"Shifa, let's go back home." Daniyal stood in front of her, holding his hand toward her. She kept staring at him for more than a minute but didn't hold his hand.

"Your home is waiting for you, Shifa." He smiled and grabbed Shifa's hand. Feeling the warmth of his skin against her hand Shifa's heart started forgetting everything, she looked at Maryam who nodded like permitting her to go back but Anwar's face was showing another level of anger and rudeness.

"Leave my daughter's hand right now." Anwar roared, and Daniyal took a step back so as Shifa.

"Suniye, Let her go with Daniyal." Slowly placing her hand on Anwar's arm Maryam said in almost whisper but he shook his head.

"Papa, your daughter is my wife too," Daniyal's voice wasn't as confident as usual, he was sounding guilty but not ready to leave Shifa here. 

"You should keep it in your mind that she's your wife, you shouldn't have given preference to another woman over her. I'm not sending her back with you. Get lost from here." Anwar grabbed Daniyal's hand while dragging him to the main door. "I won't let you do this papa, she's my wife."

"Shifa is already going to send you divorce notice." Anwar's voice gave a big jolt to Daniyal's heart. Walking towards the door Shifa saw Daniyal with tearfilled eyes.

A thunderclap brightens up the dark sky of night, but that thunder directly attack on two hearts. "Deni." Shifa's eyes drop a tear but Daniyal couldn't help himself. He wasn't able to tolerate more insult from his father-in-law.

"I'm going but I'll come back," Shifa saw Daniyal, he just took his left leg out from the doorstep and a loud sound of thunderclap scared Shifa. It seems lightning struck somewhere. It was raining heavily just like a cloud burst. She kept watching Daniyal going towards his car. In covering only a few steps distance he was drenched completely. She was seeing him without averting her eyes and suddenly her heart felt a little fear or an unknown pain... Something was wrong, really wrong. Some part of her wanted to stop Daniyal to hop in that car, but she was unable to understand why? He gave a painful smile and hopped in the car.

Shifa glanced at the Clock which was showing 11 of the night then looked at her husband who was still seeing her while starting the car. In no time the black car hit the road and disappeared from her eyes. Daniyal wasn't a person who likes to roam on roads at night but tonight he did not want to go home because his house wasn't peacefully without someone... Someone who was somewhere else. 

For the next few hours Shifa was tossing in her bed and suddenly her mobile rang. It was Mrs Kazmi's call. "Hello Ammi, are you fine?" She received the call with this sentence as it unusual for anyone to call at this time.

"Shifa beta..." Mrs Kazmi was crying

"Ammi, why are you crying? How is baba?"

"Daniyal's car met an accident, he's in coma..."

"Deniiii," she yelled and her eyes snapped open with a madly beating heart.

"Ya allah." Placing her hand on her heart she felt her heartbeat, it was running more than marathon. Forehead covered with sweat and breath uneven. "Main adhi pagal to ho hi chuki hu ye nightmares mujhe pura pagal kar denge." Mumbling that she grabbed the bottle of water from her nightstand but it was empty.

(I'm already half mad and these nightmares will fill the remaining share for sure.)

"Qismat hi kharab hai." Feeling angry on Daniyal she cursed the only thing she got in front of her eyes. The empty bottle. Daniyal was not about to come, she was sure! And somewhere this thing was pinching her, she was unable to draw out her anger at anything. But she wasn't only angry with Daniyal, but because of an unpleasant day too.

Today she attended college after many days and every lecturer scolded her badly. After that she was waiting for Afifa who wasn't present in the college moreover her mobile was off, after that... Coming back home was another challenge as the metro route was diverted because of some construction work.

With anger on her nose she stepped out from the bed and walked towards the kitchen but stopped in between by a voice.

Ughhh... An unpleasant voice

Rani Phuppo...

"Can't she stay at her home?" Mumbling that Shifa walked ahead but she was unable to be rude enough to ignore Rani, unwillingly she faked a smile and "Assalamualaikum."

"Neend theek aayi? Khana laga du?" Maryam asked lovingly. After retiring from the college Shifa slept without having lunch and now it was almost dinner time.

(Slept well? Would you like to have some food?)

"Umm... No mumma... I don't want to have anything right now. Feeling tired." She muttered and Maryam felt worried about Shifa. She opened her arm and Shifa sat down beside her mother hugging her like a small baby. "Take rest if you're not feeling well, why you come out from the room?"Maryam asked while caressing Shifa's head and kissed her forehead, and she showed the empty bottle in her hand.

"Just going to fill this..."

"You could tell me if you want water." Maryam said while seperating her daughter and passed her a glass of water. Shifa gulp down all the emotions with that cold water and sighed. "For how long will I sit like this? At least I can do these little works. You too need some rest." Shifa said with a small smile. Maryam was sick for the last two days. Shifa didn't know how much stress she had given to her mother.

"Ise kya hua hai? Chehre par 12 baj rhe hain, Sasural mein kuch hua hai kya?" Rani grimaced at Shifa.

(What happened to her? Looking as pale as ghost! Any problem in in-laws home?)

"Nahi nahi Rani baji, sab theek hai." Maryam muttered while shaking her head.

(No Rani baji, everything is fine.)

"Are you going to stay for a few days?" This time Rani directly asked Shifa who just nodded and then Rani rolled her eyes. "When will you go back?" This time Shifa felt frustrated.

"Do you have any problems if I'm staying here?" Frustration was clearly visible in her voice and Rani furrowed.

"Problem, My foot! Stay here for the rest of my life..." Saying that Rani looked away from Shifa's face, and looked at Anwar. "Bhai are you seeing?" Maryam's blood was already boiling but she didn't want to create another problem by giving some rude reply to Rani. Anwar just nodded but didn't reply.

"Aap to hamesha se isi intezaar mein hain ki main wapas is ghar mein aa jaun..." Remembering Rani's words which she said on the third day of Shifa's marriage regarding separation of Daniyal, she said in a hushed tone but she was unable to hide her anger.

(You're waiting for me to come back to this home ever since.)

"Tum jesi ghamandi ladkiyon ko ghar chalana aata hi kaha hai? Bohot dekhi hain tum jesi ladkiyan jo sasuralo se wapas aa kar maa baap ke kandho par boojh ban ke bethi huyi hain."

(Arrogant girls like you don't know the art of making home. I have seen many girls like you who have come back to their paternal home and become burden on their parents.)

Shifa, who was looking angry, tired as well as frustrated just a few moments ago suddenly turned pale and her eyes filled with tears that she was holding back for last few days.

"Shut up Rani. Just shut up." Anwar roared on his sister after seeing tears present in Shifa's eyes.

"Now you don't start crying just like your mother." Anwar kind of scolded Shifa and she stood up from her place while cleaning her tears. "How was your day in the college?" Anwar asked to change her mood but she grimaced with anger, frustration and an unnamed pain... "Don't even ask, it was too bad." and she walked towards her room.

"Bhai aap to mujhe bilkul hi bhul gye." Seeing the new bond between father and daughter duo Rani tried to grab some attention by complaining. "Bhula to nhi hu bas..." Anwar left the sentence in between.

(Bhai you almost forget me.)

(Nothing like that, it's just...)

"What?" Rani asked and Anwar looked away from his sister, "Rani Baji, you shouldn't say that to Shifa, she's not well, that's why she's here for a few days to take rest." Maryam stood up with disappointment and anger on her face and Rani furrowed.

"Bhabi can't you see your daughter's rudeness?"

"Can't you see what you're saying?" Anwar asked with anger and rudeness.

"Aesi konsi bimari ho gyi hai ise jo itna aage peeche ghuma jaa raha hai?" Rani huffed and Maryam glared at her for the first time.

"She is expecting, and you also know what and how a woman feel in these days, so kindly watch your words before saying anything odd. I don't want to give her any kind of physical or mental stress."

"Go Maryam, first see her then make tea for us... And give her some fruits." Anwar gestured towards the door of the room, and his wife obeyed.

"Khair... Main to batane aayi thi ki Shariq ki shadi ki date fix ho gayi hai." Making a face Rani said as if she was frustrated to convey this news but Anwar nodded with a smile.

(Well, I'm here to tell you that Shariq's marriage dates are fixed.)

"That's good, Afifa is a nice girl." Anwar not only said but meant it but Rani rolled her eyes.

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"Shifa beta, stop crying." Maryam passed her a glass of water but she didn't take that. "Mumma, I'm not an arrogant girl, still unable to make a home." She muttered and Maryam embrace her daughter.

"Don't take her words on heart."

"But she's correct na, I'm back to this home... I'm becoming a burden on you."

"Offo Shifa, ignore her. She keep saying odd things, you're not a burden." Maryam caressed her head but Shifa cried more. "No matter how many times I try to be strong, I can't mummy, I can't."

"Shifa, today you decide at once, what do you want? If you want to give a chance to Daniyal then go ahead but if you don't want to do so then just stop crying and start ignoring all these comments." Maryam muttered and Shifa suddenly took a step back.

"Giving a chance to Daniyal? My foot! What the hell am I getting in return after giving my everything to that man? I hate him more than any other man. It's been twenty days since I'm here, he did not even called me once to know how am I? Am I so unimportant to him? How could he replac me so easily? I don't even want to talk about him, giving him another chance is a far away thing!" Shifa said everything in a single breath while wiping her eyes and Maryam smiled lightly.

"Don't be angry. Try to be happy in this situation. And keep one thing in your mind. You're not a burden on us. Your papa is so proud of you to be so strong." Shifa blinked and Maryam cupped her face.

"Yesterday he was planning to get his grandchild admitted in the same school in which you have studied." Maryam muttered and laughed, "I told him to do not plan for so long." She added and this time Shifa also broke in a titter.

"Now eat something, I'm going to make tea, and I've already make vegetable sandwich for you." Kissing Shifa's forehead Maryam stepped out from the bed and Shifa nodded while a smile. At the same time they listened to a doorbell and Maryam looked at Shifa.

"Billu is also arrived. I'll serve snacks for him too."

"I'm coming to help you in the kitchen."

"No, you take rest."

"I'm already tired of taking rest." Shifa muttered and her mother nodded while stepping out from the room. She placed her feet on the floor and tried to search for her slippers but smiled while remembering what Maryam told her.

"After your billu mama you're the only person who has changed the rudeness of Mr Mohammed Anwar." With a big smile Shifa told the little life present inside her but suddenly her smile vanished when she remembered that its father was also had charm to make Anwar smile. Shrugging this thought she closed her eyes for a while and remember the day when she decided to abort this pregnancy. She took those pills in her mouth but within a few seconds she spit them out... She was the same Shifa who was unable to see the little chicks dying, how could she kill her own child?

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