PART 12
Zoya reached home but she was restless and sleep was far away from her.. She knew that she could not contact Asad over phone till he landed.. She checked with Farhaan and ensured that Tanya was dropped at home and that her parents were briefed out with all the details.. Asad had signed and sent out Tanya's termination letter before flying...Zoya had ensured that Tanya's access card was taken away and also security staff were informed not to let her in.. She checked with Nupur as well and ensured that she was fine... Confirming her fears, she got a call early in the morning around 4AM that the flight which Asad was travelling had to be landed within few minutes of its take off and it had crashed few minutes after it landed... The plane was landed near to Mumbai and near one of the forests and rescue team were searching for the survivors...
Zoya was heart broken.. She along with her brother and Dr. Aslam reached the Airlines to enquire... Though Asad's name was not in the survivor's list, it was neither in the expired list...
Zoya to the Airlines Staff : Dekhiye.. mein Asad Ahmed Khan ke barein me jana chathi hoon.. Kya aap please check karke bata sakte hain ??
Staff : Madam... As I already told you, we understand he was in our flight.. He did take off along with the other passengers.. However we have not yet identified his body...
Zoya : Shut up... Aap yeh kya keh rahi hain... Asad zinda hain.. unhe kuch nahin ho saktha hain...
Staff : Madam I am sorry.. I understand your situation... All the survivors have been now hospitalized in Mumbai Hospital.. We have the names list and Mr. Khan's name is not in them... Our team has traced few bodies which have been burnt horribly and not able to identify them so far...
Zoya : Bhaijaan.. yeh kya keh rahi hain..Aslam please samajo inhe.. mere Asad ko kuch nahin ho sakta hain.. kuch bhi nahin...
Zoya : Bhaijaan.. hum Mumbai hospital chalthein hain.. sab ko dekh kar athe hain...
In Mumbai hospital, Zoya had gone and met each of the survivors but unfortunately Asad was not among them.. Reluctantly she had to come back to Bhopal. After waiting for 10 days, the untraced travellers were declared to be dead and since the bodies had also got burnt a lot , they were not able to match the same with the untraced travellers list. Though everybody gave up the idea of Asad returning back, Zoya was hopeful that one day her soulmate would return to her...She had not allowed Aslam or her brother to make any sort of death rituals... Looking at her state of mind and fearing her health conditions to go worse, they had obliged not to perform any death rituals...
Zoya had lost interest in everything.. She hardly spoke...The tears had also drained out from her eyes.. She would just sit near the window of her room looking at nothing , unaware of the time... It was now a month since the horrible accident had occurred...Salim was managing the work at office but Asad's lawyer had pressurized that they meet Zoya so that they could discuss legal matters with her...
Adya : Poophi..aap kyun roh rahi ho.. Dost ayenge poophi.. pehle bhi woh bahut din keliye door chalegaye the na.. to ab bhi woh ayenge.. aap phone karke dekho...
Zoya started crying again and she hugged Adya...
Adya wiped Zoya's tears... : Poophi.. muje dekhiye.. mein bhi dost ko bahut miss kar rahi hoon... lekin mein nahin ro rahin hoon.. hum dono unse katti hojayenge.. jab wo wapis ayenge.. teek hain ?? ab chalo.. agar aap aise baitegi.. to dost ko accha nahin lagega...
Zoya : Tum teek kehrahi ho Adya.. muje apne aap ko sambhal na hoga... Asad keliye... With a determined look she came out even though her whole body and eyes were looking very weak...
Salim : Zoya.. beta.. tum teek to ho...
Zoya : Ji Bhaijaan.. mein kal se office aoongi...
Salim and Zeenat were happy to see Zoya coming out of the depression ... They were worried about her health fearing if she would reach the same state when she had lost her parents ...
Next Day in Asad's Cabin :
Asad's Lawyer : Madam.. Mr. Khan ne.. apni sab properties aur business mein legally apko partner banaye hain.. aur haan agar aap dono mein ek ko kuch ho jata hain to sab ek naam hojata hain.. Humein dukh hain.. jo bhi Mr. Khan ke saath hua hain.. ab sab legally apko hogaya hain...
Zoya could not take it any more... She was so touched with the trust Asad had in her.. Her eyes started watering again with fresh tears.. She excused herself and came back after few minutes..
Zoya : I am sorry .. aap please papers mein kuch bhi change math karvayiye.. mein janti hoon ki Asad zarror wapis ayenge... Mein bus yeh chathi hoon.. ki company ke decisions lene mein muje koi problem na ho...
Asad's Lawyer : Madam.. lekin...
Zoya : Please understand.. I don't want any changes in the papers as of now... I request you to please put all this on hold...
She had got a huge snap of Asad put in his cabin... Looking at his face gave her strength to take decisions on his behalf and also gave her the required support to move on in life...
Zoya had taken up work and with the help of Salim, she was able to catch up with everything and she started managing things quite well ... There were couple of new contracts signed and all the divisons of "Khan Group of Companies" was doing good... She had identified a key person in each of the divisions and regularly kept in touch with them and also updated herself with what was happening in each and every division...
The training of her batch mates were completed... Everybody were given the official employee letter... Tanya was undergoing a treatment for her psychological problems... Karan as a good friend had kept in touch with her parents and had once in a while enquired about Tanya's health conditions... He and Nupur were now engaged and had decided to get married after couple of months...Farhaan was enjoying his job and he was sent to US to take up an important assignment.. Humeira and Peter had been sent to UK on an assignment while the other 2 campus recruits Saif and Raj were in Bhopal only... Zoya's college friends Ayaan and Arjun had launched their own corporate training centers... Zoya had a tie up with their company and she would get the required external professional training from Ayaan and Arjun's organization...
Time was flying... It was now nearly 3 months since Asad went missing.. Zoya had ensured that she would not give herself a moment to cry.. She had engrossed herself in work and whatever little time she got, she would spend with Adya.. She had also taken care that Asad's house was maintained well and to be ready at which ever moment Asad would enter...
Rohan had been regularly in touch with Zoya and he had enquired about her health...He had taken an appointment with her ...
Asad's cabin...
As Rohan walked in, the first thing which caught his attention was that Zoya was not sitting on Asad's chair, she had instead got another table and chair placed near to his and she was sitting on that...
Rohan : Good Morning Zoya... This is for you.. and he hands over a boquet of Red roses to her...
Zoya managed to smile and accepted it...: Thanks Rohan.. batayiyen.. kya baath hain...sab teek hain na...??
Rohan : Zoya.. tum kab tak aise akele rahogi...??
Zoya : Sorry ?? and she turned around to face Asad's photo which was hung up in the cabin...
Rohan : Zoya.. itne mahine hogaya hain... muje nahin lagta ki Asad wapis ayega... tum apne barein mein bhi socho.. zindagi mein age bado...mein sirf yeh kehna chatha hoon.. ki mera proposal tumhare liye abhi bhi hain...
Zoya : Thanks Rohan.. Maine usi din kaha tha apse.. ki mein sirf Asad ki hoon.. Mein janti hoon.. ki woh zaroor ayenge...I am sorry... mein apse request karti hoon.. ki aap muje bhool jayiye..
Rohan : Kab tak tum aisi rahogi Zoya ?? Mein tumhara intezar karoonga...
Zoya : Rohan.. please..samaj ne ki koshish karo... mera dil kehta hain ki Asad ek na ek din zaroor ayenge... Kudha na karein agar woh kabhi nahi ayenge.. to bhi mein apni sari zindagi unki yaad mein guzar doongi.. mein kisi aur ke barein mein kabhi nahin soch sakti hoon...
A couple of days Back, in Mumbai...
Dr. Aslam and his wife Dr. Neelam had to attend an All India Doctors Conference in Mumbai.. After finishing the conference, they had decided to visit the famous Dargah in Mumbai... As they entered the Dargah, Aslam could sense Asad's presence... He is a doctor and he did not believe in any such feelings or blind beliefs.. but somehow he felt that Asad was near by...
Dr. Aslam : Neelam.. tum please yahi mera intezar karo.. and he ran madly not sure if he could find his friend or not...
After running around inside and outside the Dargah, there he found his friend sitting on one of the benches.. He was lost in a deep thought and there was an old lady sitting beside him...
Dr. Aslam : Asad.. Asad.. mere bhai...
Old Lady : Kya aap.. inhe jante hain...??
Dr. Aslam : Ji.. yeh mera dost Asad hain...
Old Lady : Shukr hain allah ka...koi to iska apna milgaya...
Dr. Aslam : Please batyiye.. Yeh yahan kaise...?
Old Lady : Shayad..teen mahine pehle.. mein apna ek lauta beta kho chukyi thi.. us din mein apne bte ke dah sanskar kar ke laut rahi thi.. yeh muje rastein mein behosh pada hua mila... meine aas paas dekha lekin koi iske saath nahin tha.. maine apne driver ko kaha aur ise hospital leke gayi.. kuch ghante baad hosh aya lekin apne pechli zindagi ke barein mein bhool gaya tha.. sirf ek naam hamesha zuban par leta rehta hain.. "ZOYA".. Meine kahin baar use yaad karne ko kaha.. lekin todha todha yaad karta hain.. lekin ab tak yeh yaad nahin.. ki yeh hai kaun... aur kahan se aya hain... . mein bhi akele thi.. aur muje laga ki mere bte ki jagah allah ne ise bhej diya.. isliye mein apne bte Ayaan ke naam se hi ise bula thi hoon...
Old Lady : Ayaan.. kya soch rahe ho ?? Inhe pechaan the ho kya ??
Aslam had tears in his eyes as he looked at Asad ... : Asad.. mein Aslam.. mein tumhe ZOYA ke paas leke jata hoon..
The moment Aslam mentioned Zoya's name.. Asad looked at Aslam.. and there was a faint recognition in his eyes...
Asad : Aslam...
Aslam : Haan Asad.. Yaad karo... please Asad ... Wait.. and he took out his wallet and handed over a photo of Asad and Zoya together...
Asad : ZOYA !! ... and there was tears in his eyes..
Aslam to the old lady : aapka bahut bahut shukriya.. aap nahin jante.. kitne logon ki zindagi sawardi...Main Asad ko leke jata hoon...
Asad turned towards the old lady : Ammi.. aap bhi chaliye..
Old Lady : Nahin beta... tum apne dost ke sath jao beta.. phele tum teek ho jao..
Asad : Nahin ammi... apne aaj tak meri dekh bhal ki.. aap bhi mere saath chalegi... Aslam.. muje zyada kuch yaad nahin aa raha hain...
Aslam : Koi baat nahin Asad.. Tum milgaye ho.. bus .. mein tumhe teek kardoonga.. ab chalo.. aap bhi chaliye ammi...
Old Lady : Nahin beta.. mein yahan se nahin ja sakti hoon.. allah karein Asad ke sab kushiyan lauta de... aur haan.. kabhi kabhi is budi aurat ko yaad karo beta.. aur mere paas aya karo...
Aslam and Neelam go along with Asad . They thank the old lady and take her address and contact number and share theirs and promised her to keep in touch and also to take care of Asad...
Aslam and Neelam had taken Asad to their house and had helped him to remember things.. They did not want Zoya to go through another shock looking at Asad's state.. and also Aslam had got the required tests done for him and he had devoted his time during the week to Asad and reminded him about their childhood and also about Zoya... Asad was remembering things slowly... On that day, Aslam decided to take Asad to his house when Zoya was in office... He was also surprised to see that the house looked as it was when Asad earlier stayed in the house... There was fresh flowers at his bed side.. The photograph at the side table of his along with Zoya and Adya caught his attention... and there was a shooting pain going through his head...
Aslam : Kya hua Asad.. tum teek ho ??
Since Zoya was busy in office, she had informed Zeenat to go to Asad's house and check it out that day... Zeenat walked in along with Adya... Adya .. ran to Asad's room at this time...
Adya : Dost.. aap agaye.. and she went and hugged Asad and kissed him on his face...
A sweet smile spread across Asad's face...Adya looked at the photograph and smiled back at him...
Adya : Aap bhi humein miss kar rahein the na ?? kahan chale gaye the aap itne din?? Mein aur poophi apse bahut naraz hain.. .mein apse baath nahin karoongi...
Asad : Adya.. mein apko aur poophi ko ice-cream dilaoon to ??
Adya was very happy hearing this and she hugged again ... : Thank you dost.. chaliye.. ab poophi ke paas chalthe hain... apke photo ko dekhke hamesha roti hain... aur muje park bhi leke nahin gayi.. aur ice-cream bhi nahin kilaya...
Asad : Beta.. tum ammi ke saath ghar chalo... mein poophi ko leke ghar aoonga...
Adya : Promise ??
Asad : Promise Adya..
Zeenath was also very happy to know that Asad was back...
Asad : Aslam.. please office chalthe hain..muje Zoya se abhi milna hai...
Aslam : Asad.. tumhe zyada stress nahin lena hain..
Asad : Janta hoon.. .. agar Zoya ko abhi nahin dekhoonga to patha nahin muje kya hojayega...
Asad and Aslam go to Asad's office to meet Zoya... The staff members were very excited to see him back... He greeted them all with a smile but did not stand back for any talks...He wanted to go and surprise Zoya and so he and Aslam walked straight to Asad's cabin... Zoya was looking at Asad's photo and speaking to Rohan..who was behind her and he was also facing in the same direction.. They both did not realize when Asad and Aslam walked in...Both Asad and Aslam heard the entire conversation going on between Rohan and Zoya...
Back to Present...
Zoya : Rohan.. please..samaj ne ki koshish karo... mera dil kehta hain ki Asad ek na ek din zaroor ayenge... Kudha na karein agar woh kabhi nahi ayenge.. tab bhi mein apni sari zindagi unki yaad mein guzar doongi.. mein kisi aur ke barein mein kabhi nahin soch sakti hoon...
Asad was so touched with Zoya's love for him.. He was overwhelmed... : Uski koi zaroorat nahin Zoya.. mein wapis agaya hoon...
Zoya immediately turned around and there was surprised look first which turned to happiness... She was ecstatic... She ran towards him and hugged him...
Zoya : Aap kahan chalegayethe Asad.. itne din.. muje yakeen tha ki aap zaroor wapis aoge... Allah se yahi dua mangti thi... har roz...allah ka bahut bahut shukr hain...
Rohan : I am sorry Asad.. am sorry Zoya and he wished both of them Good luck and excused himself...
Aslam : Asad.. Zoya.. Tum dono sach mein ek dusre keliye hi bane ho... Allah cha kar bhi tum dono ko alag nahin karsakte hain...
Zoya : Asad.. hum aaj hi nikaah karletein hain... mein ab aap se ek pal bhi door nahin rehsakti hoon...
Asad smiled at her : Patha hain muje.. mein ne Zeenath babhi aur Salim Bhai ko phone karke sab kehdiya hain.. sirf dulhan ko lejana hain ab...
So finally Asad and Zoya get married to explore new phase in their life with different challenges and moments of love and harmony !! ...
J J J
-------------------------------------------------------THE END------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anupamaa
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