"Mai tumhari jitni sharte hai use manne ko taiyar." He said immediately. Sitting straighter, he waited for her to say her conditions.
"Mai seema ko saath rakhungi." She said shocking him.
"Bas. Or kuch?" His brows furrowed, how simple this could be.
"Hm. Or mujhe nikah simple chahiye. Agar ho sake, to aaj hi masjid me." She said and left the room.
He was left stunned on his place. A smile broke on his face.
Laughing, he shook his head and went to get ready.
..
..
"Taiyaar hojao seema. Nikah hai aaj mera." Raahat announce, seema who was watching tv was astonished.
"Itni jaldi maan gayi." Switching off the tv, she looked back at her friend. Who was serious, very serious.
"Ha, or tum hamare saath rahogi." Giving another shock, she left to get ready.
"Mai tum log ke saath nahi reh sakti...mai kya karungi tum log ke beech.." seema ran after but raahat had already closed the door.
Kicking the door, she left and went to watch the tv again.
..
..
"Tum ready ho na. Pakka raahat, koi galti to nahi kar rahi na?" Seema took her to the side. They were ready to leave for masjid where they will get married. Seema had called raniya, who just arrived and was dragging glares at saaqib who was just shrinked back more in the sofa.
"Raahat, please chale." He looed at her for help as if raniya would kill him at any moment.
"Ha bas do second." Showing two fingers, she went back to talk to seema.
"Ha seema, tum nahi janti mai kya karne wali hu. Bas tum dekhna." She smiled and hugged her only friend.
..
..
They reached the nearest masjid and asked for the imam.
Saaqib went to talk with the imam with raniya's husband. Who was acting as her wali.
"Imam sahab, hamara nikah karana hai." He said giving him their id's.
"Zabardasti ki shadi to nahi hai na?" Imam sahab asked to be sure.
"Ji nahi. Ladki khud bhi raazi hai." Sajid, raniya's husband said.
Nodding his head, imam went inside to get the nikah nama ready.
..
..
Taking their seat, they both sat oposite to each other. Raniya and seema on her side, while sajid stayed behind saaqib.
"Maine socha nahi tha ke meri shadi is tarah se hogi. Per saaqib, tum taiyar rehna apni saza bhugatne ke liye." I thought as I looked at the man who was responsible partially for all this.
He was smiling as he looked at the imam who would do our nikah.
^^
"Raahat ali bint rahil ali, kya aapko saaqib zaidi binte faaz zaidi se haq mehr 10 crore ke ye nikah qubool hai." Imam sahab asked as he kept the nikah nama in front of her.
"Qubool hai." Saying this three times, she accepted him.
.
.
"Saaqib zaidi binte faaz zaidi kya aapko raahat ali binte rahil ali se 10 crore haq mehr ke ye nikah qubool hai." Qazi asked.
He nodded eagerly...
"Qubool hai." He said. Not knowing what adventure he is signing for.
After both accepted each other in their nikah, seema and raniya hugged her. Saaqib hugged sajid. Imam sahab blessed the groom and went to the other side when someone called him.
"Alhamdullilah. Finally. Ghar challar sabse pehle shukrana ada karunga." He whispered near her. While she stiffened on the mention of going back.
"Chinta mat karo, tumhe waha lekar to jaunga. Lekin waha hum rukenge nahi. Bas sabse mil kar wapis aajayenge. Or sabse jawab bhi mangenge." He said and held her hand. Giving it light feathery kiss, he tightly held her hand as a promise to never leave her.
Wiping the corner of her eyes, she looked down at their joined hands.
..
..
"Assalamualaikum." His voice boomed as he entered inside with his wife beside him.
"Saaqib...saaqib beta kaha gaye the. Dekhona, hum police station gaye the. Unhone kaha ke wo ibad ko nahi chod sakte. Wo...wo usne aisa kyu kardiya. Hamari zindagi ke saath..." gauhar ranted when she looked at the girl beside her son.
"Raahat..bacche." she whispered. Slowly she went near her. Taking her face in her palm, she kissed her forehead. She was not expecting her to come back.
"Mera baccha, aap kaha chale gaye the. Kya ye ghar aapka nahi tha jo aap yaha nahi aayi..." she said taking her inside while leaving her son on the gate who was gaping at his mom's audacity.
"Ammi...mai bhi aapka beta hu." He whined and stomped his leg.
"Ha, lekin ab meri beti itne din baad wapis aayi hai." She taunted and gently made her sit.
Asking the maid to make juice, she sat with her and talked about anything and everything.
Raahat was not expecting her to accept her after what happened with her, on the other hand gauhar was ashamed that her did this with her.
"Mere saaqib ki dulhan." Gauhar took her balaye.
Raahat for the first time, genuinely smiled, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Aap log mujhse itna pyaar kyu karte hai. Mai to..mai to or ye baccha." She looked down at her belly.
Holding her chin, she made her look up. "Tumhari galti nahi hai isme. Or ye hamara bhi baccha hai. Ye mere saaqib ka baccha kehlayega. Chahe koi kuch bhi kahe. Mai to iske aane ki puri taiyari karungi. Haye, dono cousin ek hi time per honge. Umi bhi expect kar rahi hai." She excitedly shared the news.
Raahat was happy for umi.
Saaqib smiled and relaxed back as him ammi and his wife talked with each other.
"Ye ladki...ye ladki yaha.." rahil with his brothers and family came there for lunch gathering.
"Bhai sahab...aap." gauhar stood in front of her.
"Ye kalank yaha kya kar raha hai. Aapne ise apne ghar me sahara de diya hai." He yelled. He was not like before.
Saaqib was immediately on her side as it was not good for her to take tension.
"Baba.." she whispered. She was not expecting to meet them like this. She tried to hide her belly.
"Ab ye sab chupane ki zaroorat nahi hai raahat. Hume pata hai tum apna muh kala kara kar aachuki ho." Tabrez yelled at his sister. His eyes were blazing with anger.
"Accha. To ye galti to aap logo ki haina. Aap logo ne ise ghar se nikala tha raat ko. Yaad hai?" Saaqib calmly said.
She looked at him, he looked down at her and nodded. His eyes held promise of protecting her and their baby. Even if it was not his.
She knew that he would support her no matter what.
"Haha...accha. lekin wo yaha bhi to aa sakti thi na." Rahil snickered.
"Bas kardo rahil. Humne nahi socha tha ke tum aise nikloge. Apni hi beti ko yu is qadr akela chod diya. Sharm aani chahiye tumhe. Mujhe to sharm aati hai tumhe apna bhai bolte hue." Ikhtiyar yelled at his brother. He looked at his brother who was angry.
Looking back at his daughter, he shouted. "Ye sab tum or tumhari maa ki wajah se ho rahi hai. Aaj dekho mere bhai ne mujhpe chillaya. Tum janti bhi ho ke mere bhai ne mujhpe kabhi nahi chillaya. Aaj tunhari wajah se.." he was going to say more when a slap landed on his face.
Turning, he looked at his brother wide eyed.
"Shayad ye pehle hi marna chahiye tha. Tumhe yaad bhi hai ke he wahi beti hai jispe tum apni jaan chidakte the. Wahi hai jiske paida hone per tum roye the 2 din tak yakeen nahi aaya ke ye tumhari beti hai. Or aaj dekho." Zaeef said shaking his head.
"Bhai..." he whispered. His eyes filled with tears. His sons stood behind him.
"Tum hamare bhai nahi ho. Ab tum or tumhare bete alag wing me rahenge. Shayad tab hi tumhe ehsaas hoga apni beti ka." Ikhtiyar announced.
Holding his tightly, she whispered.
"Mujhe yaha nahi rehna. Mai pighal jaungi or inhe maaf kar dungi. Mai inhe maaf nahi karna chahti. Kardungi shayad jab kuch saal guzar jaye or meri chot ki gehrayi kam hojaye." Her eyes got filled remembering the way her father used to pamper her.
Shaking her head and clearing her throat, she looked ahead straight in her father's eyes.
"Mai yaha nahi rehna chahti. Mai alag rehna chahti hu. Or mai inhe maaf nahi karungi. Ammi ki galti ki saza inhone mujhe di, or ab uski saza mai inhe dungi." She held her head high.
Squeezing their hand, saaqib nodded and announced that he will work from the other side of country.
After hugging his cousins and her cousins, taking blessing from his parents, they left.
..
..
At night.
"Tum comfortable to ho na mere saath. Agar chahogi to mai dusre room me sojaunga." He said but she nodded and asked him to come near.
Giving him the pillow and a thin bedsheet, she signalled towards the floor.
His eyes widened as he looked back at her.
"KYA...Neeche.." he gulped as she nodded.
"Aapko pata hai, 3 mahine mai neeche hi soyi thi. Or ab aapko sona padega." She said and laid down comfortably.
Nodding and saying incoherent words, he spread the sheet and laid down.
His back cracked as he laid on the hard surface.
He kept turning, disturbing her also. But she didn't paid any heed.
After an hour or so, he slept.
But she was wide awake. She felt bad. It wasn't her nature to take revenge but her mind wasn't satisfied.
..
..
Next day, she woke up first. Looking outside, she saw trees and a lake. The view was indeed peaceful. Muttering subhanAllah, she got up and stretched.
Looking down, she saw his face morphed in pain. Slightly kicking his legs, she woke him up.
"Hn..kya hua." He was in sleep and asked groggily.
"Mujhe bhook lagi hai." She whined as she rubbed her tummy.
Nodding his head, he got up and went to clean his face.
..
..
Saaqi was trying to crack an egg but when he did, he would drop the shell too. Groaning, he kicked the cabinet and washed his hand. Taking new egg, he tried again but was met with the same result.
After 5th try, he finally got the perfect egg according to him.
Mixing the dough, he got ready to make parath. Wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, he put the tawa on stove and rolled the paratha.
When the tawa was heated, he tried to take the rolled paratha but it sticked to the rolling stock. He tried to gently get it and after few seconds, he got it.
He turned the paratha to other side but as he looked at it, his eyes widened.
He burnt the paratha.
Slapping his forehead, he tried to make another one quickly but as he did so, all the others were burnt.
"Nashta hua ke nahi." Raahat came in the kitchen to look at her husband fighting with the stove.
"Ha ha bas tum baitho mai lekar aata hu." He gulped and kept the egg and paratha in the plate.
Taking out the juice from the fridge, he poured it in two glasses.
Raahat saw him trying to smile but fail.
She looked down at the burnt paratha. Scrutinizing it with her gaze, she looked back at him.
"Hehe...I tried for the first time. You should feel special." He laughed but she was still serious.
"Yeah, I should feel very special." She sarcastically said but still ate the food he prepared.
He looked at her in shock.
Gulping the bite, she raise her brow at him.
"Tum..tum ye kaise kha rahi ho. Mere se to ye dekha bhi nahi jaata." His mouth agape as he saw her take another bite.
"Jab bhooke pet so jaoge, tab khane ki value samajh aayegi." She kept her plate aside and looked at him dead in the eye.
"Jante ho saaqib, jab mai shelte home me thi na tab waha hume kaam karna padta tha. Or jab khana banta tha, to hume race lagani hoti thi ke kon pehle pahuhta hai. Jo akhir me aaye, use to ek daana bhi naseeb nahi hota tha. Or tumhe pata hai kon aakhir aata tha. Mai. Mai aati thi. Lekin seema mujhse share karti thi. But phir bhi, maine mana kar diya. Kitne din to bhuke pait soti thi. Ab samajb jao pregnant hokar bhuke pet sone ka matlab." Tears flowed out of his eyes imagining things she had gone through.
"Mai waada karta hu, mai bohot dhyan rakhunga tumhara. Aur hamare bacche ka." Keeping his hand on hers, he promised.
She smiled and continued her breakfast.
Meanwhile he planned to get that shelter home some renovationd and a chef so the people their wouldn't have to sleep hungry.
__________________________________
This is the last chapter.
After this would be an epilogue.
And one thing I wanna clear- I tried in this chapter too.
But I'm saying this again, please do not bash on saaqib. Yes he eas at fault but at what percentage. Like 10-15%.
The main problem was her father. Who got his punishment. What is better than leaving people alone when they are habitual to have you jn their life.
Still, raahat punished saaqib.
And yes, there would be a closure to each couple in the epilogue.
Love you all❤️.
I'm gonna miss this story so much.....