Nikhat's in laws were coming for lunch today. There was a great hula-bullah going on. Hiba Siddiqui was getting hyper as always. Nikhat was also nervous and doing things in a haphazard manner. And Noor was cool about the things as usual.
Shaharyar was dealing with the arrangement of the food items at time, whatever was required. Everything should be perfect.
"Nikhat, ye kya kar rahi hain, ise aise nahin ghumate, sidha ghuma."
"Jyada pyaaz dalna hain, lassoon nahin."
"Thoda fry to hone de, uske baad sabziyan dalna."
"Sabzi mein paani dalna hain, paani mein sabzi nahin."
This were the instructions given by mommy dearest to Nikhat. Nikhat was never too interested in cooking and so she was not concerned with whatever was happening with the kadhai.
Shaharyar chuckled looking at the scene while Noor was unbothered.
Soon the time came and the guests started coming. Hiba welcomed them with her charming smile while Noor went to bring Nikhat downstairs. Shaharyar and Ashar shaked hands and greeted warm smiles. Nikhat came downstairs looking pretty in a pink suit.
Noor wore a black colored salwar kameez. Ashar stood up when he saw Noor. He smiled towards her warmly to which Noor returned a pretty smile of hers.
"Assalamu-alaikum.." He said to both of them to which Nikhat replied.
"Waalekum-assalum Ashar Bhai.." Noor greeted to which Ashar smiled a liitle listening to the new term of endarment.
Noor too smiled.
"Kaisi hain aap?"
"Main bilkul thik, aur aap??"
"Main bhi, aur kaisa chal raha hain sab kuch?"
"Sab thik hi hain. Meri behan jyada pareshan to nahin karti na aapko."
Ashar laughed a little and answered a little no while Nikhat looked at Noor with wide eyes and Noor winked at her.
"Ji bilkul nahin, in fact humein to humesha kuch na kuch naya sikhne ko milta hain hamesha unse."
"Waah, aap toh abhi se biwi ki tareef karne lag gaye, sorry hone wali biwi, kyun??"
Both Ashar and Nikhat turned red at Noor's comment.
"Aisa bilkul nahin hain, tu kyun pareshan kar rahi hain unhe?" Nikhat whispered the last part to Noor.
"Matlab kya sahi bonding hain nahin." Nikhat blushed more. Everyone laughed looking at the flushed red couple. Shaharyar was surprised to finally see a glimpse of the old Noor in her. The naughty, teasing one, who always had a soft naughty smile spread on her lips every time.
"Accha, chalo beth jao..." Hiba asked them to sit.
##
All the elders were busy having some boring conversations which Noor was not interested in. She looked towards Nikhat and Ashar. Nikhat Khan Siddiqui, her elder sister was getting married, and she couldn't be more happy about the fact. Noor was so happy seeing her sister as she has grown all the more confident in the passing years. She smiled, getting married in some weeks, it would be all so lovely for her sister.
Nikhat and Ashar were talking standing at a corner. They were so cute together. The look in Ashar's eyes was all Noor needed to be assured that her sister is going to be the happiest. He looked at her with those love struck eyes, seeing her sister so much in love warmed her heart. Will she ever that get in her life? The question has suddenly left her feeling bitter and all she wanted to do was run from there.
"She looks so happy.." Noor looked to her side at the sudden voice to find Shaharyar. She again looked to the front.
"Yeah.."
"How can they discuss so much about the wedding? I mean there are still so many days, actually weeks and they are planning as if day after tomorrow is the wedding?" Noor said looking at the elders being bored of their continuous conversaton.
Shaharyar chuckled to it, "It takes time to plan."
"You know what, I don't like this entire idea of a grand wedding. I mean it's so irritating, so many festivities, so many relatives, main mar jaoongi shaadi khatam hone tak."
Shaharyar shrugged, "Ab yeh baat toh dulhe-dulhan par depend karti hain, ke unhe kitni fancy wedding chahiye?"
"Agar main dulhan hoti na, to bas ek din mein hi shaadi aur shaadi ki preparation dono khatam."
"Toh Mohtarma, kab ban rahi aap dulhan?" Shaharyar asked with a teasing smile.
"Nahh... meri liye shaadi mein kuch nahin rakha hain, main khud ke liye khaafi hoon, khud ko bachati hoon, khud ke ghav thik karti hoon, main hoon khud ke paas and most importantly; main khush hoon khud ke saath."
Noor answered while Shaharyar kept on looking at her.
"Bandariya..."
Saad leaped up on Noor.
"Aaahh.. kya kar raha hain, meri kamar toot jayegi. Khud ko chota baccha samjha hua hain kya tune? Bandar kahika..." Noor shouted at Saad.
"Itni body kis liye banayi hain Miss Siddiqui, mujhe toh utha hi sakti hain aap."
"Saad, utar jaa, nahin toh gira dungi."
Saad got down from her and Noor turned towards him. As Noor was about to say something, Saad put a whole sweet in her mouth.
"Ahmm. hmmmh..."
Saad laughed looking at her, "Kitni funny lag rahi hain... hahaa.."
Noor chewed some out of it which was in her mouth and took out the sweet and put it in Shaharyar's hands. She ran after Saad and Saad ran running for his life. After running through all the corners, she finally caught a hold of him and took a glass of water from the near table and poured it on him.
"Huhh... Noor ki bacchi.."
"Galat, main khud ki bacchi kaise ho sakti hoon."
"Very funny."
"I know."
Noor came a distance from him. Just then Hiba called out to Noor and as Noor turned towards her, Saad poured a jug of water on her.
"Saad...." she screamed and Saad again ran for his dear life with Noor running after him.
Shaharyar kept on looking at them. Hiba came to him.
"Arre Shaharyar, beta meetha hath mein liye nahin ghumte. Chalo khao.."
"Maami yeh..."
"Nahin... Koi yeh woh nahin. Chup chap khao. Bilkul khyaal nahin rakhte aajkal apna. Kitne duble ho gaye ho."
"Maamii..."
Hiba put the sweet in Shaharyar's mouth as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Ab khao.. Main aati hoon."
She patted his cheek and left. Shaharyar chewed the sweet quietly.
##
After the tiring day, the two sisters sat together to spend some time of their own. Nikhat layed her head on Noor's lap whereas Noor sat with the phone in her hand.
"Noor??"
"Hmm.."
"Tujhe Ashar kaise lage?"
"Kaise lage matlab, main thodi na aaj unse pehli baar mil rahi hoon, maine tujhe pehle bhi bataya, mujhe woh acche lagte hain."
"Haan par, as in person toh aaj pehli baar hi mili hain na."
"Hmm..."
"Kya hmm.. batana kaise lage..."
"Acche lage Nik, woh bohat acche hain and I am so happy ki tu unse shaadi kar rahi hain, tu unke saath khush rahegi and I can feel it in my heart." Noor said to her taking her face in her palms. Saying so Noor placed a soft kiss on Nikhat's forehead. Nikhat smiled.
"Maine yeh bohat miss kiya." Nikhat said pointing to the kiss. Noor too smiled a little.
"Accha hain mere life ke teen important persons ko hi mera fourth important person pasand hain.."
"Kya kya kya... kya bola."
"Arre buddhu, yeh bola ke mere life ke teen important persons Ammi, tu aur Shaharyar, teeno ko hi Ashar pasand hain, I am so happy."
Noor looked at her for a while.
"Accha ji abhi se important person ban bhi gaye Bhai..."
Nikhat blushed to that.
"Noor tang mat kar.."
"Arre aise kaise, aur sun tu unhe pyaar se kya bulati hain, koi nickname shickname hain kya.."
"Noorr..."
"Kya... Tu unhe Noor bulati hain, ya allah, main marjaawan.."
"Noor tu na..."
Nikhat threw a pillow towards Noor and Noor threw it back to her. And it started their pillow fight. They continued it until Nikhat again aimed the pillow towards Noor but it hit the glass vase and it fell breaking down into pieces.
Nikhat hurriedly went towards Noor. "Tujhe kahin lagi toh nahin na, tu theek hain na Noor.."
"Haan haan main theek hoon, kahin nahin lagi mujhe.." Noor assured her with a soft warm smile. Nikhat too smiled and hugged her. She hugged her back.
Just then the door opened and Hiba entered.
"Ya allah, kya kar rahi hon ladkiyan, shaadi hone wali hain teri Nikhat. Ye kya bachpana hain, kuch unch neech ho gayi toh. Kahin lagin toh nahin tumhe?"
"Sorry Ammi, woh galti se ho gaya.. Aur main bilkul theek hoon."
"Dekhke karna chahiye na, dulhan banne ja rahi hain tu, hmm??"
"Ji Ammi.. "
"Noor... beta dhyaan rahe, tumhari behen dulhan banne ja rahi hain, agar chot lag gayi, toh log usi ki baat bana denge, thik hain??"
"Ji, dhyaan rakhungi.."
Hiba again looked towards Nikhat, "Tu theek hain na?" Nikhat nodded in a yes with a smile.
##
Shaharyar was passing through the dining area when he saw a shadow in the kitchen. He went towards the kitchen and switched on the light.
"Noor... tum yahan, iss waqt? Bhookh lagi hain?"
"Nahin, woh pyaas lagi thi, paani lane aayi thi.."
"Ohh, mujhe laga pehle ki tarah, tumhe ab bhi adhi raat ko bhookh lagti hongi."
He remembers. He still does. She looked at him for a while.
"Nahin, main bas jaa hi rahi thi.."
Noor walked towards the door when Shaharyar saw something.
"Noor..."
Noor's heart thumped.
"Jii... Jii.." She stammered.
"Idhar aana.."
Noor came towards him with slow steps and stood in front of him. He looked at her from head to toe and turned her and again looked at her from head to toe.
"Aap kya kar rahe hain.."
"Doondh raha hun.."
"Kya??"
"Chot lagi kahan hain tumhe.."
"Chot, kaunsi chot, mujhe koi chot nahin lagi.."
"Accha, to yeh khoon kya diwar ka hain??"
He said pointing towards the drop of blood on the floor. He looked at her right hand to find a cut there.
"Khud doctor ho aur itni laparwahi karti ho.. Chalo do.."
He searched for the first aid box but didn't find. He took her to the hall and made her sit. He went to bring the first aid kit. Noor didn't felt like opposing and so sat quietly. He didn't ask her about the wound and she was glad.
He cleaned the wound and applied the bandage with some ointment. Noor didn't react, not even a small whimper. He looked at her. She was staring ahead blankly.
"Noor.."
She looked at him.
"Hmm??"
"Tum thik ho na?"
When was the last time someone asked her this, that if she was fine? She wondered.
"Noor..", he called out again.
"Haan... haan main thik hoon. Mujhe kya hua hain."
Shaharyar's phone rang diverting their attention.
"Ek important call hain, mujhe attend karna hoga.. par tum abhi sidha apne room mein jaogi aur chup chap so jaugi, aur koi shaitaani nahin. Is that clear?"
He said as if directing to a baby and she too nodded like an obedient kid.
"Good.. good night.."
"Good night.."
He walked off to his room and she kept on looking at his retreating back.
****
Here's the next chapter.
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