Chapter 1
Meher wraps a terrified and crying Aalia into her arms, comforting her. Witnessing her favourite singer Bano Di's jamming spot turned upside down is no where a treat for that little soul. It is rather a horrific sight which is for sure going to terrify her for days to come! Not only has it affected the innocent, but Meher alike. But then even she is innocent! Innocent, as she thought that for once the cruel men who are against women's singing and dancing would leave them alone and to their peace. That for once they would be able to carry out their lives as per their wish. But alas! no one is going to change.
She realizes, the reason behind all this is no one else but her own sister - Jannat!
With teary eyes, Meher looks heavenwards, and mummers,
Looking towards a terrified Aalia, Meher kisses her forehead lovingly, whilst controlling her own emotions, her throat aches as a lump builds up there! She hugs back Aalia tightly.
Naushad holding an asleep Aalia into his arms, gets into a room alotted to doctors to rest in times of their night shifts. Meher follows him nervously, guilty, accepting the fact she shouldn't have taken Aalia with her. She shouldn't have given heed to Aalia's plead.
She knows what's coming up next is a good thrashing from her boss - Dr. Rizvi. Had it been any other reason, she would have either got determined to argue with Dr. Rizvi on scolding her; or would have slipped away, grabbing an opportunity, but right now it is about Aalia! Aalia the child who is as much important to Dr. Meher as she is to her father Dr. Naushad Rizvi.
Carefully and quietly as he doesn't want to wake Aalia up by any means, Dr. Rizvi places his daughter on a sofa. Meher quietly keeps an eye on Aalia, concerned about her well being.
Slowly, Dr. Naushad shuts the door, noiselessly. Dr. Meherunissa who is standing behind him steps back her eyes still on Aalia whilst Dr. Naushad shuts the door.
What follows next is yet another shock for Meher! Of course, not that she was expecting sugar coated words from her boss. She in fact was expecting a good thrashing from her arrogant boss. Her heart skips a beat as she realizes that she has tagged him as - pohncha hua dakhal andaaz but today, knowing-unknowingly, she herself has stepped into his territory without asking his permission! She mustn't have done that, she realizes. Is she herself a - pohnchi hui dakhal andaaz? She wonders!
His angry glare is more than enough for her to feel guilty afresh. As for Naushad, his heartbeat picks up pace out of anger. Inside he calculates what to say and from where to start scolding her! His level of anger increasing with each passing moment. She of all people had to be the reason for making his daughter feel miserable? Where on the other hand he secretly expected she of all people would take his daughter away from all the miseries! Had it been someone else he would have by now started scolding that person, might have even thrown her out of the hospital but there is something about this woman in front of him that despite being utterly angry and pissed off on her, he doesn't utter those words!
But anyways he cannot let her go like that. He needs to bring out his pent up anger on her or else he won't be able to calm himself down.
Meher waits patiently for him to begin with this. She knows she can't escape this, and she doesn't even wish too. But she knows the faster he scolds her, the faster she would be able to get away from this situation. Unable to resist any longer, she breaks the ice, apologizing, her eyes lowered,
"Dr. Rizvi I am..."
But Naushad intervenes, in no mood to listen to her as it becomes impossible to control his anger.
"Wo chaar (4) saal ki hai! Sirf chaar (4) saal ki!",
he scolds, grinding his teeth in anger. His eyes glaring Meher. How difficult it is to keep a check on his voice right now, only he knows.
His words skip another of Meher's heartbeat. The ache she had been feeling for Aaliya this long, becomes more acute. Not that she didn't know about Aaliya's age but the fresh mention from Naushad's side and that too in a situation as this one, his words pierces through her heart. Meher keeps her eyes lowered unable to meet his eyes. Her fidgeting with the end of her duppatta explains the level of her nervousness. But Naushad chooses to ignore. If today he takes the situation lightly and let her go, this might repeat again tomorrow! She needs to be taught a lesson.
But if that's the case so why punishing her by merely scolding her? She surely needs bigger punishment. Why don't you make it clear that henceforth, she is not aloud to be around your daughter? Why don't you restrict her from talking to Aaliya? Surely that would give you satisfaction to a great extent - hurting Meher, a punishment for her deed! Is it that difficult a task? Whom exactly are you concerned about - Meher? that she might not like it if you restrict her from meeting Aaliya? Or is it Aaliya and you, you are concerned more about? That the ray of happiness that's occupying the empty spaces in the lives of both Aaliya and yours, might get snatched away before it could lighten up the hearts of both of yours? Aaliya's heart being a tiny one was easier to enlighten and fill with love for Meher! But what about you Dr. Naushad Rizvi? What would it take for you to understand and believe Meher?
"Kis haq se apne usse bahar le jana munasif samjha?",
scolds Naushad.
A nervous Meher, refrains from looking towards angry Naushad, but of course that doesn't mean that she is completely obvious of his mood. His each and every gesture is being noticed by Meher.
Feeling already guilty, and now nervous too, it becomes difficult for Meher to speak in front of Naushad. But of course she knows he won't take her silence as his answer. She needs to speak; she needs to tell!
Slowly looking towards him, Meher apologizes for her fault,
"I know... I... I shouldn't have... I am... am... sorry!"
His constant angry glare refrains her from looking into his eyes for long and hence she keeps changing her vision from him to the floor and vice a versa.
"Wo... Aliya meri behn ke band se milna chahti thi aur...",
explains Meher, her heart throbbing inside her chest but she chooses to hide her nervousness to whatever extent she can.
While Naushad stands there in front of her, bended a little towards her, glaring her in anger.
"...unka college yahin bagal mein hai. So I thought...",
Meher gets intervened by Naushad, as her words increases the level of his anger, he scolds her, taunting her,
"You thought!!!"
Meher lowers her eyes, feeling guilty all over.
"Please do me a favour Dr. Mirza, next time apke dimag mein koi brilliant thoughts ayein to please don't act upon them!",
he blurts out in a single breathe, glaring her throughout.
Feeling extremely guilty, Meher keeps her eyes lowered and tries to keep her heartbeat under control.
"Aap... aur apke khandan ko risk aur danger ke saath kuch khaas lagaw hai jo ki baki duniya share nahi karti, least of all a child!",
scolds Dr. Rizvi in a single breath, emphasizing, raising his voice as he utters the words - 'least of all a child!'
The mention of her family, his taunting about it, affects Meher and hence unable to control the anger surging through her, she widens her eyes whilst, retorting back, but she doesn't forget that she is in hospital and hence needs to maintain silence, therefore she keeps her voice under check while speaking, looking straight into his eyes,
"Dr. Rizvi it was a mistake!"
The ringing of the phone kept at the reception, drags Meherunissa's attention for fraction of seconds, she turns to look towards it and quickly looks back towards Dr. Rizvi to deal with the current situation in hand.
"And will never happen again!",
she tells sincerely.
Then her tone changes, she gets more confident as she says looking straight into his eyes,
"Aur rahi baat mere khandaan ki... haan, hum dhamkiyon se nahi darte!"
Naushad's constant glare doesn't shake Meher's spirit this time because this time it's not about her, but about her family! With her this reply and attitude, she makes it clear to Naushad that her priorities would never change! To her, nothing or rather no one is above her family. Her determination ignites his anger. Whilst glaring her, he thinks about what to say next as his anger doesn't seem to calm down, it's rather increasing with each passing moment, thanks to Dr. Mirza's determination which he can read from her eyes. He walks closer to her in anger, glaring her throughout, while Meherunissa takes backward steps, he tries to think how else can he hurt her and hence bring her straightforward answering to an end.
Looking away out of anger, she doesn't forget to mention,
"Aur agli baar apke dil mein humein apni...",
she lowers her eyes whilst continuing,
"ex-wife ka saaz de kar saath dene ka khyal aaye...",
she looks back towards him, and says,
"Khuda ke liye, please don't act on it! It almost makes you look like a nice person!",
her sugar-coated words, used on purpose, pinches Naushad all the more, just the way Meher expected!
Her taunt has its affect, and Naushad scolds her further, as his anger level increases all the more by her words.
"This.is.about.my.daughter!!",
says Naushad, grinding his teeth, pausing after each word, just to emphasize on them.
Meher keeps her eyes lowered, having nothing to say further and deep down feeling guilty.
At that moment Aliya slowly pulls the door open of the room she was in.
"Abbu!",
she calls nervously, looking up towards her father.
Naushad turns to look towards Aliya on hearing her voice.
Meher quickly controls her emotions of humiliation, anger, frustration, guilt all mixed up together, not wanting to sadden Aliya by her face expressions. Controlling her racing heartbeats, Meher quickly plasters a smile on her face which turns into genuine one as she lays her eyes properly on Aliya! Her heart flutters seeing the angelic face, forgetting all her prior tensions.
For seconds Naushad, when turns to address Aliya, comes in between Meher and Aliya, such that his back is facing Meher. This he does to give her space to control her emotions and get hold of her expressions in front of Aliya.
Meanwhile, he picks up Aliya into his arms whilst asking lovingly,
"Arey aap kyun uth gaye?"
Aliya bearing a sweet smile on her face says pointing towards Meher,
"Dr. Meher Didi ko punishment mili hui hai!"
Naushad staring his daughter lovingly, nods his head simultaneous to her words and says,
"Hmm... yes!"
Meanwhile, Meher gains back her equilibrium.
"Kyunki Dr. Meher didi ne naughty wala kaam kiya hai!",
explains Naushad to Aliya.
This he does on purpose, not only to make Aliya aware of the fact that Meher committed a mistake but also to teach his daughter a lesson through Meher! Of course had it been anyone else instead of Meher, Naushad would have dismissed her before focusing on Aliya. But this is about Meher, Naushad doesn't understand why, teaching his daughter through Meher's deed is no where a harm! And also he knows she won't mind either and even if she does, it won't affect him because he knows that he isn't humiliating her in front of anyone else other than Aliya, his daughter and this shall remain a secret among the trio!
Aliya keeps looking towards her Meher Didi, her eyes glitter with joy as if one of her classmates has gotten punishment on not completing her homework.
While Naushad explains everything to Aliya, the smile gradually vanishes from Meher's face as she stares Naushad and hears him. Her heart clenches as she realizes yet again how much angry he is on her!
"Aur jo naughty wala kaam karte hain hum log unko kya banate hain?",
asks Naushad to Aliya, looking towards her.
"Mulda!",
says Aliya in her innocent accent, snapping her fingers and pointing her index finger towards Meher, laughing hesitatingly, enjoying the fact that her Meher Didi would turn into cock.
Meher understands how Aliya is enjoying seeing her being punished. This fills Meher's heart with more love for her. After all if she could bring smile on the face of the little angel, it would always be a pleasure for Meher. For these fraction of seconds on seeing Aliya enjoying seeing her being punished, makes Dr. Meher to forget her current equation with Dr. Naushad.
Just to make Aliya to enjoy her state more, Meher pretends to make a sorry face in front of Aliya and holding her ears she says sorry to Aliya, making a puppy face.
Nothing goes unnoticed by Naushad. He of course doesn't turn to look towards Meher, just to keep his stand that he is angry! He doesn't want to show that his heart is melting for her. But the smile he already had on his face because of Aliya, stretches a little more because of Meher's gesture towards his daughter.
She of course could have stayed quiet, keeping the angry face that she had moments ago intact. But she made sure that Aliya doesn't get affected by her expressions, her this maturity, without being asked to do so, does have it's affect on Naushad, which he shields from Meher very well.
Meher doesn't realize that he is affected by her gesture towards Aliya and inside she still feels he is cold hearted person. His affection can never be for anyone else other than Aliya.
Looking towards Aliya, Naushad lovingly reminds her, asking her,
"Agli baar jab Aliya bahar jayegi, to wo Abbu se kya legi?"
"Pal.mi.ssion!",
replies back Aliya in her adorable accent, looking towards Naushad, whilst playing with his tie.
"Good girl! Chalo abhi nini karte hain",
whilst saying so, he turns back to walk into the room and make Aliya to rest again.
As he turns, Aliya's face turned towards her Meher Didi, she waves her hand towards Meher, smiling throughout, her eyes glittering again seeing her Meher Didi. Meher continues waving her hand, smiling lovingly throughout at Aliya.
"Bye! Bye!",
mummers Aliya in low tone, as she enters the room.
Edited by RNpoint1857 - 6 years ago
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