"Mmmmm…What a babe, she is! ! !"
"Subhaaa'an Allah"
Rafique stretched the word, Subhaaaaan and slapped on Jajji's thigh as Jajji, Jaidi and Chairman first giggled and then burst into an uncontrolled laughter.
They all were the townsfolk living in the same street. They had their adjoining shops at the roundabout of the town. Jajji had a vegetable shop, Jaidi used to dye cloths, Chairman, whose real name is unknown even to this date, had a small kiosk to repair bicycles and Rafique was running a general store where one could find at least two, three girls all the day around. This group of friends had another member, Sheeda, bread-maker, who was missing today, for some reasons.
All the buddies used to assemble on every Friday at Jaidi's place, where they enjoyed music, exchanged weekly proceedings of the town and chatted for so-called innovative ideas. This place had become their regular bethak. Factually the group kept their eyes on every activity of the area. They knew where the mosque moulana was heading to; how many plots had been grabbed by the local Councilor; which political and local group Lumbardar was supporting to; who were the new entrants as tenants; what their whereabouts was; and above all, which lad was flirting which girl… All these and many other news were first broken to this group only. Reason was simple. They all had shops at the central place, where most dwellers visited at least once a day. These buddies were sharp enough to remain vigilant and well-informed.
That night Rafique was telling the tale of his new tenant, Peeno. He was recounting his spicy interaction with her, and the way he flirted her when she visited her shop for the first time. He was narrating how he had philandered her by giving an expensive necklace, she had selected from the store, free of cost to her. He was blushing, confessing that she was completely trapped in her love.
Peeno had probably, descended from heavens in the village and acquired the Lumbardar's house on rent some three months ago. She was living with her daughter and a son. Nobody knew much about her. Yet within these three months, everyone got enough information about her past life and whereabouts. Her husband had died. She was working with a beauty-parlor at Shahdra Town. This town was conveniently close to her work-place.
Peeno's daughter was three or maximum four years old. She always took her along to her work-place. Her teenaged son was registered at town school. Peeno herself was a forty years old broad-minded lady. She had maintained her physique so much that her age appeared to be in the range of twenty five to thirty. She never appeared to be in her forties. She was so lively, witty and full of spirits that everyone was not only fascinated by her presence but also wanted to be her close friend. She was so friendly to everyone that they were forced to think that she was her lover. She was to be or not to be, but they all or at least Jajji, Jaidi, Chairman, Joora, Sheeda were her devotees and so-called lovers. They used to flirt her and tease her. Amongst all of them, Sheeda, bread-maker was different yet expressive. Through his intelligent expressions he had developed serious relations with Peeno, and interestingly these relations were not one-sided. She was equally attracted towards him too. Though he was an important member of the group, he had never narrated the seriousness of his relation with Peeno to them. Whenever there was Peeno related spicy talk amongst them, he used to flare up making efforts to control his emotions. Surely under such circumstances he could not keep his presence there and always preferred to be evasive and opted to leave the place under the pretext of headache or some other unusual reason.
That night when Rafique was telling his friends, the tale of his lustful interaction with Peeno, Sheeda in his brand new pant and shirt, was taking bowls of soup with Peeno at one of the small restaurants located in the town. That day he had seriously proposed her, advising her not to make credit-based shopping from his friends and also that she should thin out her interaction with them. Initially Peeno narrated her past story to him and then affirmed her sincere and solemn relation with him alone. She explained how they kept flirting her but it was incomparable Sheeda alone whom she liked and wanted to marry. She affirmed that she could never think of anyone else in his presence and that she loved him too.
Within next fifteen days, Sheeda formally proposed her through his mother.
The friends of Sheeda received the news of his marriage with Peeno with a shocking surprise. The news was like a thunderbolt to them. They all were sitting at the bethak talking about his marriage.
Jajji was saying, "Sheeda proved himself to be a great circumventor and dodgy. He did not allow anyone to have a trivial idea of his so serious relations with her".
Feeqa said, "This woman creature, too is incomprehensible. Friendship with one man and marriage with another…"
Chairman cut short Rafique and exploded, "What is wrong with you, you have already received your credit back."
"No way! The question is not of the credit. I am surprised, how could Sheeda do this? How could he think of marrying a woman of this character? He did not know this category of women is not for serious relations? I am still crying over his vision and wisdom." Rafique bespoke of his internal feelings.
Jaidi also shared his thoughts, "If one has a bizarre and absurd crush, even a fairy tale pretty face cannot divert his love towards her. If he had married Peeno, what is so good for us to discuss his matters?"
Jaidi lit his cigarette, took a long puff and said, "I am surprised on his mother too. Even she did not stop his son doing this. How could she welcome a mother of two kids as her daughter-in-law?"
Chairman gave his voice, "Sheeda does not have any relative except his mother. And, you know, mothers always surrender to their children's concerns and interests. Anyway, whatever happened, let's forget about it, as we can do nothing."
And then came the day when Peeno along with her son and daughter reached Sheeda's house as her beloved bride. Sheeda had gifted his ancestral house to Peeno as he could only qualify for marriage on two conditions: one was the transfer of the house property to her name and second that she would be allowed to continue with her job for the better future of her children. Sheeda was so enamored that he had accepted all her demands for the marriage.
As it happens always in such stories, the matrimonial affection did not last long. Merely after two months his love started fading away and within this short time he was regretting his decision. Peeno had taken complete control over his house. He together with his mother was reduced to short time guests in their own house. Sheeda, who already remained in scorching heat in front of his oven during the day for preparing breads, now started thinking of his house as his 'night-time oven'. When he used to come home after a long hot day, his mother and wife did not spare him to narrate their teasing stories. Sheeda was trapped in a vicious circle. Now even the presence of his wife's children bedeviled him.
Sheeda was adopting this lifestyle, when one day, his servant, baa'oo mysteriously and shockingly exclaimed that he had seen his wife, Peeno at Anarkali Bazaar, shopping with Rafique.
"Unimaginable... impossible! You must be joking. You must be mistaken. She cannot be Peeno." Sheeda exploded and pushed him away.
Sheeda assigned some further job to baa'oo to keep him busy yet his own concentration was lost. He was burning like hell fire.
Next day, it was Friday and Sheeda reached their usual bethak at Jaidi's place.
"Welcome…welcome. Long time no see. Today is a special day. What makes you return to you old buddies?" Chairman asked in one go.
"Don't taunt me. You are my old pals. How can I forget you? You know life is faster than ever. I am here not to go anywhere and will also not allow you to mark my absence anymore." Sheeda quickly responded.
"Ok! Tell us the story of your marriage. How was it and how do you feel of it?" Rafique asked proudly twisting his moustaches.
"Marriage! That is reaching its logical end." Sheeda promptly uttered.
"What do you mean?" Enquiry continued but this time the question was posed by Jaidi.
"You are my old buddies and I cannot keep secret from you. The fact is that the separation is imminent. I have decided to dissolve this marriage and divorce her."
"Divorce!" Rafique was startled.
"Yes, divorce." Sheeda looked into Rafique's eyes and said, "No one can love anyone more than his own life."
"Life…what do you mean?" Enquired the Chairman.
"What I mean to say is that my wife is a patient of AIDS" Sheeda looked down and sadly broke this news to them.
"You know, what are you saying?" Jaidi asked hysterically.
"Yes…The other day she had some difficulty in breathing and I took her to the City Hospital. After rigorous medical tests and examinations, the doctors proclaimed her HIV positive." Sheeda explained the story in one go.
Suddenly there was a pin drop silence in the bethak.
Sheeda returned home in the night and lied on the bed. He was thinking, "There could not be any better idea of getting rid of my so-called friends, flirting my wife. None of them will ever think of Peeno again. He had a conclusive satisfaction for what he had done for keeping his good relations with her wife. He was magnetized to think, 'after all, sometimes mothers also apply salts on the breasts in order to wean their suckling'." With these thoughts in his mind, he did not notice when he fell in the lap of fast sleep.
It was a kind of hailstorm when he got up in the morning. Peeno had taken off from her work for the downpour. It rained continuously and heavily till late afternoon. The moment rain took a break, Peeno complained of severe stomachache. Sheeda turned to her only to find her twisting and rolling on the ground with somatic sensation of acute pain. He instantly took her up and landed in the City Hospital, where she was hospitalized immediately. The medical specialists referred to some unusual tests and examinations. No one was speaking to Sheeda for what was going on. After two days of rigorous medications, one of the attending doctors advised Sheeda to get his own medical examination as well.
"But I am perfectly fine; there is nothing wrong with me. Why should I expend money for no good reason?"
"Sometimes, it becomes essential for the people living with the patient to get medical check-up. So it is better, you get your tests done too." The Doctor insisted.
In the next two days, all the reports had been received by the doctors. They were examining the reports, when Sheeda reached and enquired inquisitively, "Doctor! At least now tell me what is going on. I hope there is nothing serious."
"Sheeda, I am really very sorry to tell you that your wife is HIV positive, which means that she is an AIDS patient." Doctor pronounced, feeling sorry to him.
"AIDS, how come?" Sheeda cried only to listen from the doctor.
"Yes AIDS. And I regrettably pronounce that it is not your wife alone, but you too, are carrier of AIDS virus."
Sheeda collapsed as if someone has thrown him in his own oven.