شرر Sharar

Seventy-One

Tune mere jaana
Kabhi nahi jaana
Ishq mera, dard mera...

•••

"Kaha the?" It was almost morning when Kabir entered his house. Huzaifa, who was going for morning prayer, saw him and asked.

(Where were you?)

"Aangan mein hi tha. Ayat ke sath." Kabir informed him. Putting the empty ice cream tub on the table, he was about to leave.

(I was in the aangan with Ayat.)

"Kabir!" But Huzaifa stopped him. "Idhar aao!" Sitting on the sofa, he called Kabir there.

(Come here.)

Kabir went to sit with his father.

"Kabir, main samajh sakta hoon tum pehle nahi bata paye hoge jo kuch bhi ghar mein ho raha tha uss wajah se. Lekin yeh baat tum bhi samajhne ki koshish karo main kyu mana kar raha hoon."

(Kabir, I can understand why you couldn't tell us before because of what was happening in the house at that time. But you should also try to understand why I am refusing.)

"Koi aur halat hote, waqt hota, main baat kar leta Kazim aur Hamna se. Lekin uski shadi hai agle hafte, ab bohot derr ho gayi hai..."

(If it was different situation and time, I would have talked to Hamna and Kazim. But her marriage is next week. It's too late now...)

"Main janta hoon." Kabir said in a hard voice.

(I know...)

"Jante ho toh yun iss tarah se... tumhe aise nahi dekh sakte hum, Kabir. Hume bhi takleef hoti hai tumhari udasi se. Koshish karo, khush rehne ki. Puri zindagi aise nahi beetayi jati." Putting his hand on Kabir's shoulder, Huzaifa told him.

(If you already know then why you... you know we can not see you like this, Kabir. We also feel sad seeing you unhappy. Try to move on. You can not live your life like this.)

"I am sorry, Papa. Main koshish karunga." Kabir wanted this conversation to end as soon as possible. He already knows these stuffs. He knows nothing can happen now, he knows he had to be happy for the sake of his parents, but what can he do, his heart refused to be happy without Shyra. The thought of her marrying someone else disturbed him.

(I am sorry, Papa. I will try.)

Huzaifa looked at Kabir, who's face was saying something else from his words. He wanted to help Kabir, but he didn't want any trouble in his sister's marriage because of this.

•••

Next morning, Kaif and Rukhsar were talking in hushed tone on dining table. Kaif was telling his mother to talk to Naziya Begum about it, but Rukhsar refused. Huzaifa has forbids her from talking about it to anyone else in the house.

Kaif shuts his mouth, Huzaifa has forbids Rukhsar, not him.

After breakfast, when Kaif was going to office, he found Ayla in the porch talking to driver.

"Bhai, apko kal hi bata dena tha na, Ab hum Hospital kaise jaye?" Ayla complained.

(Bhai, you should have told me this yesterday, how I am supposed to go to hospital now?)

Kaif looked at her car, which tire is punctured.

"Main drop kardu?" Going to her, he asked.

(Can I drop you?)

Ayla glance at him, then at her car, and then her wrist watch. She didn't want to go with him, not after their conversation of last night, she felt awkward in his presence, but she was getting late, and it would take time to change the tire.