Evening | سانجھ

Surprise🌟

Thank you @lostgirlinthedreams for the amazing book cover. It's been ages since you have sent it to me I'm so sorry for forgetting to give you the credits.❤

Unedited:

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Keh detha hun wese mera  kehna nahi bantha,

Is dil   k elawa tera kahin rehna nahi bantha.

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(Note: starts from the same day after Zohaib left the house)

"Sent it. Best of luck.", Meesha's message popped up.

Zain looked at the Huzaifa sitting in the lounge and replied "Roger". Zain resumed playing the game on the mobile. It was an unusually quiet evening in the Durrani house.

Saleem Bhai entered the house with a chocolate bouquet in his hand.

"Saleem Bhai what is this", Zain asked as Saleem Bhai approached near them.

Saleem Bhai came forward, handed him the bouquet, and said "Mee-" Zain glared at him.

"Meesha baji will kill you Saleem Bhai if you did anything wrong",

"I mean someone delivered it at a gate for Mahum bibi", Saleem Bhai said. Huzaifa stopped typing and looked up from the laptop screen.

"Ahan a chocolate bouquet and rose gajray, whoever has sent it knows Mahum baji very well", Zain stated.

"Thanks, Saleem Bhai, don't worry I'll give it to Mahum baji", Zain smiled. Saleem Bhai nodded and went away. Huzaifa glanced back at the laptop screen and started typing again.

"I'll give it to Mshum baji, it must be very important to her", Zain stood up with a jerk and a note fell from the bouquet.

"What is this?", Zain frowned. He picked up the note and sat down on the sofa again. He unfolded the note and started reading it loudly.

"Dear Mahum, you're the love of my life and the light of my eyes", Zain read his eyes grew wider with each word. Huzaifa snapped his head towards him.

"Oh my God, it's a love letter. I always wanted to read a love letter, nobody ever gave one to me but thank God Mahum baji's lover fulfilled my childhood dream", Zain said excitedly.

Zain cleared his throat and continued reading it again. "I've fallen in love with you the moment I laid my eyes on you", Zain read it in one go without blinking. "I'm so glad that you finally decided to move to the states. I can imagine my life with you there. I need your love much like the air that we need to survive. What I feel for you is something new, something special!".Zain quickly folded the note and took a deep breath. "I can't read it further it's too personal", he said.

"What the hell is this", Huzaifa roared. "Give it to me", he forwarded his hand to take the note from Zain.

"Huzaifa Bhai remember Mom said we shouldn't interfere in someone's personal matters. It's a bad habit", Zain got up and ran upstairs ignoring Huzaifa's warnings.

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"Zain did you bring this for me", Mahum smiled.

"Yes", Zain nodded. "I just wanted to tell you that I'll miss you so much Mahum baji. I never thought you will go so far from us".

"Awww", Mahum hugged him. "I'll miss you too Zain". She got emotional.

Zain backed off and gave her the gajray "Please wear these".

Mahum put them on and shook her hand in front of him.

"These are so beautiful. Thanks for the gift, I've never worn these before", she bloomed.

"Mahum baji can you please bring water for me", Zain pouted. "I'm absolutely parched".

"Sure Zain", She got up and looked at the jug on the nightstand. It was empty.

"How did it get empty", she frowned. "I'll bring you freshwater from the kitchen", she picked up the jug in her hand and left the room.

Mahum hummed a happy song as he entered the lounge. She had a constant smile pestered on her lips. Huzaifa looked up to her and his eyes shifted towards her wrists. His blood boiled. Mahum marched into the kitchen without realizing Huzaifa's presence.

Huzaifa fetched a deep breath, he closed the lid of his laptop harshly and placed it on the sofa. He got up and with the long and quick steps, he was already in the kitchen.

Mahum was standing near the kitchen Island with her back to him. She was pouring the water into the jug oblivious to his presence.

Faryal and Zain hurriedly came downstairs. They were peeking through the window.

"Now the fun begins", Zain smirked.

"Shhh", Faryal said.

"So that's the reason you suddenly decided to go abroad", Huzaifa said in a high-pitched voice.

Mahum turned around and frowned at his words.

"What reason?", she gave him the quizzical look.

"I know everything, you don't have to pretend", he replied.

"Don't beat around the bush, say directly whatever you want to say", She placed the jug on the table.

He took predatory steps towards her. He signaled towards her hand and said "Take these off".

"Why would I do that?", she narrowed her eyes.

"You love him that much that you can't even take these off", he

"I love him more than you can think of", she replied.

"Mein hi pagal hun k mom say baat--- (I'm a fool that I was going to talk to mom-- )", he shook his head. "Khair choro kya farq parhta hai tumhe (Leave it, as if it matters to you)", he let out a hollow chuckle.

"Shukar hai smjh aa gyi (Thankfully you understood) better late than never",

"Take.these.off", he ordered again. "Don't test my patience Mahum".

"Who are you to order me", she spat back.

He grabbed her hands and stripped off the gajray from her wrist angrily.

"What's wrong with you Huzaifa, LEAVE ME", Mahum struggled. He threw the gajray away forcefully and released her hands. She looked around, the rose petals were sprawled on the floor. She glanced back at him his eyes were still fixed on her.

She picked up the jug and poured the cold water over his head.

Zain and Faryal gasped.

"Bhabi do you still think they have feelings for each other?", Zain asked.

"Oh God", Faryal shook her head.

Mahum was fuming with anger. Her heavy breaths were audible in the silence. Huzaifa was drenched from head to toe. Water was dripping from his hair into his eyes. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

Mom and Tayi Ammi entered the house. Their eyes fell on Faryal and Zain's backs.

"What are they doing", Mom mumbled and they went towards them. Mom patted their backs and they stilled. Tayi Ammi directly went inside the kitchen to see what was happening there.

"Kya chul raha hai? (What's going on?)", Mom raised an eyebrow.

"Mur gaye (we are dead)", Faryal closed her eyes.

Faryal and Zain turned around, they looked at mom and gave her a tight-lipped smile.

"I'm asking something?", Mom urged them.

Zain pressed his hands together and pleaded, "We will explain later".

"You better do that", Mom said seriously.

"What the hell is happening here", Tayi ammi roared as she entered the kitchen. "This is our house, not a wrestling zone. When will you both grow up? One is going to get married the other one is going abroad and I highly doubt that they will be able to manage things maturely".

"Huzaifa what have you done to her this time?", Mom asked keeping her calm demeanor.

"It must be Mahum's fault", Tayi Ammi interrupted.

"No Chachi jan he didn't do anything. It was my fault, as usual", She looked at him. Her eye twinkled with unshed tears. It made a pang of ache go through his heart. She averted her gaze.

"You are stronger than he thinks Mahum", she kept chanting that in her heart, tilted her head slightly to prevent the tears from falling from her eyes.

Faryal and Zain felt guilty for doing this to them.

"We had good news to tell you and you both just spoiled our mood", Tayi Ammi complained.

"Good news?", Zain asked.

"hmm we liked the girl for Huzaifa, she is so beautiful inside out", Tayi Ammi smiled.

"Who is she? the one aunty has suggested you? , Faryal questioned.

"No, not that one. Meesha asked us to consider her sister-in-law first. So we both went to meet them. We liked them a lot", Mom said.

"Wow", Zain exclaimed.

"What's Meesha doing? Isn't her sister-in-law already engaged?", Faryal frowned.

"Faryal and Mahum next time you both have to accompany us", Mom said.

"Sure Chachi Jan, it would a pleasure", Mahum replied with a tight-lipped smile Huzaifa gawked at her.

"Huzaifa I'm sure you will like our choice", Tayi Ammi stated.

"Why not? after all she is your choice Tayi Ammi", Huzaifa replied. The moment his eyes met with Mahum's he averted his gaze and gave a smile to Tayi ammi.

"I need to change", saying that he left the kitchen.

Mahum and Tayi Ammi too went to their rooms. Zain tried to sneak outside but Mom stopped him.

"Now explain what are you both up to?", Mom demanded.

"Mom it's noth--",

"Not you Zain, Faryal will tell me", Mom stated. Faryal gulped. She glanced at Zain and then back to mom.

"We think--", she fidgeted her fingers. "Wethinkthattheyhavefeelingsforeachother". she said in a go.

"What are you saying Faryal?",

"We think that they have feelings for each other?", Faryal said hesitantly.

"Who?", Mom was confused.

"Huzaifa and Mahum", Zain intervened.

"They fight like tom and jerry, how come you sensed the feelings", Mom laughed.

"Mom, be serious yaar", Zain complained. He narrated the whole story to his mother.

"But whatever happened a few minutes ago, I think we have made a grave mistake. I'm feeling bad for both of them. But Meesha can never be mistaken about these things. I just don't know what should I believe.", Faryal was feeling guilty.

"Wait", Mom thought for a moment. "If they both have reacted it means they are jealous and jealousy means they are possessive towards each other and--",

"possessiveness shows their feelings for each other", Zain completed the sentence.

Faryal's face lit up. "Exactly".

"Mom now you know our mission so you will have to join us. We can not afford any loose ends in our mission. Will you join us?", Zain asked hopefully.

"Count me in", Mom smiled.

"Yayyyy", Faryal squealed.

"I've always imagined Mahum as Huzaifa's wife, it's just their behavior towards each other stopped me from doing that. You know the kid's happiness comes first. I hope we don't make things worse for them".

"We won't, hopefully", Zain said.

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"Yes...come on take one step forward", Faryal said lovingly to Zahra. Zahra was wearing a baby safety walking belt that baba Jan has sent for her to learn how to balance her steps. Usually, she stumbles after a second step. Zahra hesitantly took steps and look around shyly.

"Come on Zahra you can do it", Zain cheered.

"Zain you hold the strap I'll sit in front of her", Faryal said.

Zain nodded and took the strap from Faryal. She sat down on the floor at a distance, stretched her hands forward, and said, "Zahra come beta".

Zahra starred at her Ammi and started walking, her speed and giggles were increasing with every step. She hugged her Ammi once she reached there.

"I'm so proud of Zahra for always trying new things", Faryal said in a love-filled voice.

"Please start walking before your daddy comes back so we can give him a warm welcome", Faryal kissed her both hands.

"Faryal beta did Zohaib contact you?", Dad asked.

Faryal shook her head.

"I don't think so he will be able to contact any of us. There is no mobile network in that area", Uzair said.

A pang of hurt crept into Faryal's heart.

"I just pray he finishes his work soon", Mom said.

"We will wait for him", Faryal half-smiled and mumbled to Zahra.

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Zohaib checked his mobile for the umpteenth time but still, there were no signals. He heaved a sigh.

He starred at the wallpaper of his home screen it was his and Ayza's picture. He grazed his thumb over Ayza's picture for a moment then opened the gallery.

He scrolled through the camera roll. His lips stretched into a smile looking at Faryal and Zahra's photos.

"What will be they doing now?", he thought.

"Girlfriend?", a voice came from behind.

He turned around the swivel chair and a girl was standing there. Zohaib looked at her questioningly.

"Sorry let me introduce myself first, Sarah....Doctor Sarah here", she introduced herself and forwarded her hand for the handshake.

"Zohaib", he stretched his hand for the handshake.

"I know I'm being nosy but I can't stop myself from asking. Was she your girlfriend? I mean the one in the picture", she asked curiously.

Zohaib glanced back at the screen and realized he was starring at Faryal's pic.

"Wife", he shifted his eyes towards Sarah "She is my wife".

"So you are booked", she laughed. Zohaib frowned.

"Sorry for my over-friendliness. I'm engaged too, I was joking. It's just I found it cute and romantic that you were missing her".

"It's just...we have a daughter and I don't how will she handle her alone for that long", he said.

"Can you please show me their pictures", she asked.

"As if you will stop if I said no", Zohaib replied and showed her Zahra and Faryal's pic.

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"Can I call you now?", Meesha messaged Faryal.

"Wait", Faryal texted. She slowly laid down Zahra on the bed. Gathered the pillows around her and went out on the balcony. She dialed Meesha's number.

"Thank God you finally got free", Meesha huffed.

"Zohaib is not home and you know without him I need to be extra careful towards Zahra.", Faryal explained.

"How's Zahra?", Meesha questioned.

"She kept asking for her daddy, bohut mushkil say sulaya hai (I put her to sleep very difficultly)", Faryal heaved a sigh. "What do you want to discuss".

"Zain told me that our plan worked today", Meesha said excitedly.

"It did, but they both got hurt very badly. Huzaifa agreed to see the girl and Mahum said she would accompany us too",

"That's great. Don't feel bad let them get hurt until they are ready to confess their feelings. By the way, I've talked to aunty so we decide you will visit us tomorrow. Aunty being our crime partner is the best thing for our plan ", Meesha stated.

"But Meeshu, isn't your sister-in-law already engaged?", Faryal frowned.

"She is, wese bi hume konsi such mein shaddi krvani hai (Anyways we are not getting them married for real) Instead of hurting another girl I asked my sister-in-law for help. You know very well how cool Fahad's family is. They didn't have any issue.",

"So smart of you Meeshu", Farayal laughed. "Okay so see you tomorrow, I need to go back to Zahra she is alone in the room".

"Take care", Meesha said.

"Allah hafiz", Faryal disconnected the call and went inside the room.

She opened the closed, picked up her night pajamas, dumped them back inside the closed. She picked up Zohaib's T-shirt and her loose pants and entered the washroom.

After completing her night chores she settled down on the bed on Zohaib's side. She glanced around the room. Everything was the same yet felt different. She was missing him terribly.

"I can't talk to him but I can write for him", she smiled and picked up a notebook.

I don't know where to start because you always understand me even without saying a word. She wrote.

Everyone is taking care of me and Zahra like they always do, you don't have to get worried for us. I'm absolutely fine, although it's the first day since you have gone, but Zahra is missing you terribly. We can not blame her for that she is a baby she can not understand that her daddy has to pay back to society and fulfill his professional obligations too but one day when she will grow up she will be a proud daughter. She loves you a lot.

Zahra should be forever daddy's girl just like me. I want Zahra to love you more than me, I mean just 1% more.

"Yeh tou bht hogya (It's too much)", she mumbled. She drew a line over it.

I mean 0.5%.

She starred at the page and then shook her head. "Yeh ab b bht zyada hai (It's still too much)", she cut it again.

0.000001%.  She wriggled her eyebrows.

Nooo I take my words back Zahra should love me more and you should love Zahra more. That's how it should be. Why would she love you more than me?

And I miss you, please come back soon. Nothing feels the same. She starred at the sentence for a few minutes and then drew a line over it and quickly tore the page from the notebook. She folded the note and hid it inside the drawer.

"I won't give this to him", she mumbled, laid down on the bed. His pillow smelled like him. She hugged Zahra and closed her eyes.

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Huzaifa strummed a few chords on the guitar.

"Huzaifa come early from the office tomorrow, we have to go to Meesha's house so you can meet her sister-in-law", Mom's words replayed in his mind.

"Sure Chachi jan, it would be a pleasure", Mahum face came in front of his eyes. He threw the guitar aside.

"As always she doesn't care Huzaifa and you have made a fool out of yourself for her", he laughed ruefully. He opened his old diary and picked a picture out of it. The girl in the photo was a teenager.

"You are going away, you have let someone else in your heart. And me, I'm just stuck with these stupid feelings, Kaash mein tumse nafrat kar paatha Mahum. (I wish I could hate you Mahum)", he said with a heavy heart.

---------------------------------------------------Mahum starred at her wrists, they reminded her of Huzaifa's behavior.

"Why can't you let me be happy Huzaifa", she mumbled.

"You despise me so much." she took a deep breath. "I'll go far away from you and won't come back ever. If that's what you want".

"Falling for you is my biggest mistake", she closed her eyes.

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(Itna chota updateee, I know you are going to say that haha. I'm sorry but accept it as a small surprise from my side. In'Sha'Allah I'll post a regular-sized chapter on Friday).

Assalam u Alikum/Namaste, ❤

I hope everything is great at your side. Have a great week ahead.

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