The Longest Autumn

The weak rays of the sun were trying their best to prove themselves on the earth, but today their opponents were the dark clouds. Conquering the whole sky, they were blowing the trumpet of their victory. Embarrassed by his defeat, the sun hid from the world behind the clouds and decided to stay there for the next many hours. 

But unaware of everything, someone was still sleeping peacefully until a bright light and a whispering conversation disturbed her. 

“Umm… Dadi Jaan…” she pulled the sheet to her face and covered her eyes. “Let me sleep." She muttered. Irritated. 

“Didn't you miss us?" A voice which wasn't a whisper pushed the slumber away. Her eyes snapped open as she sat on the bed with a jolt. 

“Papa.” Fayra bounced towards Adnaan as if she was still a little girl, and Sara saw the scene with a dropped jaw. 

“She never remembers me.” She rolled her eyes and Fayra smiled while resting her head on Adnaan's shoulder. 

"You are always jealous of us. Don't you think so papa?" Everyone laughed other than Sara. Yes, she was jealous because her only daughter loves everyone more than her, however it wasn't true. Fayra showed her love for everyone openly but for Sara, she had a hidden treasure of love.

“Oh come on, I missed you too." Fayra hugged her mother and kissed her cheek on which Sara pushed her away while grimacing.

"Go and brush your teeth.” 

“Yaar, no one loves me.” Huffing with disappointment she stepped out of the bed

"We all love you, drama queen.” Fiza placed a light slap on the back of Fayra's head on which she jerked her head. 

“Chachi, our relationship is already over, you don't make me pasta anymore, so… end of our relationship." With this announcement Fayra walked towards the door of the room. Everyone was amazed, after a long time they were witnessing the happy Fayra, who was talking freely, arguing, demanding, throwing tantrums but how and why? No one knew. 

Fayra stepped out from the room while looking behind to see Faiz’s reaction but she forgot to see in front of herself. “I won't talk t… aaah.” her sentence converted into a soft scream when she bumped into someone and about to fall but a hand grabbed her arm. Letting her dangle in the air for a moment. 

Their eyes met, Fayra's heart skipped a beat, the smile, satisfaction and joy of her face left within a second. On the other hand, her eyes did something to his heart. 

“I'm sorry." He apologized for yesterday, 

“It was my mistake, I wasn't attentive while walking." She considered it something else and left. 

“When did you people come back?" Danish shifted his gaze from a walking Fayra to all the people coming back from the trip. 

“Just now, how are you Danish?" Afnaan asked in a small voice. 

“Enjoyed?" With a fake smile, Danish asked Zunera and Zinia. They looked at each other. Trying to ask if he was their happy go lucky brother or someone else in his skin, but before the girls could conclude something, he looked at Momina. 

"Dadi Jaan, don't forget to take your medicines." And he left the room. 

“Bohot khidmat kri hai meri in dono bachho ne." Momina's smile mingled with pain while she moved her fractured foot. 

(These two have taken great care of me.)

<><><>

A light rain shower was making the environment pleasant. The aroma of freshly cooked chicken biryani was floating everywhere. Zunera and Zinia were helping their mother in setting the dining table, Afnaan was sitting on the couch, working on the laptop. 

"Is bhuke ko koi khana khilado, gareeb dua dega.” A knock on the door followed by the loud call grabbed everyone's attention and the very next moment they all burst out laughing wholeheartedly. 

(Someone please feed this hungry person, the poor soul will give you blessings.)

"Allah mujhe bhi itna gareeb bana de.” Zinia raised her hands in dua and Danish's lips pulled in a smile but his eyes were still dull. 

(May Allah make me as poor as you.)

“Come fast. What are you waiting for, Danish?" Fiza placed one more plate for Danish and he took his seat beside Zinia. 

"For the last ten days I've been craving a home cooked meal.” He told Zinia in a whisper 

"Fayra aapi didn't cook anything?” she asked in the same whisper while lifting the spoon from the cutlery stand and placed one on the Danish's plate. 

“Danish, khana shuru kar beta.” Afnaan also came to the dining table and found every plate empty. 

(Danish, start having it, beta.)

"Ladies first.” Danish passed the dish to his youngest sister who was so tired after the trip that she almost forgot to say something or argue. 

"Chachi, don't tell me you all already started having biryani without me.” Fayra came inside with a loud call but her steps stopped in between after seeing Danish sitting there. 

Till yesterday Danish was avoiding her but today the table was flipped. Now she wanted to go away from every place where he could be seen. Only last night she scolded herself too hard to go after him when she herself broke all the ties, but her stupid heart wasn't satisfied in any way. 

"Come, we were waiting for you.” Fiza gestured towards the chair beside Afnaan but Fayra shook her head. 

"Umm… chachi… mummy is also hungry, I'll have lunch with her.” She took a step back when Afnaan called her back. Only a few minutes ago she came to tell Fiza that she would not eat aalo matar which Sara cooked today. 

"Come, it's your own home. And give me this dish.” Fayra looked at the dish she was holding. The leftover sambar, because Afnaan likes it. 

The lunch was silent. Everyone filled their plates with biryani other than Danish. He hesitated but finally picked the dish of Sambar without looking at Fayra. 

First spoonful of sambar, second and then third, he looked up, she was moving the rice on the plate but not having it. Her gaze fixed on someone else's plate. Another spoonful of sambar went to his mouth and her eyes filled with tears. 

What would happen if he had tasted it yesterday when she was requesting him?

She was hurt. Even after trying her best she couldn't control her tears and Danish noticed it. With no intention of creating a new scene she stood up to leave, everyone was surprised by this sudden action but their eyes widened when her wrist was caught by Danish when she walked past him. 

Fayra's feet were grabbed by the earth. She looked behind, their eyes met. His cold hand against her warm skin beat two hearts differently. One with pain and other with fear. She looked behind, their eyes met. 

“I… I'm sorry." No voice came out from his mouth, only lips moved. His grip loosened after remembering the limits of their relationships. She didn't accept the apology, just walked away after pulling her wrist from his grip. 

"What is the matter?” Fiza couldn't help but ask and Danish hid his face in his palm. 

“Nothing." And he also left. Fiza and Afnaan exchanged a look but they didn't know what to do.

<><><>

“Afnaan," A hand reached his shoulder, he closed his eyes while sighing and hid the black folder under the clothes before locking the cupboard again. "For how long will you hide the truth?” Fiza asked and Afnaan rested his forehead on the closed cupboard door. 

“I don't know, Fiza." He muttered and turned towards her. They both were stressed.

"Afnaan, you shouldn't do that.” She said with disappointment. “Or even if you did, you shouldn't hide this from everyone." 

“Fiza, they love each other. I couldn't let this happen." 

“So tell them na," 

“Are you sure?" 

“No, I'm not. But… you don't have any other way.” She muttered and Afnaan nodded. Picking his mobile from the bed he called Danish, and within ten minutes he was sitting in front of Fiza and Afnaan.

“Tell me what happened?" Adnaan asked and Danish shook his head. Still unable to hide his feelings. 

“Nothing."

“I need an answer, Danish." 

“Chamu main pagal ho jaunga. Ya shayad mar jaunga. Mujhse ye ghutan bardash nhi hoti, main ye jang ladte ladte haal gya hu." And for the first time he cried in front of someone. 

(Chamu, I will go crazy. Or maybe I will die. I cannot tolerate this suffocation anymore, I have lost fighting this battle.)

"Danish,” Afnaan placed his hand on his shoulder. “Tell me exactly what you want." 

“Nhi bhula paa rha main use. Bohot koshish kar li us se dur rehna ki, mujhe laga tha main uske bina rehna seekh chuka hua lekin galat tha main… kya khaas hai is ladki me ki main kisi aur ke bare me soch hi nhi pata, aur is se dur nhi ho pata. Iska ek aasu mere pathar dil ko pighla deta hai. Aesa kyu hota hai mere sath?" 

(I am unable to forget her. I tried so hard to stay away from her; I thought I had learned to live without her, but I was wrong… What is so special about this girl that I cannot think about anyone else, and I cannot distance myself from her? A single tear of hers melts my stone heart. Why does this happen to me?)

"Ye rishta ho aesa hai, biwi se mohabbat hoti hi hai.” Afnaan said in a small voice and Danish looked at him. Confused. 

(This bond is such that you cannot help but love your wife.)

“Wife? Ex-wife!"  Danish tried to remind Adnaan about a fact everyone knew but this middle aged man shook his head while passing a black folder towards him. 

"She is still your wife, you're still her husband.” 

"What? How? Are you out of your mind?” Danish was shocked, unable to digest the fact.

“You signed the divorce papers?" Afnaan asked and Danish nodded without a single second of delay. 

"Did you read them before signing?” Asked Afnaan, Danish tried his best but couldn't recall. He read the papers when he received them from the lawyer but… did he really read them just before signing?

"I… I think, yes…” he muttered but Afnaan smiled. 

“Beta tum dono ne bina read kre signature kar diye the. Herani ki baat to ye hai ki kisi ne bhi papers read karne ki zehmat nhi kri. Shayad kisi ke himmat nhi thi is baat to qubul karne ki. Aur us se bhi zyada heraani ki baat… kisi ne kabhi pucha hi nhi ki jo so-called divorce hua tha use register bhi karaya ya nhi?”  

(Beta both of you signed without reading. The surprising thing is that no one even bothered to read the papers. Perhaps no one had the courage to accept this fact. And what is even more surprising… no one ever asked whether the so-called divorce that happened was even registered or not?)

"Lekin wo papers to aapne liye the registration ke liye.” Danish was shocked.

(But you took those papers for the registration. Didn't you?)

“Kis cheez ki registration karata beta? Us divorce ki jo kabhi hua hi nhi?” 

(What registration are you talking about, beta? For a divorce that never even took place?)

Afnaan had a smile on his face but Danish was shocked. His hands started shivering while grabbing the file passed by Afnaan. With all his courage he read the papers. They were the divorce papers but unsigned, however, there was one more set of papers duly signed by Fayra and Danish including two witnesses. The matter was both the papers were almost the same but only a few words and lines were missing from the middle.

Who could imagine that it was not the divorce papers? Afnaan very cleverly deleted some words, and replaced some sentences, resulting the divorce papers became just an information that what a divorce can change between the husband and wife. 

“Chamu?" Danish looked, a smile broke on his lips, eyes beaming with new hopes. 

“Jaa aur mana le use. Mohabbat wo bhi karti hai tujhse, bas wo khud nhi samajh paa rhi." Afnaan took the papers back from his hand and gestured towards the exit but Danish was still processing the truth. 

(Go and bring her around, she also loves you but she is unable to understand.)

“Aaj maine aapko har us zulm-o-ziyadati ke liye maaf kara jo aapne mere sath bachpan me kri hai." Danish smiled brightly while standing up and hugged his chamu who patted his back with same smile. 

(Today, I forgive you for every cruelty and injustice you did to me in my childhood.)

"Itna ehsaan na kar, bas itna kar de ki ya to mujhe chachu keh de ya mamu. Ye chamu kehna band kar de.” Afnaan demanded while breaking the hug but Danish narrowed his eyes. 

(Don't do me such a big favour, just do this much: either call me Chachu (paternal uncle) or Mamu (maternal uncle). Stop calling me Chamu.)

"Impossible. This demand of yours can't be fulfilled.” And he walked towards the door leaving Afnaan and Fiza happy but the very next moment he came back, smile lost, eyes holding fear. 

"Will Fayra accept our marriage this time? Or…” Fiza didn't let him complete. 

"Start from the point where you both started parting your ways.

"I'm scared Chachi.” 

"Meri baat sun," Afnaan grabbed his arm “us ladki ko sambhalna tujhse behtar kisi ko nhi aata. Tu wo ek lauta insaan hai jo use samajhta bhi hai aur samjha bhi sakta hai. Tu dar gya to kuch nhi ho payega, be brave.”

(Listen to me. No one knows how to handle that girl better than you. You are the only person who understands her and can also make her understand. If you get scared, nothing will work out. Be brave.)

"Done. But give me one more favour.” Danish looked towards Fiza and Afnaan both, they nodded in response. "Keep it secret. Just three of us knows this.” three of them agreed to keep it secret but they forgot the biggest fact.

There was no room for privacy and secrets in Rizwi Mansion. Afnaan's keeping this thing hidden from the family for the last few months was nothing but a miracle but miracles do not happen every now and then.

Before three of them step of the room, their secret was already leaked!

<><>