Chapter 48 — Milk moustache

Noor's POV:

Seized smile. Serious gestures...Smeared thoughtfulness on his handsome face, he was going to drop me at my Mom's.

He was quiet all the way, never turned on the music as he always did.....I was wondering,  he never encountered me with even a forgetful gaze for a single time,

What's wrong with him...

I recalled the breakfast time:

[At breakfast table he was quite chivalrous...

Filling my glass with fresh juice he said. "Noor, don't shy...it's your home now."

"No, I'm not." I was fumbling with my fingers.

"Zareena! Ask your Ma'am, if she wants something else." He asked while forking a piece of cheese veggie omelet.

Zareena put the kettle on the table and asked very hospitably.

"Yes Ma'am, Would you like something else?"

"Thanks Zareena, there is already everything, actually I'm not good at breakfast."

I safely placed the glass on the table and smilingly spoke to her....I felt he was, keenly observing me, then he signaled Zareena, she moved ahead and put some French toast in my plate.

After serving, as she walked away, I listened him saying...

"Noor, start over, I need a healthy wife....you know what I mean!"

There was a politeness with nuances, secured inside his command.

Reasonlessly, my cheeks started to blaze, when he asked me to butter a slice.

"Would you like to butter a slice for me?"

I cautiously, eyed through the table, he caught my act, picked the slice and butter knife, handed me, then put the butter dish in front of mine. Slowly then I started to spread butter on slice, smoothly yet evenly.

"Thanks....nice buttering!"

He was way too courteous, while taking buttered slice from my hand. I truly wasn't able to show any gesture.

"You better be smiling most of the time, instead of this bizarre expression." He was sipping on his coffee after lecturing me.

'And you better be Human, instead of Beast.'

I thought in mind and flashed him a little smile.

His eyes on me, making me nervous evermore, as he was slicing his omelet.

'What's wrong with you.... my beasty? Look down! You will cut yourself.'

I hid my face, behind the glass of juice again]

⇨⇨⇨Back to the present⇦⇦⇦

In car←←←

I saw, he was calling to someone as his phone was in phone holder attached to steering wheel.

He himself fixed Bluetooth device in his ear...

"Yes....Afaq..."

Soon his voice boomed in car..

"I'm not free even today, going to attend club meeting, pending for the ages...hmm.......you should cancel it for now, I have changed the plan."

"Hmmm!"

All of a sudden, his lucid talk gone vague. With knitted brows, he straightened his arm while holding the steering in one hand, with other hand he searched something in Car vault by his side...

"Right." He was listening the other side and after a pause he hanged up the phone.

Remaining distance passed in complete silence, only his rustling fingers, when holding or screwing the steering wheel...

Then my gaze securely travelled, he was in wearing Navy blue Blazer with khaki pant...I saw his watch, his steel grey watch, its dial, bit hidden under the sleeve of his ash white shirt, shinning with every move of his wrist, as sun rays were freely intruding inside, beneath my lashes I saw he wearing shades, as Sun rays were directly bathing his handsome face...

"I will call you to pick you up in night."

My eyes were heavy with burden of his gaze at once...at last he was looking at me...even his eyes were behind the shades but I don't know why, I felt blood rushed to my cheeks.... his profound voice grabbed my heart....

"OK?" He asked and I just nodded.

Silencing the atmosphere again, he was looking out straight on the road...

As we reached at Mom's.... He pumped the brake paddle.

"Will you come inside?"

I hesitantly asked, before getting out of the car. "I have to reach somewhere urgent, hopefully next time."  He replied, in not so cold voice.

"OK...Allah Hafiz!"

An unknown sadness started swirling around me...slowly I slid myself out of the car.

Shakily I pushed door bell, and as soon gate opened, he sped away the car....without taking a glance of me...

Ohh....beast....

Which one of your shade is this...

♤♤♤♤♤♤

"Mother, look ...who is here?"

Salaar was calling his Mom, just in the door way, wanted to give her happiest surprise, as even they weren't expecting her, the very next day of her farewell...

After taking medicine, mom was resting in her room...

She was not perfectly alright, as her blood pressure was quite high since morning...

"How are you beta?"

"Alhamdulillah! Bhai...."

She replied while literally hanging on his arm...

"MashaAllah!" He patted on her head with his specific kindliness to his sister...

Salaar never told Noor about mother's unwell state, just ushered her to Mom's room

"Mom!" She cooed just behind Mom and made her awestruck....after a long hug and greetings to Mom, she realized that, how happy they both were...to find her near to them.

"Mom what happened?'

She was looking worriedly to her Mom now, placing her hand on her forehead.

"Jan, Just BP high, not a big issue...now I will be completely fine...my gem is around...how is Faraan?"

Mom spoke cupping her cheeks.

She hugged her mother again, and told her about his schedule.... Salaar was smiling at both....

"Bhai where are you going?"

She asked her brother, as

saw him, ready with his laptop bag.

"Beta, going to meet a friend...you don't worry, InshaAllah I will be back till night.....I was just waiting for Hajrah to come, but its great now, you will be here with mother..." Salaar explained.

"Bhai that's not fair anymore!" She spoke with fake anger plastered on her face.

"What... Lil doll?" Salaar spoke lovingly to his cutest sister.

"Now you have to say yes, seriously to an alliance, this home badly needs a Bhabi...look Mom will be alone in home...as I'm..I mean....me...."

She was spontaneous.... But stopped in the middle when failed to state the reason behind her absence. Adding to her nervousness, Mom and Bhai both were complying with smile.

"What?... Am I wrong Mom?" She asked sheepishly...

"Off course not Jaan, but we are amaze, that how come you are sounding elderly..."

Mom clarified to her...and she wound both of her arms around her...

Mom was beyond happy, asked her about Faraan.

Soon after Salaar left.

She told her Mom, about Faraan. Shyness fogging around her, "He is very nice to me."

Mom wholeheartedly smiled and pecked on her cute scented forehead, with a pray for their eternal love and companionship..

Mom kept on talking.....

"Jan, you know it well, there is a custom...first breakfast of bride and groom is brought for them from bride's home....

"Yes.." Noor nodded..

"I asked Salaar to call Faraan for breakfast for both of you, but Faraan denied him, to never bother for it..."

Mom was telling her...with sweetly caressing on her head then shoulder...

"Mom, Bhai isn't liable to do such things, you shouldn't ask him to do that....he is...I mean he is my brother, not sister...it's not suitable for him...Mom...."

She felt weird and same time praised her Beast inwardly....he never bothered her Bhai to do it, otherwise it will be very remorseful to see her Bhai like this...like doing girly affairs just for her...

In the evening Hajrah came, really surprised to see her, after hugging her tightly, she started meaningfully watching her...

"Hajrah...what?"

Noor was baffled under her deep Calibration...

But she was smiling only in reply...

"You are looking at me like there is an antler has grown on my head!"

"Haha...Faraan is really a nice man...isn't it Baji?"

Hajrah chuckled and spoke to Mom but eyes mischievously focused on Noor.

"Yes, MashaAllah!"

Mom smiled, and directed her to make Something special for dinner.

Time passed with chit chat, along with teasing from Hajrah side...

Noor was again and again checking her phone..

Any call...

Any message...

"Umm...hmmm." She nodded in despair as found her phone blank, without any notification...

In the meantime, she packed all her books to take away with her, as her examination, was just a week ahead...took some nap. Intentionally never called Rudaba, as she wasn't in state of share anything with her....

In night, before dinner Salaar arrived, she again started the topic on dining table, when they sat around, she was talking about a fresh new proposals for her Bhai....

"Mom... .what about Komal?" She asked about an alliance, while looking into the direction of her brother....

"She is GolMol not Komal in real....."

Salaar spoke, while filling a glass of water for himself...

"Bhai...what?" Noor squealed cum inquired..

Mom was smiling at them...Noor was back in her form...carefree, jolly, smiling..

She was emphasizing again n again the topic, which her brother used to avoid most...

"Beta..how it happened?"

Salaar finally spoke quizzically.

"What?" Noor asked bit tensely.

"How come you become from Mrs. Faraan to Match Maker Aunty?"

"Bhai!" A bucket full of shyness thrown over her at once, when Salaar spoke enchantingly...

Rosy cheeks gone rosier...

"Mother, look someone is resembling to a tomato."

Salaar and Mom both smiled at her cute shyness filled gestures, who was clad in purple dress...like alone red rose in the bunch of violets ...

"Bh...bhai..."

She was so overwhelmed, never ate properly then... and fully flushed when, saw both of them smiling at her while she was attending Faraan's call...

<><><>

"Faraan! Look out!!!

Shit....

She squealed and he pressed the brake pedal at once..

"What the heck?"

Her squeal, made him to quicken his action, to stop the car....

Screech!!!

.....Bang.........

Ouch!!!

"Allah!"

As he pressed the pedal, car screeched and Noor's head banged with jerk to the dashboard...

Resulted into her groaning...she was clutching on her forehead painfully.....

Car was stopped....

"Noor.....are you OK?"

He asked with his hand on her shoulder...

"Ahh...Ssssss...."

She was in pain...

"Noor, show me.......here."

He worriedly, turned her face towards him and saw a scratch....with blood oozing out...

"Noor.....hath hatao..."

(Move your hand away)

He was inspecting the wound.

"Place it there...hurry!"

He hurriedly pulled some tissues and commanded her.

Noor bit her lip, a sharp pain was started nailing in her head...and pain with no tears, how is it possible for Noor...

"Listen.... don't cry...hospital is just few kilometers away......why don't you fasten seatbelt?"

He asked, clutching hard on the steering wheel.

She placed the tissue on her forehead....gloomily looked at him, her tearful gaze was stopping Faraan to teach her merits of fastening seatbelt...

"OK...but why did you shriek?"

He asked this time very softly, while looking in lakes, and made a U-Turn to reach the nearest Clinic. Her tears were melting his heart... She was the one for him...magical wand...his self-fabricated rudeness vanished into thin air..

During the drive, closely looking at her wound, with a hand under her chin, he saw, her eyes were moving behind the closed lids....

"What made you squeal then?"

Just clenched his jaw, when he never found answer...just drove her to the Clinic.

He parked in parking lot, got out of his side, came to her, opened the door of her side, grabbed her hand and opted to carry her in his arms ...

"Please, I can walk."

Noor simply forbade him by placing her hand on his arm...

"OK... come."

He gripped her hand and took to the emergency side,

"Dr. Zia?!"

He asked at reception...

"Yes Sir?"

"Nothing... It's an emergency, call any doctor here...."

Faraan rejected the idea for waiting the Dr. whom he knew for some occasional meetings...

"Sir come, over here."

As the guy at reception, mentioned the room, Faraan took Noor to there.

Mustering all of herself, with spinning head, she went inside, with her hand gripped by Faraan.

"Nothing Serious, just a minimal scratch......will heal in couple of days."

As Doctor arrived, with short white beard, an elderly aged. He spoke after examining her wound, with little torch.

"OK doctor."

Faraan picked her hand and Pat slowly, like he was in the process of consoling her.

"Here is painkiller I'm prescribing." Doctor said, while scrawling on letterhead pad..

"Patient's name?" Dr. asked.

"Mrs. Noor Faraan." He replied.

"Doctor, she bumped her quite hard in the dashboard, so..."

Faraan was too concerned, as he spoke, Noor turned in her place...

"No Mr. Faraan, it's a scratch only, She will be alright soon."

He sensed the young Man's concern...... smiled at both of them....and picked the receiver of intercom.

"Send Nurse inside for the bandage."

"Beta, you need a bandage at there."

This time, doctor addressed to Noor, pointed his finger towards her forehead. Sensing kindliness in his voice Noor, just tried to nod...

As nurse arrived with a medical tray in hand, doctor directed him something and headed out.

"Sir....bandage."

Male nurse looking in the direction of Faraan, whose huge figure was shielding the Noor.

A male nurse...

Noor saw... she got baffled...

"No!" She looked at Faraan.

"What?" He looked into her eyes.

"Mujhay bandage nahee kerwani."

With a little shake from left to right, she mumbled, only audible to him.

"Noor...kio zidd...."

(Why this stubbornness)

He saw then, male Nurse was coming close to Noor....for bandage.

"Hey there.....dude!"

Faraan placed his hand over his shoulder, made him halt..

"Can you guide me, how to apply bandage?"

He asked tenderly to that boy.

"Sure Sir!"

He handed Faraan a Swab. "It is spirited cotton, clean the wound first."

"OK." Faraan picked the swab and came closer to Noor...lifted her chin, put the swab on her scratch.

Sssss....

She whimpered, her eyes sudden gone welled up...

"We are not in our room, don't moan like that."

His double mean whispering, made her mute...at once...

"You brave girl.....isn't it healing touch in my hand?"

He was deflecting her from the wound she had, in his voice, concern... in his touch, care...

"Pyodine....Sir, dab it with pyodine first..."

"OK ...thank you." He spoke and picked another swab and dabbed in the solution, which is called broad spectrum, antibacterial substance.

Noor bit her lip and held her breath when burning sensation started all over her forehead to head, but she tight lipped herself.

"Sir this medical tape."

Nurse was raising the tape, for the wound to cover the swab to fix it at there.

"Hmm...finally!"

Faraan held the tape and swab gone adhesive to her forehead.

"Thanks buddy..its so easy to learn..you are a good coach."

"Thank you Sir!"

As he left, Faraan turned and saw Noor in same position..

"Noor, Shall we? He gently held her hand and made her ease down from the high medical bed.

Slowly they headed out....

"Sit inside...I'm just coming."

Noor saw he was again entering into the hospital premises, after leaving her in car....

She lazily placed her head at seat back.... Closed her eyes, touched a bit her bandage....

"Ohh My books."

She bent and picked up the bag again in her lap, which was dropped on the car floor, due to the jerk by sudden brake.

"Noor." She saw he was back, taking position on his seat, now looking at her deeply...as they met eyes, he asked. "Still paining?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"OK have some juice...you are looking so pale." He handed her a juice can...

"Thank you."

She thanked him while taking juice from his hand.

"Thanks baad mai kerna pehlay yeh batao....chekhi kio thee?"

(why you cried, tell me first)

He was fixing his eyes on her. She was still in no mood to reveal the secret.

"Baby....speak up!"

He bit touched her cheek, as nourishing her suffice energy to reply.

"Actually, there was a cat in front of the car."

She spoke while looking at him, just to watch his expression.

"Hmmmm." He hummed long, straightened up, twisted the key in ignition, started the car.......

While driving out of the clinic premises, he spoke nonchalantly.

"Coincident! Cat inside and outside...." He was looking at her, wholly...

Noor's heart missed the beat when her hand in her lap, got covered by his broad, warmth filled hand, he was entwining his fingers with her....rhythmically.

"Noor, you saved the stray cat, but hurt mine."

She heard, what.... His heavy voice....and now with her head, her innocent heart was aching too...

********

Faraan's POV:

3 : 20.....am Fighting with rogue waves of sleep, I hardly took nap of 1 hour, some fidgetiness, arose and again splashed me out with full force in waking world.

I simply got up, took off my T- shirt, tossed it to the couch...

"Where is this madam?"

To my wonder, she wasn't in bed, it's her second night with me..hmmm.....first night...as you know, how it passed....

OK, I know, maybe now you also know that, I'm not unleashed on my desires....but this isn't justice, to kill your husband momentarily..."

Loving your wife, could be fire walking test....that's what I experienced from my marriage.

Ahh....

Wait.....

Where is she....

I got out of the room, called her but she wasn't replying....

As I saw the lights from the kitchen side, and a bit clattering sound made me tip toed to that area....

Glancing through the clock, I was going to find her finally in the kitchen.

"Noor"

A girly figure, in Petunia blue simple dress, loosely braided hair, carelessly draped veil on one shoulder, fragile looking back side, she was bit bend and revealing curve of her thin waist, must be searching something...

Ahmmm.....

I cleared my throat, just to let her notified by my presence....

"Noor...want something...?"

She was froze for a second, as not expecting me awake at that time.. Slowly then, she turned, in dim lights of kitchen shades, she was looking so weak...

"Speak up"

I inquired again, this time in better tone..

"Pain....killer..I...was searching for"

She replied, bit hesitantly...

"Are you OK ?....kahan pain hai?"

She didn't reply, but just feebly touched her forehead...

'"Ohh! let me check you"..

I said, making my way closer to her.....

Resembling to a mellow bunny, she just held the counter for support, as not enough energy to stand more...

"Noor"

I spoke, after feeling her forehead with my knuckles...

She lift the gaze in reply...

"You have fever too."

I saw.... She slid her tongue out, wetted her chapped lips, her heavy lids were half parted as anytime closing was expected...

"Baby...just sit here"

I whispered and softly grabbed her waist, lifted her, and safely placed her on the kitchen counter...

She was just quiet, as intolerable headache was travelling now all in her body...not allowing her to think anything else, but only pain. Pressing her forehead, she felt the bandage....

"Don't touch it"

I was picking out the medical box from a cabinet, just caught her act, in the middle..

"Noor"

I popped out a tablet on her palm, then turned and moved to the refrigerator, opened and picked out a jug.

"Take this"

She slowly put the tablet in her mouth and gulped down few sips of milk, as he poured then handed her a glass of milk....

"Kesay peeti hoo yaar?"

(look at you, how you drank)

I smiled at her face, the milk moustache, appeared on her upper lip.. She wasn't aware of it, but leaving much more for him to defy at....how an ignorant innocence impelling, provoking and gravitating me, to just leave behind all of my self-control.

"May I go?"

She sensed my deepening eyes on her, and asked helplessly..

"No"

I lifted her chin...

"Please"

She simply spoke, but I came closer...leaned and my hand crept at the back of her head..

"Let me wipe first...." I spoke close to the whisper.

"I think...may be.... I'm....not ..well"

She spoke while placing sickly both of her hands on my bare chest. Dimly lit kitchen making her more enticing, I smiled at her innocent sarcasm and then ....

"Give me....Noor..."

I asked in weird tone.

"What..?"

She hardly lift her gaze, to the man who was insane for her...

"All of your worries"

I heard my own voice, yearned, wounded in her love..

Her innocent eyes, with little twinkle inside, met mine.....searched something inside me, then again she dropped the frill of lashes...

"Noor"

I placed both my hands on counter, either side of her, hovered over her, I saw my breath making some of her hair to fly...

She was breathing, heavily now...unaware of her state...

All of her beautiful form, I was absorbing with pure rightfulness in my eyes. She was under the trance of my question...

"Noor, bola kero....tumhari chup"

I was going to say more but stopped myself, when slowly she raised her gaze...her eyes were on my chest, then travelled to the left to right shoulder...

"Apko Serdi nahi lagti?"

(don't you feel cold)

O' God! Her question...

[People, you tell, should I cry or laugh....]

My patience ended...

I pulled her at once, with little squeal she was in my arms. I hissed against her milk moustache.

"Nahi.... tunmhai dekh ker hot jo hojata hoon!"

(No, I become hot, while looking at you)