Umeed Pasha had always loathed the ungodly hour of seven in the morning. From her mother's warm tickles and cuddles rudely interrupting her precious sleep in her early life to the relentless warning bells from Chachi about getting late for school first and then later, college, it became the hour she dreaded most. Thus when she decided she'd own a cafe when she grew up at the young age of fourteen, she knew she had to do something about this.

Oddly, the true challenge wasn't the hour of seven; it was the daunting, almost heart-breaking task of parting ways with the comforting embrace of her bed. This struggle always seemed to fall squarely on the shoulders of the clock's hands as they struck seven. This caused Umeed to associate that time with a pervasive feeling of dread and drowsiness leading her to make it a point to wrap up enough work the night before as a cafe owner, allowing herself the luxury of staying in bed until at least nine.

But today, she found herself awake at seven. She vividly remembers the thought of shutting down the cafe and succumbing to Pasha Sahab's inevitable and humiliating jabs and taunts crossing her mind, that's how much she cherished her sleep. However, she had to wrap up some extra work so that she could make it to Maryam's house today. Yet, she managed to rise at seven today, catching Haya off guard.

She had chugged down three cups of chai finishing off by tallying the balance sheets early morning before rushing to the cafe by ten, where she had to present them to her investors. Despite the overwhelming temptation to shatter the cup that held their cherished chai during the meeting, she fought the urge and finished the meeting by passing just the right amount of smile in response to their snide remarks on the sales and numbers.

Following that, she undertook Zoya's shift as well, single-handedly managing the responsibilities of two people until the afternoon. Then she continued overseeing the cafe for an additional hour or two before Farjaad showed up. She had roamed around the whole city, visiting venues, debating with misogynistic vendors, and dealing with an occasionally nice but otherwise full-time gharyal who did not leave a chance to instigate her.

Now the only thing she wanted was to go home and crash in bed but what she was seeing now was the specimen of an absolute loser, the root cause of all the problems in her life.

Waleed.

On the manager's seat. Her seat.

Umeed sprinted inside, heading straight for the manager's chair, while Farjaad felt as if his feet were glued to the floor beneath him. The sinking sensation he experienced a few nights ago returned with a vengeance. His chest tightened, the comforting warmth that had once enveloped him replaced by a burning sensation as if it had turned into acid. He had rationalized what he felt that other night as an irrational bodily response to not eating properly. However, he vividly remembered having all his meals today, along with his collagen vitamins. So, what was this about?

Probably the gol gappay.

Farjaad's attempt to dismiss the breathlessness proved futile; he couldn't tear his eyes away from the unfolding scene. He desperately wished to walk away, but it seemed like his body was holding him hostage, rendering him frozen in place. Umeed, who had been with him throughout the day, had swiftly left his side upon seeing the man in front of them and now, they were engaging in a casual discussion.

Umeed stood behind the reception counter, her hands on her hips, a little too close to the man seated for Farjaad's comfort, while the man who comfortably occupied her chair, responded to her with nothing but smiles. He had to take a deep breath to fill his lungs with oxygen, yet his chest felt like it was burning.

Where does he fit in this scene? What was he even thinking?

"Farjaad, wahan kyun kharay ho? Andar aa jao!" Umeed intervened, as if she were providence itself, rescuing him from his mental paralysis. Suddenly, Farjaad could see, move, and register things. He looked at her, finding her gaze accompanied by a smile and expectant eyes.

Farjaad nodded, attempting to move forward from the cafe's entrance until he abruptly stopped in his tracks—thanks to the man beside Umeed deciding to open his mouth. "Jee jee Farjaad sahab, andar aayein." Farjaad felt bile making its way up his throat at the sight of this man's ear-to-ear grin.

So much bitterness for someone whose name he couldn't recall. Farjaad couldn't quite fathom the logic behind it all.

But attempting to comprehend it all was not in his mind right now as he just witnessed the tableau before him. It all pieced together like a puzzle—Umeed, her fiancé, and their cafe. What was he doing here, interrupting them at this hour? She had done so much for his sister, and invested enough time in their family's wedding; the least he could do was remove himself from this situation and let her have her moments. He needed to leave.

"Farjaad?" Umeed called out again, noticing the lost expression on his face. She observed his eyes shifting between her and Waleed. Swift to grasp his predicament, she turned to Waleed. "Waleed, yeh hai Farjaad, tumhein tou pata hi hai. Maryam ka bhai hain yeh."

Waleed's grin expanded further, and Farjaad couldn't even muster a forced smile on his face, which, nonetheless, didn't cast a shadow on Waleed's radiant beam—something that could potentially pass for a toothpaste advertisement, as Farjaad observed.

Umeed turned to Farjaad; "Aur Farjaad, yeh hain Waleed. Yeh..."

"Me Umeed ka mangetar hun. Kuch hi mahino mein humari shaadi honaywali hai."

Umeed rolled her eyes at Waleed's declaration. She had trailed off, reluctant to introduce him as her potential husband for she genuinely did not believe so. Her name was Umeed and she had high hopes of sabotaging this engagement. But she could deal with that later, now she had another man she'd rather confront. She turned to Farjaad, asking; "Andar nahin aa rahay aap?"

Farjaad let out a nervous chuckle. "Umm..." he hummed in quandary. "Nahin, me chalta hun I'm sure aapko Mr. Waleed drop kar dengay, so you guys... carry on?"

"Hahahahah!" Waleed laughed out loud, interrupting Umeed, who was about to nod at Farjaad. "Me kaisay drop karunga? Me toh khud auto se aaya hoon, meray paas kahan gaari hai!" he laughed again, much to the dismay of the other two people present there.

It was not a pleasant sound.

Umeed spoke up. "Tou kya huwa, me chali jaungi khud itni bari baat nahin hai."

"Aap meray saath auto mein aa jaana Umeed, pehlay mera ghar aata hai tum paisay de dena auto walay ko."

Waleed's rather straightforward trickery did not escape Umeed's notice. She had reservations about travelling with Waleed, even more so about taking an auto at this hour alone, considering his house came before hers. Sameer also had his exams tomorrow, which meant Pasha Sahab would reprimand her in the most humiliating way if she dared to call him up.

However, she also couldn't ignore the eyebags and the now almost faint red patches on his skin, supposedly from a suntan on the man standing at the cafe entrance. Throughout the day, she knowingly annoyed him, making him follow her words and orders. Even though he tried to eat her head with his snobbish remarks, he did utter some words that would stay etched in her mind for a long, long time—words she longed to hear, ones that people close to her had failed to say.

"Aap ek bohot smart aur intelligent larki hai. Potential hai aap mein ek bohot hi qaabil business woman ban nay ki."

"Haan, theek hai. Me Waleed kay saath chali jaungi." said Umeed, her eyes fixed on Farjaad, subtly nodding as if signalling that he could leave now.

Farjaad frowned, his eyes shifting from Umeed to Waleed who sat like he had voiced out the most amazing idea, while the former stood there, seemingly complying with it. "No way." he declared, the tone sounding more authoritative than he intended once the words left his mouth.

"Mera matlab hai... safe nahin hai na iss waqt, me drop kar deta hun aapko." Farjaad answered Umeed's raised eyebrows.

Umeed was quick to retort; "Nahin me theek hun na, aapko takleef uthanay ki zarurat nahin hai me chali-"

"Mr Waleed I am sure aapko tou pata hi hain Karachi ke halaat, kya pata auto walay kaisay hongay kuch bhi ho sakta hai, aap hi samjhayein aapki mangetar ko." Farjaad said, passing the man a feigned smile, his teeth gritting against each other as he did so.

Waleed had already turned to Umeed to convince her before Umeed beat him to it. "Theek hain. Aap kar dein drop, thank you." she said, realizing she had no reason to deny the offer.

It was the safer option, and it meant she wouldn't have to endure her potential future husband and his overly intrusive questions about her cafe. It felt like he was marrying the cafe, not her. Though if she had an option, she'd consider getting a restraining order against him, both for herself and the cafe.

Farjaad walked inside, making himself comfortable at the table directly facing the manager's chair. He saw Umeed walk to the kitchen and instantly relaxed at the increased distance from her and the gentleman who occupied her seat, until she stopped on her tracks and turned around.

"Farjaad aap liye coffee ya kuch laun?" Umeed asked, playing the perfect host.

Farjaad declined instantly. "No I am fine, aap please apna kaam jaldi khatm kar lein phir hum chaltay hai."

"Waleed, aap chai piyengay?" asked Umeed, her venomously saccharine smile back to her lips the moment her gaze shifted to him. Farjaad shifted in his chair, witnessing the way her face lit up as she looked at him. He felt the breathlessness coming back, his insides burning, causing him to reconsider her offer for coffee as it felt like he had a bad case of acidity. He could not recall a single instance where she had a smile half as big as this when she was with him.

Why was he even comparing himself to... whoever his name is? Where's the logic? Farjaad mentally slapped himself.

"Nahin Umeed jee, me theek hun. Aapkay paas agar pichlay mahinay ki balance sheet hai tou woh de dein?"

"Aww Waleed... aapko kitnaaa khayal hai cafe ka!" said Umeed, stressing on each word, scrunching her face and folding her hands. All Farjaad wanted was to run away. "Lekin aapko fiqr karnay ki bilkul zarurat nahin hai, menay sambhaal liya hai saara hisaab kitaab. Aap chill karein, me ek cup chai le aaun?"

Waleed stayed silent, his quintessential grin returning as he shook his head. Umeed reciprocated the smile with the same enthusiasm, if not more. Farjaad tilted his head, his fingers running across his forehead as he felt the intensity of the sinking feeling increasing every minute. The annoyance he felt at this moment was beyond his understanding. If he had a chance to be less civil, he would have broken a chair or two in frustration. Why? Or for what? He had no idea. The only thing he knew was that at this moment, the last person he wished to see was Umeed and her fiancé.

Umeed disappeared into the kitchen to check on the new load of deliveries, leaving Farjaad sitting there, shooting glares at Waleed. He couldn't quite understand the reasons behind his own animosity; he barely knew the guy, yet it felt like Waleed encompassed all that was bad and gross in this world.

What was he even doing here at this hour, anyway? Farjaad refuted his own arguments by reminding himself that the cafe was ultimately going to be both of theirs, and he could ask for the documents if he wanted. Judging from Umeed's face, it did not seem like she minded an ounce. Nevertheless, Farjaad could not convince himself to conclude that this man was all good. He also realized it was none of his business, he did not have to like him and ultimately chose to go with his gut feeling.

~

"Thank you", said Umeed, finally mustering the courage, as the silence in the car stretched. She turned to Farjaad, who had been eerily quiet and cold throughout the drive. "Mujhe drop karnay kay liye. Aapnay sahi kaha tha iss waqt akelay jaana waqai bohot dangerous hai, aur phir auto walay-"

"Koi aur bhi hota tou yahin karta."

Umeed was brutally cut off by Farjaad's curt response. She took a good look at the man sitting beside her, looking absolutely nonchalant with his eyes fixed on the road. Taking a deep breath, she contemplated other topics they could discuss, feeling that the silence had more to it than just Farjaad's usual preference for it.

"Waisay... woh jo file menay di thi decorations walay references kay saath, aapnay kaha tha aap Mimi ko dikhayengay phir koi decision lengay, uska kya huwa?" Umeed shifted in her seat, blinking at him, unable to predict the response or the nature of it she would get.

Farjaad took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a brief moment, trying to calm himself down. As much as he wanted to ensure his sister's best friend's safety by dropping her home, he was boiling with irritation and annoyance bubbling up inside him towards Umeed. What added to his frustration was the fact that it made no sense. She had done absolutely nothing for him to feel this level of vexation for her, but the fact was that he did.

"Batayein? Mimi ko pasand aaya?"

It was because of her and her gol gappay he had acidity now.

Farjaad clicked his tongue. "Ab me kya bataun, meri behen kuch zyada hi acchi hai. Logon ko khush karnay kay liye sab kuch maan leti hai."

"Kya matlab?"

Umeed couldn't help but notice a stark change in his entire tone compared to earlier that night. Farjaad continued; "Matlab yeh kay meri bichari behen ne mujhsay kaha usay tumharay tacky ideas bohot acchi lagi. Lekin mujhay pata hai usnay yeh sab sirf tumhein khush karnay kay liye kaha hai."

"Kya aisa nahin ho sakta kay shayad waqai usay meray ideas pasand aayi ho?" Umeed calculated each of her words as she spoke, acutely aware that she did not have the bandwidth to engage in banter with Farjaad today, not anymore. She knew that if she lost her temper, she might end up throwing him out of the car or something equally drastic. She had dealt with enough people from this infuriating species they called men for the day.

"No way!" Farjaad exclaimed in response.

It was followed by a chuckle, a little louder than what one can pass off as harmless sarcasm. He continued; "Me sau feesad sure hun kay meri behen ka taste itna kharab nahin ho sakta. Not this tacky."

"Farjaad Khan Bahadur iss se kya matlab hai aapka?" Umeed had her hand on her hips, her tone dead serious.

Farjaad was startled at how dead serious Umeed's tone was. It caught him off guard, but he also realized that his tongue seemed to have a life of its own, ready to spit venom in response.

"Lagta hai aapka sirf taste kharab nahin, aapka ooper wala khaana bhi khaali hai." He looked at her, his eyebrows raised. "Simple baatein jo samajhnay mein mushkilein ho rahi hai aapko."

Umeed huffed in anger, pointing a finger at him. "Dekho, ab na aap zyada bol rahay hai."

"Menay bolna shuru hi kahan kiya hai? Mujhay tou bura lag raha hai tumhein khush karnay kay chakkar mein meri behen ki shaadi kharab ho jayegi. Kyun kay usay apni best friend ko udaas nahin karna. Tch tch!" Farjaad's brain was slapping and kicking him on the butt urging him to stop talking, but he found himself going on and on. All he wanted was for Umeed to get out of his car so that he can scream into the void with the mess that his mind was.

Farjaad had been successful in pushing her wrong buttons. Umeed countered; "Oh, aisi baat hai? Phir aapko meri madad ki zaroorat kyun par rahi hai agar meray ideas, taste, choices sab itna kharab hai tou?"

"Choices ki baat tou me bhool hi gaya tha, acchi baat hai jo aapnay mujhay yaad dila di. Choices tou Masha'Allah se uss se bhi zyada kharab hai aapki." Farjaad felt his mean streak protruding more than he would usually allow. The gentleman in him seemed to be dead and rotting somewhere, with the petty side taking over.

What was he even petty about? Oh yes, the gol gappay.

Umeed questioned; "Aisi kaunsi choice thi meri kay aap meri burai karkay thak nahin rahay?"

"Everything! Pehlay decorations ko lekar jo jo aapnay choose ki thi, tacky! Woh cafe ka interior, tacky! Aaj jo aapnay bhagaya mujhay idhar udhar, chai yeh woh kehkay, ooper se gol gappay khilakar acidity bhi honay lagi hai mujhay, bad choices. Aur woh auto wala Waleed bhi aapka choice hai nahin?"

Farjaad wanted to kill himself.

Umeed felt anger simmering inside her as Farjaad's verbal attack pierced through her. "Oh please! Me phir se keh rahi hun kyun kay aapko baatein samajh nahin aati, decorations Mimi ki pasand kay hisaab se choose ki gayi thi, tou agar kisi ka taste kharab hai tou woh hai aapki behen ka. Aur rahi baat cafe interiors ki, mera cafe, meri marzi. Aapko iska soch kar patla honay ki zarurat nahin hai." Umeed took a deep breath before she continued.

"Aur gol gappay rassi se baandh kar menay nahin khilaye aapko, ego hurt hokar aapnay challenge utha liya tha, so maybe you make better choices! Ek aur baat me aapko batata chalun, woh auto wala waleed aapsay sau kya hazaar percent behtar hai."

Hearing Umeed say that, Farjaad felt an indescribable pang in his chest—a myriad of emotions he couldn't separate out from each other. The irrationality of the hurt consumed him, drowning out reason and logic, overwhelming any awareness he had that he was messing up until that point. Farjaad found himself caring less about reason and more about the intensity of his wounded pride.

"You've got to be kidding me! Waleed? Mujhsay behtar hai? Umeed maan lo tumharay paas koi dhang ka jawaab nahin hai meri baaton ka aur chup baith jaao." Farjaad said, in a high-pitched tone ignoring everything else she said.

When was it ever about the gol gappay anyway.

"Jee bilkul, aapsay behtar hai. Sirf behtar nahin, hazaar guna behtar." Umeed, never thought there would come a day when she would find herself defending Waleed. "Kam-az-kam usay apnon ki qadar tou hai."

Farjaad shook his head; "Ab tum kuch bhi bakwas karnay lagi ho."

"Me bilkul bakwaas nahin kar rahi hun, kam az kam woh aaya tou cafe mein, usay khayal tou aaya kay apnon ka, kabhi kabar aana parta hai, chahay aapki koi commitment ho ya phir raat kay 9 hi kyun na baj raha ho." Umeed argued.

"Kya-"

"Lekin aapko dekho, jaanay kitni baar menay Mimi ko dekha hai college functions kay waqt, entrance mein dekh rahi hoti hai iss umeed mein kay uska bhai aayega, aayega. Lekin har baar disappoint kiya hai aapnay usay. Har baar uski muskurahat ghaayab hote huwe dekha hai menay. Aapki wajah se. Every single time. Uss se tou behtar hi hai Waleed."

The car screeched to a sudden halt the moment those words escaped Umeed's lips. The force threw her back, and her back hit the rear of the passenger seat with a thud, her seat belt protecting her. Umeed looked at Farjaad, still not comprehending the intensity of her words.

Farjaad's jaw tightened visibly as he gripped the steering wheel with such force that his knuckles turned white, staring straight at the road. It was a mess of emotions brewing inside of him, an indistinguishable blend of extreme anger and hurt. He felt shaken to his core, unable to find the right words or the right person to address them to. Feeling his eyes fill up, with scalding tears, he fixed his gaze on the road, attempting to regain composure while struggling to breathe freely.

Umeed watched him for a moment before realizing he had stopped in front of her house. Without saying a word, she left the car, still consumed by anger.

It was almost midnight, way past his bedtime when Farjaad walked into his room with the cup of freshly brewed coffee Niaz handed him. Scrolling through his phone aimlessly as he read the numerous work updates and messages, he stopped as his eyes landed on the lawn outside through the glass window. Mimi was out, engrossed in a phone call, happy and occasionally blushing, skipping playfully around the garden. The words that cut through him just a few hours back came back to him with full force.

"Jaanay kitni baar menay Mimi ko dekha hai college functions kay waqt, entrance mein dekh rahi hoti hai iss umeed mein kay uska bhai aayega, aayega. Lekin har baar disappoint kiya hai aapnay usay. Har baar uski muskurahat ghaayab hote huwe dekha hai menay. Aapki wajah se. Every single time."

For as long as he could remember, since his father's passing, Farjaad's sole purpose had been to fill the void left behind in the lives of his mother and sister. He vividly recalls the words spoken to a twenty-two-year-old Farjaad Khan Bahadur on the day his father passed away.

"Farjaad, ab Shujaat sahab ki kami tumhein puri karni hai. Apni maa aur behen ko unki kami mehsoos na hone dein. Sabki saari umeedein tumsay hai."

That day, Farjaad walked back to his house with drooping shoulders, his shoulders weighed down by exhaustion and the relentless repetition of those words by countless mourners. All he wanted was to curl up in his bed and get some sleep.

Perhaps, see his father for one last time, at least in a dream.

But awaiting him back home were two people who seemingly needed him more than he needed his sleep or space. His mother, bedridden with low blood pressure, and his fourteen-year-old sister, who required a glucose drip because she wouldn't eat, or stop crying. The moment Farjaad stepped inside the house, relatives swarmed around him like bees to honey, immediately burdening him with the responsibilities of caring for his bedridden mother and ensuring his sister was fed. At the same time, his phone kept buzzing with calls from the office. People wanted to know what was to happen to their investments and shares, and what was to become of the company now, who would take it over now?

He went to bed at four in the morning that day, setting an alarm for six. He had found himself in a heated argument with his mother while trying to coax her into taking her medications. Once he put her to sleep, Farjaad faced another five hours of trial with Maryam. He patiently fed her, offering spoonfuls of food, and held her close as she sobbed until exhaustion lulled her into a fitful slumber in his arms.

"Me hoon na beta, sab theek ho jayega."

He tossed and turned on his bed finding no one to tell him the same, his stomach empty, heart aching.

He found himself in the final year of his MBA, suddenly thrust into roles he had never anticipated — no longer just a student, but the pillar of his family as the eldest son, tasked with shouldering the responsibilities of both managing the household and stepping into the role of the future CEO.

Along with that was a brutal realization that shook him - the cruelty of the world. The relatives waiting for him to come so that they can get off of the responsibility of consoling the mourning mother and daughter, the people at the office having no consideration of the situation, calling him up for a meeting at eight the next morning, barely even twenty-four hours since his father's burial.

The world was as cruel as it could get, and it was he who had to protect his mother and sister from it.

And that he did. When he woke up at six that morning, something had shifted in him. His aspirations were no more winning the inter-university basketball match or topping the finals. It was to keep this boat afloat, to save his father's legacy, to maintain his mother and sister's quality of life, and to ultimately keep them happy.

It did come at a price — Losing a lot of time with the people he loved. He went back home to hear his mother constantly complain about his absence from meals and family commitments. But little could he tell her the trials he had to face at the office. Though Nighat did assist him in managing affairs temporarily from home, the challenges of being a CEO at the age of twenty-two, with limited experience beyond his ongoing MBA, was a different challenge altogether.

Gradually, Farjaad did manage to gain authority at work but what did he lose? He was no longer privy to what went on at home. Maryam had given up trying to tell him about the new friends she made in high school, there were no more Sunday catch-up sessions with his mother on what happened at her kitty parties, and one day as he wrapped up his meeting and drove by his favourite cafe to get a coffee, he saw his friends hanging out there and realised he no more made it to their invitation lists. Farjaad did realize that was fair enough, considering he often rushes back to the office the moment classes were done, on the rare occasions he could even attend them.

Farjaad vividly remembered the day he was broken up with. On the day of his finals, right after the exam. He found himself devoid of justifications or the emotional capacity to plead for her to stay. He just did not have time anymore for such pursuits, and the schedule he had made for himself so meticulously was something only he could adhere to. Moreover, what he came to realize once it happened was that the pain was surprisingly minimal. His priorities had shifted so drastically, that he had accepted he had turned into a difficult man to live with and that he now had little to no interest in matters of the heart.

But his heart was in the right place, wasn't it?

He couldn't help but question. Sure he missed out on his sister's school performances, he might have asked her to cancel a lot of plans she made with him to the point that she stopped making new ones and he did fail to show up at her university when she had asked him to come, be it for events or just to drop her home, but wasn't he absent because he was trying to secure her future? Being so preoccupied with the responsibilities his father had left him, Farjaad knew he was too late to realize he had limited time with his sister who would leave one day or the other. He acknowledged he had a bad work-life balance, even after gaining enough authority to be less stringent.

But hearing what Umeed had said today, he wondered if he had no way to fix this.

He remained resolute about planning the dream wedding for her, but he couldn't shake the nagging doubts. Would it ever make up for the times he lost, the moments he disappointed her, the occasions he couldn't show up? Was it simply an attempt to convince himself that he had done something meaningful for his sister? The guilt was already eating him up, but now it began to suffocate him.

How to be good enough?

Apparently, even Waleed knew how — that was the last thought that caught his mind as he slipped into sleep, the visuals of Umeed and the latter at the cafe, freshly pricking his insides, her words ringing in his ear.

~

"Me hi pagal hun jo iss halaku khan ko lift karati hun!"

Umeed stormed into the house, teeth gritted and bag clutched tightly in her hand, only to freeze in her tracks at the sight that greeted her in the courtyard. There sat the one person she needed right now, her useless brother Sameer, alongside Haya, the recently engaged lovebirds seemingly lost in their own world. As irritated as she was at Sameer for stealing away Haya when all she wanted was to sit and share a chai with her, Umeed couldn't bring herself to disturb their moment. Despite their eight-year separation when Sameer went to Canada, their bond remained unbroken.

Even though Umeed would never admit it, that separation had indeed inflicted considerable damage on her relationship with Sameer. The complexities surrounding his abrupt move to Canada, just two years after their mother's passing when Sameer was ten and Umeed aged barely twelve, had left scars that ran deep.

Their strained relationship often manifested in sharp exchanges, Umeed's words laced with bitterness while Sameer sought opportunities to provoke her, yet somehow with Haya, they managed to form a harmonious trio. It felt as though they were unable to bridge the gap that had formed between them, unable to reconnect as the Umeed and Sameer they once were in childhood.

Long gone was the Sameer who cried in his sister's arms the day before he left, pleading with her to stop him and the Umeed who held onto her brother, trying her best to console him, making up her mind to fight with her father, the one who already seemed to hate her. The first of her many fights.

Umeed took a deep breath as she aimed for the stairs, retreating to her room.

Throwing her bag onto the bed, she made her way to the terrace, sinking into the cushioned chair. The last two days had been nothing short of a trial by fire. Two days of venue visits left her questioning if she had made a grave mistake by agreeing to plan Maryam's wedding. The first day had ended in a horrible fight, and today, on the second day, she realised that things hadn't gone back to normal as they usually did after their banters.

Farjaad.

Annoyed would be an understatement for what Umeed felt the previous night as she stormed out of Farjaad's car after a heated argument, one that Farjaad had initiated, mind you. But what she had not expected was for him to remain so bitter, and worse, to be nonchalant and ignorant throughout the day today as they continued their search to find the perfect wedding hall. She had slept on the argument last night and was back to normal when she met him this afternoon, while his demeanour was still icy, ignoring her as if she did not exist.

After Umeed's failed attempts to strike up a conversation with Farjaad, she had amped up her game by asking him to stop for chai, expecting him to make a comment on her frequent consumption of the beverage, even if it was a taunt. However, Farjaad had stopped the car at her request, moving none of his facial muscles had just waited for her to go and get her chai. What surprised Umeed the most was how much his nonchalance had affected her, prompting her to get a cup of coffee for him on her way back as a peace offering.

The same coffee cup, which was disposed of in the car's cup holder after Farjaad took it from her without even sparing a glance at her. The last she remembered of that cup of coffee, it stayed there when he dropped her just a few minutes back - unattended, unconsumed, cold and disgusting.

Umeed had grown up getting ignored by people all around her. Sometimes it used to be her words while sometimes it was her needs, sometimes it was her little wishes and sometimes it used to be something as big as her authority over her life decisions. But she was never bothered by being ignored, even by people as close to her as her father, who might top the list. However, today, facing a Farjaad who was indifferent to her had left her feeling unusually disturbed for reasons unknown.

If the combative, arrogant, and haughty Farjaad was difficult to deal with, the indifferent one was undoubtedly the worst.

But was he really difficult to deal with? Umeed couldn't help but think of their banter and fights, realizing that it was Farjaad whom she had grown accustomed to handling. Arguing with him had become second nature to her, her way of managing his talent for pushing her buttons. So now, when he started behaving the way she claimed she would prefer, she found herself at a loss, her insides fuming with frustration at his apathy.

Umeed now had the kind of Farjaad she claimed she wanted as a working partner but was hating every moment of it.

What was this paradox?

"Yeh lo."

Umeed flinched and turned at the sudden voice coming from her side, finding Haya with two cups in her hands, one extended towards her. The aroma of hot chai filled the air, instantly calming Umeed's nerves.

"Tum yahan kya kar rahi ho?" questioned Umeed.

Haya settled into the chair beside her, taking a sip of her chai before asking, "Kya matlab?"

"Matlab tum tou neechay garden mein thi Sameer kay saath, tumhein kaisay pata chala kay me yahan hun aur..." Umeed trailed off, hesitant to reveal to Haya that a simple cup of chai and her company were precisely what she needed at that moment.

Haya chuckled, leaning forward to affectionately pinch Umeed's cheeks; "Umeed meri jaan, jab se hosh sanbhala hai tab se dekh rahi hun me tumhein, tumse bhi pehlay pata chal jata hai tumhein kab, kya aur kis ki zarurat hoti hai."

Umeed's lips curved into a smile as she grasped Haya's hands, silently mouthing an "I love you" to her.

"Thak gayi ho na bilkul?" asked Haya, and Umeed responded with a nod. "Tumhein drop kisnay kiya, Sameer ko tou call nahin kiya tumnay?"

Umeed let out a long sigh. "Farjaad. Farjaad ne drop kiya hai."

Haya noticed how Umeed had not resorted to one of the hundred nicknames she had coined for her best friend's brother. She must be exhausted, Haya concluded.

"Yaar waisay yeh Maryam ka bhai hai bohot gentleman types. Matlab unkay paas hazaar kaam hotay hai har waqt lekin kabhi aisa na huwa kay tum unsay milnay gayi aur tum ghar khud akeli aayi. Humesha drop kiya hai unhonay tumhein. So nice of him!"

Umeed rolled her eyes; "Tou ismein kya bari baat hai, basic courtesy hai. Uske liye tareefon kay pul baandh ne ki zarurat nahin hai."

"Yaar Umeed buri baat hai. Woh itna bara aadmi hai, cab bhi bulwa saktay the, kisi driver kay saath bhej saktay the lekin phir bhi har baar jitna bhi late huwa ho tumhein khud chhornay aatay hai. Aur tum hi ne tou kaha kay woh uss din tumharay liye chai bhi lekay aaye the. Kaun karta hai itna?"

Umeed buried her face in her chai cup, having nothing to counter that.

Haya continued; "Matlab woh itna khayal kartay hai apni behen ki dost kay liye, tou socho behen se kitna pyaar karta hoga, aisay hi koi itna bara businessman khud wedding planning jaisay kaam khud nahin karega na?"

"Hmm, karta tou hai. Mimi bhi humesha tareefein karti rehti hai apnay bhai ki, bas kabhi mujhay samajh nahin aaya aisa bhi kya hai uss changez khan mein. Mere saath tou har waqt tou sarha huwa phir raha hota hai, khayal hai tou sirf ghari ki suiyon ki." Umeed complained, imitating Farjaad; "Meri yeh meeting hai woh meeting hai, tum ek second late ho gayi ho haye qayamat aa gayi!"

Umeed wouldn't be caught dead admitting it, but she felt that listening to one of those might actually help her get a sound sleep tonight.

Haya shifted on her chair, her face curious; "Waise... tumhein kya lagta hai, woh cope kaisay karta hoga?"

"Kya matlab?"

"Matlab itni busy zindagi hai uski, har waqt meetings, deals, kaam yeh woh. Aur jitna me jaanti hun woh kuch bees-bais saal kay the tab se hi nahin sambhaal raha woh yeh sab? Me soch rahi hun balance kaisay karta hoga woh kaam aur phir family sab?"

Umeed shifted in her chair uncomfortably. "Kaisa bhi karta ho, tumhein kya hai?"

"Nahin mujhay tou lag raha hai jab tak meri medical ki parhai puri ho jayegi, me parayi ho jaungi. Log shaadi kay baad parayi hoti hain, me aisi hi ho jaungi." Haya sighed, leaning back.

"Hein? Aisi baatein kyun kar rahi ho?"

Haya grinned; "Umeed meri jaan uss din practicals ki wajah se tumharay saath ek plan cancel kiya usko lekar mujhay aaj tak taana marti ho tum. Uss Farjaad ka socho, itnay kam umar mein puri company ki responsibility uskay ooper aa gayi, kitna mushkil huwa hoga. Pata nahin beech mein family aur friends ko time kaisay diya hoga usnay!"

Oh.

Kam-az-kam usay apnon ki qadar tou hai.

Her own words from the night before echoed in her ears. Umeed knew she meant no harm, but wondered if it had triggered something deeper in Farjaad. He did have an issue with devoting time to his personal commitments, but as Haya spoke, Umeed realized the time he spent away from his family was also ultimately for them.

22 years of age.

In a few months, that's how old Umeed will be, if someone told her she had to run an entire household, manage a whole company, and balance her studies all at once, she would likely opt for the classic Umeed move: running away.

But Farjaad lived what she feared.

As Umeed replayed her interactions with Farjaad from the last two days, she couldn't shake off the memory of his eerie silence when he dropped her off the previous day. They had their fair share of arguments and banter, but never before had they fallen into such a tense silence. The realization of her role in this mess started to gnaw at Umeed, accompanied by a wave of guilt.

She wondered if he had any kind of insecurity regarding the way he managed time or his relationship with his family. But, wasn't he the emotionless robot? He was supposed to show no emotion. But wasn't he the emotionless robot? He was supposed to show no emotion. Umeed's mind wrestled with reason and her instinctual need to come up with the lamest defence.

Umeed couldn't shake off the nagging question: had she hurt him?

Her insides twitched at the possibility. He had spent the entire day shutting her out, and it had bothered her, much more than she cared to admit.

"Umeed?" Haya called out, noticing her cousin lost in thought. "Kahan ghum ho?"

Umeed looked up from her cup of chai to stare at Haya's face, her face pensive.

The last time she felt this unsettled by someone ignoring her was when Haya was briefly upset over her fainting prank gone wrong, a mere ten-minute spell that dissolved instantly at the sight of Umeed's apologetic puppy face.

How is it that Farjaad ignoring her is the closest thing that comes to her fear of Haya being indifferent to her?

"Umeed?"

Umeed sprang up from her chair, taking deep breaths and clutching onto the cup in her hands. Nausea washed over her, the weight of her actions feeling overwhelming. The thought that she might have hurt Farjaad, struck a nerve she hadn't intended to, and it turned out... the realization of it, weirdly pricked her insides.

Well, Umeed knew she was a nice person.

But to ruin her day over him being indifferent to her? Umeed no longer cared about her family's neglect of her, but now she had an issue with her best friend's brother not accepting the coffee she got for him? What about when Chachi refused to taste the gulaab jamun she made? She could have ruined her day over that, why now?

"Umeed? Kya ho gaya hai?" Haya repeated, in a louder tone.

Umeed's eyes widened as she looked at Haya's face, each passing moment making her more acutely aware of the gravity of the situation, the potential hurt she had caused, and the impact it was having on her.

"Mujhay-" Umeed paused, taking a deep breath to steady herself before speaking. "Mujhay neend aa rahi hai, me sonay jaa rahi hun"

She hurried inside, sensing Haya's puzzled gaze following her as she retreated.

This was going to be a long night.

~

Mimi and Niggo were seated on the couch in the living room, observing Farjaad as he walked back and forth, clearly irritated and bothered. The mother-daughter duo traced his movements as he scratched his neck, visibly unimpressed and frustrated.

"Bhai..."

"Chup. Mimi tum chup hi raho." Farjaad snapped, diffusing Maryam's attempt to calm him down.

Mimi retorted; "Bhai aap mujh par kyun bhadak rahay hai, menay kya kiya hai? Aur problem kya hai?"

"Aur nahin tou kya karun? Tum dekh rahi ho apni dost ki harkat? Paanch bajay aanay ka kaha tha, ab baj rahay hai chhay. Matlab iss larki aur punctuality ka dur dur tak koi taalukh nahin hai. Mimi tumhay bhi pata nahin kya problem hai, usi se karana tha sab. Responsible tou lafz bhi nahin suna hoga usnay." Farjaad ranted, his pitch escalating with each sentence.

Mimi shifted her position, leaning forward; "Bhai aisi koi baat nahin hai, trust me woh late hai tou I am sure kisi wajah se hai warna woh aisa nahin karegi."

"Mimi tum tou rehnay hi do, tum tou har waqt uski waqalat karnay mein lagi rehti ho. Use kya lagta hai meray paas aur koi kaam nahin hai? Menay meri itni important meeting push ki thi lekin madam ko dekho, koi khayal hi nahin hai!" Farjaad ran his fingers through his hair as he proceeded to murmur under his teeth; "Aur kehti hai mujhay apnon ki qadar nahin hai."

Mimi furrowed her eyebrows, trying to catch what he mumbled at the end before giving up shortly. "Bhai, aap shaant ho jayein. Me karti hun Umeed ko call."

"Haan, tab woh koi aur nayi kahani sunayegi." Farjaad raised his eyebrows, passing the ladies a sarcastic grin. " Jhooti larki aur uski ek se barh kar ek jhooti kahaniyaan!"

Niggo shook her head in disapproval. "Farjaad, don't be rude. Mimi tum call kar kay dekho, kya huwa hai."

Mimi nodded, already calling Umeed. It rang twice, thrice and further - no answer. She tried again, and again, and then once again only to have her calls unanswered. Mimi smiled at Farjaad nervously as she dialed again, seemingly a different number.

Farjaad stood at the corner of the room, observing Mimi, and wondered what was up. Umeed was supposed to meet them Sunday evening at five, here at their house as they finalize the venue, and also because Mimi wanted her suggestions regarding the wedding cards. An hour later there was no sign of her. His irritation with tardiness aside, there was a different fear in his heart.

He had spent the past two days ignoring her, as they continued their venue visit on Friday and then yesterday, on Saturday, they just had no business. Umeed had spent the whole of Friday afternoon trying to ease the tension, initiating conversations, complimenting his negotiating skills and even getting a coffee for him, all of which he callously disregarded, refusing to acknowledge them.

In Farjaad's defense, his behaviour was not intentional. He genuinely struggled to confront Umeed after the unintentional reality check she gave him the night before. He knew she did not know how deep it cut, but her words continued to haunt him, making it difficult to face her. Furthermore, Farjaad struggled to accept the fact that was the fact that he liked it. He liked Umeed's undivided attention on him. At times, her focus on him even led to her overlooking important details while checking the venues, which, strangely, he found oddly satisfying.

That exactly was the root of his fear as well. After spending the entire afternoon trying to get him to talk to her, Umeed had been uncomfortably silent yesterday. Well it did make sense considering they did not have to meet yesterday or had no work regarding which they had to communicate, but he had been revelling in her attention a bit too much that he expected her to carry through with it, which obviously and logically she didn't.

Farjaad wondered if Umeed had decided she could not work with him anymore. That scared him, albeit that would actually make work easier as he wouldn't spend more than half of the time fighting with her, but regardless, the thought was met with dread.

"Maa, Umeed call nahin utha rahi hai. Haya ko call ki tou usnay kaha kay woh subah subah cafe kay liye nikal gayi thi jaldi mein. Tou shayad kaam mein busy hogi, aur phone silent pe rehtay hai uska har waqt tou bas isiliye..." Mimi trailed off, her gaze turning to Farjaad who had no expressions on his face, and was staring at Mimi as if he was lost in thought.

Mimi smiled nervously; "Bhai, venue tou kar liya na finalize humnay, Sunny kay gharwalon ne bhi haan kar di tou matlab... fifty percent kaam tou ho gaya na jo aaj kay liye schedule ki thi humnay? Theek hai na, kya huwa Umeed nahin bhi aayi? Cards ka puchnay kay liye me usay text kar lungi!"

"I don't care enough about this."; Farjaad sighed, raising his palms in resignation before walking away.

Humans are walking, talking contradictions, often feeling one thing but refusing to admit it, saying one thing and then doing the exact opposite. Right now encapsulating this inherent hypocrisy, sat Farjaad Khan Bahadur as he drove through the streets of Karachi in his midnight blue tee and grey sweats. Self-aware enough, he had convinced himself he was going to see if Majid Sahab was home to discuss something important about the upcoming show.

However, the irony lay in the fact that Majid Sahab had already informed him of his weekend trip to Northern Pakistan with his family, a detail conveniently pushed to the back of Farjaad's mind to let himself get out of the house after he stormed out of the living room in the evening, declaring he couldn't care less about Umeed not showing up. Now, if he happens to pass by her cafe and decides to have a coffee, what's the harm in that?

Farjaad had fought himself the way to Umeed's cafe, and the sight he saw there was surprising. Stepping out of the car and entering the cafe, he encountered Taha rushing out with Zoya close behind. The young man appeared deeply distressed, nearly colliding with Farjaad in his haste. Farjaad timely caught the boy by his shoulder timely themselves from an accident and observed the worry etched on his face.

"Taha, kya huwa? Sab theek hai?" Farjaad inquired, genuinely concerned.

Taha took a moment, trying to breathe steadily while Zoya interfered; "Woh... Umeed baaji..."

Farjaad's senses heightened at her name. Taha and Zoya looked like a tragedy had ensued, and it had something to do with Umeed? A million ominous thoughts ran through his mind in the five seconds he took to ask; "Umeed ko kya huwa?"

"Woh Umeed baaji..." Taha gulped, panting. "Umeed Baaji behosh ho gayi hai."

"Kya?" Farjaad's concern heightened to new levels. "Kahan hai woh? Woh theek hai? Kaisay huwa yeh? Doctor ko bulaya?" He was now rivalling the two teenagers in his anxiety.

Zoya pointed at the manager's table inside, just a few steps away from where they stood. "Woh wahan hai. Humnay socha woh so rahi thi kyunkay subah se unki tabiyat kharab hai, lekin ab jab hum bulanay gaye tou uth hi nahin rahi."

"Tabiyat kharab hai? Kya matlab hai tabiyat kharab hai? Kya huwa usay?" Farjaad asked, feeling almost breathless by this point.

Taha clarified; "Arrey me kya bataun Farjaad sahab, woh itne dinon se khana bhi theek se nahin kha rahi thi, aur yahan kaam bhi itna hai tou bas aaj tabiyat kharab ho gayi. Subah se kamzor nazar aa rahi thi, humnay kaha bhi unsay kay ghar jaayein hum sambhaal lengay. Lekin woh kahan kisi ki baat sunti hai jab baat kaam ki ho? Khana khanay ko bola hum dono ne, woh bhi humari baat nahin suni, keh rahi thi hisaab kitaab ka koi chakkar hai jo sametna hai. Phir ek do ghantay pehle humnay dekha maiz par hi sar rakh kar so gayi. Ab pata chala behosh ho gayi thi."

Farjaad rushed inside, not even waiting for Taha to finish, heading straight for the manager's table. He abruptly halted at the sight of her - head on the table, sitting in perhaps the most uncomfortable position possible, hair strands on her forehead swaying with the breeze, her eye bags glaring.

The dots seemed to be connecting now.

"Taha, Zoya, cafe close karo, aaj kay liye itna kaam kaafi hai." said Farjaad, emphasizing on kaam as swiftly moved forward, gently cupping the back of her head with his right hand while his other hand supported her weight as he carried her towards the couch in the corner near the door.

After placing her on the couch carefully, Farjaad made a call to his family doctor who fulfilled his promise of arriving in fifteen minutes, the fact that he was in that vicinity helping the cause. The doctor checked her vitals while Farjaad stood with the kids, unable to take his eyes off of Umeed, whose usually vibrant demeanour was now subdued, appearing pale and frail. He felt his chest tighten.

"Basic check-up kay baad I can say yeh kaafi weak hai, most probably because of decreased food intake?" The doctor stated the obvious, looking at the trio, as if expecting them to enlighten him on patient information.

Taha stepped up; "Jee doctor sahab, Umeed baaji aaj kal khana bilkul nahin khaati, kaam ka stress hai unhe bohot. Lekin chai peeti hain."

"Chai?"

"Haan doctor sahab, woh bohot chai peeti hain, unkay paas kabhi kabar khana khanay ka waqt nahin hota tou khanay ko chai se replace kar leti hai." Zoya explained.

Farjaad's eyes shot up at their words, the dots seemed to be connecting a bit too well now.

The doctor questioned further; "So how many cups are we talking a day?"

"Jee woh teen ghantay mein paanch cup tou pee leti hai araam se." Farjaad said, in a monotonous tone as he tried to recall her manic chai consumption which he did not think much of in the past.

The doctor glared at them in disbelief.

Taha added; "Jab yahan hoti hai tou woh puray din mein das-pandrah cup tou pi leti hai."

"Are you guys serious? Tum logon ko pata bhi hai yeh inkay liye kitna khatarnak saabit ho sakta hai?" The trio stood in silence, the older one completely losing it every passing moment. He continued; "This kind of tea intake can cause so many problems. Acid reflux, sardard, sleep cycle mein maslay, blood sugar spikes... ooper se it seems like yeh khana bhi nahin khati?"

Taha and Zoya shook their heads in unison.

"Dekhein aap log, waisay hi this kind of tea intake is very bad for health, ooper se agar koi nutrients, koi khaana bhi andar nahin jaa raha tou phir kaisay chalega? Inka blood pressure low hai, iss se insaan ko hypotension ho sakta hai, jiski wajah se shayad yeh behosh ho gayi."

The doctor stood up, facing Farjaad; "Detailed tests kay liye inko hospital lekay aana parega, but her lifestyle seems to be extremely dangerous, Farjaad. Aisi food habits can lead to cardiac issues in the future. Khayal rakha karo, aisa tou nahin chalega na? She's young tou abhi shayad itnay problems na ho, but these things can have big repercussions in the future."

Farjaad nodded, feeling an impending headache from the overwhelming amount of upsetting information he was receiving about Umeed's life choices and their implications.

"Agar check-ups aur tests karwana hai tou kal tum isay clinic lekay aa saktay ho, I would suggest you get some tests done. Abhi kay liye kuch dawai me de raha hun, khanay kay baad inhe de dena tum." The doctor said as he walked out with Farjaad and the duo following them.

Once he saw the doctor off, Farjaad turned to Taha and Zoya, instructing them to leave as it was already late and they had already shut the cafe for the day. He didn't let them go until he made sure they had a ride and even offered to call the driver if they needed one.

Once Taha and Zoya left, Farjaad returned inside the cafe, finding a seat on the couch near Umeed's feet where she lay unconscious. He took his own sweet time just staring at her, he couldn't quite pinpoint why. He couldn't shake off the guilt gnawing at him for the way he had spoken about her earlier at his house to Mimi, while she was sick. It also reminded him of how she often overworked herself to exhaustion and how she was actively sabotaging her health in the process. A fuming anger rose within him, the kind that stems from extreme concern and a myriad of other emotions that he was unfamiliar with and didn't wish to confront right now.

It was another few minutes until Umeed Pasha felt as if her entire house, along with her cafe, was placed on her head. She struggled to open her eyes, but whatever sight she managed to discern was too blurry to make sense of. The intended fifteen-minute nap she took wasn't supposed to feel this intense, yet it did. Umeed remembered had some more work to wrap up before she had get to Mimi's house. She made up her mind to ask Taha to get a cup of chai for her, rubbing her eyes so that she could see clearer.

Weirdly, as her vision got better she noticed everything was so dark, the only thing she could see was the ceiling, with the little shining aesthetic bulbs hanging down with all the other lights switched off. She shifted from her position and felt somebody move at her feet.

She was lying on the couch and someone was sitting with her.

Rubbing her eyes again, she could make out the person's face, the said person now staring at her with concern etched on their face. With the phone screen lit in their hands, the faces started looking more and more familiar. Umeed realized it looked a lot like the man she was supposed to meet at five today. Maryam's brother it was?

Farjaad.

"Farjaad!" Umeed called out in sudden realization, the sense of logic coming back to her. She realized it was already night and managed to figure out she most probably did not make it to his house on time.

He was already mad at her, now he will never speak to her. Great.

Umeed sprung up from the sofa in horror. "Sorry, Sorry, I am so sorry, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry!" she chanted in desperation before clutching her head as it pounded in pain, tightly shutting her eyes as she felt dizzy, falling back on the couch.

Farjaad was more furious than ever.

"Umeed careful!" he instructed, concern laced in his voice.

Umeed blinked twice, taking him and the surroundings in before trying to get up again. Farjaad extended his hand, still sat on one corner of the couch. Umeed, already embarrassed by her carelessness and failure in fulfilling the commitments made to him and his sister, could not meet his eyes, let alone take his hand. She sunk her hands on the cushions, pulling herself up as she looked at Farjaad apologetically.

"Dekhein aap, aap meri baat sunein..." Umeed licked her lips, trying to come up with the most convincing excuse even though so many things from how she napped for six hours to how she ended up in this cafe at this hour with no one but Farjaad was a complete blur.

"Me na, me.. Me aanay wali thi lekin kya huwa kay me nikalnay wali thi tou..." She trailed off and saw Farjaad raise his eyebrows waiting for her to continue. "Tab baarish ho gayi."

Stupid.

Umeed wanted to disappear at that very moment for the blasphemous excuse she had come up with. Rain? Seriously? But she couldn't lose her confidence or she would lose everything. Umeed has been in worse situations and has fared victorious. "Matlab, mujhay laga kay baarish honay wali hai, tou menay socha kay customers ko baarish mein pakoray mil jayein tou kya baat hogi! Tou menay na, menay Taha ko bhej diya samaan lenay. Phir..."

"Umeed..." Farjaad called, his voice almost a whisper.

"Phir jab... woh..." Umeed was struggling to form a coherent sentence. "Haan! Tou phir meri meeting thi, investors kay saath. Yahin par thi, tou... tou menay socha kay unko bhi me pakoray khilaungi lekin kya huwa kay..."

Farjaad's voice rose in pitch. "Umeed..."

"... Unhonay kaha unko pakoray nahin pasand, tou menay pucha aisay kaisay bhai? Nahin matlab tum hi batao, pakoray kaisay nahin pasand kisi ko woh bhi chai kay saath, matlab hadd hai? Menay kaha bhai aisa tou nahin ho sakta-"

"Umeed baat sunogi tum?" Farjaad asked, his voice almost verging on yelling, causing Umeed to flinch and fall silent.

She shifted on the couch, sitting with her legs crossed as she faced Farjaad, the tip of her fingers touching, her face apologetic. "Sorry kaha na menay..." Her voice trailed off, sounding faint.

Farjaad took a proper look at Umeed, she looked as tired as she could get. "Yeh me kya sun raha hun tumnay khaana khaana chhor diya hai? Asked Farjaad, his tone reeking of authority.

"Kya?" Umeed replies almost instantly, his question being the last one she expected. But Umeed got no answer as he quietly leaned forward to the tea table kept in front, and opened up the boxes of food which she assumed he ordered. Umeed intervened; "Yeh sab kya hai? Matlab, iski kya zarurat hai? Menay khana kha li hai matlab-"

"Umeed." It was not a request, it was a warning and somehow it was enough to put the otherwise rebel Umeed in silence. Farjaad served the rice and chicken on a little plate he had found in the kitchen of the cafe and passed it to Umeed. Her refusing glances were met with his warning eyes, which instantly made Umeed take the plate and start eating.

Farjaad slipped his phone into his pocket and settled comfortably on the couch, folding his arms across his chest, and staring at Umeed as she ate. She still had no idea about more than half the things that were going on, but his scrutiny was such that she couldn't help but comply.

But she knew the one thing that was missing.

Umeed tried to get up from the couch; "Me na ek minute mein aayi-"

"Umeed baithi raho wahan!" Farjaad reprimanded. "Kya chahiye tumhein?"

Umeed was confused; "Kya ho gaya, me tou bas chai lenay jaa rahi thi."

"Don't you dare. Bas ho gaya tumhara. Nahin milni tumhay ab se chai." informed Farjaad. "Dekh na kaisay Pasha Sahab ko call karkay shikayat lagata hun!"

Umeed was irritated now; "Aapka masla kya hai? Ek tou pata nahin menay pandra minute aankh band karnay ka socha aur ab uthi hun tou sab andhera sa hai, jaisay saal guzar gaya ho. Kuch samajh nahin aa raha aur aap pata nahin kahan say tapak parhay? Orders pe order diye jaa rahay ab meray chai ko aa gaye aap? Himmat tou dekho!"

"Umeed are you for real? Tum pagal ho?" asked Farjaad, feeling like he is at his limit. "Tum neend mein behosh ho gayi thi tumhein baat samajh aa rahi hai? Na tum khaana theek se khaa rahi hi, na paani pi rahi ho tumhay samajh bhi hai kay yeh sab tumhari body kay liye kitni zaruri chizein hai?"

Farjaad shifted, mirroring Umeed's posture as he sat facing her.

He continued; "Tumhein kya lagta hai tumhari body mein khoon aur paani ki jagah chai aur gol gappay daud rahay hai jo sirf woh sab khaa kar tum healthy reh sakogi? Kyun kay khati peeti tou tum sirf wohi ho!"

Umeed was taken aback at his outburst. She didn't even realize her food habits had changed to a point where it was non-existent. Moreover, what she failed to understand was his concern over her food intake. She still made her case, however. "Waisay, do teen cup chai peenay se kuch nahin hota."

"Umeed mujhay pata hai yeh baat, hum sab desi log chai peetay hai lekin uskay saath tumhein khaana khaana hoga, properly." Farjaad tried making her understand, like she was five.

Umeed coughed, causing Farjaad to instinctively gesture her to relax as he reached out for the water bottle to pass it to her. She gulped down the water as she looked down at her plate, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Aisa nahin hai kay mujhay in baaton ki samajh nahin hai, lekin... lekin kabhi kabar kaam hi itna hota hai kay me sach mein bhul jaati hun."

Farjaad's gaze instantly softened.

"Ab parson kya huwa socho, ek insaan kaam par nahin aaya tou mujhay do-do logon ka kaam karna par gaya, tou phir me busy rahi pura din aur uskay baad mujhay aapkay saath aana tha hall dekhnay kay liye. Tou me nahin kha paayi, lekin bhook lag rahi thi tou bas.. Chai..." Umeed shrugged making her point, her voice fading towards the end.

This was the fifth or sixth-time Farjaad had heard about her managing the workload of two people all by herself. He also realized she had a point, remembering his early days managing the company when he would skip meals simply because he forgot to eat.

"Accha, okay. I understand." Farjaad inched closer to her, clicking his tongue as he attempted to change the mood. "Menay socha tum ghar isiliye nahin aayi kyun kay tum sust ho, laga kay baad mein kuch tou jhooti kahaniyaan banakay sunaogi mujhay aur Mimi ko.

His tone was extremely playful, and Umeed caught up on it. "Dekhein ab me itni bhi bari koi jhooti nahin hun."

Farjaad felt his heart flutter at the sight of her giggling after she said that. He took a deep breath and before he knew it, he blurted it out.

"Waisay me bhi itna bara koi selfish... gharyal nahin hun."

______________________________

Sorry for the delay, but here are 10.3k words.

A whole lot of unedited crap, sorry if it's too bad. Will try to do shorter but frequent updates from now. :)