Never Letting Go
Asad's Birthday
Chapter 5 A
Memory
---------------------------------------------- Asad's Flashback ----------------------------------------
A million and one thoughts flooded Asad's mind. A frenzy of
panic overpowered him as he clutched the envelope in his hand close to his
heart. His eyes damp threatened to spill all the pain afflicting his contorted
mind. He could not move from the spot where his feet were transfixed,
what he perceived as chains that fastened his feet to the floor constricted his
movement. He didn't take a moment to think or collect his thoughts, he had to
hurry, he didn't know why but he had to. He broke the shackles he felt hindered
his walk and sprinted his way out of his office in a panic stricken frenzy. He
was one always known to be overprotective where Zoya was concerned and for that
matter all logic flew out the window because he didn't even read the note that
he left untouched on his office table. The words collaged to envelope were
sufficient to drive him into senseless anxiety. I'm sorry but it's
pivotal that I tell you this ... The words flashed furiously before
his eyes over and over again as he sprinted down the stairs towards the coffeehouse hoping she hadn't travelled too far from there. He sprinted through the
glass revolving doors, suppressing the salty cry that pierced his lungs in
agony. Had he taken a moment to think instead of letting fear consume him he
would've seen her entering the lift of his building.
Zoya made her way to Asad's office with the two salted
caramel mochas and one extra hot venti cafe latte with an extra shot of
espresso. She took the lift to carry the delicate cargo. She thought she'd
treat him to two drinks in place of one, one which was bitter and suited his
rigid temperament and the other was sweet and salty which complemented his
bittersweet nature, the intensity of his love and passion. She exited the
lift on the 6th floor entering the main employee office which
was derelict; there was no one in sight. Strange she thought.
She made her way to Asad's office, smiling to herself hoping
that he had read the note. A searing sense of nervousness burnt her skin. She
was scared of what his reaction to the note would border on. Maybe he would
scold her for her overtness or maybe he would be ecstatic knowing she was ready
to be his. She didn't know how else to give words to her feelings. It would
have been far too intense to say those things to his face while his eyes
watched penetratingly and so she decided to write a note. A letter which added
a personal touch in her humble opinion, - that is to say in the age of
Whatsapp, text message and email, who actually sits down to write a letter, a
dying art to say the least it required a lot of thought to pen her feelings.
She walked to the end of the corridor as Asad had
instructed, glancing at the large crystal clock that graced the side wall.
Perfect she thought, just in time. She entered the office using her back to
push the door open. "Mr Khan ... see I was adept, I listened to you,
complied and I'm here on time and you say I'm irresponsible, you silly, silly
man," Zoya said as she entered what she perceived as his office to find
three bewildered faces staring at her. Awkward couldn't even begin to explain
how she felt.
Three bewildered faces stared in awe at Zoya, bemused by her
childish lecture towards their manager and business associate, Asad Ahmed Khan,
respectively. She smiled awkwardly at the three smiling faces. "Woh actually,
I mean I was supposed to be meeting Mr Khan here but it looks like I walked
into a meeting, I am terribly sorry," Zoya excused herself.
"Hello Miss Farooqui," a voice came from across
the room. "I'm Prasad, Mr Khan's right-hand man and his senior structural
engineer and assistant project manager. After your engagement to Mr Khan, this
is the first time I've seen you. I didn't get a chance to introduce myself back
then."
"Hi Prasad Sir, I'm please to meet your
acquaintance," Zoya smiled nervously directing her gaze at the coffees in
her hands and back at Prasad because she could not shake his hands. "I'm
sorry, my hands are a little full right now but I would have shaken your hands
to meet your acquaintance."
"No worries at all. This is Mr Zubin Mehta and his son
Mr Aakash Mehta of Mehta Group and Sons; they are here on a business proposal.
We've just wrapped up this session and we were all on our way until you graced
us with your delightful presence. Mr Khan is here somewhere, most likely
waiting for you in his office, so I won't keep you too long. Again it was nice
to finally meet the woman who has been the talk of this office for
months," Prasad smiled and got up to make his exit out of the office.
"And likewise it was a pleasure to meet all of
you," Zoya smiled awkwardly wondering what the office personnel blabbered
about with regards to her and Mr Khan.
"Actually wait, I have an idea you might want to ponder
upon for this project. Correct me if I am wrong but are you renovating the old
desolate warehouse situated in the Budhwara district of Bhopal near the
lake?" Zoya asked enthusiastically because she had a bright spark on
seeing the design portfolio in Mr Mehta's hands with the design brief.
"That's absolutely right ma'am, but why do you
ask?" Mr Zubin Mehta questioned with curiosity.
"Well I have visited that area once and it's situated
near a lake. Your apartment designs are well planned and good, in fact
spectacular but I think you should consider simplifying the plan by adapting a
Scandinavian design or look instead of this rigid plan. For example make
rectangular shape buildings with open plan floors and interiors which each
client can adapt to their own lifestyle. Fire resistant natural timber
floors and ceilings in place of the tried and tested marble floors and the
cement based ceilings. Timber is more ideal and given the technology we possess
can be easily rendered fire retardant. Also large smart glass windows
overlooking the lake would be far more appropriate instead of small windows which
any one would find claustrophobic. The open plan and large smart glass reflects
the ecological beauty of the surrounding lake environment and would be a
beautiful feature to the apartments and not to mention airy and there will be
plenty of natural daylight. The timber finish makes the apartment far
more polished and would look ideal against a natural white and honeycomb
interior and it is far more ergonomic. Also excavating part of the ground will
allow you to construct a concrete basement and car parking area, as well as a
garden for each occupant." Zoya inhaled and exhaled deeply after she
narrated that lecture on design to some of the most respected architects and
businessmen in the field.
She was extremely nervous of their opinion but
also managed to surprise herself with that amount of information. Well Google
was her best friend and she spent a great deal of her time taking an interest
in Mr Khan's work which she ensured he was never aware of.
Prasad and the Mehta's looked at each other astonished by
the detailed and brilliant idea that Zoya had presented them with.
"Actually that is a well-pitched idea and it would
still be within our budget range. It just means we would have to run this by Mr
Khan to get his seal of approval and possibly set up some fire testing
simulations on the fire retardant/resistant aspects of the proposed plan,"
replied Aakash thrilled at the idea Zoya had pitched.
"In fact we will run this pitch to Mr Khan and you
could co-manage this project with him. Prasad please do pass these details the
talented Miss Farooqui has suggested to Mr Khan," replied a delighted Mr
Zubin Mehta.
"Once again it was a pleasure meeting you Miss Farooqui
and I hope to see you again soon. We shall now take our leave. I understand its
Mr Khan's day off. Anything special?" Mr Mehta senior quizzed.
"Yes it is a special day but it's a surprise so I don't
want to spill the beans but I reassure you that Mr Khan will be looking forward
to your next meeting to which he will personally attend to tailor this deal to
your project needs. And it was nice to meet you too. Have a good day,"
Zoya replied.
---------------------------------------------
Prasad and the Mehta's took their leave and exited the
office. Zoya smiled awkwardly until they entered the lift and were no longer in
sight. The entire event was sufficiently awkward. She heaved a sigh and took a
long glance at the corridor once again realising she had entered the wrong
room. Of course she was clumsy and could not follow simple instructions
especially instructions Mr Khan dictated to her. Well he's a silly man, as were
his instructions and he is an adamant man too. It was either his way or the
highway but she knew she could sway and manipulate him if and when needed not
that she did that often but he is a work in progress and he was changing albeit
slowly.
She smiled to herself realising how lost she was in her
thoughts and how worried she was regarding his reactions to the note that
she didn't realise there was another door at the end of the corridor
with a name plate that read clearly and respectably, Asad Ahmed Khan, exactly
as he pointed out to her in the car park earlier. His name made her blush. She
bit her bottom lip as she tip-toed to the glass door that graced the entrance
to his office.
Being the prankster that she so loved being Zoya pressed her
nose up against the glass of the door to view the inside of the room, just like
a kid at a department store viewing candy in awe from the display window. She
thought that her childish gesture might entertain Mr Khan, her nostrils pressed
up against the glass and a silly face or two. She thoroughly viewed the room
from the glass door. Mr Khan's office was spacious, brightly lit with white and
green interiors. Her jaw dropped in admiration of the simplicity and modern
design of his office. It mirrored his OCD tendencies really well but
this wasn't the first time she had been to his office, maybe
she didn't notice the grandeur of his handiwork and architectural
ability prior to this.
But then again his house was impressive and she acknowledged
his craft perfectly well there and honoured it with her exquisite poetry, with
the shayari (poem) she recited to Phoopi, no her Ammi on the first day she
entered the Khan Villa. The only exception to his architectural ability was his
room, it needed improvement. It lacked wardrobe storage and that massive
elliptical window provided a sight full to anyone lounging in the patio
overlooking his room. That was something she definitely needed to change
especially considering their marital nights were not far from transpiring.
She cleared her thoughts and waltzed back to the present moment taking a
thorough view of his office. Disappointment grew in her optimistic core when
she could not find her candy, Asad in his office.
---------------------------------------------------
She entered the office using her back to pry open the glass
door with force and waltzed in on her dainty heels towards his pristine black
glass desk to place the coffees in her hands down on the table. Her delicate
arms needed a rest. The coffees were getting cold much to her dismay and there
was no sign of Mr Khan anywhere however she rested her eyes on her note which
was still in the envelope she found untouched on the table. He didn't even care
to read it she thought to herself disappointed. Then she thought that what if
he did read it and got angry at the context of the note. Whichever way it was,
one thing she definitively knew was that she had a lot of explaining to do. She
knew intuitively that he would launch his 'tehzeeb and tameez' lecture and
ridicule her for being poorly cultured, not being able to follow simple
instructions.
She reached for her mobile to call Mr Khan to give him an
earful for his bad manners for leaving her there uninformed of his whereabouts
just like that without a care in the world for her, she thought to herself. But
his 4-by-4 was still parked outside the building she recalled seeing his
vehicle on entering the building with the coffees.
She was about to dial his mobile but was astonished by the
numerous miscalls that blazed angrily on the screen. "What the hell!"
Zoya thought puzzled. There were a total of 62 miscalls, 13 unread text
messages and 8 voicemails. As she ploughed through the endless list she
realised they were all sent by Mr Khan. Zoya found this peculiar even for him.
He was definitely mad and that was certainly not her intention for today. She set
out to make him happy on his birthday but so far the day was not going as plan.
Like Ammi always says, her intentions are always in the right place except the
route she takes to achieve and fulfill her intentions are full of
errors. She truly felt like a magnet for disaster.
Without further-ado Zoya took out the knitted mug cosy's she
knitted to wrap around the coffees in an attempt to keep them warm and then
began to dial his number which she saved on speed dial. "Pick up,"
she murmured continually to herself. His mobile was busy.
-------------------------------------
The Mehta's and Prasad took their leave from the office and
entered the car park where they exchanged polite words regarding Zoya.
"Prasad, she is a well cultured lady. What is all this
nonsense that she's mischievous? The girl is an angel and Mr Khan should
consider himself lucky," Mr Zubin Mehta said joyfully to a smiling Prasad
who was all the more aware of Miss Farooqui's mischief.
"Of course she is," Prasad smiled, "Anyhow I
hope to see you again," Prasad said shaking Mr Zubin Mehta's hands.
The Mehta's took their leave. Prasad was in the process of
driving off when he spotted an angry and dismal Mr Khan making his way towards
his 4-by-4.
"Sir, is everything alright?" Prasad
questioned with concern.
"Miss Farooqui, have you seen her? I can't seem to find
her anywhere and she isn't answering my calls," Asad confided in
his confidant, senior structural engineer and assistant project manager.
"Yes Sir, Miss Farooqui's in your office waiting for
you. In fact she even greeted and pitched a brilliant design plan to the
Mehta's which they have really taken to and they want to include it in their
design objectives. I have left the details in the designated folder in your
office and emailed a copy of today's meeting outcomes to you."
"Thanks Prasad, I'll have a look at it," Asad
answered astounded and not completely sure as to why he reacted the way he did
before but he was still angry at Zoya. She had the audacity to create havoc on
his birthday, she hadn't even wished him and did it even occur to her
that today was his birthday. He was angry and possibly he reacted the way he
did due to the mannerism in which she looked back at him on the way to the
coffeehouse which was further compounded by the collage of the letters on the
envelope as though she were having second thoughts. It drove him
mad. She drove him mad.
--------------------------------------
Asad ran in a senseless state of fear and anger up the
stairs forgoing the lift straight to his office. He needed to vent his anger
and Zoya needed to be aware of how much her actions today irked him. They both
needed a thorough heart to heart talk and she had to explain that note to him.
He was in no way prepared for her having cold feet.
He reached the glass doors of his office. His eyes fell upon
a lip stain on the glass door.The lip stain triggered his annoyance that much
more. He took out a handkerchief from his suit pocket to wipe the glass all the
while staring at the calm and collected Zoya seated on top of his glass office
desk enjoying her coffee with no care in the world.
He stormed into his office. "You're impossible Zoya, I
can't believe this. You didn't answer any of my calls. I was worried
sick and here you are calmly sipping on coffee," Asad reprimanded
Zoya.
He walked towards the desk in a fit of rage which made Zoya
nervous. She began chugging the remainder of a her coffee down, keeping a
watchful eye on him all the time and then plonked the empty coffee cup on the
desk and in a swift motion jumped off the desk and stood behind his
office chair using it as a protective shield. Asad curled his fists in anger
seeing her clutter his desk, his OCD began to consume and fuse with his already
angered state.
"Mr Khan you're being unreasonable now. And ...
and ... and ... your coffee is getting cold," She pointed to his coffees
that were snuggled in mug cosy's which she knitted herself and so aptly brought
with her to the office in her bag. One had 'I love you Jahaapanah six packs'
knitted as part of the pattern and the other had a combination of their first
name initials 'AZ'. "Have a sip ... or two and you'll feel much
better," Zoya smiled anxiously. Maybe she should have knitted a mug cosy
that had 'Don't panic' and 'I'm with Mr Grumpy.' It would suit his
temperament more.
"Actually it's my fault. I shouldn't have
given you the lease to do as you please. You could not even follow simple
instructions and to top it all you got me worried sick with some stupid note.
Maybe I should have given you a much simpler task like filing my paperwork,
that way you would have no room to give me a heart attack of all days today.
But yeah even that would be too much to ask of you," Asad reprimanded Zoya
as he walked over to where she was standing.
Zoya began to tread carefully, manoeuvring her way around
his desk, one step at a time, moving as far as she could from Asad who with all
reason to make his point heard, mirrored her walk. He took a step forward
towards her for each step she took backwards around the desk. In no time they
were orbiting the desk, exactly the way she was orbiting around him earlier at
breakfast.
"Oh really Mr Asad Ahmed Khan," Zoya retorted in
frustration, "Well is that all I'm good enough for, filing your
paperwork?" Zoya replied annoyed. "Thank you sincerely
for bringing that to my awareness, what you think of my intellect,
actually, more appropriately according to you the lack of it," Zoya
answered as both continued to orbit around the table.
"I followed all of your instructions, well almost all
of them. I ordered not one but two coffees for you. I even took the liberty to
keep them warm with these cute mug cosy's for you, which can I add, I knitted
for you. Okay fine I broke a few of my promises. I spoke to a number of total
strangers on the way to your office, - the lady in the coffeehouse who
complimented my Jimmy Choo heels, the old guy who needed help crossing the
road, your security guard, Prasad and the Mehta's too. Despite all of this I
was on time. I have a lot of things to do today but no you didn't think once
that maybe I had more pressing issues to deal with. Instead you dragged me here
to your office to tend to your needs," Zoya replied in her defence.
"Tend do my needs," Asad protested, "Tend to
me? Really! But you didn't. YOU didn't tend to my calls, my texts and my
voicemail. Before leaving the house today you said you would do anything for me
and that is what annoys me the most. You say you'll do things but you never do.
So irresponsible. And please don't give me some poor excuse that your hands
were occupied with the coffees and that's why you could not answer my
calls."
"Mr Khan, you're a man of many contradictions. I truly
do not understand you," Zoya responded in disbelief as she continued her
orbiting stagger around the desk preventing Asad from manhandling her, not that
he would but given his current disposition there was no telling of his next
action.
"I am not irresponsible, however I'm clumsy, and I care
too much. I care too much about you. I guess I ask too much of you to praise me
for once. And for your kind information if you take a closer look you'll see
that I have taken my time out to tend to you. These coffees, the mug coffee
cosy's I knitted the night before which are keeping your coffees warm,"
Zoya pointed at the coffees on the desk venting her frustration and continued
her rant. "I spend a great deal of my time researching your projects and I
even pitched a design brief which I thought you might like; the breakfast I
made for you this morning, and I didn't even sleep last night. I was up all
night preoccupied with what you might like, making all these preparations for
..." Zoya gasped and held her hands over her mouth hoping she hadn't given
too much away.
She took a deep breath because she needed air following that
outburst. She sighed pulling her hair backwards and looked up to meet Asad's
gaze across the desk. "And that note Mr Khan," she pointed at the
note, "it took me a great deal of courage to write," Zoya whimpered
holding back a cry, clutching her white top at chest level in an effort to calm
the heavy beating of her heart.
Asad's clenched fists, and tightened jaw began to soften on seeing
how distressed and hurt Zoya was at his outburst. He closed his eyes tightly
and sighed, raising both of his hands over his face in a swiping movement as
though he were removing a heartless mask from his face. His heart fluttered
seeing her naive and helpless state and he realised his anger was impetuous and
uncalled for. His anger-ridden demeanour thawed on seeing how much effort his
Zoya had put into the day for him. He definitely overreacted. But she was
unpredictable at times.
"I'm sorry Zoya," he whispered lovingly,
taking one step towards her, "I shouldn't have reacted like that but I got
scared. The thought of losing you eats me away day and night. I cannot lose you
again," Asad stressed each word as he replied looking into Zoya's tearful
eyes. "All I read was I'm sorry but it's pivotal that I tell you
this, and then the way you looked back at me on the way to the coffee house
and then you wouldn't answer my calls so I felt that you ran away, - that I had
loss all reason to live," Asad explained walking slowly towards a
disheartened Zoya but she was reluctant and continued orbiting away from him
around the desk.
"Zoya please, say something, your silence is killing me
and that note, - you ... you must read it to me. Please?" Asad
requested sincerely, his endearing eyes trailing Zoya's orbit around the table.
He smiled at her in an attempt to lift her mood but she continued to stare at
him in disbelief with a full on pout. He decided to lighten the air in his
office and dampen down the flare of anger and misery that robed Zoya's face by
employing her very own tactics in particular her use of mindless chatter.
He thought that might just work and so he continued
speaking. "Oh wait I see, I think I know what you've written. You're
disappointed because I'm not what you expected in your Prince Charming,"
he sniggered, "- or is it another list of your wishes because you felt
that my prior fulfilment of your last few wishes was substandard? Or is it that
you've written your very first love letter for me and not the 'great' cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, " Asad questioned Zoya rolling his
eyes on his statement on Dhoni as he simultaneously reached over the glass desk
to grasp the note.
Zoya observed his every move carefully and the instant she
saw his hands reach out to grasp the envelope and note; Zoya flung forward onto
the desk and grasped the note before he could reach it. She was on top of the
table, covering the note with both of her hands from his view. She looked up at
his alarmed face. He reached forward to inspect that she was okay after all she
just threw herself onto a glass desk, although it was shatter proof, he still
felt scared for her life and also the table.
She was fine but once again her unpredictable and juvenile
behaviour baffled him. He pinched the corners of his nose bridge tightly,
closing his eyes shaking his head in disbelief and let out a loud and prolonged
sigh. When was she going to stop with her impulsiveness he thought deeply?
"Miss Farooqui, that was so incredibly foolish, you
could've hurt yourself and my poor table which hasn't ... as far as I know ever
wronged you, why vent your frustration on it. Anyhow what exactly are you
playing at? First you write a note for me to read and now you're denying me
that privilege? I don't understand you," Asad responded in a livid tone.
He exhaled trying to calm down and decided to take a seat in his chair because
he knew there was no way he could win any argument where she was concerned. She
was far too stubborn.
On the contrary Zoya's disposition was the exact opposite of
Asad's. She for one felt thoroughly satisfied. She looked up at Asad relieved
he hadn't been quick enough to get the note. She got off the glass desk,
composed herself and walked over to his side tenderly, not breaking her gaze.
She looked at his flawless features in awe. How could he be so brutally manly
and angelic at the same time, puzzled her. This man had it in him to pull at
her heart strings, fasten and slow her heartbeat at the same time after all
this time.
She placed the note into the rear pocket of her black skinny
jeans away from his grasp and turned her attention to the coffees that were
getting cold; removing the knitted mug cosy's and then proceeded to offer one
to Mr Khan who observed her with his enamoured eyes, his anger once again
thawing to her caring actions. He took a few sips as she fed him with his much
needed caffeine. Once she had finished feeding him his much needed coffees she
walked over to the recycling bins outside the office room, placed all the cups
into the recycle bins and sauntered her way back towards him.
-----------------------------------------------
She tenderly sat on his lap, swinging both of her legs
across his lap and curled herself into his chiselled chest, brushing the tip of
her nose on his neck, inhaling his familiar scent. She wrapped her arms around
his torso and planted a gentle kiss on his neck and in that instant he felt
warm and content. He tilted his head back into the chair and looked into her
eyes trying to gauge what it was that she so desperately needed to say. Before
he could question her any further on the note Zoya lifted her left hand to his
lips to remove the traces of cream remnant of his coffee.
She traced the contours of his lips, imagining what it would
be like to have him take her lips in a passionate kiss. His skin blazed on her
touch. He continued to stare at her, wrapping his masculine arms around her
waist pulling her closer - in a tighter embrace. He leaned forward in response
to her touch, to take her lips but she stole a glance away from him, hiding the
crimson that flourished on her cheeks.
She turned towards him once again meeting his unabashed
gaze. There was fire in his eyes; she wanted to drown in his warm and intense
brown eyes. He placed his right hand on her face lifting her face until her
gaze met his but she lowered her eyes and looked at him in a shy, half-lidded
stare, chewing on her lower lip in apprehension. Asad could fall in love
with Zoya again and again because of her weird tendencies, her timid and loving
mannerisms that would make even an angel fall. She ended the heavy onslaught of
heat that emanated between them. She pulled away a few inches from his warm
chiselled chest but remain seated in his lap. She inhaled deeply, wrapped her
right arm around his neck, and raised her left arm until her left hand was
firmly entangled with his right hand. She teased his right hand with her left
hand. She composed herself before she broke her silence and spoke.
Zoya held onto Asad's right hand firmly before she answered
to him. "Mr Khan, you panic too much. There are things you do that really
irritate me sometimes and panicking is one of them. I'm sorry that you reacted
the way you did, I guess it's partially my fault too. You need to stop worrying
about me in particular losing me because I promise you that no matter what
comes we will always be together. I will never leave you," Zoya's words
resonated in Asad's mind and heart, lifting his spirit and renewing the vow she
made to him the night she returned to him.
Asad fixated his gaze on Zoya, smitten by her words he
smiled reservedly, with restraint because he truly felt she still needed to
explain that note to him and knowing her temperament he knew well enough that
she would not and for that matter he decided not to give her the pleasure of
revelling in sheer joy and triumph for soothing his temper. Without further-ado
he leaned forward and freed his right hand from her firm grasp, one finger at a
time, jestingly before reaching for her derriere pocket seizing the note.
Zoya reacted impulsively almost like a knee-jerk reflex the
minute she felt his hand on her derriere. She tugged at his retreating right
hand which enclosed the note, holding onto the corner of the note obstinately
hoping she could somehow pry it out of his firm grasp. She freed her right arm
that looped around his neck and deployed her right arm in full swing towards
his hand that contained the note but before she could strike him, he took a
firm hold of her right arm with his left hand and propelled the soldered union
of their arms into the air and in no time the office chair on which they were
seated moved in circles like a carousel at a fairground.
"Mr Khan, mujhe chakkar aa rahe hai, I'm feeling
dizzy and you know perfectly well I have major balancing issues, I'm so
clumsy and falls are second nature so please stop Asad," Zoya screamed,
bidding him to stop. Asad let out a garish and glowing chuckle, akin to the
laughter that reverberated the mesmerising rainy night with Zoya at the gazebo.
It was the most fun he had since then, where he just let himself go without a
care in the world to appear austere. There was no one here besides them anyway
that he felt he needed to keep up appearances for.
His rotating chair diversion was relentless, the more
she aimed for the note the greater the speed Asad enforced on the moving office
chair, as though there was no end to the rotation of the chair, as though he
was having a laugh at her expense. The spinning of the chair gain momentum
before a high and final crescendo and both of them came crashing down on the
floor. Today was the day for circles, Asad thought as he landed on his back
hitting the marble floor with a lumbering thud. Zoya too tumbled but landed in
the caring confines of Asad's arms, her face settled on his firm and muscular
chest, her ears pressed against the site at which she could hear his heartbeat
racing and her hands settled on the crevices and caverns that etched his
abdomen with his six-packs.
Zoya's hands travelled up Asad's toned chest to his
tensed shoulders digging her fingernails into them unintentionally as she
reciprocated his embrace. His skin blazed at her touch, he held his breath and
she was acutely aware of what her touch yielded in him as his heartbeat became
erratic but he held his breath in apprehension of her next move. Her head spun
treacherously at the intimacy between them, feelings of torment and pleasure
coursed through her body as she decided to end his misery and relieve him of
the ache she caused him by depriving him of reading her note. It was his
birthday and so far nothing was working in her favour. She decided she would
say everything contained within the note to him because sooner or later he
would come to know well given that the note was still in his hands.
She tentatively raised her head to meet his inviting
gaze and her heart raced erratically in her chest. Asad looked at her
with smoky, seductive eyes with a tangled mass of emotions ranging from desire
to frustration to anger rising in his core. His anger wasn't directed to
her but more to himself for almost ruining his day with her, anger that parched
his heart, mind and soul with anguish. He decided to soothe both of their aches
as he relaxed his firm embrace and moved his hands up her quivering back,
caressing one vertebra at a time which only served to intensify the throbbing
of Zoya's heartbeat that pulsated against his chest and welded with his raging
heartbeat.
He began to caress the nape of her neck as Zoya explored the
depths of his smoky brown eyes. How could Asad's hands rouse such intense
feelings, she pondered fleetingly. He too examined her alluring doe-like eyes,
sighing, he was in the process of lifting his face to drop a tender kiss on her
lips but before he could Zoya recited the words she penned in the note
interrupting Asad's reverie.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"I'm sorry but it's pivotal that I tell you this,
It's the perfect day for this. This is the right moment
to tell you this or reaffirm this because I know that you already
subconsciously know this. And I know that you have a penchant for panicking and
assuming the worse so first things first, please take a seat and read this
calmly.(She knew perfectly well they were on the floor but seat is what she
had originally placed in the note.)
I have a lot things that I need to confess to you and I
know you are not one for words in general, you don't feel the need to give
words to everything but I do and so it's pivotal that I tell you this and I'm
sorry, sincerely - if you feel hurt with the words written here by my heart ...
There are times that I felt life would be better for the
both of us if I left and you could go back to whatever you were doing before I
came along and complicated your existence ..." Zoya sniffled
shifting her eyes left to right trying to read Asad's reaction.
Pain traced the perfect contours of Asad's face, the calm
and affectionate mask that graced his face a few minutes ago now turned to
anxiety and uncertainty. He tightened his embrace, pulling Zoya closer, his
movements were livid, pressing her form into his hoping that she would take
back what she had just uttered.
His brows furrowed in agony, his eyes questioning her
utterance however she didn't give him the opportunity to ask any questions, as
she placed a her right hand over his mouth, silencing him. She heaved a pining
sigh and then continued.
"I never knew my life was about to change,
drastically, forever. I never knew you were right around the corner. I didn't
see you coming although my instincts warned me beforehand ... the very first
time I met you that fateful autumn day after which we crossed paths many times.
My heart screamed from the confines my longing heart constructed to keep you at
bay. It warned me to stay away from you because it already knew that you were a
storm that would perpetually burn in me and before I could heed to my heart's
woeful call ... it was too late. I fell and I couldn't stop myself.
I often questioned if I was ever right for you because I
couldn't see how this misfit would ever fit into your perfect life. I was a
burden that you were forced to carry. You use to cast me to the side, you
showered me with your anger, you were rude, unkind, dismissive, impatient,
occasionally immature and careless even when I continued to support you in
every way that I could. You were short sighted at all the times I cared and
supported you, for you my support and care were selfish and calculating. I
didn't know why I desperately needed your approval then but now I know why.
Slowly and duly I came to understand you. I began to see
you from a different light. No longer a burden I became your reason for
existence, and you the reason for my existence. In your anger, I felt your
fear. In your rude, dismissive attitude, I felt your frustration. In your
sporadic immaturity, I saw your imperfections, and my ... you have the most
charming imperfections Mr Khan," Zoya uttered leaning forward and
pressing her trembling lips on Asad's forehead, soothing his fear. He closed
his eyes breathing in her familiar scent, letting the fire her kiss struck on
his forehead consume him. She raised her face to the prior position and
continued her narration of her letter.
"When you were short sighted, I kept an
understanding stance because I knew that you would eventually come around. When
you were quick tempered, I remained patient because I knew you would rectify
your mistakes.
In your mistakes, I saw perseverance and in your
weakness, courage. In your past, I can see what made you the way you are ...
and that is why although our past contains sadness and you dealt with it by
putting on an austere face and silence, I on the other hand I used words and my
bubbly personality to brace the tempest that brew throughout my life.
But in your future I see me, I see us, and no matter how
great our differences as you quite crudely compared to the spoon and fork
analogy, we have always been and will always be one wedded, united functioning
unit, mirror images of each other and in doing so completing each other.
When I look into my heart I see you. When I close my
eyes, I see you; I feel your presence in everything. When I look into your
eyes, I see my reflection and while I yield an overbearing feeling of warmth
and contentment within me, it is you and only you who is my lighthouse shining
my way home, eliciting those sensibilities within me.
When my life becomes chaotic and fright consumes me, you
are my protector. You are my comfort when I find myself in the clutches of
loneliness ... and you're always there for me and I never have to ask you to be
there, you just are. You know my pain before I feel it. You're the only one who
knows me better than me. You know my idiosyncrasies and likewise I have come to
know and love yours.
I love the way you crinkle you nose when I drive
you mad with my mess at the dinner table and well just about any mess that I
leave everywhere. I love the way you go overboard with your OCD for
cleanliness. I deliberately make a mess of things just to spend time with you.
I love that it takes you an hour to get lunch when we're out because the layout
of the restaurant must face north; the tables have to be positioned diagonally
from each other at a 90 degree angles.
I love the way your wardrobe is so well
organised even the socks are arranged in colour hierarchy, you pay so much
attention to things. I love the way you pinch the upper bridge of your nose
when I do or say silly and irritating things. I love that you get cold when
it's 21 degrees outside. I love the way you sing and dance once in a while just
for me. I love the way you look dishevelled in the rain. You look absolutely
inviting when you're drenched in water. I love your dimples.
Your gentleness and kindness captivates me. Your eyes are
intense Asad; the passionate and warm embers therein melt away my anger and my
resolve. You make me weak at my knees.
You guard my body from harm, my mind from conflict and my
heart from pain ... and your embrace, the strength of your arms shelter me from
everything. My heart, body, soul and mind cry when I'm not with you even for
just a nanosecond.
As much as you fear losing me, then you should know that
I cannot and I refuse to breathe and to live a nanosecond without you. I need
you, today, tomorrow and forever. I have chosen to spend the rest of my life
with you and I want the rest of our lives to start today because I love you
Asad Ahmed Khan.
I have one wish and one wish only and that is ... I want
you to ... I want you to ...
I mean I need ... I want you to ... I ..."
Zoya hesitated and stuttered on the narration of the final part of her note.
Asad's mouth hung open in sheer wonder; his breathing was
heavy and shallow, longing to know what she so desperately wanted. He gulped
deeply and slowly, repeating her words back to her.
"I want you to ... what exactly Zoya?" Asad
questioned.
"Mr Khan, I want, I mean ... I want ... you," Zoya
continued stammering.
"Aur Zoya, boliye, since when did the great Miss
Farooqui become so conscious in speaking her mind. You're a 24 hour walking
talking radio. What's the matter, cat got your tongue Miss Farooqui?" Asad
retorted mischievously.
Zoya batted her eyelashes which yielded a smile from Asad, a
smile so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness causing ripples
of unexpected warmth rushing through her.
"Zoya, aur? Kuch to bolo, please continue, you didn't
quite finish otherwise ... " Asad probed in a low whisper, dribbled in a
husky tone but regrettably no response came from Zoya.
However she shifted to get up but Asad wasn't having any of
it, he certainly wasn't in a teasing mood so his hands timidly travelled the
womanly length of her body to her hips until he had a firm hold of her and
before she could get up he rolled her over so she was on her back, his right
hand sheltering her head from the cold of the marble floor.
"Mr Khan, I want you ... " Zoya began her
torturous repetition of her utterance once more but this time she found her
escape root, - it was past midday and she needed to call Ayaan to get an update
on how much of her preparation he had completed. She began to skim his torso
with her hands, tentatively as she continued to swim in the deep embers of his
brown eyes.
Zoya's hands skimmed the contours of Asad's chest, tracing
the defined crevices and caverns, each movement hitching Asad's breath and
sparking desire in his eyes. Each touch was so gentle and timid, an innocent
exploration of his body as she continued gliding her hands down his torso until
she reach the belt and waistband of his suit trousers. She paused for a moment
to observe Asad's restless state and she let out a low chuckle as her hands
travelled to his derriere pocket whipping out the keys of his 4-by-4 and in
doing so completing her sentence: "I want you ... I want your keys Mr
Khan, we need to be elsewhere or waise bhi all the meetings and work scheduled
for today are complete," Zoya uttered mischievously, a crooked smile
played on her lips which succeeded with her pushing Asad to the side and making
a mad dash for his office en-suite taking with her, her bag and mobile phone,
slamming the door close firmly and locking it so that Asad could not follow
her.
------------------------------------------------------
Asad advanced towards the closing door but as always wasn't
quick enough. "Miss Farooqui, open the door, ye kya bachpana hai? You
didn't finish your sentence. What do you plan to do, jump from the 6th storey
of this building and runaway again in my 4-by-4, which let me tell you is my
baby who I've nurtured and kept in a pristine state or do you plan to hide in
there all day because I can simply break the door down Miss Farooqui,"
Asad spoke in frustration.
"Mr Khan, oh please I haven't got running shoes on and
it looks to me that you have a memory of a goldfish. What did I just tell you?
Were you even paying any attention? Kya samjha ya taa abhi itne pyaar se? Aap meri
baat sun rahe te yaa diyaan kahin aur taa? Anyhow the note's in your hands I'm
sure you can read the last line yourself because the last time I check you knew
your ABC'S. So take a seat because I'm going to be a while and knocking several
times on the door isn't really helping either of us," Zoya replied in her
usual euphoric tone.
"What exactly are you doing inside Miss Farooqui?"
Asad asked puzzled at all the commotion she was creating inside the en-suite,
pressing his ears against the door. It sounded like items were being flung all
over the place.
"I don't know Mr Khan, patang uraa rahi hoon aur kya
aur saat mein aap ka en-suite ko ganda bhi kar rahi hoon. I don't know Mr Khan,
what do people do usually in en-suites? Should I list all the options for you?
Why don't occupy yourself with reading the folder Prasad Sir has left for you
on the table and by the time you've finished I'll be out too, okay?"Zoya
instructed Asad. She was busy getting dressed into a saree, it was a surprise
for him.
---------------------------------------------------------
Asad stood defeated at the door; Zoya was too much to
handle at times. Her unpredictability was overbearing at times, endearing at
other times and in this instance frustrating considering it was his birthday,
maybe he expected a little too much from her today, he ruminated inwardly. He
stepped backwards in contemplation, one step at a time thinking on what he
could or should do for the remainder of the day besides reading the folder on
his office desk. He finally took a seat overwhelmed with Zoya's antics and
decided he would call Ayaan for some assistance.
He decided that he would enlist the help of Ayaan to execute
the plans he has made for the day, it would allow him to spend time with Zoya
and all the same surprise her later that evening. But Ayaan's number emerged as
a busy tone and Asad tried several times alas with no luck of getting through.
Asad pondered why Ayaan was so tied up at this moment. Sighing Asad tossed his
mobile onto the desk and flung his arms in the air in defeat and decided he
would read the project folder on the desk in the meantime as he was eager to
know what Zoya had said to the Mehta's that Prasad felt really ecstatic about
and the Mehta's were so keen on incorporating into their design brief.
He read on in pure astonishment, completely absorbed by
Zoya's pitch. He darted his eyes towards the closed en-suite door enamoured and
smitten by the amount of detail Zoya had pitched into his project and his work,
baffled of course, there was so much to her he had yet to discover. Since when
did his Miss Farooqui take such an interest in his work? He frankly
recalled her saying it was boring, the day she was filing his work for him at
home, the time when she thought he was a spy. How did she know so much about
architecture and construction? Then again Google was her best friend and there
wasn't a task too great in this world that she could not master. He let a low
but sweet chuckle, "Miss Farooqui."
All of a sudden Asad's attention fell upon the whispers that
emanated from the en-suite; his acute sense of hearing had been alerted to
Zoya's giggling and whispering. He anxiously got up from his chair, walking
discreetly towards the en-suite, to listen to what she was saying or figure out
who she was talking too. His nerves got the better of him, anxiety and
uneasiness churned scornfully in the pit of his stomach. He needed to know who
she was talking to.
---------------------------------------------
"Ayaan, mein keh rahi hoon naa, I have to say your
brother drives me mad, he's insane, aap ke Bhaijaan sar se lekar paon tak pagal
hai, in fact he created a massive commotion because he thought that I ran away,
itna hungama machaya ta because unko laga mein baag gayi, balaa mujh se chootkara
paana itna aasan hoga, never. I promise you he never will be free of me,"
Zoya giggled.
"Accha, okay listen to me carefully Raabert - is plan A
ready? And cancel plan B so no cricket with the siblings, ... and plan C,
what's the update on that?" Zoya interrogated.
"Mona darling, plan A is all set and ready except the
only thing missing is you Miss Farooqui and of course your beloved Mr Khan. I
hope you plan to drive him there in the next 30 minutes. Why can't we all be
there too and why did you choose that place, haan Mona? Plan B we'll do some
other day and plan C well Ammi and Najma are with me and we've finished the
decor exactly the way you instructed us to but we are just finalising the last
details. I hope you haven't lost the key to your keepsake box, to whatever it
was you were doing last night, a CD or something. One more thing, he's been
calling and texting for the past hour, - Asad Bhaijaan lagataar phone kar rahe
hai mujhe, unka kya karoon mein, should I receive his call or ignore him? It
doesn't take much for him to shift from sweet and loving Mr Khan to Akdu Mukhe
(punch) Ahmed Khan, I don't want to be on the receiving end of his anger and in
particular I don't want to be his punch bag for the day," Ayaan spoke
animatedly over the mobile phone.
Zoya was pacing around the en-suite fixing her saree as she
spoke to Ayaan. "Well that place has a special place in both of hearts, it
was an important milestone in our relationship and it's just perfect for today.
I want him to feel so special, just the two of us. I googled the weather
earlier, it's going to rain before we leave from there to get our precious Mr
Khan home to his surprise party. I want to recreate that rainy night before I
bring him back to the house," Zoya giggled like a teenage girl in love.
Ayaan wolf whistled over the mobile phone.
"And well you all have to be at home because he needs
to walk into a surprise attack, and I couldn't possibly be in two places at
once. I couldn't have done the decor and you know the rest ... without you three
helping me, I couldn't have done this on my own. So I'll see you all later. Oh
and please answer your brother's phone; act completely normal otherwise he'll
get suspicious, okay?" Zoya instructed Ayaan.
-------------------------------------------------------
Asad's ears were still pressed against the en-suite and he managed to siphon and heard the words 'he'll get suspicious' and pulled back from the door, his brows
furrowed in anger. What was Miss Farooqui playing at? Asad was in pensive
state, pulling his hair back in frustration until he could not take this
anymore. She was acting strangely today, yes she was weird but today she really
exceeded even herself in that department. Once again Asad's fury consumed him
and in no time he was knocking insistently on the en-suite door, "Open the
door Zoya," the wounded lion within him roared.
His sudden uproar and livid demeanour startled Zoya; her
mobile tumbled from her hands like a hot potato and fell into her bag.
She dived into her bag trying to find her mobile phone and once located she
made a quick ending statement to Ayaan and ended the call, packing her previous
outfit, the white top and black skinny jeans and everything else into her bag,
finally slipping Asad's vehicle keys into a small red pouch that's she strung to
her saree at her waist.
Ayaan was right, she thought, it certainly didn't take much
for Asad's mood to swing, it was like a pendulum which gain momentum in any
given direction without warning. She thought she should drive him to the
nearest psychiatrist instead of plan A because his mood swings were beginning
to really irritate her.
She was progressing towards the en-suite door like a
matador, or a lion tamer but before she could open the door, the handle turned
and the door was forced open as Asad entered with his fists clenched, advancing
towards her disappointed but stopped in his tracks at the spectacular vision
before him. His breathing had stopped; his heart was pounding mercilessly at
the vision of Zoya in a red and gold saree. His anger dissipated and tenderness
and adoration took its place.
Zoya looked mesmerising in a red and gold saree, her long
hair flowed in the air as though a summer breeze seeped into the office
caressing her hair, and she swayed at the coolness of the breeze against her alabaster
smooth skin, lifting her gaze, blinking her eyes several times finally resting
her eyes on Asad's intoxicated eyes. She smiled coyly, chewing on her bottom
lip, her hair flowing in the air shading the crimson that saturated her face
from time to time, lowering her gaze from Asad's intense and penetrating eyes
in which desire and intent were ablaze. Her heart throbbed ruthlessly in her
chest as Asad began walking towards her, his hair too stirred with the incoming
breeze, it felt as though time was suspended somewhere and everything was under
a slow moving filter, in slow motion, as though the ground beneath him had a
life of its own, quaking in anticipation of the possibilities.
She took a step back on seeing Asad approach her, lost in
deep thought she didn't see her bag on the floor in her clearing, and stumbled,
her body collapsing towards the floor as her hands flung in the air for
support. She closed her eyes tightly waiting for the moment her back would slam
against the cold marble floor but habit told her that she soon would find
herself in the warm embrace of Asad's arms. He propelled forwards with his
hands and scooped Zoya into his arms, her head and arms propped backwards
suspended behind her in the air, with her eyes closed, not wanting to open her
eyes as Asad's breath fanned along Zoya's length, his dancing chest
pressed against hers.
Asad pulled Zoya closer to him, closing the distance between
them, tightening his left arm around her dainty waist, and the feel of his left
hand on her bare waist aroused a fire where his fingers trailed over her skin.
He slyly smiled on seeing Zoya's breathing had become erratic as she proceeded
to turn her head away from his face, her eyes still closed as her lips trembled
in apprehension. He took in this mesmerising view of her, as though it gave him
pleasure seeing how she stirred on his touch. He tangled his right hand fingers
in the depths of her black silky hair; he lifted her head towards his face,
preventing her from denying him this special moment.
Her eyelashes trembled against his jawline as he lowered his
lips towards her ears and he whispered softly and in low husky tone laced with
desire, "Red," he sighed evaluating her reaction. She turned her face
tentatively towards him, and on opening her eyes she found herself drowning
into the smoky depths of his eyes. She held her breath as air lodged in her
throat unable to inhale or exhale, her chest heaved against his chest, her nose
brushing against his nose, her lips skimming the brim of his lower lip,
ravenous and wanting him to complete his sentence. He shifted his eyes left to
right, assessing her disturbed condition and in that momentary silence a
special connection, a fire burned in both of their chests, a new feeling
harboured between the two hearts. Asad whispered on her lips, "Red,"
breathing in the candy scent of her Mac Kinda Sexy lipstick, "Red is my
favourite colour," he swallowed hard.
Zoya gasped both at what he said and did, almost losing her
balance from his caring embrace. Asad felt a current of happiness coursing
through him as fire in his blood on seeing Zoya's flustered state. He smiled at
Zoya who looked on at him with a shy and retiring half-lidded gaze, but as
rationality began to flood her senses she began calculating her next move to
get out of his arms and into his 4-by-4 to get him to the first plan of the
day, Plan A, and most importantly before he could stop and lecture her on
driving his 4-by-4 without his permission and before he could cause her to
blush any further.
"Mr Khan," Zoya whispered on Asad's lips,
fighting her own emotions. Her murmur on his lips sent a flash of unbearable
chaos down his spine, causing Asad to delve further into his stupor.
"I want you ... to make me yours forever by claiming
the whole of me, mind, heart soul and body, as one tonight, mujhe aap ke rang
mein rangna hai Asad Ahmed Khan," Zoya whispered timidly, biting his left
ear, her outspoken act rendered his senses to go wild, weaken his resolve and
provided her the perfect escape from his arms. She freed herself from his firm embrace, took her bag and ran out of the en-suite through his office towards
the stairs, sprinting as fast as she could, the exquisite length of her red and
gold saree pallu swayed and hovered in the air as she ran down the stairs,
trailing behind as she ran merrily down the stairs.
---------------------------------------------
Asad's mind rang with Zoya's words as he watched her running
down the stairs, her red and gold saree pallu trailing behind, and his legs
began to walk nervously and joyfully towards the stairs until his hands grasped
the stair rail watching Zoya run in awe. Her words struck him with shear force,
it resounded in his mind, consolidating his earlier decision he made at
breakfast, 'that today - they will complete each other in all the
ways besotted and timeless lovers did, have and will,
perpetually... ' - that was the promise he vowed to earlier this morning. Her
words told him how irrevocably her feelings were and his birthday was reason
enough for her acting weirdly today. His intuition told him strongly she had a
lot of things planned for him today, and all he needed to do was annoy her
senseless and act surprised. And the person she was talking to whilst in the en-suite
had to be Ayaan, his number was busy when he rang him earlier and those two
have a history of conspiring behind him, concocting stupid plans. Asad's
expressive face was plastered with understanding, followed by a grin that
turned into a beautiful and ecstatic smile.
Asad did not take another second to think, he decided he
would take the back seat for a change and let her take complete control for the
day, of course sprinkled and inundate her with flattery and tease her until she
blurted her entire plan out. Without further-ado, Asad sprinted down the stairs
after Zoya, determined to catch up to her. He leaped several stairwells and
extended his hands attempting to grasp her saree pallu, regrettably without
result. Zoya giggled at his poor attempts to catch her.
Zoya pushed her way through the gold revolving doors
triumphantly, but was stopped as Asad barred her exit. He had managed to
catch-up to her and confined and imprisoned her in the same compartment of the
revolving glass door. He warped and buckled his arms around her and slowly and
teasingly pressed her against the cold glass of the revolving doors, the cold
of the glass rising and dipping as a nervous chill along her spine, propelling
her forward into his arms. She too wrapped her arms around his firm and
sheltering shoulders; - meeting his gaze she smiled as she pushed him against
the back of the compartment, lowering her hands from the embrace she traced
down his shoulders candidly, twisting and trailing her hands down his torso and
on reaching his waistband settling her hands on his derriere. Truth be told,
Asad was happy and happy was an understatement, but he decided he would appear
un-phased by her actions even though nervousness and sheer ecstasy fluttered
like a butterfly on the inside.
Zoya noticed a small flicker of multiple smiles erupting on
Asad's face, his eyes glowed at her touch, and she detected that he enjoyed the
moment greatly. Zoya too reciprocated those smiles but she was in a
teasing mood and so she trailed her hands from his derriere to the hand rail on
the revolving door pushing fervently and in no time they were both moving in
circles, again as the revolving door was revolved and spun by her, slowly and
tentatively, spinning until the revolving door opened at the exit releasing the
loved-up pair into the cool atmosphere of the car park. A gentle breeze
enveloped and shrouded the pair with adoration, honouring their love as they
remained wrapped in each other's arms.
"Mr Khan, there's an old saying that claims
humans originally consisted of four arms, four legs, and a single head made of
two faces," Zoya stated in her happy-go-lucky style as she initiated the
waltz in the car park, dancing and swaying Asad towards his 4-by-4. Asad arched
his brows and smiled at Zoya's weird yet wonderful story.
"What Mr Khan? - maine internet pe research kiya hai, I
googled this so please stop looking at me sceptically," Zoya exclaimed to
a smiling Asad.
"So ... where was I? Haan to mein keh rahi ti, as I was
saying, there's an old saying that claims humans originally consisted of four
arms, four legs, and a single head made of two faces but Zeus the Greek God, he
feared the power these four-armed-four- legged-and-two-faced beings possessed
and so he used all his power and might to split them into half, into normal
humans, and then he condemned them for life. They spent their lives searching
for the other half to complete themselves. That is how soul mates came into
existence, Mr Khan," Zoya winked at a puzzled Asad, who was suppressing a laugh,
as they continued to waltz until they reached the passenger door of his 4-by-4.
"Miss Farooqui, what nonsense, that is pure mythology
and they were punished by Zeus for pride so it's really not that romantic. Soul
mates are two very different people who complement each other, complete each
other, and are whole on their own physically, yet a half without the other,
like you and me. Soul mates are mirrors, and each person reflects everything
that's holding the other back, the person who brings you to
your attention so you can change your life, they can instinctively know how you
feel before you even have the opportunity to express them, ... complete your
sentences and they tear down your walls and smack you awake just like you did
to me. And yes I used to shake my head when people talked about soul mates, for
me it was a delusion and those who spoke of it in my eyes ... they were already
doomed, poor deluded souls grasping at some fairy-tale ideal not intended for
normal, real humans. Back then soul mates only existed in books, books - in
their rightful place. But then one fateful day, we met, and following
your thunderous entry into my life, everything changed, the cynic has become
the converted. I found my soul mate and love became very real and I do recall you
stating quite frankly I'm your Prince Charming," Asad inhaled deeply, his
eyes glowed with the memory of that day their paths first crossed. Zoya waited
breathlessly for him to continue, her eyes drowning once again in the warmth of
his expressive eyes.
"You're independent, you're strong ... your innocence,
your vulnerability undid me, broke my misconceptions, my pride and arrogance
but you brought me love, limitless and without measure, providing me strength.
I never thought in a million years that I would have you as my own, that I
would become the man that I am now. I cannot put words the way you have done
... to my feelings, Zoya, - but I know that this feeling ... envelopes my being
when you are near, and guides me when you are far. It is like a cocoon of
warmth, of peace, of fulfilment, but beneath that there is a deep longing, a
hunger that one touch, one kiss would not be able to satiate; one touch, one
kiss would only make my hunger greater. Being close to you does things to me,
makes me feel things I never knew existed, and makes me want things I have
never wanted before. I desire ... I wonder if you know that I desire you in
such a way, and that I would like to think you desire me likewise, perpetually.
And ..." Asad held his breath at the sheer amount of detail he let slip
loosely from his lips. Never before had he been so forthright in his utterances
to Zoya especially where his feelings were concerned. He took another sharp
intake of breath, lowering his face in embarrassment, closing his eyes as
though masking his desire and nervousness. He had found himself unusually
caught between frustration and nervousness.
Zoya took a deep and controlled breath preventing her from
gasping aloud at Asad's words. She observed Asad's flustered state, his face
looking towards the ground, his eyes closed in deep thought, and how he was a
total nervous wreck that no one could ever recognise this could have been the
arrogant and proud Mr Asad Ahmed Khan of yesterday.
She drew the passenger door of his 4-by-4 open, moving
closer to him she placed the palm of her right hand over his eyes, motioning
him to open them and look at her. The instant her hand touched Asad's eyes, a
shock of electricity surged through him. He opened his eyes as Zoya drew even
more closely to him that their foreheads touch lightly cultivating further
warmth between them.
"Zoya, woh actually, I was saying ...," Asad broke
off once again, exhaling deeply determined to try again, "ye sab kuch
hamare beech, this atmosphere between the two of us ... I mean we fought great
lengths to be with each other ... I think we both anticipate ... ... new found
... intimacy ... I mean, mere kehne ka matlab hai ... that we are
suffering presently due to this atmosphere between us ... neither of us are
sure when ... or how ... to ... " Asad exhaled once again in apprehension,
"you understand what I'm saying, right Miss Farooqui?" Asad
questioned anxiously.
"Yes Mr Khan, perfectly," Zoya pulled back
laughing, "The atmosphere is getting a little too much for you to bear,
what do you suggest we do to remedy the situation Mr Khan?" Zoya responded
in a playful tone.
"Miss Farooqui, you have all the answers to everything
there is in this world, aap hi bataaye, is there something you want to share
with me?" Asad questioned feigning a serious stance.
"Well it seems to me there is only one solution at this
present moment to remedy your problem Mr Khan," Zoya said mockingly as she
reached for Asad's hands, taking a firm hold of them guiding him to the
passenger seat.
"Well then please shower me with your wisdom on our
current situation, Miss Farooqui," Asad retorted back, a cheeky smile
surfaced on his flushed face.
Zoya smiled before tilting Asad's head so that she could
accommodate her lips near to his left ear to whisper her solution. Her heart raced
in her chest at the prospect of not getting her way out of this one but she
desperately needed him to get into the 4-by-4. Her lips skimmed the contours of
his left ear as she whispered, "Get in the car Mr Khan, the air conditioning
will solve all of your problems, and the atmosphere inside is cooling and all
this trapped heat and fervour your feeling will dissipate," Zoya
responded, placing a gentle kiss on his ear before pulling back with a hearty
laughter, freeing herself, running around the 4-by-4 to the driver's seat,
settling into the seat, buckling her seat belt with pride, glancing in Asad's
direction with warm and blissful eyes, gesturing for him to get inside his
4-by-4.
"Aren't you coming Mr Khan?" Zoya questioned.
Asad looked as Zoya with endearing eyes, a smile robed his
face as he intuitively knew she had plans in place and he didn't want to ruin
her mood considering the great deal of effort she had already expended upon
him. Zoya widened her eyes at Asad who stood at the periphery of the
passenger door. She leaned to the side and darted her left hand out
affectionately, holding his right hand she motioned him to take his seat.
He took her hand slowly, curling each finger around her delicate hand,
stroking his thumb at the back of her hand, smiling a warm smile in her
direction as their eyes met with a silent acknowledgement of their unity.
Zoya sighed inwardly as crimson robed her face with the
warmness that Asad elicited on his simple touch. It had never come to her
attention that Asad's hands could be so distracting, as every inch of her
fingers felt his fingers sliding besides hers, causing ripples of shivers to
strike thought her body. She inhaled deeply and calmed her thoughts,
instructing Asad to put on his seat belt, and in the process freeing her hand so she could start
the ignition and begin to drive.
Asad complied and smiled inwardly, apprehensive at his first
time, the first time that Zoya would drive him in his 4-by-4, a thought that
made him nervous. She was generally clumsy, only God knew what her driving
skills would be like. He recalled she had driven his 4-by-4 before, the day she
commandeered an ambulance bringing an injured Ayaan to him. But then again Asad
has never experienced her driving before and so he prayed hard that she would
not be clumsy. Asad wondered why he allowed Zoya to inflict such agony upon him
but at the same time he relished this new experience very much.
---------------------------------------------- End of Chapter 5 A----------------------------------------
© Fatima B
Lunat 2013
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