P.S. This update is dedicated to..... riemannianmanifold
😂😂😂😂Likhu me aur dedicate kisi aur ko? Btw At a time in this part I have shared my personal views.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Its The day after Khala going on leave or her some work as she told, Nauhsad has been to base and got the burden of work tons of work on his head. not even on his shoulders..

After abrogation of article 370 Naushad' base has also been strained. The pressure and workload has been increased manifolds. Checking, Patrolling, Intelligence stuff. everything is so much. Nobody on base has time to breathe properly. On top of that time to time some of troops has to be sent there as replacement now and then.

Naushad has been in charge of security and intelligence. Officer qho was in charge before him has suddenly suffered from cardiac arrest. so He has been super busy..Since past two days he has not been able to go home. He has to check data and prepare report and send them.Then again recheck others reports. Give remarks. and taking notes for high command.

Right now he is taking orders for transfer of officers.

'Send Captain Khan Near LOC area.' Brigadier Told him.

'Yes sir. There has been some news about infiltration near L.O.C.'

'Yeah.There sure will be. After all This Kashmir issue is bread and butter of many people. Naushad. Take care of intelligence well. Dont leave any loophole in plans. Keep officers steady. Kashmir is sensitive now a days. This abrogation was done in hurry and we cant make any comment. What is done is done. But Remember one thing. Until unless we'll learn how to safeguard our interests At international levels we are not going to get anything. We do need international support because we cant risk war anytime.'

'Yes sir. I will be taking care. And I understand sir. This is politics but we do have our duty to keep India and Indian safe. And Kashmiris are also Indian. Dont worry sir. I'll be on alert.'

When Brigadier leaves He engulfs himself between files and computer.

He has not been home since last two days. And neither he has called home. What can be called his devotion and duty has become somewhere irresponsibility.

_________________

One Day Before.

At Night.

Naina is making Saira sleep. The girl has been so helpful whole days. She took her with hospital. she sat there with Pooja and disnt trouble her. And when they returned home she was not creating ruckus. She helped her in kitchen though it was only bringing vegetables from fridge and picking fallen knife from floor or move her hair. She did small but important things. She fed her made her brush her teeth. And now she like an obedient child is lying on bed in her arms.

'saira. Aap jaag rahe ho?'

She shakes her head which makes Naina laugh.

'accha. To phir aapko ye pata he ki sote hiye bacche sar nahi hilate.'

She opens her eyes and laughs.

'Aap kyu nahi so rahe ho Naina?'

She herself wonders why she is not asleep.

'Aapko abbu ki wajah se neend nahi aa rahi he, Naina? Wo der me aate he. Jab aap nahi thi to khala Saira ko jaldi sula deti thi. Abbu ko base par bahut waqt lag jata tha. Khala bolti thi ki acche bacche jyada der tak nahi jaate.'

Naina pecks her forehead.

'Aisa nahi he baccha. Aap so jaao. Mujhe kuch reports check karni he. Phir me bhi aapke pass ninni karungi. thik he?' She tells her in baby like voice.

Saira giggles but soon dodges off.

Naina wonders what else he used to do before her. It has been perhaps more than four years to arwa leaving him. And around months she has been here.

She has got one thing in these months. He loves her daughter very much..

then why the hell he has not called till now? Its around nine now.

After some time she sleeps though she had initially thought of waiting for him. Work took a toll on her. She was tired..and hungry too.

_______________

In morning when she wakes up, she first checks her cell.

No call from him!

She runs to his room. Its locked. It mean he has not been home yesterday. Neither he called nor informed her.

Anger rises but soon sadness spreads. With heavy heart she goes to washroom.

He is army officer after all.
___________

Surprisingly saira has not queried about Naushad whole day again. Perhaps she is habitual of his absence. Naina wonders how a little girl can be away from her father for whole two days. She tries to intrigue Saira about her father's absence.

'Saira. aapke abbu ghar nahi aaye. Aapko unki yaad nahi aa rahi?'

Little girl is diminishing her crayons with too much of attention .

'Nahi.Unko bahut kaam he. Saira unko bewajah pareshan nahi karegi. Aap ko yaad rahi he to aap phone kar lo na aur bolna wapas aate waqt Saira ke liye unke pasand ka halwa lete aaye.'

' waah beta!' 

she goes back to her room. Its around noon and she has late shift today. She gets ready in hurry. She has to get Saira
ready too.

When she leaves she checks her cell one more time.

______________

Its around one in night when doorbell goes off. She gets up abruptly. Who can be this much late?

She hesitantly goes and leep through keyhole.

None other than Mr. Rizvi.

She in anger throws open door and is about to shout at him. But the moment she spots his eyes and disheveled hair, She changes her mind.

She lets him in and goes to kitchen for preparing food for him. As she had not made dinner lately. She was tired after hospital and Saira too was not hungry. Pooja had fed her too much earlier.

She is washing veggies contentedly.

At last he is home.

_____________

One hour ago.

Naushad Shuts his eyes. Whole two days he has rushed from here to there.  This report that report. This call that call.and above on that Informing officers about sudden cardiac arrest of Major Bannerjee. He has not got a breathe of relief.

Now when he has a little of work to do, He wants nothing but comfort.

The moment he closes his eyes,  he remembers he has not called home. Saira must be missing him.

But its around Twelve. Probably she would have been slept. Khala would have handled her.

But khala isn't home!

He picks his keys and informs his junior to take care of things and leaves.

__________

The moment he sees Naina, he knows he had committed a mistake. But He is on duty. and work comes first. More likely nation comes first. And she herself is a doctor. She very well can understand this.

But she is his wife too and deserves at least small message about his where about. His meetings and at least the reason why he is not home for two days and one night. 

Naushad has answer ready in his mind.

Naina and he are sharing just a cordial relationship. Its not a proper one. He has not bound her. So these things dont matter.

But She doesn't ask questions. She leaves for kitchen.

Naushad Surprisingly goes to Saira. She is sleeping. He kisses her face. Tries to wake her up but she doesn't budge.

'Beta..Ek min utho. Phir so jana.'

'Uhhhuu. Saira ko sona he. Aap jaao.'

After this she never budges and a smiling Naushad leaves room. 

Saira took his absence not badly. Naina was with her. But all this stuff, household chores and Saira would have been tough for her handling.

When he seeks her, she is frying onion. and at the same time chopping tomatoes.

He wants to ask her something. But....Goes back to his room.

When he returns after taking bath and changing, two bowls are on table. She is nowhere to be seen.

After ten minutes she comes with chapatis.

She serves him a plate.

Naushad looks at her. Her face is void of any question. any query. and he being himself doesn't try to push. Though he has something to say.

'I was not umm hungry...you'd not have bothered.'

In reply she just smiles a little.

'I was going to cook for myself anyway.'

She subtly gives him huge explanation. He is surprised. Because its perhaps first time he is witnessing something like this. He wants to question but cant.

He doesn't want to. For a first he has this...this food..for him totally hot and just cooked.

Egg curry and rice.

She is learning cooking. Its evident from chapatis. But....what else is evident from whole dinner is.....

......bit unreal for Naushad. He tries to digest it too.

Arwa had barely been like this. Perhaps her dreams were too big to look for such things.

or perhaps he was too small to be waited for.

He soon finishes food and leaves. He knows it was bad and totally rude of him but he is just like this.

Kadwa karela.

as she calls him sometimes.

________________

Next morning He wakes up feeling someone jumping jumping on his tummy.

Saira who else!

He pulls her to himself and kisses her cheek.

'Kaisi he meri jaan?'

She pouts and then messes his hair trying to make a ponytail of them.

' abbu appke baal to saira jaise bade ho gaye he. Saira aapke baal banaye?'

Before he can say something the girl has disappeared to fetch comb and elastic band...so he too rushes to bathroom hiding from her before he gets caught and his hairstyle is murdered.

________

After shower, He catches glimpse of Naina making breakfast.She is in hurry.

He thinks of going and talk her.

'Umm..Naina.'

She turns.

'I....I am sorry for not calling and-'

She stops him..

'Dont be. You do have a duty to perform. Right now I've prepared coffee.I dont know how to make kahwa. And sandwiches. Other than that i cant make anything right now.I have to leave within half hour.'

She walks past him leaving him rooted.

She doesn't expect things from him...

He is astonished and at his wits end.

When he comes back to table Saira is trying to put her jacket on.

She has inserted her head through arms of jacket. Naina is nowhere to be seen.

He helps Saira.

'kaha jaa rahe ho Saira?'

'naina ke sath. Ab aap hato. Saira ko apni books lani he. Warna Pooja Aunty Saira ko garden nahi dhikayengi..'

He wonders who this Pooja is.

Naina come out ready and hands Saira her tiny bag.

'Aap jakar apna saman isme rakho. Phir aakar nashta karo.Chalo aur shoes lete aana.'

Saira disappears and soon comes back with shoes in one hand and dragging bag on ground.

Naina laughs seeing her efforts. Soon she serves two plates. One for Naushad and one for her and Saira.

Before he can even register Saira has been done with breakfast. And he remembers that few months back this girl used to throw tantrum with Khala. It was he who used to step in and force her to eat.

Suddenly what happened to her tantrums?

They Come in sight when Saira denies to have fruit.

'Saira. Aapko malum he na aap saare fruits nahi kha sakte. Isliye jid mat kijiye..'

She makes faces and shows her big puppy eyes to Naushad who thinks of supporting her. But he is not given a chance. Naina scares girl of different types of bacteria and virus.

'Seriously Virus?' He asks.

She puffs..

'Atleast I made her have them.'

He is having her coffee when Saira as told by Naina comes and kisses her and says her good bye. Soon both are out of home.

He is thinking of Naina. She must be getting hell of workload now a days. His absence and hospital and house and then saira. She must be having a hard time.

Then he remebers of something.

He makes a call and waits for her to return.

When Naina returns home,a new car is standing outside house.

When she goes in, she finds new keys without a note..

She smiles.

Karele ke bhi apne fayde he.

And a party has been announced. Though buyer is not home.