The two-day trip of jodha was not less than a roller-coaster, it's not that, she hadn't enjoyed this wedding, she did, she enjoyed the wedding atmosphere and the company of mirza. Dancing! the fun part of any wedding, specially when the band started playing some lively dance music and with the crowd, she too was on the dance floor, dancing as the best dancer.. Amongst everyone... She got a huge round of applause though she was happy and enjoyed the wedding ... But not full heartedly as all these things, was without jalal, after that incident she totally ignored him, or tried to ignore him, but still it didn't feel to her while seeing him talking to some other girl, she doesn't know why she was acting like this, it never happened before, there were many crushes of her before too, but this thing, this restlessness ,this eagerness or this jealousy. These things never happened, but now, what was new?
"hey jodha" called mirza as he jerked her a little, bringing her back to the present, she looked at him and then glanced at the window of the car looking at the dark sky.. Thinking her life somehow relates to the night because jalal was the sun and moon of her life. Then she shook off that thought thinking 'I don't like jalal then why should I think too much about this... Our marriage was a compromise, but then really?'... And she looked outside once again but this time with a different thought as she wanted to sleep in her mother's lap and wanted to speak her heart out in-front of her the feelings and her possessiveness for jalal ... And they hadn't reached mansion yet...the one place she wanted to go.. Partially because jalal was there...
"huh...yaah" asked jodha as she looked at her surroundings, shivani was still sleeping, and the driver was busy driving, there was no jalal, she had requested hamida for a separate car.
"what happened to you, you are acting weird" complained mirza as he passed her a few pop-corns.
"noo...it's not like that, but you saw your brother today, vaise toh he hate eating pasta but when that bitch offered him how fast he got ready, he is acting weird, not me" pouted jodha.
"why are you getting jealous...?" asked a frustrated mirza, how much he tries to drag her attention from his brother, but her all answers, directly or indirectly relates with jalal, he thought it as a mere attraction, but by seeing her behaviour, he seems to believe it's something more, but is not ready to accept the truth because he knows where this new found feelings of her for his own brother leads to...
"i am not getting jealous, i am not like that type of girl... but what's mine is only mine"
"he is not yours, did you forget that we have to find someone better than him.?" asked mirza, to which jodha remained quiet but after a while she nodded and closed her eye-lids.
"but wait...how can you say that he is not mine...i am his wife" asked jodha as her eye-lids fluttered open, mirza looked at her, it was really difficult to make her understand.
And he knows it's waste to make her understand as he knows she won't listen to him, he kept quiet... Thinking how to get his brother out of his bestie's little brain...
~Next Day - Khan Mansion~
"mumma...where are you?" squealed jodha with excitement as soon she entered mansion, but to her surprise, there was no reply from her..
"mum...are you in?" asked jodha, but then she was not in her room too...'where she is?' she thought.
"what's this now?" muttered jodha as she picked up the piece of paper... it was a note to her from maina:-
"my little girl, the daughter whom i drove around the neighbourhood with, begging to go to sleep, the toddler who clung to my leg and pleaded with me not to leave her...sorry, i am leaving you for the second time, and surprisingly to the same guy. I know you would be angry on me for leaving without informing you, but what i can do, i just can't see you with tears in your eyes running down ur cheek, i still remember your wedding day, you cried a lot, your throat was choked and the cheeks were drowned in tears, not leaving your father's shirt, and i don't want to see that jodha again, that's why i left without informing, i can't see you crying dodo, i always want to see my daughter with the '1000-watt' smile that lights up the room. You are really special to me jodha, the day you were born, i became a mom and may be that's why i gifted your responsibility to jalal, the person i trust the most in this world , what a journey this had been and continues to be. I don't want to say it, but yes...today i cried...cried a lot, for leaving you again, wondering where all the years with u have gone. Well i know where they are, they have been invested in you, and look who you have become -- a beautiful, loving, caring, a lil naughty daughter in law, sister, and a WIFE.
Your wedding day was the beginning of a new chapter in your life, which will and needs to be challenged in your life and to be together with jalal. This will require your trust in the faithful, powerful, ever-present bond with him, you have been chosen to represent him and your marriage, so give the best of you to this relationship. That's all I wanted to tell you baby, you are never far from our thoughts and our hearts. Thank you for being my 'daughter' dodo, we love you beta.
From your dad and mom to the princess of our life."
"dad was also here, they left without meeting me" cried jodha folding the paper, her sobbing grew, she do misses her parents, who doesn't? after all she have spent her precious years of life with them, she again looked at the paper, and more tears flowed down her cheeks.
"..huh?" she looked at the tissue box, and then at the hand which passed it to her...and was shocked to see jalal.. And once she saw his face ,she stopped crying...
*Flashback*
At that time jalal came and saw her crying and understood the reason for her sobbing as he came back from the airport bidding adieu the couple - maina and bharmal.
Watching her crying, he somewhere didn't like it - seeing his 'idiot' emotional,it was just opposite to her usual nature, he got the tissue box and extended it to her..
*Flashback Ends*
"thanks" she said meekly and slowly extracted two pieces and wiped off her tears.
"you don't need to cry" he said again offering her the tissues.
"you know pagloo, they left without even meeting me" she complained, as she blew her red nose and engages in what seems like endless crying as she remembered again that her parents left.
"they left because of these tears, they knew that you would cry...and they can't see you like this... i mean specially your father, they...they love you a lot" he felt awkward saying this, he is really bad in supporting someone emotionally, unknown to the words which should be used correctly in these situations, but still he tried.
"but...still they should have told me...this letter made me cry more, why they are so sweet?"she asked to which he passed the tissue box again to her, she was crying again, and listened to her sweet complaints, patiently.
"i am really missing them...a lot" she continued and passed the 'used' tissues to jalal, observing jalal's 'yukks' expressions her lips twitched with a fit of laughter.
"just shut up...it was really disgusting" said jalal as he walked a few steps back, making jodha to laugh at him for a little more time, his actions sometimes seems really cute to her.
**Parking lot** (Mirza & shivani)
"soo...jodha is coming with jalal sir to the prom, tonight naa?" asked shivani as they reached the parking area.
"i don't think so, she is finding some one else as her partner" replied mirza, putting the bags in the back of the car.
"why? she likes him right? then...?" continued shivani.
"it is just an attraction...nothing else" he replied, a bit harshly.
"can't you see it in her eyes, it's more than a MERE attraction" he looked at her, she was saying right, but still, he knows that 'there' relation has no future.
"but...she had many crushes before too, then why it hurted her more this time, i have seen her behaviour, she has changed a lot" sighed mirza helplessly.
"because this time she hoped to get the same feelings like she is having for him, before the crushes were hopeless, she knew that she have no chance with them, but this time she just HOPED to get those feelings back, maybe the...the love back" said shivani, looking at his eyes, and in her eyes, he saw something different which she was trying to hide from everyone but it was out, finally.
"it happens very luckily that you get someone you love, and what is jodha's mistake in this situation, she is right in her place, after all they are married, they have a future together"she continued.
"l...listen" interrupted mirza, seeing her out of emotion, he knew what's going to come, he wanted to run away from this situation.
"let me say today, i know you have somewhat understood what i am going to say but still i don't know what else can i tell you, other than i can imagine spending the rest of my life with you, i know that sounds crazy. I know we are just getting to know each other and even admitting what i just did might make you think I'm nuts, but i have never been more sure about anything, and if you give me a chance - if you give US a chance, then i am going to live the rest of my life proving to you that you made the right decision. I love you mirza, and not just for the person you are, but for the way you make me think WE can be" as soon as she completed she looked at him, he was horrified, she can see it in his eyes.
"he...hey wait...i can" he tried to explain but words were becoming short for him, did she took his flirting seriously, the all he said, did she really fell for him? did his maina mum was right - "in between this flirting stuff, falling in love happens"
"i know am not the kind of girl, guys fall in love with...but i promise you i will change myself for you, the way you like me to be, i will fight against my dad, bhai... my family, but please just give us a try, i will make it sure that you never regret this relationship"she wasn't sure when it happened, or even when it started. All she knew was that right here and now, she was falling hard and she could only pray that he was feeling the same way.
"i am...so...sorry, i mean...i never intended this...i am..really...sorry" saying this he ran away, leaving her alone, to face the truth, the truth that she knew but never wanted to accept, trying to control her tears, she closed her eyes and sat inside the car, it hurted her, she hated herself to say this to him, but the one thing that hurted her the most was that the things will never be the same again.
**In Hamida's Room**
"i am sorry hamida maa...i shouldn't have talked to you like that" she said, holding her ears in-front of hamida.
"but what you did?...i mean..sorry?? kyu?" asked hamida, amused by the sudden apologise.
"arre..i almost screamed on you, that guitar wala talk" said jodha, remembering the instance which happened at the wedding night of arohi and arjun.
~FLASHBACK~
"mom...i am filing a divorce case against him" stormed an angry jodha, hamida looked at her daughter in law, scandalized by the sudden outburst.
"what..happened beta, so much of gussa?" asked her sweet mother in law.
"buss maa...i am telling you i want to marry someone else, that's why i want a divorce from your son." said jodha, as the moments of ruqaiyah and jalal flashed in her mind.
"do you ..li... like some one else?" she asked, with a little uncertainty.
"noo...but i will find someone better than him" jodha almost screamed at her, she just hated the existence of ruqaiyah in his life, their life.
"calm down princess, and he is best for you, trust me" said hamida, trying to make her understand and get some sense in her...
"no, maa you are saying this because he is your son, i know" saying this, she packed her clothes back into her bag.
"from where these things get inside your mind, don't you believe your maa? beta he is not that bad, it's just you don't know him well" said hamida as she made her young daughter-in-law sit in-front of her.
"acha..so.. .this is also my mistake that i don't know him, right?" mocked jodha as she turned her head, how much she is hating this jalal.
"how can you judge him,when you don't even know him well"
"i know him, he is rude, arrogant, selfish and a big egoistic, and moreover he is just uhhh"saying this, she was about to move but hamida held her hand and again made her sit.
"he is not like this, he is very emotional, caring, understanding, and a bit different, that's why his actions are a little weird, he don't know how to express himself" hamida looked at jodha, examining her expressions, she could say that she was not yet accepting it...her stubborn daughter in law.
"i still remember when his father died, he locked himself in his room and cried for the whole day, and the next day, he behaved like nothing happened, i was happy that he was helping me in business and was managing everything by himself, but in between all this he lost himself, you know he plays guitar very well, but it's nearly 3 years now, i haven't even seen him with his guitar" wiping off the wetness from the corner of her eyes, hamida looked at jodha...who was still lost.
"i know, he is not perfect but you aren't either, and the two of you will never be perfect if you will accuse him, he isn't going to quote poetry for you, he is not thinking about you every moment but i know he will one day, surely give you a part of him that he knows you could break, don't expect more than he can give, don't analyse, smile when he tries to make you happy, yell when he makes you mad and miss him when he is not there. Hold on him, know him, trust him because perfect guys don't exist, but there's always one guy that is perfect for you and that Perfect guy is him... you know your khan uncle always wanted to see you as jalal's bride that's why it was his last wish to jalal to marry you, he used to speak that he gifted heaven to jalal" chuckled hamida caressing jodha's cheek.
"ohk...i got it, so jalal's that perfect guy who is just for me?" asked jodha to which hamida laughed.
"yea...he is that perfect guy and now you can't find someone else, because he will love you more than any one can" kissed hamida on jodha's forehead.
"by the way, where's that guitar?" asked jodha as she was about to leave the room.
"i don't know, actually no one knows, except jalal" replied hamida, to which jodha nodded confusingly.
~Flashbacks Ends~
"you don't need to say sorry, you are still my chotta sa bacha" said hamida as she pulled her cheeks.
"no..maa i am big girl now...see" said jodha, balancing on her toes.
"you know when i look at you, i do not see the passage of time, i see my little girl playing dress up, running through the yard, playing on a swing, i will try and respect the fact that you are older now and that the decisions you will make are your own, but you must understand, that to me, you will always be my little girl. I may not be able to carry you in my arms any more, but i will always carry you in my heart" said hamida, to which jodha end up hugging her.
"aww...what happened?" asked hamida as she found her sobbing.
"i love you" cried jodha.
"i know.." chuckled hamida, ruffling her hairs.
"you know...he is not that bad" sniffed jodha as she spoke this.
"i told you...just give time to him, i know you are confused now, but just think about it once" said hamida.
"i know you don't like him when he talks to someone else, but you ever realised why?" asked hamida, as jodha kept her head into Hamida's lap.
"may be that's because i am scared as he mean more to me than any other person, he is like everything i think about, everything i want" whined jodha in confusion and irritation, this guy is forcing her to think about him, more and more.
"exactly my point, he is more than anyone else, but remember you will not be the only girl in his life, so stop getting jealous" teased hamida.
"it's not that i want to be the only girl in his life, i just want to be...the only one that matters" said jodha, scrunching her nose in anger, remembering ruqaiyah.
"ohk!! just stop thinking about this now, oh wait!! tell me did you buy some thing for the prom?" asked hamida, as she chuckled at her possessive daughter-in-law.
"oh...shit!!!! maa" cried jodha, how can she forget this, saying this she ran to mirza for his help, while the old lady laughed at her cute antics.
*Mirza's Room*
"mirzaa...did you buy something for prom???" asked jodha, screaming in his ears, but no response from him.
"hey i am talking to you...listen listen" whined jodha.
"huh...what happened?" asked mirza.
"are you fine?" asked jodha with concern, she haven't seen him so distracted.
"yea...yeah, absolutely...can't you see, i am as usual sexy" he lied, he can't tell her about the shivani part, he know, how much she is attached to her, and he just can't make jodha to hate him, never, she is his best friend.
"haan haan thiik hai, but i haven't bought anything for the prom, how i will arrange it by tonight, oh shit i haven't even asked that pagloo!!" said jodha.
"so you are going with bhai to the prom" said mirza, shivani was right, it is more than a mere crush he thought..
"umm...ac..actually naa i have told everyone that i will come with him, and i just can't change my words now...meri chod...did you ask shivani to be your partner?" jodha looked at him excitedly.
"uhh..noo i think she will not come" he again tried to change the topic, both the buddies were hiding the main events of their life from each other, for jodha it was her feelings, and mirza was hiding shivani's feelings for him.
"chal chup ker and ask her" she dialled shivani's number and passed the mobile to him.
"h...hello" he said, as soon as she picked up the call.
"mirza" her reply came as a whisper, she hadn't expected his call, she wiped up the tears and hoped that he thought to gave a chance to them.
"hey pretty girl...what are you doing? was missing me, huh?" asked mirza, trying his best to be the way he used to, he looked at jodha who was chuckling over there seeing his antics not knowing he's not doing it whole heartedly...
"yess" admitted shivani to which mirza's smile again faded, jodha looked at him and asked what, he just shook his head and winked at her.
"uhun...so angel, will you be the partner of the hottest guy for tonight?" asked mirza to which jodha could not longer control her laughter.
"so..it's jodha's wish" asked shivani as she heard her voice.
"yaah yaah...ofcourse" he tried to be his best in-front of jodha.
"ohk...bye" after saying this, she disconnected the call...disappointed once again as it was not actually his call, he was forced to call her.
"uhun..maan gyi naa" asked jodha teasingly.
"who can deny me?" replied mirza with a wink.
"kya?" asked jodha.
"nothing... you know i have got a degree in flirtationship, more than friendship, less than a relationship...and guess what...actually it's more fun" said mirza to which jodha ran behind him, he always loved this jodha of his, and he knew after knowing this shivani truth, it may happen that she will hate him, and this think was not okay with him.
****
"you know baby, your mama is really tensed now!! and it's all because of your dad, you know naa...today is our prom night and i want to go with your dad, but he will show me his nakhrass, his endless taunt and teasing, and above all his egoistic talks, and keeps so many problems in-front of your innocent maa" said jodha looking at the cute bundle of joy, her 'adopted baby', while the little cotton looked at her, confused by her talks.
Ummeed Waali Dhoop
Sunshine Waali Aasha
Rone Ki Wajah Kamm Hai
Hansne Ke Bahane Jyada
"now whose this?" muttered jodha as she heard her 'new' ringtone, she really loved this song, commercial song of 'coca-cola' but the thing which she liked more was their trademark 'believe in a happier tomorrow', and how to forget that how much she had requested mirza to set this song as her ringtone.
Zidd Hai Muskurayenge
Khush Rehne Ka Hai Waada
Umeed Wali Dhoop
Sunshine Waali Asha
Jodha ignored the call, not feeling to answer it...just to listen the song, she looked atcotton and twirled him, while the small kitten was so scared looking at jodha, she danced with him and sang the song in the middle of the corridor.
Tum Dil Se Agar Puchoge
Woh Khush Rehna Hee Chahe
Jab Sache Mann Se Maango
Toh Khul Jaati Hai Raahein
Toh Khul Ke Khusi Lutao
Ye Kya Aadha-Aadha
Umeedon Wali Dhoop
Sunshine Wali Asha
Umeedon Wali Dhoop
Sunshine Wali Asha
"uffo...the call got disconnected" chuckled jodha looking at cotton, but after a few seconds, her phone again rang.
"huh...why this dog is calling me" muttered jodha angrily, siddarth khurana, the most irritating boy, she ever met.
"yea...sid..speak up" answered jodha.. "will you be my partner for the prom, jo...actually sunanina is not coming...so i just thought to ask you" he replied.
"but...i have a boyfriend, you know naa jalal is extra possessive regarding me" replied jodha.
"but...still..he is a busy man" said siddarth, further irritating jodha...and in this irritation she cut off his call.
"baby..this boy irritates your mom a lot...and he disturbed our talk also but..." jodha stopped her sentence as she saw jalal coming towards her, and at that time something popped inside her mind.
"haan...darling...of-course baby, i am coming to the prom" said jodha a bit loud, jalal looked at her, she smiled talking to the phone and played with her hairs.
"huh..prom?" murmured jalal.
"siddarth...yaah yaah..of-course..bye darling" spoke jodha.
"idiot...why you were talking to him" trying not to sound that irritated and jealous, he asked her..."ohh..pagloo when you came?" she passed a surprising look to him.
"you are going with him...kyu?" and the most awaited question, finally came...jodha suppressed her smile and continued "ab i don't have any partner..so what should i do, vaise you know he is not that bad."
"but if you did this, then what you will answer to your so called friends?" he smirked at her, jodha looked at him...shocked by this information, what is behind this statement of his?
"what are you saying...i didn't get it" trying to be casual, and not affected, she glanced at him... "oh...such a bad memory you have, you forgot those lines which you told your friends nearly 2 months back...yeah that one 'i sang i love you for you' , and i behaved like a road side romeo... i was behind you, saying 'be my girlfriend' and all...and above all...we met at an airport...and was just behind you, flowers, chocolate etc...just like a love struck puppy"saying this, he looked at her, she passed her a frightened -smile as he caught her little lie.
"hahaha...you are so innocent pagloo, i mean it was just a joke...tum bhi naa" she faked a laugh, but seeing his brows raised, she sighed and continued "ohkk...i am sorry".
"and?" asked jalal.
"and i will not do this again" she muttered, "that's like a good idiot" saying this, he walked towards his room.
"hey...hey...mister, i admitted my mistake, now you will be my partner naa?" asked jodha as she followed him to his room.
"uhun...when i said that, you can go with mirza" He moved towards his wardrobe.
"if you don't want to come, say it directly" disappointed by his denial, she walked towards the door.
"it's already 8, i want you ready till 9...after.." before he could continue, jodha ran towards him and because of the speed she pushed him, and his head banged with the wall.
"i...am sorry" she felt her lips twitch as she held back the laugh from leaving her mouth, her eyes twinkling, "i am really sorry...zorr se lagi naa"
"i am not coming with you" turning his face, miffed by her laughter, he rubbed his forehead,"is it paining a lot?" asked jodha as she fought to see his forehead, "dramebaaz, nothing happened" saying this, she pressed the wound a little hard.
"ouuccch...just shut up and leave...am not coming with you" he chanted the same line, while jodha further smiled and pulled his cheeks, "aww...you are shoo cute" .
"i am not" he pushed off her hands, making jodha to laugh at him...and moved towards his wardrobe, pushing him aside.
"hey...what is this?" she asked looking at the gift wrapped in pink, "nothing" he responded quickly.."ruqaiyah ke liye hai?" she asked a bit harshly, to which he shook his head.
"tab theek hai" saying this, she unwrapped it, and her mouth dropped open looking at the satin pink, gown dress, it was simple but elegant. (CLICK) "is it for me?" asked jodha to which jalal remained quite, "come on...ab bol bhi do, it is not for that bitch, hamida maa never wears this kind of dress, it can't be of mirza...i know it's for me"
"you liked it?" he asked her.
****
so ending it here...sorry for mistakes, and thnx nikki for proof reading the chapter, it really means a lot to me🤗
wishing all of you, a happy new year.😃
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