DARKNESS FILLED THE ROOM with no sign of light anywhere near.

Anywhere? Everywhere.

For his source light has gone.

Left.

And slowly faded too somewhere in the dark valley of memory now.

A memory.

A beautiful memory of a serene girl with enchanting blue pair orbs which pours her heart out to him, so many times he had fallen for them. That little beauty spot just at the left corner of upper lips, so many time he had kissed it. That luscious black waves with copper highlights, so many times they have slapped his face, so many times he had played with those.

And all he wished was to relive many more such times. All he wished was for another chance. A chance.

A chance in life. A chance in Love.

Perhaps he is way too late now, for his love has left, for his life left along with his love. A gulp.

Aarzu ke saath uska Maan bhi chala gya.

A gust of smoke left his lips burning his lungs and his heart as he stands near the long window, still clad in his black salwar from the maghrib prayer. It's been three weeks since that unfaithful night and everything is still a clear mess. A Chaos. And he doesn't know what to do now. What to feel!

A din of footsteps and he closes his eyes, he is surely not ready for a lecture now, but he saw this coming.

"Nawab hone ka yeh matlab nahi key ap apne Ammi ko izzat dena bhul jaye" A sigh, and he slowly crushes the cigarette in the near ashtray.

"Amma" A sigh again as she slowly sits on the near leather couch.

"Hum aaj Mirza Haweli gaye the" She said. He just nodded, of course, he had known this, he had been there too.

"Aisha ne bataya aap bhi gaye the" He nodded, again.

"Kuch paperwork tha Amma" Paperwork, and just that.

Aneesha Begum silently wished for a better faith for them, always have. But alas, life has never been easy on them.

"Riyasat sambhalne ka waqt hai apke ps, apno ka kya?"

Words that hit him hard and he clenched his jaw.

"Abeera ne mana kar diya yaha ane se, woh Mizra haweli mein hi rahegi"

"Abeera ka mann, hum kya hai bol sakte hai."

"Ap kam se kam humare haweli mein ronaq toh wapas lein aye."

Ronaq.

Haweli ki ronaq toh betiyon sey hai.

A gulp.

"Amma"

"Humne aaj baat kiya tha Aisha Begum sey. Unse bhi, humne kaha ke haweli mein unki zaroorat h" A gulp.

"Usne kya kaha?" A soft whisper lingered with hope. A hope. And maybe that's only what left in him. A hope.

"Unhone kaha key ap dono key darmiyan ab das saal ka fasla hai, ek arse ka fasla khada hai joh woh yuh ek mahine mein khatam nahi kar sakti hai."

A gulp.

"Sahi kaha hai usne Amma. Ek arse se woh dard mein hai, ap uss dard ko woh itne asani nahi bhool sakti."

"Ek arse se toh dard mein mera Beta bhi Hai Zamaan"

A gulp and he slowly turns towards her. For it's been more than a decade he had talked to her, for she had talked to him about him.

"Amma"

"Meri beti ko wapas lein aao Zamaan, meri Bahu ko wapas lein ayein, apni biwi ko wapas le ayein, Iss haweli ke begum ko waps le ayein, apni mohbaat ko waps lein ayein"

"Amma usse waqt chahiye"

"Zamaan"

"Amma. Usne aj tak intezaar kiya hai. Ab baari humari hai."

"Beta"

"Kaisi hai woh?"

"Toot chuki hai.

"Uss sey jab ana hoga woh ajayegi."

"Woh ..."

"Usne apni zindegi key das saal mujh jaise buzdil pe qurbaan kia hai Amma, uske lia hum apni zindegi qurbaan kar sakte hai."

"Zamaan"

"Mohabbat ki hai maine usse, tut key chaha hai usne mujhe. Sajde pe manga hai maine Aarzu ki mohabbat ko. Aur uss ka intezaar hum ek zindegi kar sakte hai"

••••••••••

A GUST OF WIND kisses her open long waves a soft smile tug on her lips as she recalls a sweet memory.