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Hey all, Hope everyone had or is having a nice weekend, depending on time zone 😆
Anyway, I wrote and OS before which was called Love from New York (link is at the end), and so this is Zoya's version of it. Hope you all like it 😳
Love In Bhopal ❤️
Zoya walked the streets of Cobble Hill Brooklyn, it was a nice sunny, cool day. Cobble hill was a quiet neighborhood, a family neighborhood. Zoya had just finished lunch with her friend Priya and her husband. As Zoya walked in the cool autumn afternoon, she stared at the pavement. She could hear the wind, the leaves swaying, the kids playing on the sidewalk and the birds chirping as they picked at a leftover piece of bread someone left on their porch. The red-brick buildings reach high, yet remain rooted to the ground. "I'll want to live here, raise a family here." She heard the voice of that one special person ring in her ears. Zoya wanted to smile, especially at the thought of him, but she couldn't. What could make her smile? He wasn't here, he was home, the home Zoya wanted to go to so badly. As she walked the breeze picked up, Zoya wrapped her arms around herself, pulling her open light jacket together, covering her red button down blouse. She walked to the subway and swiped her card. Remembering how one time during his visit, they only had enough for one ride in the metro card, and how he hugged her tight and swiped, as he walked forward and she backward to get through. "Too many loop holes in the system" he had said in her ear as the train pulled into the station. Zoya's hair flew, she looked behind her and he wasn't there. Weird but she could hear his voice so clear in the noisy subway, smell the scent of his aftershave while standing on the dingy, stuffy platform.
45 minutes later Zoya walked through her Aapi and Jiju's apartment door, she was greeted with the smell of Aapi's cooking, and Jiju's calm voice, "hey home before dinner, how was lunch?" He asked smiling, "good really good, aftere lunch we went to their house to meet Raina Aunty and Amit. He's so grown, 3 now. Look I took a picture" she showed Jiju the picture from her phone. "Zoya. Aa gayi?" Aapi asked walking out of the kitchen, cleaning her hands with a rag. Jiju showed her the picture, as Zoya walked away. "Zoya will you have dinner with us?" Aapi asked a little alert that Zoya was so quite. She nodded and Jiju gave the phone back. "Acha listen, im having a guy come and paint your room tomorrow, so please take off the board of yours, so it doesn't get dirty. Agreeing with Jiju, Zoya lingered off into her room, kind of dragging her feet. As she closed the door of her room, she heard Aapi say "bohut miss karti hai unhe. Anwar kya aap uski..." Zoya didn't hear the rest, Aapi lowered her tone. Zoya didn't care, she didn't have the energy. Zoya lay on her bed, facing the ceiling, she extended her hand out to her side, she turned and saw him laying there. He held her hand and said something which made smile. Zoya then blinked and he was gone, just like that.
Frustrated Zoya got up and walked over to her "wall of khaas". She looked at the pictures of some of the most amazing people she met in Bhopal. She smiled at the picture of Najma checking the nutritional facts of a microwave popcorn box, Zoya had taken from here. What made her smile grow just a little was that she had a big plate of fruit in front of her. Zoya remembered the words she had said "choosing what to eat is such a tough choice na? I mean I have this which you bought; she lifted the popcorn box, and I have this what Bhaijaan is forcing me to eat. Allah someone make a choice for me" she pleaded looking up, just then he came up behind her taking the box from her hand and reading it himself. His 1000 watt smile brightened the room as he made Najma choose the fruits, Zoya loved his smile, his cute dimpled, rarely seen smile. That one look on his face that made her heart melt, made this tomboy into a girly girl. He was her fianc Asad Ahmed Khan, the love of her life, the source of her breathing, Zoya missed him so much. A sad smiled once again formed on her face, as she remembered him. Then she continued to take down more picture, there were pictures of Dilshaad teaching her how to cook, Nikhat and Nuzhat showing her some of their art creations, "boy are both sisters talented" she thought and then she remembered something.
Zoya walked towards her window, she moved the curtain. How had she forgotten to take this off, what if it got dirty? She thought. It was a painted picture of Asad, painted by Nikhat. She looked at the picture, "Bhabhi, hamare paas aap ke liye ek surprise hai" Nuzhat said in her sweet energetic voice, it was right after their engagement, once again after college the girls had come over with Najma. Zoya insisted on knowing and that's when they revealed the picture. Zoya remembers being so impressed, she and made it with such accuracy. Zoya took the picture down and neatly rolled it up, placing a rubber band around it she placed it in her closet. Then she walked over to the board again, she took down some more pictures of everyone, a picture of Ayaan made her smile, he was trying to barbecue and he ended up burning his glove, "boy did he get a lecture form Mr. Khan that day" Zoya laughed as she placed the picture in the folder. Zoya looked at the folder, it wouldn't fit anymore so she closed it. She then took a step back examining how many more, and she realized she and taken down all pictures except the ones of Asad. She placed her hand over the board, touching each picture gently. A tear rolled down her eye, "Allah Miyah! What's wrong with me? I'm going to see him right? Soon, I'll be going to India in three weeks" she looked over at her calendar and sighed "that's a whole 21 or so days, and too many hours to count" she crossed her arms and heard Aapi call for dinner. Her memories of Bhopal took up so much of her time and life, she didn't even realize all that time had passed Looking back at her finance's smiling face she walked out to eat even when she wasn't hungry.
After dinner, Zoya started to take down the pictures of Asad, the first one she took down she kept in her hand, staring at it. It was if Asad holding a spatula, with flour all over him. Aami and Najma weren't home that day, Zoya had challenged Asad to a cook off, which ended with a burned pile of rotis, a tasteless dish of potatoes and a messy kitchen. "Aap! Aap mujhe challenge maat karein Ms. Farooqui! Aap ko nahin pata mein kabhi nahin haar ta" Asad said in his calm tone, as he walked behind Zoya into the kitchen. "Dekhke Mr. Khan, mein aap ko challenge nahin kar rahi hoon, mein toh sirf yeh keh rahi hoon ki agar aap chahatein hain ki mein ek poore hafte ke liye apni shyari aap ko na sunaoon, aap ko pehle mujhe haarana parey ga. That's all" she said matter of factly. Asad nodded in agreement and undid the top two buttons of his shirt. "Fine, it on! Tell me what do I have to do" Zoya stood there thinking "please lets just leave it at the buttons, I'll tell you what you don't have to do, don't show me those six pack abs! For the sake of my sanity!" Asad snapped his fingers in her face, "hello! Kahan ko gayi? Kya apni haar se pehle hi shock mein aa gayi?" He asked, "do you think you are funny Mr. Khan?" Zoya said as she took out the ingredients. "Ok so each of us have to make at least two round shaped, well cooked rotis, and a dish of aloo, jis mein namak, masala, mirch sab kuch barabar ka hona chahiye." Asad agreed, and asked for the dough, Zoya made a face, "we have to make the dough ourselves" she said and handed him a bowl with flour in it. Asad walked off towards the sink to make his dough and Zoya stayed near the stove. Zoya turned around to see how much water Asad put in his, she walked so close to him he got startled and the bowl went flying in the air, landing itself all over the floor and Asad. Zoya laughed so loud, holding her stomach, the next thing she knew, flour was flying into her face. After a few minutes if laughter and flour fighting, they to back to business. Zoya's dough came out very mushy, and Asad's very hard, both potato dishes had too many peppers and too little salt. The kitchen was a mess and Zoya was in pain after all the laughing. Asad walked up to her and gave her a kiss on her forehead, "I really love you" he said and that made Zoya blush.
Zoya felt herself blush yet again, then remembered how Asad made her clean the mess with him. As she took down more pictures, Zoya remembered each situations, conversation, and laugh she shared with Asad. Another tear made its marks on her cheek, as she looked at the two pictures they took at the airport right before she left. Actually it was Ayaan and his mischief who was responsible of that, she looked at the picture of her and Asad hugging a final time before a separation of what seemed like eons. Then the picture of Asad giving her a rose, holding her hands in his as she accepted. At that another tear escaped but this time on the other, and the tear trickled down and fell right over her heart. Zoya held the picture over her heart and sobbed a little. The gong of the clock struck 9, bringing Zoya out of her trance. She continued taking down pictures, "they say a picture is worth a thousand words, I have a thousand pictures, Allah Miyah that's a lot of words" she said out loud as she took out a box from her dresser. "One for me, one for you." He had said, Zoya beamed "it's a keepsake box, to remind you of me" he continued, "it's to remind me of my love in Bhopal" she had said the last time he visited her, right before he left. "Don't go!" she begged into his chest, as he wrapped her in one of his warm bear hugs, Asad tightened his grip around her, and Zoya knew he didn't want to either. Zoya opened the box and placed all of his memories in there, closing it she kissed the cover, "Allah Miyah! Agar aap mujhese pyaar karti hain, toh phir mujhe mere pyaar ke paas bhej dein" she said and Jiju knocked on the door, "I have a surprise for you!" he said.
45 minutes later Zoya walked through her Aapi and Jiju's apartment door, she was greeted with the smell of Aapi's cooking, and Jiju's calm voice, "hey home before dinner, how was lunch?" He asked smiling, "good really good, aftere lunch we went to their house to meet Raina Aunty and Amit. He's so grown, 3 now. Look I took a picture" she showed Jiju the picture from her phone. "Zoya. Aa gayi?" Aapi asked walking out of the kitchen, cleaning her hands with a rag. Jiju showed her the picture, as Zoya walked away. "Zoya will you have dinner with us?" Aapi asked a little alert that Zoya was so quite. She nodded and Jiju gave the phone back. "Acha listen, im having a guy come and paint your room tomorrow, so please take off the board of yours, so it doesn't get dirty. Agreeing with Jiju, Zoya lingered off into her room, kind of dragging her feet. As she closed the door of her room, she heard Aapi say "bohut miss karti hai unhe. Anwar kya aap uski..." Zoya didn't hear the rest, Aapi lowered her tone. Zoya didn't care, she didn't have the energy. Zoya lay on her bed, facing the ceiling, she extended her hand out to her side, she turned and saw him laying there. He held her hand and said something which made smile. Zoya then blinked and he was gone, just like that.
Frustrated Zoya got up and walked over to her "wall of khaas". She looked at the pictures of some of the most amazing people she met in Bhopal. She smiled at the picture of Najma checking the nutritional facts of a microwave popcorn box, Zoya had taken from here. What made her smile grow just a little was that she had a big plate of fruit in front of her. Zoya remembered the words she had said "choosing what to eat is such a tough choice na? I mean I have this which you bought; she lifted the popcorn box, and I have this what Bhaijaan is forcing me to eat. Allah someone make a choice for me" she pleaded looking up, just then he came up behind her taking the box from her hand and reading it himself. His 1000 watt smile brightened the room as he made Najma choose the fruits, Zoya loved his smile, his cute dimpled, rarely seen smile. That one look on his face that made her heart melt, made this tomboy into a girly girl. He was her fianc Asad Ahmed Khan, the love of her life, the source of her breathing, Zoya missed him so much. A sad smiled once again formed on her face, as she remembered him. Then she continued to take down more picture, there were pictures of Dilshaad teaching her how to cook, Nikhat and Nuzhat showing her some of their art creations, "boy are both sisters talented" she thought and then she remembered something.
Zoya walked towards her window, she moved the curtain. How had she forgotten to take this off, what if it got dirty? She thought. It was a painted picture of Asad, painted by Nikhat. She looked at the picture, "Bhabhi, hamare paas aap ke liye ek surprise hai" Nuzhat said in her sweet energetic voice, it was right after their engagement, once again after college the girls had come over with Najma. Zoya insisted on knowing and that's when they revealed the picture. Zoya remembers being so impressed, she and made it with such accuracy. Zoya took the picture down and neatly rolled it up, placing a rubber band around it she placed it in her closet. Then she walked over to the board again, she took down some more pictures of everyone, a picture of Ayaan made her smile, he was trying to barbecue and he ended up burning his glove, "boy did he get a lecture form Mr. Khan that day" Zoya laughed as she placed the picture in the folder. Zoya looked at the folder, it wouldn't fit anymore so she closed it. She then took a step back examining how many more, and she realized she and taken down all pictures except the ones of Asad. She placed her hand over the board, touching each picture gently. A tear rolled down her eye, "Allah Miyah! What's wrong with me? I'm going to see him right? Soon, I'll be going to India in three weeks" she looked over at her calendar and sighed "that's a whole 21 or so days, and too many hours to count" she crossed her arms and heard Aapi call for dinner. Her memories of Bhopal took up so much of her time and life, she didn't even realize all that time had passed Looking back at her finance's smiling face she walked out to eat even when she wasn't hungry.
After dinner, Zoya started to take down the pictures of Asad, the first one she took down she kept in her hand, staring at it. It was if Asad holding a spatula, with flour all over him. Aami and Najma weren't home that day, Zoya had challenged Asad to a cook off, which ended with a burned pile of rotis, a tasteless dish of potatoes and a messy kitchen. "Aap! Aap mujhe challenge maat karein Ms. Farooqui! Aap ko nahin pata mein kabhi nahin haar ta" Asad said in his calm tone, as he walked behind Zoya into the kitchen. "Dekhke Mr. Khan, mein aap ko challenge nahin kar rahi hoon, mein toh sirf yeh keh rahi hoon ki agar aap chahatein hain ki mein ek poore hafte ke liye apni shyari aap ko na sunaoon, aap ko pehle mujhe haarana parey ga. That's all" she said matter of factly. Asad nodded in agreement and undid the top two buttons of his shirt. "Fine, it on! Tell me what do I have to do" Zoya stood there thinking "please lets just leave it at the buttons, I'll tell you what you don't have to do, don't show me those six pack abs! For the sake of my sanity!" Asad snapped his fingers in her face, "hello! Kahan ko gayi? Kya apni haar se pehle hi shock mein aa gayi?" He asked, "do you think you are funny Mr. Khan?" Zoya said as she took out the ingredients. "Ok so each of us have to make at least two round shaped, well cooked rotis, and a dish of aloo, jis mein namak, masala, mirch sab kuch barabar ka hona chahiye." Asad agreed, and asked for the dough, Zoya made a face, "we have to make the dough ourselves" she said and handed him a bowl with flour in it. Asad walked off towards the sink to make his dough and Zoya stayed near the stove. Zoya turned around to see how much water Asad put in his, she walked so close to him he got startled and the bowl went flying in the air, landing itself all over the floor and Asad. Zoya laughed so loud, holding her stomach, the next thing she knew, flour was flying into her face. After a few minutes if laughter and flour fighting, they to back to business. Zoya's dough came out very mushy, and Asad's very hard, both potato dishes had too many peppers and too little salt. The kitchen was a mess and Zoya was in pain after all the laughing. Asad walked up to her and gave her a kiss on her forehead, "I really love you" he said and that made Zoya blush.
Zoya felt herself blush yet again, then remembered how Asad made her clean the mess with him. As she took down more pictures, Zoya remembered each situations, conversation, and laugh she shared with Asad. Another tear made its marks on her cheek, as she looked at the two pictures they took at the airport right before she left. Actually it was Ayaan and his mischief who was responsible of that, she looked at the picture of her and Asad hugging a final time before a separation of what seemed like eons. Then the picture of Asad giving her a rose, holding her hands in his as she accepted. At that another tear escaped but this time on the other, and the tear trickled down and fell right over her heart. Zoya held the picture over her heart and sobbed a little. The gong of the clock struck 9, bringing Zoya out of her trance. She continued taking down pictures, "they say a picture is worth a thousand words, I have a thousand pictures, Allah Miyah that's a lot of words" she said out loud as she took out a box from her dresser. "One for me, one for you." He had said, Zoya beamed "it's a keepsake box, to remind you of me" he continued, "it's to remind me of my love in Bhopal" she had said the last time he visited her, right before he left. "Don't go!" she begged into his chest, as he wrapped her in one of his warm bear hugs, Asad tightened his grip around her, and Zoya knew he didn't want to either. Zoya opened the box and placed all of his memories in there, closing it she kissed the cover, "Allah Miyah! Agar aap mujhese pyaar karti hain, toh phir mujhe mere pyaar ke paas bhej dein" she said and Jiju knocked on the door, "I have a surprise for you!" he said.
"I love you so much Zoya, you are my world" she heard him say when she approached his door. "Not the whole world, I'm not that big!" She said. Asad looked up from the picture and saw her. He was still in his work suit, just well his belt was missing and his top two buttons were opened. Zoya was surprised that he hadn't changed yet. She saw him spring up from the bed, in full surprise and hesitantly walked two small steps away from the bed. What he didn't believe she was here?, "aap, saach mein yahan hain" she looked at him in awe and love at the same time as he asked the question. In response or on impulse, Zoya ran across the room into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hugging him so tight, that not even air could pass between them. "Ab yakeen aagaya" she asked parting herself for a brief moment before hugging him again. Zoya smiled, she remembered Jiju walking into her room, telling her how he pulled a few strings and changed her flight, and it was for 5 the next morning, Zoya hadn't slept the whole night in excitement. She remembered the prayer she had said and quietly thanks Allah Miyah. He buried his face in the space between her shoulder and his, her world felt complete now more than ever. She said thanks once more, because she was in the arms of her love! That's all that mattered. She was there with her love in Bhopal the place that gave her love, and she didn't want to be anywhere else. She wanted to be there, be with him forever.
P.S. I don't live in Cobble Hill, but yes it does look like that. So don't come looking for me 😆
Sorry for any mistakes, 😳
here is the link to Love from New York in case you haven't read it
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