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

Umeed's head shot up his confession, her mouth parting as if to respond, but then she fell silent, realizing she had no words. She was left speechless.

"Mere paas koi choice nahin tha, jo hun jaisa hun... it was the need of the moment." Farjaad continued, leaning back on the couch and avoiding Umeed's gaze. "It's also not like I don't show up for Mimi deliberately."

Umeed felt her chest constrict with every word he said. The realisation that her words had affected him, even hurt him to some degree, made her feel uneasy inside. He had gone through so much at such a young age, and she had used it against him in a petty argument, albeit unknowingly. Umeed considered herself a kind person, but the concern she felt for her best friend's brother seemed overwhelming and irrational. Yet, at that moment, nothing mattered more to her than the words coming from the man sitting in front of her, and the emotions they carried.

"Bohot kuch daw par laga huwa tha. Mujhe nahin maloom tha kay kal kya hona hai. Kisi bhi baat ko lekar me sure nahin tha. Lekin agar koi aisi chiz thi jiskay ooper mujhay pura yaqeen tha, tou woh yeh thi kay chahay jo ho jayein, meri Mimi mujhsay qat-e-nazar mohobbat karegi. Haan woh thori naraaz ho sakti hai, lekin mujhay pata tha kay woh humesha apnay bhai kay saath hogi."

Farjaad felt a weight lift from his chest as he spoke. It was as if he had been carrying a heavy burden for the past six years, one he realized was suffocating him now that he finally let it out.

Had he grown accustomed to living under such weight?

He couldn't understand why he was confiding in an immature girl in her early twenties, his sister's best friend, someone he barely knew, especially about something he had never shared even with his mother despite her relentless pursuits to get him to open up. Was he trying to prove himself to her? Why would he feel the need to do that? He wasn't sure. All he could feel at that moment was the overwhelming relief flooding through him with each word he spoke. He didn't want to stop himself today; he let his irrational side take over and spoke freely.

"Ab mujhay pata hai tum soch rahi hogi yeh kaisa insaan hai, logon ko for granted leta hai. Lekin me jo kar raha tha woh bhi uski kay liye tha." Farjaad sighed, crossing his arms across his chest. "Me koi safai nahin de raha hun, mujhay pata hai menay zindagi mein bohoton kay saath bohot galat kiya hai. Me yeh bhi maanta hun kay me hun gharyal, ek had tak."

Umeed shifted in her seat, her attention fully focused on Farjaad.

"Lekin pata hai Umeed? Jab insaan pe waqt se pehlay zyada zimmedaariyaan aa jaayein na, tou usay waqt ki qadar karna aa hi jaati hai. Meri abhi graduation bhi complete nahin huwi thi aur... baba ki death ho gayi thi. Aur uskay baad tamam business ki zimmedariyaan... har chiz meray ooper aa gayi thi. Phir menay din raat mehnat kar kay apni parhai bhi mukammal ki aur iss, business ko bhi sanbhala."

Umeed couldn't help but recall the times when Mimi had narrated the same story to her. However, listening to Farjaad speak about his struggles felt different. Seeing someone she perceived as so tough and emotionless opening up like this, Umeed was coming so close to a major realization.

"Ek tou young age, ooper se no experience, tumhein pata hai log shuru mein meri baaton ko seriously nahin letay the. Phir menay apni zindagi ko badla apnay kuch usool banayein aur, aaj isiliye mein aisa hun." He stretched his arms out, pointing to himself; "Gharyal."

Umeed joined him in a chuckle.

Farjaad paused, resting one hand on the handle of the couch and the other in the space between him and Umeed. "In sab kay chakkar mein menay bohot waqt ko khoya hai, meray apnon kay saath aur iss baat ki samajh hai mujhe. Aur shayad isiliye me iss... wedding planning ko lekar itna particular hun. Warna kya hai, ek call kar kay saara kaam jaisa chahiye, jo chahiye, me karwa sakta hun. Lekin kya karein... insaan hun, ab jab Mimi jaa rahi hai tou me realize kar raha hun menay kitni na qadri ki hai uski, aur uskay waqt ki jo woh mujhpay bina koi hisaab kitaab kay lutaane kay liye taiyaar thi."

"Aur ab dekho!" he chuckled, his voice almost breaking at the end. "Kuch dinon mein mera koi haq nahin rahega uskay waqt par. Chali jayegi woh."

Umeed's heart twisted at the sight before her. Farjaad leaned back on the sofa, gazing into the distance, his hands resting at his sides. His eyes held the ghost of a tear, and there was a lump in his throat as he forced a smile, appearing utterly defeated.

As her eyes shifted from his face to his drooped shoulders and his hands placed on the couch, Umeed felt her brain shut off, her vision blurring and erasing everything from her sight except him. Instinctively, her hand reached out to his, and in that moment, she finally realized it. It was not her best friend's brother she was empathetic about.

She cared about Farjaad Khan Bahadur.

Umeed cared if he was hurt, she cared about what he thought, and she realized it mattered to her if he was indifferent to her. Umeed admitted to herself that she might have even bought another round of coffee if he had continued to ignore her for a few more days. She despised his arrogance and the way he relished in annoying her, but in this moment, she realized she wouldn't have it any other way. There was something about their dynamic that she secretly appreciated.

Her hands hovered over his, her eyes fixed on his face, which was still gazing forward.

Umeed would rather have the man in front of her smiling, laughing, taunting her, scolding her and making fun of her for her mishaps or her tardiness, if it meant he was content.

She cared about him.

She was fully aware that she would deny this feeling completely once she snapped out of this moment, but for now, it was hers to relish. It was overwhelming, but she wanted to live it.

Farjaad flicked his eyes toward her, having his confessions met with silence as he noticed her hands reaching for his, her wide, captivating eyes fixed on his. He drew in a deep breath, questioning whether he could ever meet her gaze without feeling his insides do somersaults.

Her eyes.

He glanced at her, then at her hands, hovering near his own, before returning his gaze to her face. A small smile played on his lips, accompanied by a glint of curiosity in his eyes. He wondered what she was up to.

Umeed felt flustered, even though his glance was merely curious. Her ever-so-confident self found it difficult to meet his eyes, her eyes dropping to her hands suspended in the air. Slowly, she withdrew them, then lifted her gaze to meet his, finding his expression unfazed.

Farjaad's eyes glistened with the tears that made their way to his eyes as he talked about his sister. Umeed knew what she had to do. She needed to apologize for the way she spoke to him the other night, but for some reason, she couldn't find her voice. It felt as if her throat had closed up under his scrutiny, and her stealthy attempt to reach for his hands.

Therefore, Umeed did what she could. Her mind seemed to be in a fog, her gaze fixed on him, unable to break away. Despite her brain's refusal to cooperate, she managed a reassuring smile and a nod.

While Umeed considered her gesture to be rather foolish, Farjaad found himself overwhelmed by the countless times his heart had fluttered at her actions in the past hour. Breaking into what he considered the widest smile he had worn in a long time, he felt a sense of relief and comfort coursing through his veins. Unable to resist, Umeed returned his smile with one of her own, beaming back at him.

That was the most handsome he looked, Umeed noted.

As Farjaad leaned back on the sofa, his gaze fixed on Umeed, who returned his smile with equal brightness, the silence between them felt surprisingly comfortable. Umeed was struggling with her words, unable to mutter a word. Yet, as he noticed her hands hovering tentatively over his, unable to bridge the gap between them, her reassuring nod and smile, it was as if all the anguish he had felt for the past two days had vanished in an instant. His deep-seated fears and insecurities hadn't disappeared entirely, but he felt an overwhelming sense of comfort and relief wash over him.

For the first time in years, he tasted how it felt to open up to someone, to share his burdens as he wholeheartedly accepted her silent apology. On the other hand, Umeed just knew from Farjaad's smile that he had forgiven her. She trusted him to be intelligent enough to catch up with her antics to make amends with him, she knew it in her bones seeing him smile.

In the hush of the moment, words became redundant, for everything was conveyed, their hearts full and at peace.

~

Nighat Khan Bahadur had been very confused for a few days now. For the past few days, her confusion had only deepened, and it revolved around her eldest son, the stalwart of their family. His demeanour had undergone a visible transformation, his voice, once stoic and steady, now resonated with various pitches as he had occasional outbursts, exhibiting more emotions than he had in the past seven years combined. Now, as she looked at her son, his head resting gently on her lap, arms crossed over his chest, she couldn't shake the sense of bewilderment that had settled over her.

"Baby tum theek ho?" asked Niggo, very concerned.

Farjaad hummed in response; "Hmm... Kyun?"

"Nahin tum koi saat-aath saal baad aisay meray god mein sar rakh kay letay ho. Yeh aaj suraj kahan se nikla hai?" Nighat chuckled softly, her fingers gently combing through her son's hair.

Farjaad held Nighat's hands as he turned to lie on his side. "Bas... dil chah raha tha," he murmured.

Nighat's confusion was valid, Farjaad knew that. He used to be the child who would cling to her as a child, and even as he grew up, he remained his mother's son, sharing her love only with Mimi. On tired nights of studying, he would seek solace in his mother's lap, where she would lull him to sleep before leaving for her room. However, life happened, things changed, and so did Farjaad.

He had felt a need to distance himself from his mother, to stop being the clingy kid he was, fearing it would present him as someone weak who couldn't handle his responsibilities. This thought would have worried Nighat. Had he come back from the office after a bad meeting and cried on her lap, at least he thought so, it ended up with Farjaad hiding and suffocating himself with the burdens he had to bear alone.

However, after he had come back home from Pasha's cafe when he saw his mother in her room sitting on the same sofa where they had sat together and shared endless stories, he couldn't help but be the child, his mother's child.

"Accha... okay." Nighat responded with amusement, her heart warmed by his sudden display of openness after so many years. She couldn't help but wonder about the reason behind this change, but she embraced it wholeheartedly nonetheless.

They spent another half an hour, during which Nighat shared updates about her kitty parties, the business, and Maryam's wedding plans. She had intended to broach the topic of his own wedding eventually, but Farjaad caught her off guard with a sudden question.

"Maa, maafi kaisay maangtay hai?"

"Kya?"

"Imagine aapnay kisi ko bohot buri tarah se hurt kiya, aapko pata hai kay aapki harkat se woh insaan ko bohot chot pohonchi hai. Lekin uss insaan ka aisa koi reaction hi nahin hota, they act like it never happened, so nonchalant! Ab aisay mein aap usay puch bhi nahin saktay na kyun kay phir tou aap usay phir yaad dila rahay uss baat ki. Tou phir, insaan karein tou kya karein? Matlab... how are they so okay with it, I just don't understand..."

"Farjaad, Farjaad, Farjad..." Nighat intervened, trying to calm him down. "Ek baat batao, meray prim and proper, gentleman betay ne hurt kisko kiya hai?"

Farjaad was quick to deflect; "Kisi ko nahin, me bas ek kitaab parh raha tha, tou bas yeh khayal aaya."

"Kaunsi kitaab?" questioned Nighat. She was an avid reader, Farjaad having inherited the habit from her.

Farjaad struggled to keep up with his pretence but went ahead with it anyway. "Naam yaad nahin hai, kuch din pehlay parha tha menay lekin yeh sawaal abhi bhi dimaag mein ghoom raha hai."

He thanked the heavens that he was lying on his side, avoiding his mother's gaze, yet internally hoping for some useful advice from her. While his eyes took in the beaming face of Umeed at the cafe today, his eyes also fell on her watch, instantly flooding him with guilt once again. Umeed had unknowingly given him a reality check about how he took people for granted, and she still had enough guts to apologize to him. Then there was him, having hurt her in the worst possible way, yet still unable to gather the courage to address the issue.

The fact that Umeed continued with her life as if nothing had happened didn't help, it only worsened his feelings and sparked his curiosity about how she could be fine with someone who had insulted something that likely meant the world to her. From the moment she left with Sameer until now, it was the singular question consuming his thoughts.

How to make it up to her?

"Accha." Nighat nodded accepting his explanation.

She decided choosing not to delve deeper into the matter despite knowing that his question had little to do with the nameless book he mentioned. "Dekho baby, aisay situations mein hum bas uss insaan ko dikha saktay hai kay hum kitni sorry hai, you know, through your actions."

"Matlab?" asked Farjaad, fully focused.

"Matlab agar tumhari wajah se agar kisi kay dil ko chot pohonchi hai, koi hurt huwa hai, tou tum kaam aisa karo kay marham bhi tum hi bano. Unhe ehsaas dilaao kay unhe tumharay saamnay unhe yeh theek honay ki acting karnay ki zarurat nahin hai."

Farjaad listened attentively, his grasp on his mother's hand tightening.

"Aur phir shayad kuch log hotay hi aisay hai baby. Unhe aadat hoti hai apni feelings chhipaanay ki. Hurt bhi ho jayein kuch kehtay nahin hai, sab andar hi andar daba kay rakhtay hai."

He felt as if his mother was painting a picture of who he had become, but he also pondered whether Umeed was just like him or if she simply felt uneasy around him. After all, Umeed was known for speaking her mind openly. Why then, he wondered, did she not voice her displeasure, particularly when it concerned her mother—a matter of such importance?

Observing Farjaad lost in thought, Nighat opted to redirect the conversation towards lighter topics. "Tum shaam ko kahan gaye the?" she inquired.

"Haan?" Farjaad responded, barely comprehending her question.

Nighat repeated her question, shaking her head at his absent-mindedness. "Menay pucha tum shaam ko achanak se kahan gaye the?"

"Woh me bas Umee-" Farjaad trailed off abruptly, realizing he was about to reveal too much. "Bas ek zaruri kaam tha ek project ko lekar tou bas kisi se milna tha uss silsilay mein."

Well, he actually did intend to go to Majid Sahab's and had dropped by Umeed's cafe by chance. So it wasn't like he was fully lying to his mother. It wasn't his habit to do so, unlike Umeed who had a penchant for lies.

Umeed again.

"T-shirt aur sweats pehen kar?" Nighat asked, arching her eyebrows at Farjaad, who lay on his side, actively avoiding eye contact with his mother.

Farjaad stuttered; "H-haan matlab... woh ek informal meeting thi, to discuss a few things."

Before his mother could question him further, he leapt off the couch as if it were spring-loaded. "Maa ab me jaata hun sonay, mera bed time ho raha hai. Good night, I love you!" With that, he hurried out of the room, leaving his mother extremely suspicious and confused.

What had happened to her son and who deserved the credit for these changes?

~

The sound of hearty laughter and the aroma of freshly brewed tea and coffee filled the air as Farjaad, Maryam, Nighat, and Umeed gathered in the lounge. The women were discussing the performances planned for the Mehendi and finalized the song lists for the Dholki, even though they were fully aware that the ultimate song choices would cater to the preferences of the family's Phuppiyaan and Chachiyaan.

The past two weeks had been quite eventful with Maryam visiting Umeed at her cafe and vice versa, finalizing the designs for the wedding cards, sending them for printing, and leveraging their family connections to fasten the process, given the wedding was just over a month away.

Farjaad had also been acutely aware of his limited interactions with Umeed since the night at the cafe, something he gloated as a good thing in front of his family, while his inner self questioned the genuineness of his happiness regarding the matter. Maryam had also made trips to the boutique, though she was disappointed that Umeed couldn't accompany her due to her busy schedule managing the cafe. As the wedding dates drew nearer, things were falling into place.

Farjaad, sat on a single seater beside them, diligently working while sipping on his cup of coffee much to the amusement of his family, considering he usually preferred to work in solitude in his study or room, away from what he called the chaos caused by his mother and sister.

"Haan phir agla hai... Ali ka gaana?" Umeed read aloud from the list she had compiled from the WhatsApp group dedicated to the event preparations. The group included family cousins and some close friends, including Umeed.

Nighat's eyes widened; "Ali gaana gaayega?"

"Kyun Ali kay gaanay mein aisa kya hai?" Umeed questioned; observing the looks Maryam and Nighat were sharing.

Mimi shook her head; "Agar woh gaa raha hai tou phir Allah bachayein event ko aur humari kaanon ko."

"Meri BP barh jayegi Mimi, kuch karo!" Nighat said, in her usual overdramatic flare.

Umeed chuckled; "Arre na karein fiqr, hum mic off kar dengay. Chill scene hai."

Maryam chuckled, while Nighat remained unconvinced. "Arre Maa na karein fiqr, Umeed hai na woh kuch kar legi." Maryam reassured while Umeed nodded, passing a reassuring grin.

"Umeed tumhari ghari kahan hai?" Mimi asked, noticing Umeed's bare wrists. Farjaad's head shot up at the mention of the one thing that had been preoccupying his thoughts day and night.

Umeed's eyes went to her wrist. "Oh, uski strap toot gayi thi tou bas menay utaar kay bag mein rakh diya."

"Accha tou tum repair karwanay kay liye dogi waapis jaatay waqt?"

"Nahin nahin, yeh Sameer theek kar dega. Itni purani ghari hai me kisi dukaan mein le jaun tou dukaan wala hasnay lagta hai. Aur waisay bhi yeh hota rehta hai iss ghari kay saath, aur Sameer theek kar deta hai." Umeed explained with a bright smile. Farjaad who seemingly was focused on his laptop, was listening to every word of this conversation while reminiscing his mother's advice from the night a couple of weeks back.

Nighat questioned; "Tou baby, tum ek new watch kyun nahin le leti?"

Maryam intervened, signaling her mother to drop the topic, while Farjaad shifted uncomfortably in his seat. She shot a warning look at her brother before turning back to her friend; "Yeh sab chhorho, Umeed tum batao, what's next?"

"Next...." Umeed trailed off, running her finger down the list. "Kisi Reena ne kaha hai usnay dance karna hai, do logon ka kaha hai lekin yeh nahin pata dance karegi kiskay saath. Abhi usnay bataya nahin hai."

"Reena inki cousin hai, States mein rehti hai. Masha'Allah she is so lovely, me tou soch rahi hun Farj-"

"Umeed yeh kya!?" Mimi interrupted loudly, glancing at the list Umeed had shared with her, cutting off Nighat.

Umeed and Niggo exchanged a shared look of shock and confusion.

"Haye Mimi kya ho gaya hai?" Umeed asked, her concern evident.

Mimi spoke as though she couldn't believe what she was reading aloud. "Farjaad Bhai... dance karengay? Meri Mehendi par?"

"What?" Niggo shouted, and Farjaad looked up at the women, with the most incredulous look on his face.

What was this girl up to now?

Farjaad opened his mouth to interject, but once again, Maryam brutally cut him off, seemingly determined not to let anyone else speak today. Was Umeed rubbing off on her? He wondered.

"Oh My God Umeed, tumnay bhai ko convince kar hi liya!" Mimi rejoiced, clasping her hands together and clapping. She turned to Farjaad with an exuberant smile. "Bhai I am so so so so happy! Thank you so much!"

Farjaad mustered a hesitant smile, unsure whether to tell the truth and disappoint his sister or let her revel in her delusion. Because there was no way he was going to dance.

"Me Sunny ko batakar aayi!" Mimi announced excitedly, grabbing her phone and darting out of the room.

Farjaad glanced at Umeed, his eyebrows raised with a questioning nod, while Umeed smiled back at him, tilting her head. He glared at her, gritting his teeth, provoking Umeed to mirror the same expression.

Their silent argument was short-lived as Nighat intervened. "Yeh aapas mein kya ishaarein ho rahay hai?"

"Nahin Maa kuch nahin woh..."

"Kuch bhi tou nahin aunty... kya ishaara kaunsa ishaara?"

Niggo looked at them sceptically before putting her hands up in resignation as she walked out of the room, tired of all the confusion around her. Farjaad was being the most animated he's ever been, and now he was up for a dance? Niggo knew it was the time for her anti-stress tea.

Once she was gone, Farjaad resumed staring at Umeed, expecting her to explain. Umeed, however, scrunched her eyebrows, looking around seemingly confused at his scrutiny.

"Kya?" she asked innocently.

"Tum batao mujhay kya? Yeh kya himakat thi?" asked Farjaad, setting his laptop on the tea table. He stood up, towering in front of her, arms folded across his chest.

Umeed giggled, playfully joining her index fingers. "Himakat? Nahin tou? Matlab, aapki behen ki shaadi hai agar aap dance karengay tou raunak lagegi." she teased, grinning up at him. However, Farjaad remained stoic, giving her the most deadpan expression ever. Umeed bit her lip in anticipation. "Nahin?"

"Listen Umeed." Farjaad was stern in his tone. "Me koi dance nahin karnay wala, lekin me yeh bhi nahin chahta kay Mimi udaas ho. Yeh topic tumnay shuru ki thi, tou ab chizon ko theek karna bhi tumhari zimmedari hai. Tum jaaogi, Mimi se kahogi kay aisa kuch nahin honaywala aur tumsay galti huwi thi. Understood?"

Umeed stood up, her demeanour defensive. "Me aisa kuch nahin karnay wala. Agar aap ko dance nahin aati tou aap khud jaakay batayein use yeh baat, mujhsay koi umeed na rakhein."

Farjaad opened his mouth in shock. "Hadd hoti hai, ek tou tum meri taraf se decisions lo, insaan ki apni marzi ki qadar bhi na karo and then you don't even take responsibility?"

Umeed shrugged, mirroring his posture.

Farjaad took a step back, shaking his head in disappointment, his arms gesturing in frustration. "Unbelievable! Tumhe koi-"

Thud!

"Haye meray Allah!"

Farjaad stumbled backwards, losing his balance and crashing to the floor with a heavy thud. Umeed hurried over to check on him, concern etched on her face.

"Aap theek hai aapko lagi tou nahin?"

Farjaad sat up, visibly infuriated. "Tum meresay dur raho, jab meray qareeb aati ho mera nuksaan karwati ho manhoos larki!"

"Ismein meri kya galti hai, aap tou apni wajah se giray hai na?" Umeed's brows furrowed in defense.

"Umeed meri baat sun lo," he said sternly, jabbing a finger in her direction. "Tum Mimi se jaakay yeh matter clear karogi matlab karogi."

She let out a humourless chuckle; "Aap bhi meri baat sun lein, me aisa kuch nahin karnay wali, karo jo karna hai!" Rolling her eyes, she looked away in exasperation.

Farjaad narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on something placed on the teapoy behind her. With a sudden movement, he leapt up and snatched the cup of tea, catching Umeed off guard. She watched him, baffled by his actions.

"Aisi baat hai, tou me bhi kar raha hun jo mera dil chah raha hai. Me yeh tumhari chai pheknay wala hun." he declared, each word laced with emphasis as he spoke, accompanied by an evil smile. With that, he strode out of the lounge, the cup in his hand.

Umeed took a moment to comprehend his words before rushing after him, shouting about how unfair it was and how he was the human incarnation of a devil for subjecting a cup of chai to such a fate.

"Dekhein aap aisa nahin kar saktay." Umeed said, her finger raised towards him as she stood by the poolside.

Farjaad challenged; "Me tou karunga!"

"Yeh badtameezi hai!"

"Pehli baat tou yeh hai kay me hun badtameez. Badtameez, badmizaaj, kharoos, halaku khan, changez khan."Farjaad said, listing the esteemed nicknames bestowed upon him by the woman before him. "Aur kya bola tha tumnay mujhay? Muh se aag nikaalnay wala dragon? Hun me woh sab."

Umeed gulped, mentally noting to scold Mimi for revealing all this to him, even the nicknames she was sure she never mentioned in front of him. She also realized there was no use in trying to talk him out of it, but she also did not want to back off and take up the burden of letting Mimi know it was nothing but her antic.

Thus, despite knowing it wasn't the wisest decision, she advanced toward Farjaad, who stood dangerously close to the pool with her chai. His eyebrows furrowed deeper, unable to anticipate her next move.

"Umeed..."

"Farjaad..."

"Meri baat sun lo tumharay paas aur koi choice-" His words were drowned out by a deafening yell as she snatched the cup from him and pushed him into the pool along with it. He plunged into the water, splashing it everywhere, while Umeed stood by, clutching her cup of tea.

He resurfaced, aggressively combing his hair back and wiping the water off his face.

Umeed attempted to lighten the mood, though she knew it was futile. "Dekhein aap meri baat sunein aapnay woh chai-"

"Mujhay tumhari koi baat nahin sun ni! Me phirse keh raha hun me nahin kar raha koi dance! Agar Mimi udaas huwi tou ismein sirf aur sirf tumhari galti hai!" He shouted, feeling extremely irritated with his wet clothes clinging to his body.

"Ismein meri koi galti nahin hai, aapnay meri chai ko kidnap ki thi! Use bachanay kay liye jo theek laga menay kiya. Aur pool mein giray ho koi aatish fishaan nahin hai kay aap itna uchal rahay hai. Chill karein."

Farjaad stared at Umeed, amazed by her audacity to defend herself after pushing him into the pool over a cup of chai as if it were the last one on earth. He was struck by the woman's knack for stirring up the most visceral emotions within him in a matter of moments. Barely half an hour ago, he had been overwhelmed with guilt, and now he found himself consumed by anger, all thanks to the same toofan-e-badtameezi. Mid-conversation, he noticed something floating in the water—a familiar black object.

His phone.

"Meri baat sun rahay aap?"

Ignoring her, Farjaad reached for his phone. He tried to turn it on, but it had given up, mirroring his feelings at the moment. He shook it in vain, hoping to revive it and salvage his important documents and files.

"Mera phone bhi kharab kar diya hai!" he exclaimed, his anger rising.

Umeed flinched at his voice, feeling a little intimidated by his anger. She ran inside the house in an attempt to save herself from his wrath.

"Pagal kar dogi mujhay!"

He shouted, staying in the pool for another moment as he felt confused at the happenings of the past hour. He pondered how his once organized and calm life had swiftly spiralled into this chaos, and where exactly he had gone wrong.

"Aunty ab menay jaan bujhkay thori kiya hai, ho gayi galti." Umeed whined, as she stirred the concoction on the stove.

Niggo and Mimi stood beside her, offering their support as Umeed wrestled with self-blame for the past half an hour. She insisted that she deserved Farjaad's scolding and even proposed the idea of not visiting their house again, stating she would only bring ruin to Mimi's wedding. Finally, she resolved to mend some of the damage by preparing a cup of joshanda for him, hoping to prevent him from falling ill.

"Ab baby jo hona tha ho gaya, ek chhoti si galti hi tou hai. Woh kya hai na, uskay phone mein aksar bohot important files stored hotay hai, kaam kay liye zaruri hota hai woh sab. Bas isiliye gussa aa gaya use. I am sure he did not mean to be rude." Niggo reassured Umeed, trying to ease her guilt.

Mimi chimed in; "Aur tum kab se bhai ki baaton ko seriously lenay lagi? Tum dono ka tou chalta hi rehta hai na larhai jhagra, bolnay do unhe jo bolna hai. Tum yahan meray liye aayi ho na? Apni dost kay liye?"

Umeed nodded, pouring the drink into a cup "Yeh lo Mimi, pila dena apnay bhai ko. Ab yeh na kahein ki meri wajah se unko flu ho gaya hai."

"Umeed baby tum hi jaakar yeh de aao, taakay use pata chalein kay tum kitni sorry ho?" Niggo suggested.

Umeed was quick to decline; "Nahin nahin, me jaungi tou aur daant sun ni parh jayegi. Me nahin jaa rahi!"

"Arrey Umeed tou bhai abhi nahanay gaye hai na, tum wahan rakh dena yeh unkay kamray mein. Aur..." Mimi paused, thinking. "Haan, tum ek note par sorry likh dena agar tumhein itna dar lag raha hai."

Umeed pursed her lips, thinking it over. "Haan yeh theek hai. Unhe bhi bhi baat samajh aayegi, aur phir bhi unhone gussa kiya tou woh unki problem hai. Mujhsay galti ho gayi, menay maafi maang li tou mujhay jo karna tha menay kar liya na. Baaki saamnay walay ki reaction ko tou me control nahin kar sakti. Right?"

Mimi and Niggo nodded, offering Umeed confidence.

"Aaaaaachooooo!"

Farjaad wheezed as he sneezed for the third time in the past two minutes after stepping out of the shower. He tossed his towel onto the chair, frustration evident on his face as he held his head. With a bunch of meetings scheduled for the upcoming show next week and the host arriving from Dubai the week after, he couldn't afford to fall ill, even remotely. But it seemed like that's where things were headed.

"Mimi, meray liye ek cup joshanda bana do mera-" Farjaad's voice echoed loudly as he stormed out of the room, only to collide with someone entering. Instinctively, he reached out and grasped their shoulders, pulling them close.

Droplets from his wet hair splashed onto the person's face from the abrupt encounter. As the person looked up at him, her big Bambi eyes met his gaze, her face so up close, glistening with water from his hair, he felt his breath hitch.

Umeed.

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Not proof read, not edited. Forgive me for the mistakes. :)