The longest chapter yet. I'm not sure if you guys will like it, especially because it seems like I'm creating three love stories between two families. It may seem a little extreme, but I did say from the start that the Rehmans and Akhtars belong together. Also, it's not definite yet whether ANY of these couples will end up together, let alone all of them. There's still a lot to come. I hope everyone can keep that in mind, and forgive me for defying logic. 😳
Chapter 8
It was the longest day ever. Yusuf returned to his apartment in the evening after two lectures, a three hour lab class, and four hours of volunteering at Alta Bates Hospital. He was exhausted and starving. As he entered and closed the front door, his roommate Jason Lam came out from his bedroom.
Jason: Hey.
Yusuf (collapsing onto the sofa): Hi.
Jason: Long day huh?
Yusuf (nodding): You know how my Mondays are.
Jason: I don't know how you do it. Well, you don't have to worry about dinner tonight. I just ordered a pizza ten minutes ago. It should be here soon.
Yusuf: Thanks dude. How much do I owe you?
Jason: Don't worry about it. You can pay next time.
The pizza arrived in a few minutes, and they started eating. Just as Yusuf was finishing his last slice, his cell phone rang. He checked the caller ID and saw that it was his mother. He answered it.
Yusuf: Hi mummy.
Fatima: Hi beta. Kaise ho? Hi beta. How are you?
Yusuf: Not too great.
Fatima: Woh kyoon? Why is that?
Yusuf: Kaise ho sakta hoon? Dedh hafte se aapke haath ka bana hua khaana nahin mila. How can I be? I haven't had your cooking for a week and a half.
Fatima: Ek ghante ki doori pe rehte ho to itne nakhre hain. Agar agle saal east coast mein kahin admission ho gaya, tab kya karoge? You live less than an hour away, and still complain so much. What will you do if you get admission on the east coast next year?
Yusuf: Aap ko apne saath le jaaoonga. I'll just take you with me.
She laughed.
Fatima: Theek hai. Lekin bas ek saal ke liye chaloongi. Sounds good. But I'm only coming with you for one year.
Yusuf: Bas ek? Baaqi ke teen saal main kya karoonga? Just one? What will I do for the other three?
Fatima: Us ke baad tumhaari biwi sab samhaal legi. Your wife will handle everything after that.
Yusuf: Achcha, to aapne meri shaadi ki tareeq bhi pakki karli? Itni jaldi kya hai? Oh, so you've decided when I'm getting married already? What's the rush?
Fatima: Jaldi to hai. Agar der lagaadi to shaayad ladki kisi aur se shaadi karle. We should be in a rush. If we take too long, the girl I have in mind might marry someone else.
Yusuf stopped to think for a second. Did his mother really have a girl in mind? She had never talked to him about marriage before. What was this all about?
Yusuf: Ladki? Girl?
Fatima: Haan, shaadi to ladki se hi hogi na? Yeah, you will be marrying a girl right?
Yusuf: Ji haan, lekin aapne kisi ko pasand kar liya hai? Kaun hai woh? Kya main use jaanta hoon? Yes, but have you chosen someone? Who is she? Do I know her?
Fatima: Itni aasaani se nahin bataaoongi. I won't tell you so easily.
Yusuf: Main bina jaane to haan nahin keh saka. Bata dijiye na. I can't say yes without knowing who she is. Please just tell me.
Fatima: To suno. Main Aisha Rehman ki baat kar rahi hoon. Then listen. I'm talking about Aisha Rehman.
So that's what was going on! No wonder his mother had asked Aisha so many questions the day his family had invited hers over for dinner.
Yusuf: Aisha? But mummy, I don't know her very well.
Fatima: It's okay. Ab jaan lena. Kya pata, woh tumhaare liye perfect ho? It's okay. Get to know her now. Who knows? She might be perfect for you.
Yusuf: Ho bhi sakta hai. Theek hai Mummy. Main soch ke aapko bataaonga. Anything's possible. Fine Mummy. I'll think about it and let you know.
Fatima: Mujhse baat karne ki koyi zaroorat nahin hai. Ab Aisha se hi baat karna. Ab tak to Najma ne use bhi is baare mein bata diya hoga. You don't need to say anything to me. Just talk to Aisha now. Najma must have told her all about this by now.
Yusuf: Najma aunty jaanti hain?! Najma aunty knows about this?!
Fatima: Najma aur Javed kal humaare yahaan aaye the, aur tumhaare daddy ne yeh baat chhed di. Hum chaaron ko lagta hai ke yeh jodi aachchi rahegi. Lekin aakhri faisla to tum donon ke haath mein hai. After all, shaadi to tumhaari hai. Najma and Javed came over to our place last night, and your dad brought up the possibility. All four of us think that you two would make a nice couple, but the decision is up to you. After all, it's your marriage.
Yusuf's mind was racing. He had never really thought about Aisha that way, but maybe he would have to now. It seemed like the parents really wanted this to happen. Yusuf told his mother that he would talk to Aisha soon.
Later that evening, he received a call from a number he didn't recognize.
Yusuf: Hello?
Caller: Hello, Yusuf bhai? Main Samira bol rahi hoon. Hello, Yusuf bhai? This is Samira.
Yusuf: Hi Samira. Mujhe kaise yaad kiya? Hi Samira. I wasn't expecting a call from you.
Samira: Aap busy to nahin hain? You're not busy are you?
Yusuf: Bilkul nahin. Bataao, kya baat hai? Not at all. What's up?
Samira: Mummy ne mujhe bataaya ke woh Aisha apa ki shaadi aap ke saath tey karna chahti hain. Mummy just told me that she wants to arrange Aisha apa's marriage with you.
Yusuf: Haan, lagta hai ke hum donon ke parents yehi chahte hain. Yeah, looks like that's what all of our parents want.
Samira: Main yeh sun ke bahut khush hoon. Apa bhi aapse baat karne ko raazi ho gayi hain, lekin main aapko ek baat bataana chahti hoon, kyoon ke mujhe lagta ke humen aapko andhere mein nahin rakhna chaahiye. I'm very happy about it. Apa has also agreed to talk to you, but there's something I want to tell you, because I don't think we should keep you in the dark.
Yusuf: Aisi kya baat hai? What is it?
Samira: Woh kya ha ke Aisha apa….woh pehle se ab….It's just that Aisha apa….lately she's been….
Yusuf was getting anxious. What was this secret about Aisha? Was she involved with someone else? Did she have an illness of some kind? Several thoughts went through his mind.
Yusuf: Samira, ab bata bhi do. Samira, just tell me.
Samira: Sach kahoon to mujhe khud nahin maloom ke baat kya hai. Lekin kuch to zaroor hua hai. Woh is saal bahut badal gayi hain. Khamosh rehne lagi hain. Lekin jab hum poochte hain ke baat kya hai, to kehti hain ke sab theek hai. To tell you the truth, I don't even know what's wrong, but something has definitely happened. She's changed a lot this year, and is a lot quieter than she used to be. Whenever we ask her what's wrong, she just tells us that she's fine.
Yusuf: Shaayad woh sach keh rahi ho. Kabhi kabhi log khud hi badal jaate hain. Maybe she's telling the truth. Sometimes people just change.
Samira: Nahin, Yusuf bhai. Kuch aur hi hai. Woh pehle khoob baatein kiya karti theen aur humesha sab ko hansaati theen. She was so full of life….kuch kuch aap ki tarah. No, Yusuf bhai. It's something else. She used to talk so much and make us all laugh. She was so full of life…kind of like you.
Yusuf recalled the few instances when he had had talked to Aisha in the past two years. There was definitely very clear evidence of what Samira was claiming. Aisha had changed.
Yusuf: Tumhen lagta hai ke use kuch hua hai? Do you think something happened to her?
Samira: Pata nahin. Main aapse yehi pata lagaane mein madad chaahti hoon. I'm not sure. I was hoping that you would help me figure it out.
Yusuf: Main kya kar sakta hoon? What can I do?
Samira: Please unse baat karne ki koshish karen. Shaayad woh aapko bata den ke baat kya hai. Please just try to talk to her. Maybe she'll tell you what's wrong.
Yusuf: Agar woh apni family ko hi nahin bataana chaahti, to mujhe kyoon bataayegi? If she doesn't even want to tell her own family, why would she tell me?
Samira: Aaj woh aapse shaadi ke silsile mein baat karne ko tayyaar ho gayin, to mujhe aisa laga ke umeed ki kiran chamki hai. Ho sakta hai ke woh aapko pasand karti hon. Aur shaayad….Today, when she agreed to consider the possibility of getting married, I saw it as a ray of hope. It's possible that she likes you. And maybe….
Samira sighed. Yusuf could tell that she really cared about her sister.
Yusuf: I can't promise anything, but I'll try.
Samira: Thanks. Mujhe pata nahin kyoon aisa lagta hai, ke yeh kaam aap hi kar sakte hain. Thanks. I don't know why I feel like only you can do this.
Yusuf didn't know what to say.
Samira: Achcha, main chalti hoon. Okay, I should go now.
Yusuf: Take care, Samira.
Samira: You too. Bye.
Yusuf: Bye.
It had been quite a day. Three hours ago, marriage was the furthest thing from Yusuf's mind, and now he couldn't think about anything else. Maybe it was the right time. He certainly didn't want to wait until after medical school to get married. Aisha seemed like a nice girl, but he sincerely hoped that there wasn't anything seriously wrong with her.
The next morning, Yusuf left his apartment at 7:45 for his first class. It was a nice day. The leaves on the trees were just starting to turn yellow and a light breeze was brushing through his hair.
Just as he arrived on the edge of campus, he saw Aisha at a distance, leaving the campus caf with a large coffee in her hand. This is the first time he had seen her on campus all semester. He called out her name and she waited as he caught up with her.
Yusuf: Good morning.
Aisha: Good morning. Aapki bhi early morning class hai? Good morning. You have an early morning class too?
Yusuf: Kya karen? Biology ki mostly classes subah ko hi hoti hain. What can I do? Most biology classes are early.
Aisha: Econ mein bhi aisa hi hai. Econ is the same way.
Yusuf smiled and looked down at the ground. Then he took a deep breath and asked her the question that he had approached her for.
Yusuf: Main tumse kuch baat karna chaahta tha. Aaj kisi waqt mil sakti ho? I wanted to talk to you. Can you meet me sometime later in the day?
Aisha: Aaj meri ek baje tak class hai aur phir chhe baje tak internship. To din mein bilkul bhi time nahin hai. Today I have class until one and then an internship until six. So I really don't have time during the day.
Yusuf: Then have dinner with me.
Aisha: Dinner?
Yusuf: Ab yeh mat kehna ke tum dinner nahin khaati. Now please don't tell me that you don't eat dinner.
Aisha smiled.
Aisha: Khaati hoon. Aap mujhe apna number de dijiye. Jaise hi internship se nikloongi aapko phone karoongi. I do. Just give me your number. When I get out of my internship, I'll give you a call.
He gave her his number and they both rushed to their classes. Yusuf reached his seat at 8:10, moments before the lecture began. Despite his anxieties about his date with Aisha that night, he pushed it all away and focused on the professor's description of DNA replication.
That evening, Yusuf was at his apartment playing cards with Jason when Aisha called. They decided to eat at a Thai restaurant nearby. As Yusuf walked to the restaurant, he wondered what he should say to Aisha to get her to reveal her problem.
While they ate dinner, Yusuf just started a casual conversation about classes and other interests. Aisha followed his lead, and neither of them mentioned the proposal. It wasn't until they ordered desert that Aisha finally brought it up.
Aisha: Aap mujhse kuch baat karna chaahte the., shaayad shaadi ke rishte ke baare mein? You wanted to talk to me about something, maybe about the marriage proposal.
Yusuf: Karna to chaahta hoon. Yahaan kar sakte hain, ya agar tumhaare paas thoda time ho to hum campus pe jaa sakte hain, taake akele mein baat kar saken. I do want to talk to you. We can talk here, or if you have time, we can take a walk on campus, so we can have some privacy.
Aisha agreed to go on campus. After finishing their desert, Yusuf paid the bill despite Aisha's protests, and they headed out.
As they walked along the creek running through the university, Yusuf finally started the conversation.
Yusuf: Aisha, main bas tumse yehi poochhna chaahta tha, ke tumhen is shaadi se koyi aitraaz to nahin hai? Shaayad kisi aur se shaadi karna chaahti ho? Aisha, I just wanted to ask you if you had any objection to this marriage. Is there anyone else who…you want to marry?
He looked at her apprehensively.
Aisha: Nahin, aisi to koyi baat nahin hai, lekin- No, its nothing like that, but-
Yusuf: To phir shaadi pakki? Then we can finalize the wedding?
Aisha: Huh?
Yusuf: Mazaaq kar raha hoon. Bataao tum kya keh rahi theen? I'm just kidding. What were you saying?
Aisha: Yusuf, main mummy se na nahin kehna chaahti thi lekin main abhi shaadi ke liye tayyaar nahin. Yusuf, I didn't want to say no to mummy, but I don't think I'm ready for marriage.
Yusuf: Koyi jaldi nahin hai, lekin kabhi na kabhi to shaadi karni hai na? There's no hurry, but at some point you do want to get married right?
Aisha shook her head slightly, but didn't say anything. They were approaching a bench.
Yusuf: Ek second Aisha. Yahaan baith jaao. One second Aisha. Sit down here.
They sat down.
Yusuf: Ab bataao, kya baat hai? Now tell me. What's wrong?
Aisha: Kuch nahin. Nothing.
Yusuf: Kuch kaise nahin hai? Mujhe tumhaari aankhon mein dard nazar aa raha hai. Chhupaane se kya faida hai? How can it be nothing? I can see the pain in your eyes. Why are you trying to hide it?
Aisha: Yusuf, main….main nahin bata sakti. Yusuf, I….I can't tell you.
Yusuf: Kabhi to kisi ko bataana hi padega. Shaayad main tumhaare liye kuch kar sakoon. Main kisi ko nahin bataaoonga. I promise. You'll have to tell someone at some point. Maybe I can do something for you. I won't tell anyone anything. I promise.
Aisha stayed quiet for a few minutes. Her eyes filled with tears.
Aisha: Maine kisise pyaar kiya tha. I was in love with someone.
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
Yusuf: Aur usne tumhen dhoka diya? Mujhe bataao woh kaun hai. Main usse baat karoonga. And he betrayed you? Tell me who he is. I'll talk to him.
Aisha: Ab aap kahaan se dhoond ke laaenge use? Woh to... Where will you find him now? He's…
The flow of tears was steady now.
Yusuf: Kya hua use? What happened to him?
Aisha: Agar main uska naam bata doon aap khud hi samajh jaayenge. If I tell you his name, you will understand.
Yusuf: To bataado. Then tell me.
Aisha (after a deep breath): Hasan Khan.
She had now buried her face in her hands. Yusuf was shocked. Hasan was a classmate and acquaintance of his who had died in a car accident in May, only four days after they had finished their third year at Berkeley.
Aisha looked up at him.
Aisha: Woh ghar jaake apne parents se humaari shaadi ki baat karne waale the. Lekin us se pehli hi….He was about to go home and talk to his parents about our marriage. But before that…
Yusuf put his hand on Aisha's shoulder.
Yusuf: I'm sorry Aisha. Mujhe iska zara bhi ehsaas nahin tha. Main samajhta hoon ke is waqt shaadi ke baare mein sochna tumhaare liya kitna mushkil hoga, is liye main us baare mein ab tumse koyi baat nahin karoonga. Lekin agar tumhen kabhi bhi ek dost ki zaroorat ho, I'm here for you. I'm sorry Aisha. I had no idea about you and Hasan. I understand how difficult it must be to think about marriage at this time, so I won't bring it up again. But if you ever need a friend, I want you to know that I'm here for you.
Aisha: Thanks.
They talked for a few more minutes, and then Yusuf walked Aisha back to her apartment. It appeared that this story was over before it could even begin.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
