“Haan haan kahiye na bhaijaan. Sab thik hai na?”

“Arre haan haan sab thik. Ye batao ki hamari Amina ke liye rishte dekhne shuru kre tumne? 25 ki toh wo hi gyi hai.”

Zainab looked at Amina whose chewing slowed down seeing herself being targetted like this and she giggled and her sister's expressions earning a glare from her.

“Ji nhi bhaijaan. Abhi toh nhi. Pr aap sahi keh rhe hai. Aaj hi baat krta hu Amina se. Uski kya raaye hai. Wo taiyaar hai ya nhi.”

“Arre toh abhi puchh dete hai. Batao bhaye Amina. Shuru kr de rishte dekhne.”

Amina just blushed in response and gave a meek nod. She was about to say something when her tayaabbu spoke again.

“Lo bhai! Amina ko koi aitraaz nhi hai. Toh ab main mudde pr aate hai. Mere Asif ka rishta loge Amina ke liye?”

Zainab felt her heart stop. No! Not her Asif! 

“Arre bhaijaan isse achhi baat kya ho skti hai. Apni bachi apne hi ghar rahegi. Aur phir Asif jaisi suljhi hui aulad toh hume shayad bhut dhundne pr bhi na mile.”

“Abbu!”

Zainab looked at her sister who stood up. She looked determined.

“Maafi chahti hu ki aise beech mai bol rhi hu. Lekin mai…mai ye rishta nhi chahti. Koi hai…jise mai…jise mai pasand krti hu abbu.”

Zainab sighed in relief and looked down.

“Arre maafi kis liye beta. Aapki pasand sabse aage hai. Kaun hai batao.”

Her tayababbu asked and Amina blushed telling them that it is one of her seniors in office named Rashid Ali.

Zainab looked up and her gaze fell on Asif who looked heartbroken and was gazing at Amina. Her eyes moved back and forth Amina and Asif and realisation stuck her like lightning.

Asif liked Amina. He was the one who proposed this alliance. Zainab felt her heart shatter. How could she ever compete with his love? 

The whole day she couldn't concentrate on anything else. Asif's heartbroken face revolved in her mind all day.

Asif couldn't sleep. He got up and walked to the terrace to calm his mind. He was surprised to see another figure sitting there.

“Zainab? Yaha kya kr rhi ho itni raat ko?”

He called and saw her wiping her tears quickly.

“Arre! Chanda! Kya baat hai? Ro kyu rhi thi?”

He sat beside her and patted her head. She looked at him and sniffed.

“Aap aapi ko pasand krte hai na?”

She asked in a broken voice and he sighed. 

“Mera dil tut jaayega isliye ro rhi ho?”

She didn't answer. Instead she put forth another question.

“Dekh paayenge aap unhe kisi aur ka hote huye?”

He smiled sadly and sighed again. He looked in front and said after a pause.

“Meri mohabbat ko kisi aur se mohabbat hai. Aur mai uski khushi mai khush rahunga toh meri mohabbat paak (pure) hogi na. Pata nhi dekh paunga ya nhi. Pr wo khush hai na.”

At his words, she started sobbing again. He was startled and looked at her not knowing what to do.

“Arre arre! Zainab! Chanda! Idhar dekho! Kyu ro rhi ho? Kya hua hai?”

She looked into his eyes and spoke in a teary voice.

“Mujhe aapse mohabbat hai Asif. Hamesha se hai. Jabse mohabbat shabd ka matlab jaana hai mere liye mohabbat ka matlab hai aap. Lekin mai aapko kisi ka hote nhi dekh paaungi Asif. Iska matlab meri mohabbat paak nhi hai?”

She asked innocently and he looked taken aback. He kept looking at her for a few seconds before asking calmly.

“Aisa nhi hai. Har kisi ka mohabbat krne ka tarika alag hota hai. Lekin tumhe aisa kyu lagta hai ki tume mujhse mohabbat hai?”

“Mujhe lagta nhi hai. Mujhe aapse mohabbat hai!”

She asserted and he smiled.

“Achha achha. Aur kyu hai tumhe mujhse mohabbat?”

She wiped her tears and sniffed. 

“Kyunki aapne hamesha mujhe samjha hai. Jab kisi ne mujhe nhi samjha tab bhi aapne mujhe samjha hai. Warna sab hamesha mujhe bas bina wajah daante hai ya ilzaam lagate hai. Aapi bhi aur ammi bhi aur abbu ammi ke aage jyada kuch nhi bol paate.”

She then widened her eyes as if remembering the events.

“Jaise…jaise uss din jab aapi ne mujhpr chori ka ilzaam lagaya tha. Aapne mujhpr bharosa kia. Aapne mere liye bola. Aur…aur wo teen saal pehle eid wale din, jab tayiammi ne nayi crockery nikali thi aur wo tut gyi thi aur ammi ne sabke saamne mujhe daanta tha.”

He nodded remembering the event. Even that day, he had intervened and asked his chachi not to scold her in front of the guests and it was a mistake.

“Wo maine nhi todi thi. Wo aapi se tuti thi. Pr ammi ne bina kuch sune aur puchhe mujhe daantna start kr dia. Aur aapi ne bhi kuch nhi bola.”

She sobbed and Asif frowned. Why would Amina do that? Zainab continued further.

“Aur aapko pata hai maine ye scrunchies ka business kyu start kra? Kyunki mai jab bhi abbu se books ya aur cheezon ke liye paise mangti thi ammi hamesha mujhe daant lagati thi ki mai bhut kharcha krti hu. Ab mai college ki books aur aane jaane ka kharcha toh lungi hi na. Isme kharchila hone wali kya baat hai? Bataye?”

He nodded and patted her head. She was sobbing incontrollably.

“Haan Chanda. Ab rona toh band kro.”

“Ammi….ammi ko lagta hai mai ziddi, badtameez aur short tempered hu. Mai nhi hu Asif. Bas jab ammi mujhe baat baat pr aapi se compare kr deti hai toh mujhe achha nhi lagta. Aap bataye, aapko bhi lagta hai mujhe aapi jaise banna chahiye. Ki mai achhi nhi hu?”

He shook his head.

“Aisa kuch bhi nhi hai. Tumhe kisi ki tarah banne ki koi zarurat nhi hai. Meri Chanda jaisi hai bhut pyaari hai. Hmm? Ab rona band kro. Chalo ansoon (tears) pochho.”

He said and she wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Her nose had become runny and he passed her his handkerchief. She turned her face away and blew her nose making him smile at her cutesy acts.

She then turned to him again and whispered after a pause.