Muntaha | ✔

Chapter 14

"Jee." Muntaha nodded her head in a 'yes'.

"Hum Bibi ko keh deta hai. Tum dono uske sath chalay jao. Thakay thakay lag raha hai, araam kar le ga. Khanay ka intezaam bhi ho jata hai." The elderly man said, who appeared to be the Sardar of the village, after he and Faris exchanged a few verses in pashto.

"Apni khaza ko le jao andr."

Faris thanked the man and they followed a guy inside the house.

(I'll ask Bibi to take you both with her. You both looked tired, go and get some rest. The food shall get prepared.)

(Take your wife inside with you.)

●~●

"Wo uncle mujhe 'khaza' kiyu keh rahe the?" Muntaha asked Faris when they were settled in the room after Muntaha had so embarrassedly asked about where the bathroom is from the old lady who showed them the room and went away after that.

"Umm...wo- Actually, I told them that...-uhh...We are married."

"What?!" Muntaha stood up abruptly from the sofa chair she sat on to give her feet some rest.

"I am sure that you are familliar with the coservativeness of Pathans. I couldn't really tell them that we are not related to each other. They would have thought the worst out of the situation."

"But...-uh...hum dono akele is kamray mai nahi reh sakte." Muntaha asked looking down with her cheeks turning red with embarrassement.

"Mai janta hun, lakin hum kya kar skte hain. Inko yeh to nahi bta sakte ke humari shadi nahi hui." Faris was saying when he turned around and his gaze fell upon the old lady who was standing in the doorway with some clothes in her hand and looking at them with wide-eyes.

Faris cursed in his mind as the lady's expression told him that she understood whatever they said-atleast the urdu part.

The woman told Faris to come with her in pashto. He turned around and told Muntaha, "Stay here. I'll go and talk to the elders."

Muntaha gave him a nod and Faris went away with the lady. She sat down with worry burdening her shoulders and prayed to Allah to make everything better.

(Why was that uncle calling me "maina"?)

(But...-uh...we cannot stay in this room together.)

(I know that but what can we do? We can't really tell them that we are not married?)

●~●

Faris stood infront of the old man with his head bowed down. He was ashamed beacause he knew he shouldn't have lied to them but he only did that to protect himself and Muntaha. He truthfully explained the matter to the old man and apologised to him for lying.

"Pasand karta hai ek dusray ko?"

"Jee?" His head shot up and he asked dumbfounded with wide eyes.

"Yeh baal ese hi safaid nahi ho gaye." He said running his hand through his long beard.

"Whatever you did was wrong, but true love is very rare. I also appericiate it." The old guy said in pashto and Faris again looked down.