"What happened?"

"Headache." He muttered while removing the glasses and resting his head with the headboard.

"Come here..." Sitting on the edge of the bed she dangled her legs and ordered him. He silently sat down on the floor resting his back with her legs and soon the magic of her fingers were sending him on a voyage of discovering peace.

"I love you Jangli Billi..." He closed his eyes making her smile.

"Love you more." She whispered and kissed his cheek but didn't forget to add "Bandar." He laughed and opened his eyes.

"Yaar sara un logo ko kya jawab dena hai?" And the tiny session of their love was hijacked by responsibility.

(Sara, what answer should I give to those people?)

"Theek hi to keh rhe hain wo log, ek saal se rishta pakka hai, ab engagement kar hi deni chahiye." Without stopping her fingers to massage his nape and shoulders she replied.

(I agree with them. This match has been fixed for one year. Now they should get engaged.)

"Lekin Fayra abhi bohot chhoti hai. Sirf 20 saal ki hai wo." Adnaan shifted a lit away and turned to see his wife.

(But Fayra is very young, she is just twenty.)

"Yeah, she is very young to get married but I guess there's nothing wrong in getting engaged." Sara's voice was barely audible but her husband knew how to understand her.

"Kya ho gya hai Adnaan? Bataoge kya preshani hai? Tumhari khamoshi mujhe darati hai."

(What's wrong Adnaan? Will you tell me something? Your silence scares me.)

"Mujhe to khud dar lag rha hai..." Said Adnaan in a hushed tone and stood up from the floor.

(I myself feeling scared.)

"Kyu? Kis baat se dar lag rha hai tumhe?"

(Why? What are you scared of?)

"Fayra ki shadi ke baare mein sochti hi dil bethne lagta hai... Sara mene bohot pyaar se rakha hai apni beti ko... Arsh aur uske ghar walo ko kese de du apne dil ke tukde ko?"

(My heart starts sinking when I think about Fayra's wedding... I have loved my daughter very much... how do I give this piece of my heart to Arsh and his family?)

"Mera bhi yahi haal hota hai, lekin beti ko sari zindagi ghar me to nhi bitha sakte na?" Sara said while standing up from the bed and opened the cupboard.

(I too am in the same situation, but we cannot keep my daughter at home all her life, can we?)

"Maizah aapi bhi to is ghar ki beti hain, lekin wo kabhi gyi hi nhi is ghar se." Said Adnaan and Sara gave him a disappointed look.

(Maizah aapi is also a daughter of this house, but she never left.)

"Stop it Adnaan, I know what's cooking in your head. Stop thinking about Danish and Fayra. They both won't accept this, moreover Anzala bhai and Maizah..." Sara stopped to say something further. Deep down she was not liking Anzala's silence in this matter. Years ago, once Gul Bano represented the idea of Fayra and Danish's wedding but Anzala stayed silent, and many times Silence is an answer itself.

A year ago when Fayra went to a wedding Arsh and his family saw Fayra, they were a well known people, Anzala and Adnaan both were on good terms with them because of business relationships.

Arsh's family didn't take much time to bring proposal for Fayra, Adnaan and Sara didn't want to accept it as Fayra was only 18 back then but Anzala was one to convince them. He was the one to ask Arsh's family to wait a few years before announcing this alliance. All these things were clearly indicating that Anzala didn't want Fayra and Danish's wedding. Sara and Adnaan also never represented what they wanted.

"Arsh ke parents ko bula lo, engagement ki date fix kar lete hain." Sara's voice pulled him out from the world of thoughts and he nodded as well as sighed.

(Call Arsh's parents, let's fix the engagement date.)

"Adnaan, mood off kyu kar rhe ho?" Sara sat down beside him and he forced a smile.

(Adnaan, why are you spoiling the mood?)

"I'm happy. Okay?"

"Good, you look handsome with a happy fa-c..." Before Sara could complete her sentence a figure walked in with long steps. Comb and hair clips in one hand, and few dresses in others.

"Mummy help me... I can't-" Fayra stopped for a moment and looked at Adnaan. "Aapko kya hua, papa? Tabiyat theek hai?"

(What happened to you, Papa? Are you okay?)

"Yeah, I'm."

"No you're not." Throwing everything on the bed Fayra touched checked the temperature of her father but it was fine. Then she was out of the room within a few moments.

"Tufaan Express." Sara mumbled after seeing the speed of her daughter. She couldn't go any work slowly and peacefully.

"Papa..." In no time she was back to the room, panting. Adnaan blinked, she left just now but she was back in the room again.

"How do you manage to do everything so fast Fayra?" Adnaan asked and his little girl shrugged.

"I just went downstairs and grabbed this from Dadi's room. How long was I supposed to do this work?" While questioning he checked the Blood pressure of her father which was also normal.

"He is fine." Sara sat down beside Fayra.

"Then why is he looking pale and weak?"

"Come here." Adnaan opened his arms and Fayra hugged him lovingly.

"What happened papa?"

"Nothing." He smiled and kissed her head.

"You are grown up so soon." He kept caressing Fayra's head and Sara hugged Fayra from the other side.

Both of them adored their little girl who was not little anymore.

"Chamu..." Danish entered into the room from the already open door and his footsteps stopped on the doorway only.

"What happened? Fayra? Are you alright?" He asked and everyone looked at Fayra who was in confusion.

"Why are you both adoring me this much? Have you seen me for the first time?" She asked while breaking the hug and then glared at Danish.

"Aap to mujhse baat mat kriyega ab, mene bolna tha na mujhe shopping par le chaliye lekin nhi...aap thehre busy insaan, ab mere paas koi bhi kapde nhi hain Bisma aapi ke ghar jaane ke liye." She huffed and rushed out of the room.

(You will not talk to me now, I told you to take me shopping but no...you are a busy person, now I do not have any clothes to go to Bisma Aapi's home.)

"Ise nakhre dikhane aur shikayat karne ki bimari ho chuki hai Mami, iski shadi se pehle iska ilaaj kara dijiyega, waha koi Danish nhi hoga iske nakhre dekhne ke liye." Danish turned to go but stopped when remembered the main reason of coming here. "Chamu, Dad is summoning you if you're free."

(Mami, she has developed a disease of throwing tantrums and complaining. Please get her treated before her marriage. There will be no Danish there to tolerate her tantrums.)

"Ab to Chamu bolna band kar de yaar, ya to Chachu bool le ya Mamu..." Adnaan stood up but Danish shook his head with a big smile. The same smile he had in childhood, the only difference was his teeth, now he had no missing front teeth.

(At least now stop calling me Chamu, either call me Mamu or Chachu.)

"No, Chamu sounds good."

"Begairat. Zaleel." Adnaan rolled his eyes while walking ahead and Danish laughed.

(Shameless creature.)

"Meri tareef kare bina reh nhi sakte ye."

(He can't stop himself from praising me.)

"Danish, beta is ladki ko bhej do, pta nhi kaha hai? Ye kapde yaha daal ke chali gyi." Sara ignored Danish's humor and started folding the clothes thrown by fayra, but before her order could be executed Fayra was already standing in the room.

(Danish, dear, send this girl back. I don't know where she is. She left the clothes here and went away.)

"Mummy tell him to go away... I won't talk to him." Fayra picked a dress from the bed and looked at it. "I don't have anything to wear. What will they people think, the only daughter of Adnaan Rizwi doesn't even have clothes to wear?" She cried with irritation and walked out of the room.

Sara smacked her forehead and took a step ahead but stopped by Danish.

"I'll handle her. You get ready. We have to leave in half an hour."

"Thank you beta."

<><><><>

The bed was looking like a warehouse or a garment factory, some clothes were scattered on the floor and a pile was present on the bed. Tears were ready to roll out from her eyes while pulling the clothes out from the cupboard.

"I won't talk to anyone." She sniffled and rolled a dupatta on her hand to made a ball but before it could hit the bed a face came in its path.

"Ughhh... Fayraaaa..."

"How dare you to step into my room?" Asked Fayra and Danish sighed. Instead of answering her he stepped towards the left cupboard and opened it. "What are you doing Danish Bhai?" She was frustrated Danish held her hand and dragged her in front of the cupboard full of clothes.

"You look mesmerizing in yellow colour." He whispered and Fayra sniffled while wiping her eyes and glaring at Danish. "But I don't have any yellow dress."

"Allah ke gazab se daro Fayra, 3 to mujhe saamne dikh rhi hain."

(Be afraid of Allah, Fayra, I can see three of them in front of me.)

"Wo sari to mene pehen rakhi hain na... Main dresses repeat kru? Sab kya sochenge?" 

(I've already worn all of them. I won't repeat the dresses. What will people think?)

"Ye shakal bhi to itne saalo se repeat kar rhi ho na? Ya har rooz naya chehra banati ho? Tum ladkiyon ne ajeeb drama laga rakha hai... Dresses repeat nhi karni? Hadd hai yaar. Mujhe dekho, ek black pant hai uske sath alag alag t-shirts laga ke chala leta hu."

(Haven't you been repeating this face for so many years? Or do you make a new face everyday? Why can't you repeat the dresses?Look at me, I have only one black pants and I team it up with different t-shirts.)

"Aap to ladke hain na, aapke kapde kon dekhega? Kapde to ladkiyon ke dekhe jate hain. Achhe kapde nhi honge to achhe kese lagenge?" Fayra again threw tantrum.

(You are a boy, who will look at your clothes? Girls' outfit matters. We need good clothes to look good.)

"Keep one thing in your mind." Danish held her arm and turned her towards himself. "We love you despite of your outfit. You're important to us even without good clothes. Your worth is not your clothes Fayra. Make your personality expensive, not your outfit. Got it?" Danish took a step ahead and picked a random dress from the cupboard.

"Wear it." He ordered Fayra, for a moment she was unsure about the dress but grabbed it.

"Trust me, no one remembers this dress, no one remembers when you carried it last time, and even if anyone remembers it doesn't matter at all dear... Every dress looks pretty on you... dresses need you to get identity you don't need dresses to get identified. Okay?" Fayra was silent. She didn't know what to say in return. Danish glanced at his wristwatch, "you have only half an hour girl." And he turned to go but...

"Danish Bhai..."

"What now?"

"You're the best-" Danish grinned but Fayra rolled her eyes. "manipulator." The additional statement was enough to vanish Danish's smile.

<><><><>

After A Few Hours.

Bisma was walking from one stop to another, there was no reason behind it but she was looking unhappy. The junior Maizah was not even smiling.

"Bisma."

"Yeah Dad?" She forced a smile and sat down beside Anzala who cupped her cheek lovingly. Seeing his Pari (fairy) as a married woman was another joy for him.

"What's wrong?" Asked Anzala.

"Everything." Bisma muttered, lost somewhere else.

"What?" Everyone was happy until a moment ago but suddenly the Ziyadi home was captured by an uneasy silence.

"What?" Seeing the shocked faces of her family members Bisma blinked blankly. "Why are you all seeing me like this?"

"You said everything is wrong..." Said Adnaan and Bisma closed her eyes for a moment.

"No no... I wanted to say everything is fine, maybe I missed a few words." She muttered and looked down towards her hands. She was wearing a gold ring in the middle finger of her right hand. When everyone was seeing her she was twisting and turning the ring.

"Let me check why the maid is taking too long to bring snacks." Bisma walked towards the kitchen and everyone looked at each other. She was the Drama Queen of her home, Fayra was shocked to see her elder cousin in this new style but she couldn't do anything.

"Muskan, what you have done with my daughter? She is unusually silent." Maizah asked with disappointment. Muskan and Arham were silent as they also didn't know the reason.

"Where is Ashar?" Asked Sara and Adnaan in unison.

"He is in his room," Arham replied. "He must be coming." Said Muskan and walked to the room where her only son was reading a book.

"Ashar, they are your in-laws. You should spend time with them." Muskan burst on his as soon as she locked the door.

"Please mummy, now you don't start this lecture. I already have an argument with your daughter in law" Ashar was irritated.

"What? Argument? Ashar, it's only a month since you get married, and you're having arguments?"

"Please mummy leave me alone."

"Come downstairs right now." Muskan glared at him but he ignored.

"Ashar."

Ignored.

"Ashar" Muskan was angry but her son was more angry than her. He picked earphones and soon Muskan understood that he was not going to listen to her.

"Ashar is sleeping, I tried to wake him up but..." Muskan represented a lie in front of the guest and Bisma smiled like a sarcasm before sitting down between Maizah and Sara.

"Any problem?" Maizah asked and Bisma rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "No." She muttered.

"Then why are you silent?"

"Because I used to speak nonsense and now I'm married so I should know what to say and what not." Bisma muttered without opening her eyes.

Maizah and Sara looked at each other. "Who told this Bisma?" This time Sara asked. Bisma opened her eyes and shook her head.

"No one Mami. I'm the one to conclude everything." Bisma muttered without showing any kind of expression but Sara and Maizah understood that something was wrong for sure.

"I guess, we should leave now. Otherwise it will be late." Danish's voice gave jolt to Bisma's heart. Aligarh to Lucknow was five hours distance but Bisma was feeling like the distance between her and her family was infinite.

"So soon? Why don't you people stay here for a few days?" Arham asked and Anzala looked at Bisma. He didn't want to take his leave from his daughter so soon but he could not stay here. Bisma was looking at her father with hope, she wanted them to stay.

"No, we will go back." Placing the empty cup of tea Anzala announced. Bisma's eyes filled with tears.

"I miss you all," Bisma whispered before hugging Maizah. Both the mother daughter was crying silently but Anzala was the one to ask Bisma if she had any problem and she again shook her head.

After a few more minutes everyone was ready to leave, Bisma hugged Danish and he as usual pulled her hair to tease her but in return there was no argument, no tantrum, no overacting. She just winced and pushed her hair away.

"You can't be my sister." Danish broke the hug with this statement. "She was a witch, ready to kill me every time."

"Yeah, I'm not your sister. I'm Mrs Ziyadi." She smiled and Danish looked at her sad face.

Before the farewell could be starched little more Bisma walked back to her bedroom with long steps.

Her eyes met with her husband. He ignored her. She ignored him.

Pulling out her clothes from the cupboard she shoved them in a handbag messily only then Ashar gave some attention to her.

"What are you doing?" He asked, she didn't look at him, just zipped her bag.

"You can't tolerate me around yourself. I don't want to live with you, what's the benefit of wasting time with each other." She wiped her tears and walked out of the room with long steps.

"Dad... Danish Bhai... Wait." Her loud voice stopped the Rizwi clan to step ahead. "I'm coming with you." Bisma walked downstairs and looked at Muskan.

"I'm going, mummy."

"But...." Muskan was unable to say anything

"When will you come back, beta?" Asked Arham and Bisma sighed. She wanted to say 'never' however looked here there as if the answer was present somewhere near her and she actually got it after looking at the girl present in front of her clad in blue and yellow suit, her long curly hair tied up in a messy bun.

"At least till Fayra's engagement. She is my sister how can I miss her engagement?" Said Bisma while passing her bag to Danish.

Muskan and Arham were unable to say anything. The very next moment Rizwi(s) left. Bisma turned to see the home where she came as a bride only a month ago, her eyes met with the person who was the reason behind her presence in this home. Ashar. Her husband. The only man whom she loved with all her heart and soul. The only man she thought about. The only man who hurt her too much. And the very next moment she followed her family to Lucknow.

<><><><>

Hello...

How are

Khana khaa k Jana ... Haan...

(Lekin bana khud lena 🤪)

How is this chapter??