"Mohsin."

"Hmm?"

"Aapi ko kya hua hai?" munching on the chips she asked while seeing Madiha who was sitting in the other corner of the home, Zayan was in her lap but she was lost without seeing the baby waiting for her attention.

(What happened to Aapi?)

"Kuch to hua hi hai warna itni chup to kabhi nhi rehti," Mohsin muttered. They saw a sudden change in Madiha's behaviour for the last few days. Madiha was ill as well as silent when returned from Athar's home, in the beginning, Mohsin and Aamna considered that silence the result of fever due to being drenched in rain but even after seven days she was not looking fine. Her fever was gone but not her silence.

(Something must have happened otherwise she would never have remained so silent.)

"Tu kis kaam ka bhai hai? Pta lga na teri behen ko kya takleef hai?" she kind of huffed while filling her mouth with chips and Mohsin grimaced at his wife and again looked at Madiha.

(You are such a useless brother. Find out her problem and solve it.)

"Wo kuch bataiye tab na, kuch batati hi nhi hain," Mohsin muttered without averting his eyes from his sister's face who was so beautiful at one time but now who could recognize she was the same Madiha. He felt a wave of pain running in his heart but had nothing to do to change the reality. Looking away from Madiha's face he started giving his eyes to his mobile screen and Aamna glared at him. 

(For that she should share with us, but she doesn't.)

"Tu kisi kaam ka nhi hai Mohsin."

(you're good for nothing Mohsin.)

"Hmm... Tu hai na sara kaam karne ke liye," he muttered without looking up and his wife glared at him before seeing Madiha whose back was resting with the wall, a dull face giving the testimony of her sad heart.

(Hmm... As you are here to do all the work.)

No one knew what was happening in Madiha's life, but it was becoming difficult for her to deal with. From the other night, Athar was regularly approaching her to get married and she was refusing regularly. Every time he asked the reason behind her refusal she just ignored that question and walked away. There was something she could not dare to share with anyone. Not even with Athar whom she needed to share all her pains and miseries.

Kuch zakhm to insaan khud se bhi chupana chahta hai, wo kisi aur ko kese dikha deti?

(There are some wounds a person wants to hide even from their own, how could she show them to anyone?)

"Kuch to kar Mohsin." Pushing the packet of chips Aamna whispered as if her husband could do something. Meanwhile, a doorbell rang and Aamna placed her hand to stand up but was stopped by a hand that grabbed her arm. 

(Mohsin, do something.)

"Aapi." after all Mohsin spoke aloud to gain his sister's attention. "Someone is on the door." he gave a requesting look and Madiha walked towards the door while carrying Zayan carefully.

"Main jaa to rahi thi, unhe kyu uthaya?" Aamna slapped his arm

(I was already going, why did you send her?)

"Unki favourite ice cream order kri hai, jaa ke spoons aur bowls le aa."

(I have ordered his favourite ice cream, go get spoons and bowls.)

Madiha came back with a parcel in her hand and passed it towards Mohsin. "Aa jaiye, sath baith ke ice cream khate hain." he grabbed his sister's hand with a little smile and Madiha blinked without any expression on her face. She looked at Zayan and kissed his cheek softly before passing him to Aamna and walking towards her room after saying. "Mujhe neend aa rhi hai, tum log khaa lo." Mohsin sighed as did Aamna. They could find a solution if Madiha would share her problem but she was just silent. 

(come on Aapi, let's have an ice cream together.)

(I'm sleepy, you enjoy.)

<><><><>

"Bhai khana khaa lijiye. 100 baar bula chuki hu aapko, lekin aap sunte hi nhi hain." Said a frustrated Rosie while stepping into the room to get a horrifying glare from Athar's bloodshot eyes. 

(Bhai, have dinner, I've called you a hundred times but you're not even listening.)

"Aur main bhi 100 baar keh chuka hu ki nhi khana, chali jao yaha se." he yelled in reply and Rosie huffed before walking back with loud steps while mumbling "Sare aadhe pagal meri hi qismat me likhe hain, pata hi nhi chalta kab kon pura pagal ho jayega." Rosie's voice wasn't clear enough to understand what she said but Athar just glared at her back.

(And I have also told you 100 times not to eat, go away from here.)

(All the half-mad people are written in my destiny, god knows who will go completely mad at any moment.)

He was in a foul mood, Madiha was not talking to him, and she wasn't even looking towards him. Today, she came to his desk, placed her tab and turned back after saying. "Check it, and mail me if there is any issue." just it! She was making the boundaries higher than ever.

"Athar." a voice grabbed his attention, he looked at his mother who was standing in front of him. "Ye kesi zidd hai Athar? Khana kyu nhi khaa rhe? Chalo, bahar aao, kuchh khaa lo, bhuke nhi rehte. Zidd na kro" the lady said politely but Athar forgot his politeness.

(What kind of stubbornness is this, Athar? Why aren't you having your meal? Come on, eat something, don't stay hungry. Don't be stubborn.)

"Meri zidd se farkh kisko padta hai? Na aap maan rhi hain na wo, Aap please chali jaiye yaha se, mujhe kuchh nhi khana," he replied with an inflexible attitude which eventually enraged his mother too.

(Who cares about my stubbornness? Neither you nor she is agreeing. Please leave me alone, I don't wanna eat anything.)

"Athar tum bachhe to nhi ho ki khana peena chhod ke baith jaoge aur tumhari zidd puri kar di jayegi." said his mother with anger in her voice and he looked up. 

(You are not a child whose demand will be fulfilled if he quits eating and drinking.)

"Ji Ammi, bachcha nhi hu main ki aap mujhe daant ke apni baat manwa lengi... 35 saal ka mature admi hu main..."

(Yeah Ammi, I am not a child that you will force your decision on me by scolding me… I am a mature man of 35 years...)

"Ise tum maturity kehte ho? Ek esi aurat ke liye pagal huye baithe ho jiski maa ne hamari itni beizzati kari thi."

(Do you call this maturity? You are crazy about a woman whose mother insulted us so badly.)

"Uski maa ab nhi hai... Bohot saal ho gye is baat ko bhul jaiye wo sab." Athar was more furious than his mother but the lady was sensible enough to know that when children started coming to the shoulder they couldn't be handled by force, they became like a hard rock that could be broken while hammering hard but it could still be converted into a sculpture using some techniques and skills. Without wasting time she converted her tone to a soft one and sat down beside her son.

(Her mother is no more... it's been many years, forget all that.)

"Wo bhi to tumse shadi karna nhi chahti."

(She also doesn't want to marry you.)

"Use main mana lunga, aap apna bataiye, aap maan jayengi?" there was silence in reply, Athar waited for his mother to say something but she didn't utter a word.

(I'll make her agree, you tell me about yourself, will you agree.)

"Ammi, jawab dijiye."

(Ammi, answer me.)

"Pehle use to mana lo."

(Agree her first.)

"Use to main mana hi lunga, aur jis din wo maan gyi usi din us se shadi kar lunga, aap dua dengi to behtar hoga warna... qanuni taur se bhi aur sharayi taur se bhi main apne nikkah ka decision khud le sakta hu." While saying the last part he looked away and his mother saw another Athar. A completely new Athar who did not know how to sacrifice his happiness for his family.

(I will change her mind, and the day she agrees, I will marry her, it will be better if you bless us, otherwise... Legally as well as Shari'a, I can decide my Nikkah on my own.)

"us ke liye apni maa ko bhul jaoge?" This time the lady was emotional. 

(Will you forget your mother for her?)

"kya Aap apne bete ke liye bohot saal pehle ki ek baat nhi bhul sakti? Jo kuch bhi Madiha ki Ammi ne kaha tha usme Madiha ki kya galti hai?"

(Can't you forget an old incident did your son? What is Madiha's fault in whatever her mother had said?)

"Theek hai, tumhari khushi ke liye main apni beizzati bhul jati hu, lekin ye kese bhul jaun ki use talaq is liye huyi kyuki use aulaad nhi ho sakti... Ek aesi aurat se shadi karke kya fayda jo tumhe aulaad na de sake?"

(fine, I'm forgetting my insult for your happiness, but how can I forget that she was divorced because she can't become a mother? What is the use of marrying a woman who can't give you children?)

"Nhi chahiye mujhe aulaad, abhi bhi to meri aulaad nhi hai, Arif aur Rosie ke bachho ko aulaad ki tarha pyaar karke zindagi guzar rhi hai na meri!" Athar asserted and his mother gave a disappointed look.

(I don't want kids. I still don't have a child, I'm spending my life loving Arif and Rosie's children like my own children, aren't I?)

"Kab tak chhote bhai behno ke bachho ko khilate rahoge? Oos se pyaas nhi bujha karti, Athar. Tum apne bhatija bhajiti ko kitna bhi pyaar kyu na kar lo wo apne maa baap ko dekhenge tumhe nhi." The old lady tried to validate her point but maybe she forgot that her son was a few steps ahead in determination than her. 

(How long will you shower your love on the children of your siblings? Dew drops are precious but one can't satisfy the thirst with dew. Keep in mind, no matter how much you love your nephew and niece, at one point they will prioritise their parents instead of you.)

"Ammi, duniya me hazaro yateem bachhe hain, 1 ko adopt kar lunga,"

(Ammi, there are thousands of orphan children in the world, I will adopt 1.)

"Jo chahe kro, lekin mujhse ummed na rakhna ki main kabhi is rishte ko qubul karungi." his mother walked out after announcing her final decision.

(Do whatever you want, but don't expect me to accept this relationship, ever.)

<><><><>

After 15 days.

"Coffee, " placing a mug of coffee on her desk he also took a seat beside him. Stopping her fingers to run on the keyboard Madiha looked up for a moment then slightly shifted the mug away and focused on the laptop screen. 

"I don't need coffee," she muttered

"Masla to bata do, kya pareshani hai? Kuch to bata do." Asked Athar in a defeated manner. For the last 35 days, he had been trying his best to approach his love who was silently running away from him without bothering to share her feelings and with every passing day he was becoming mad. 

(Tell me the issue, what is the problem? Tell me something.)

"Aap hain mera masla, aapne pareshan kar diya hai Athar. We are not teenagers... Ye pyaar mohabbat ka bhoot kyu aapke sar chad gya hai?" shutting down the laptop with a jolt she asked without raising her voice but she was clearly showing her anger which was something rare about her. Athar was silently seeing her who was drawing long breaths and letting them out with fury. A few of their colleagues passed by them while paying a glance at the ongoing spontaneous scene where the sometimes rude sometimes jolly guy was presenting coffee to the most reserved woman and she was showing her rudeness in return. For a moment Madiha felt hesitant but the very next moment her anger was on another level. "Aapko andaza bhi hai office me sab log hume kese dekh rhe hain? Ghar me Mohsin ko lagta hai main bimaar hu lekin main use kese batau ki meri bimari kya hai... Pichha chhod dijiye mera, keh diya mene mujhe shadi nhi karni, na hi aapse, na kisi aur se." Saying the last part she joined both hands in front of him, she did not waste her time and walked towards the cafeteria. But she unknowingly gave an idea to Athar. Why didn't he think about this yet?

(You are my problem, you have troubled me, Athar. We are not teenagers who go mad in love. Why can't you come out of this phase of your mind?)

(Do you even have any idea how everyone in the office is looking at us? At home, Mohsin thinks I am sick but I can't tell him what my malady is... Leave me alone, I told you that I will not marry you, nor anyone else.)

<><><><><>

"Gohor apni bakwaas band karo, mera dimaag kharab na karo..." he yelled from the top of his lungs but he always forgot that the last opposite to him was not Madiha. 

(Gohor, just shut up, stop your nonsense.)

"Main bakwaas kar rahi hu? Ye bakwaas hai? Meri peeth peche aap apni biwi se milne gye the? Jab talaq de chuke hain to kya zarurat hai us se milne jane ki?"

(Am I talking nonsense? Is this nonsense? Didn't you go to meet your first wife behind my back? When you have divorced her then what is the need to go and meet her?)

"Kisne bataya tumhe?" he yelled in the same manner.

(who told you?)

"Kya farkh padta hai ki kisne bataya? Sawal ye hai ki gye kyu the?

(Does it matter who told it? The question is, why were you gone?)

"Tujhse lakh guna behtar thi wo, main and ha ho gya tha jo use jane diya, lekin ab bohot jald wapas le aunga main use isi ghar me." he grit his teeth

(She was a million times better than you, I was so blind that I let her go, but now I will bring her back to this house very soon.)

"Main use is ghr me aane hi nhi dungi." Gohar challenged and Danish smirked in his signature style. 

(I won't let her come into this house.)

"Teri auqaat nhi hai ki mujhe rook sake. Main jo kehta hu wo kar ke dikhata hu." he walked downstairs where Saad was already standing listening to their argument. "Nazar Rakh is pe, koi tamasha na laga de mohalle me." he mounted the bike and left.

(You don't have the power to stop me. I do Whatever I say.)

(keep an eye on her. She shouldn't make a scene.)

Saad jerked his head and smirked. He had seen Madiha pleading in front of this man without any of her mistakes but in return, he had beaten her like an animal and now he was understanding the value of her. 

<><><>

"Mohsin... "

"hmm?"

"Amir bhai ki Ammi se baat karlu na?"

(Should I talk to Aamir Bhai's mother?)

"Hmm... Kar le."

(Hmm do it.)

"Pakka na?"

(sure?)

"Ab the legal NOC bana kar du tujhe? Kal unhe dinner par bula le... Aapi ko main sambhal lunga."

(Now, am I required to hand you a legal memorandum? Just invite her for dinner tomorrow... I will handle aapi)

<><><><>