She was praying in front of me, and I kept wondering how I ended up here.
From dropping off Tamir and Rasha at the airport, then feeling a sudden urge to see her, to arriving at her mansion, climbing over the wall like a thief, to calling Sahara to ask which was Uns balcony, and hearing Sahara's taunts.
Even though I'm older than her, she still acts like an older sister. Then climbing up that mere pipe, throwing stones to wake her up, then hearing Uns scoldings and threats.
I finally entered her room and saw the woman I had come for. After feeling relieved by the sight of her, I had another urge-to drink tea. I hadn't had any delicious tea since morning; maybe I'd like the tea made by Uns.
So, I very softly asked her to make some tea, and now I had the tea made by Uns in my hand while she was praying in front of me.
I took the first sip. It's... it's... the taste is familiar. I took another sip, and then it hit me-the taste is the same as it was when Uns brought me tea that day.
Could it be that she was the one who made the tea for me back then? No, no, Aziz, don't get carried away. You can't get obsessed even with her tea now. There's no way you're going to let that happen.
If you do, your mom will definitely stop making tea for you. And if you sneak into Gusrail like this, she'll surely kill you.
As if it weren't enough that Uns was driving me crazy, now her handmade tea is doing it too. As soon as she finished her prayer and turned to face me, I stood up, and only one question slipped from my mouth.
"Did you make this tea?" I asked, just to be sure.
Uns nodded yes, and walked over to her shelf to keep the prayer rug. I watched her as she moved, still standing there.
"How was it?" Uns asked.
"Extremely delicious," I replied. She looked at me, then turned back, opened another shelf, took out a box, and started walking towards me.
"Sit," she said again.
And I sat down without saying a word. She sat beside me, leaving some space between us, and held the box in her hand.
"A first-aid kit?" I muttered.
"Yeh kya haal bana rakha hai, tumne apna, Nader?" Uns said as she took out some ointment.
(What have you done to yourself, Nader)
"Give me your hand," she said, and began applying the ointment to my wrist. I hadn't even noticed my own hand, but she noticed it and was now treating my wounds.
Parwaah hai, inhe meri, I thought.
(She cares about me)
But I don't understand one thing: a few minutes ago she was roaring like a lion, and now there's nothing but pure silence within her.
Jab Uns ko jhelne ki baat ho rahi tih, toh usme mood swings ko bhi jhelna tah?
(Does handling with Uns also mean putting up with her mood swings too?)
"You're not just shameless, you're also careless, Nader. Who told you to come here like this?" she said, finishing the bandage and now looking at me.
But this time, her eyes didn't contain any anger or irritation, but concern. Was she really concerned about me?
I couldn't say anything in response because I got lost in her eyes again. Today, I saw concern for me in her eyes.
Kya kisi ki parwaah karna bhi mohabbat hai? (Is caring about someone is also love?)
Is her scolding me for my carelessness and then applying bandage to my wounds is also love? As I was getting lost in those eyes, she was lost in mine too.
Uns had looked at me in so many ways-through eyes filled with hatred, anger, disbelief, while laughing, smiling, then with love, and now, care.
"Nader, are you even listening to me?" she brought me back to reality by snapping her fingers at me.
"Yes, yes, I am," I said, now sitting up straight and taking the fruits from the tray.
"Do you want some?" I asked her.
Uns declined, but would I leave her until she ate something?
"Just have one bite," I insisted.
"Nader, I need water first," Uns said, moving back as I brought the spoon toward her.
I looked at the empty glass in front of me, then at Uns.
"It's near my bed stand. Let me get it," she said, about to stand up. But I got up and went to her bed stand.
I grabbed the glass, but something else caught my attention-Lego daisies?
She still have them?
"Don't you hate daisies, Uns?" I asked, surprised to find them in her bedroom.
"When did I say I hated them? I just said I'm allergic to them," Uns said, resting her head on her hand.
"Does that mean you like daisies?" I asked.
"When did I say I liked them?" she replied with a smile.
"If you don't hate them or like them, then why do you have them?" I asked instantly.
"Because you gave them to me, that's why," Uns replied calmly, her smile still lingering.
What-she's absolutely driving me crazy. Just one phrase from her was enough to make my cheeks heat up. Why do I start blushing in front of her?
I mean, come on, how can a man blush in front of a woman? And here's this woman who was as fiery as a fire, freely calling me "Bhegairat," giving me death glares, bossing me around, even venting her anger on me, and now making me go weak just with her smile.
"Are you going to give me the water or not?" she taunted.
"Ahh, Uns, here's the water," I handed it to her and sat back down, taking the fruit bowl in my hand.
She finished drinking the water, so I brought a spoonful of fruit near her mouth without saying anything she eat.
There was no conversation between us; I was feeding her and myself.
And my Uns is so much bhedang that she couldn't even eat properly-some small apple pieces were near her lips, so I took the handkerchief from my pocket and started wiping them off.
She didn't stop me from doing it, and I smiled at this.
"Don't you have anything better to do, Nader?" Uns finally spoke after a while.
"What kind of work?" I asked with a smile at her question, which was more of a taunt.
"Like climbing pipes at four in the morning like a thief? Why did you come here?" Uns asked, curious about my sudden arrival.
"Bas, tumhe dekhna chahata tah," I said calmly, with a small smile, resting my head on my hand.
(I just came to see you)
We were in the same position.
Uns stared at me, then smiled and sat up straight.
"What?" I asked, seeing her sudden smile.
"Nothing," she said, lowering her gaze and playing with her hands.
"Nothing?" I replied with a faint smile.
She looked up, then looked down again.
"Mehendi, kab laga rahi hoon?" I asked Uns, noticing her hands.
(When are you applying mehendi again?)
"Kyun? Tumhe pasand hai?" Uns asked back, her voice suddenly turning cold.
(Why? Do you like it?)
"Bas, acchi laghti hai tumhare haathon mein," I said.
(It just looks good on your hands)
"Oh," she replied.
Then a pure silence settled over us.
"So," Uns started the conversation.
"So," I replied.
"So, when are you leaving, Nader?" she asked.
"Oh, right," I said, giving an awkward smile to Uns.
She smiled too, and then we both started laughing for absolutely no reason. She clutched her stomach, and I did the same. After a good minute of laughing, I got up and straightened my posture.
I wanted to see Uns-I saw her. I wanted some good tea-I had that too. I wanted to talk to her-we talked too. And now, it's time to leave. But as soon as I thought about going away from her, my smiling face turned to sadness.
"You're going?" Uns asked as she stood up and walked toward me.
"Do you not want me to go?" I asked back.
"Go, Nader," Uns said, still smiling.
"I'll really go, Uns?" I replied, also smiling.
"Go," she said again, still laughing.
We both were laughing, but our eyes weren't. The sparkle that was in her eyes earlier wasn't there anymore, while mine only glowed when I see her smiling.
I was walking toward the balcony door when I heard her call me. When I turned, I saw her coming closer.
"This is for you," Uns said, giving me a rose.
"This?" I asked, being confused.
Then she came close to my ear and whispered softly, "Main, chahati hoon ki meri pasand, meri pasand di da cheez ko apne paas rakhe".
(I want my love to keep, what I love)
That's it, my whole body froze at her whisper. She wasn't so close, but close enough to send an electric current through my whole body, my heart, my mind-every part of me.
Her whispers were electrifying. And her words-exactly the same ones I used when I gave her the Lego daisies. She hadn't forgotten a single word, repeating them exactly as I had said.
After giving me a shock, she stood back up, smiling. Her whispers weren't enough; even her smile had an effect on me.
"Please have some mercy on me, Uns," I pleaded.
"What?" she said, laughing at my reaction.
"Why is your face turning red, Nader, like fresh tomatoes?" Uns started teasing me.
No way, am I blushing now? Especially not in front of her, so without responding, I opened the door and walked onto her balcony.
"Jaan, dene jaa rahe hoon apni?" Uns asked from behind.
(Are you going to jump to your death)
I turned to look at her. She was resting her head against the glass door, arms folded, asking me this question.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"How are you going to get down, bhegairat? By jumping or flying?" Uns asked.
And then the realization hit me-I climbed up, but how was I going to get down?
"So, now what?" I asked her.
"It's a huge mansion, don't you think there's a back door, Nader?" Uns said, placing her hand on her head, as if she was exasperated with my illogical question.
"Come, let me show you the door," Uns said, taking a shawl and wrapping it around her.
"Who wears a shawl in this heat?" I asked her.
"I do," Uns replied coldly.
"Okay," I nodded, following her.
She opened the door, and I stepped outside, still holding the rose in my hand.
"Go and rest," Uns said warmly.
"I will, and see you soon," I said, then got into my car to leave.
For Hindi/ Urdu readers.
For English Readers.
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Happy weekend!
Please, share your thoughts on this chapter❤
Chapter Aesthetics :
Aziz ending up to her Mansion.
Fruits for Aziz.
Yeh kya haal bana rakha hai, tumne apna Nader?
Bhegairat being lost in his Sweethearts eyes.
She still have them?
Mai, chahati hoon ki meri pasand, meri pasand di da cheez ko apne paas rakhe.
Jaan, dene jaa rahe hoon apni?
Come, let me show you the door.
Going back from her mansion.
Kya itni paak aurat seh mohabbat kar bhaita hoon mai?