Mohabbat naam hai jiska, wo aesi qaid hai yaaro,
Kay umrein beet jathi hain saza pori nahi hoti.
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Happy read!
The autumn comes with regal ease, content to arrive with slow grace. It is the slow decline of the year towards the winter, slow lingering death from the blazing summer into the cold and dark winter. The green lively leaves turned into vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, and purple. But this year, it was not only the colors that were changing and the season that was dying.
A black car stopped in front of a white building.
"Mommy are we going outside now?", a young boy asked excitedly.
"No", the woman replied lovingly holding the chin of the boy. She turned her head to the right side and said,
"Bua, take care of Tabrez I'll be back in a few minutes".
"Don't worry, I'll take care of him Chaudhrani Sahiba", Bua replied.
Rukhsana Begum gave a slight nod to her head. She turned back towards the door, opened it, and stepped out.
"Mommy", Tabrez shrieked. Bua held his hand and tried to calm him down.
Rukhsana begum closed the door and looked around. She was standing in the parking area of a hospital. The dead but colorful leaves were tumbling to the frost on the ground in the early morning, mist and fog in the air.
She took a deep breath and stepped forward. Dry, dead leaves crunch beneath her feet, fluttering lazily to the ground. The squirrels were running here and there, little feet making a pitter-patter sound.
Whereas inside the car, Bua was trying to console the young Tabrez.
"Bua, I want to go outside", Tabrez cried.
"Your mother is coming son", Bua said softly but he wasn't ready to listen to her.
After a few minutes, Tabrez went silent but tears were still falling from his eyes. He pressed his back against the seat, legs spread in front of him and eyes fixed on his hand. His sniffs were the only sound in the silence.
"Tabrez", Bua called him.
The door of the car clicked open and Rukhsana begum settled down on the seat. She handed out something to Bua and her eyes worriedly shifted to her sulking son.
Bua carefully unwrapped the quilt around the baby. The baby whimpered and then started crying.
Tabrez looked at Bua's lap under his eyelashes without moving his body. He frowned and slowly turned towards Bua and looked at the baby.
"Bua what is this?", he gasped.
Bua glanced at Rukhsana begum, she was looking outside the window and seemed indifferent to what was happening around her. Bua looked back at Tabrez and replied, "It's a baby".
Tabrez starred at the baby and wiped his tears with the back of his hand.
"That's how you were Tabrez. Small, little and the beautiful baby, just like her", Bua told him. She bobbled the baby to calm her down.
Tabrez moved forward. He hesitantly stretched his hand and touched the baby's cheek, nose and the moment he touched her hand the baby curled her fingers around his finger.
Tabrez's eyes shot up to Bua, his mouth agape.
"She wants to be friends with you Tabrez", Bua smiled.
Tabrez nodded and patted his lap. Bua understood and carefully placed the baby in his lap and held her from the side to protect the little creature.
"What would we call her?", Tabrez lisped in between.
Bua checked the band wrapped around the baby's wrist.
"Hadia", (in the Urdu language) was written on it.
"Her name is hadia",
"Had-", his eyebrows wriggled as he struggled to call her name.
"Hadia", Bua repeated.
"Hadi", he said.
The baby opened her eyes and looked into Tabrez's eyes.
"She is looking at me", he was surprised.
"Do you like Hadia?", Bua asked.
Tabrez nodded and his lips stretched into a smile, "I love hadi".
"I love hadi", the words reverberated in his mind as his train of thoughts were disturbed by a light knock on the door.
"Come in", He called out, looked at his reflection in the mirror, and adjusted his waistcoat.
"Ready?", Zain asked as he stepped inside Tabrez's room.
"Yeah", Tabrez turned towards him.
"When is your company's legal team arriving?", Tabrez asked.
"In an hour or so", Zain glanced at his wristwatch. "But I would need your assistance along with them",
"Sure",
*****
"The farmers have united against our policies Chaudhary sahb.", munshi (clerk) said.
Chaudhary Aslam took a puff on his cigarette and thought for a moment. He rolled a cigarette between his fingers, moved forward, and rubbed it against the ashtray.
"Munshi we can't surrender in front of their rebellious behavior. They will have to accept the policies and back down, no matter what. Talk to police force, issue arrest warrants against the ones who are not agreeing",
"Chaudhary sahb I don't think so this time they will get scared by the force. I am afraid that if we didn't take sensible measures to stop them now, things will get out of our hands", deep frown lines appeared on Munshi's forehead.
"I believe modern problems need modern solutions Chaudhary sahb", Zain voice came from the back.
Chaudhary Aslam's and Munshi's attention shifted towards Zain. Zain settled down on the chair beside them so did Tabrez.
"What do you mean?", Chaudhary Aslam.
"Chaudhary sahb sorry for intervening in your personal matters but what I mean to say is that rebellion comes as a response to long-term bottled up actions. It can not be subsided right away. In the given scenario, pushing or forcing something upon people, you tend to push people further away. Do you know what M.D Arnold said about leadership?", Zain asked.
Chaudhary Aslam shook his head.
"M.D Arnold said, A good leader leads the people from above them. A great leader leads the people from within them. We have to figure out a great leader from within this time", Zain stated in a calculative tone.
"A leader from within?", Chaudhary Aslam's eyebrows wriggled in confusion.
"Yup", Zain nodded.
"How?", Chaudhary Aslam asked.
Tabrez raised an eyebrow, Zain passed him a smile and turned his head back towards the Chaudhary Aslam.
"Tabrez", Zain announced.
"What the eff", Tabrez mumbled under his breath.
"Chaudhary sahb I have seen how much the villagers love Tabrez. He has the qualities of a great leader. Apart from that his expertise and degree in legal matters are also very beneficial for you. It's only Tabrez who can solve this problem", Zain said.
Chaudhary Aslam shifted his eyes towards Tabrez.
"No, the villagers have to listen to Chaudhary sahb. It will be a disresp-",
Chaudhary Aslam raised his hand to stop Munshi.
"I think we should go for Zain's suggestion", Chaudhary Aslam said.
"Tabrez will do that", Instead of asking Chaudhary Aslam ordered. They held each other's gaze.
Tabrez pressed his lips together and gave a slight nod to his head. He had no choice except to consent to his father's order.
They talked for a while and then Chaudhary Aslam and Munshi left the place.
"What was all that about Zain?", Tabrez instantly fired a question.
"That was the only solution in my eyes", Zain sounded as cool as cucumber.
"I am not here for forever",
"This will make you stay",
"One wrong move and the last hope will die", Tabrez looked dead serious by now. "Just one wrong move Zain".
"Why are you so afraid", Zain asked.
"Because you have no idea, how far they can go. As long as I am submissive, everything is going to be alright. One wrong move and they will hurt her. She will have to bear the consequences. And that's what scares me. You won't understand, no one does.",
"I understand Tabrez. Believe me, I do. You are not getting my point, make your place in people's hearts, take control over everything and then leave",
"What are you playing at Zain?", Tabrez asked.
"And when you leave, everything will start falling and burn into ashes. They will want you back. The village, your people will need you and you will come back but this time to claim what is yours. You will give your parents what they want and in return, they won't have any choice but to agree to your wish or else they won't have anything in their hands", Zain emphasized each word.
"You want me to bargain with my parents?", Tabrez raised an eyebrow.
"If that's how it sounds then, yes", Zain shrugged.
"I don't want to become the Chaudhary",
"You don't want to become Chaudhary or you don't want to become like your father?",
Tabrez heaved a sigh. He closed his eyes tightly and scratched the area between his eyebrows with his index finger.
"Both", Tabrez mumbled. "I want to be selfless, honest, and kind. I want to value every person around me".
Zain placed his hand on Tabrez's shoulder and said, "Tabrez it's only you who can change everything. The future of the villagers is going to be in your hands. You will be indeed a selfless, honest, and kind leader".
"Thanks, Zain", Tabrez said. His eyes reflected the sincerity of his words.
"That's alright buddy",
"I think I am going to like you", Tabrez narrowed his eyes and the side of his lips twitched up amusingly.
"You should", Zain smiled.
*****
"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to meeee", Hakim sang in a melodious voice, swayed his body, and clapped in between.
Hadia glanced at him and laughed.
"Hadia baji, has the cake been baked yet?", Hakim asked in an excited tone.
"Not yet, Hakim", Hadia replied.
"Hadia baji please check it again, it might be baked", Hakim nagged, "It's my birthday, you should listen to me", he pouted.
Hadia shook her head, pressed her lips together, and tenderly said, "Okay, I am checking, stop sulking".
She walked up to the stove, held a piece of cloth in hand, and with help of it she picked up the hot lid of the stainless steel vessel. A raw aroma of baking wafted in the air. She dipped a toothpick in the cake and pulled it back. Small chunks of chocolate cake batter were stuck on it.
"See Hakim, it's not baked yet", she showed him the toothpick.
"I'll wait then", Hakim nodded. He sat down on the stool while Hadia was arranging other things.
Hadia tapped both ends of shimmery silver and golden strings on the wall. She blew air in a few balloons and arranged them as well.
"That's all", she mumbled.
Bua entered the house. Her eyes scanned through the decorations
"Assalam u alikum Bua", Hadia greeted her.
"Walikum Assalam", Bua replied. Her eyes were still fixed on the decorations. She approached Hadia and asked in a low voice, "Hadia, how did you manage to buy all of this?".
Hadia stopped and turned towards Bua.
"From where did you get the money", Bua sounded puzzled.
"Hadia baji can I invite my friends?", Hakim interrupted.
Hadia's attention drifted towards him. She didn't give it much thought and nodded her head indicating a yes.
"Yippee", Hakim chirped.
Hadia turned her head back, facing Bua, and replied, "I sold the sweaters I've knitted".
Bua looked more worried after listening to Hadia's answer.
"Bua", Hadia called her name softly. She inched forward and held Bua's hand in her hand. "It's alright".
"I am sorry Hadia, I couldn't arrange the money",
"No", Hadia shook her head violently.
"You don't have any blood relation with us yet you take care of us, love us. You don't have to feel guilty at all. The positive side of the story is that I got paid for my stress-busting hobby, can you believe it", Hadia let out a soft chuckle.
Bua smiled. She took Hadia's face between her hands and kissed her forehead, "May Almighty bless you with much more than you deserve my child".
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