THIRD PERSON'S POV:

Sunday Morning :

After completing all the household works Maryam make Ready Hamdard as he had to go to park with his father and Maryam was supposed to go to her maternal home to meet her parents.

"Suniye" Maryam said while passing his wrist watch

"Hmm"

"Will you drop me to abbu's place or I go alone?" She asked and he looked at her

"I'll drop you, but get ready soon, you took much time" Anwar said in same ruthless tone and Maryam nodded while going towards the washroom..

"Hamdannn..... Babu you will fell down, don't jump on bed" saying that Maryam scoot inside the washroom but Hamdan ignored and keep jumping

After that dramatic and problems filled day Maryam and Anwar started talking, not like normal husband and wife but at least they started to exchange some words unlike before when Anwar only use to order Maryam. But then Maryam was not scared with Anwar like before. They both still behave like strangers but less than before.

When next morning Anwar's mother saw Maryam and Anwar in good terms she become angry because she was still not believing on muryam but her son was doing so.

Anwar tried to talk to his mother but he clearly refused to listened Anything about Maryam by saying that Anwar was behaving like a man tied to the string of his wife's apron.

Her behaviour become worse with Maryam.

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Maryam was on bike next to Anwar, for the first time after her marriage, she was wearing nice clothes, bangles in her wrists and light touch of makeup because she was going to her material home.

"Papa I want chocolate and chips too" Hamdan who was sitting on bike next to his father said and stopped the bike near the shop to buy those things for Hamdan.

"Do you want anything?" Anwar asked to Maryam after unmounting from the bike and she shook her head slowly, but Maryam was feeling awkward bacause the place where she was standing, was opposite to the same restaurant where she use to come with Aatish for dinner. She was fighting with her own feelings. She wanted to forget everything but that was seems Impossible for her. Aatish was an unforgettable part of her life, Shifa was a live token of Aatish which was with Maryam everytime.

"Maryam... Maryam"

"J.. Jii''

"Where are you lost?" Anwar asked her after shaking her shoulder and she came out of her trance.

"shall we go?" Maryam asked to Anwar and he nodded. Hamdan was on front then Anwar and then Maryam was sitting on back holding Shifa with left hand and her right hand was wrapped around waist of Anwar to maintain her balance.

Shifa was smiling without any reason and Maryam was smiling looking at her daughter when the bike stopped on red light and when Maryam lifted her head her heart stopped to beat.

The person on the bike beside them was no one else but Aatish. His gaze also went to Maryam and she couldn't control her tears which felt an urge to pop out.

Maryam sighed and suddenly wiped her tears with the back of her fingers, Aatish was watching Shifa's face but Maryam glared him and hide Shifa's face in her chest and averted her eyes. But the scene made her restless because Aatish wasn't alone on his bike he was with her newly wedded wife, none other than but Pariza who was sitting holding him tightly with both arms and her head was resting on Aatish's back. Maryam was comparing her condition with Aatish and his new wife. It was only five months of their divorce and he did Marriage again. His wife was looking beautiful, she was wearing wine coloured suit, her hands were decorated with henna till elbows and wrists were filled with red bangles, Both were looking happy with one another but Maryam, in the age of only nineteen she became a mother of two children. Her husband was twelve years older then her and She had a tag of divorcy, rebellion, and characterless girl on her forehead. Aatish was still watching Maryam and Shifa but The red light turned to green and soon She was disappeared from his eyes.

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"Go" Anwar said to Maryam after stopping the bike in front of her home.

"Won't you come?" She asked while ringing the door bell

"What will I do? You go and spend time with your family, I'll pick in evening while returning from park" Anwar said and Maryam nodded in the time being the door was opened by Sabir (MARYAM'S father).

"Abbu" Maryam whispered with a smile and expecting a warm welcome but her father looked at her then Anwar.

"Anwar come in..." Sabir said and Anwar denied by saying that he had to go to park with Hamdan but after insisting, he got Ready to go in the home.

"My little princess have you forget your Nana?" Taking Shifa from Maryam, Sabir with a smile and Shifa chuckled.

Anwar entered in living room holding Hamdan's hand and Maryam was walking with him

"Papa why we come here?" Hamdan asked to Anwar and he was answerless.

"Maryam aapi" Maham came running towards her sister but stopped for a moment when looked at Anwar, she was only 11 and become scared after looking at a overbearing and masterful face of Anwar with creases on forehead and no clue of smile on his lips.

"How are you?" Maryam asked while bending down to Maham and kissed her cheek.

"Fine, who is he?" Maham asked in hushed tone about Hamdan and Anwar but Sabir listened.

"Maham beta you go and inform your Ammi" Sabir send his younger daughter and Offer seat to Anwar.

Anwar was feeling Awkward while talking to Maryam's parents, Maryam's father was maximum fifteen years older than him and he couldn't call him abbu, neither with any other degree.

"Papa he is that uncle..." Hamdan yelled when he saw Razi entering in living room. Razi greeted Anwar and lifted Shifa with a smile.

"Mama's doll.."

"Papa he is bad uncle he was saying that he will take my shifa with him, Shifa is my sister" Hamdan said with frustration and anger. Everyone looked at him. Maryam looked at Anwar, and he understood what is the meaning of that look

"Hamdan he is Razi mama, and she is Maaham khala" Maryam said and Hamdan looked at both of them.

"khala...and Mama" Hamdan was confused on sudden appearance of new relatives but Maryam nodded.

After sometimes Hamdan went to other room where Shifa was playing with Razi and Maham. He also started playing with Maham and in some time he become free with Razi too.

"Hamdan babu your papa is summoning you, he will take you to park" Maryam said while entering the room and Hamdan shook his head.

"I don't wanna go, I'm playing with Maham khala and Razi mama" Hamdan said and Maryam kissed his cheek.

"So won't you go to park?" Maryam asked and he nodded.

"Mummy I want to go to park but I also want to play with Maham khala" Hamdan said sweetly and Mariam think for a while

"Go to park with your papa and day after tomorrow we will come here a game to play with Maham khala" Maryam said and Hamdan nodded with a smile and ran towards his father

" papa Razi mama is good he is not a bad uncle" He said innocently and Anwar nodded while caressing his head.

"I'll come in evening to pick to, be ready, don't be late" Anwar ordered in his mandly voice and Maryam nodded after mumbling

"Ji" (okay)

"Anwar have your dinner with us" Sabir said and after a short discussion Anwar excused to have his dinner with them.

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Dear Diary,

Today,

After many days I got a chance to write my diary.

After many days I came to my home.

After many days I smiled with happiness.

After many days I really feel free to speak.

After many days I witnessed my daughter playing with my siblings.

After many days I saw my parents.

But in these days I witnessed many things, bear many pain, tolerate many sarcasms, suffer from guilt, felt disgusting with myself, endure Amma's doubt on my character, worked like a maid in home, handle Hamdan's demands, experience 'his' unchangeable rudeness.

But nothing hurt me this much that Aatish's smile hurt me. He had a satisfying smile on his face before watching me. Doesn't he feels bad that he left the girl whom he says that he loves, and his own child. I want to forget Aatish but when ever I see Shifa I remember him, the mole on her right cheek is just like him. Her silky hair and brown eyes are just like him. How do I forget him? I hate him, but still his memories are not leaving my mind. I watch all the bitter memories in my dreams and I can't share this with anyone. Earlier at least I use to share everything in my diary but now I can't do so. I don't want 'him' to read my diary. So it's better not to write it.

But 'He' is better than Aatish, he is very rude but he cares about me. I saw my abbu always bringing gifts for us and Ammi but He never brings anything for me.

But I don't think that our relationship is like a relationship of husband and wife...

Even we don't talk to each other without any need. But why I'm thinking about all these things? His attention or love wasn't my requirement neither earlier or it wil be in future. I marry him just because he was agreed to raise my daughter, nothing else.

My shifa is my life, I don't need anything else in my life. I got everything in the form of a cute little daughter. Whenever I regrets to love Aatish and marry him, everytime I got satisfied after watching Shifa.

Allah always give a reward after facing problems, and Shifa is my reward for facing problems with Aatish.

I think I'm writing my diary last time, but I will miss my diary because this is the only way for me to pour out my hidden emotions...

But what I can do...

_Maryam Anwar

Closing the diary she let a cold sigh out and looked at the cupboard which was at her right side.

Opening the cupboard  she looked at  the clothes which was filled. Making  some space in between the piles of clothes she hide her both diaries and locked the cupboard. She didn't wanted that anyone read her diaries specifically Anwar. After completing  her so called mission  hiding Diary she went to her father's room. And a smile made its way to her lips on the scene he witnessed.

Sabir was laying on the bed and Shifa was playing beside him, Maham and Razi were also sitting beside Sabir, continuously pulling the cheeks adorable means who was laughing and moving her hands and feets in air giving a different joy to every heart present in the room.

"I was missing you" Maryam said to his father after sitting beside him but he ignored which hurt her heart. Maryam was the same daughter who was an apple of her father's Eyes.

"Abbu won't you talk to me?" Maryam said in hushed tone. But didn't got any reply

"Abbu, I'm talking to you" Maryam said in whispered and Sabir lifted his gaze towards her, she had tears in her eyes because her father was not talking to her.

"Abbu now I did marriage according to your will, I'm doing everything to satisfy him and his mother, still you are offered with me?" Maryam asked while holding her father's hand and he averted his eyes.

"Ammi you say to Abbu to talk to me, I missed you both a lot" Maryam said to her mother and she looked at Sabir.

Maryam got understood that her father won't talk to her, so without wasting any time she ran towards her room while crying.

"At least now talk to her, she is saying truth, haven't you seen how Anwar was ordering her and she was obeying everything, and how she was taking care of Hamdan, she is doing everything for making this marriage work" Anisa (Maryam's mother) said and Sabir sat down on bed with a jolt, his eyes were tear filled.

"Anisa she is our same daughter whose I treated like a princess, my heart was crying after witnessing her with Anwar, how he was talking to her! He is the same Maryam who never listened our scolding but Anwar was commanding her and she was obeying him like a maid.... This girl ruined her life... I ruined her life... Why I got agree to do her marriage with that Aatish and then why I did her marriage with Anwar?" That was a helpless father who was regretting for her daughter and her life.

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To be continued.....

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_Naaz Jamal