Effort | کاوش

HAPPY READ!

یہ بات الگ ہے میرا قاتل بھی وہی تھا

اس شہر میں تعریف کے قابل بھی وہی تھا

Yeh baat alug hai mera qatil bhi wohi tha

Is shehr mein tareef kay qabil bhi wohi tha

Last night dada Jan announced a family picnic which included a night out as well. The flow of happiness amongst the family was at its peak while preparing for it. Everybody was excited about this outdoor adventure. Ladies of the house were sitting in the lounge whereas, the gents were busy with arrangements. Uzair went to the office as he had important meetings lined up.

"How is your neck pain now?", Dadi Jan asked Faryal.

"I'm feeling better Dadi Jan, your massage can do wonders," Faryal replied with an assuring tight-lipped smile. She moved forward and kissed Dadi Jan's cheek.

Faryal got a stiff neck due to her uncomfortable sleeping position on the couch, yesterday she was unable to move her neck completely. Dadi Jan's massage eased her muscles but yet the slight pain was still there.

"Tell him to go a little bit easy on you.", Mahum whispered in her ear.

Faryal looked at her with furrowed eyebrows, trying to grasp the meaning of her words. All of a sudden her face turned as red as a ripe tomato due to embarrassment as the realization dawned upon her.

Faryal slightly elbowed Mahum in the ribs and muttered "Stupid", to which Mahum laughed hysterically.

"Wah aur lug bi nayi naweli Dulhan rahi ho ab tou (Great, you are looking a newly wedded bride as well now)", Maham winked.

Due to Dadi phupho's remarks, Faryal has become more conscious about her looks. She started wearing fancy dresses, minimal jewelry, and makeup every day, even for a picnic (sigh). Faryal and Mahum stopped bickering when they saw Zohaib coming downstairs.

"Zohaib why are you not ready yet?", Dadi Jan asked.

"Sorry Dadi Jan, I don't feel like going out", He replied.

Everyone looked at him with sadness. On the other hand, Faryal was thinking that if he is not going that means Zahra is also not going out with them.

"Son what will you to stay at home with us elders, go and have fun", Dadi phupho said. Dada Jan, Dadi Jan, and Dadi phupho were staying at home.

"Let it be Bushra (Dadi phupho's name) if he doesn't want to go don't force him." Dadi Jan said. She didn't want him to feel pressured every time.

"Theek hai, As you wish. Faryal if Zohaib is staying, you will also stay at home.", Dadi phupho said.

"Bushr..", before Dadi Jan could complete her sentence Dadi phupho interrupted, "If she calls herself Zahra's mother she needs to be a wife first."

Faryal nodded her head positively. Mahum looked annoyed but kept her mouth close.

"If both of them are not going I think I should also cancel my plan", Mom said. Knowing Dadi phupho's nature very well she didn't want to leave Faryal with her.

"No Saba beta, you go. Enjoy family time.", Dadi Jan said to mom to which she agreed dejectedly.

*****

For the first time since Faryal has arrived in the haveli, she has seen it as lifeless as today. Everyone has left in the morning for the picnic. It was just afternoon and she was missing them already. She has not seen Zohaib and Zahra after the morning. Dada Jan went out for some work while Dadi Jan and Dadi phupho were sitting in Dadi Jan's room. She was reading a book in the study to kill the boredom.

"Faryal bibi, Dadi phupho is calling you", a house help said.

"Okay! I'm coming", Faryal smiled. But deep down the mere thought of her was making her uneasy. She took slower steps towards Dadi Jan's room.

She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come inside", came a voice.

She opened the door and saw Dadi phupho and Dadi Jan, sitting on the bed.

"Faryal beta, come here sit with us", Dadi Jan said.

Faryal nodded her head and sat down on the couch placed in front of the bed. The elderly women were telling her their stories and in between asking questions about her as well.

"So what are you studying Faryal", Dadi Jan asked.

"I'm pursuing a degree in Psychology", Faryal replied.

"Psychology" Dadi phupho repeated questioningly.

She raised her eyebrows in concern and added, "Lo gi Bhabhi, yeh tou hamaray dimagh mn jo chul raha hai wo b malom kr sakthi hai (She can find out what's going on in our mind)".

Faryal was trying so hard to control her laughter. So many people have told her this before but the way Dadi phupho said it, was cute.

"No Dadi phupho, Psychologists are not mind-readers it's just a myth. They can make inferences about the mental process accurately only by carefully studying behavior or through use of certain standardized psychological tests", Faryal explained politely to educate her without belittling her.

Dadi phupho and Dadi Jan listened to her and nodded their head in understanding.

Knock!.. Knock!

"Come in", Dadi jan said.

"Maa Ji what should I prepare for the dinner tonight?", The cook asked.

"Beta you can take off now, inform the other staff as well. Faryal will cook the dinner tonight. We want to know how does our daughter-in-law's food tastes. ", Dadi phupho said.

Faryal immediately snapped her head towards Dadi phupho with a horror-struck expression. She was trying to tell her that she can't cook but Dadi phupho as usual was busy ordering.

The cook left the room. Dadi phupho turned her face towards Faryal and said "The ingredients are present in the kitchen you can cook whatever you want".

"Okay", Faryal replied and looked towards Dadi Jan who was also looking normal. Both of the elderly women had no idea about her cooking skills.

*****

It's been an hour since Faryal has entered the kitchen but still, she had no idea what she would cook. There were so many ingredients available but the major problem was her lack of knowledge about the ingredients. She had no idea what goes with each other.

"Dadi phupho should have told me the name of the dish it would be easier for me to find the recipe on the internet, and stupid Meesha is also not picking up my call Ya Allah what should I do now." She tilted her head up and closed her eyes in helplessness.

With each passing minute, her misery was increasing. She felt her eyes growing misty, her vision was becoming a blur, her pulse beat a hundred to the minute, and the blood throbbed at her heart.

After some time of consideration, she took some mixed vegetables from the basket and started cutting them.

Suddenly the carrot slipped out of her hand and the blade flung onto her palm. A hiss escaped her lips due to the pain. Blood started oozing out of her hand. She looked at the clock and realized that she is getting late. Tears spilled through her eyes as she thought about the consequences. She sobbed and clutched her injured hand with the other one.

*****

Zohaib was coming downstairs to refill the jug when he heard the sound of sobbing which she was endeavoring to stifle. He hurriedly entered the kitchen and saw a figure whose back was facing him. He thought it might be some house help.

"Excuse me!" he said with concern.

She turned around. Her eyes were swollen from the sobbing. He looked at her wide eyes and then his gaze traveled towards her hand which was covered with blood.

"What the heck", he took her hand in his and looked at the cut. It was a deep cut.

He checked the cabinets and finally found a first aid box. He hurriedly took her hand to treat the wound. Her whole hand was covered with blood so he at first cleaned her whole hand with antiseptic.

He bent down to her level, she was tall but he was taller than her. He was very near to her. She raised her eyes from her hand and stared at his face. He was a handsome man indeed, but for the first, she was looking at him closely. His beautiful curled long lashes, well-defined bones, prominent jawline covered by the beard, and a lightly tanned fair complexion.

"Ahh", She hissed as a burning sensation triggered due to antiseptic.

"It woul..", He looked up and stopped mid-sentence when he realized that she was starring at his face. Her tears filled hazel orbs met with his black ones. She turned her eyes to the other side, he also moved his gaze to her wound and said "It would burn a little due to antiseptic".

She nodded.

He dressed her wound with the bandage. He moved to the side and looked confusingly at the uneven and disoriented shapes of the vegetables on the counter.

"I was cutting the vegetables for the dinner", She said as she understood what he might be thinking. He looked at her and then starred back at the vegetables.

"You don't know how to cook?", he raised an eyebrow.

She shook her head negatively and started sobbing again.

"Dadi phupho told m(hicup)..e to prepare the di..(Hicup)..nner, I don't know what will happ..(hicup)en to me. I don't have m(Hiccup)..uch time."

"Please stop crying, let me think of a solution.", He assured her. He had no idea how to comfort a crying girl, that's the least he could do to stop her.

He thought for a few minutes, looked around, gathered the ingredients, and started preparing the dinner. She looked at him in surprise.

For the rest of the time both of them were silent. She kept stealing glances at him but he didn't look at her even once. In between the cooking he used to go back and check if Zahra was still asleep or not.

The kitchen was filled with the aroma of the Malai Boti. He called someone and ordered naan.

After some time he turned off the stove, took the jug from the counter, and started moving out.

"Shukriya! (Thanks!)", she said aloud. He stopped in his tracks, nodded his head without turning, and left the kitchen.

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