"Begum~" A loud call from the doorway disturbed her mild slumber. Lazily she opened her eyes but the very next moment closed them.

"Aji sunti ho Anaya ki maa..." This time the call was a whisper near her ear followed by a gentle kiss on her forehead.

(Hey Anaya's mom, can't you listen?)

"Anaya ki maa ke kaan aur muh sahi salamat hain, to wo sunti bhi hai aur bolti bhi hai," she whispered without changing her position, her eyes were closed and a hand rested under her head.

(Anaya's mom cannot only listen to but speak too)

"Aur nakhre bhi dikhati hai..."

(and shows tantrums too.)

"Mat dekhiye, aapko kya farkh padta hai?" without choosing to glance at him she mattered and he rolled his eyes.

(Then don't bear... You already don't care)

"Samose le aaya hu, the choice is all yours, bhaao khati rahogi ya samose bhi khaogi?" and he walked towards the door.

(I have brought samosas, the choice is all yours, will you keep throwing tantrums or will pop some samosas?)

Madiha opened her eyes to see her husband going away. "Main naraz ho jau to kabhi mana bhi liya kriye," saying with disappointment she again closed her eyes and Athar smiled.

(Sometimes try to bring me around if I get angry)

Walking back to the bed he set down with dangling legs and softly massaged her scalp before shifting her head in his lap. "Naraz hi kyu hoti ho?" a little whisper filled with love directly hit her heart and she opened her eyes.

(Why do you get angry?)

"Athar, it hurts when you ignore me." she was offended but he laughed silently. This woman was becoming an attention-seeker but he was unable to fulfil her needs as his attention was captured by Anaya these days.

"I can't ignore you," he whispered but how could she believe it? For the last seven days, he didn't bring her roses, he didn't even say I love you not even once.

"But you're doing." Adjusting her head in his lap she muttered and closed her eyes. Athar cupped her face, his thumb slowly caressing her cheek. This is what she wanted. Some peaceful moments with him.

She knew she could be pampered here that's why she had chosen to throw tantrums on the other hand, he knew that no one else had the right to tolerate these blowups so he was tolerating everything with pleasure. 

"Just don't ignore me ever," she whispered to get a small kiss on her cheek, opening her eyes she saw this man to fall for him harder one more time. 

"kis tarah chhod doon tumhein jaanaan

tum meri zindagi ki aadat ho

dastaan khatm hone waali hai

tum meri aakhiri muhabbat ho"

Madiha couldn't help but smile. She wanted to hug this man and never let him go away from her arms but for now, she decided to show her love differently.

"Chai bana ke laa rhi hu, sab sath ba..." before her sentence could be completed he smacked his forehead. 

(I'm bringing tea.)

"Main chai banane rakh ke aaya tha." pushing her head away from his lap Athar rushed to the kitchen and Madiha blinked. What an unromantic end to a romantic moment! She rolled her eyes but followed him and found him putting a completely burnt saucepan into the sink.

(I came after putting tea on the gas stove.)

"Ise aap hi saaf kriyega..."

(you will clean it yourself.)

"Achha yaar kar dunga, tum jaa kar betho main chai bana kr laa rha hu."

(Okay, I will do it, you go and sit, I am bringing tea.)

After reheating the samosas in the microwave, she served them and waited for her husband to make tea, he transferred them into three cups and Madiha walked to the room where her mother-in-law was sitting with Anaya.

"Kya hua, ladai jhagda khatam ho gya?" still playing with Anaya the old lady asked and Madiha smiled... In the time being Athar walked in with tea and passed it to his mother.

(What happened, is the conflict over?)

"Koi jhagda hota to khatam hota na... Subah se bekar me muh bana rakha tha..." he fake glared at Madiha who preferred to pick a samosa instead of replying.

(There was no conflict. Just her drama)

"Anaya... Papa ke pas aa jao ya dadi ki beti ban gyi?" he beckoned the little girl who left everything and crawled to the only man of this family. 

(Anaya... come to Papa or have you become Grandma's daughter?)

"Abba ki chamchi." Madiha fake glared at the father and daughter duo making them chuckle. No one knew why Anaya laughed every time Madiha called her Abba ki chamchi (father's buttery).

"Mumma is jealous of us... Isn't it?" Athar kissed the cheeks of his daughter and embraced her like his life depended on her, Madiha kept watching the scene and couldn't help but remember her parents. She was the apple of their eyes in the same way.

"Agar Ammi hoti to unki khushi ki koi hadd nhi hoti... Din raat apne damad ke qaside padti rehti." Madiha told her mother-in-law without averting her eyes from Athar who was playing with Anaya and making her chuckle.

(If Amma were alive, there would be no boundaries of her happiness... she would endlessly praise her son-in-law day and night.)

Athar smiled at the compliment but his mother's smile came to an end, anger conquered her expression and she put the cup of tea back.

"Tumhari maa ne agar rishta thukraya na hota to masla hi kya tha... Kami hi kya thi mere bete mein?" Madiha looked confused. What did it mean?

(There would have been no issue if your mother had not rejected this proposal... what flaw did my son have?)

"Ammi please, purani bate na nikaliye, jo hona tha ho chuka." Athar didn't like to bring that topic up. This topic was always painful for him. Only he knew how he had passed that time.

(Ammi please, don't beat the dead horse.)

"Kya keh rhi hain aap, Ammi? Kiska rishta thukraya tha meri ammi ne aur kab?"

(What are you saying, Ammi? Whose proposal was rejected by my Ammi? And when?)

"Tumhe nhi bataya tumhari maa ne?" Asked the old lady with rage and Madiha looked at Athar, he was also waiting for a reply. Madiha blinked blankly and shook her head without knowing the exact topic of discussion.

(Didn't your mother tell you?)

"4-5 saal pehle Athar ne tumhare ghar bheja tha mujhe, tumhara rishta mangne... Tum ghar par nhi thi, lekin tumhari maa thi, unhone meri bohot beizzati kri aur..." The lady couldn't express her anger in words anymore. For a long time, she was hiding everything in her heart. While living with Madiha she started liking her but was unable to get rid of grudges.

(4-5 years ago Athar had sent me to your house with his marriage proposal. You were not at home, but your mother was there, she insulted me a lot and...)

"Aesa kese ho sakta hai? Ammi kisi ki beizzati kabhi nhi kar sakti thi..." Madiha shook her head.

(It's impossible. Ammi couldn't insult anyone.)

"To kya maine jhut bola tha apne bete se?" the lady asked a question after this refusal but Madiha thought deeply.

(What do you mean, I told my son an untruth?)

"Bibi tumhari maa ko fikr thi ki agar tumhari shadi ho gyi to unki khidmat kon krega, isliye unhone tumhari shadi nhi kri thi." The harsh words were less harsh than the reality slapped by this lady.

(oh girl, your mother was worried that if you got married then who would look after her, that is why she did not marry you.)

Madiha's heart clenched with pain. How could her mother do this to her? But deep down she was not ready to go with the facts presented by her mother-in-law. 

"Ammi aesa kese kar sakti thi? Wo to khud chahti thi ki meri shadi unki zindagi me hi ho jaye, kitni baar unhone Mamu aur Mami se kaha tha koi rishta..." Madiha stopped in between "Just a minute..." suddenly, just like a blast, many scenes from the past flashed in front of her eyes and looked at Athar then at her mother-in-law. "You said I wasn't at home but Ammi was at home... Right?"

(How could Ammi do this? She wanted me to get married in her life, many times she had told my uncle and aunt to find a match for me...)

"Hmm... You went to meet your relative or friend... Now I don't remember exactly." The old lady said and Madiha closed her eyes for a while.

She never left her mother alone at home. Either she used to go along with her mother or stay with her at any cost. But it wasn't difficult for her to put two and two together. Madiha looked at Athar and smiled sadly. "Athar, why didn't you tell me about this?"

"I did not want to create differences between your mother and you."

"She must be Mami... Not my Ammi. Ammi wanted to see me settling down in her life, she was trying to find a good match for me but... I never thought that Mami would do this to me..." Madiha muttered and controlled her anger. Maybe it was the first time when she was getting angry instead of crying.

Soon she picked up her mobile phone and showed an old pic to her mother-in-law... "Ammi, can you recognize her." Madiha asked and the old lady shook her head.

"She is my Ammi..."

"But that lady was someone else..."

"I told you na... She must be my Mami..." and Madiha walked back to her bedroom but Athar saw the shine of tears in her eyes. His heart also clenched and he walked after his wife.

"Shhhhhhhh...." pulling her in a tight hug he caressed her back.

"Athar... We could be together five years ago... we could have a good time together." Madiha was not crying but bursting out. Only she knew how many times she kept missing Athar while living with Danish. Everyday with him was a torture and every time she wished she had Athar as life partner instead of that heartless and emotionless man.

"Don't worry. We're still together."

"But after paying a heavy price."

"It was destined to happen Madiha, that time is gone, now I can't see you in pain." he just didn't want to separate her from himself.

"Leave me..." pushing his arms away she freed herself and rushed towards the cupboard to draw out her burqa.

"Madiha, where are you going at this time?"

"Puchungi unse ki ye sab kyu kiya mere sath?" Wearing the burqa she said with anger and Athar held her hands. 

(I'll ask her why she did that to me?)

Madiha was sure that Athar would stop her from doing so and this time she was determined to disobey him but this man left her answerless one more time. 

"Unse sawal puchna haq hai tumhara, zarur jao lekin itna gussa na karo."

(it's your right to question her but don't get so angry.)

"Gussa na kru? Sach mein? Kehna bohot asan hota hai ki gussa na kro, lekin Athar, meri zindagi behtar ho sakti thi agar unhone meri zindagi me zeher na ghoola hota. Main us aadmi se bach sakti thi jo mujhe janwaro ki tarha maarta tha... Wo aadmi muhje maarna shuru karta tha to tab tak nhi rukta tha jab tak ya to wo na thak jaye ya main marne wali halat mein na pohoch jaun... Mujhe us jahannam mein dhakel kar unhone sara ilzam meri qismat par daal diya, aur aap keh rhe hain main gussa na kru? Aap hi bta dijiye main kya kru?" for the very first time Madiha was angry to this extent. Athar knew what she had faced but no one could feel her pain.

(Don't get angry. Are you serious? Athar, I could have a better life... A beautiful life if that venomous lady did not create misunderstandings. I could be saved from that hell and that man who used to beat me as if I wasn't a human but a lifeless doll. When that man started beating me, he would not stop until either he got tired or I reached the point of dying... After pushing me into that hell, she put the entire blame on my destiny, and you are saying that I should not get angry. Okay, just tell me what I should do?)

Athar kept watching her, her breathing pattern showed that she was near a panic attack, he slightly squeezed her hands and took a step closer. "Roo lo, ye jo tumhari na rone ki aur aasu chupane ki zidd hai wo tumhe bimaar na kar de."

(Just cry out... Otherwise, your stubbornness of not crying and hiding tears will make you sick.)

"Nhi... Bohot roo chuki, kab tak rooti rahu? Ab aur nhi roo sakti..." she was on the edge of crying but controlling herself and Athar felt happy to see this form of his wife. For a long time, he wanted her to show this stubbornness to fight against the odds however she was showing stubbornness in hiding her fears and pretending to be strong. Sometimes, an outburst is also important, bottling up emotions could lead to destruction only. 

(No, I've already cried a lot, now I won't cry.)

"Jesi tumhari marzi. Akeli chali jaogi ya main sath chalu?"

(As you wish. Will you go alone or should I come with you?)

"I'll go alone..."

"Okay, but be careful." he let her go. He wanted to be her support but not her warrior, she could be her own warrior.

<><><>

Saad rushed upstairs when a loud call grabbed his attention. 

"Ji bhai?" he asked looking at the tall figure sitting on the sofa. 

"Khana khaa liya tu ne?" Danish asked and Saas just nodded without using words, following a gesture he took his seat beside Danish and looked at the files present on the table. 

(Have you had your meal?)

"Yaha sign kar." Passing a few papers Danish pointed at the end of the papers and Saad silently did so. 

(Sign these papers.)

After some thirty pages Danish rechecked them and put them in a file, Saad couldn't help but asked the simplest question. "Ye kya hai bhai?"

(What's this bhai?)

"Madiha ke khilaf gawahi ke papers hain, abhi to ye written form me hain, zarurat padi to court bhi jana hoga tujhe, waha gawahi deni hogi ki meri gairmojudgi me ghar mein bohot se aadmi aate the, tu ne Madiha ko 2-3 baar range hatho unke sath compromising position mein pakda lekin us ke dare dhamkane ki wajah se tu kabhi mujhe kuch nhi bata saka." Danish narrated the story and Saad stayed silent for a few minutes. He had seen Madiha for four years, he loved that lady like a mother, and she loved this boy like her younger brother... Her character was spotless. Saad looked at Danish and dared to open his mouth.

(There are papers of testimony against Madiha, right now these are in written form, if necessary you will have to go to the court also. You have to testify that many men used to come to meet Madiha in my absence, 2-3 times you have caught Madiha with them in a compromising position but you could never tell me anything due to the threat they gave you.)

"Bhai..."

"hmm?"

"Kuch din pehle main bazar gya tha to Madiha bhabi kisi aadmi ke sath jaa rhi thi..." Saad whispered. 

(A few days ago, when I went to the market, Madiha Bhabhi was going with a man...)

"Dusri shadi kar li hai usne." Saad didn't need this information because he already understood the same after seeing Madiha's closeness with that man.

(She has remarried.)

"Ek Bachchi bhi thi unki goud mein." Saad muttered and Danish looked up suddenly. This information was new for him. How could he did not know this?

(she also had a baby girl in her arms.)

"Pehle kyu nhi bataya tu ne? Ab to aur bhi maza ayega."

(Why didn't you tell me earlier? Now it will be even more fun.)

"Bhai, rehne dijiyena ye sab... Aapne bhi Gohar bhabi se shadi kar li hai... Aapko beta chahiye tha aapko mil gya... Madiha bhabi ko rehne dijiye na wo jaha bhi hain..." Saad said in a hushed tone. Maybe he was the only person from this home who had a soft corner for Madiha.

(Bhai, leave all this... You are married to Gohar Bhabhi... You wanted a son and you got one... So, just close Madiha Bhabhi's chapter.)

"Zyada bakwaas karne ki zarurat nhi hai, jitna kaha jaye sirf utna kar."

(Cut the crap, and do as per instructions.)

"Bhai main to is liye keh rha tha kyuki aap in sab maslo mein apna time waste kar rhe hain, aap to wese hi itna busy rehte hain."

(Bhai, I was saying this because you're wasting your time on all these issues, you are already so busy.)

"Main achhi tarha janta hu tujhe kitni fikar hai meri... Dafa ho ja yaha se, jab court jana hoga bata dunga." Glissading his first finger, Danish gestured for Saad to go away and he helplessly moved downstairs.

(I know very well how much you care about me... get lost from here, I will tell you when you have to go to court.)

Crossing his legs Danish watched Saad going downstairs. He excellently learned the art of buying people's helplessness, and he never failed to apply this art in his life.

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