Madiha looked at Danish who dozed off just a few moments ago while watching TV, she smiled after remembering how he was asking about her family and sharing her pains. Picking up her mobile phone from the pillow she walked out of the room to call Mohsin but her brows furrowed after seeing a number in the call logs. "When did Chachu called today?" Knowing that number very well she muttered and called her uncle to know the reason behind calling and she got to that the reason told by her husband. After a small conversation she hung up the call and sat down on the sofa of the living room and looked at the door of the bedroom. The man whom she wanted to love once again gave her a reason to hate him.


The time when I was putting my heart out in front of him, he was actually doubting me!

Now she understood the reason behind enquiring about her uncle and couldn't help but hated her husband.


Leaving every thought behind she called her brother again and this time he received the call after only one ring.


"Where are you Mohsin, I'm calling you for the last few hours. How are you?" Madiha asked many questions in a hurry and the reply panicked her. Mohsin had a high fever, in the afternoon he was seeing his ringing mobile but he didn't get energy to pick it up from the other side of the bed.

"Have you eaten anything or not?" She asked in a hushed tone and waited for a reply but never got one. She silently cried on her helplessness, she couldn't do anything for her younger brother. Before getting married Madiha used to look after Mohsin like a mother but now there was no one to take care of him. Most of the time Mohsin had his meals outside the home, sometimes he makes noodles or omlette for himself and sometimes Madiha called him here in Danish's absence and pack some food for him to have next day too. She didn't dare to do this work in her husband's presence as she was unsure about his reaction, this man could say anything without any hesitation and Madiha did not want him to insult her brother.


She was talking to Mohsin and crying without knowing that her husband woke up. After not finding Madiha beside himself he looked here and there, he was not looking for his wife but for her mobile phone which was not present there. He stood up from the bed and walked towards the door, her small voice could be heard from the living room. He opened the door and got a view of her back. She was talking to someone.


With whom is she talking? This time I'll catch her red handed.


With this thought he walked towards the sofa on which Madiha was sitting unaware of the man was already standing behind her. "Kabhi kabhi to lagta hai mujhe shadi karni hi nhi chahiye thi," she cried and Danish's blood got a boil. Without bothering to ask anything he snatched away the mobile phone from Madiha's hand and put it on his ear.


(Sometimes I think I shouldn't have gotten married.)


"Aapi aap to rona band kariye, main theek ho jaunga." Danish listened to a weak voice and his expressions shifted from anger to stagger, he couldn't think of it. Madiha was also shocked by the sudden act of her husband, but both of them said nothing just keep watching each other without blinking, maybe that was the longest eye contact of both of them otherwise Madiha looks away within five seconds.


(Aapi You stop crying, I will be fine.)


"Mohsin bimaar hai, mujhe uske paas jana hai. Usne kuch khaya bhi nahi hai." Even after knowing that he was doubting on her one more time she ignored the fact and demanded because right now her brother was important for her.


(Mohsin is ill, I have to go to him. He hasn't even eaten anything.)


"Tayyar ho jao." He passed her the mobile phone after disconnecting the call but she didn't take a hold on it.


(Get ready.)


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Following Madiha, Danish walked in a small room and examined the conditions. It was a mess! He took his seat on a chair which was placed in one corner of the room. Madiha didn't bother to see him even once, she was checking Mohsin's fever and crying continuously. "Kam se kam burqa to utaar lo, Kitni garmi hai yaha." A voice forced her to turn to see Danish, she realised he was right. She opened the window of the room.


(At least take off the burqa, it's so hot here.)


"Mohsin... Mohsin wake up." She slowly shook his arm but he was almost unconscious. "Mohsin, wake up." She wiped his face with a wet tissue and he opened his eyes.


"Aapi."


"Utho, main khana laayi hu, khana Khao phir dawai khana." She whispered and Mohsin tried to sat down but couldn't. Madiha was handling her brother when Danish was examining the condition of this room.


(Wake up, I have brought food, have something and then take medicine.)


A small room with miserable conditioned walls. A half open cupboard and some clothes peeping out of it. A computer table which looked like a junkyard and a task chair which was not less than a laundry basket.


Within only a few minutes Danish was irritated in this room, he couldn't tolerate mess around himself, no matter how much mess he creates!


But he stayed silent for the next half an hour, it was his first visit in this home and no one even ask him for water getting a special treatment was a far away thing. After some more time when Mohsin became a bit better he sat down on the bed and looked at Danish and greeted him with a tired voice only then Madiha realised that this man was also present here. She suddenly turned towards him but didn't know what to say. She could feel irritation on his face and she knew only if a small thing stay on coffee table he yells like anything and here, the room was a mess. She stood up and started cleaning up the room.


"Sorry, mujhe office se wapas aa kar in sab kaamo ka time nhi milta." Mohsin muttered and Madiha gave an apologetic look to his brother.


Main kitni khudgarz hu, ek baar bhi mene ye kyu nhi socha ki meri shadi ke baad mere bhai ka kya hoga? Mene sirf apni zindagi ke bare mein socha.


(How selfish I am, why didn't I think even once that what will happen to my brother after my marriage? I only thought about my life.)


She criticised herself one more time and looked at the irritated Danish, his expressions were clearly showing that he didn't want to stay here.


"Umm... Upar chalein? Mamu se mil lete hain." Knowing well the condition of upper floor will be good she suggested with hesitation but Danish furrowed.


(Umm... Let's go upstairs to meet Mamu.)


"Bulaya tha tumhare mamu ne hume?" He asked and Madiha blinked blankly, she didn't know what to say in reply so she just shook her head.


(Did your uncle invite us?)


"Jaha koi izzat se na bulaye waha muh utha kar jane ki zarurat nhi hai." Madiha gulped and restarted arranging things in the room. Within only half an hour the room was looking fine then she looked at her brother.


(No need to go where no one invites you with respect,)


"Suniye," she stood in front of her husband and he shifted his eyes from his mobile to her face. "Agar aapko pareshani na ho to main yahi ruk jau? Mohsin ka khayal rakhne wala koi nhi hai mere alawa."


(If you don't mind, shall I stay here? There is no one to take care of Mohsin except me.)


Danish think for a few moments then nodded. He would probably not leave Madiha here but somewhere he knew that being an elder sibling it's always give you a responsibility of parents, he himself was fulfilling the role of parents for his sisters and Madiha never took a step back to play a motherly role for both of them. No matter how noticed any effort of his wife or not but he noticed this thing for sure.


"Take care of him." And he stood up, Madiha dropped her to the main door and came back to Mohsin.


"Apna dhyan rakhna seekh lo Mohsin, ab main hamesha tumhare sath to nhi reh sakti na. Lekin main bohot selfish hu, mene shadi karne se pehle ek baar bhi nhi socha ki tumhara kya hoga." Madiha sat down beside her brother.


(Learn to take care of yourself Mohsin, now I can't stay with you forever, But I am very selfish, I did not even think about what would happen to you before getting married.)


"Please Aapi, main theek hu, aur achha hua na aapne shadi ho gyi. Kam se kam hum dono mein se koi ek to khush hai." Mohsin was talking to his sister after a long time and Madiha smiled like a sarcasm.

(Please Appi, I am fine, and it is good that you got married. At least one of us is happy."

"Khush to hum dono mein se koi bhi nhi hai Mohsin, khush to hum kabhi the hi nhi." After all she shared her pain with her brother and Mohsin's satisfaction fasted in a single moment.

(Neither of us is happy Mohsin, we were never happy.)


"What happened? Aren't you happy?" Madiha looked at her sick brother, she was here to look after him not to give him more stress.


"Theek hu main."


(I'm fine.)


"No. You're not. Tell me what's wrong?"


"Har baat par gussa karte hain, wo sirf duty par nhi ghar mein bhi ek police wale ki tarha rehte hain, aesa lagta hai meri shadi nhi hui mujhe koi saza mili hai. Aur ab nyi musibat, mujh par shak kar rhe hain wo. Unke sath mera dum ghut'ta hai, dil chahta hai wo ghar aaye to main kahi chali jaun." Madiha let her all frustration out in front of her brother who felt sorry for her.


(He gets angry on everything, he lives like a policeman not only on duty but also at home, it seems that I have not got married, but got some punishment. And now the new problem, he's doubting me. I feel suffocated with him, when he comes home I want to go somewhere.)


"Mujhe to lagta tha aap bohot khush hain."


(I thought you were very happy.)


"Ye rishta meri majburi hai, Mohsin. Main mamu ke ehsaano ka bojh aur nhi utha sakti thi isliye is rishte ke liye haa kar dii thi. Pehle to mujhe lagta tha unka gussa waqt ke sath sath Kam ho jayega lekin ab lagta hai waqt ke sath sath pta nhi unke kon kon se chehre bahar ayenge? Main sabr aur dua ke alawa aur kuch nhi kar sakti hu." Madiha had tears while saying the last part, all her wishes and dreams were gone into vain after getting married to Danish and now she had almost no hope regarding a good future.


(This relationship is my forsakenness, Mohsin. I could not bear the burden of Mamu's favors any more, so I agreed to this marriage. At first, I thought his anger would diminish over time, but now it seems impossible to understand how many aspects of his personality will come out with passing time? I can't do anything else besides having patience and doing prayers.)


"Sab theek ho jayega. Ho sakta hai waqt ke sath sath Danish Bhai badal jaye."


(Everything will be alright. Maybe Danish Bhai will change with passing time.)


"Wo kabhi nhi badlenge, mujhe khud ko unke hisaab se badalna hoga." She muttered and Mohsin saw his sister crying for the first time while sharing her pain. Till now she never shared her weak side with anyone but today she was doing, how broken she was.


(He will never change, I have to change myself according to him.)


"To thoda badal lijiye, ho sakta hai thoda wo khud ko bhi badal lein." Madiha looked at her younger brother while wiping her tears. "Tum bohot badi badi baate karne lage ho." Mohsin smiled and shrugged.


(So change a little, maybe he will also change himself a little.)


(Wow, you've learnt to talk big.)


"Aapka bhai ab bada ho gaya hai." Madiha smiled sadly and slowly patted his cheek. He was really grown up, before she could talk further her eyes travelled to the chair where Danish was sitting.


(Your brother is grown up now.)


"He forget his wallet." She muttered and picked it from the chair.


"Call him." Mohsin suggested.


"Wo bike bohot teez chalate hain, ab tak to bohot dur tak jaa chuke honge, sirf wallet ke liye to wapas nahi aayenge. Main kal jab wapas jaungi tab hi de dungi." She puts the wallet in her purse without knowing how far Danish actually was!


(He rides the bike very fast, so he must have gone quite far by now. He won't come back just for the wallet. I'll give it back only when I go back tomorrow.)


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