Prompt: What if Vashma had denied Uday to not come back to him.
"Baaji! Noor baaji!" Naureen jerked Vashma by her shoulders, who was lost in her thoughts.
"Huh? Haan. Bolo." Vashma stuttered as she got surprised.
"Do gold medal. Phir se de gaya vo Uday Amina bai ko." She said and Vashma's heart sank hearing the news. Ever since they have had this argument where she denied him to come with him, Uday has been continuously coming to her brothel, paying the price to Amina Bai and spends time with infamous version of her - Noor Mahal. If not Vashma, then Noor. But Uday wouldn't leave her side. Daily, she reluctantly shows up to him, for Amina bai doesn't take a no when it comes to her business.
"Oye nahi aaungi tere sath!" Vashma had yelled at the top of her voice the day he came to know about her profession, making Uday cry. He has been begging her to come with him and leave this world so that they can make a new one for themselves.
"Vashma! Vashma! Kabir mil jayega, uske liye tujhe yahan rehne ki zarurat nhi hai." He pleaded for the nth time. Vashma's heart broke listening to his cries. God will never forgive her for her cruelty, she thought.
"Baat samjh nahi aati tujhe Uday. Humari kahani, humara sath Lahore ke maidaano tak hi tha. Is kothe ki galiyon mein hum kabhi sath nhi ho sakte. Kabir jis din mil gaya, us din use tujhe dedungi, par mera vapis aana mumkin nahi hai."
"Oye kyun nahi hai mumkin. Sab mumkin hai. Tera ye Uday haina. Maine sab thik kar dena hai oye, tu bas meri baat maan ja Vashma." He had cried in front of her, and it wasn't a cake walk for her either, but some decisions are to be taken by any means. She had dirtied her hands in this ill famed occupation where she sells herself, her skills she was once proud of, on daily basis. She wears her anklets due to her misfortune, not by choice anymore.
"Uday aakhir kab tak tu ladta rahega is maashray se. Pehle dharm alag tha, ab to main poori ki poori alag hoon tujhse -"
"Vashma Baig ko Uday Sahani se koi alag nahi kar sakta-" Uday has said in rage. He could never tolerate anyone saying that Vashma is different to him. She is the soul to his body, beat to his heart. His dreams, his will, his strength , and his determination originate from within her. They can never be apart.
"-Tera naam Noor Mahal ke sath judega to duniya tujhe jeene nahi degi, na mujhe. Is se behtar hai ki kam se kam tu to apna sar utha kar jiye. Mujhe to aadat ho gayi hai aise jeene ki, is badnaam gali mein ab mera dam nahi ghut'ta." A single tear trickled down her red painted cheek. Uday had hardly seen her in such a loud makeup, which is attractive but at the same time appalling.
"Matlab tune nahi aana mere sath?" His fingers formed a fist as he lost his temper.
"keh Diya na, nahi aana." She replied.
"Thik hai." Uday rushed out with anger, which Vashma thought would subside with time. But might be, she underestimated Uday too much this time. He's not the shore, but the tide. Tide which can also cause tsunami. From that day till today, Uday constantly visits the brothel and pays money to meet her. When he ran out of money, he started paying with his gold medals, priceless trophies, hurting Vashma more. He wasn't realizing that he was shattering her dream of seeing him winning accolades for the country. He has been wasting himself and his caliber over something as worthless as her. He had entered the world of infamy, where there's no name, no respect, no shame and no mercy for anyone. It's been one month and people have already started calling him names. The only person who is happy about all this is Amina bai, for she is getting good money. She has been raising the prices, since Uday wants to buy Vashma's time at any cost, Naureen tells her. Vashma fears the day, when Uday would completely run out of his possessions, because Amina wouldn't take a second to oust him from the brothel.
Stakes are high, and there is no reward, but loss.
She wants to school Uday to stop doing this to himself but the worst part is, he doesn't even talk to her now. Uday comes, buys her nights, drinks in front of her, without uttering a word, stares at her with hollow red eyes, his gaze mocks her decisions on her face and then Uday leaves the next day in an inebriated state. Initially Vashma tried to stop him from drinking, but he didn't stir. He looked like a demon, who would not even spare her if she comes in his way. In the silence of lonely nights, the only thing that can be heard is Vashma's cries for she blames herself day and night for his state.
"Uday!" Vashma yelled. After seeing him ruining himself, his reputation, his image, for a whole month, she yelled, thrashing the wine glasses on the floor, breaking them into fine pieces. Vashma couldn't stand the sight of him getting drunk again, and getting name called by society. These visuals fright her. He was a well known hockey player but now he has just succumbed to the job of a drunkard, a characterless man who visits brothel on daily basis, who doesn't do any chore to assist his family of a sister, brother, aunty. Nor Uday is making an attempt to find Kabir neither notices her unshed tears.
"Chillana band kar. Ajj maine koi sharab nahi pi hai." Uday mocked her.
"Tu mera Uday nahi hai. Tujhe teri Vashma ke aansu tak dikhne band ho gaye hain. Tu mera Uday nahi ho sakta." Vashma yelled again, while walking over the broken pieces of glass, up to where Uday was sitting. She wanted to punish herself. What shocked her was his eyes which looked ruthless and unbothered, he seemed heartless. She couldn't identify him anymore.
"Tujhe kya ho gaya hai Uday? Kya tujhe meri koi fikr nahi hai? Kabir ki koi chinta nahi hai? Yaha yoon roz peene se kya vo mil jayega? Kya ye sab karne se main tere sath vapis chal padungi?" She shot questions in his direction as she walked over the glass pieces slowly, her eyes brimmed with tears and holding allegation against him.
Uday inhaled sharply, as he took in the sight of his Vash- Noor. Clad in a graceful golden suit, she walked towards him. Her hairs were primped but her silly nose is still the same, as it was four years back. Uday chuckled, overridden by a sob. He was crying from inside seeing her like that, walking over glass, yelling at him, crying in agony, all because of him. Why? Because she still wants to come with him, leaving everything behind. Because she still loves him truly, madly, deeply.
Uday stood up and pushed Vashma against his torso by her hairs. She winced in pain, however her eyes met his, with equal passion and fervor. Uday smirked. Their faces were centimeters apart, he was holding her very close. It was tough for air to come between them. An urge to claim her pink rosy lips, washed over him. It's not as if he likes hurting her, it has never been the case. Instead he has always wanted to lay the world down at her feet, only if she allows. Only God knows how much he had waited for her to speak up, show some emotion, come out of her facade of Noor Mahal and now that she has gave in, he has to optimise this situation.
"Sahi kehti hai." Uday said in his husky deep voice, and a melody rang in Vashma's ears. She has been dying to listen from him since a month. His silence was deafening. He clutched her hairs tightly again and added "Sahi kehti hai oye. Tera Uday na.. mar gaya hai. Ek mahine pehle mar gaya vo. Aur jaanti hai use kisne mara?" Tears rushed down Vashma's cheeks since the emotional pain was too much to handle. Earning only silence in return, Uday growled in a low voice "Tune!" Her heart sank at the accusation, she never wanted something like this to happen.
He pointed to the room and added "Yahi! Yahi isi kothe mein dafan hoon main, tere sath. Aur yahi zinda laash banke bhatakta rahunga humesha. Kyunki shayad tujhe mere sath mere ghar aane me sharam aati hogi, par mainu? Oye mainu na garv hota hai idhar aate huye, apni Vashma ko dekh kar, uske sath samay bita kar, jo chaar saal mein kho gaye, un palo ko vapis chura kar mainu jo khushi milti hai main bayaan nahi kar sakta. Tujhse naraaz hoke ruthne mein bhi sukoon hai vashma." He said breathlessly with immense proud, making Vashma cry a lot more. They have been pouring their heart out after a whole month of seeing each other with heated gazes. When Uday didn't talk to her, Vashma didn't make any effort to initiate a conversation either, for she was too much angry and wanted to see how far he will go. But at last, she lost it. And she is glad about her defeat, because finally she has got to listen to him, to tell him how much she cares, to embrace him in her arms.
Her love for him was never less, but after meeting him post independence, her love for Uday has reached the stage of respect. Uday Sahani was the man of her life and forever will be. The way he didn't even frown upon learning her harsh reality and till now hasn't backed off after learning that she is a courtesan. He has stayed because his love is pious, unadulterated by the society and it's name calling. A love so unaffected by any external response that he is ready to paint his image black in order to be with her.
She sobbed heavily and cupped his face into her much smaller hands and Uday kissed the same, as if he was relishing her for the first time. As if she would vanish into the thin air. It was a priceless moment for both of them. Slowly, he made her sit on the mattress and began plucking out the glass pieces from her feet, with utmost care and attention. Her smallest of the cry, had his heart trembling with guilt and pain as equal as hers.
"Chal mere sath Vashma." Uday said in a low voice, pleading her for the last time because if not now, then she would never come with him. He looked up at her and met her gaze "Mat chun ye dard bhari zindagi humare liye, kyuki main tujhe chhod ke kahi nahi jaunga, ye tu janti hai."
"Uday ye duniya humein nahi jeene degi. Baar baar mujhe naachne wali hi bola jaega. Is sheher ka aisa koi shaks nahi jo mujhe nahi janta ho-"
"Oye to hum yaha se kahin dur chale jaaenge-" Uday said immediately.
"Par Kabir ko dhundhe bina nahi jaa sakte." Vashma nodded her head in negative and Uday's excitement faded.
"Mujhe zamaane ka darr nahi hai Vashma. Darr hai to bas tujhe khone ka." He proclaimed.
"Vashma mujhe tujhe manane ki zaroorat kabse pad gyi? Kya tu mere kehne se kuch nahi kar sakti? Kya tennu apne Uday par itna sa bhi bharosa nahi hai?" He added and Vashma looked at him softly. For him, might be it's just a sentence to woo her but for her, its a question on her unwavering love, a question on her profound faith she has on him.
"Vashma Baig! Kisi ka vash nahi. Bhool gaya?" Vashma laughed as she placed her head on his chest, holding the collar or his beige shirt tightly.
"Oye? Oye iska matlab tu chal rhi hai mere sath?" Uday smiled wide, his eyes welled up with tears of joy as Vashma hugged him willingly.
"Haan Uday. Haan. Chal Rahi hoon main tere sath, in galiyon se dur, tere sath sapno ka ghar sajaane." Vashma nodded, smiling ear to ear while Uday planted a tender kiss on her forehead. She knows it is tough what she has promised him, but it is a truth that she can't see him go wasted, she can't see him dying a slow death. Uday is meant to be cherished by her love, meant to be taken care of with all her heart and soul. She trusts him blindly, worships his love, and would love to die with him rather than being alone. Their love is beyond the norms of society and much above religional differences. They had already taken a leap of faith when they decided to take their friendship ahead, so what is there to stop now? She had understood that there is no reason to stay apart, and it's no time to make sacrifices for Uday and Vashma are inseparable. There's no meaning to them without each other.
✨"Agar marna pada na to tere sath marungi Uday, kyuki tujhse dur reh ke bhi zinda nahi thi mai."✨
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A/N : Back with another one shot on my favourites. Do read, vote and comment. Love you guys! <3