“ishq visl e yaaram

ishq hijr e yaaram

ishq deed e yaaram

ishq wasf e yaaram.”

°°°

"Aisha, I'm thinking to make this new dish. It looks super delicious....aisha......"

She was holding her phone and had earphones plugged in, walking without even looking properly around her surrounding. She was going to pass the threshold, when her head bumped into a wall....or kind of a wall.

"Aisha."

She looked up and her face got flustered. She didn't even knew that he was going to be here. She hadn't seen him after the final hearing of her case. And here he was standing in all of his Mighty Dawood Qureshi self.

He was supposed to take over her case but he didn't. Instead he made sure that Aisha had all the evidence against Jonah and Mathhias. He helped her getting the evidences but after the last hearing, he puffed into thin air. Like he was never involved in the case. That made Zahiah suspicious but she hadn't a say in it. After all times had Changed and she couldn't bother him like before. But she was right now getting confused with Dawood's gaze and she was feeling really anxious she didn't understand why he was looking at her like that.....like she was his property to check out.

"Dawood Qureshi."

She made some distance between them, because he was literally invading her personal space.

"Zahiah soon to be Zahiah Dawood Qureshi."

Zahiah's breathe got faster and she felt a jolt of electricity shot in her backbone, Dawood didn't backed away instead he pulled her close to him and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Marry me."

Zahiah was lost in his eyes, she can see her aks in his eyes. She felt a different kind of beautiful when she saw herself through his eyes.

"No. As much as i like you. I don't want to marry you."

Zahiah freed her hand from his grip and turned around to find Aisha. But Dawood holds her wrist and stopped her from going away.

"May i know why are you rejecting my proposal?"

"I don't want a pity proposal atleast not from you Dawood Qureshi."

Zahiah tried to freed her wrist but this time Dawood didn't let go of her. He took out a velvet box from his breast pocket and put the ring on Zahiah's finger. Zahiah was still standing their like a statue. She was feeling claustrophobic. She was again wearing a ring without her choice.

"Dawood."

Zahiah said in a pleading tone. And tried to free her wrist from his hands. This time he let go of her wrist.

"I bought this ring almost eight years ago, i wanted to propose you when you broke our nonexistent relationship. After that i never had the guts to give this ring to anyone but you. There's no one like you Zahiah, only you. I will not force you but please keep it. Its yours."

Dawood was going back, he knew Zahiah was right in her place but he couldn't let go of her again. He couldn't lost her again because of her stupidity.

"Dawood Qureshi."

"Zahiah Joseph."

Dawood turned around only to see her smiling.

"Its actually Zahiah Dawood Qureshi..."

Dawood looked at her, he couldn't believe. She would actually accept his proposal. He smiled and then laughed. It take only a moment for Zahiah to realise that he's smile was breathtaking and his laugh was to die for.

"But I'm not going to marry you until you told me where were you for the last three months. You just disappeared and came back like this. Bombing a proposal on my face."

Zahiah wanted to know about him but he wasn't telling her anything about himself. And his disappearance had raised many questions. She still don't understand how the he he got so much evidence about Jonah and Matthias involvement with the mafia and their dirty works of selling young children.

"I was with my family."

"Your family? When I'm meeting them?"

Zahiah asked chirply and Dawood was just finding a way to avoid this conversation.

"Hello guys."

Aisha came in with grocery bags in her hands. She was dumbfoundedly standing their sensing what's the reason for the tension in the air.

"Well what happened."

Aisha asked them and then her eyes falls on Zahiah's finger. She shouted excitedly and hugged Zahiah.

"You finallllllyyyyyyyy proposed her. I'm so happy for both of you. And yeah how's Mumbai. Its been a pain in the heart year. I miss being their."

Aisha took out the ice-cream cups and handed them to Dawood and Zahiah.

"Actually take this ice-cream cups because we don't have any sweet available."

Zahiah thanked her and hugged her. She had developed this habit of hugging Aisha very often. She feels safe and happy in her presence. Aisha hugged her back and they both had Their moment, Dawood was feeling ignored so he hugged them both but it resulted them into their shoutings.

"Dawood why are you disturbing our sisterly moments. After all you're going to take her away."

Aisha said pointing the ice-cream spoon towards Dawood.

"I'm marrying her not eating her."

Dawood was getting annoyed with their constant ganging up on him.

Both of them laughed looking at Dawood's frowned face and continued teasing him some more.

****

Zahiah was sitting on the bed stitching Dawood's shirt. She was so engrossed in her work that she didn't realized dawood was laying beside her and admiring her Beauty. If she had seen the look in his eyes she would have known have Lucky woman she is.

"Begum."

Dawood said in a very low tone. He was trying to get her attention but she wasn't paying him any. He called her out again but she didn't looked at him.

"What's the matter with you Zahiah? Why are you behaving like this?"

Dawood sat infront of her on the bed, taking the shirt from her hands.

"I don't have any problem. Give me that back."

Zahiah said putting a new thread in the needle. Her eyes were fixed on it like sewing is the most fascinating work in the whole world.

"Zahiah why are you behaving like this. Its been three days now."

Dawood complained to her like a frustrated husband and she was behaving like a self proclaimed righteous wife.

"Who's Daryab?"

Dawood looked at her and then laughed a sigh of relief.

"Daryab is my brother. So you're not talking with me because of this? Who told you about him."

Dawood asked in a carefree tone and unzipping his jacket.

"You said his name when i told you about Jonah and Matthias. You didn't invited your family on our wedding. You didn't introduce me to your family? What it is Dawood? Why are you hiding our marriage? Do you have another wife?"

Dawood looked at her with eyes wide open. He couldn't believe he had cooked up all the stories by herself.

"Zahiah I'm not hiding our marriage and unfortunately I've Only one wife and that's you."

Dawood Hugged her and kissed her forehead. She had been extra emotional nowadays. Pregnancy harmones are making her emotional mess now and then.

"And what about your family? Why I've not met them?"

Dawood didn't have the answers of her questions and he didn't Wanted to take Zahiah in his mess of a family.

"Its that because my family is not important. I don't have the best relationship with them andnot intending to bond over anytime soon. You just get relax and took care of yourself and our baby. Okay."

Dawood looked Down at her and wiped away her tears holding close to himself.

"Okay."

Zahiah closed her eyes, patting her five months pregnant stomach and hearing the sound of Dawood's heartbeat that always made her relax and calm. She fell asleep in his arms. Leaving all the worries away.

Dawood was slowly caressing her back looking at her shinny gloomy face that was looking more beautiful now, in the moonlight. He moved towards her hears and whispered;

"La-ilmi mai Sukoon hai, Zahiah."

(Ignorance is bliss Zahiah.)

The End.

••••••