Author's POV:
Noor went up to her room. After taking a bath, she came out looking fresh in a light green salwar kameez. She went to the kitchen to see her sister arranging the dishes for dinner. She too helped her to arrange the table. The dinner was nice, with Hiba asking Shaharyar about his business and Noor about her day today. Shaharyar kept stealing glances of Noor. But in case of Noor, she didn't spare him a look.
****
Shaharyar's POV:
The girl there in the porch was none other than Noor. That's the reason why the eyes felt so familiar. She has changed so much physically. That chubbiness of Noor is gone, but the cuteness is still there. Everyone was having their dinner silently and I was peeking glances at her alongwith it.
"Arey Noor, beta lo na. Kya doon tumhe??" Maami asked her.
"Nahin Ammi, bas ho gaya, aur man nahin hain." She answered.
"Are yese kaise, tumne liya hi nahin."
"Nahin bas, mera sar dard kar raha hain, bas sona hain abhi."
"Accha, thik hain."
"Shaharyar, tum lo beta."
"Haan Maami, le raha hun. Main le lunga khud."
"Nikhat le, paneer kha, dieting karna acchi baat hoti hain, par itni bhi nahin." Saying so Maami put a morsel in her mouth.
Noor came washing her hands and looked at the dessert. Her eyes lit up looking it and a soft smile spread on her lips.
She still loves kheer!!
I smiled at the thought. When I got to know that Noor was already home, I thought why had I not seen here. Then Nikhat Appa informed she was gone to the hospital. As I was already making the dessert, why not make her favorite? She loves kheer. And I know that. Poor girl, aaj hi aayi hain aur abhi se kaam bhi kar rahin hain. Let's make her day good with a sweet dessert.
****
Noor's POV:
When I looked at the dessert, I was happily surprised. Maybe, Ammi finally remembered that I loved Kheer, and not gulab jamuns. I smiled at the thought and happily took a spoon in my mouth. Hmm.. so delicious. It was after years that I was tasting such tasty kheer. But why does it taste different?
"Kaisi bani hain kheer, acchi bani hain na."
Nik asked. I simply nodded in a big yes as I was busy stuffing my mouth with the kheer.
"Acchi toh hogi hi, Shaharyar ne jo banai hain."
I looked at Shaharyar and he smiled a little looking at Nik.
"Kya aap bhi appa..."
"Arre, sharma kya rahe ho, sach bata rahin hun."
He looked towards me and I gave a little smile.
"Bohat acchi bani hain, bohut dinon ke baad aisi kheer khayi. Thank you."
He smiled. A small one.
"Shukriya Noor."
I looked down at the bowl as soon as he uttered my name. It still sounded the same. And that's the reason why the kheer tasted different.
****
Noor's POV
I was roaming around the terrace as I was not getting any sleep because of the jet lag. Looking at the sky, I was drowning im my thought, when I heard some footsteps. Ab kon aa gaya, nahin yaar.
The door of the terrace was kept ajar, soon somebody entered as the door made a creak sound. I looked around to find Shaharyar. He smiled at me which I returned with a small one. He walked towards me and stood by my side.
"Aur kya haal hain? Kaisa chal raha hain sab kuch?" He enquired.
"Thik. Sab kuch bohat accha chal raha hain aur aapka?"
"Mera bhi, allah tallah ki meher abhi aur bhi branches khol liye hain."
I nodded.
"Ye toh bohat acchi baat hain. Congratulations."
He looked at me surprised.
"Tumhe pata nahin tha?" He questioned.
"Ji nahin, aaj hi pata chala hain. Kyun?"
"Nahin woh mujhe laga Maami ne bataya hoga."
"Bhul gayin hongi."
He nodded. We stood in silence after that. None of us knew what to say. I thought to go instead of making all this awkward.
"Main chalti hun, good night."
I turned around to leave.
"Uhhh.... Noor, ek minute."
I didn't turn around though and waited. He came and stood beside me.
"Yeh main tumhare liya laya tha. I hope tumhe accha lage."
I looked towards his hands. And there were........
A pretty bunch of white tulips!!
White tulips, my favorites...
I smiled and took them from him as he forwarded his hands.
"Yehh... aap... white tulips mere favorite hain."
"Mujhe pata hain."
I looked at him. He still remembers. I smiled at him.
"Shukriya. Yeh bohat pyaare hain."
"Tumhe pasand aaye, wahin bohat hain."
"Ab main chalti hoon. Good night."
He nodded, "Good night."
****
Noor's POV:
"Bhai..."
We were having our morning teas and coffees when a person getting down from his bike and screamed loud. He came running towards Shaharyar and hugged him.
Saad!!
Everyone stood up and was really happy looking at the duo. Shaharyar too picked him up and rolled him like a small baby. Saad's grip tightened around him.
"Kaisa hain?" Although Saad was his brother but he loved him like a baby.
"Ab aap aa gaye ho na, ab ekdam jhakas hun." They both smiled.
I felt a tug at my heart at their sweet reunion. It was really too sweet.
Then his eyes fell on me.
"Bandariya.." He shouted and came towards me.
Shaharyar's POV:
Saad walked towards Noor and took her in a hug.
"Bandar, kya kar raha hain, saans nahin aa rahi hain." Noor answered.
"To itne dinon ke baad aane se yahin hota hain."
They seperated from the hug and looked at each other.
"I missed you yaar, meri bandariya." Noor gave him a wide smile.
When did they become so close?
"Chal ab toh yahin hoon, kha liyo mera dimaag araam se."
"Waah, iss baar toh tune permission bhi dedi."
"Bhai, aaj busy ho kya?" Saad asked me.
"Nahin, jyada nahin. Kyun?"
"Toh kahin ghumne chale. Please..."
I nodded at him with a small smile. He too smiled and turned towards Noor and again got back to their previous conservation.
They were behaving like 'do bichre hue best friends'.
****
Author's POV:
As Noor sat on her hospital desk, she took some minutes of break. She opened the whatsapp group on her phone and widened her eyes looking at the number of messages on the family group. 2OO messages. What the actual heaven was going on? The group was filled discussions of the wedding. Huhh... what more did she even expect? She started deleting them without even looking at them.
"Dr. Noor, patients are lining up."
Informed the nurse. Noor nodded and arranged her hair into a makeshift bun, she walked out of the cabin. Dr. Noor Khan Siddiqui was a busy cardiac surgeon at Last Leaf hospital.
##
After four hours, completing all the surgeries and calls, Noor came out of the hospital. She was a bit early today. She had asked for Saad's bike as he went to enjoy a day with his brother.
Noor couldn't be at home for more time. It felt suffocating to her, in between the four walls. So, she thought to take a ride to the nearest lake.
****
Noor's POV:
I sat there with a cold drink. The sand felt nice to sit. There were not many people in the area as it was not early in real but early for me. I took off my shoes and put them at the side. I sat down dipping my feet in water. The sky was dark and spotted with stars. The stars twinkled with beauty. I wasn't sure how long I was sitting there, time didn't seem to matter.
I looked at the stars and got drowned in my thoughts. When some giggling broke my thoughts. I looked around to find two girls sitting in the near corner. I could hear their talks. The one who is a bit older due to her height said to the other one,
"Ye tu khale, mujhe nahin khana. Maine aaj subah bhi mitha khaya tha."
"Nahin Di, yeh aap khalo, yeh aapki hain na, aap khalo."
"Arey nahi, mera tera kya hain, apna hain. Chal kha.."
She made her have the bite. I could hear the parents talking too.
The father asked, "Usne subah bhi chocolate khaya tha."
"Are nahin buddhu, usne toh bas yeh Riya ko khilane ke liye kahan. I am so proud of my daughters." The mother answered.
"Me too." They both smiled.
I smiled looking at the sister duo and again shifted my gaze to the sky.
"Appi, kya rahi hon yaar? Thik se betho na." Noor said being irritated.
"Arre, thik se hi bethi hun na. Aur kaise bethu."
"Aise hilte rahoge, to makeup kharab hojayega aur phir aap hi chid chid karoge."
"Makeup nahin karna light makeup karna hain. School ja rahi hun main."
"School nahin college, aur aap student nahin teacher hon, thoda acche se ja sakte hon."
She completed with the hairstyle.
"Arre, ye toh tere jhumke hain na, mujhe kyun de rahi hain."
"Aapko pasand hain na yeh, pehen lo. Waise bhi kya tera kya mera, sab apna hi hain."
Noor kissed on Nikhat's forehead.
It was past four months after their father's demise. Nikhat got a job in a college and it was her day today. It was Noor who was making her get ready as Nikhat didn't know much about dressing up.
(Flashback continues)
Noor had not done in her past mock test of medical. Her mother was not only anxious as well as angry.
"Noor, kab tak.. Akhir kab tak.."
"Ammi .."
"Ab toh dhyaan se parhlo.."
Noor was standing in the hall amidst her mother, sister, Shaharyar and two of her friends.
She felt humiliated. With all the gazes upon her, she grew anxious and tears stung the corners of her eyes.
It's fine Gulabo.. It's fine.. You are in a safe place. Nothing is wrong here. Gulabo is in her Abbu's arms. She is alright.
Noor closes her eyes shut hard and remebered her fathers words, she calmed down a bit.
"I am sorry, Ammi.."
With that said, she ran upstairs to her room.
"Ammi, woh kar to rahi hain na, aapne aise baat kyun ki??"
"Kar rahi hain, sirf koshish karti hi reh jayegi kya??"
Noor heard her mother say and closed the door.
(Flashback continues)
"Ammi, mujhe aapse baat karni thi?"
"Noor, abhi hum thoda busy hain, baad mein baat kare.."
"Ji.."
Two days passed.
"Ammi, kuch baat karni thi?"
"Noor, baad mein baat Kate?"
Hiba, who was busy with some files again ignored the conversation.
A week passed.
"Ammi, main keh rahi thi..."
"Noor, what's wrong with you? Aisi kya important baat hain jo thoda ruk nahin sakti.. Phir se kisi trip ke baare mein batana hain aapko?"
"So... Sorry Ammi.."
The next day,
Noor had cleared her MBBS entrance and now she was going to Delhi for her further studies.
"Noor, beta tumne bataya nahin ke tum Delhi jana chahti hon?"
"Batane toh aayi thi, par aapke pass time kahan tha.."
"Noor beta..."
"It's okay Ammi, main samajhti hun aapke paas lakhon kaam hote hain. Meri fazul ki baatein sunke aap aapna waqt zaaya nahin karna chahti hongi.."
(Flashback continues)
"Noor, zara khana bana dena beta, Nikhat itni thaki hui aayi hain, bina khaaye hi so jayegi. Jaldi bana do.."
"Ji.."
Noor was cutting the veggies when Shaharyar entered the kitchen.
"Kuch chahiye aapko?"
"Nahin, main toh bas tumhari madad karne aaya tha."
"Arre nahin, aap pura din safar karke aaye hain, aap aaram kijiye, main bana lungi."
"Thaki hui toh tum bhi lag rahi hon. Chalo milke banate hain, jaldi ho jayega."
They were arranging the plates on the plates when Hiba entered.
"Arre Shaharyar, tum kya kar rahe hon, beta? Noor kar leti.."
"Noor kar toh leti par woh bhi toh thak gayi hain. Bhale hi woh bahar na gayi hon par usne ghar mein rehke pura din padhai ki. Toh maine socha dono milke bana lete hain, jaldi hojayega."
Noor looked at him and smiled.
****
Noor's thoughts were broken by the ringing of her phone. She looked at the caller id.
"Hello Ammi, ji main bas aa rahi hun."
Noor got up and started to walk towards her shoes. When a thorn pierced her feet.
"Aah..."
The person standing near her asked, "Aap thik toh hain?"
Noor smiled at the person, "Yeh toh chhoti si chot hain. Kuch jakham toh aise hote hain jo gehre bhi hote hain aur unse khoon bhi nahin nikalta. Par woh sabse jyada dard dete hain."
"Ji??" The person asked.
"Kuch nahin, main thik hun."
Noor got on her bike and started to ride. She knew her mother never meant those things in a bad way. It was just simple words. But Noor Khan Siddiqui was an emotionally vulnerable person, just like her father. She too had lost her father, she too was depressed. She needed some emotional security. But her mother didn't understand that. Noor knew those were not harmful words, but her poor heart she couldn't bring it to think like that. It was hurt and not ready listen to her. And also nobody ever tried to mend her broken heart.
She was an emotional person. But she never showed it to person. She only showed her strong and hard self just like her father. And maybe that was the reason her mother also couldn't understand her.
****
Here comes the fourth chapter..
Do share your reviews and tap the star if you like it.
Thank you.
Love..