"Aapi! Can you massage my head?" Iman asked her sister while standing in the doorway of Eshal's room, oil bottle was in her hand

"Andar aao." Eshal put her phone down and called her in. Getting in, Iman gave her the oil and sat on floor,

(Come in!)

Free Iman's long slick hair from tight bun, Eshal started applying oil in her hair and softly messaging her head

Iman's hair at this age was still very beautiful and strong, free from any grey locks. She doesn't dye her hair, her black hair was naturally

"Pehli baar kisi doctor ko beemar dekha hai maine." Eshal jokenly said. Since evening Iman's health wasn't good, she was feeling weak and tired while headache wasn't ready to leave her head no matter how much painkillers she ate

(I'm seeing a sick doctor first time.)

"Halka sa sar dard Hai bas, beemar nahi Hoon main." Iman mumbled, her eyes closed as she was relishing the massage given by her elder sister

(It's just a headache, I'm not sick.)

"Ek baat puchu, Meenu?" Eshal slowly asked

(Can I ask something?)

"Meenu?" This made Iman opened her eyes as she turned her head little to look at her elder sister who called her Meenu after ages

"Puchiye!" Her voice hold laughter but her laugh quickly died when Eshal asked her question

(Ask!)

"Dabir kaise lagte Hain tumhe?" Iman witnessed her heart missing a beat on the mention of Dabir

(What do you think of Dabir?)

"Yeh kaisa sawal hua?" Voice held no emotions. Emotions which she has buried deep inside of her heart

(What kind of question it is?)

"Aise hi, ek khayal aya..." Eshal tried to shrugged it off like it was really a random and casual conversation. Like she isn't asking this because Madiha has told her everything last night

(Just like it,.....)

She wanted to talk about this to Iman right away but held herself because she didn't wanted Kamraan to know any of this. Kamraan doesn't know about any Dabir that Iman used to like.

Eshal herself didn't know Dabir's name but she knew Iman liked someone from her college and that boy even sent his proposal for her. But her father rejected him

Eshal didn't had confidence to ask her father about this matter. Their father was a cold, dominant man who doesn't liked to be questioned.

"He is nice, I guess." Just like Eshal, Iman also pretended like nothing matters. Like she isn't bothered by this conversation

"Just nice?"

"Haan toh,... Main janti hi kaha Hoon unhe ki..."

(Yeah!... I don't know him well enough to...)

"Dabir wahi Haina jissey tum college mein pasand karti thi?" Before Iman could make a lie, Eshal interrupted her

(Dabir is the same guy who you liked in your college days.)

Laughter, taunting, teasing each other, bunking class to spend time with each other and then blaming other for poor grades

Her days of college replayed in front of her eyes, in every memories there was a reflection of Dabir

"Kya farq padhta hai!" With glister eyes and a heavy heart, Iman said

(It doesn't matter.)

"Farq padhta Hai. Itne saalo se main is guilt mein jee rahi Hoon ki Maine tumhari Zindagi barbad kar di, Rehaan ka rishta main leke aai thi aur..."

(It does matter. All these years I have lived in guilt that I ruined your life...)

"Rehaan bohot achhe the aapi, agar woh mujhe jaldi chorke chale toh isme apki Kya galti Hai. Aur na hi unki galti thi, unki Zindagi hi utni thi." Rehaan was not only a good husband but human being also. He was a master of calm personality, Iman has never saw him angry or scolding anyone. Maybe because it was his professional that doctor are calm minded or something

As a husband he never forced himself on Iman for his right. They did have consummated but it was never forced on her. In first few months of their marriage, she never let him anywhere near her and he always respected her space. He even used to sleep on the sofa, just because her comfort

In that time where his parents didn't supported the idea of their daughter in law studying further and doing job but he took the responsibility of Iman's studying and made her into this confident independent woman that she is today

She would always be thankful for that. If it wasn't for him, she would also have never studied further or do any job.

(Rehaan was a good husband. But he left me so soon wasn't your fault, nor his.)

"Lekin agar main Rehaan ka rishta pehle leke na ati toh shayad papa tumhare aur Dabir ke rishte ke liye Haan Kar dete." Eshal's massaging hands stopped as she told Iman her feelings, Rehaan may was a good guy but what's the point when he wasn't there for Iman in her hardship

It wasn't his fault that he died so soon, he had that much life in his fate. but still, Human heart will always have hope for better future which only the past could make if you were sensible enough

(But it was me who asked for your hand for Rehaan, maybe if I hadn't do that, papa would have agreed for your and Dabir's marriage.)

"Shayad! Lekin Shayad pe zindagi nahi guzarti, hota wahi Hai Jo qismat mein likha ho, mere ya apke sochne se kuch nahi hota."

(Maybe! But fate doesn't work on maybe, life always happens the way it is written in fate.)

"Warna insan Sochta toh bohot kuch hai, par qismat ke agey haar jata Hai." Who will know these meanings better than her

(We humen thinks lot of things, but we always get defeated by fate.)

"Kya pata qismat tumhe ek chance dena chahti Hai, woh chance Jo tumhe aur tumhari mohabbat ko pehle nahi de payi." Eshal was just asking about Dabir but now when she thinks of what Aima is thinking about Iman and Dabir, she also agreed with Aima

(Maybe now fate wants to give you two and your love a chance, the chance which it couldn't give earlier.)

Dabir and Iman need each other

It isn't about love anymore but the need of the companion. This is the stage of life when one need their companion most

The companion, who can share their grief, laugh, smile and tears

"Aapi, Kaisi baatei'n Kar rahi Hain aap?" Iman turned to Eshal to see her face. She couldn't believe what she heard was true. Was Eshal really said things which Iman heard.

How can Eshal even think of this?

(What are you talking about?)

"Aap Jo keh rahi Hain possible nahi hai." She didn't meet Eshal's gaze and again turned her face to her front

(You know it isn't possible anymore.)

"Kyu nahi Hai? Dabir ne ab Tak Shaadi nahi ki aur tum bhi single ho,..."

(Why not? Dabir is single, so are you..)

"Aapi! apko maloom bhi Hai aap keh kya rahi Hain? Umr ke is modh pe jaha hum dono hi saas sasur hain aur insha'ALLAH kuch salo mein Nani aur dad's ban jayenge, is age mein hum apni Shaadi ka soche? Achha lagega?" Age wasn't the thing, but the duration of fifteen years which had made them fall out of love is.

Or did they?

They have just got habit of living without each other but did they really forgot each other?

(Do you even know what you are talking about? At this part of age where we both are mother In-law and father in-law, maybe after few years we will be grandparents. Will it suit is to get married at this age?)

"Koi apne sage bachho ke saas sasur nahi bane ho tum dono, abhi tumhari age utni nahi Hai, is age mein kitni log Shaadi karte Hain."

(You don't have real kids, nor you have aged that much, many people get married at this age.)

"Karte honge, lekin hume nahi karni. Aur please, aapi, yeh baat kisi se mat kariyega." By now Eshal's hands were remove from her head and Iman was putting her hair together in a bun

(They may get married at this age, but we don't want to. And please, don't talk about this to anyone else.)

Specially Dabir!

What will other think if they got to know about Eshal's words

What will Madiha and Zamin think that their uncle and aunty had a history together

"Toh Kya tum Zindagi bhar akeli rahogi?" This made Iman's moving hands stopped as she looked at Eshal

(So you will love your life alone?)

"Akeli kaha Hoon main, sab to Hain mere pass, aap, Bhai, Madiha.. aur Zamin.... Sab toh Hain." Iman out her hand on Eshal's laps and said

(I'm not alone, I have you, Bhai, Madiha... And Zamin, I have everyone.)

"Tum in sarey rishto ko Humsafar ke sath compare nahi Kar sakti. Ek Humsafar ki kami duniya ka koi bhi rishta Puri nahi Kar sakta."

(You can't compare these relation with a life partner, no one can replace your spouse.)

"Aaj se pehle to mujhe Kabhi mehsoos nahi hui Humsafar ki kami, jaisa chal rahi Hai zindagi chalne dijiye, aapi." Iman couldn't had anymore of this conversation

It was digging the grave of past which she didn't wanted to face

Getting up she was about to leave the room when Eshal's voice stopped her

(I have never felt the need of life partner before, let me live the way I'm living.)

"Nahi. Jaisa chal raha Tha waise ab nahi chal sakta. Tumhe khud nahi maloom ki tum andar se kitni tanha ho."

(You can't love the way you were living before, you don't know how much lonely you are.)

"Aapi, please! Ab is baarey mein baat na kare. Please! I'm requested you."

(Don't talk about this anymore.)

<><><>

"Arey yaar, ab yeh button kaisi toot gayi?" Zamin was buttoning his white shirt when the the second button from top got free from thread and fall between his fingers

(How did this button fall from shirt?)

"Maine torhi, mujhe na shirt se button thorhne mein bohot maza ata hai." Madiha who was sitting on the bed, sipping tea, checking her husband out, said

(I broke it, I love breaking shirt's button.)

"Jitna zuba'n chalati ho, utna hath aur dimag bhi Chala liya Karo...." Zamin was still looking at his button but her words made him looked at her

(Wish you could use your hands and mind faster like you use your tongue.)

"Dimag na tumse zyada chalta Hai..... ab khare rahoge Kya? Jao change karo." When she saw Zamin was mourning over his broken button, she asked

(I use my mind more than you do... Now will you keep standing there? Go and change.)

"Par., black balzer pe toh white ke alawa aur kuch achha nahi lagta." He looked at him shirt then at his black blazer which was on chair

(But, black only fits together with white.)

"Toh blazer bhi change karlo."

(Then change your blazer too.)

"Main sab change karlu par tum button nahi lagaogi."

(I should change everything but you won't stitch the button.)

"Tumhe bas mujhse kaam karwana rehta Hai aur kuch nahi..." Putting the mug on side table, she got down from bed and went to dressing table to take the thread and needle box out

(You love to ruin my peace and comfort.)

"Lao, apni shirt do." Wetting the thread by her mouth she asked for his shirt

(Give me your shirt.)

"Shirt utarne ki Kya zaroorat Hai, aise hi laga do button." A hought crept in his mind and he decided to tease her

(Do I really have to take it off? Stitch the button while I am wearing it.)

Madiha tch at him but nevertheless she went to him to stitch his button while he was wearing his shirt

While stitching a small laugh left her mouth

"Pata Hai, ek baar na papa ki shirt ki button toot gayi thi toh mummy unke shirt ki button aise hi laga rahi thi ki... Galti se unhe sui chubha diya..." Laughter filled voice of her came which didn't made Zamin laugh

(Once mamma was stitching Papa's shirt while he had his shirt on, and by mistake she pinned the needle in his chest.)

"Ouch!" This was his first and genuinely reaction when he heard it, his hands which were about to be placed on her waist also stopped

"Kya hua?" This made her startled as she avert her eyes away from button to his face

(What happened?)

"Ku..kcuh nahi... Main shirt utar raha Hai Hoon tum aram se button laga do,"

(No.. nothing.. I'll take my shirt off then you can stitch the button.)

"Jab pehle kaha Tha toh kyu nahi utara? Ab Khadhe raho sharafat se, almost hogaya Hai." Now her funny and light mood was replaced by anger as she scold him and again turned to his shirt button to stitch it

(When I told you to take your shirt off but you didn't, now stand still, I am almost done.)

"Aram se," he couldn't help but say

(Be careful.)

"Aram se ho Kar rahi Hoon, mujhe Mera kaam mat batao.." she was angrily telling him when

(Don't tell me what to do. I'm being careful.)

"Ouch!" By mistake she pinned the needle in his chest which made him hissed and this made her drop the needle which hanged by the support of thread as she looked at him

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