Chapter Text
Time is important. Farjad Bahadur Khan grew up believing that. He didn’t remember who taught him the lesson; maybe life itself, but as long as he remembered, time had never been a man’s best friend, hence, from an early age, he learned to challenge time and the hurdles it put in someone’s life. He had to defeat it because staying behind those needles meant staying behind in life. Farjad had spent 28 years of his life believing that everything was going perfectly fine. He was successful and sane. Everybody around him respected him, feared him and most importantly, he had managed to handle his father’s business despite being alone and surrounded by vultures. He believed if it wasn’t for his rules and strictness with time, he wouldn’t have been successful.
But eventually, it all came down the hill.
For the first time in his life, the sane and successful Farjad Bahadur Khan realized that he could be happy in life. The man who never missed a second of his meeting would now cancel them without thinking twice. His priorities had changed and so had he.
It felt good to be in love!
Farjad smiled at himself looking at the time on his watch. He had already called his assistant to postpone the meeting. Usually, he avoided coming here often because he didn’t like people staring at them, but it felt like ages since he saw her. His Jungliee Billi.
It had been three months since Umeed opened her Chai cafe. It was a small cozy place that didn’t charge the price of a kidney from customers. Though he had advised Umeed to reconsider her decision about the low prices, she confidently told him to keep his mundane ideas to himself and let her focus on her business. Lately, she had been really busy with the cafe, which is why he couldn’t visit her frequently, knowing this was her time to learn and thrive on her own without any distractions.
But as he entered the cafe premise, he wished he had been a distraction and handled things his way.
‘You’ve always been reckless Umeed. First of all the idea of a Chai cafe was ridiculous and now the way you’re handling this business, you’ll end up bankrupt within weeks forget months,’
It was Pasha Saab scolding Umeed (of course). Since Farjad became a part of their family, it wasn’t new for him to experience Umeed being roasted by Pasha Saab but today he was doing that in front of the staff which was indeed a low blow.
‘It wasn’t my mistake,’ Umeed mumbled, as she always did. His girl never hesitated from defending her position and he loved her for clearing her stance whenever it was needed.
‘Of course it wasn’t. Remind me when were you wrong in life? You’ve never accepted your mistakes Umeed. Your reckless idea and the way you’re running this cafe is going to bleed you dry. All day you’re drinking chai here with your staff, giving leverage to customers to exploit you, But you’re never wrong- Be it now or the day when your stupidity ended up costing us your mother’s jewlery,’
There it was. Pasha Saab had hit her weak point this time. Umeed hadn’t forgiven herself for being easy on Guddi and losing her mother’s heirloom- the only set she had of hers other than that watch. Monetarily it wasn’t a huge loss but sentimentally, it was. It wasn’t hard to assume that Pasha Saab’s words had hurt Umeed because her big black eyes glistened with a pool of tears that threatened to leave soon. Before Farjad could intervene, Pasha Saab turned away, gave him a resigned look, and left the cafe taking long angry strides.
Before going to Umeed, he gave a cold look to the staff sniggering behind. Seemingly, they were used to their boss being roasted by every other person from her family. Be it Pasha Saab or Umeed’s chachi, in past three months their frequent visits to the cafe aligned with criticizing the poor girl for everything around them. But now, it was getting out of hand.
“Don’t you have work to do?” Farjad eyed the staff and wore the angry mask he always had for the people around him.
“Bol lein, ap bh bol lo mujhay ab. Tell me how reckless I am and how reckless my ideas are.” Her tears were more than he could take but this wasn’t the right place to address that.
“Umeed yaar…”
“He doesn’t understand. He’s still punishing me for pursing my passions rather than being proud of how far I've come on my pwn.”
“Lekin ghalat th woh bh nhi ahin naa Umeed, you have to understand” It was hard putting some reasoning in Umeed’s head and Farjad laughed at his fate because it was Umeed’s lack of rationality that endeared him to first place. He wanted her to realize her mistake but his girl refused to look into the mirror. His attempt had clearly failed as a distraught Umeed withdrew her hand from Farjad’s hold. And her eyes were enough to tell him that he wasn’t needed here anymore.
“Why am I the only whose supposed to understand things Farjad? Oh wait! I’m reckless, but the great Farjad Khan Bahadur isn’t. How about you leave this place with your greatness because I can’t tolerate your presence here anymore. You know what, BHAD mein jao sb. Aag lga do iss cafe ko. Balkay cafe ko kyun lgaon aag mein, ap jayen yahan say,” Her voice croaked, and even Farjad knew that she didn’t want him to leave. But this perfect morning that was meant to bring a smile to her face was ruined and as of now, he couldn’t do anything about it.
He pressed his lips struggling to form a sentence that won’t hurt her. Thankfully, his phone started ringing, reminding him he had an office to run.
🎉
“Mood theekh huwa tumhari cousin ka?” Farjaad asked Haya squinting his eyebrows. He could never be fully ready for facing Umeed Pasha’s wrath.
“At this point, you should know her better than any of us, block kr chuki hai woh apka number,”
“God save me. Kitne gussay mein hai?”
“Nothing that you can’t handle.” Haya smiled with a glint, knowing how Farjaad was the only one who could handle his crazy cousin.
A haggard Farjad entered the Pasha house with a smile and assurance from Haya that no matter what, he can always handle Umeed when others fail.
🎉
Since Haya got pregnant, Umeed was reluctant to ask her for chai which the former minded because making a cup of tea was no big deal. It was 12 am and having chai was the only thing that could make her feel better but the view in the kitchen was telling another story.
Farjad Bahadur Khan was standing there washing the kettle with full concentration. He was indeed a clean freak no matter how much he denied it.
“Apko kb say chachi nay kaam pr rakh liya,” He sensed her presence, he always did but before he could see her expression softening at this current state, Umeed changed her track.
“You’re forgetting I’m always at your service Ma’am.” He gloated with a wide grin- the one she loved. She noticed he was wearing her favorite white crisp shirt with black. The rolled-up sleeves revealed his toned arms and veins that never failed to do certain things to her. Did this man ever looked bad? How can he still look this hot at midnight? Would she ever get over this man and his aura? Probably not.
Get a grip on yourself Umeed! She chided herself mentally and fixed her expressions that would’ve already betrayed her in front of Farjaad.
“You should be home, it’s late.” Umeed crossed her arms and plastered the signature “Farjad look” on her face, while he stood in front of her boasting with a wide smile as if he could read her.
“ I AM HOME.” He uttered as a matter of fact, looking intensely in her eyes. He was so used to saying things like these that would totally sweep her off feet.
“That’s a reckless dialogue to say now. As reckless as Pasha saab thinks I am- and probably you too.” She sighed, reminding him of their argument this morning.
“Don’t you dare say anything about my wife. Mujhay harr-gizz pasand nhi ye sb” He glared and pulled her gently towards him. It was working, he knew it from the way Umeed changed her expressions and her gaze turned soft. His right hand gently caressed her cheekbone, looking intently at her perfect features. She looked breathtaking in her silk PJs. He tucked her hair behind, even though it wasn’t needed, and gently ran his fingers through her long black hair.
“If you think your cheesiness is going to work, you’re wrong.”
“Hmm, but something else will.” He winked and proceeded to make the special Farjad Bahadur Khan chai, that he had successfully excelled in. For someone like Farjad who was a coffee addict and never stepped into the kitchen to get a glass of water, he had become a pro at making the perfect chai for his wife.
“If you weren’t so good with making tea, I wouldn’t understand my reasons of being with you.” Umeed sighed after taking a sip and looked at her personal tea maker with her big Rapunzel eyes. He should’ve considered another career option and worked at her cafe, she’d often joke and he told her that when they grow old, he’ll leave everything and stay with her in her cafe all day making chai, but only for her.
“And if you weren’t so chaotic I wouldn’t understand that either.”
“You really need to stop coming here late.” Umeed uttered once she was done with her chai.
“Kyun bhai? Nikah mein ho tum mere! Wese bh, it’s not my fault if you believe ruskhsati late honi chahiye.” He held her chin lovingly and pressed his lips against her forehead, something he was yearning to do since morning but Mrs. Halaku Khan’s eyes told him to stay away else she’d turn him into ashes.
“Pasha saab ko maslay honay lg janay hain.”
“Don’t worry, he's too smitten by me. More than his own daughter.” It was true. Farjad was everyone’s favorite in this house, especially Pasha Saab. Umeed did mind that after Sameer her father had found another son to dote over but to her relief Farjad’s adoration for her made up for that.
“Pta nhi mujh say kya masla hai unhe,” Umeed scrunched her nose and looked at Farjad who pulled her in his arms and rested his chin on her forehead.
“He cares for you. And the way you’ve been handling things at work is awful.” Before Umeed could open his mouth to argue, Farjad held her hand and marched to the backyard. The kitchen was not the right place to enjoy chai with his drama queen. She might throw the kettle on him and he won’t be able to run.
🎉
“You’re too lenient at work. And I’m sorry to say, you haven’t learn from your mistakes. You’re still prodigal habits haven’t changed despite the loss you faced last year.”
“Is this business 101 with Farjad Bahadur Khan?”
“Umeed,”
“Acha Acha, i get it. I’ll work on this,”
“And ffs stop being so easy on your staff.”
“So far, you’ve only proved Pasha saab right.”
“You’re not reckless Umeed, how could you be when you married me?”
He poked his tongue as Umeed hit him on the arm that he wrapped around her. He adored her. At times, he couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to have her in his life because if he had trusted his mother, she would’ve forced him into marrying Reena or some Meena. With Umeed by his side and at best in his arms, everything felt right. He held her hand and rubbed the ring he put on that finger six months ago. She was in his Nikah since six months and he couldn’t wait to start a lifetime with her, in their home.
“You smell good,” She broke his trance. Her cheek was pressed against his heart and she was close to pointing it out that like always when he was around her, his heartbeat rose. Will she always have that effect on him? She wondered! It better be because Umeed Pasha would never wish for otherwise.
Everything felt right at that moment. Farjad knew he should be home by now. Being here at 1 am even if Umeed was legally his wife was something to look down upon by society’s standards. But when did this girl ever consider that at the first place? He laughed at himself wondering how much Umeed had changed his perspective over the time.
END