HUMDUM- Laiba & Fahad

17| 'Not' Missing You

'I..like you Zayd' pasand karti hoon main aapko.
The air filled with anticipation as he leans back in his chair trying to process what she said.

'I'm sorry agar aapko accha nahi laga mera aise achanak aapko yeh sab bolna..lekin main ab apni feelings batane mein aur der nahi karna chahti thi..'

'Jiya..I- uh.. Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha main kya kahu..aap mujhe theek se jaanti tak nahi..hum dono toh sirf ek do baar hi mile hai..'

'Main yeh reason accept nahi karungi. inkaar ke liye koi aur wajah dhund le' he looked at her surprised. He got a call.
'I'm sorry, I have to leave'
Jiya's heart sinks as she watches him leave abruptly.

[NIGHT]
LAIBA
I looked around the room. An unsettling feeling washed over. It took me a moment to realize what it was. Fahad wasn't going to be here for a few days. I will be having the whole bed to myself. But why do I feel a pang of longing. Maybe because I was used to him being around? But it's not like I miss him right?

I glanced at the chair where his coat hung, and felt like it held the answer to my unspoken question. I reached out and took hold of the coat. The fabric felt warm against my skin, as if it still carried his presence.
Wait. What am I even doing. I thought but then shrugged it off. It was just a coat after all.

Slipping into the coat, I was enveloped in its familiar scent. It was a mixture of his cologne and the faint muskiness that clung to him after a long day's work.
I walked around the room wondering about how my life was 2 months ago, before this marriage and how it is now. My phone rang interrupting my thoughts.
It was him.
_____

'Hello' 
'Kya kar rahi ho?'
'kuch nahi..tum batao phone kyu kiya'
'I miss you.'  'I don't'  She replied.
'Really?' He chuckled.
'Accha suno video call kar sakte hai please?'
'Kyun?'  She asked.
'Bas tumhara chehra dekhna hai'
She realised she was still wearing his coat.
'Uhh..abhi mujhe bohot neend aa rahi hai..main kal tumhe phone karungi bye.' She said keeping the phone leaving him feel confused and upset.

[TIME SKIP]
Insia walked into the room and found Laiba lying on the bed her face pale and etched with exhaustion. She came closer and softly called her out.
Laiba slowly opened her eyes feeling disoriented and nauseous.
'Laiba..beta tum theek toh ho? Aaj subah nashte ke liye bhi nahi aai..12 baj rahe hai'

In a weak voice she replied
'Kal raat se vomiting aur heart burn hai..puri raat nahi so payi, bohot thakan mehsus ho raha hai'
Concerned, Insia caresses her head. 'Tum araam karo main tumhare liye kuch khaane ko lekar aati hun'
'Nahi..please- mujhse kuch khaaya nahi jaega'
'Beta agar zyada tabyat kharab hai toh main doctor ko bulau?'  She asked.
'Nahi maa, iski koi zarurat nahi hai..medicine le lungi toh theek ho jaungi'
'Mein dawai lekar aati Hun' Insia said leaving from there.

Laiba's phone rings incessantly, its shrill tone cutting through the silence of the room. She winces at the sound of the ringing phone but doesn't move. She clutches her stomach, clearly in discomfort. She lay in bed, too tired to pick the call. Fahad concerned and upset wondered why Laiba wasn't picking his call.

[EVENING]
'Badi ami..aapne bulaya?' Sana asked Insia.
'Haan..agar tum bahar jaa rahi thi.. toh yeh Laiba ke ghar pohoncha dena' she said handing over a few boxes.

'Aap chahti hai ke mein? Laiba ke ghar jau? Main kyu badi ami..aap driver ke haatho bhijwade' Sana replied.

'Aise accha thodi lagega..driver ke haath se bhijwana...Laiba ki tabyat bhi kharab hai..woh nahi jaa sakti..khair agar tum nahi jaana chahti toh koi baat nahi' Insia said leaving from there.

'Nahi nahi badi ami..main bhala apki koi baat kaise taal sakti hoon..aap mujhe de de.'

[MALIK HOUSE]
Zahra and Salma sat outside in the garden engaged in a conversation about Laiba.

'Bade saab ko aisa nahi karna chahiye tha..Ek ghalat fehmi ki wajah se Laiba ki shadi karadi'

'Chachi.. ab inn sab baton ka kya fayda...' Zahra replied.
Sana entered the gate.

'Phir bhi..Laiba ko uss ladke se baat karte dekh Amaal saab ne ekdum hi faisla suna diya aur jaldbaazi mein yeh shadi karwadi..kon karta hai aise?'
'Chachi..Lekin ab kuch ghalat toh nahi hua na hamari Laiba ke Saath...ek Accha khaandaan aur ek accha shohar mila hai usse.'

'Haan bas issi baat ki tasalli hai. Allah kare meri beti khush rahe, bas' Salma said.

A sly smile spread across Sana's face hearing all this.
'Chalo..kuch toh fayda hua yahan aane ka' she thought to herself.