Soaking a towel in luke warm water Shifa squeezed it and clean his body as well as face to get rid of the blood present on the body. And after drying his body with a dry towel she changed his clothes. And kissed his forehead.

"Relax and try to sleep. Okay?" She whispered while covering him with a blanket then looked towards her little boy beside him. Doing the same process with him too she covered him with the same blanket and glared at him

"Sleep well, and next time make sure to do something even more. This times it's only five stiches next time try to do something bigger." Shifa scolded her son who nodded.

"Okay mumma." Shifa was unable to understand what to do. She wanted to slap him but just suppressed her smile and glared at him.

"Mumma it hurts." Zeedaan whispered and this time Shifa's eyes filled with tears. She couldn't see her children in pain. "It hurt us to see you in pain but you people don't understand." She muttered with disappointment and picked her fragile son in her arms. Zeedaan was an underweight boy with dense black hair, just like his mother, which looked like a Balck hat on his fair face. His brown eyes also like his mother but his features made him a junior version of his father in appearance however his mischievous actions resemble his Bilal Mamu.

Resting Zeedaan's head to her Shoulder Shifa started patting his back, it was his old habit to sleep in this way when he was in pain or ill. And soon he slept. After settling Zeedaan in the bed Shifa gently pulled Zaryab to the centre of the bed and switched off the lights. She softly started caressing his head and Zaryab looked at her with sleepy eyes.

"Mumma." He cried.

"Zaryab, is it hurting?" Shifa asked in a hushed tone but Zaryab cried and hugged Shifa's leg.

"What happened beta?"

"I'm scared." He cried out "why beta?" She questioned and Zaryab sat down on the bed while wiping his tears.

"Ab main aur Zeedaan bhi mar jayenge kya?" His question hit Shifa's heart like a hammer.

(Now will I and Zeedaan also die?)

"What are you saying Zaryab? Don't say this!"

"Jab meri mumma ke khun nikla tha tab wo bhi mar gyi thi na..." 

(When my Mumma was bleeding she also died, didn't she?)

"It was different... Nothing like that is going to happen. You both will be fine." Shifa embraced Zaryab and caressed his head but she was seeing her son.

"Stop thinking about everything and just take rest." She kissed his head and started doing efforts to make him sleep.

<><>

Holding the bottle of water she entered into the room with uncountable thoughts in her mind. Her husband was sitting on the bed holding a little figure that was sleeping in his lap. He was busy caressing her little head but his eyes were fixed on the front wall.

"Kya soch rahe hain?" She whispered while sitting beside him and he shook his head while shifting Alshaf to the bed.

(What are you thinking?)

"Main jaanti hu aap preshan hain." She held his hand and he sighed while laying down silently.

(I know you are tensed.)

"Shifa mujhe samajh nhi aa rha baba ki nafrat kese khatam hogi."

(Shifa, I can't understand how Baba's hatred will end.)

"Deni Baba samajh jayenge, aap tension na lijiye, mujhe aapki health ki fikr hai." She whispered and Daniyal turned his back towards her. He didn't want to talk at this time but Shifa wanted him to share what he was thinking.

(Deni Baba will understand, don't take tension, I am worried about your health.)

She was seeing Daniyal in deep thoughts, he was caressing Alshaf's cheek, he was physically present there but mentally absent.

"Kisi ko to beta chahiye tha, sirf beta." Placing her hand on his shoulder she said with a sarcastic happy tone. She knew this is how she could divert his mind from stressful matters.

(Someone wanted a son. Only son.)

Daniyal opened his eyes to see his wife. "Hmm" he sighed and softly caressed his daughter's cheek one more time. "Bete ki khwahish thi lekin mene ye to kabhi nhi kaha tha ki agar beti hui to us se pyaar nhi karunga." He again closed his eyes and Shifa sighed.

(I had a desire for a son, but I never said that if I had a daughter, I would not love her.)

She laid down beside him after kissing her daughter's forehead but both of them were silent.

"Deni"

"Ji?"

"Kal main Zaryab ko mummy ke paas drop kar dungi, is halat mein yaha kon dhyan rakhega uska. Zeedaan ko to Ammi dekh lengi." Shifa whispered and Daniyal nodded "Fine." without turning his side.

(Tomorrow I will drop Zaryab to my mother, in this condition who will take care of him here. Ammi will see Zeedaan.)

Shifa was disheartened, she loved this man madly but hate his silence... Now he was not the same Deni who used to smile and laugh all the time. This man was an angry man. No one, especially his subordinates, avoid talking to him just like Shifa used to avoid David at some point of life.

Shifa was unable to understand the reason behind this change, she became happy whenever she found her Deni but most of the time he stay within the limits of The Daniyal Kazmi.

This drastic change occurred in his behaviour after Alshaf's birth because now a silent war began in Qasr-e-Kazmi. Being the own blood and flesh, Alshaf was always an apple of Mr Kazmi's eyes and his dislike towards Zaryab started coming to a notice. Daniyal was silently struggling to make some space for Zaryab but he was failed till date. And with each passing day he was becoming silent.

Shifa was missing her husband's devil-may-care nature, sometimes she felt that it was happening just because of Zaryab and sometimes she felt it was happening because of Mr Kazmi's hatred towards the little boy but there was no conclusion in front of her. Many times she thinks that neither Mr Kazmi was entirely wrong, he hated Adeena to destroy peace of his home and now he did not want her son to be a family member on the other hand she was unable to neglect Zaryab. He was innocent boy, what was his fault if his mother did something? She didn't want anything just a peaceful life but this stress was not leaving Qasr-e-Kazmi. She wanted her husband's love back.

She spent some half an hour or maybe more in all these thoughts and kept watching the back of her husband. After a deep breath she closed her eyes to sleep when a voice echoed in the silence. "Shifa."

She felt a bit better to listen to Daniyal's voice. At least he decided to talk. "Ji Deni?" She whispered.

"Alshaf ki shadi ke baad main uske bina kese rahunga?" Shifa suddenly opened her eyes and looked at her husband back, he was still caressing Alshaf's head lightly. Shifa was surprised to see Daniyal's future planning but she couldn't stop a smile to conquer her lips.

(How will I live without Alshaf after her marriage?)

"Ladka dhundh liya aapne? Kab hai shadi?" Shifa made fun of her husband who turned his side and gave her a disappointed look.

(Have you found the boy? When is the wedding?)

"Aap reh logi Alshaf ke bina?" Daniyal asked with the same level of disappointment and Shifa's smile lost but she took a deep breath and nodded.

(Will you be able to live without Alshaf?)

"Waqt ke sath sath aadat ho jayegi, lekin abhi to bohot waqt hai, aap kyu abhi se Alshaf ki shadi ki baat soch rhe hain?"

(We will get used to it with time, but there is still a lot of time, why are you thinking about Alshaf's marriage right now?)

"Lekin mujhe apni beti ke bina rehne ki aadat nhi daalni. Mujhe nhi rehna Alshaf ke bina."

(But I don't wanna get used to living without my daughter. I can't live without Alshaf.)

"Deni, ye kya bachho ki tarha zidd kar rhe hain aap? Har beti ko shohor ke ghar jaana hi padta hai." She closed her eyes to sleep but after a few moments of silence Daniyal's whisper echoed in the room

(Deni, you're behaving like a stubborn child! Every daughter has to go to husband's home.)

"Aur agar main kahu ki hamari beti hamare sath puri zindagi reh sakti hai to?" Shifa suddenly turned open her eyes and looked at her husband with wide eyes.

(And what if I say that our daughter can live with us for the rest of her life?)

"Don't tell me ki aap soch rhe hain ki aap Alshaf ki shadi nhi karenge."

(Don't tell me that you are planning to not marry off Alshaf.)

"Shadi to karunge lekin..." He stopped for a moment and Shifa furrowed, "Agar ladka koi aur nhi Zaryab ho toh? Kya khayal hai? Hamari Alshaf hamare hi ghar me rahegi, hamari aakho ke samne."

(I'll marry her off but...)

(But what do you think if the boy will not be anyone else but Zaryab? Our Alshaf will live in our own house, in front of our eyes.)

"Deni aap pagal ho gye hain? kesi baate kar rhe hain?" Shifa sat down on the bed with a jolt and asked with another level of shock and little bit anger. "Zaryab hamare ghar mein rehta hai, dono bachhe sath bade honge, bilkul sage bhai behen ki tarha, aap kya soch kar ye baat keh rhe hain?"

(Deni have you gone mad? What the hell are you talking about?)

(Zaryab lives with us, Both children will grow up together just like real siblings, are you even thinking once while saying this?)

"Shifa hum in dono bachho ko bhai behen ki tarha nhi rehne denge... I mean..." Shifa didn't even listen to his entire sentence and interrupted

(Shifa, we will not raise these two children like brother and sister... I mean...)

"To kya karenge? Dono ke zehen mein bachpan se hi ye shadi wagerah ki baate daal denge aap? Aapko idea bhi hai inke innocent minds par kitna negative impact hoga is decision ka? Waqt se pehle hi agar bachho ne is relationship wali baat ko serious le liya to? Please Deni, aesi bewaqufi mat kariye. Zaryab ko beta banaya hai humne, beta hi rehne dijiye. Behtar hoga bacchho ko in shadi wagerah ke maamle se dur rakh ke unke innocent minds ko innocent hi rehne diya jaye." She laid down and Daniyal thought about her words, she wasn't wrong but suddenly he turned his head.

(So what will you do? Will you feed the idea of marriage in their minds since childhood? Do you have any idea how much negative impact this decision will have on their innocent minds? What if children will take this relationship seriously before hitting the age of getting married? Please Deni, don't do such stupidity. We have adopted Zaryab as a son, let him be a son only. It would be better to keep the children away from these matters of marriage and let their innocent minds remain innocent.)

"Aap to aese bol rahi ho jese main kal hi dono ka nikkah kra dunga aur unka innocence khatam ho jayega. Main bhi nhi chahta ki bachho ki zindagi ka wahid maqsad shadi reh jaye, lekin agar Alshaf aur Zaryab dono bade hote hote kisi aur ko pasand na kare to unka rishta namunasib bhi nhi hoga na." Daniyal shrugged but Shifa kind of glared at him.

(You are speaking as if I will get both of them married tomorrow itself and their innocence will end. I also do not want marriage to be the sole aim of children's life, but if both Alshaf and Zaryab do not like someone else while growing up, then their relationship will not be impossible, will it?)

"Kya ho gya hai Deni? Wo dono Bhai Behen ki tarha rahenge aur phir achanak ek din aap unki shadi, aap pagal ho gye hain..."

(What happened Deni? They will live like brother and sister and then suddenly one day you marry them, you have gone mad.)

"Pehli baat to ye ki na wo hamara beta hai na Alshaf ka bhai... dusri baat... Maine sooch liya hai ki main Zaryab ko hostel mein admit Kara dunga, na dono sath rahenge na ye Bhai Behen wala rishta unke bech ayega." Shifa wanted to clap for her husband while holding his face in between both hands but somehow stopped her overpowering desire to do so, she just gave a disappointed look to him.

(First of all, neither Zaryab is our son nor Alshaf's brother and secondly, I have thought that I will get Zaryab admitted in the hostel. Neither will he live us together nor will this brother-sister relationship come between.)

"Deni meri baat suniye." She said politely with full of love and Daniyal smiled and cupped her face, for a moment she felt happy to see him happy but decided to continue. "Agar aapne in dono ki shadi wali baat dobara kri to main aapka sar phaad dungi aur doctor ko bhi nhi dikhaungi." She huffed while saying in a single breath and pushed his hand away from her face.

(Deni listen to me.)

(If you talk about their marriage again, I will burst your head and will not even consult to the doctor.)

"Achha baba nahi kar raha inki shadi ki baat." He literally joined his hands and Shifa closed her eyes after throwing a glare at him but he didn't want his wife to sleep tonight so he gave her another shock. "Lekin phir bhi main use hostel to bheej rha hu."

(Ok ok fine, I'm not talking about their marriage.)

(But still I am sending him to the hostel.)

"Kyu bachhe ko ghar se dur bhej rahe hain Deni?" Shifa asked with a pain in her voice.

(Why are you sending the child away from home?)

"Baba ka rawaiya Zaryab ke sath achha nhi hai, Adeena ki saza wo Zaryab ko dete hain. Main nhi chahta wo bachha is tarha ke negative environment mein rahe."

(Baba's behaviour is not good with Zaryab, he punishes Zaryab for Adeena's faults. I don't want that child to be in such a negative environment.)

"Lekin Deni, Zaryab bohot Chhota hai, hostel mein kese rahega?" She asked and Daniyal thought for a few moments then sighed. He was unable to find out any other way to save Zaryab from this negatively. He one more time lost his smile and his mind was captured by thousands of thoughts.

(But Deni, Zaryab is very small, how will he stay in the hostel?)

"Deni, my lovely man..." She grabbed Daniyal's arm and shifted near him. "Don't take stress. Please." She just smiled and kissed his cheek before placing her head on his arm. He smiled and pulled his wife in a tight hug.

"I love you khatoon."

"Khatoon na kaha kariye na." She fake cried but Daniyal smiled and slowly kissed her forehead. "Aap ho meri khatoon."

(Don't call me khatoon.)

(But you're my khatoon.)

They both looked in each other's eyes and Shifa felt Daniyal's hand cupping her face, his thumb slowly caressed her lips and she closed her eyes but... "Mummy." They both were surprised when the door was opened by Zaryab, Shifa realised that she forgot to lock it and she never really felt the need to lock the bedroom door as she knew no one would come inside without permission but tonight it happened.

Shifting away they looked at the little boy standing on the doorway holding the knob of the door. "Yeah Zaryab?" Lifting her head from the pillow Shifa asked and he came near the bed. Daniyal switched on the night lamp and they both looked at each other. It seems Zaryab cried or maybe he was about to cry. Sitting on the bed Shifa gestured for him to come near.

"Are you crying beta? What happened?" Daniyal asked and Zaryab climbed up on the bed, Shifa pulled him in a motherly hug and wiped his tears. She herself left him sleeping in his room but now he was here.

"I'm feeling scared." He cried. "I'm feeling scared in that room." Hugging Shifa tightly Zaryab cried helplessly and Daniyal tried to do something but he didn't know what to do.

"Don't cry beta, just don't. Mumma and dad are here na, then what are you afraid of? You're my brave son." Kissing his head Shifa wrapped her arms around him and showered all her love on the one whose mother was responsible for her tears.

"You feel scared in your room?" Daniyal asked and Zaryab nodded without leaving the hug, "I feel scared of blood. It reminds me of Mommy." He whispered and Shifa slightly pulled him away from herself.

"Now my son will not sleep in that room. He'll sleep with Mummy." Making space in between herself and Daniyal, she adjusted the little boy and kept caressing his head until he slept while weeping.

"Aap is masoom ko hostel bheejne ka soch rahe the? Kese rahega ye hostel mein?" Shifa muttered while giving a disappointed look to her husband and he sighed while closing his eyes for a moment.

(You are thinking to send this innocent boy to the hostel? How will he live in the hostel?)

There was a silence in the room after that and that silence was again broken by Shifa.

"Deni, Zeedaan is alone in the room."

"I'm bringing him here." He whispered and stood up from the bed. Now, Zaryab was sleeping peacefully while hugging Shifa and soon Zeedaan was laying beside him. Daniyal looked at the bed. One edge of the bed was against the wall, Alshaf was sleeping that side, then Zeedaan, then Zaryab and then Shifa on the edge. There was no space left for Daniyal.

"Good night." Kissing Shifa's cheeks he walked towards the couch present in the corner of the room. They both were only seeing each other without blinking and Daniyal was the first to close his eyes.

Four years back Mr Kazmi was against Zaryab's adoption but after his insistence and stubbornness the old man only allowed Daniyal to take legal custody of Zaryab, which clearly means that Daniyal and Shifa would raise him but after turning eighteen they both will not be responsible for him, nor Zaryab will have any kind of share in Kazmi's property. Though Shifa and Daniyal weren't willing to let Zaryab go away after turning eighteen but they had no other way around to have the boy in this home. They were not legal parents to Zaryab. They were only guardians but not leaving a single room empty to give him the space called home. They were sacrificing their desires, happiness and for this boy, just like parents do.

They both made sure to give him some amount of extra love so that he never feel neglected or odd one out, they were doing everything to fulfill the responsibility they had taken. They both knew it wouldn't be easy for them to raise someone's child while having their own children still they took that decision.

Daniyal again opened his eyes, this time Shifa was caressing Zeedaan's head and her other hand was hugging Zaryab. Today Daniyal also wanted his share of love but after seeing her performing a motherly duty he just slept.

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Another chapter!!

Happy??