoya waved back at him and shut her eyes in a prayer.
…THE END…
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