The morning sun filtered through the high, arched windows of the Baloch haveli, casting long, sharp beams of gold across the marble floor. The air was thick with the scent of freshly brewed cardamom tea and the lingering coolness of the fading night. In the master bedroom, the atmosphere was a mix of quiet doméstic routine and a subtle, underlying tension.
Rehman stood before the large, dark-wood dresser, meticulously buckling his heavy leather holster around his waist. He was dressed in a black shalwar kameez, the fabric stiff and immaculate. Every movement he made was deliberate, the mark of a man who ruled Lyari with an iron fist and an unyielding sense of discipline.
Aisha stood a few feet away, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, watching him with a prominent pout. Her long, dark hair fell loosely over her shoulders, and her silver bangles clinked softly as she shifted her weight.
"Toh aapne thaan li hai ke aap jayenge?" Aisha asked, her tone carrying a sharp edge of playful defiance. "Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Dam ki opening ceremony itni zaroori hai ke aapke bagair wahan feeta nahi katega?"
Rehman paused, his fingers resting on the butt of his pistol. He turned around, a slow, amused smirk breaking through his lips. "Aisha, yeh sirf feeta katne ki baat nahi hai.
Is dam ke zariye hamari party, PAP, poore ilaaqe mein paani ka masla hal karegi. Log duaen denge."
"Log duaen denge, aur aapki biwi yahan haveli ke deewaron se baatein karegi," she huffed, standing up and walking toward him, her bangles clinking aggressively with every step. She stopped just inches from his chest, her head tilted back to look into his dark, unreadable eyes. "Aapke paas baaki sab ke liye waqt hai. Uzair ke masle, Hamza ki shadi, Jamali sahab ke jalse... bas is ghar ke liye, mere liye, aapke paas hamesha waqt khatam ho jata hai."
Rehman looked down at her, his expression softening into something so deeply tender it would have shocked the men who feared his name on the streets. He reached out, his large, calloused hands gently catching her by the waist, pulling her flush against him.
"Aisha," he murmured, his voice dropping into that low, husky register reserved only for her ears. "Kyun subah-subah is ziddi dil ko aur ziddi bana rahi ho? Main bas jaunga, wahan dhoop mein khada ho kar do bhashan sununga, aur sham tak wapas aa jaunga. Phir tumhara yeh shikayat karne wala munh main khud band karunga."
Aisha tried to keep her face stern, but under the intense, unwavering heat of his gaze, her defense crumbled. She rested her forehead against his chest, listening to the steady, reassuring thud of his heart against her cheek.
"Aap hamesha aise hi baaton mein phansa lete hain," she whispered, her hands coming up to grip the fabric of his shirt. "Mujhe mazaak nahi sujh raha, Rehman. Pata nahi kyun... aaj subah se dil bohot ghabra raha hai."
Rehman’s gaze softened, his stoic mask completely melting away in her presence. He leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers, inhaling the familiar scent of jasmine in her hair. "Main hamesha wapas aata hoon na, meri jaan? Aaj bhi aa jaunga. Sham ki chai hum saath peeyenge, waada."
Before Aisha could answer, the heavy wooden door of the bedroom burst open with a loud bang, and the heavy tension evaporated in an instant.
Eight-year-old Faizal charged into the room like a miniature whirlwind, his small leather sandals slapping loudly against the marble. Right behind him, trying to look much more dignified but failing, was twelve-year-old Naeim.
Faizal didn't care about the heavy political discussions or the holster wrapped around his father's chest. He dove straight into Rehman’s legs, wrapping his small arms around his knees. Rehman laughed, a rare, boisterous sound that only his sons could pull out of him, and effortlessly bent down, scooping Faizal up with one arm while reaching out to pull Naeim into his side with the other.
"Oye, aaram se! Apne Abbu ki wardi kharab karoge kya?" Aisha scolded playfully, though a warm smile broke across her face.
"Abbu, aap Hub Dam ja rahe hain na? Mujhe Hamza chacha ne bataya ke wahan bohot bada paani ka talaab hai!" Faizal said, his eyes wide with excitement, his tiny hands patting Rehman's cheeks. "Aap jab sham ko wapas aayenge, toh aap mere liye woh bada wala cricket bat laenge? Jo shehar ke bazar mein milta hai?"
"Aur mujhe woh kitaab jo Chakiwara ke bazaar mein milti hai," Naeim added, looking up at his father with a sense of quiet admiration. "Aapne kaha tha ke is baar aap mujhe apne saath nishana lagana sikhayenge."
Rehman felt a strange, heavy warmth in his chest as he looked at his boys. He pressed his face against Faizal’s soft hair and then kissed Naeim’s forehead. "Tumhara bat aur tumhari kitaab dono mere zehan mein hain. Jab main aaj sham ko wapas aunga, toh hum teeno saath lene jayenge."
"Sachi? waada na, Abbu?" Faizal asked, leaning his head against Rehman’s shoulder as his little face lit up.
"Sacchi, Sher-e-Baloch ka waada hai," Rehman murmured , his voice carrying a strange, thick weight that he couldn't quite explain. He set them both down on their feet, gently patting their backs. "Ab jao, Sakina ke paas jao aur nashta khatam karo. Chalo, bhaago."
The two boys cheered and ran out of the room just as quickly as they had entered, their laughter echoing down the corridor.
As the door clicked shut, the silence returned, heavier this time. Aisha hadn't moved from her spot. She was staring at the doorway, her hands trembling slightly. When she turned back to Rehman, there were tears shimmering in the corners of her eyes.
"Rehman... please," she said, her voice dropping into a desperate whisper. She stepped into his space, grabbing his hands, her fingers freezing against his warm skin. "Mat jaiye aaj. Main sach keh rahi hoon, mujhe bohot gandi feeling aa rahi hai. Mera dil achanak se itna bhaari ho gaya hai jaise... jaise koi bohot badi musibat aane wali hai. Kya bohot zaroori hai aapka jana? Uzair aur Hamza akele nahi kar sakte?"
Rehman looked at her, his heart twisting at the sight of her tears. He hated seeing her cry; it was the only thing in the entire world that could make the Sultan of Lyari feel completely powerless. He reached up, his large thumbs gently wiping the stray moisture from her eyelashes.
"Aisha, meri jaan... mat ro. Main tumhare ye aansu nahi dekh sakta," he murmured, his voice laced with a deep, aching tenderness. "Tum toh meri sabse bahadur malka ho. Ek dam ka iftetaah hi toh hai. Wahan bohot security hai,Hamza hai, Uzair hai, poori force hai hamari. Kuch nahi hoga."
"Mujhe kisi security par bharosa nahi hai," she cried softly, leaning her face into his palm. "Mujhe bas aap par bharosa hai. Please, ek baar meri baat maan lijiye."
Rehman closed his eyes for a brief second, fighting the internal urge to just lock the door and stay with her forever. But the weight of Lyari, the responsibilities of the Baloch empire, and the hundreds of people already waiting for him at the Hub Dam site tore him away. He leaned down, pressing his lips firmly against hers in a deep, lingering kiss that tasted of salt, desperation, and a silent promise.
"Mujhe jana hoga, Aisha," he whispered against her lips as he pulled back, his eyes burning with an intense, quiet devotion. "Apna aur bacchon ka khayal rakhna. Main bohot jald wapas aaunga."
Without giving her another chance to beg, Rehman turned on his heel and walked out of the room. Aisha stood frozen by the bed, the cold air hitting her skin where his warmth had just been. She ran to the window, watching his heavy black SUV roll out of the haveli’s iron gates, disappearing into the dust and smoke of the Lyari streets.
The afternoon had dragged on like a slow, painful torture. The Karachi heat was suffocating, and the haveli was unusually quiet.
Aisha hadn't been able to eat a single bite. She sat by the courtyard, her eyes fixed on the landline phone sitting on the wooden side table.
Around four in the afternoon, the phone suddenly erupted into a sharp, piercing ring.
Aisha practically lunged across the floor, her fingers scrambling to snatch the receiver. "Rehman?! Rehman, aap theek hain?"
For the first few seconds, there was nothing but static and a chaotic, deafening noise. Then, the distinct, terrifying sound of automatic gunfire ripped through the receiver—rat-tat-tat-tat—followed by the shouting of men and the crashing of glass.
Rehman’s voice came through, but it didn't sound like the Sher-e-Baloch. It was breathy, ragged, and shallow, punctuated by a wet, heavy cough.
"Rehman! Rehman, kya ho raha hai wahan?! Yeh firing kaisi hai? Aap kahan hain?!" Aisha screamed into the phone, her heart dropping into a bottomless abyss of terror. She gripped the wire so tight her knuckles turned white.
"Aisha... shh... suno meri baat... ghabrana nahi," Rehman tried to console her, his voice carrying a strange, forced calmness that made her stomach churn. In the background, another explosion roared, followed by more frantic gunfire.
Aisha collapsed onto her knees by the side of the bed, her entire body shaking with violent sobs. "Aapka gala… aapki awaz aisi kyun hai? Rehman, aapne waada kiya tha! Aapne bacchon se waada kiya tha."
"Aisha… meri baat suno," Rehman interrupted, his breathing coming in ragged, painful gasps. On the other side of the line, leaning against the shattered wheel of his upturned SUV, his black shalwar kameez now soaked in crimson, a massive wound torn into his side. His fingers were slippery with his own blood as he held the satellite phone to his ear. He looked up at the burning Karachi sky, a faint, sad smile touching his lips. He knew the bleeding was too heavy. He knew his legs couldn't support him fully anymore.
"Waada... waada toot gaya, meri jaan," Rehman whispered, his voice cracking with an emotion he had never shown to anyone in his life. "Tum toh jaanti ho na... tumhara shohar kitna ziddi hai. Magar aaj... aaj lagta hai maut mujhse zyada ziddi nikli."
"Nahi! Rehman, jhoot mat boliye! Mujhe dar lag raha hai, please aisi baatein mat karein!" Aisha sobbed hysterically, sliding down the wall onto the cold floor, the receiver pressed so hard against her ear that it hurt. "Aap meri zindagi hain, Rehman! Agar aapko kuch ho gaya... main aapke bagair kaise jiyungi? Main mar jaungi, Rehman!"
"Rona mat, Aisha… main tumhare aansu nahi bardasht kar sakta, wahan se bhi nahi" Rehman whispered, a single tear cutting through the dust and blood on his cheek. He tried to clear his throat, but the taste of copper was overwhelming."Tum toh... tum toh Sultan-e-Lyari ki sabse bahadur malka ho na? Meri sherni..."
"Main nahi hoon bahadur! Main bohot kamzor hoon, Rehman! Mujhe aapki zaroorat hai...N-naeim aur faizal ko aapki zaroorat hai.....main unhe kya kahungi jab woh aapke baare mein puchenge?" Aisha sobbed.
"Naeim aur Faizal..." Rehman’s voice softened, becoming incredibly distant. Another burst of gunfire erupted nearby, but it felt like a background noise to him now. His world had shrunk to the sound of her voice. "Unhe... unhe bat mil jayega. Uzair lakar de dega. Aur Naeim... woh bilkul meri tarah ziddi hai. Aisha... main hamesha tumhare paas rahoongi. Un dono ke zariye... Naeim ki aankhon mein dekhna, main wahan hunga. Faizal ki hansi mein sunna... main wahan hunga..."
"Mujhe woh nahi chahiye! Mujhe aap chahiye hain, Rehman! Mujhe mera shohar chahiye!" Aisha’s voice broke into a desperate, agonizing wail. The sheer helplessness of the moment crushing her. "Aap toh Sher-e-Baloch hain... toh apni malka ke paas wapas aaiye na! Please..."
Rehman’s vision was starting to blur, the edges of the afternoon light turning into a dark, peaceful shadow. He felt the coldness spreading from his fingertips up to his arms. He knew he only had a few breaths left before the blackness took him.
"Aisha..." he whispered, his voice barely a murmur now, but filled with a depth of love that could move mountains. "Ek aakhri baar... apna naam tumhare muh se sunna chahta hoon. Keh do na... ek baar."
Aisha choked on her own breath, the agonizing weight of the request tearing her soul apart. She clutched her chest, her voice trembling so violently she could barely form the syllables. "Reh... Rehman... mere Rehman... meri jaan..."
A soft, peaceful sigh came through the receiver, as if her voice was the only medicine his wounds ever needed.
"Shukriya... meri malka," Rehman whispered, his grip on the phone loosening, his body starting to slide further down against the tire. "Agar... agar kabhi meri yaad bohot zyada aaye... agar dil bohot akela ho... toh ghabrana nahi. Apne saaye mein dekhna. Main hamesha tumhare saaye mein chupa hunga... tumhari hifazat karne ke liye."
"Rehman... nahi... please..." Aisha’s voice was fading into a whimper, the reality of the end settling over her like a heavy shroud.
"Iss janam ke liye... alvida, meri mallika," Rehman’s final words came through, soft as a feather, filled with a heartbreaking finality.
The sharp, sudden disconnect of the call sounded like a gunshot in the quiet room. Aisha stared at the screen of her phone, her breathing ragged, her eyes wide with a horrific, empty shock. She redialed the number frantically, once, twice, three times, but there was nothing—just the cold, robotic voice of the operator telling her the number was unreachable.
She threw the phone across the room. It hit the marble floor with a thud as she buried her face in her knees and started sobbing loudly.
She sat there, surrounded by the heavy mahogany furniture, the unmade bed, and the crisp morning shadows that had now turned into the cold, long darkness of evening. The silence of the haveli was no longer peaceful. It was the silence of a graveyard.
She numbly looked around the empty courtyard, where just a few hours ago, Rehman had smiled at her, where her children had laughed.
From downstairs, she heard the faint, innocent laughter of Faizal playing with his brother, completely unaware that the world they knew had just collapsed into ash. Aisha covered her mouth with both hands, trying to suppress the scream that was tearing through her throat, but it was no use. She fell forward, her face pressing into the cool wood of the side of the bed, letting out a broken, agonizing wail that echoed through the empty corridors of the havelli....where Rehman's voice would never echo again......his footsteps would never again alert Aisha of his return......
A/N: This was just something very random that came to my mind.....owing to all the rehmat headcanons and sad songs that i listen to for absolutely no reason.....anyways moral of the story always listen to your wife.