Khwahish- Pt 3

*****

Two weeks.

That's how long Masar has been avoiding Faeezah like a plague. He merely visited the Bukhari house now and when he did, he made sure not to come across his favourite cousin. Ahzan had tried dragging him back to the Bukhari house but that had just resulted in a baseless argument and profound curses from Masar.

At the moment, he was seated beside his Father, Mustafa, while his mother was busy preparing the breakfast. He already had an omelette and paratha on his plate but rather than devouring it, Masar just kept toying with the bits and pieces.

Mustafa looked at him in worry. What was it that had gotten the cyclone to calm down all of a sudden? He had been observing his son's behaviour for the last few days and to say he was worried would be an understatement.

"Masar, kuch hua hai kya?"

No reply

"Masar?"

He called out once again, this time a little louder than before. The voice broke Masar out of his travelling thoughts and he looked up from his plate and towards his father.

"Ji?"

Mustafa sighed to himself before closing the tabloid and making eye contact with his son.

"Masar, kab se dekhe ja raha hu tum apne hi khayalo mein khoye hue ho. Koi baat hai kya jo pareshan kar rahi hai tumhe?"

Masar's form stiffened considerably for a second before he shook his head in negative. He passed his father a smile and tried to assure him that he was doing just fine but the reality was far from it.

"Main theek hu abbu. Bas studies ka thoda pressure hai lekin woh sort out ho jayega. Nothing to worry about."

His father looked the least bit convinced but anyhow nodded at him and turned his attention back to the latest headlines.

Sahar, who had just finished making the rest of the breakfast, heard the part of the father and son's conversation and was herself confused.

She came out and placed the casserole on the table before taking a seat on the left side of her husband and passed her son a full blown smile.

"Agar itna hi stress hai toh kuch dino ke liye nani ke ghar chale jao. Saari tension hawa mein gum ho jayegi."

It was meant to relieve his worries but it did the opposite. Masar quickly shook his head at his mother and without thinking, blurted out an excuse.

"Nahi ammi, nani ko tang karne ki zaroorat nahi hai. I will manage."

Sahar looked closely at Masar, trying to detect his real reason for worry but before she could read more into it, her phone rang, flashing Abeer's name on the screen.

Smiling to herself, she quickly received the call and put the phone on speaker.

"Assalamu alaikum, bhai. Kaise hai aap?"

"Walaikum assalam, Sahar. Main ek dam theek toh nahi lekin tumhari help mil jati toh sab behtar ho jata."

Mustafa and Sahar shared a concerned look before answering to his words,

"Bhai, sab khairiyat se toh hai na?"

"Ghar mein toh sab theek hai lekin ek zaruri kaam ko lekar tumse aur Mustafa se kuch baat karni thi. Jitni jaldi utna acha."

"Theek hai. Hum ek do ghante mein pahonch rahe hai."

Mustafa assured Abeer with his words and quickly finished all his work before cancelling all the meetings that he had set for the day. Sahar too covered all the food at the table and looked at Masar who himself looked immensely worried and extremely conflicted.

"Masar, chaloge na?"

Masar looked at his mother and nodded his head without any doubt. His mamu needed help and he was always up for it.

*****

Arriving at the Bukhari house, the first thing Masar did was race inside while his parents followed closely behind.

He quickly entered the living room where the whole family was seated. Abeer was pacing around while Falak was giving her husband a weird look.

The kids were all scattered on the sofa and on the ground as Mustafa and Sahar finally entered the room.

"Bhai?"

Sahar called out and Abeer looked at her before sighing in relief. Sahar looked at Falak and raised an eyebrow but the latter just rolled her eyes and mouthed,

"Over acting."

"Acha hua tum dono aa gaye. Ab idhar baitho aur meri baat suno."

"Abeer, missile nahi banani hai jo tum itna panick ho rahe ho."

Falak tried to calm her husband down but Abeer was anything but calm.

"Iski baat mat sunna. Mustafa, tu mera dost hai na? Mujhe teri immediate help ki zaroorat hai."

Mustafa raised an eyebrow at his words but anyhow gave him a nod and took a seat beside Sabir who just gave his phupha a high-five, as if the two were friends for ages.

"Toh a-aaj, woh-"

"Aaj Faeezah ke liye ek rishta aaya hai. Tumhare colleague ka beta hai, Humaid."

Masar, who was trying to push Ahzan from his seat, looked at his mami with wide eyes.

Rishta?

For his Ezah?

His brain processed the news for a while before looking at Faeezah who herself looked deep in thought.

An excited squeal had Masar looking away and he saw her mother hugging her mami with a 400 volt smile on her face.

Talk about opposites.

"Mubarakan! Mubarakan!"

Sahar cheered while his father had a frown etched on his face just like the worried look on his mamu's.

"Abhi rishta pakka nahi hua hai."

Masar's words came out more curt and sharp than expected but the elders seemed to have not caught onto the fact and just shook his words off.

"Hua nahi hai lekin ho jayega."

"Aise kaise ho jayega? Kisi bhi aire gaire ke haath mein Ezah ka haath de denge aap log?"

Masar couldn't believe his family at the moment.

Were they serious about this bullshit?

"Masar, yeh kaise baat kar rahe ho tum? Aur rahi baat strangers hone ki, toh tumne suna nahi, tumhare abbu ke colleague ka beta hai woh."

"Does not make him less than a stranger though."

"Masar, bas. Sare bache jao bahar. Yeh bado ka masla hai, hum sort out kar lenge. Tumhe fikr karne ki zarurat nahi hai."

The rest of the kids just shrugged and one by one walked out while Masar stood in his place, looking as dejected as ever.

Faeezah finally broke her trance and looked at her cousin who seemed to be seething. She smiled at his concern- or that's the emotion she thought it was, before getting up from her place and taking his hands in hers.

Masar's glazed eyes finally adjusted back to the reality when he felt a hand slipping into his. Warmth, a little bit of shock and something else accompanied the touch as he looked at his Ezah with his lips set in a straight line, showing clearly how displeased he was at the moment.

"Chal, bahar chal kar baat karte hai. Thodi hawa khayega toh acha lagega."

With that, she dragged him with her towards the lawn where the rest of the cousins were already present. Mayza and Ahzan seemed to have fallen into another argument while Sabir and Zuhayr continued annoying the butterfly who was trying to attain some peace and pollen.

"Sabir, Zuhayr, chodo us masoom butterfly ko. If it had a brain like humans, tum dono ko ab tak shrap de shuki hoti woh."

The mischievous pair gave their appi a sullen look but anyhow left the colourful creature in peace.

Faeezah patted their heads and sat on the couch in the lawn before pulling Masar to sit beside her. The latter looked extremely annoyed but nonetheless sat beside her in silence.

"Masar, kya hua? Ab tak final nahi kiya hai rishte ko. Let abbu and phupha know more about this guy. Acha hua toh main khud ek baar check kar lungi warna baat hi khatm."

"Lekin jaan na hi kyu hai? You are still young. Itni bhi kya jaldi hai shaadi karne ki?"

Faeezah gave a deadpanned look to Masar before pointing at herself.

"I am 26."

Masar threw his hands in the air and let out a frustrated sound.

"Not the point. Tum has na bol do use. Baat aise hi khatm ho jayegi."

Faeezah sighed in dismay and shook her head.

"Masar, aise nahi hota yeh sab. Even I have dreams. Sirf career banana ya ek published author banna hi mera dream nahi hai. I want to become someone's most important priority. Someone who'd happily share the rest of their lives with me with a joyful smile. I want to create a little world of my own with just me and him. I don't just crave a happy life for my fictional characters but also for myself. Agar hum chahe toh apni personal life ko fiction se bhi behtar bana sakte hai by choosing the right partner and I want my missing puzzle to complete my life. To complete my story."

Faeezah smiled in glee as she uttered the words. Her eyes met Masar's and for the first time she noticed the intensity in his deep grey eyes. They looked as if ready to soak in everything around them as they peered into her brown ones with invisible imprints on them that seemed too mesmerising to be put into words.

For the first time Faeezah Bukhari was unable to read through Masar Abidi's most open book, his expressive grey eyes.

On the other hand Masar was lost. Lost in his thoughts and lost in the brown galaxy that he was currently looking at. Just like her words, her eyes too narrated a story. A story that Masar could read as easily as the back of his hand or maybe even better. A tale that craved nothing but to be completed. A happy ending was what it was craving and Masar would be damned if he didn't become the most beautiful chapter and the source of happily ever after in her real life story.

*****

"Abeer bhai, itna kya stress lena? Ek baar bula kar baat kar lete hai. Sab apne aap clear ho jayega."

Sahar suggested with a soft smile and Abeer and Mustafa shared a look, a look that clearly screamed that they still weren't satisfied.

"Abeer, take a deep breath aur thande dimaag se socho. Baat nahi karenge toh pata kaise chalega whether he is the right choice or not?"

Falak tried to reason with her husband who finally sighed and gave in. Mustafa looked at Sahar who nodded her head and gave him an excited thumbs up and what felt like ages, Mustafa rang a call to his colleague and before they knew it, the date to meet and get to know each other was set.

The very next day.

**********

Aye haye, yeh kya manhusiyat chal rahi hai? Lol, why am I asking it to myself when I very well know the answer. The story is about to get intense (and a little senstive), so better be ready for it.

Aur kya kahe, just pray that Masar doesn't go ballistic when he meets these rishte wale.

*********