After coming back from college I have no work other than crying! Next day was Sunday so I was in home with him. Richa was calling me continuously but I wasn't receiving her call as I didn't had words to express what my heart was feeling.

"Shama kal men'nu Dilli jauna hai.. Tere waste kuch lau?"

(Shama tomorrow I've to go Delhi, tell me if  you something)

He asked and I shook my head.

"Mujhe kuch nhi chahiye, tum apna dhayaan rakhna"

(I don't need anything, just you take care of yourself)

He nodded and I started packing his clothes, he was laying on bed placing his both hands under his head and his sight was fixed on me, even after half an hour his gaze wasn't leaving my sight.

"Kya dekh rahe ho?"

(what are you watching like this?)

I asked and he smiled while sitting down on bed while holding my hand in his he gestured me to sit down beside him, but stay silent as I didn't want to talk.

"Apni ghar wali nu wekh raha hu!"

(I'm watching my wife)

He replied and I tried to smile but couldn't, I slowly free my hand from his grip and moved towards his bag which I had to pack.

"Shama.. Beth it'the"

(Shama sit here)

This time his voice was holding an ordering tone, which actually made me shocked, because I didn't found that type of strictness in his voice ever.

"Tu preshan hai, aur mujhse kuch chhura rahi hai"

(You're worried and hiding something from me)

He asserted and I shook my head.

"Aisa to kuch nhi hai bas main thak gayi hu... College me bohot kaam tha"

( nothing like that. I am just tired as there was enough work in college today)

I replied and he nodded with a fake satisfactory expression on his face.

================

"Dhyan Rakhi.."

(take care)

He said while going out of the home, holding his bag in one hand and hanging a big cotton hankey on his shoulder. Even after my many requests he didn't bother to change himself a bit! I only nodded in the reply of his order and lock the door from inside. After some two or maybe five minutes I listened a knock on the door and I confusingly moved towards the door because none could came at that time

"Richa... You" I exclaimed after watching her standing on the door way. I never informed her about my address but I don't know how she got to know about that?

"Yes me!" she replied and I sighed that Abbas wasn't at home.

"Come in" giving her space I said and she stepped in.

"How do you know that I live here?" I asked with confusion.

"I knew that you live in this street so I asked to few of your neighbours where does Shama live and they tell me about your home" She informed me and I nodded. I was going to shut the door but she stopped me.

"What happened?" I asked the reason for stopping to shut the door and soon the reason was in front of me.

Zamil and Vihaan was coming towards me, it seems like Zamil didn't want to come but Vihaan was literally pulling him with himself.

"We have to talk to you" Richa said and I nodded slowly.

"Are you really married?" Asked the shocked Richa and I nodded without looking towards her but I glanced at Zamil who was looking pale. It seems he wanted to ask something but couldn't. We four settled down, three of them were trying to ask me something but maybe words weren't supporting them!

Half an hour passed in the same silence and I decided to told them little bit of truth, but I didn't had courage to tell about Abbas.

"I.. I'm already married" I informed looked towards Zamil, Vihaan was going to say something but a voice grabbed attention of all four.

"Shamaaa... Shamaaa.."

I could recognise that punjabi accent even in sleep.

He was none else but Abbas

"What is he doing here?" I muttered while standing up and moved towards the door.

"Kya hua?"

(What happened?)

I exclaimed after opening the door and he stepped inside in  hurry.

"Gaddi de kagaj te license ta yahi bhul diya si, ajj kal bohot sakti hori hai, chalan.... "

(I forgot to take the licence and papers of truck, now a days there is very strictness, they're.... )

He informed and I looked towards my friends who were sitting on sofa and watching my husband with wide eyes, three of them were shocked.

SHOCKED is a tiny word to express the condition of three of them.

Abbas stopped in between when noticed three of them and then he looked towards me before asking about them and I informed that they three were my friends. He looked towards Richa and Vihaan normally but...
While watching Zamil his expressions were changed.

I don't know how and why?

"Guys he is Abbas" I introduced him in hushed tone, Zamil watched me then examined Abbas from head to toe. "My husband" and I added the most difficult sentence. Richa was literally looking at me with hanged jaw. Vihaan was looking shocked he wasn't looking at me but only watching Abbas.

And Zamil was examining Abbas keenly!

"He's your husband?" Zamil asked and I nodded without looking towards him.

"Ex... Excuse me guys, I've some work" saying that I went to the bedroom where a small wristlet was placed on bed, which he forgot to took with himself.

"Ye lo tumhara license aur papers"

(Your papers and licence)

I passed and he nodded with a anger filled expressions on his face, I was feeling a bit worried because my friends as well as my husband were making the air thick to breath.

"kya hua? Ja nahi rahe kya?"

(What happened? Aren't you going?)..

I asked to my husband after he checked his license as well as papers of his truck and his reply was

"Men'nu bheejne ki zyada jaldi hai ki?"

(Do you wanna send me BAck soon?)

I was shocked on his reply. Zamil and Richa looked towards me and I felt embarrassed, but I have to mask everything, which was almost impossible.

"Agr time ho to thodi deer ruk jao, mere dosto ke sath chai pee kar chale jana"

(If you have some time, then stay for a while, go after having tea with my friends)

I said meekly, though I didn't want him to stay but still I said, and first time ever I noticed anger floating in his eyes. He didn't say a single word and turned to go towards the door.

I silently followed him and he smiled bitterly before opening the door to step out from the home.

"Tune men'nu kadi dasia nhi ki tere dost ghar wich aunde hain..."

(you haven't tell me that your friends come to meet you in home)

Before I could reply his words snatched the floor which was under my feet

''wo bhi meri geermojudgi wich"

(That too in my absence)

His sentence was enough to tell me that he was doubting on me, I never expect anything like that.

"Ye log Pehli baar aye hain, aaj se pehle ye kabhi nahi aye"

(They have come here for first time)

I replied without any guilt as I wasn't lying but he stepped out from home without saying anything but his silence said everything.

Locking the door from inside I went towards the living area where my friends were sitting their gazes were questioning but I didn't had gut to answer that.

"Shama" I was silen in the reply of Zamil's call.

"Why you never told us that you're married?" Vihaan asked and I looked at three of them but stay silent.

"Shama you're only nineteen, and you're living with me since two and a half years! When did you get married? You never went back to your village during that period!" Richa asked and I was still silent.

"To ye aadmi tumse milne aata tha, aur tumne bataya hi nhi ki tum ise Jaanti bhi ho"

(Oh I see... So this man use to come to  meet you, and you didn't even told us that you know him)

Zamil said with a different tone, he was sounding a bit bitter than usual as I had hide a big truth from all of them at the same time he was looking shocked too, but that was the end of my tolerance.

"Zamil main baar baar keh rahi thi ki main aapka proposal accept nhi kar sakti, ye hi wajah thi. Mene socha tha aap sab ko Abbas se milwa dungi.. Lekin...."

(Zamil, I was repeatedly saying that I can't accept your proposal, that's the reason! I thought I would introduce you all to Abbas, but...)

I almost shouted on him because I was frustrated and tears made their to my eyes.

"Kese batati ki jis CARTOON ka aap mazakh uda rahe hain wo mara husband hai!"

(How could I told you that the CARTOON school you were making fun is my husband!)

I wanted to burst on them but only mumbled helplessly and Richa came towards me, she game me side hug and I cried out.

" I'm sorry Shama, I didn't know he was your husband..." Vihaan muttered and I try to speak something but couldn't.

"Will you tell us about this matter? Shama you're only nineteen and you're married to a man like him..." After a long silence Zamil asked and Richa passed me a glass of water.

"It was an Arranged Marriage... Which is common in villages" I said in meek voice after drinking water but Zamil shook his head.

"Tell me everything" he ordered.

How did he knew that I was trying to hide my past from three of them? But them I decided to tell them everything.

"My father was a farmer, he was very poor but always loved me. Life wasn't even near perfect but I was fine with that, then life took another harsh turn and when I was fifteen years old my father passed away, leaving me and my younger brothers orphan. That was the time when we were starving whole day and night, after my father's demise we were left with nothing as my brothers were very young to do farming. That was difficult for my mother, she was working in others home to fulfil our needs but not even two times meal was available in home. And at that time someone told us about a proposal in which the guy did not want any dowry just a girl as his wife who could nurse his handicap mother and take care of his home, he was no one else but Abbas. My mother didn't think much about anything as she knew no one would marry me without dowry, so she marry me off as soon as she could."

First time in those four years of marriage I shared my feelings with someone, and three of them were shocked their mouths were hanged open and their eyes were ready to pop out.

" Were you ready for this marriage? He is not compatible for you" Vihaan asked and I smiled bitterly.

"At the time of marriage I was only 15 and Abbas was 25, no one asked me about my concern, my mother just told me that I'll get two times meal a day and it will be easy for her to arrange food for only brothers... I was just a burden on them which she removed from her head... I wasn't married off but actually kicked out from my own home." I replied and richa caressed my back to sooth me but my tears weren't stopping.

"I told you few times about my husband but you didn't believe" I said to richa and She nodded remembered when I tried to tell . 

"Shama you're living with me when you were only 17, how could I even imagine that you're married! Moreover you hide this with me" Richa said and I told them about advice of my principal regarding hiding my marital status.

"Shama...." That was Zamil's call which made my heart skipped a beat and I lift my gaze.

"Are you happy with that man?" Zamil asked and I smiled to hide my tears but my attempt was miserably failed.

"Y.. Yes I'm h.. happy" I replied but only I know how those words made their way to my tongue. I was examining Zamil from head to toe, his personality was just perfect on the other hand my husband was the one who was perfectly imperfect in most of the matters.

"Your expressions are not supporting your answer" Richa muttered and I close my eyes.

"Guys... I don't have any other options than him. He is my husband. We're married... That's true that he is not a good match for me according to appearance but he's a good person. Who husband would leave his wife to study further? But he did... I'm indepted in front of him" told what I felt and Zamil's face was sightable. He nodded slowly before standing up from his place.

"I'm going.. Bye" saying that he left from there, his feelings were hurt, I was also broken from inside because I was watching my dream guy going away from me but when I didn't had that dreamland then how could I think about my dream guy?

===============