'Naushad. Chai to peete jaao.'

But he gas gone. Arwa sees him going away.

Not as in leaving for base but as in drifting apart. Naushad, his Naushad is running away from her and it doesn't need High IQ to figure out. The way he is so aloof anyone can figure it out. And she has brains.

She sighs. It hurts actually.

Badly if you ask.

When Naushad without a second question brought her back with him because her doctor asked him to do so, arwa was beyond happy. She saw stars dancing. But the moment she stepped foot in this house there was something that halted her merry making.

Naina...who was standing there and never uttered a word but she was Naushad' second wife. This kind of hurt her. But khala disclosed the reality of their relation. She was calm.

She thanked her stars for bringing Naushad back in her life.  Naushad was what calmed her, gave her mental peace, a long sought solace. She was utterly happy...

But the stars melt into dust. He never acted as her life line in fact his behaviour many times left her in a sobbing mess. He barely gave her what she wanted. He never tried to do over.

She was his wife but first time she felt like a guest. The slept together but he never really slept with her. They ate together but he never really dined with her. They sat together but he was never really with her.

Arwa for first time in her life feels like a loser.

She wanted Naushad. She married him.

She wanted a polished career. She achieved it.

But now....when she is back to reclaim Naushad, this time she sees there is no chance for her.

For Naushad never tried to reciprocate her. She many times told Naushad she could move mountains for him if he was willing to give her a chance. That day never came. Naushad never gave her something..

Not even a smile...

It has been about a month but these twenty eight days...she spent were her exile even though the house was no less than heaven. She did everything which Naushad would have wanted her to do. But all went to sewer.

She still has hope. For all she wants is Naushad...at any cost. She can not live without him. It took years to understand but her ultimate need was Naushad. He was her destination..in any way she'd have come to him. And when she is next to him in his house she has no heart of letting go.

**********

'Naushad. Ek jaruri baat poochni he.'

'Arwa. Hume abhi kam he. Hum baad me baat karte he aapse.'

'Nahi Naushad. Hume abhi baat karni he.'

Naushad spares her a glance but soon looks back to his files.

She snatches them and shuts them making Naushad completely mad.

'Ye kya behooda harkat he Arwa?'

This is the first time arwa sees Naushad this mad. 

'Naushad..Sirf ek sawal he hamara aapse. Aap bas uska jawab de dijiye. Phir khuda kasam hum aapko bilkul pareshan nahi karenge!'

Naushad looks at his watch.

'Bolo.'

She breathes in. Crossing her fingers..hoping it might be just his long suppressed anger or something more easy than complex. She can not take complex.

'Aapke aur hamare beech bahut dooriyan he Naushad. Itni ki hum chah kar bhi door nahi kar sakte. Aisa kyu he Naushad? Kya ho gaya he aapko? What is changed between us? I am back..apologetic and sorry but you are not ready to give us a second chance. Why?'

Naushad stares at her.

Silent follows. She is squirming for an answer. Every second feels like a century for wait kills her slowly slowly.

Naushad takes a deep breath before replying.

'Not what Arwa. It is Who. Ye Rishta nahi hum badal gaye he Arwa.'

Ground slips beneath her feet. His voice is all calm and composed as if he has solved the mystery of his life. The answer he gave her she felt as if he told that to himself. Something he wanted to validate for so long..just now he has approved it.

Arwa' eyes brim.

'To Phir Aap hume wapas kyu laaye? Wahi kyu nahi chhoda hume! Yaha laake dhokha kyu diya? Hume kyu Sapne dikhaye jo kabhi sach nahi hone wale the?  ' She sobs.

'Arwa. Tum Saira ki Ammi ho. Aur Hamare kuch farz he jo hume nibhane the. Yaha laakar Humne tumhe koi dhokha nahi diya. Balki Ye sawal to Naina ko humse poochna chahiye.. ki Humne use kyu dhokha diya! Us se jhooth bola Humne. Usko andhere me rakha Humne lekin usne humse kuch nahi poocha. In fact usne humse kabhi kuch nahi poocha.

I am a loser. I can never tell her ki Hum kya chahte he. But she barely complains. She has mended me in ways no one can.'

Arwa sees her Titanic drowning. He is not sorry for being rude to her. He is unhappy about being an ass to Naina. Arwa sees a huge roadblock for her. But she can not take it. She wants him. Back. So she begs.

'Naushad...Please...Wapas aa jayiye. Hum nahi rah sakte Aapke bina. Hum mar jayenge Naushad. Please...Give us a chance. A second chance. Hamari bacchi ki khatir. Hamare pyaar ke khatir. Please naushad...please come to me.'

She cries but he is not moved.

'Arwa. Jis rishte ki tum baat kar rahi ho, us ko to kab ka khaak me mila chuki ho! There is nothing left to hold onto.'

She falls on ground. This is what she was scared of. What she was unable to do in years Naina did in months. She left naushad but door was never closed. He was still there remembering her even as a reason of his misery. She was there. But...when he married Naina and what she did to him it is so visible now. Naushad has shut the door. In fact he has erased the path.

But there is still one question left to ask..

'Kya Aap Naina se....Naina se mohbbat karte ho? Bolo Naushad. Kya yahi wo wajah he jisne aapko Humse door rakha? Aap hamare sath hokar bhi saath nahi the. Hamare beech hamesha fasle rahe..inki wajah naina to nahi thi. Bolo Naushad.'

This time she finds him returning her questioning gaze with a new found determination.

'Arwa....Hamare beech Fasle kab nahi the.' She is left speechless.

And about he being in love with Naina, Arwa can see it in his eyes. He need not to reply...And he does not.

She watches him leaving her.

Arwa cries. And cries...

She committed a mistake. But the possibility of second chance was alive. Very much alive. She took too much time to claim that possibility. Now what she got was a dead end..

Nowhere to go.

Life may give second chance as it gave Naushad..but it did not give her a second chance.

Her eyes flows and never stops.

Karma indeed is a bitch...

What goes around comes around.