OS: Yunhi kat jaayega safar saath chalne se
“Farjaad, kya aap mujhe thoda sa loan de sakte hain?” Umeed hesitated but eventually asked during their breakfast.
“Loan kyu chahiye aapko? Pura café set up hai. Kya hua staff salaries deni hain?” Farjaad was mildly amused.
“Nahi Farjaad, mujhe café mein peeche wala room thoda sa renovate karana hai. Salaries toh arrange ho jaayengi. Main bas ek resting room jaisa banana chahati hoon peeche. Taaki wahan par aaraam karna ho toh kar sakte hain.” Umeed spoke with a small spark in her eyes.
Farjaad kept his cup of tea back in the tray and looked serious at her- “Now don’t tell me Umeed ki raat mein bhi ab tumhara ghar aane ka iraada nahi hai. Matlab main tumhare liye raat tak jaagta hoon, aur jo bare minimum time humein spend karne ko milta hai, wo bhi ab tum nahi karogi!” He had crossed his arms around his chest and looked away from her.
Umeed immediately opened his arms and made him look towards her- “Farjaad, main ye sab thoda zyada time spend karne ke liye hi kar rahi hoon. Dekhiye, I know humare opposite schedules ki wajah se humein bohot limited time saath mein spend karne ko milta hai, toh maine socha ki peeche ke room mein ek sofa-cum-bed rakh dein, ek table chair, ek changing corner jaisa… toh aap apne office ke baad mere saath wahan chal sakte hain. Ya thodi der baad aa sakte hain. You can relax there, do some of your pending office work. Or you can nap for a while. Main wahin aapko coffee and snacks offer kar sakungi, and between my customer services I can come spend some time with you. Aur Saturday evening aap mere saath bohot saara time spend kar sakenge and main pura Sunday aapko dungi and then shaam mein back to my café.” Umeed explained her ingenious plan.
Though Farjaad was moved by her idea, he wasn’t convinced much – “Idea toh achha hai tumhara, par phir bhi pata nahi kyu, main convinced feel nahi kar raha. Umeed kya tum café ko night ki jagah day ka nahi bana sakti? I mean it will be unique. Karachi mein saare café shaam mein chalte hain, but tumhara kya pata unique ho?”
“Farjaad aapka mujhe samajh nahi aa raha. Khud pankh deke aap mere pankh kaat rahe hain. Mujhe mehnat karna sikhaya aapne, mujhe mere khwaab purey karne ki taakat di, aur unhein apni marzi se pura karne ki aazaadi di ye keh ke ki ye tumhara café hai tum decide karo; aur ab jab main wo sab kar rahi hoon toh aap keh rahe hain ki aise nahi waise karo. Main aakhir kaise karu sab kuch aapke mutaabik? Kuch theek nahi ho raha.” Umeed looked heartbroken.
One thing Farjaad always admired about Umeed was the fact that no matter how hard life throws curves at her, she never cried. There were very rare few incidents when he saw her cry, last was their rukhsati on their wedding. And right now, though she felt helpless with Farjaad being sad about their lack of time, she didn’t cry her way out to convince him. But logical reasoning. And what she said was true.
“Achha-achha... Theek hai. Maine socha convince karke dekh loon, shayad baat ban jaaye.” Farjaad had his hands up in surrender, and he threw his adoring smile at her. “Theek hai, cheque book laao, main sign karke de raha hoon cheque. And no, it’s not a loan, but an investment into your business. Returns loonga tumse when the business takes off well.” he teasingly smiled at her with his eyebrow cocked up.
Umeed happily took the cheque; she knew no way on earth would Farjaad take the money back. Not that she wanted it free, but the relationship they were in, he didn’t want returns from her, and she eventually had accepted the fact.
The renovations and the new schedule that ensued worked well for them and month after month the café was picking up, which created a sense of calm in their lives. Sameer and Haya returned to their studies and Chachu had joined in as the Chef. Umeed kept on filling in the loan payments her dad had taken for her wedding and with the café running better, she was happy with the loan almost getting over to the end. This was the fairytale life Umeed wanted and she eventually got.
Her life was anything short of a dream come true with the marriage being the most beautiful turn of her life and not a day went when she didn’t feel thankful for what she was getting, being married to Farjaad. The love, support, calmness and the sense of fulfillment he gave as a partner was something to die for, and Umeed could trade her life for the love he and his family gave. Niggo Mamma was the only void in her life that she filled to the T. And all this support made Umeed want to give her maximum to her relationship with Farjaad. What with spending most of her time with him, waking up before him, jogging with his, having their first tea of the day together, preparing his breakfast and seeing him off for the office, she was giving her 110% to this relationship, which slowly was wearing her off health.
“Ye kuch zyada chakkar nahi aane lage hain tumko Umeed?” Farjaad spoke inquisitively when her dizziness came to her fourth day in a row.
“Pata nahi Farjaad, ab toh main dopahar mein bhi soti hoon. Mujhe pata nahi kyu itni neend aati hai. Aur na soun toh chakkar aane lagte hain. I promise main kaamchori nahi kar rahi. I genuinely want to do all this for you and my café.” Umeed was worried that Farjaad might think that she still was searching for shortcuts in her life and didn’t want to work hard.
“Umeed... meri jaan, maine kab kaha ki tum kaamchori kar rahi ho. Mujhe toh tumhari tabiyat ki fikar lag rahi hai.” he calmed her. “Itna stress handle nahi ho raha hai toh it’s totally fine. I don’t want you to fall sick. Kal se tum pehle mat uthna. Main hi jagaya karunga tumhein. You’ll at least get some extra minutes to sleep.”
“Nahi Farjaad, main karna chahti hoon... Sach mein!” she said.
“Haan pata chal raha hai... Daily chakkar aa rahe hote hain tumko. Aur meri maano, doctor ke paas chalte hain. Ek aadh blood test ho jaayega. Kahin hemoglobin kam toh nahi ho gaya tumhara. Pata chala Pashas sochenge ki kaisa shauhar hai Umeed ka, bechari ka khoon peeta hoga...” Farjaad made her laugh.
“No, but honestly Farjaad I don’t need to see a doctor. Aur koi kuch nahi sochega.” Umeed was already frightened of the needle and didn’t want any blood test done.
“Koi bahana nahi chalega. Chup chaap chalo doctor ke paas. Tabhi decide honge timings tumhare sone uthne ke.” Farjaad pulled her by her arm and surrounded her shoulder with his arm and walked her out of the room to their car.
It was in the evening and Umeed was not just tapping the tips of her index fingers, but also shaking her feet in tension. Farjaad had come with her reports from the doctor on his way from the office, while Umeed had left for her café. So, he came directly here to tell her about the news in person.
“Masla kya hai Umeed, kyu itni pareshaan lag rahi ho?” Farjaad’s face was glowing with happiness, and he was hardly able to contain it. He had answered her question to- “Am I really pregnant???” at least five times after which she kept on pacing in the back room of their café, switching between sitting and shaking her feet in tension.
“Farjaad... aisa nahi hai ki main mumma nahi banna chahti thi. Of course... maine bhi bachpan mein ghar ghar khela hai, and someday I wanted to embrace motherhood, but, aise? I mean, mera business abhi toh chala hai. How can I leave it all aside? Ye bhi toh mera khwaab hai na?” Umeed explained her plight.
“Toh tumse keh kaun raha hai ki sab chodh do? I mean, there are hundreds and thousands of working women in the world, mere office mein hi pata nahi kitni hain. They work, during pregnancy, after childbirth, when their kids are small... Sab karti hain. Aur tum bhi karogi.” Farjaad explained to her with all the love and motivation.
“Aur jab main nahi kar paaungi, tab? Meri tabiyat theek nahi rahi tab?” Umeed was still panicking.
“Tab, you have an army of your loved ones, jinhein family kehte hain. Hum sab tumhare har dagmagate kadam par tumhein thaamne ke liye taiyyar khade hain. Umeed, you don’t need to do this all alone. Hum sab hain... Main hoon... We will try to ease your pregnancy as much as we can.” Farjaad motivated her again.
“Aur baby? Wo jab ho jaayegi, ya ho jaayega... Usko? Usko kaun dekhega? Maine toh suna hai babies ko unki mumma chahiye hoti hain.” Umeed looked vulnerable.
“Kyu, babies ko baba bhi chahiye hote hain... Ye kahan likha hai ki mumma ki monopoly chalti hai? Ji nahi Miss Umeed Pasha... Shaam mein baby is gonna be with Baba... And we’ll have our fun. You mind your business with your business.” Farjaad smiled brightly at her.
Umeed understood his teasing, as she added- “Haan, taaki aap usko bhi apni tarah ghadiyaal bana dein.”
“Arrey of course!” Farjaad said, and both laughed their hearts out. True, when you walk together, long roads don’t seem longer... Yunhi kat jaayega safar saath chalne se, ke manzil aayegi nazar saath chalne se...”
-----------------THANKS FOR READING--------
Kept the essence of the og characters to a T; could feel them playing out the dialogues on screen for real!
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