FAASLE IV: END/EPILOGUE Pg 130 Nov 30 - Page 84

when will you update?

My god..loved every bit of this update. Can't wait to read further.

PART 50: Dedicated to all crazy AsYa lovers...don't blame me if you develop Diabetes by the end of this chapter J

Lahu munh lag gaya

Lahu munh lag gaya

Soya tha nas nas mein

Ab ye jag gaya

The rains had subsided but had left puddles of water, clogged streets and a morning commute nightmare in the city outside that abandoned house. The rays of the morning sun trickled through the cracked window, reflecting the glare from the pool of water around their bed onto their peaceful faces.

Asad squint and rubbed his eyes. Zoya was fast asleep with her head on his chest. Instinctively, he ran his fingers through her hair, caressing her scalp gently. A faint smile fell on his face as he reminisced their night together. What had started as a disorganized mess had ended up being the most memorable night of his life. Never in his wildest imagination had he experienced the kind of solace as he did in her arms. Life could never be the same now; his expectations from life had just gone up by many notches. There was no doubt in his mind that love was the most wonderful feeling in this world. The dusty, worn out mattress felt like a bed of feather while the moldy odor in the room was more fragrant than the rose petals he had arranged on their bed in his room.

"Zoya." He whispered.

"Mmm.." She murmured sleepily.

"Subah ho gayi hai. We need to go home."

"Abhi nahin." She whined and snuggled her face in the curve of his neck, "mujhey kahin nahin jaana."

Asad smiled and kissed her forehead, "lekin kabhie na kabhie tho jaana hoga na? Ammi bhi fikr kar rahi hongi. We haven't told anyone."

"Ammi?" Zoya lifted her head, her eyes still bleary from the eventful night, "jaana zaroori hai?" She groaned.

Smiling, he nodded. "I think so."

Zoya touched his lips with her fingers and smiled back, "I never realized you have such a beautiful smile. Itne kareeb se aapko pehle kabhie nahin dekha."

Bemused, Asad raised his eyebrow, "Allah ka shukr hai budhaape se pehle dekh liya warna sirf jhurriyan nazar aati."

She chuckled and smacked his chest playfully, "buddhe ho aapke dushman. Hum dono tho hamesha aise hi jawan rahenge Mr. Khan!"

He placed his finger on her lips, "No more Mr. Khan. Jaise kal raat ko mera naam liya tha, ab waise hi pukaarna mujhey. If not, I won't answer back to you."

"Achcha?" She smiled mischievously, "itne nakhre waale ho gaye hain ab?"

"Jee! Nakhre waali biwi se seekh raha hoon main."

"Dekhte hain."

Dekhte hain matlab?"

"Aap mujh se baat kare bina reh hi nahin sakte Mr-----" He covered her mouth with his palm but she bit him fiercely, laughing aloud. Teasing him as he winced in pain, she wrapped herself with the old bed sheet, hopped off on the floor with a loud splash. Water was still at ankle level.

"ZOYA! I-I mean," a flustered Asad folded the mattress on himself, "how do you expect we will get home now? Our clothes floated away somewhere."

On seeing Asad buried under the folded mattress, she was in splits.

"Tumhein hansi aa rahi hai?" Asad growled, "this is serious. Please find our clothes. We will wear them even if they are wet."

"Aur agar nahin miley tho? What if they have gotten washed away in the rain?" She chided.

"Mujhey aisa behooda mazaak bilkul pasand nahin hai----please go look for them."

Instead, she opened an old steel almirah in the room and pulled out a few dry clothes from it. She threw a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt on Asad, "yeh rahe aapke kapde." Then she pulled out her jeans and a pink top, "aur yeh rahe mere kapde."

Asad was baffled to see the dry clothes, "Zoya----these are actually my clothes. How did they get here? Yeh----yeh," his face lit up, "you mean---this was all planned by---you?"

Zoya bowed gently, "jee jahanpanah! Yeh museebat saari aapki kaneez ke badaulat huyi thi."

"What? When? How?" Asad was blown away.

Zoya scrunched her nose with a frown on her forehead, "weather report----ice cream parlor----detour----this old abandoned place which happens to be abbu's old house where I was actually born-----and bingo!!!!"

"YEH TUMHARE ABBU KA GHAR HAI?"

"Tha---but it was locked for years. I just borrowed the keys from him a few days ago."

"So, you have been planning this for a while?"

"Not really Mr---I mean Asad," she smiled coyly, "you know I don't plan things in advance. I am not as organized as you. Bas kal subah weather report dekh kar dimaag ki ghanti baj gayi. Waise kaisa laga mara plan?"

"Bilkul waahiyat!" He replied with fake frown, "I should have understood when you asked me to take that detour----because you don't really have a good sense of direction."

Her jaw fell wide open, "now that's an unfair statement Mr---I mean Asad. Itni khubsoorat suhaag raat aapko kabhie naseeb na hoti warna."

"Yeah right!" Fully dressed, he hopped off the bed and walked over to her, "khubsoorat raat kise kehte hain wo tumhein aaj raat pata chalega Khan Villa ke khaas bedroom mein! Yeh tho bilkul ghatiya plan tha----like all your other plans." With a straight face he walked out of the bedroom as Zoya fumed and fretted behind him. "What does he think of himself? If he can give me a hospital nikaah, why can't I give him a soggy and rainy suhaag raat?"

"I heard that Zoya!" He retraced his footsteps and peered through the door, "we will definitely have the perfect honeymoon though----promise!" He smiled and walked away to make arrangements for their car.

"Honeymoon?" Zoya smiled inwardly.

ASAD'S HOME

"Shukr hai Allah ka tum dono sahi salaamat ghar aa gaye. Kahan the raat bhar?" Dilshaad was relieved to see them at the door. With a sheepish expression, both Asad and Zoya walked in gingerly.

"Itne chup kyun ho tum dono? Sab khairiyat tho hai?" Dilshaad was a bit worried, "aur tum dono ke kapde? Where are the formal clothes?"

"Ammi-wo-wo," Asad averted his eyes, "main-actually-I need to use the bathroom---Zoya samjhaa degi aapko." He bolted as fast as he could, ascending the stairs to his bedroom. Zoya stood still with her jaw wide open, "Yeh-yeh dekhiye ammi----aapko phone nahin kiya inhone? I told him to call you last night."

"Nahin beta. Tum dono ka phone nahin lag raha tha. Itna toofan---aur baarish----kahan the tum dono?"

"Wo"ammi---our car broke down, so we spent the night at one of his friend's house---paas mein inke Navy ke ek friend ka ghar tha. We borrowed these clothes from them also." Zoya bit her lip guiltily. She knew Dilshaad hated lies but it would be a bit embarrassing to tell her the entire truth.

"Chalo---ghar tho aa gaye----now get ready as I need to talk to both of you about something important. I will get breakfast ready"

"Jee ammi," Zoya nodded obediently and then rushed upstairs with a sigh of relief, "saare jhooth mujhey hi bolne padhte hain. Khud tho wo-wo karte huye patli gali se khissak gaye. I am glad ammi didn't ask any more questions---waise agar poonch bhi leti tho kya harz tha?" She blushed a little, "koi chori tho nahin ki thi humney." Pleasant memories of their night drenched her senses. She touched her neck gently; his lingering touch on her skin still gave her the goose bumps.

Not used to barging into his-now their-room, she knocked gently at the door.

She played with her fingers anxiously. It was one thing to be recently married and spend some intimate time together, but moving into his bedroom and living with him was going to be a novel experience for her. Her heart fluttered with excitement and nervousness.

After waiting a while, she was about to push the door with her hands when he answered the door. With a towel around his neck, a bare torso, his jeans still on, a toothbrush dangling from his mouth, he gave her a curious look.

"Tum? Yahan?" He asked with a frown.

"Jee?" She was surprised by his question, "aur kahan jaaungi main?"

"Kyun itna badha ghar hai. I am sure you can find a room somewhere." He teased her with a straight face, "I am not crazy to let trouble enter my room. Meri zindagi mein aa gayi ho, wo hi bahut hai! Na jaane kaun sa toofan khada kar dogi yahan. I love my neat and tidy room."

She gave him a sharp look, "theek hai. Agar aapki yahi marzi hai tho aaj ke baad main is room ke paas bhi nahin bhatkungi. You can have a trouble free existence in your spotless bedroom." As she stomped around to leave, he pulled her by the wrist and shut the door behind them. She spun right into his arms, her hands landing on his chest, head against his chin.

"I want my spotless room to become more colorful and trouble free existence to become more adventurous. Kya mera saath dogi?" He whispered with a gentle kiss on her earlobe.

"Yahan tho sher ban rahe hain, neeche kya hua tha? Ammi ke saamne bilkul bheegi billi ban gaye the!" She pushed him away.

"Sher ke mooh sherni ka khoon jo lag gaya hai." He pulled her back into his strong arms.

"Ab is sherni ko jaldi tayyar hokar neeche jaana hai. Ammi intezaar kar rahi hain." She tried to wiggle out of his grip.

"Tumhare shauhar bhi intezaar kar rahe hain." He wouldn't let go of her, "saas se zyaada shauhar ki fikr karna seekhiye Mrs. Khan."

"ASAD!" She chuckled.

"Phir se kaho..." He just loved the way she uttered his name. That was one thing he would never get tired of hearing even when he was a 80 year old man.

"Am-ammi wants to talk to us about something important."

"Even I want to talk about something important."

"Kya?" She gave him a quizzical look, "abhi kya important baat karni hai aapko?"

"I want to give you a tour of our bedroom."

"I have stayed here before. I am familiar with every corner of this room."

"But you haven't seen this," he let go of her and presented the decorated room to her, "can I get some appreciation for my hard work Mrs. Khan?"

"WOW!" She clasped her hands with excitement, "it's all so beautiful. Yeh sab aapne sajaaya tha mere liye?"

He nodded with a glint in his eyes, "hamare liye."

She walked over and inhaled the scent from the flowers, "these are my favorite. I love these candles too. I just love---love all these decorations." She twirled around like a little girl who had just walked into a castle of her dreams.

Inebriated by her excitement, he placed his hands around her waist and pulled her closer, "I need the appreciation in action----not just words."

"Aap ko tho nasha sa chad gaya hai." His drunken eyes were ready to swallow her in his intoxicated state. Blushing, she hid her face in his chest.

"Aisa nasha jo zindagi bhar kaayam rahe---aur kabhie utarne ka naam hi na le." He lifted her in his arms and carried her to their special sej.'

AT THE DINING TABLE

Seated around the dining table with Dilshaad, Asad's eyes wandered and followed Zoya as she helped Najma set the table for their late breakfast- rather brunch. She had totally taken over all his senses. His eyes searched for her, ears pined to hear her say his name, nostrils craved for her scent and fingers longed for her touch.

"Asad beta, I am really tired now. The Valima was a great success lekin ab mujhse itne badhe functions manage nahin hote. Najma ke nikaah ki saari zimmedari ab tum dono par hai. Zoya aur tum hi saara kaam karna. I want the wedding to happen next month. Ab zyaada waqt nahin hai." Dilshaad sipped at her tea and rattled away her concerns.

"Zoya?" An absent minded Asad just caught part of Dilshaad's statement.

"Tumne suna main kya keh rahi hoon?" Dilshaad asked angrily, "Asad---main tumse baat kar rahi hoon."

Jee-jee ammi----aap keh rahi thi Zoya---I mean Zoya aur main-----hum dono-----I mean."

Dilshaad smiled inwardly but pretended to be upset, "Ya Allah! Kya ho gaya hai tumhein Asad? I have never seen you this distracted. Nikaah ka matlab yeh nahin ki saari zimmedari hi bhool jao. Kal raat phone bhi nahin kiya. Aur ab behen ke nikaah ki baat bhi nahin sun rahe ho."

Zoya chuckled as she walked in with a plate full of paranthas, "jee ammi. Dekhiye na kal raat aapko phone nahin kiya. I reminded him several times. He has become so forgetful. Like an old man!"

Dilshaad teased her back, "achcha Zoya---tum tho rehne do---tum bhi tho phone kar sakti thi kal raat? Dono naalayak ban gaye ho."

Ammi, agar nikaah ke baad aisa hi hone waala hai tho main abhi nikaah nahin karna chaahti." Najma pouted and pulled a chair to sit down.

"Nahin Najma---aisa nahin kehte," Asad reprimanded her, trying his best to focus on the conversation as Zoya sat beside him.

"Don't worry Najma. Your bhaijaan is a unique man. Yeh tho paida hi 50 saal ki umr mein huye the. Now he is like a 70 year old man. Inse kuch nahin hoga. Tumhare nikaah ki saari tayyari main karoongi." Zoya added confidently.

Asad turned his head and glared at her.

"Zoya---I mean bhabhi---it's all your fault then," Najma laughed, "warna mere bhaijaan pehle aise nahin the."

The three women laughed as Asad turned a beet color with embarrassment.

"Th-that's not true. I will plan----I mean----plan the"" Asad scratched his forehead, fumbling for words.

To add to his discomfiture, Zoya decided to play footsies with Asad. He was taken aback and almost jumped in his seat, "yeh---I mean----yeh??" He gave her an incredulous look with an I-can't-believe-you-are-doing-this-in-front-of-everyone expression. The warmth of her foot threw him in a frenzy of emotions, rendering him wordless.

"Dekhiye ammi----main keh rahi hoon inse kuch planning nahin hogi. Aapki bahu saari zimeedari legi," she gave him a mischievous look and then added, "yeh sirf honeymoon ki planning karenge."

"HONEYMOON?" Asad almost choked on his coffee as Zoya pressed her foot firmly on his. He knew she was nudging him to talk to Dilshaad about their honeymoon. With Dilshaad having announced Najma's wedding plans, it would be selfish to leave for their own pleasure.

"Jee ammi," Zoya rolled her tongue, "yeh keh rahe the Najma aur Karan ka honeymoon package main hi select karoonga."

As Najma blushed awkwardly, Asad gulped down his coffee, "can I have another cup please. I don't know what Zoya is talking about. Maine kabhie honeymoon ki baat nahin ki."

"Oh really?" Zoya tickled his foot once again. This time, Asad decided to give her back and squeezed her toes under the weight of his foot.

"AHHH!" Zoya whined.

"Arre kya hua Zoya?" Dilshaad asked worriedly.

"Kuch nahin ammi. Wo billi----I mean ek choohe ne shayad kharonch maari hai."

"Hamare ghar mein choohe nahin hain bhabhi---sirf sher hain." Najma smiled at her brother, who had his eyes shut.

An astute Dilshaad picked on their vibes. Her happiness had no bounds. She loved the way her son and daughter in law bantered and expressed their love for each other.

"ASAD! Us bechari ko pareshaan karna bandh karo!" Dilahaad scolded him.

"Pareshan? Main? Zoya becari nahin hai ammi----dekhiye na khud honeymoon par jaane ko betaab ho rahi hai. Naam mera lagaa rahi hai."

"MAIN? OF COURSE NOT AMMI!" Zoya turned red, "aap please mujhey list deejiye. I want to start working on Najma's wedding right away. Mujhey nahin jaana honeymoon par. Waise bhi Mr. Khan is too old to have fun at a honeymoon. I would be better off working on something useful here."

Dilshaad shook her head and smiled, "tum dono kal hi honeymoon ke liye ravaana ho rahe ho. BAS! KEH DIYA!"

"KAL?" Asad and Zoya were stunned.

"Haan kal! Warna mujhey pareshan karte rahoge. Wapas aaoge tab Najma ke nikaah ki baat karenge."

"No ammi, we really don't need to go on a honeymoon. Yeh tho sab bekaar ke traditions hain." Asad cleared his throat.

"Jee ammi---we really don't need to go," with clenched teeth, Zoya squeezed his foot once again.

"Lekin main chaahti hoon tum dono jaao." Dilshaad ordered.

"Yes bhaijaan and bhabhi----please go---otherwise you guys will drive us crazy. At least you will spare us the drama that's going on under the dining table."

Stunned and embarrassed, Asad and Zoya lowered their eyelids and focused on their paranthas. Like two kids who had been caught cheating in the classroom, Zoya withdrew her foot promptly.

Najma and Dilshaad exchanged silent glances and smiled at each other.

..to be contd...the perfect' honeymoon and it's after effects

👍🏼 👏

Omg i swear, This update is to be blamed if my sugar level goes high!
It was such a cute adorable sweet update! Omg it made me fall in love with Asad and Zoya ALL OVER AGAIN
And lmfaoo playing footsie 🤣 They are the cutest couple i swear :| I feel like going and pulling their cheeks here :| The way they are fighting and expressing their love for each other is just too adorable :|

I cant wait to see what Asad has planned for honeymoon now 😉

Loved it...what a superb plan by Zoe👏

resss

Res for Narges!