I didn't know what time the clock was reading... Was it middle of night or late morning I didn't know! I wasn't in the mood to know either because right now I didn't want to open my eyes. I wasn't sleeping... Not completely awake either.... What should this condition be named? Umm... I don't know.

Strange! Nowadays my situation is different from usual. I'm not The Daniyal Kazmi anymore, now I'm feeling like The Deni. I know it's funny to hear, but true. Deni is pretty different from Daniyal. Daniyal is an immature man who doesn't care about anything and ignores every problem like it's nothing but Deni is a responsible man who has a wife and parents to take care of... Daniyal needs his family to take care of himself but Deni is a family man who cares for his family! And this journey from Daniyal to Deni was covered because of an Idiot woman whose name starts with S.

I opened my eyes and the right corner of my lips pulled upward in a small smile when I found this beautiful lady fast asleep beside me. Wearing my t-shirt she was looking somewhere between seductive and cute. I never thought that our relationship would be changed in this way, but there are no regrets just happiness and satisfaction in my heart. I love to feel her fragrance around me.

Life is unpredictable so is my idiot woman. She could be the most silly person ever at any time and without any prior notice she could be the most sensible person with a treasure of maturity.

Meri Ahmaq biwi Kissing her cheek I stepped out of the bed, Grabbing a kurta pajama from the cupboard I walked to the bathroom to take a shower. It was the last hour of the night. After a long shower when I came out of the bathroom there was only half an hour left for Fajr, the best time to pray tahajjud and talk to Almighty.

I went to wake Shifa up but her tired eyes stopped me. It seems she cried yesterday, I know whenever she cries the edges of her eyelids swell and they give me pain. "May Allah give all your pains to me." I can't see her in pain anymore, Kissing her eyes I walked back towards the prayer mat.

After performing Tahajjud I just sat silently while reciting some verses of the Quran when my attention was grabbed by my wife who was changing her side. "Ya Allah..." I lifted my hands in the air after making a cup of them and reshifted my eyes to the prayer mat instead of that beautiful face. "Ya Allah please save my Shifa from every problem and give me strength to fulfill her every single wish and need. Ya Allah bless my parents with good health and long life," and for a moment I stopped and closed my eyes, maybe then only my heart wanted to talk to almighty "Ya Allah, I don't know where she is but you know everything, please never give her any hardship in her life. Remove all the pains from her life and replace them with immense joy, pleasure, good health, comfort and happiness." I again opened my eyes with a smile and "Ya Allah increase the amount of love in between me and my wife and let us live a happy life together, and after death make us enter in jannat with each other."

"Aameen, Summa Aameen, Allahumma Aameen ya rabbul aalameen" Finishing the prayer I looked at the only source of disturbance in the room. My dear wife and her light snoring voice.

"Shifaaaa... It's Fajr time, wake up." I said loudly but it's not easy to wake up this khatoon (woman)

After completing my namaz I threw myself on the bed and removed her hair from her face. "Wake up, khatoon."

"Deni..." She muttered in a sleeping state. "Hmm?" Pulling her cheeks I smiled but she again slept.

"Khatoon." Shaking her arm I call her with a smirk. "My lovely Khatoon."

"Umm... Deniiii..." Pushing my hand away she covered her face with a pillow but I wasn't in the mood to let her sleep.

"Khatoon..." I again called her with the same name, last night when I called her khatoon she said it sounds like cartoon so she doesn't like it. And since she doesn't like it I just loved it.

"Khatoon..."

"Deniiiiiiiii-" sitting up with a jolt she hit me with the pillow and huffed. "Mana Kara hai na mene khatoon kehne ko, aap kyu meri baat nhi sunte."

(I told you not to call me khatoon then why don't you understand.)

"Opps... I forgot." How innocent of me.

"Aap bohot bure hain."

(You're too bad.)

"Anything new?" She glared at me and lifted another pillow to hit me but I am not so weak to be beaten by my wife every now and then. Snatching the pillow from her hands I hit her head and she fake cried. "Go now, we've to leave soon. Remember or not?" Gesturing towards the bathroom I tried to remind her about our plan and suddenly her smile lost somewhere. "What happened?"

"I had a dream that someone is trying to snatch you away from me. And you already forgot me." Her face was unforgettable. I sighed and softly pulled her in my arms.

"You and your dreams!! Remember that nightmare in which I died in an accident? That didn't even come true. So stop thinking about your dreams."

"Why do you ignore me so well?"

"Are you an Idiot?" Embracing her protectively I asked in a hushed tone and she smiled sarcastically. "Yeah..." She replied in the same hushed tone but rested her head on my chest like she was losing her senses in my heartbeat.

"No one is coming in between us. Okay? So don't worry." I whispered to assure her. I already understood that she loves me endlessly. She has already broken our deal that we won't love each other. I don't have any doubts regarding her feelings towards me, her eyes say it all without any hesitation.

"Deni."

"Ji..." I waited for some five minutes but she was not ready to break the silence. "Wanna say something?"

"No. Nothing-"

"Say it."

"I'm not feeling well."

"What happened?" I asked without separating her from my frame and she wrapped her arms around my waist. "I don't exactly know, but..."

"But what?"

Shifa slightly adjusted herself in my arms while hiding her face in my torso and my heartbeat became uneven. I never thought that I would be so happy after getting married. I wish I had accepted Ammi and Baba's demand regarding getting married prior. Now I'm regretting to miss all these beautiful feelings for a long time. Whenever this woman places her head on my shoulder or chest I feel like a king who has a treasure to protect from the world.

"I'm feeling tired. And a headache too." She muttered and I smiled while running my fingers in her hair. "Don't be so fragile, it's just because you didn't get complete slumber." Shifting her away from me I told her and she also smiled.

"I'm not fragile... But you're. My fragile husband." Kissing my cheek she ran towards the bathroom and I just laughed. Idiot!

What's the name of this feeling?

Is this love?

I don't know!

But this is definitely different from what I felt for Adeena. That was a crazy craving to talk to her all the time but Shifa's case is different... Her silence pricks me but her non-stop talking irritates me.

Whenever Adeena cried in front of me I cried with her, but in Shifa's case I never felt like crying yet I couldn't see her in tears, I felt pain.

I am not sure what this feeling is but whatever it is... It's very strong. Stepping out of the bed I walked towards my study table and dragged the chair before sitting on it. I smiled while looking towards the small plants present on the table. This woman knows how to beautify one's room as well as life.

I already spent some time calculating some bills and doing some other things when Shifa walked out from the bathroom with her wet hair muffled in the towel. She didn't waste much time in starting for praying Fajr and I resumed my work.

I was lost in my work when a pair of arms wrapped around my neck and a face rested on my shoulder. "What are you doing, Mr Kazmi?"

"You already completed namaz?"

"Hmm." She hummed and nodded.

"Get ready soon, I'll take you to meet Hamdan before leaving." I felt her smiling. "How do you understand what I want?" She whispered.

"Get ready."

"You're the best, hubby." She kissed my cheek, in return I looked up at her and I pulled her cheek, "But you're not the best. Apne hath ki chai pila do, taras gaya hu itne din mein... Aur aapko koi parwah hi nhi hai."

(Make me tea, I'm craving for that but you don't even care.)

She immediately took a step back and passed me a disappointed look before walking out of the room. "This man can be anything but romantic." Did she mumble only what I heard? Or she said something else while walking out?

I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. Do I need to be more romantic? If yes... I can't help! I sighed loudly while picking up a pen & paper and After a long time my pen scribbled the words...

Dear Adeena,

And then I didn't know what and how to write everything. Still, I managed to pour my heart out. It's difficult for me to resist myself to write what I feel and Adeena has all the rights to know what I feel.

Folding the paper I sealed it in an envelope, wrote down the date and walked towards the cupboard. The wooden chest was not present the same position.

I always place it upside down, and make sure to place three books on it in a followed order but here is something different. The books aren't in the same order moreover the box is not upside down. It's clear that someone has taken this box out, and I am 100 per cent sure, that someone is Shifa because no one else has access to my cupboard.

"Deni," I turned to see her, she was standing near me with a cup of tea in her hand. "What are you doing? Are you hiding something from me?" She raised her brow and I jerked my head.

"You'll find out everything, so there is no benefit of hiding things from you." Mumbling that I open the wooden chest and put the letter in it before setting everything in the correct order and shut the cupboard.

"Thank you." Grabbing the mug of tea from her hand I detected her throwing daggers on me with her eyes.

"What?"

"Get lost! I hate you." Mumbling that she turned and I shook my head while sighing. She read those letters! I know. No benefit of hiding things from her. And no benefit of trying to bring her around, she doesn't listen to me in anger, she just keeps quiet for a few days, then bursts out of anger only then she listens to my explanations. In these seven months of our marriage I have learnt that if I have to deal with her I have to leave her on her condition for a few days then the level of her anger will be decreased and she'll come back to her original form.

<><><>

"Daniyal ke sath enjoy karna, tumhare papa ab bilkul theek hain to yaha ki tension mat lena, theek hai na?" Maryam was so happy when Shifa told her that they were going together without even knowing the reality of the tour.

(Just enjoy your time with Daniyal without any stress, your papa is fine now.)

.....

"Hmm... Don't you think your honeymoon is too delayed? Still... Better late than never. Have a safe and romantic journey." Mehvish's teasing whisper echoed in her ears.

....

"Shukar hai Daniyal ko khayal to aaya aapko kahi le jaane ka," Mrs Kazmi was also smiling wholeheartedly after knowing that Shifa and Daniyal were going out of the station.

(Thankfully Daniyal planned to take you somewhere.)

.....

"Chalo... ye bhi theek hi hai, thoda ghum phir loo, baad mein kaha waqt milta hai in sab cheezo ka. Phir to sirf ghar ki zimmedariya hi hoti hain." Badi Amma also shrugged and granted approval to the couple to go and enjoy themselves.

(Well, it's better to spend some time together... Otherwise you won't get time later after getting busy with responsibilities.)

.....

"Yaar Daniyal bhai, ye galat baat hai, pehle batate to main bhi sath chala chalta, aapne mera dil tood diya." Bilal's drama was much more than expected

(Daniyal bhai, that's not good of you dude. I would come along if you told me beforehand about your plan.)

Closing her eyes she was recalling each and every comment of her family members without knowing that her husband was thinking that she was sleeping. Covering her properly with a minky blanket he covered the glass of window from her side to protect her from direct sunlight but she opened her eyes. "I'm not sleeping." Mumbling that she again closed her eyes and he resumed the drive.

"Do you want something to eat or drink?" He asked and Shifa opened her eyes to glance at him and shook her head before closing her eyes one more time.

"Still feeling dizzy?" He asked while passing a can of soda towards her, she shook her head and grabbed the can.

"It's better now." She kind of ignored him but he grabbed her hand. "Aapko samajh kyu nhi aata? Aapki narazgi mujhe bardash nhi hoti Shifa!"

(Why don't you understand Shifa, your offended face hurts me more than anything else.)

"To naraz karne wale kaam kyu karte hain Deni?" She pulled her hand away from his grip and Daniyal sighed.

(Then why don't you stop doing the things that offend me?)

"Aapne saare khutut parh liye?" He asked and Shifa kept watching him then nodded while looking down. She knew, it's not good to read someone's letters without permission, that's why she was nervous in making eye contact. She could lie, but she never felt like saying untruth in front of this man.

(You read all those letters?)

"To phir ghr wapas jaane ke baat ye khat bhi parh lena..." He was sounding serious but she glared at him.

(Then, after going back home you should read this letter too.)

"Waah, aap puri zindagi apni nakaam mohabbat ko khat likhte rahiye aur main puri zindagi wo khat parhti rahu. Bohot badiya."

(Wow, for the rest of the life you keep writing to your failed love, and I keep reading them. Great.)

"Ahmaq Aurat, mere likhe huye khutut aap hi to parh rhi ho, koi aur aurat to nhi na... Kya ye kaafi nhi hai?" For the first time he called Adeena 'another woman', this softened Shifa's heart a bit, but she stared at him with anger and looked away.

(Idiot woman, my letters are being read by you only, not by any other woman. Isn't it enough for you?)

"I'll burn all those letters." She huffed and to her surprise Daniyal muttered. "Fine, just don't be angry."

"Mujhe to kabhi koi khat nhi likha aapne." She again glared at her husband who saw a possessive wife for the first time.

(You never write any letter for me.)

"Achha baba... Likh dunga. Aaj hi likh dunga. By post send kru ya aapke hath me hi de du?" He left the steering wheel for a second and literally joined his hand in front of her which melted her heart.

(Oh my Goodness... Fine. I'll write one for you today only. How do you want me to send it? Through mail or in your hand.)

"Aap pehle likhiye to." She hides her feelings behind an angry look and glares at her husband who rolled his eyes while focusing on the road.

(First of all, write one for me.)

"Ab to narazgi khatam karo."

(Now stop these tantrums.)

"Nhi karni... Baat mat kariye mujhse." She looked away but Daniyal wasn't feeling well when his wife was angry.

(I won't. Don't talk to me.)

"Shifa... I'm a person who makes people roam around me. You're the only person who's showing tantrums and I'm seeing." That's true! This man never made efforts to bring around anyone other than his wife. Since childhood he had seen his parents roaming around him and being a single child he made sure to show his full tantrums, now he was tasting his own medicine.

"Shifa... Say something." He demanded and Shifa couldn't help but smile when she remembers her conversation with her mother.

"Iska matlab to ye hua ki mehbuba biwi se zyada achhi hoti hai aur biwi mehbuba ki jagah kabhi nhi le sakti."

(This means that the lover is always better than the wife and the wife can never take her place.)

"Ek waqt tak hi mehbuba achhi hoti hai uske baad to shohor k dil aur ghar dono par biwi ka hi raaj chalta hai,"

(A lover is good only for a while after that phase the wife rules over both the heart and the house of the husband.)

Today she was seeing her place in Daniyal's heart and life, Maryam's words were turning true, this man was slowly taking steps towards her.

"Deni,"

"Ji?"

"Aapne wada Kara tha ki aap badlenge nhi."

(You promised me that you won't change.)

"Ahmaq Aurat, main kaha badal raha hu. Main to wo hi Daniyal hu jo pehle tha." He smiled and stopped the car near a restaurant which was built on the highway.

(Idiot woman, I'm not changing. I'm the same Daniyal.)

"Kuchh khaogi?"

(Wanna have something?)

"Ummm... No. Just resume the drive. How long will it take to reach there? I'm already tired."

"Just one more hour," he whispered before resuming the drive.

<><><><><>

"Deni... I guess that's the place." Gesturing towards a closed shop she muttered and Daniyal narrowed his eyes. He tried to match the address of the shop with the address present in the letter and hummed.

"Looking the same." He muttered and put the letter back in the glovebox. After searching for a suitable area for parking the car Daniyal stepped out of it while picking up the bags from the back seat. Instead of walking towards the door of the old home he stepped towards another shop in the market area.

"Where are you going Deni?" Grabbing his hand Shifa walked after him and soon he stopped near a fruit cart.

"I'm his son-in-law, he's ill so it's kind of wrong for me to visit him empty handed?" He explained before buying fruits and packed juices and Shifa gave him a disappointed look.

"You never bring these things for papa, aren't you his son-in-law? Even though he loves you more than me." Shifa kind of complained while looking at the bag full of fruits and juices and Daniyal sighed. "Try to understand Shifa, Papa has Bilal as well as Hamdan, but here, he doesn't have anyone other than us."

"You and your explanations." Shifa rolled her eyes and they both walked towards the old house. Lifting her hand to ring the bell she stopped for a while and turned to see Daniyal who slightly nodded like saying, go ahead, just ring the bell.

Daniyal saw a nervous Shifa whose hands were shaking in pushing the doorbell. Somehow she pressed the bell button but got no response. Even after ringing the bell for a few times they didn't get a reply. "I guess this doorbell is not working." Saying that Daniyal almost banged the door and found that it was already open. Shifa turned to see him, "let's go inside." Daniyal didn't spend more time there and entered in the house but Shifa looked everywhere. She was feeling awkward.

Daniyal walked upstairs but Shifa didn't dare to step ahead. The stairs were leading towards a not so big corridor in which a few doors were visible, two of them were open and remaining were shut.

"Shifa... Tum ho kya?" A weak voice echoed in the corridor which was indicating that they were in the correct home. Daniyal peeped down the stairs and gestured to his wife to come up. Shifa gave an uncomfortable look yet followed his demand.

(Shifa, is this you?)

"Come." He whispered while wrapping his arm around her shoulders but she shook her head. "You go ahead, I'm coming after you." She whispered and held his arm while kind of hiding herself behind him.

Daniyal walked towards the door from which he heard that voice and knocked it. "Aap hi Aatish Sahab hai na." After watching the brown eyes which were replica of his wife's eyes this question wasn't needed yet he asked.

(You're Mr Aatish. Aren't you?)

The old man who was lying in his bed blinked twice, "How do you know? And who are you?" He asked in a weak voice while placing his elbows on the bed to sit up.

"Shifa andar aao." Placing the handbag at a corner Daniyal grabbed her hand and pulled her inside the room.

(Shifa, come in.)

"Shifa." Aatish suddenly got tears in his eyes and Shifa couldn't help but felt water rolling down from her eyes. She was frozen on her spot. Taking a step ahead Daniyal almost dragged her along and left her just in front of Aatish.

"Shifa... meri beti." (My daughter) For a moment Shifa felt numb, her hands left the straps of bags she was already holding and then she felt the old hands cupping her face. She could feel those fingers wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Don't cry." The man who was crying himself told his daughter to stop crying.

For years Shifa was waiting for this man to come in front of her so that she could question him about everything he did, about every pain she had to bear just because of him, about every longing she had faced in her life but now when he was standing in front of her, she forgot everything. She was only feeling longing for this very feeling...

She was experiencing how a father adores the beauty of his daughter. How does a father see his daughter with love. How does a daughter feel when she notices love in her father's eyes.

"Mujhe maaf kar do beta." He took a step back while holding her hand together and Shifa closed her eyes, her eyes dropped two tears but she was unable to say a single word.

(Forgive me my child.)

"Shifaaaaa... abhi abhi to headache theek hua hai aur aapne phir se roona shuru kar diya." Daniyal slightly rubbed her back and Aatish saw the young man with a noticeable sight. The way he was around Shifa was clearly indicating that he must be her husband but Aatish didn't conclude everything by himself.

(Your headache was gone just now and you restarted crying.)

"Who is he?" Aatish asked and Daniyal looked at his wife who also saw him.

"Introduce us to each other, Shifa." Shifa felt hesitant or nervous in the same way she feels in front of new people.

"What are you waiting for?" Daniyal whispered and Shifa gave him a disappointed look, she came to meet Aatish it doesn't mean that she would talk to him in a friendly way. She always felt hesitant in front of new people and Aatish was not less than one.

Daniyal shifted his sight from his wife to the old man who was looking much older than his age.

"Aapki beti to hamara ta'arruf karaygi nhi, main khud hi guftagu ka agaaz kar deta hu." It was an indication for Shifa and she sighed. She knew this man was stubborn but how stubborn? she needs to find out. Well, for now she had some other work too.

(Your daughter won't introduce us so I guess only I've to start the conversation.)

"He's Daniyal, my husband!" Shifa introduced her husband to her father and waited for a moment, "and he's..." She was unable to gather suitable words when Daniyal smiled.

"Main jaanta hu ye kon hain. Aap kese hain Abbu?" Daniyal asked with a big smile and Shifa suddenly looked up. She never thought to call Aatish with a salutation, even though she was trying to conclude how she should name him? But her husband made it easy for her.

(I already know who he is. How are you, Abbu?)

"Main... Main pehle theek nhi tha... Lekin ab theek hu." he muttered with tearfilled eyes and looked at Shifa then at Daniyal. It was a different feeling for him. This was the fourth time when the father and daughter were meeting. The first two encounters were different because at that time Shifa was too small to understand anything, the third one was like a storm which changed everything in the life of Shifa as well as Aatish and here is the fourth meeting when a daughter was standing in front of her father not like a little girl but as a grown up woman.

(I... I wasn't fine but now I'm.)

"When did you get married?" Aatish asked with a sad smile.

"Just a few months back," Daniyal smiled and Aatish nodded with a sad smile and walked towards the corner of the room. Sights of Shifa and Daniyal followed him but instead of seeing what Aatish was going they both were stunned to see the wall behind them. It was full of Shifa's photos. Those were the photos of the day when Shifa met Aatish last time. He collected all those pics from the video of the cctv footage and saved them forever.

"Shifa..."

"Hmm?" She looked at her husband who gave her a requesting look. "He needs love, not your indifferent behaviour." He whispered

"I'm not behaving indifferent, but I'm not comfortable with him." She whispered back. Before Daniyal could say something he was stopped by an old voice.

"Shifa." She turned towards the old man standing behind her. He smiled and passed a small box. She held the box and open it,

".... I can't take it." Shifa shook her head while giving the box back but Aatish didn't listen to her, drawing out a gold chain with a small pendant necklace from the very box he passed it to Shifa with his weak hands.

"Le lo beta, is par sirf tumhara haq hai."

(Take it dear, this is something which only you deserve.)

Shifa wasn't ready to take that, "Mujhe gifts lene ki aadat nhi hai, ise aap hi rakh lijiiye." she replied in such a tone which wasn't rough but not loving either.

(I'm not habitual of taking gifts.)

Aatish didn't even know how many times his own daughter had hated him, how many times she felt like an orphan and how many times she wished to be loved by her father just like other girls. There was a time when she was craving for father's love and some gifts to be received from her him. But, maybe it's too late to consider all those feelings... She was already adapted with this lifestyle by getting harsh to herself. She already mastered the art of killing her wishes and desires.

Some innocent and pious desire which every child has.

But now things were pretty different, the wheel of time took a round in such a way that Aatish was standing in front of Shifa like a culprit, however Shifa wasn't looking like a victim anymore. The one who was a tyrant some 26 years ago now turned into a deprived And looking forward for support to the victim of his cruelty.

"Shifa," Daniyal lightly pressed her shoulder to tell her that she should take that small gift. Though she didn't want to obay the order yet silently grabbed the gold chain and keenly saw the pendant present in it. It was a tiny and fragile square shaped piece of art with a red gem in the middle. Maybe it was a Ruby.

"Ye to bohot qeemti lag rha hai." Said Daniyal and Aatish glance at the piece of jewellery then towards him.

(It's looking expensive.)

"Qeemat ka to nhi pta lekin mere liye to qeemti hi hai." Aatish's explanation was pretty confusing but Daniyal nodded with a half smile. Holding Daniyal's hand Aatish put a few 500 rupees notes on his palm and closed his hand in a fist.

(I don't know about its price yet it's priceless for me.)

"Abbu... What's this?" Daniyal tried to give back the money but Aatish patted at his arm with a weak smile

"Pehli baar apne Damad se mil raha hu... Abhi aur kuch nhi hai mere paas... Bas yahi hai."

(For the first time I'm seeing my son-in-law but I don't have anything to give you other than this.)

"Iski koi zarurat nahi hai, bas aap ki duaye kaafi hain, aur sab to Allah ne pehle hi de diya hai." Looking towards Shifa he said the last part as his heart admitted that he was the richest man to have everything one could need. For the first time he felt complete with his wife.

(This is not needed either, we just need your blessings. With Allah's Grace I already have everything.)

Before the conversation could go further Shifa's voice attracted both the men.

"Deni."

"Ji?"

"Papa ne aapse kaha tha pohoch kr call karne ki liye, unse baat kar lijiye. Wo preshan ho rahe honge, jab tak apne damaad ki awaaz nhi sunenge unhe sukun nhi ayega." Shifa smiled at the last part because that was true, Anwar loves Daniyal just like a son. Sometimes Shifa secretly felt jealous of him to be so close to Anwar's heart without doing much efforts.

(Papa told you to inform him after arriving here, please talk to him, he won't be at peace before listening to his son-in-law.)

"Hmm... Right. You sit with Abbu, I'm coming back in a while after talking to papa as well as Ammi and Baba." Shifa nodded and soon Daniyal walked out of the room leaving the father daughter duo alone.

"Do they all know that you're here to meet me?" Aatish sat down on the bed with this simple question but Shifa shook her head while telling him about the lie they both told in front of their family members.

"Shifa... come here, sit here with me, beta." Aatish patted on the bed just beside him. She saw longing in those brown eyes which were surrounded by wrinkles then glanced everywhere... she wasn't comfortable in this home. There was an unnamed feeling which was popping in her heart. Yet, she sat down beside her father with a fake smile.

"How's everyone at home?" Aatish asked in a hushed tone and Shifa looked straight in his eyes. Was it difficult for her to understand in whose wellbeing he was interested?

"Whom are you asking about?" She asked straight and Aatish slightly lower his eyes.

"Zindagi mein bohot se aese kaam ho jaate hain jiske liye baaqi ki zindagi pachhtana padta hai." Aatish muttered and she looked away.

(Many such things happen in life for which one has to repent for the rest of the life.)

"Kuchh to bolo beta."

(Say something dear.)

"Aapne mere aur mummy ke sath nainsaafi Kari hai, bohot badi nainsaafi." Her eyes were fixed on her hands which were resting in her lap and toying with the gold chain.

(You did an injustice with me and mummy.)

"Jaanta hu, isi liye to aaj is halat mein hu. Soote jaagte sirf yahi baat yaad aati rehti hai... Jis tarha deemak lakdi ko andar hi andar khaa jati hai usi tarah pachtawe ne mujhe khaa liya." Shifa found truthfulness in his words but didn't say a word in reply.

(I know. That's why I'm in this situation. Guilt has been doing with me what termites do with wood. I'm regretting every moment.)

"Ma... Maryam kesi hai?" After all he asked directly and Shifa smiled like a sarcasm.

(How's Ma... Maryam?)

"Masha Allah, She's happy with her husband."

"Aur tum? Tum khush ho apne husband ke sath?" Shifa nodded. "Bohot zyada. (Very much)"

(And you? Are you happy with your husband?)

"Khushiyon pr tum dono ka haq hai."

(You both deserve happiness.)

"Ek lambe arse tak sabr, aansu aur dard ki tijarat karni padti hai, tab jaa ke khushiyon ka munafa kamaya jata hai." Looking straight towards the wall she said everything and Aatish dared to lifted his arm and pulled Shifa in a side hug. She wasn't expecting anything like that but his action directly hit her heart which resulted in the form of tears.

(One earns the profit of happiness after trading patience, tears and miseries for years.)

"Mujhe maaf kar do," Aatish muttered and Shifa felt like he was also crying, he was caressing her head with one hand while his other hand was cupping her face which was half hidden in his chest.

(Forgive me.)

The painful memories of years were fading away with every stroke of his hand like magic... What this girl has wished for other than this love? Her tears kept drenching the shirt of her father and his hands kept feeling the softness of her hair. Only Allah and he himself know how badly he wanted to savor this feeling...

Standing at the doorstep Daniyal was watching the father and daughter crying with tears, he didn't want to ruin their moment but at this time he couldn't afford Shifa's post-crying headache, moreover Aatish wasn't in good health, his tears could lead him to a worsen condition.

Picking up the water bottle from the nightstand he poured some water in the steel glass. "Abbu, thoda paani pi lijiye." Offering the water to Aatish Daniyal said in a hushed tone but he didn't know what Shifa just lost her heart one more time. How effortless this man makes everyone his!

Aatish looked at the glass of water his son-in-law was passing him and one more time he realised what he has missed in his life.

"Tum dono thak gye hoge, itna lamba safar tay kar ke aaye ho, kuch deyr araam kr lo." Standing up from the bed Aatish told both of them and gestured both of them to follow.

(You both must be tired after traveling, have some rest.)

<><><>

I'm also tired after writing so I'm also going to take some rest

🥱🥱🥱😴😴😴

Bye bye 👋

N. Jamal...