Author's P.O.V
Flashback
Hana was in her class. When the bell rang for lunch break she ran to Rumaan's classroom. She wanted to have lunch with him. It was their routine to have lunch with each other. In playground. When she came to his classroom. She didn't find him outside Rumaan always stood outside waiting for her.
"Hey, can you call maan?" Hana asked when she saw a boy come from his class.
"Who is maan? We don't have a classmate named maan" he said and looked at Hana.
"Umm. I mean Rumaan" she said slightly embarrassed.
"Oh, Rumaan. He is....."
"I am here hanu" Rumaan's voice interrupted the boy as he came in front of her.
"Maan. I was waiting for you here for a long time" Hana said and pouted.
"Hanu sorry. I had some homework to do. My next teacher is very dangerous. If I don't give him my homework then he will throw me out of class"
"It's okay maan," she said smiling.
"Hey, but his name is Rumaan.., right? Then Why are you calling him maam?" That boy asked.
"Umm... I.."
"Because for her.. I am her maan. it's my nickname given by her," he said smilingly, to that boy.
"Ohkay," that boy said and walked out.
"I think I should start calling you Ruman...." She was saying looking at the floor. She didn't like the idea of calling him Rumaan.
"No!! You won't!" He literally shouted. Cutting her off in the middle.
"But.."
"I am telling you hana. I am your maan and you can only call me maan.. understood?" he asked sternly. And Hana being Hana nodded her head obediently.
"I will always call you maan" He smiled and they started walking.
As they sat next to each other in the playground. Hana looked at him.
"Maan.. why do you like this name?" Hana asked looking at him. He turned to her.
"Because you gave me that name. And hanu I just love hearing maan from you.. it feels like... maan belongs to you" he said smiling widely.
"You tell me, why you call me maan?" He asked.
"Because..... Maan belongs to me" Hana said giggling. While he laughs.
Flashback end
******
Hana was hurt when Ruman didn't recognize the nickname she gave him. She couldn't believe that Rahman could forget this.
She was still lost in her thoughts when Ruman chuckled and spoke.
"How can I know mama!? It's not like that maan is my....." He trailed off when something hit him.
"Rumaan... Maan..... It's me?" He whispered more to himself than anyone.
He looked at Hana in disbelief. and when their eyes met two tears escaped her eyes without her knowing.
When she knows that she can't hold her tears back. She runs outside. But stopped when she heard Shabana's voice. She was out of their sight. Still standing in the side doorway she
Heard them talking or should say arguing.
"Yes!! it's you, Ruman! How can you forget that nickname which was once your favourite?" Shabana can't believe that her son forgot that name which was given by his Hana his wife with so much love. How can he!!?
"Mama... How can I remember when for 8 years no one called me maan!? And why are you guys looking at me like I killed someone?" He raised his eyebrows questioningly. And rolled his eyes.
But no one answered. so he shrugged and was again busy on his mobile.
"Yes you killed my innocent Hana's happy mood" marziya yelled glaring at Rumaan and putting that fruit salad bowl on the table angrily. And walked toward him.
"Tell me, Ruman, what else you forgot?" She asked as she stood in front of him. He stood up and looked at her confusingly. He doesn't know what was happening here. They all were Looking at him like he really killed someone.
"Aapi..."
"Or should I ask? Do you remember anything?" She asked but she was afraid to know his answer.
She knew Hana loves him more than anything. Hana couldn't take any rejection from him. She will break if he says that he didn't remember their nikah.
"What do you mean aapi?" he asked seriously.
Marziya didn't want to ask directly. About his nikah. Because she was scared to know his answer. So she turned around to go muttering"leave it" but then Ahmed spoke.
"About your nikah" all turned to Ahmed. Shabana looked at Ahmed and shook her head. She had a feeling what was coming next. So she was scared to drag that topic.
"Nothing Rum...."
"My nikah?" Shabana was saying when Rahman cut her off.
"Yes! your nikah" Ahmed said sternly. As he stood in front of Ruman crossing his arms.
"Don't tell me Baba, you guys fix my marriage without telling me?" Rahman said with a surprised tone and then start laughing.
A gasp escaped Hana's mouth when she realised what Ruman means. It is mean he forgot their nikah. Her breath hitched. Her heart stopped beating. She can feel Sharp pain in her heart. She covered her mouth with her hand to stop her sobbing.
"Ruman you're already married," Ahmed said making a straight face.
Ruman looked at his father for a second he tried to control but couldn't hold his laugh back and burst into a fit of laughter.
"Accha....the..then....wher...where is my.. my beloved... Wife?" He asked between his laugh.
Shabana and marziya's eyes filled up with tears and Fathima looked at him still shocked. While Riya knew that would happen when anyone talked to him about his nikah. She knew that Ruman is no longer Hana's 15 years possessive husband.
While Hana stood there still. She never thought that Ruman could forget their nikah. She had a feeling that Ruman might be... just might be wouldn't be ready for their official marriage announcement. But she never in millions of years thought that he would forget their nikah.
She falls to the ground. Silently listening to everything.
"Stop this nonsense Ruman" Ahmed yelled when Ruman didn't stop he laughed.
"Ok Baba... But.. that was a hilarious joke" he said still trying to control his laugh.
"I am not joking Ruman," Ahmed said sternly. Ruman looked up at his Baba for a second and then at his mother and marziya and saw tears in their eyes. He realised that they were not joking.
"What you mean by that Baba?" He asked. He tried to think of what happening and where those topics came from. And then the realisation hit him.
Hana.
She called him maan. And when he said he doesn't remember who is was Hana cried and run outside.
Why she cried? And most importantly if maan was his nickname then why did hana attached her name to him? And why suddenly are all of them behaving like that? Are they still!...?
And suddenly something flashes in his mind.
"Why did hana attach her name to me? Oh I know she has a crush on me... right?" He said trying to make a joke.
"Your name was attached to her a long time ago," Ahmed said.
"Huh?? Baba, I don't know what you are saying. Just stop all this for now because I am hungry" he said and walked towards the door.
"Ruman you were way mature when all that happened.. so don't try to act like you don't remember anything" Ahmed yelled without turning to Ruman he knew that Ruman remembered everything and want to escape with this.
while Ruman stopped in the doorway close to Hana. When Hana feel his presence near her she quickly stood up to go but stopped when she heard a shout
"Yess!!! yess!! I was way mature to remember what had happened 10 years ago! And what you're saying!" He finally blurted out.
"Then why are behaving like that Rumaan?" Shabana asked surprisingly.
"Because mama I didn't remember that crap. When Baba said I am married that's when I tried to understand what he was saying. And then I recognized that nikah which had happened 10 years ago. When I was 13. Seriously? And what's more shocking for me is that you guys still believed in that crap" he shouted at first and then chuckled.
"Rumaan!! That was not crap it was your nikah you are talking about." Shabana snapped at him. she can't believe her son considers his nikah as crap. Her son!? Who was never tired of calling Hana his wife. How can he forget everything?
"Whatever" he shrugged and walked out before they could say anything else. while his parents behind him keep calling his name to stop him.
Rumaan was out of the door when he felt someone's presence behind him. He turned around and saw Hana standing there eyes filled with tears. He felt bad for a second but when he recalled his parents' behaviour towards him on the very first day when he came here after 8 years. He felt anger rising in him. All this happened because of her stupid tears. He thought glaring at her. And walked out of the house.
Leaving broken Hana behind him. A loud sob escapes her mouth and she covered her mouth.
"Hanu" marziya saw her standing there when she was walking toward Hana's room. To check up on her.
"Aapi..." Hana couldn't say anything so she just hugs her aapi tightly.
And marziya immediately took Hana to her room. Because she didn't want anyone to see her sister like this. She wanted Hana to be strong in front of everyone. No matter what. Rahman was still their son and Hana was their daughter-in-law. And in the end, they will support him. So she has to be strong for her baby sister and make Hana strong in front of everyone.
As they stepped into Hana's room. marziya closed the door and made Hana sit on the bed with her.
"Aapi... I..I.. didn't...wanted... this to be.... happened" Hana said sobbing.
"It's.. all m.. my fault"
"No Hana it's not your fault baby. It's Ruman..." She didn't let marziya complete her sentence.
"No!! it's my fault aapi!! If I had control of my emotions and that stupid tears then it would not happen." Hana said in loud voice.
"Nahi bacche..." Again she cut her off.
"Yes aapi! it's all because of me. Baba brought up that topic because he saw my tears and you know na they can't see me crying. And Baba thought maan was the reason" Hana said while tears filling her cheeks.
"He was Hana," marziya said angrily.
"No! He was not! How can you think my maan would hurt me intentionally? He just forgot that name. Anyone can. He said na... no one called him maam for 8 years so he forgot.. that was not a big deal... but now I made everything more complicated for maan. He... "Hana keeps blaming herself. When marziya cut her off.
"Stop it, Hana.!! That was not your fault. Did you hear me?" Marziya said sternly." but aapi.." Hana was saying but marziya shook her head.
"No Hana. Look at me." Marziya cupped her face and make her look up at her.
"Hanu. He did not only forget that nickname which you gave him but he forgot you! You Hana! Your relationship with him. Your nikah with him. You were there, right? When Rumaan said that this nikah is crap for him" Mariya said with a tear in her eyes.
"No aapi. I told you na.. he is distracted. He will come back to me aapi when he realises...." Hana was saying with a small smile on her lips. When Marziya shook her head and said." Hana stops this blind trust in him. He is not the same Rumaan whom you married. He is change....."
"Stop it aapi!! He came back after 8 years for god sake!! Why you can't get it!" Hana shouted at marziya in frustration. She didn't understand why marziya keep saying that Ruman has changed, Rumaan forgot her. Rumaan forgot their nikah.
Marziya didn't say anything. She keeps looking at her sister, who was blind by love. Rumaan's today behaviour clear everything in front of Marziya. She knew Ruman would never accept their nikah nor Hana. And that scared her more. Here her sister has blindly trust on her nikah while for Rumaan, their nikah is nothing but crap.
"Aapi I am sorry" Hana apologized when she saw her aapi didn't say anything. She thought she hurt her. And looked down feeling shame on her behaviour.
"No Hanu... Don't say that baby. It's ok. I know how much you love him and you are married to him. So you have every right to stand up for him." Marziya said softly with a small smile. Cupping her face.
"I'll pray for you. I hope your trust and blind love for him will never break" marziya said and kissed her forehead. And stood up
She walked towards the door but before going she turned and saw her sister who was gazing her Locket lovingly with a small smile. A tear escape marziya's eyes.
I hope he will come to you before you break meri jaan. Marziya prayed in her heart for her sister. And walked out.
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