"Raahu, mai zabardasti to nahi kar rahi. Per tum yaha tak pahuchi kaise. Matlab tunhare language se to tum padhi likhi ghar ki lagti ho." Seema asked as we washed utensils. It was past midnight but there were many left for us to clean.
Usually, we slept early but today it was our duty to clean kitchen.
"Umm..mere baba ne mujhe ghar se nikal diya. Chalo, kaam karke mai tumhe puri kahani batati hu. Mere bachpan se lekar ab tak ka." I said as I washed the plate and she dried it.
..
After an hour, we both left to our room. Locking the door, we sat on our mattress.
"Ha to ab batao." She looked pretty excited. I laughed at her enthusiasm and mindlessly carressed my baby bump. It's already three months.
"Mai bohot choti thi. Lagh bagh 8-9 saal ki jab meri ek bohot pyari dost hua karti thi. Wo mujhse 4 saal choti thi per bhi wo mere saath hi khelti thi. Or mujhe accha bhi lagta tha." I remembered my old days.
"Umi...tum hamesha mere saath hi kyu khelti ho. Mai to tumse badi hu na." I asked as I gently pushed the swing.
Laughing she replied, "kyuke aapi ek aap hi ho jo mujhe apna samjhte ho. Baaki sab mere bhai ke darr se mujhse durr rehte hai." She laughed again as I pushed her higher.
"Raahat....raahat. Beta tum iske saath kya kar rahi ho...chalo ander. Maine kitni dafa mana kiya hai is ladki ke saath khelne." Her mother took her away from the little, while she sat there crying.
..
"Ammi aap mujhe uske saath khelne kyu nahi dete. Wo to bacchi hai na, usne kya bigada hai aapka?" I asked suddenly angry that my mother took me away from my only friend.
"Wo tumhari koi dost nahi hai. Wo tumhari dushman hai. Tum janti bhi ho, tumhare dada or tumhare baba uski shadi yahya se tay karna chahte hai. Or tum chahti ho na ke tum yahya ki dulhan bano. To agar wo rahegi to tum kaise banogi." She glared at me. Now I understood why she told me to stay away from her. She was planning to snatch my yahya from me.
He is my best friend, my soulmate. How can I live without him.
"Phir...phir kya hua." She asked with a serious expression on her face.
I smiled sadly, while remembering the day they both got married.
"Mamma, aapne kaha tha. Yahya mera hoga. Per...per wo..to..us..se.shadi kar...raha hai..mai kaise rahungi...mai marr jaungi..." I was 13 and was already planning my wedding when suddenly dadaji dropped the bomb.
Ammi had hugged me, and told me that, "ek gaya to kya hua, dusra to haina. Ab tumhe saaqib se mohabbat karni hogi." She had said. But what she didn't know was that I would really fall in love with him.
Today was their Nikah. I could feel that he was not happy, but he showed everyone that he was happy.
After I saw them both accepting each other, I moved towards her and hugged her.
"Tumne mujhse mera pyaar cheena, ab mai tumse tumhara chain cheen lungi." I had whispered harshly in her ears, while she was looking wide eyed.
I just stormed out of the room.
"Oh my Allah. Matlab itna sab kuch. Aur tumhari maa ye ek ladke se dusre ladke pe kyu ja rahi thi." She asked as I smiled sadly.
"Wo mera 'future' secure karna chahti thi." I quoted future like it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
"Tumhe pata hai seema, unhone mere dimag me isliye zeher ghola kyuke unki nand ne unke khilaf jhuth bollar unhe ghar se nikalwa diya. To unhe laga, umi bhi aisa hi karegi. Umi saaqib ki behen hai. Or wo log use bohot mante hai." I smiled as I remembered how they used to pamper her.
"Uske paas to 2 apne bhai the. Mere paas, mere paas to maa thi jisne meri zindagi bigad di." I cried.
Seema hugged me and rubbed my back.
"Per mujhe samajh nahi aaya. Aisa kya hua jo unhone tumhe ghar se nikal diya?" She asked.
Wiping away the tears,
"Mai hamesha use taunt karti thi. Jab wo ghar aaye kuch lekar, yar phir agar hum saath shopping jaye to jo use pasand aaye wo mai le leti thi. Use kabhi khush nahi rehne diya. Shayad isliye aaj mere naseeb me khushiya nahi hai." More tears poured out of my eyes.
"Aisa nahi kaho, dekho tumhare paas to duniya ki sabse badi khushi hai. Maa banne ki. Tumhe pata hai, mai kabhi maa nahi ban sakti. Isliye mere shouhar ne mujhe talaq dekar ghar se nikal diya." She sadly smiled. I was shocked to know that she is divorcee.
"Tum chinta mat karo. Hum dono kuch na kuch kar lenge. Chalo ab so jate hai, bohot raat hogayi hai." She laid down on her side, while I just sat there.
..
..
Next day, I woke up with sore back. It is really painful to sleep on the floor while you are pregnant.
"Oye, dono utho. Madam ne tum dono ko aaj sabji lane ka kaam diya hai." Sami one of the young girl came and announced.
I groaned rubbing my back. Nodding, I went to atleast get presentable.
Wrapping my hijab, I moved out and saw seema talking with rehana mam.
"Assalamualaikum." I greeted, she replied and told us what to bring.
Taking the money and list from her, we both moved out.
"Tum araam se chalna raahat. Madam ne bhi bola hai tumhara khayal rakhne." Seem held my hand.
Nodding, we both slowly walked towards the bazaar.
"Are bhaiya, aloo kaise hai?" Seema asked as I checked other vegetables. I have never shoped for groceries like this.
"30 rupee ki aadha kilo." He said
"Haww..itni mehengi. Bhai udhar to 30 ki kilo de rahe hai or aap seedha double." She gasped, I looked at her shocked. When did we asked others.
"Ha to baji wahi se lelo. Idhar kyu aaye." He said and went back to attain other customer.
Taking my hand, she pulled towards another place.
..
After an hour of shopping, we both sighed.
"Finally. Tum to matlab aaj kuch khareedne hi nahi deti." I glared at her while she just smiled.
"Yeah, ha bhai mai bas pahuch raha hu." I cut the call. I was late for the office. Again.
Why?
Because, last night my wife was angry with me. And today morning was wasted to win her back. Well not wasted but still.
Sighing, I rubbed my eyes as I looked outside.
Today, there was more traffic. Great, when I want to reach early these people wouldn't let me.
Looking to the other side, I saw someone I know.
"Bhaiya gaadi rokna." I shouted. He just applied the brake, and the car stopped.
I got out and went after her.
Following her, I saw that she was carrying heavy bags and laughing with another lady there.
Immediately reaching her, I stopped her.
"Raahat!" I could see that she stiffened.
Slowly turning around, she looked at me.
So she really is our raahat.
"Raahat." I whispered this time.
I looked down at her, to see that she had a slight bump.
(AN/ she is having twins so she have a bump at third month. Please don't yell at me.)
"Ihtesham." She said. She moved back suddenly, turning around she ran. The other girl with her shouted her name and ran after her.
I too ran after them. We looked like a mad people, but I didn't care.
..
..
I saw that she entered a shelter home.
"Excuse me miss, yaha koi raahat rehti hai kya?" I asked one of the lady, who nodded her head.
"Raahat, raahat meri baat sunlo. Dekho, mai tumhe chot nahi pahuchaunga. Sunlo meri baat." I said as I knocked on her door.
The other girl, who was with her opened the door.
I looked inside and was shocked to see the situation inside.
"Ab kya yaha mera janaza nikalne aaye ho. Ya mera yaha bhi tamasha banana chahte ho. Mujhe sukoon se do pal ki saas bhi na lene do tumlog." I watched her cry as she clutched her belly.
Tears formed in my eyes. How did this happened?
"Mai...mai tumhe wapis to nahi leja sakta. Per tumhari madad kar sakta hu." I said as I passed her the card. I knew she would need that.
"Agar koi zaroorat ho to call kar lena. Mai hamesha madad karne ko taiyar hu." I gently kept the card near her and went out.
"Tum uski madad kyu nahi le leti." Seema told me tenth time.
It has already been an hour since he left.
"Mujhe unme se kisi ki bhi help nahi chahiye. Mai yuhi thik hu." I yelled.
"Dekho, mana ke tum thik ho. Per is bacche ko tumhari zaroorat hai. Uski acchi parwarish kaise karogi. Usne kaha na wo to tumhe wapis nahi le jayega. To tum usse kaam mango." She said.
I listened to her carefully.
I knew that my baby would need money, I can't just possibly raise them here. It is already difficult to eat 2 times a day, how would I manage the baby.
Nodding, I dialled his number with the landline provided here.
"Hello?"
"Hello ihtesham. Mai kaam karne ko taiyyar hu." I said. I could feel that he was smiling.
Finally, I would be able to raise my child in a safe environment.
__________________________________
Maybe, Ihtesham is not that bad.
One of my reader asked for Raahat's POV. So here it is.
I'm very happy today. You guys are such a cutie. You are showering so much love to this story.
Thank you so much guys.