Na thi guftugu darmiyaan phir bi unse,
Pas-e-parda-e-dil hovi baat kya kya
[Though nothing was said to Him face to face,
What wondrous conversation occurred behind the curtain of the heart!]
*****
Amma Jan was standing at the doorway with her back facing Hadia. The clanking of her bangles made Amma Jan turn around. Amma Jan blankly starred Hadia, Hadia quickly looked down. Amma Jan's gaze traveled towards the neatly made bed and then to the Zain who was uncomfortably sleeping on the couch. Her facial features changed, clearly showing her displeasure.
Hadia's heartbeat elevated. Hundreds of negative thoughts flashed in her mind. With trembling hands, she placed the tray on the nightstand. The corner of her dupatta got stuck in the alarm clock and it fell on the floor. The noise interrupted Zain's sleep. Slowly he opened his eyes, his vision was blurred. He blinked his eyes a couple of times, to adjust to the light in the room. His gaze went to Amma Jan and then Hadia who was standing behind Amma Jan with her eyes downcast, and the reality dawned upon him.
Slowly, he sat down.
Hadia turned her back towards them. Her mind was numb, and her body was trembling due to anxiousness. She was scared to know Amma Jan's reaction.
"Amma Jan, you are here?", he stated. "You could have called me".
Amma Jan remained quiet.
In the background Hadia almost ran out of the room, catching his attention. Leaving Zain alone with Amma Jan. Pressing the back of his hand against his mouth he coughed. Amma Jan was bothered by the situation in front of her but she forced a smile and asked, "How are you feeling now Zain?".
She stepped forward. Standing near him she checked his forehead.
"Better", he sniffed.
"Your fever has come down, but it's not gone completely", Amma Jan grazed her fingers through Zain's hair. "I've been worried for you all night".
"Don't worry Amma Jan. It's just a seasonal infection", he tried to assure her.
*****
Since the morning event, Amma Jan was unusually silent. The image of Zain uncomfortably curled up onto a three-seater couch was painted in her mind. A look of anguish washed her face.
"Amma Jan, are you okay?", Ismail uncle asked but she mindlessly continued staring at the table.
"Amma Jan", Ismail uncle softly touched her upper arm.
Amma Jan snapped out of her thoughts and gazed at Ismail uncle.
"Are you alright?", His eyebrows wriggled in concern.
"Yeah", She took a deep breath.
"You are silent and seem uneasy since I'm home from work. What happened?",
"I am fine Ismail. Don't worry",
"I've been telling her Zain will be better soon but-", Agha Jan pressed his lips together and shook his head.
"Is it about Zain?", Ismail uncle raised an eyebrow. Amma Jan blankly looked at him. "Amma Jan, you don't need to worry at all. He is a fine young man, in a couple of days he will be doing great".
Amma Jan nodded and heaved a sigh.
If only they knew what was making her worried.
"Assalam u alikum", Zain greeted entering Amma Jan's room. His eyes were swollen as if he had just woken up from sleep. Hadia followed him inside.
"Walikum Assalam", Amma Jan smiled. "Ismail let Zain sit here",
"Of course", Ismail uncle rolled his eyes and stood up from the bed leaving space for Zain.
"Come here Zain", Amma Jan patted the bed.
"Come here Zain", Ismail uncle copied Amma Jan.
Zain smiled. He turned his head back and signaled Hadia through his eyes to come inside. He knew she has been avoiding Amma Jan since morning. Hadia nodded.
Instead of sitting down, Zain lay down on the bed with his head on Amma Jan's lap. It was one of his old habits. Amma Jan checked Zain's forehead with the back of her hand, it was still warm.
Hadia walked towards the chair.
"Hadia, you can sit here too dear", Amma Jan's voice stopped her. Hadia turned around, facing Amma Jan.
"Sit with me", Amma Jan said.
"Hmm", Hadia nodded. Stepping forward she settled down on the corner of the bed beside Amma Jan.
Amma started lightly pressing Zain's forehead.
"Amma Jan-",
"Fever causes terrible headaches", Amma Jan stated.
Amma Jan dipped her face and kissed Zain's head. At times, his patience and big heart make her eyes fill with tears. She has never heard him complaining about anything. He had been the one sacrificing his comfort and wishes for everyone.
"I was thinking we should replace the couch in Zain's room", Amma Jan said.
Hadia and Zain both stiffened simultaneously.
"But we just bought it last month", Ismail uncle grimaced.
"Yeah but", Amma Jan paused. "We can donate that and can order a coffee set for them. It is more in fashion these days. In fact, let Hadia decide the one she would like for her room".
"But they should be one to make choices for themselves", Agha Jan intervened.
Zain opened his mouth, "It's new and we ca-",
"As you wish Amma Jan", Hadia replied without a second thought. Her heart was beating erratically. She didn't want to say no to Amma Jan.
Amma Jan smiled.
"Ismail, call the butler to get it sent right away", Amma Jan said.
"Abhi? (Now?)", Hadia blurted. Her voice came out a bit louder. Zain snapped his head in her direction.
"Do you have any issue with it Hadia?", Ismail uncle asked. Hadia looked into amma Jan's eyes for a fraction of a second and then quickly her eyes floored.
"No", she shook her head violently.
"Sure?", Ismail uncle asked again to confirm her wish.
"Yes",
"As soon as Zain gets better, you both can visit a store and buy new furniture. But we have to make the space first", Amma Jan placed her hand on Hadia's hand and gave it a light squeeze "Sometimes, spaces are not present we have to make them ourselves".
*****
Standing in front of the mirror Hadia ran the hairbrush through her dark tresses. Her thoughts were occupied by the fact that the couch was taken out of their room along with the extra mattress and duvets. She shifted her gaze at the mirror, Zain was standing in the middle of the room.
When did he come out of the washroom?
She bit her lips, placed the hairbrush on the dressing table, and turned around. Her eyes met with him. A moment of silence stretched between them.
Releasing her lip, she cleared her throat, "Umm...which side would you prefer?"
"Left", he stated because she was sleeping on the right side all these days.
"Hmm", She nodded.
She was expecting him to settle down on the left side by now but he was rooted to the place.
Does he want an invitation or what? Ughh
Playing with her fingers she pondered what to say next.
Awkwardly, clearing her throat again, she got his attention. "You can sleep on the left side".
"See, I'm sorry about that", he said. "I'll talk to Amma Jan personally regarding the matter".
"You don't need to", she stepped forward and sat down on her side of the bed.
Hadia was afraid that what if Amma Jan thought she was doing that to him? On the other side, her concise made her feel bad for him. They were husband and wife, if he was taking care of her comfort zone, she thought she should reciprocate the same. There was no point in making him suffer.
She picked out the hand cream from the upper drawer of the nightstand, poured it on her palms, and then rubbed it over her hands. He walked up to the bed, settled down, and fluffing the pillow he laid down on the bed. After so many days he was lying on his comfortable bed. A surge of solace passed through his stiff back muscles.
Both of them lay down on the far ends of the king-sized bed. A deep silence imprisoned them. She picked up a cushion, hugged it the way she used to, and turned her back towards him. While lying on his back, Zain started to read The Economist on his cell phone. Due to the afternoon nap, sleep was as far from his mind as possible.
Seconds turned into minutes and one after one, he kept reading other articles. He felt the movement on the bed and the clanking of her bangles. Lowering down the cell phone from his eyes, his gaze fell on Hadia. She was asleep, her face towards him and as usual, the duvet was covering her lower body only. He slightly rose on his one elbow, covered her with the duvet, and laid down again but this time he turned his back on her.
Unlocking his cell phone he again started reading the article, which he had left in the middle earlier. He was engrossed in the reading when suddenly he felt something hit his back, that too a hard hit. Instantly, he sat down and looked at her. She was lying diagonally on the bed with her feet near his body. His eyes drew together and his forehead wrinkled.
Did he just get kicked by her?
She started moving again. Every time her stainless steel bangles clanked, she would flinch in sleep. Once she stopped moving, cautiously, he laid down again but this time as a precautionary on his back. She was still moving, distracting his mind from the reading. He tried his best to ignore the disturbances and concentrate on the article. But little did he know his concentration would be short-lived.
Feeling something move over his body, he froze. Without looking down he knew what just happened. The fruity fragrance of her body wash, filled his nostrils. Slowly he tilted down his head, she was snuggling close to him with her hand wrapped over his abdomen. He could feel his heart beating like a drum.
She would not like that if she was conscious.
He held her hand softly and tried to remove it, instead she snuggled more into his body heat. He tried a couple of times but was unable to get her moved back. She was a heavy sleeper he knew that. Finally, he gave up and closed his eyes. Clinging to his body, she was continuously wriggling and the sound of her own bangles was making her jerk too. Being a light sleeper he was unable to sleep.
Taking a deep breath he fluttered his eyes open. He held her hand and slowly slipped off the bangles from her hand and placed them on the nightstand followed by the bangles on her other hand. Before she could move again he encircled his arms around her body to stop her movement, as it was the only way he could get any sleep.
*****
Beep...beep
On the second ring, he sleepily extended his hand and switched off the alarm. Feeling a weight on his chest, he didn't need to take a look. She was soundly asleep clinging to his body. He could hear her soft snores. In one hand, she was holding a handful of his shirt. Her long loose hair was sprawled on the bed.
He waited for a while. checked the time again and realized he didn't have much time left to wait to offer the prayer.
He removed his arms from her waist and softly called her, "Hadia".
She didn't budge.
"Hadia", he called her again and tapped her upper arm a couple of times.
"Hmm",
"Can you please a move a bit",
"Uhmm", frowning, she let out an annoyed sound and hugged him tightly.
"I need to pray", he stated.
"What?", she mumbled.
"Can you please move a little bit, I've to pray", he expressed. His voice held tenderness.
"Prayer", she mumbled and slowly blinked her eye open.
Her gaze wandered to her hand holding his shirt, then to herself, and slowly leaning her head upward her gaze shifted to his face. She groggily blinked her eyes a few times and suddenly their position registered in her mind. She quickly looked down, she was lying over him. In his place.
"Haye Rabba (Oh God!)", She shrieked. Frantically, without looking she crawled back in a rush.
He frowned. Although he anticipated the exact reaction from her.
"Ahh", another shriek left her mouth as she fell off the bed and her back hit the hard floor.
"Damn", he mumbled. Removing the duvet, he ran towards the other side of the bed. He sat down on the floor in front of her on his knees. She was rubbing her back.
"Are you okay?", he asked in concern.
She lifted her eyes up for a fraction of a second and nodded.
"Sure?',
"Yeah", she replied looking anywhere but him. Holding the side of the bed for support, bumped her head there.
" Ahhh", she rubbed her forehead.
"Careful",
Making a face, she rubbed her forehead. Whereas he kept looking at her state in concern.
*****
"As-salamu 'alaykum wa rah-matul lah (Peace be on you and the mercy of Allah)", Zain looked at his right shoulder and said it once, "As-salamu 'alaykum wa rah-matul lah (Peace be on you and the mercy of Allah)", he looked at his left shoulder and said it once.
Making a dua, he folded the prayer mat and turned around. Hadia was offering the prayer behind him. He placed the prayer mat on the table and sat down on his side of the bed.
After offering the prayer, she made a dua. She stood up from the floor.
"Do you wake up every for the Fajar (dawn prayer)?", She asked folding the prayer mat.
"Yes",
She placed the prayer mat on the table as well and loosened the wraps of the dupatta over her head.
"How come I don't know this?", she asked more like questioning herself.
"For that one has to be awake", he replied.
"Are you implying that I sleep like a log?", she sat down on her side of the bed.
"Maybe", he pressed his back against the headboard of the bed.
"Huh?", she narrowed her eyes. "Take your words back Mr",
"What if I don't?", he gave her a challenging look. It instigated her further. He could imagine smoke coming out of his ears.
"You are extremely mean do you know this?", she folded her arms over her chest.
"Yes", he nodded.
"And arrogant too",
"Of course",
"Haye Rabba (Oh God!)", she picked up a cushion and threw it in his direction. He caught the cushion which boiled her blood more. His nonchalance was getting on her nerves.
Huffing she mumbled, "Idiot", and looked away.
He pressed his lips together to stifle his laugh.
Annoyed, she looked back at him. Seeing him pressing his lips together, she understood his intention. She stood up and this time threw the pillow in his direction. The pillow hit him hard. And before he could react she paused.
He would get offended.
He stared at her for a few seconds and then imagining her pestered state he burst into a fit of laughter. The more she was getting annoyed, the more he was enjoying it.
Seeing his reaction, her shoulder eased. Without saying another word, she hurriedly laid down on her side of the bed and covered herself from head to toe in the duvet. After a few seconds, Zain stopped laughing.
"So gyi hain ap? (Are you asleep?)", He asked.
"No", her reply came after a few minutes.
"I am going to the rooftop",
She lowered the duvet, turning her head a little back she said, "Rooftop?".
"Yeah, do you want to come along?", he asked.
She quickly sat down, "Of course". Taking down her feet from the bed, she put on the slippers. She draped the dupatta over her upper body. She glanced at him, he was already near the door.
"Wait", she called out. She walked towards the wardrobe and taking a few minutes she came back with a woolen shawl in her hand. She unfurled the shawl and wrapped it around his upper body.
"What are you doing?", he made a face.
"You will catch a cold", she mischievously batted her eyes. "You are sensitive".
He glared at her.
"Do you think it's funny?", he raised an eyebrow.
"No",
"You are making fun of me",
"Nah",
"Yes", he shook his head up and down and gave her a pointed look. "You are!".
"I won't dare to", she feigned innocence. He knew she was pulling his leg. Giving her a blank look, he wrapped the shawl around his body.
"Shall we go now?", he asked.
"Yup", she smiled. They walked out of the room towards the far end of the corridor. He opened a door, switched on the light and the broad staircase came into their view. She hasn't been to that part of the house before. He ascended the stairs and she followed him. Opening the bolt of the metallic door they stepped onto the rooftop.
The sky was slightly dark due to the clouds and there wasn't any sign of the sunrise. She looked around, the rooftop was clean, and planters were arranged beside the walls. She walked up to the small wall. A fine view of Khan Villa and its surrounding was in front of her eyes. The neighborhood was silent as well. Everything was peaceful and beautiful from up there.
She always had a thing for rooftops.
Turning her head back, she acknowledged he was standing behind her. Her eyes went behind him, there was a bench swing.
"You have a swing there as well?", she asked and stepped towards the swing.
"Yeah", he followed her too.
She sat down on the swing whereas he stood leaning against the frame of the swing.
She seemed excited.
"How are you feeling?", she questioned remembering she forgot to ask him that.
"Better", he replied.
"Your headache is gone?",
"Slightly", he replied but before she could say something he asked, "You haven't been there before?".
"No", she shook her head. "Amma Jan and Agha Jan are always downstairs, with whom I would come here?". She looked up and her eyebrows wriggled, "And it didn't cross my mind as well. I enjoy being around them".
"Hmm",
"Sunrise would look mesmerizing from here", she pouted. " but there is no sun today".
"Yeah",
Taking a deep breath she shook her and said, "By the way, thanks for inviting me",
He gave a slight nod to his head and turned his eyes towards the birds flying in the air.
"Do you still think I'm mean and arrogant", he asked.
"Yes", A smile crept across her face. "And damn, damn annoying as well".
"Alright", Giving a slight nod to his head he said. "I'll take that as a compliment".
"See, that's how mean you are",
He chuckled.
She stopped the swing and stood up, "Let's go downstairs. I'll make you breakfast so you can take your medicines".
"It can wait if you stay here", he replied.
"No, I can come here again".
*****
Hello!
I hope you are doing well.
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