Summary: Uzair comes home late on your anniversary… and has to work very hard to make it up to you.
Waiting for Uzair to come back home was something you had gotten used to.
Late meetings. Late calls. Late nights.
But tonight was different.
Tonight the candles on the table spelled out something important.
Something he was supposed to remember.
The house had been quiet for hours, except for the ticking of the wall clock that seemed determined to mock your patience. Dinner sat untouched on the table. The candles had long burned halfway down, and the small cake you had baked that afternoon now looked almost pitiful sitting alone.
You glanced at the door again.
Your anniversary was almost over.
And Uzair Baloch was nowhere to be seen.
Your fingers traced the edge of the tablecloth as frustration slowly built inside you. A whole day of waiting… hoping that today, of all days, he would come home early.
But it seemed like even this day meant nothing to him.
You had heard the lock click, the familiar sound of his boots against the floor but you refused to acknowledge it.
Uzair stood there for a moment, watching your back.
The candles on the table had almost burned out. The cake sat untouched.
He stepped closer, slower this time.
“Jaan, meri baat toh suniye. Meri woh Humza”
You turned sharply before he could finish.
“Humza se hua hai aapka nikkah?”
“Nahi, nahi!” you cut him off, anger finally spilling out. “Humza se ki toh kiya hai aapne nikkah! Unhi ke saath rehte hai har waqt. Jaakar manaiye unhi ke saath apni salgira!”
“Jaan, aap meri baat toh sune,” he said softly.
Uzair stepped closer, reaching for your hand.
You pulled it away instantly.
“Haath mat lagaiye mujhe!”
For a moment he looked surprised… then guilty.
“Main poora din wait karti rahi,” you said, your voice shaking despite your attempt to stay angry. “Socha aaj ke din toh aap jaldi aa jaayenge.”
Uzair didn’t interrupt you.
He just stood there quietly, listening.
Then, with a small sigh, he suddenly got down on one knee.
“Yeh kya kar rahe hain aap?”
Uzair didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he pulled out a small box from his pocket and opened it.
Inside lay a tiny gold nose ring, delicate with a small stone.
“Nikkah se pehle… jab hum chup chup ke milte the,” he said gently. “Us waqt kaha tha tumne. Yaad hai?”
Your voice came out barely above a whisper.
“Maine bas aise hi kaha tha…”
“Tum samajhti ho main bhool gaya… par main tumhari chhoti chhoti baatein bhi yaad rakhta hoon.”
His gaze softened as he looked up at you.
“Iske laane ke chakkar mein late ho gaya,” he admitted quietly.
“Mujhe maaf kar do.”
The anger inside you cracked.
All day you had been ready to fight him, to complain, to stay mad.
But seeing him like this sitting there on one knee, looking genuinely sorry made your heart betray you.
You slowly sat down in front of him and wrapped your arms around him.
For a moment he looked relieved… then immediately pulled you closer, holding you tightly as if afraid you might push him away again.
You buried your face into his shoulder, still sniffling.
“Aapki wajah se ro rahi hoon,” you muttered.
Uzair pulled back slightly and gently lifted your chin so you had no choice but to look at him.
You sniffed and shook your head a little.
A slow smile appeared on his face.
He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, lingering there for a moment longer than necessary.
“Thoda sa gussa toh achha bhi lagta hai…” he murmured.
His hand slid around your waist again, pulling you a little closer.
“Isliye,” he said quietly, “kyunki phir aapko manana padta hai.”
Your breath caught slightly when he tilted your chin up again.
But he had already leaned closer, his voice dropping softer.
“Poora din intezaar kiya na aapne?”
A flicker of guilt crossed his face, but it quickly softened into something warmer.
“Toh phir aaj raat…” he murmured, brushing his thumb lightly against your cheek, “poora waqt sirf aapka.”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Before you could react, his hand moved to your chin again, tilting your face up.
Slow and deliberate… like he had all the time in the world to make up for the entire day you had spent waiting.
