Chapter no. 3: The Story (I)

The lecture was finished. After a long time, she met with so many friends and other people she knew. The lecture was too interesting as she always loved literature. In the home of Hamza Shahid, after the lecture it was now tea time.

Fortunately, Maryam was reached there a little earlier. Qandeel and Maryam were talking with Kawish and Sadia along with having tea. A little far from the central table, all four of them were telling about their routine these days. In the form of short intervals, on the jokes of Kawish the laughter of Qandeel had been roaring in a way that everyone around had at least a single smile each time.

Beside the room there was the personal study of Hamza Shahid. Kamran Ali and Yousuf Mairaj were also there. Hamza Shahid was checking the drawers of the table and muttering continuously. Kamran Ali and Yousuf Mairaj had smiles on their faces.

“Well, we could never understand where our things always go. Sabiha says that she does not enter in our study, our son has not enough time to do so and our servants claim that they only clean our study; don’t touch a single thing of ours. Now only we are left now and surely this fault would have been done by us. In a time of carelessness, we must have kept the book somewhere, tomorrow is a lecture and we need certain things from the book, but we could not find it anywhere”. He was now looking at book shelves and observing the books there.

“Sir, I think you should first take tea, and then try to think with calmness that where from you had picked the book last time and where had you kept it”. Kamran Ali advised him gently.

He still was looking each and every shelf very keenly with his back towards them.

Qandeel along with Maryam opened the door and entered very carefully.

“So, you both are here, I was searching you. Oh, Sir Hamza is also here”. Hamza Shahid was stopped suddenly after hearing her voice, and then he turned and said.

“Girl……oh what’s your name?” he started to think and memorize.

“Yes…..” she got confused. “Qandeel Yousuf”, everybody was smiled except those two.

“Oh yes, yes, we remembered your name and we know that you are the daughter of this stupid friend of us”. She smiled, “Come here, your eyesight would probably be clear than both of them. Help us to find a book”. She silently went and stood beside him. He again was thinking something.

“Well…..now we don’t remember the title of the book”. A smile was spread on each face in the room. Qandeel looked him silently. “What was the name, oh friend……of that book”. He was deeply thinking.

“Sir, I also need a book of yours for reading”. He looked Qandeel very surprisingly.

“If our mind is not off completely then probably you have first time come into our study……and immediately you have started to ask for books”. Qandeel was embarrassed to some extent. “But take it……we were just saying without reason but the responsibility to return the book will be yours because we always forget after giving books”. She shook her head very obediently.

“By the way, which book do you need?” He stared her for a moment.

“Sandra Adam’s ‘The world of Love’. I need it”. He was about to jump.

“Where did you see that book?” His eyes had a great surprise.

“It was on the side stand of sitting room”. She replied in an odd manner.

“Oh yes, now we remember. We had kept the book there two days ago while we were reading and now we are searching it here in study”. Kamran Ali‘s smile was very flourishing this time. “Listen girl……right now we need that book, then we will send it to you through your father. Read it with ease and time. Just run and bring that book to us”.

She went with Maryam smiling.

Hamza Shahid dragged a chair and seated.

“There is no answer of you, Hamza, always kept calling me ‘old man’ but never tried to look at your own memory”, Yousuf Mairaj criticized him laughing.

“Your daughter is very pretty and innocent, Yousuf. It doesn’t feel that she is your daughter at all”. His eyes had a strange impression. Yousuf Mairaj laughed involuntarily on his remarks.

Kamran Ali was listening both of them silently.

“It does feel that she is the daughter of Saima Yousuf……well that’s enough”.

Qandeel came and handed over the book to Hamza Shahid.

“Well thanks. If you would have not told us, probably we would never remember that where we had kept the book”.

“It doesn’t matter sir, I am glad that it helped to overcome your worry”.

He stood, “Yes, but there still is a worry”. He directly looked into her eyes.

“What’s that, Sir……?” She got confused again.

“Oh…..leave it. Go outside to your friends, we are coming in a few minutes”. He kept the book upside the left rack with some files.

“Ok Sir”, she turned then said to Yousuf Mairaj, “Baba, Kazim Sahib was asking about you, perhaps he wants to talk to you something”.

“Yes, ok, I should meet him”. He stood.

“Ok, you should go, we and Kamran are also coming in a while”. Hamza Shahid had sat again.

Qandeel and Yousuf Mairaj had gone outside.

There was a silence for few minutes.

“Sir, I think you are worried, there is something that continuously bothering you. You look in a deep thought constantly”. Kamran Ali had a great idea about the change in behavior of Hamza Shahid.

“Yes…….you are right, Kamran. I have seen a dream again”.

“Oh…..can I ask about that dream? May be telling someone would be helping in a sense to overcome your worry”. He shook his head positively.

“I will surely tell you, Kamran but you will have to promise me that you will never discuss that dream with anyone until the time would come, when each and every prospect of the dream will become a truth. If I would not be alive then you or someone else will experience its fulfillment”.

“I promise you, sir”.

“Let everyone else go, then me and you will go for a walk as usual”. Kamran Ali had smiled.

“Sitting in the cold breeze of the park, perhaps I would be able to repeat that all what I have seen”. He stopped for a moment then said, “Everything is so strange and perhaps very difficult too, but the impossible will be possible and in a way no one would be able to do anything. May be it’s a pray a wish time of whose fulfillment has been arrived. A nameless relationship time of whose appearance has been arrived. There are some austerities, traveling and prayers time of whose result has been arrived. There is a story time of whose writing has been arrived”. Kamran Ali was entangled this time. Then Hamza Shahid had suddenly come out of that thought.

“Let’s go outside. After that I will tell you about this dream in detail”.

Kamran Ali followed him silently.

Both of them came outside. There were very few people now in sitting room.

Qandeel was standing beside the table along with Kawish and Maryam and was laughing as usual. Her back was towards Hamza Shahid.

Hamza Shahid stopped reaching close to her.

“Qandeel Yousuf!”. She turned back suddenly. “Can we have a cup of tea?” He started looking her smiling.

“W…..Why not, Sir?” She had got confused in real this time.

She started making tea with the help of Maryam. Yousuf Mairaj had also come into the room after a while.

Kawish came and stood near Qandeel, started to tease her again. Everybody knew that Qandeel never be able to speak confidently in front of Hamza Shahid.

“Why your mouth has been shut now? Behaving so obediently in front of Sir Hamza and with us, your tongue looks unstoppable.” His tone was witty and full of criticism. Maryam started laughing.

“Hey…..kid of Kawish, if you said any rubbish in front of sir Hamza then would not be able to go home alive”. Qandeel said in a reproaching manner.

“You will kill me only if you would be able to catch me ever”. He started to talk to Maryam now, still was laughing.

After Kamran Ali and Yousuf Mairaj, she now moved towards Hamza Shahid to give him tea. He was standing near the wall alone and looking at the painting.

“Sir…..tea.” He turned and took the cup from her hand smiling.

“Thank you”. She just smiled, could not say anything in reply.

“Qandeel!” She was about to go but then stopped when he called her.

“Yes, Sir!”

“Has anybody told you ever that your eyes are so beautiful.” She started to look downwards being very nervous. She always felt it difficult to look into falcon like eyes of Hamza Shahid.

“And do you know that the shining that exists in your eyes, can attract any person towards you.” She wished to run away.

“And do you have idea that of which thing is this shining? The shining of the pure Love, penetrated into your soul and that enhances the beauty of your eyes”. With so much difficulty, she raised her head and looked Hamza Shahid. “You know whenever you smile, there comes an illumination in your eyes and on your face that a viewer is being forced to look you involuntarily.” She smiled.

“And your laughter is just like your innocence, one which penetrates into heart directly.” For the first time, someone except Baba had said these words for her. “And I just want you to hold this Love as your power forever and never let yourself to become weak.” He kept his hand over her head with kindness and Love. She felt very nice and for the first time her shyness and hesitation towards Hamza Shahid was decreased.

“In life sometimes, one has to face a difficulty, a storm that takes everything with its flow, but if the power of the Love will be your weapon, you will never lose.” He moved towards Yousuf Mairaj and Kamran Ali, smiling.

She remained standing there for a while, and then with a smile came towards Maryam and Kawish.