"Pata Hai.. Madiha ki khala bhi St. Stephen's college se padhi hain." Next day Zamin just casually start the conversation with Dabir when they were alone

(You know.. Madiha's aunt has also graduate from St. Stephen's college.)

"Mu... Mujhe kaise.. m-maloom hoga yeh?.." Dabir got startled when he saw his nephew's question eyes on him

(How.. how would I-I know about this?)

"Nahi woh bas... Mujhe laga aise hi.. I mean aap dono ek hi age ke honge toh shayad ek hi batch hoga... Mujhe bas yunhi laga..." it was Zamin's turn to be nervous bt he quickly hide it by shrugging his shoulder

(Of course I... I just thought that you two are maybe same age so maybe both were in same batch...)

"Batch mein bohot se log the, har koi yaad thori rehta Hai." Dabir tried to hide his nervous behind a laugh

(There were many people in my batch, I don't remember everyone.)

"Ji, it was stupid of me to ask Tha."

<><><>

"Kya Sach mein?"

(Really?)

"Haan, woh kafi nervous lag rahe the.. aisa lag raha Tha ki jaise.. jaise unka Sach samne agaya." Zamin told her everything that happened in office

(Really! He was very nervous like... Like his truth is out.)

"Mere khayal se tum sahi thi.. Khala hi woh ladki Hain jissey Chachu pyaar karte the."

(I think you were right.... Khala was the girl whom Chachu loved.)

"But what we are suppose to do? Tha unka past, Hume Kya.. Hume past ko present pe havi nahi hone Dena chahiye." When Zamin still didn't know what to do with this found information, he shrugged his shoulder and took a sip of his tea. But Madiha didn't shrugged the topic off. Her mug of tea was still in her hand, which she made no move to drink and was thinking hard

(They had past doesn't mean we have to drag it to the present.)

"Lekin woh abhi bhi Khala se pyaar karte Hain.. aur Kya pata khala bhi.." she started saying whatever came in her mind

(But he still love Khala... And maybe Khala also...)

"Madiha, please, soch samajh ke bola karo. Ab unki age nahi Hai pyaar karne ki." Zamin looked around to see if someone heard them, they were in lawn and anyone's passing by could hear them. Then he turned to scold his wife

(You should think before speaking. They are not in the age of loving.)

"Pyaar age ke hisab se nahi hota, Zamin." Madiha wasn't effected by the situation, she didn't seem to realize they are out of their room

(Love has nothing to do with age.)

"Aur isme galat Kya Hai? Dono ne apni Zindagi ke khoobsurat pal akele bitaye Hain kyuki woh ek dusre ko nahi bhool paye."

(And what's wrong in it? They both has missed the beautiful days of youth because they couldn't forget each other.)

"Don't you think they also deserve happiness and a companion? If we got them...."

"They are happy in their life." Zamin interrupted her before she could talk more nonsense

"They are incomplete." She opposed his thought

"Madina, you are not making any sense."

"And, Zamin, you are not thinking sensibly."

"Madiha, tum Jo soch rahi ho possible nahi Hai. Log Kya kahengey?" When he couldn't come up with any good reason, he used the same old line from 80's-90's Bollywood movie

(Whatever you are thinking isn't possible, what will others say?)

"Log Kya kahengey se agey aur bhi important cheeze Hain. Like Chachu aur Khala ki Khushi."

(We have more important things to worried about than others talking, like Chachu and khala's happiness.)

"Phir wahi baat." Zamin put this mug on the table

(You have started again.)

"Baat sirf logo ki nahi humari family ki bhi Hai." He pointed at themselves, reminding her about their parents.

(It's not only about others but our family too.)

"Mere parents ko koi masla nahi hoga issey, woh toh Kai baar Khala ko dusri Shaadi ke liye bol rahe the."

(My parents won't have any problem, they have told khala many times for second marriage.)

"Lekin Khala nahi Mani.. shayad isliye kyuki woh bhi abhi bhi Chachu se pyaar karti Hain."

(But Khala didn't agreed.... maybe because she has also loved Chachu.)

"Achha Kya gurranty hai is baas ki Khala bhi Chachu se pyaar karti Hain? Hume Chachu ki feelings pata Hai lekin yeh nahi pata ki Khala ne unse pyaar Kiya Tha. Ya abhi bhi karti Hain?"

(What proof you have that Khala also love Chachu? We only know about Chachu's feelings, but we don't know of Khala also had same feelings.)

"Unki Shaadi ho chuki thi, tumhare Chachu se."

(She was already married, with your Chachu.)

"Main ek baar Khala se baat karu.." Zamin did talk sense, they don't k ow anything about Iman's feelings

(Should I talk to Khala?..)

"Bilkul bhi nahi, Madiha. Tumhari wajah se maine Chachu se baat ki lekin ab please, baat ko aur agey mat badhao." Zamin joined his hands together and requested his wife to stop her childish thoughts

(Please don't, I talked to Chachu just because of you, but please don't drag the topic anymore.)

"Khala bohot shant aur suljhi hui aurat Hain, unke samne yeh sab baatei'n karke tum Meri aur Meri family ki izzat kharab karogi unki nazro mein."

(Khala is very calm and sensible person, please, don't make my family fool in front of her.)

"Shayad sahi keh rahe ho tum. Waise bhi tumhari family ki izzat Matlab Meri izzat." Madiha realized it was stupid of her to think so

(Maybe you are right, you family's reputation is mine too.)

What she is suppose to ask Iman?

Yo! Khala, did you loved Chachu in you college days?

"Khala pata nahi Kya soche." It's when Madiha took one sip of her forgotten tea, which was now cold and tasteless and made her cringe her nose, she also decided to put the mug on table

(Khala will think of me as stupid.)

She looked at Zamin who was deep in his thoughts, se tried to think what he is thinking, when couldn't, she thought about her thoughts and feeling

What she is feeling with this all?

Her aunt? Zamin's uncle?

<><><>

"Mujhe Iman ki bohot fikr hoti hai." Eshal said this to Madiha on phone.

(I am worried about Iman.)

"Kya hua Khala ko?" Madiha got worried and was ready to jump from bed and run to her house to meet Iman

(What happened to her?)

"Kuch nahi hua Iman ko... lekin... Uski halat mujhse dekhi nahi jati."

(Nothing happened to her.. it's just, she is so lonely.)

"Yaha to phir bhi hum Hain, na Jane woh London mein akele kaise rahi hogi itne saal." Eshal shared her thoughts with her daughter

(We are here with her but I don't know how she survived in London, all alone by herself.)

"Ya phir shayad woh akele rehna hi chahti thi, kisi se durr." Madiha was busy in the thoughts of her own

(Maybe she wanted to be alone, maybe she wanted to forget someone.)

"Matlab?" Eshal's trance of thoughts broke

(I didn't get you.)

"K-kuch nahi." Madiha realized she was about to break the secret which was between her, Zamin and Dabir only

(N-nothing.)

Dabir didn't even know he is the part of the secret

"Madiha!"

"Mamma, kuch nahi, Sach mein.. mujhe Zamin bula raha Hai, I'll.. I'll call you back."

(Nothing, really!.. Zamin is calling me,)

"Hash! That was close." She hanged up the call and took the phone to her chest, taking a relief breath

"What was close?" Zamin who has just returned from office heard her and asked

"I.. may have told Amma about Chachu and Khala."

"May have, but I didn't." When she saw Zamin's displeased look, she quickly add

"Iss liye main tumse yeh sab share nahi karta."

(That's why I don't share anything with you.)

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