Widow

17. SHE SAID YES!!

"Everybody knows. Your father told us two weeks ago I think."

"And he talked to me yesterday."

"Well he didn't get a chance I guess." Hashim shrugged. "So what do you think?"

'He is a really nice guy, but I don't want to share any of this chaos to anybody outside the family." Humna said.

"You don't have to."

"So should I say no?" She asked.

"What are you saying?"Hashim straightened and took her hand in his own. "Marriage doesn't mean that you have to share every thing with your partner. It's true that husband and wife are said to be each other's clothes but that doesn't mean that they don't have their private life. A husband should respect his wife's private life and same goes for the wife."

"But what if he insist?" Humna hesitated.

"If you can't trust your own family, then you can't be strong. You think we will put you in some danger consciously?" He asked. Humna shook her head.

"Then what is bothering you?" He asked softly.

"I don't want to be away from you guys."Humna said.

"Well that will happen in any case, eventually you will have to marry someone."

"Then I guess I should say YES." She smiled.

"That's my girl!" Hashim exclaimed. then slipped his hands out of hers. "And believe me that's an amazing life." He winked as Humna laughed. And that night when her father came in her room she had said yes. The next day Moona had shifted to her house with Shanzay.

.................

"Mr. Zain wants you to remain close to Moona in the office." Usman said as they were sitting in the lawn after the breakfast. It was a beautiful Sunday. Everybody was present there enjoying the weather as it had started to change into cool winter.

"I don't need that. I can take good care of myself. Tell this to your Mr. Zain." Moona glared at him.

"I will." Usman said.

"Are you in contact with Zain?" Hashim asked.

"That doesn't matter because he will not talk to any of you." Usman said in disapproval.

"I know just tell him that he has disappointed me in every possible way." Hashim said.

"And I hate him." Yumna added.

"Okay I will deliver him all the nice messages. Anything else?" Usman asked nodding. No one said a word. They all looked angry.

"Hey! He did what he thought was right. Just give him sometime. He will come back." Khalil smiled.

"Are you sure?" Shanzay asked.

"Yes, totally." Khalil nodded.

"That will be great." Humna smiled.

"I think we should call Haris to bring his family next weekend." Salma said coming with tea, not having the slightest idea of the conversation that was going on. But it helped in changing the course of conversation as everyone was happily discussing the upcoming event.

..............

"I have some very great messages for you from the whole family." Usman cheered as he talked to Zain over the phone that night.

"Tell me." Zain smiled.

"Apparently everyone is missing you very much." He seemed to enjoy.

"Say it!!" Zain exclaimed.

"Easy Mr. Zain." Usman smiled.

"Usman!" Zain said in affirming tone.

"Alright, First of all, It's from Hashim. He said: 'You have disappointed me in every possible way.'" Usman said, as if he was reading it from a paper.

"Go on." Zain smile, imagining the way Hashim should have said that.

"Second one is from Yumna."

"Okay." Zain said, listening intently.

"She says: 'I hate you."

"Well I know that." Zain smiled.

"You are so unpredictable." Usman shook his head and sighed.

"Is that all?" Zain asked.

"No. There is one left. And guess what? It's from Maimoona." Usman said dramatically.

"What did she say?" Zain said, his voice cautious.

"She said: 'I don't need your protection. I can take good care of myself. Tell this to your Mr. Zain.' Well, that hurts." Usman delivered the message.

"She is so predictable. I knew she would say that." Zain sighed. "Well just keep an eye on her." He instructed.

"I will." Usman replied.

"Usman?" Zain said, deep in thought.

"Yes?"

"Nothing. Just stay safe." Zain said after some moments.

"And one more thing, Mr. Khalil said that you will come back, will you?" Usman asked.

"May be." Zain replied.

"Okay then. Keep thinking. That's all from today." Usman said.

"Good. Stay safe. I will talk to you tomorrow." Zain hung up.

..................

Moona entered her house along with Shanzay and her children.

"What's this?" Shanzay's voice came from her back as she had moved into the lounge.

"What?" She turned. Shanzay was standing in the door with a packet in her hands.

"Let me see." She came back and took the packet from her hands. She turned it to see whether any thing was written on it but there was nothing. They both came in the lounge. Moona began to open the packet carefully.

"I think you should use a napkin." Shanzay said as Moona nodded. She took some tissues from the central table and pulled out a CD from the packet.

"What do you think it is? Shanzay asked her as she went to play the CD.

"I have no idea." Moona shrugged and came back to sit on the couch with her. The video started on the LCD and gave a shock to both of them as they kept watching. After the video was ended, they both stood still.

"What is the meaning of this?" Shanzay asked after a long pause.

"It means that we know who is behind all of this and he is a very good actor." Moona replied bitterly. Shanzay looked at her in a state of horror.

"I can't believe this." She said, her eyes wide with shock and fear.

"Neither can I." Moona said, deep in thought.

....................