Majboori Mein Jab Koi Juda

Hota Hai,

Zaroori Nahi Ki Wo, Bewafa

Hota Hai.

De Kar Wo Aapki Aankhon

Mein Aasu,

Tanhaayi Mein Wo Aapse Bhi Zyada Rota Hai.....

"Noor."

"Noor baby, come to mama."

Keeping Noor's meal on the wooden table inside the gazebo, Maria ran behind Noor to catch her who was troubling her, not ready to have her food.

"No.... Mama I want to play."

She giggled, jumping over the paved path turning back watching her mother running behind to catch her.

"Baby please come here mama is so tired now."

She pleaded, stopping for a second holding her back which had started aching with all the exercise, wiping the sweat over her forehead, all thanks to Noor who had made her all worked up by her amazing running skills.

"Catch me mama."

Noor was enjoying thinking she was winning from her mother who wasn't able to catch her at all. Afterall, she had tired her with her 'eat one bite and run' strategy. It was the turn for her seventh bite with her mother almost ready to collapse with the amount of energy she had used used to haul her little girl and feed her another bite, before preparing herself to chase her again for the next one.

"Noor fauran yaha aa jaayein warna mama aapse naraz ho jaengi."

(Come here an instant Noor, otherwise mama would be angry at you.)

Not having more energy she used her last resort which was to threaten Noor which actually worked, as she saw her dropping her smile an instant and run back towards her speedily, latching onto her legs tightly, causing her steps to falter. She was about to fall when a pair of arms caught her in time.

"Are you okay ?"

It was Hassan who held her hand preventing her to fall otherwise her along with little Noor would have severely got hurt injured, considering the amount of sharp stones on the ground.

"I am. Thank you Hassan."

Giving him a soft smile she retreated her hand from his hold, crouching down towards her daughter who had her eyes closed tightly, just like her grip over her legs.

"Noorie...."

Caressing her head she called her, watching her shaking her head not ready to open her eyes.

"Come on baby, open your eyes."

Running her fingers in her daughter's soft curls she called her again, getting her soft reply in return.

"No I won't, you are angry with me mama..."

Pouting, she shook her head not ready to face her mother's angry side. She loved her mama smiling not her angry side. Therefore, her little heart advised her to open eyes only when her mother would forgive her.

"I am not Noorie."

Maria chuckled, kissing her cheeks, assuring her she wasn't angry with her. How could she be angry at her when she would do cute things, winning her heart everyday showcasing her innocent love towards her ?

Noor was her cutie pie, her blessing and she won't dare to get angry on her little angel.

"Really!! I love you so much mama."

Her eyes immediately shot open, giving sloppy kisses all over her mother's face happily.

"Love you more....Now please have your food like mama's good girl."

Nodding like a good girl Noor held her hand, walking towards the gazebo to eat her breakfast when they found Hassan standing at a distance watching them both, smiling polietly asking permission to sit with them, loving their mother-daughter bond.

"Can I sit here with both...."

"No.... My mama won't sit with you."

Noor unaware of Hassan's identity stood before her mother in a protective stance glaring at him for disturbing them. It was already difficult for her to share her mama with her baba but she did because her baba taught her sharing but that didn't mean she would share her precious mama with everyone.

No, she won't. Her mama was hers only and a little bit of her baba too.

"Noorie.... This is not the way to talk with elders and he is your Hassan chachu. Say sorry to him."

Turning Noor towards her Maria caressed cheeks of her possesive daughter, asking her to apologise to her Hassan chachu, which she did after knowing he was her uncle, feeling sorry for shouting at him, planning to use him against her Osama chachu who teased her time to time.

"Sorry chachu."

"It's okay beta."

Hassan smiled pinching her cheeks and sat beside them after promising Noor not to disturb them.

"I am sorry Hassan. I really am."

Maria mumbled feeling guilty for Noor's behavior which he brushed off with a small smile.

"You don't have to apologise for it. It's okay and she is just a child."

"Mama...."

Hearing them talk Noor whined, tugging her mother's hand opening her mouth, asking her to feed her while telling her stories in her cute baby voice to engage all her attention towards herself, till she finishes her food.

Getting her stomach full she jumped, running again like a small monkey alerting her mother who stood up to follow her again, when she heard Hassan's voice stopping her in her tracks.

"Allah Noorie...."

"Maria ?"

"Yes ? You want something ?"

Thinking he need help she turned finding him fidgeting his fingers nervously, not meeting eyes with her, scared to offend her with his question.

"Umm.... Actually.... I...."

"Shoot.... I know you want to ask something."

Rolling her eyes, she sat beside him waiting for him to ask whatever was troubling his curious self.

"Well bhaai said that you both are married for only eight months or so but Noor is...."

Treading on a dangerous path he looked up at her not able to complete his sentence when she herself answer him sighing heavily.

"She is the child he had with his first wife."

"First wife ?"

"Hmmm.... Asmara."

She mumbled softly, feeling the same pain hitting her again remembering past.

"Asmara!! You mean Asmara Ahmed, Bashar uncle's neice."

He was shocked, too speechless to speak but he wanted answers making him intake large amount of air before confirming his doubts, his heart hammering inside his chest, fearing her answer.

"Yes, the same girl."

She met his eyes for a second before looking down at her feet, readying her heart to tell him everything.

"But....."

"Everything changed when you went away. We were mourning for your loss when one fine day everything changed. He suddenly wished to marry Asmara when his brother just disappeared into thin air. He changed within a span of few weeks. He wasn't same as before. I still remember how adamant he was to marry her. He even fought with Taya abba for her. It was like something possessed him....."

Playing with the tassels of her dupatta she was lost, confessing the tale of the past to him, when he interrupted her in between asking her something which scratched her old scars to the extent that they started bleeding again.

"But you.... Did you loved...."

"I did so much, to the point it pierced my heart to see him belonging to someone else..... But I wasn't to do anything. Main kar bhi kya sakti thi Hassan jab un dono ki kismat mein hi ek dusra ka hona likha tha ? Main to bas chup chaap apni aakhon ke saamne sab kuch hota hua dekhti rahi......"

(What could have I done Hassan when they both were destined to be with each other ? I only kept quiet and watched everything happening before my own eyes.)

Gulping past her emotions, she went on without stuttering, without stopping and turned her face to look at him who was silently watching her, without moving, concealing his emotions, when he heard her give him a sorrowful smile, her heart still guilty of rejecting him.

"Mujhe lagta hai ke mujhe tumhare dil ki haaye lagi thi. Itni berehmi se tumhara dil toda tha, to mera khud ka dil tootna to lazmi tha...."

(I feel your heart cursed me. My heart was bound to shatter after breaking yours mercilessly.)

She confessed feeling sorry for turning him down, when she wasn't even at fault. Her heart always felt itself responsible for breaking Hassan's who didn't deserved it.

His heart chose her, whereas her's chose Mustafa who chose Asmara.

Heart was the root of every problem.... If permissible she could have tore it away, despising it for destroying her and Hassan's life. It was her stupid heart which was responsible for everything.

"I tried... I tried so much to change my heart but I wasn't able to. Mustafa ki mohabbat mein mayal ho gaya tha ye dil...."

(My heart was inclined towards Mustafa's.)

"I am sorry..."

It had been years but she again felt like apologising to him for the sake of her own peace, for Hassan's peace. It was wrong on her part to hurt him even if it was unintentionally.

"You don't have to. It's not your fault. We can't control whom we fall for. You don't have to feel sorry for anything...."

Giving her a small smile, he brushed her apology knowing it wasn't her fault, setting his eyes on the rose getting lost in his own thoughts, feeling his head exploading with more questions after hearing her.

He wanted answers and his sister was the only one who could help him to solve the puzzle for him, which was exploading his brain with pain and regret.

Hearing tingling sound of her anklet he watched her going back when he again stopped her in her tracks with his last question with his heart heavy with guilt.

"Are you happy ?"

"I am."

Her heart was at peace but she wasn't sure if she was happy or not.

•

Feeling tired she directly walked towards her room too sleep her worries off, feeling light headed just like past few days, dozing off to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow and woke up after taking a good two hours nap, washing her face, walked towards the Noor's room to check upon her.

It was then her eyes landed upon Aamina's room where Hassan was shouting at Mustafa, his eyes red after hours of shedding tears.

"How could you do this to me bhaai ? To her ? Doesn't she has the right to know everything ?"

What was happening ? Why was Hassan shouting at Mustafa when never in his life he raised his voice at him. She wanted to know what was happening but decided against it, feeling it wrong on her part to interfere in their matter, knowing they will solve it on their own.

"What are you...."

Mustafa asked, dread grouping his heart, getting danger signals knowing the direction where the conversation was heading to.

"I know everything and it's high time for her to know everything too."

A shocking gasp left his mouth, well aware what was Hassan talking about which he tried best to stop, but it seemed Hassan didn't wanted to, planning to confront his big brother.

"Hassan....."

"No bhaai. She is your wife and she has the right to know about everything."

She was about to leave when she realised they were talking about her.

Her breathe hitched as she leaned more towards the door to hear what they were talking about. She knew it was wrong to evesdrop, but wasn't able to help but listen to their conversation. They were talking about her and she had all the rights to know what they were talking about.

"I can't. I can't tell her anything."

She heard Mustafa again after few seconds of silence. His voice was holding heaviness of his heart which could be felt by everyone, including her.

"Why ? Don't you see how much she is hurting just because of you ?"

It was Hassan's turn to shock them both. How did he knew they were having problems in their life ? Who told him ?

"How do you...."

"Aamina.... She told me everything bhaai."

Hassan answered eyeing his twin who was standing there fearlessly, supporting him, wishing everything to get back to normal. Their brother had suffered enough and now with his help she hoped to persuade thier stubborn brother to confess the truth.

"Theek hai, but I am not going to tell her anything and I warn you two to stay away from her."

Eying both of his siblings Mustafa warned them to stay away from his wife, not wanting to confess anything to her at all. She would be hurt beyond repair and hell would freeze if he let anything harm her in his presence.

"What kind of love is this which is making you hurt her andyourself ? If you really love her, then you should confess everything to her bhaai."

What was Hassan talking about ? Which secret is Mustafa hiding from her ? And why was he so adamant to hide whatever Hassan was talking about ? She wanted to know everything and she wanted to know it now, even if it meant to fight with him.

Her hand forwarded towards the door to enter the room, when she saw Hassan falling down on his knees holding Mustafa's legs, begging him sobbing hard.

"Mere gunaah ki saza aap kyu apne sar pe le rahe hai bhaai ? Please, I beg you to tell her the truth."

(Why are you taking the responsibility of the sin I committed ?)

Hassan's heart was heavy. He wasn't able to see gloominess on his brother's face. He already had done so much for him, going beyond limits to push away the only women he loved, and now when he as a younger brother had the chance to set everything right he would do it in a heartbeat, when he knew it would tarnish his image in front of the whole family.

"Why don't you understand Hassan ? I am just protecting her. She would be heartbroken and will blame herself for everything. I can't let that happen. She had already gone through so much but now I won't let it happen and will do anything to protect her at all costs."

From the day she stepped into his life he had always protected her, making sure to change the broken girl into a carefree, happy girl. He had always cared for her happiness before his, taking care of her every need, every wish, every demand.

But fate didn't agreed to it and just like that from being her greatest support he became the reason of all her miseries. Only God knew how painful it was for him to hurt her, to push her away for her own good, for her own sanity. He knew she won't be able to stand him with Asmara and that's why he pushed to go away from him.

Why couldn't they understand that he was only protecting her ? He knew her more than herself and was sure she would go insane if she finds out the truth, making him adamant to conceal it, ready to face her hatred for life.

She was his little birdie, his wife and he had the right to undergo every pain, every suffering, just for her.

"You are doing so wrong bhaai. It will do no good and will cause more differences between you both. Remember it was the pain of your rejection which took her away from you. That time you were innocent and was only protecting her, for marrying Asmara was necessary, but now it would be you who will push her away..... And this time it would be deliberately, because of your stupidity."

Walking forward Aamina supported Hassan reminding Mustafa of past, warning him to tell truth to his wife, dreading the day she will find it on her own and bended down to help her brother stand but he wasn't ready, holding Mustafa's legs resembling a small child, crying endlessly, making his mind to stand up only after convincing his brother who laughed, closing his eyes, remembering events of the past flashing before his eyes.

"You both think I'll listen to you ? Heck no. Because I am the person who was ready to loose her to another man just because I wanted to hide the truth about Noor being your daughter...."

A tear leaked out of his eye remembering how she was going to marry Murat and he wasn't able to do anything, deciding to stay silent and watch her belonging to someone else, when he knew well his one confession could change everything.

But he didn't, for the sake of her happiness.

"I am the person who pushed her away from me just because I didn't wanted her to die everyday seeing me with another girl..."

Looking away from his siblings, he cleared his throat trying to speak siding his emotions which were making it difficult for him to breathe and speak at the same time, not knowing his wife crying along with him, her heart heavy more than his, feeling itself drown with his sorrows.

"I am the person who lived every single day, every single moment like thousands of years, missing her absence within my entire existence...."

And then he opened his eyes, telling his siblings to back off and bury everything like it hadn't happened, fearing the aftermath of her finding out the truth.

"Agar itni hi mohabbat hai aapko usse, to azaad kar dein use aur khud ko iss takleef se. Bata dein use ke Noor meri aur Asmara ki beti hai. Bata dein ke aapko majboori mein Asmara se nikaah karna pada tha. Bata dein use sab...."

(If you love her so much then free her and yourself of this pain. Tell her Noor is mine and Asmara's child. Tell her that you were helpless to marry Asmara. Tell her everything.)

Still holding his legs, Hassan pleaded with tears streaming down his eyes, desperate to end his brother's and Maria's misery. The girl with whom he was in love with. He had accepted the fact that they both were made for each other but his heart needed time to get over her. To get over his feelings. And he was sure one day he would fall out of her love for they weren't meant to be.

She was his brother's wife, the mother of his daughter Noor.

"Maria...."

Seeing Hassan's crying hysterically Aamina walked towards the table to give him water when her eyes landed upon the door finding Maria standing there shocked, with red face and tears streaming down her eyes.

She was standing there still, without any moment, resembling a mannequin without any emotion. Her eyes were trained upon her husband who immediately turned to look towards the door where Aamina was looking.

He too just like his siblings stilled on his place, heart ready to leap out of his chest watching her. It was then he saw her taking step backwards, her legs faltering not able to stand more making him rush towards her in a protective stance, dreadful of the outcome.

His fear came true. His worst nightmare came true. She knew. She heard everything with her own ears, scaring him to the core.

"Wait...."

Walking, he saw her turning around, running away from him, making him increasing his pace and run after her to catch her, hearing her painful sobs echoing inside the whole corridor.

She didn't knew why she was running but she knew she needed to get away from there feeling too suffocated to even breathe. Her heart was hammering inside her chest, exploading with pain.

Noor was Hassan and Asmara's daughter.

He was helpless to marry Asmara.

He was ready to let her marry Murat just to protect her.

He loved her to the extent that he was ready to accept distance between them for life.

It was her fault.

She was responsible for everything.

She broke Hassan's heart.

She broke Mustafa's heart. She failed to recognise love in his eyes, too blinded by her pain.

She failed him.... She failed the love she had for him.