HUMDUM- Laiba & Fahad

27| Qualm

[KHAN HOUSE] TIME SKIP
Fahad removed his coat and hung it up, he noticed the maid and asked her, "Laiba kaha hai?"

"Laiba bibi kahi bahar gayi hai, abhi tak ghar nahi aayi"

Fahad furrowed his brow, curiosity and concern evident on his face. He walked over to his room and sat down on the couch his hands locked under his chin deep in contemplation.

The sound of the door opening caught his attention. Laiba walked in, carrying a bag and purse. Fahad's eyes widened slightly, he shifted on the couch.

Laiba smiled as she looked at Fahad.
"Aaj jaldi aa gaye ?"

Fahad still processing his thoughts asked hesitantly , "Tum..kahi bahar gayi thi?"

"Haan, meri friend ke saath shopping ke liye gayi thi, uski shadi ho rahi hai..so."

She walked towards the bathroom tying her hair to freshen up.
Fahad sat in silence, his mind filled with a mix of thoughts. He remembered seeing Laiba with Zayd at a restaurant. He couldn't shake the lingering thoughts and questions in his mind. "Why would she lie to me?" He thought sighing and rubbing his face.

Laiba came out a while later and asked him, "tum neeche nahi aaoge dinner ke liye?"

"Nahi..Mera mann nahi hai"

"Mann nahi hai? Thoda toh kha lo"

"Mujhe neend aa rahi hai"  he replied going inside the closet while Laiba looked at him confused.

[MORNING]
Laiba finished preparing Fahad's favorite breakfast, knowing that his mood had been off since the previous night. She asked Rukhsaar to set up the breakfast table and headed to their room to call Fahad for breakfast.

She entered the room, only to find it empty. Just as she was about to leave, her phone rang, displaying Zayd's name on the screen. Laiba wondered why he was calling and picked the call.
"Hello"
"Hi..kya kar rahi thi?"
"Kuch nahi tum batao call kyu kiya? Sab theek hai na?"

"Haan, sab theek hai"
"Main bas..yeh kehna chahta tha.." he paused hesitantly.
"Kal humare beech jo baat hui, tum please apne husband ko kuch mat batana"
Laiba furrowed her brows confused.

"Main kisi se koi help nahi lena chahta, trust me tumne jaise kaha, main sab manage kar lunga"

Laiba sighed understanding what he meant.
"Don't worry Zayd, maine Fahad se iss baare mein kuch nahi kaha"
"Tum apna khayal rakhna thik hai?"

Fahad overheard that sentence, and it shocked him. He felt a slight pang of hurt, his teeth gritting as he processed what he heard.

Laiba eventually ended the call and put her phone down. As she walked out of the room, Rukhsaar informed her that Fahad had left without having breakfast.

Laiba felt upset and wondered what was going on with him.

[OFFICE]
FAHAD
Why is it bothering me so much to see Laiba with Zayd. I trust her. But this feeling of restlessness just won't go away. It's like there's something gnawing at me.

The first time Laiba came to meet me before marriage. Zayd showed up out of nowhere and whisked her away when she held my collar. Or when I saw them on our Waleema or when he dropped her home. I remember feeling a bit uneasy, but I brushed it off.

All these memories keep replaying in my mind, fueling this restlessness inside me. Should I to talk to Laiba about how I'm feeling? What would she think of me?