Hona Tha Pyaar ✔

45. Honeymoon

"Who is this?" Daddy questions, pointing a finger at his left to Saira. His tone, so calm and soft as though he was speaking to a 5-year-old.

"Saira,"

"What is she to you?" 

"Wife. . .?"

"Poochre ke batare?" The sudden harshness of his voice caused Saira to flinch and me to slightly jump in my place. Let's face it. No matter how old you are, the fear of your father's wrath never leaves you.

"I'm tell--"

"Nahi tha na yaad? Ghar me biwi hai, tumhare intezaar me, beghair kuch khaye aur piye."

(Of course, you'd forgotten that you have a wife at home, waiting for you without having eaten anything.)

"Main--"

"Tumhari shaadi ko mushkil se 3 din huye, Fahad." He snarls. "College se aapka yehi haal hai, raat raat bhar ghar ke baher rehna, subha 3 baje aana wapas, doston ke saath aawara gardi karna. Kab take chalinga ye sab?Maa baap ka khayal to aapko pehle se nahi tha, Saira ka to karlo."

(It's been hardly three full days to your wedding, Fahad. You've been like this since your college, staying out late with friends, not coming home until 3 in the morning. How long are you planning to stay like this? You never cared for your parents, at least think of Saira.)

"I did call her--"

"Is she your assistant?" He snaps. "Kabhi meku dekhe tumhari mummy ke saath aysa behave karte hue? Aaj tak, kabhi dekhe hum dono ko alag alag khana khate hue? Kabhi dekhe me din bhar baher raha beghair call kare? Haan?"

(Did you ever see me behaving like this with your mother? All these years, did you ever see us eating separately or me staying out for the whole day only to come home near midnight? Huh?)

"No," I answer quietly, lowering my head in shame.

"Kiya emergency thi? Kiya museebat aagayi thi? Kon marre the? Kiya kare tum, meku bolo? Itne ghante tum the baher, kiya kare? Kuch kaam ki cheez kare?" 

(What was the emergency? What was the urgent issue? Who was dying? Tell me, what did you do staying out the entire day?)

"Daddy--" Saira tried to intervene, but falls silent when he sort of yelled at her.

"Chup! Ek dum chup! Koi zaroorat nahi hai iski wakaalat karne ki. Tumhari bhi ghalti hai isme,"

(Shut up! There is no need for you to advocate for him. You are at fault too.)

"What have I done?"

"Rok nahi sakte the deewane ko ye? Tumhara shohar hai, tum biwi hai iske, poora haq hai tumhara. Did he tell you for how long he was going to be away?"

"Yes,"

"Yes?!" Daddy exclaims. "Aur uske baad bhi tum jaane diyea isko? Wah! Bete, nayi nayi shaadi hui aap dono ki. Abhi se control karna seekho, apna haq jamana seekho. Aysich chordiyea na isko, toh kabhi haath ko nahi lagta ye. Samjhrey?"

(And even then you let him go? Wow! My dear, you both just got married. Learn to control him from this instant. If you let him free like this, you won't get a hold of him ever. You understand?)

"Ji, daddy,"

"Haan, bolo kiya kare tum?" He demands turning his focus back to me. That's when I feel the folded papers in my hand. "Bolo!"

Taking a step forward, I hand him the papers before returning to my position. "Maldives ke air tickets," I say. With a frown, he unfolded the papers and reads through them. "Parson raat ki flight hai, 2-week ki trip. Short hai kyuki, 27th ko Ayan uncle log wapas jaare and I didn't want Saira to miss that."