"Aa jaein"

Hearing a faint sound, Maham entered the room with a bated breath....her whole form could make anybody guess her state of trepidation.
She was scared..nervous all at the same time.

Reaching the huge mahogany table, she made a sound which as expected did not emanate any response.
She encouraged herself to increase the frequency of her pitch, which only earned her a "Hmmm" this time from the other side

"Mujhe baahar jaana hai"

"Kahaan"

Her one sentence was returned with a monosyllable

"Wo...meri friend ke ghar assignment complete karne"

"Group assignment hai?"

"Ji..ji nahin"

"Phir"

Maham stood with her head hung low when a paper was passed to her...."Padho ise"

A frown sat on her face when her eyes met some financial terms..
"Ji..ji...mujhe der ho rahi hai"

"What will I do with this girl" The man rubbed his face in irritation which made Maham a little restless...."M..mai jaaoon"

"Shaam tak waapas aa jaana"

"Ji..."

And with that Maham was out of the room which according to her was JINKHAANA.

"Kya musibat hai..." She muttered pulling her dupatta down from her head and started running down the stairs in jet speed.

"Aaraam se....kahaan ki sawaari chhoot rahi hai"

"Ammi aap rehne hi dein...aapke kehne par mujhe baar baar Jinkhaana jaana padta hai"

"Mahi Izzat se"

"Haan aap bolein to sar par bitha lun aapke Shehzaade ko" Maham huffed crossing her arms
"Kitni khush thi mai jab Dadajaan ne bola tha unhone mere liye ladka dhoond liya hai....maine kitne sapne sajaaye the par unhone ne apne damaag me in sahabzaade ko baitha rakha tha ... mujhe zara bhi ilm hota na mai ghar se bhaag jaati" Mahaam took a pause and then again started

"Ye aadmi toh mere zehan me hi nahin tha...kitni mushkil se 7 saalon se chhutkara mila hua tha........Mujhe laga tha abroad wala banda hai kisi gori mem se shaadi karega....lekin nayi ise yahin aa kar apne haath peele karne the"

"Maham ... bhulo mat shauhar hai wo tumhara"

"Aap bhulne dein toh mai bhuloon na Ammi....subah se le kar shaam tak kuch bhi kaam ke liye unki permission lene bol deti hain...ab toh mai soch rahi hun saans bhi unse puch kar liya karun..........aur wo banda aadha ghanta toh hmmm hummm me nikaal deta hai...."

Zeenat was just shaking her head over her daughter's ramblings

"Aur gham bas isi baat ka hai ki meri zabaan jo sabke saamne kaichi ki tarah chalti hai unke saamne jang laga ke baith jaati hai.....itna dar lagta hai mujhe..pata nahin kis atom bomb ko mere gale me baandh diya"

"Mujhe toh suhaag raat par heart attack aa jaana hai..."

"Kya bakwaas kar rahi ho" Zeenat hit her daughter's head

"Bakwaas nahin hai...mai abhi se bata rahin hun mai rukhsati nahi karungi"

"Abhi kaun bol raha hai...kuch saal ke baad kar denge" Zeenat smiled at her daughter.

"Kuch saal baad bhi mera dil yahin rahega...." Maham exasperated "Dadajaan apni aakhiri saans nahi le rahe hote na toh maine gunpoint par bhi Qubool Hai nahi bolna tha"

"Acha aaj raat daawat par jaana hai" Zeenat tried to deflect the conversation

"Hainn....tab mai baahar nahin jaa rahi"

"Wo raat me jaana hai"

"Haan lekin abhi baahar jaa kar meri zabaan lehrayegi hi....phir mai raat ko nahin khaa paungi achhe se" Maham pouted

"Waise kiski daawat hai"

"Zubair ke kisi dost ki shaadi hai" Zeenat informed making Maham's hair.

"Dost..huh.....is aadmi ke dost hain..mai to is baat ko nahin maanti" Maham twitched her lips

"Jao ja kar apne bhaiyon ko bhi bata do...taiyyar rahenge"

Maham smiled flying towards her favourite boys' room

----------------

"Ye dahi bhalle kahaan se sajaye" An inquisitive Ashar frowned at his brother's plate which was adorned with his favourite dish. He was truely disappointed in himself....he and dahi bhalle were at the same venue and he didn't even get a whiff of it..It was "Chullu bhar paani me doobne " waala moment for him.

His gaze which was very loving towards his plate a while back hardened just because of this precious dish. Now it looked barren to him.

His brother Asim pointed towards a stall and he immediately rushed to the pointed direction as if his life was in his throat.

"Khatma na ho jaye kahin" was the only thing echoing in his head which made him literally run

"Kahaan bhaag rahe ho" A gruff voice halted his steps

"Wo wo bhai ... wo dahi bhalle lene jaa raha tha"

"Lene jaa rahe the ya lootne jaa rahe the" Zubair frowned at Ashar's pace "Aur loge kahaan..plate me jagah bhi hai?"
Zubair had a proper look at the plate in Ashar's hands ... it was overflowing with food items. His brother was a certified glutton.

"Bhai...mai adjust kar loonga"

"Pehle ye khatma karo..phir lena" Zubair's tone was strict which made Ashar pout and nod in yes, but as soon as his elder brother got busy with some of his friends, he eyed the dahi bhalla stall and grinned "Here I come my love!!"

----------------

"Muski maza aa gaya yaar..." Asim sidehugged his sister

"Haan...ice cream khaayi" Muskaan asked wiping something from Asim's chin

"Haan teen" Instead of Asim, Ashar answered catching them from behind.

"Rizu...ice cream lene jaa rahi hai" Asim asked Riza who nodded in yes

"Do le aiyyo"

"Bhai...aapne already do khaa liye hai"

"Toh..itna bada gift jo humne diya hai...use na wasoolein...chup chap le kar aa..." Ashar reprimanded his 14 year old cousin for her silliness.

"Tch..." Riza came back after sometime with a pout

"Kya hua"

"Zubair bhai wahin khade hain"

"Ye bhai bhi na ... na khud khaa rahe hain na khaane de rahe hain...dulhe ke jeejja lage pade hain" Ashar rubbed his neck

"Is seat par koi baitha hai kya" Just then a lady came and Asim immediately sucked in his stomach which still had to adjust for one or two more cones of ice-cream

"Ha..." before Riza could stake a claim that it was her beloved Mahi Aapi's seat, Asim pinched her "Yeah yeah...you can take it"

"Oh thank you bhai..." The girl thanked Asim and dragged the chair towards another table.

"Ho gayi izzat" Muskaan scoffed at Asim who flipped his hair "Her loss"

"Oye...meri seat kahaan hai" Just then Maham made an entrance with a plate in her hands.

"Asim bhai ne apni behen ko de di" Riza chuckled making everybody laugh

Listening to the whole thing, Maham was in splits but still managed to throw a punch for the betrayal.

"Ye Rohail bhai bhi aaye hue hain" Riza smiled seeing a man come towards them

"Assalam walekum bhai" Muskaan greeted Rohail who took her in a side hug "Walekum Salaam Tintin"

"Please bhai...Tintin..yahaan bhi" Muskaan made a face

"You will always be my Tintin" Rohail grinned and next ruffled Riza's hair.

"Aap logon ne kya diya..." Ashar instead of greeting asked Rohail the burning question.

And the answer had him in fake gasps "Itna bada gift aur aap sirf do log..kaise wasulenge"

"Kya wasoolna hai...." Rohail chuckled

"The cost of the gift should be equal or less that the total cost of the dinner" Ashar threw a valuable piece of his knowledge at Rohail who just hit his head

"Matlab agar 1000 ka gift hai toh 500-500 do log aayein....aur agar 2000 toh "

"Ahmmm" The clearing of throat just put a brake on Ashar's mouth

"Kya 2000"

"Wo bhai..2000 words ka essay is baar assignment me mila hai toh wahi bhai se mashwara le raha tha ki
ko do para 500 500 word me baant dun yaa"

Zubair's glare didn't let Ashar complete his answer.."Sudhar jaao"

"Ji bhai"

"Ye idhar kyun aa gaye" Maham mumbled trying to hide her plate behind Asim since Riza had already fled away.

"Carry bag laa doon"

"Huh...Kisliye bhai" Asim frowned

"Thoda pack kar ke ghar bhi le jaana hoga na" Zubair smiled at Ashar

"Haan yeh toh maine nahi socha...Aapi dahi bhalle toh bante hain...kya kehte ho tumlog" Ashar asked Maham who was cursing "Chup kar nahin to hum sabka dahi jama denge"

"Aainda mere sath kisi bhi party me mat aana" Zubair threw a deadly glare at the glutton gang who stood unfazed

"Kyun.."

Zubair now eyed his wife who was trying to hide the chicken pieces under the salad...."Lagta hai janmon ke bhooke ho...abhi car me aate waqt bhi muh band nahin tha na"

"Toh party me aate kyun hain..khaana khaane hi na" Ashar shrugged making his elder brother shake his head

"Ye lein ice cream....Zubair bhai wahaan se hate toh mai le aayi" Riza grinned unaware of Zubair's presence

Zubair turned to confront his youngest cousin whose eyes went wide as saucers and next second one of the cones fell from her hand painting his coat

"Bas isi ki kami thi......" Zubair glared at Riza who was looking everywhere but him

Seeing Zubair walk towards the washroom area, Maham sighed..."Khaane ka maza aaye ab kuch thoda....dono giraana tha na Rizu"

------------

"Bhai zara mera ice cream pakdenge..." Muskaan turned to Rohail with puppy eyes which had a nil effect on him......The flavour was enticing he being prone to catching cold very easily didn't want to take the risk.

"Please bhai ... aapko Rabiah bhabhi ki kasam..."

"Excuse me...she is my friend" Rohail bellowed at the mad group but couldn't stop them from giggling "Bhai ne celibacy ka oath liya hua hai"

"Haan toh..It's my choice"

"Ye kin doston ke saath uthte baithte hain bhai.....matlab why are you hell bent on becoming a saint" Asim chuckled

"Aao milwata hun...."

"Seedha meri shaadi me milunga" Asim waved off the idea and got back to his love

"Acha theek hai aapko aapke friend ki kasam" Muskaan tried to negotiate

Atlast, Rohail took the cone making Muskaan show her teeth.."Shukriya bhai......aap bahut tarakki karein"

"Chupchaap jaldi se apna kaam niptao"

"Waise Bhai..kal hum sab ka movie plan hai..chalenge" Asim asked rubbing his palms

"Ummm"

"Kya ummm....Sunday hai" Muskaan frowned

"Okay meri maa" Rohail finally gave in ........to the temptation of movie and ice-cream both as the cream was now melting in his mouth much to someone's chagrin.

-------------------------

"Arre Mahi aapi...jaldi karein..4 baje ki movie hai" Muskaan said looking at Maham who was talking to her mother
"Mai unke paas nahin jaungi..mai aapse puchh rahi hun na"

"Maham" Zeenat warned

"Ammi aap kis century se aayin hain...matlab wo time gaya...ab shauhar biwi ek hi level par hain"

"Mai puraane khayalaat ki hi hun...aur tum apna haq rukhsati ke baad jatate rehna" Zeenat came from a very orthodox school of thoughts

"Ye sahi hai....mujhe har jagah jaane ke liye unki permission chahiye hoti hai.....tab toh aap nahin kehti ki beta rukhsati ke baad permission lena abhi chali jao" Maham scowled not liking the partial nature of her mother.

"Abhi humlog movie ke liye jaa rahe hain na" Muskaan was now skeptical

"Haan agar aapke Nawaab sahab hume ijazat de dein toh" Maham gave a tight smile and got up to knock on the mighty king's door.

Gently giving a knock, she waited patiently for his answer which came a while later.

With small steps, she was again at his desk .."Ji..sab movie ke liye jaa rahe hain"

"Toh"

"Toh mujhe bhi jaana hai"

"Tickets karwa li"

"Jee"

"Kyun.....mai agar mana kar du toh zaya chali jayegi" Zubair rested his face on his palm

"Nahi jayegi...Zaan bhai use black me bech denge" Maham mumbled

"Ye ladka...mujhe jail bhijwa kar chhoddega" Zubair closed his eyes "Kab tak waapas aa jaoge tumlog"

"7 baje tak"

"Hmm...jao "

"Thank you" Maham squealed but then controlled and sauntered out of the room only to perform Bhangra as soon as she got out..

"Darwaaza band kar do"

Hearing the voice, Maham's eyes widened...."Was the door not fully closed...had be become witness to the eyesore performance she just delivered."

"Just act..You didn't hear and get out"

"Thode paise le jao"
But the lure bow just hit her next second and she couldn't resist
"Haan...mai toh bhul gayi thi..zarurat padegi"

"Hmmmm.....dance ka shauk hai tumhe?"

"Na..nahin" Maham managed to utter and taking the notes from his hand, disappeared into thin air.

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

Nizaam Khan and Saira begum had three sons

Eldest son Daulat Khan was married to Rubab and had two sons

Zubair Khan (29 year old)

Ashar Khan (21 year old)

Second son Ashfaq Khan was married to Tanveer had one son and one daughter

Asim ( 22 year old)

Muskaan (20 year old)

And the youngest son Rashid Khan was married to Zeenat and had two daughters

Maham (22 year old)

Riza (14 year old)

Zeenat had a younger brother Akram who had a son named Rohail. Akram's wife passed away when Rohail was just 2.

Akram was not ready to marry again and Rohail was just two so Zeenat asked them to shift next to their house so that her lovely nephew could be taken care of.

Rohail used to come to his house only for sleeping......rest of the day he was either in school or at his Phupho's house. He was his Phupho's laadla.

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

Messages for a teaser was coming and I only had this in my draft.

And as usual, there are two pairs

Zubair aur unki gamhgeen biwi Maham

Aur dusre hain Rohail bhaisahab .. ab unka celibacy oath khud tootega ya zabardasti kisi ki muskaan se todna padega.....aaiye dekhte hain🤗🤗🤗

Konainkhan746Doctor-doctor aap jald shuru karein toh mai kaam par lagun😁😊