THIRD PERSON'S POV:

(FLASHBACK)

In the hot weather of Delhi's July month, when the sun was ready to burn everything with its hot rays a nineteen year old mother was walking on the road. Carrying her daughter in one arm and the bag was hanging on other shoulder she went to Hamdan's bus stand which was at the 15 minutes walking distance.  But the bus was already arrived, and she was late to pick Hamdan. She stepped towards the bus with long steps managing with her four month old daughter who was crying due to hot sun rays and hot wind... 

"I already told you to come here to pick Hamdan at sharp 2:10....you are five minutes late, amma informed me that you went to your home so I come to pick him otherwise what will happen to him? Where he would go alone?" She got a big shock due to the scolding which she got on the bus stand.. In front of other parents who were standing there to pick their children.

"I.. I'm sorry" The bold and egoistic Maryam apologies in mumbling voice and lifted her gaze to saw the other parents who were standing there looking at the scene in which a husband was scolding his second wife.

"Dulhan who is she?" Hamdan asked about Shifa with amazement but before he got any reply Anwar picked him and made him mounted on his bike.

"Come home soon, because you have to serve us lunch" saying that with a glare Anwar started his bike in very next moment he was disappeared from Maryam's eyes and she was watching the road from where he left. She gulped the tears which come in her eyes and looked at Shifa who was crying and looking red and full of sweat. Maryam wiped shifa's tears and sweat with her palm. She stepped towards her home, thinking about Anwar's behaviour. He didn't took her with him on bike as a punishment to arrive late on bus stand. He left her on road to walking so that she became more tired. But after a walk of some two minutes when Maryam took left turn she got startled..

"Sit..." Anwar was waiting for her he ordered rudely and Maryam nodded. She mounted on bike while dangling her both legs on one side, placing the bag on her thighs, she was holding Shifa with one hand and bag with other hand.

"Aaaa.." A short scream left from her mouth as she lost her balance and Anwar press the breaks.

"Dhang se betho, pakad kar... Aur ye bag idhar do... Ek bachhi ka saman hai ya pure khandan ka!" Anwar took the bag from Maryam's lap and she carefully handle Shifa in her arm.

(sit properly and give this bag to me. Is this only one girl's stuff or of full family)

"Beth gain theek se? Kabhi raste me gir jao" He asked in his rough and rude voice and Maryam places her right hand on his shoulder to maintain her balance after mumbling yes

(Sat properly or not?)

Maryam entered the home and scoot to her room to make Shifa lay down, she was sleeping. Then she changed Hamdan's uniform after giving him bath and went to kitchen to serve lunch at the same time Anwar entered in the kitchen to say something.

"Today you..." Anwar stopped in between when listened Shifa's loud crying voice, Maryam didn't pay attention to him and scoot to the room....

Where Hamdan was sitting beside Shifa pulling her soft cheeks with full force as he was enjoying that and Shifa was crying loudly

"Hamdan...no... She is very small.. don't do this, it will hurt her." Maryam said with concern and picked Shifa in her arms.

"Dulhan who is she?" Hamdan asked but Maryam was busy in rocking Shifa to made her hush.

"Papa who is she?" Hamdan asked when Anwar entered in the room.

"She... She is" Anwar looked at Maryam then Shifa for a couple of moments and picked Hamdan in his arms.

"She is your sister, now she will live with you" Anwar said and Hamdan and Maryam both felt happy for that.

"My sister?? She is really my sister?" Hamdan asked happily and Anwar nodded.

"Dulhan what will he call me?"

"She will call you Hamdan bhai" Maryam said with a smile when she witnessed love in Hamdan's eyes for his step sister.

"Papa, when will mummy come back? We all will play with her!" Hamdan asked happily and jumped towards Maryam to asked the name of his new sister.

"Dulhan why she is not talking and where are her teeth?" Maryam was Amazed on the questions.

"Maryam"

"Ji" She got startled on the manly voice

"You bring your daughter here, I don't have any problem but.... I'm telling you clearly... I will not tolerate if you ignore Hamdan and his work. This must be the first and last time when you delay his work for your daughter. And you never dare to scold my son for your daughter." Maryam gulped in that ruthless order and Anwar made his way to outside the room.

"Lunch is supposed to be served today... You can play with your daughter after sometime" He said with furrowed brows and sarcasm was clearly audible in his voice.

"Ji.. I.. I'm coming" She stammered in small voice before going out of the room after making Shifa lay down on bed, she was still crying, but Maryam was bound to do other works instead of making her daughter off cry. She served food to Her mother-in-law and husband and took seat beside Hamdan to feed him, but her attention was fixed in shifa's whose crying voice was constantly coming from room

"Dulhan I wanna eat daal chawal" Hamdan said when Maryam lifted spoon to her mouth

"Its Daal chawal Hamdan"

"But this is black in colour and the daal which mummy make for me is yellow in colour.... I don't eat this.... I want yellow daal" Maryam sighed and tried to feed him the same.

"Amma haven't you told her that Hamdan eat only yellow daal?" Anwar asked and his mother think for a while.

"Kis kis cheez ka dhayan rakhu main? Mujhe yaad nahi rehta ab" His mother said with disappointment.

(Now I'm becoming aged, I can't remember all these things.)

"Maryam cook daal for Hamdan in dinner and from next time ask Amma before cooking anything for him" Maryam nodded and Anwar lifted Hamdan to made him sat on his thigh.

"Today papa's boy will eat sandwiches, papa will make one for Hamdan" Anwar said with full of love but Maryam's attached was fixed on Shifa who was still crying.

"Maryam Go your daughter is crying" she nodded and took long steps towards the room.

"My baby..." feeling the warmth of her mother Shifa didn't took more than a minute to become silent, since she was tired after crying for long time, only more two minutes were enough to made her fell asleep. Maryam stopped patting Shifa's back and made her lay down on the bed, After kissing her soft cheeks. Then again she went to dining area where Anwar was still trying to feed Hamdan but he was not eating anything

"Hamdan you promisssed me that you will eat everything so that you become big." Maryam said in slow voice after sitting beside Anwar and Hamdan suddenly wide his eyes when he remembered about his promise then nodded.

"Come on now eat this black daal, chawal and tell me how it is" Hamdan nodded after clenching his nose but open his mouth as he wanted to his mother back.

"Maryam don't force him, if he don't wanna eat it then don't force him" Anwar said while glaring her and She nodded while putting the spoon down in plate.

"No, I'll eat this... Dulhan I'll eat this" He said stubbornly and Maryam give his a small bite

"Is this tasty?" She asked and Handam nodded happily

"Dadi see I'm eating everything, now I'll become big soon... Then mummy will come back na?" Hamdan's innocent question made Anwar's heart clenched and he kissed Hamdan's head.

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MARYAM'S POV:

"Amma she is my daughter, Shifa...." I introduced my daughter to my mother-in-law, When I came back home Amma was sleeping at that time.

"Hmm... Okay..." She said with a cold behavior and I didn't like that, but I didn't said anything and made my way to my room.

I lay down after a tiring day and made Shifa lay down beside me "Did my baby missed her mumma" I asked while kissing her cheeks and she jumped and chuckled happily, moving her hands and feet in air.

"Mamma's little dol..." I was saying when I stopped in between when listened Hamdan's voice

"Dulhan... I want to play with Shifa" He said and I nodded. He jumped on bed and I smiled. He lay down on his stomach start pinching shifa's cheeks but this time lightly.

"Mummy's princess... You are my cutie pie" I said happily and Hamdan kissed shifa's cheek.

"Dulhan are you her mummy?" Hamdan asked and I nodded at the same time he entered in room and I sat down on bed.

"Papa Dulhan is shifa's mummy.." Hamdan said to his father and he nodded while laying beside Hamdan and kissed his cheek

"Aap... Aapke liye chaye banaun?" I asked as that was his daily routine to have tea at night before sleeping, he nodded in reply and I made my way to kitchen after placing a pillow on the empty side of Shifa.

(Shall I.. I.. Make tea for you?)

.....................

"Yes... Betaa...?"

"Papa tell me na.... Who are you to Shifa? What will she call you?" I listened the father and son's talk when I entered in the room with two cups of tea

"I'm... She will call me papa, just like you" I felt happy with that words and smile made its way to my lips.

"Tea" I passed him a cup and took the other one for myself and sat down beside Hamdan and Shifa.

"Dulhan she is my younger sister, right?" I nodded on his question and he kissed shifa's cheeks.

"I'll tell all my friends that I also got a younger sister, my all friends have brother or sister" He said with a joyful grin and I sipped my tea.

"Dulhan..." I didn't let him complete this time.... If his father was ready to be called Papa by Shifa then why I couldn't

"Call me mumma... Not Dulhan" I said while kissing his cheek and shook his head.

"You are not my mummy, my mummy is she" He said while pointing towards the photo frame on the nightstand.

"Yes, she is your mummy but untill she is not coming back you can call mummy when you miss her" I said politely and Hamdan think for a moment...

"But when will mummy come back... I'm missing her.... Papa please summon mummy..." He asked with down face and I looked at his father who was already looking at me.

"Come here... My son will sleep now." He picked Hamdan but he was not ready to leave his new sister, but after some time Hamdan slept in his father's embrace but I was trying to make Shifa sleep.

The room was dim lit, Both father and son were sleeping and Shifa was not sleeping, I made my way to my cupboard and drew out my diary which was hidden in between My clothes... That was still my daily routine to write Diary but after he slept.

I sat down on bed with crossed legs taking Shifa was in my lap, she was feeding and I started Diary entry.

Dear Diary..

Today I meet my daughter after ten days. I'm happy that she is finally with me. And thankfully Hamdan is loving her like his own sister, otherwise I was thinking he must be jealous by witnessing a new baby in his home...

Ammi's today's cold behavior made me realise that my mistake is not going to leave me easily... When my own mother is not ready to forgive me then how can I expect forgiveness from this society...

Aatish was my biggest mistake, no actually love was my biggest sin.. I love him from dept of my heart...

If I had idea that love can destroy my life in this way I would even think to love anyone.

Now this man is my husband, its just a compromise with my life, which I did for my daughter. I want her to live a normal life like other children, not a life in which everyone ask for her father and his existence...

Amma is not happy with shifa's presence.. She didn't said a single word, but sometimes silence speaks more than words. Her forehead which was full of creases and hummed with coldness both made me feel that she don't like my daughter in her home, but I hope she will accept my Shifa soon, I'm also accepting Hamdan as my son.. I'll try to love him equally as my daughter but I don't know will I got success in that or not.?

_Maryam..

What a destiny I got....

First I was Maryam Naaz, after that I became Maryam Aatish then again my surname was changed after Aatish slapped me with divorce and now...

Now I'm Maryam Anwar...

To be honest now I don't have guts to change my surname one more time. I want to live my whole life with this surname...

Neither I love this man nor I'll be able to do so for the future but I have to work on this relationship for the rest of my life.

_Maryam Anwar

I closed my diary and looked at Shifa, she was slept by then. Separating her from my frame I slowly kissed her cheek and made her lay down beside Hamdan. After placing the diary back in cupboard I lay down to sleep taking my shifa in my embrace. That was the first night after marriage when I slept peacefully because my doll was beside me. I was hoping for a better next morning but actually next morning was waiting for me with a reality.

Reality of my life and reality of my mistake....

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So...

Liked it or not?

I want true opinion..

_Naaz Jamal