(Flashback)

Before going to drop Hamdan to bus stop he  ordered me to get ready after one hour because he would come to pick me to take hospital but I didn't get time to be ready!! I was working in kitchen from that time.

"Maryam aren't you ready yet? I told you to...." A rude and ruthless voice came to my ears and I turned to saw him.

"Just ten minutes" I said in mumbling voice while turning my head towards him, I was chopping vegetables and I didn't realised when knife had cut my finger.

"Aaaah"

"Koi kaam theek tarah se nhi kar sakti tum, dhyan kaha hai tumhara?" He scolded me, but before I could do anything he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to kitchen sink, and let the cold water fall on my cut which give me more pain.

(You can't do any work efficiently. Where are you lost?)

"Leave it please... Its paining" I hissed in pain and he turned his head towards me then glared me

"Stay quiet" that was a scolding cum order. He took me to room and applied ointment on my cut then dressed that.

"Get ready soon" I nodded on his order and made my way back to kitchen

"Now where are you going Maryam?" He asked and I turned to saw him.

"I'm preparing lunch for Amma and Rani baji" I replied and he glared me, he hate to being late. He is a blue nose person and his rules are Iron rules.

"Cook after coming back from hospital, for now get ready!" He ordered in loud voice and felt scared of that, unwillingly I nodded but eyes were filled with tears.

"Now what's the matter? Why these crocodile tears appeared in your eyes every now and then?" He shouted with frustration and my tears made their way to my cheeks

"These are not crocodile tears!! I don't found enough energy in me to cook after coming back from somewhere... That's why I was preparing lunch now so that I would take rest for an hour after coming back from hospital. I'm too a human not a robot" I conveyed my anger in words and he sighed. ''Fine... Don't cry, go and cook but complete your work soon" He ordered me as if he was giving me the biggest favour of my life. And I made my way towards the kitchen after wiping my tears.

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

After taking shower I stepped out from bathroom and I forget about the my anger after watching the scene. He was sitting on bed with dangling legs and Shifa was standing on floor holding his leg.

"Paaapa.. Daan bai" She was uttering innocently and he was nodded in shifa's response, I sat beside him and lifted Shifa in my lap.

"She loves Hamdan very much" I said after kissing my princess's cheek

"Hamdan also love her" He replied and I nodded with a smile

"Now get ready in five minutes" He ordered me while going out form the room and I nodded hurriedly with a smile.

I made a tight bun with my wet hair and without wasting any time, picked Shifa before approaching to him.

"Amma I'm taking Maryam to hospital" He said and I moved towards the door, but I listen a taunt from Rani baji, I turned to saw her and she rolled her eyes before looking away from me.

"Now what I have done?" I mumbled but ignored her because my baby was say mumma... Mumma which was making me happy.

≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

We both were sitting in the waiting room of hospital, since last hour but doctor wasn't available.

Shifa was walking from one place to another with her tiny steps and I was going to took her back again and again.

"She isn't going far away, let her walk here" He said after grabbing my hand to stop me when I was going towards Shifa and gave a slow nod to him.

"I'm coming back in few minutes, please take care of Shifa" saying that I made myself stand and moved towards Shifa, picking her in my arms I kissed her cheek and passed her to him

"My doll.. You sit with papa" pinching her cheek I said in mumbling and made my way towards the washroom. But when I came back to waiting area my feet were captured by the floor. Shifa was walking here there when a man pinched her cheek lightly.

"Can I pick your daughter?" that man asked to him and he nodded it I was feeling broken.

That man wasn't anyone else but Aatish. He picked Shifa in his arms and picked her cheek and I was shocked when Shifa didn't cried but smiled of his father's act....

"Your daughter is very cute!" Aatish said to him about his own daughter I remember everything which I have faced.

"What is her name?" Aatish asked to him while caressing Shifa's cheek and I gulped all my tears with great difficulty.

"Shifa" He gave reply and I took steps towards Aatish who was sitting beside his wife taking Shifa in his lap, and they both were playing with my daughter, by caressing her cheeks.

"Pari I also want a daughter like her, she is so cute... First time in my life I like a child this much" Aatish was saying that to his wife, his attention of fixed on His wife so he didn't noticed me approaching to him. I took Shifa from his lap with a jolt on which he looked up suddenly "Carefull..." He was going to say something but stopped when found me in front of himself.

"Rose... Is she my..." His words didn't came out from his mouth but I understood what he was trying to mouthed

"You don't deserves a daughter like her she is my daughter, only mine" I said in whispered and turned towards him. Aatish and Pariza both were shocked to witnessed me

"Maryam what happened? Why you take Shifa from them? If they people are playing with her then let them do" He said and I shook my head after sitting beside him, Aatish and Pariza were sitting on the bench in front of us.

"I said you to care her care And you give her to those people?" I said with disappointment

"Maryam, if someone is playing with Shifa then what's your problem? They people are sitting in front of us, they haven't took away Shifa with them." He asked me the first part and said the last part with disappointing tone but I preferred to stay quiet and looked at Aatish he was continuously watching Shifa silently, which I didn't like. I hide shifa's face with my hand

"That man and his wife was loving shifa, its not good of you!" He scolded me and I looked at him after embracing my daughter tightly and kissing her head.

"Maryam You are behaving like you are the only person in this earth who have a child... Its enough! Your behavior is seems weird

"How much time will doctor take to come?" I asked to him and we went to respection to enquired about the same. My gaze went to Aatish and Pariza...

He was the same Aatish who wanted to kill his own child in my womb but then he wanted a daughter like Shifa but after watching him I remember each and every day of my life which I spent with him. There were thousands of bad memories but few good memories too, we both were happy until we didn't went to meet his parents. Even he celebrated my birthday, he never forgot my birthday but then forgot everything about me....

"Aatish what are you doing" I asked when he covered my eyes and lead me to the bedroom

"Just wait for a moment" Saying that he removed his hand and a small cake was placed on the bed. That wasn't a cake but few pastries which were joined together to form a cake.

"Happy birthday my wife" He whispered in my ear holding me from back and I lifted my head before turning towards him.

"Thank you my dear Hubby"

"Anything for you Rose!" kissing my cheek he said and I replied to his kiss with same love

"I don't have anything to give you right now but I'll give something special to you after sometime!" He said happily and I nodded with a smile.

"Promise?" I asked and he cupped my face with both hands and nodded while looking into my.

"I promise Rose, one day I'll give something very special, I promise" He said and I didn't got a single tad of dishonesty

"Main tumhe talaq deta hu"

(I give you divorce)

I came out of my trance when Aatish's words echoed in my mind

"Why Aatish? Why you did so? Why you didn't think about Shifa? He take my care, fulfil our every need but he never love Shifa as a father" I said to myself and kissed Shifa's head, Aatish was still glancing at me and Shifa every now and then.

"Doctor is busy in some emergency case it will take at least half an hour" He said while sitting beside me and I nodded with down head

Down head because I was trying to hide the tears present in my eyes, Pariza was also pregnant. Her baby bump was telling that she would 5 or 6 month pregnant and Aatish was caring about her. He never took me to doctor. I use to visit doctor with my Ammi but then he was taking Pariza to hospital unlike my case...

"Maryam" He placed his hand on my shoulder and I lifted my head towards him.

"Ji (yeah)?"

"What happened to you? Why your eyes are looking red?" He asked suddenly and I looked at my daughter who was slept while sitting in my lap

"Head ache" I replied and his brows became furrowed

"But you were fine sometimes ago?!" He said in his same rude voice and I shook my head

"No.. I wasn't nice, it's since morning" I lied, I was absolutely fine before watching Aatish.

"Wanna eat anything?" He asked and I shook my head

"What wi..."

"Mrs. Maryam Anwar"

THIRD PERSON'S POV:

(Flashback)

"Mrs. Maryam Anwar" That was a call from reception, Maryam looked in the way of call and receptionist said to go to doctor's cabin.

Anwar and Maryam both marched towards the cabin but a pair of eyes were watching Shifa, who head was resting on Her mother's shoulder. He was the same Aatish who didn't even held his daughter but her cuteness and brown eyes (which resembles her father) attracted him.

__________________

"I'm feeling weakness" Maryam informed the doctor and she nodded while checking your her reports.

"In such a small age she is second time pregnant, and her BP is very high" Doctor said while looking at Anwar.

"Its would be harmful for her as well as for the child!" Doctor added and Anwar looked at Maryam whose eyes were still bloodshot

"Recommend some Supplements for her, her appetite is also decreasing" Anwar said to doctor and she nodded while writing something

"Take care of yourself and don't take stress about anything, you are very weak, your weakness can harm the child" Anwar become tensed after listening what doctor said to Maryam.

"Doctor child is safe. Right?" Anwar asked and doctor nodded.

"Yes, child is fine but Keep her happy, mother's mental state effects the child. I'm recommending some medicines, take care, and don't do any work in high blood pressure, just take rest " Anwar and Maryam both nodded in doctor's advice and went out from the cabin.

Maryam and Aatish's gaze met with each other, but she was the first who averted her eyes, and looked at Anwar who was walking few steps behind.

"Wanna eat something?" Anwar asked when he went near his bike and Maryam shook her head in reply.

"Want to go to meet your parents?" Anwar asked and Maryam looked at him with hopeful gaze then slowly nodded.

That was the time of Hamdan's arrival, so Anwar picked him from bus stop and then drop Maryam to her maternal home but Hamdan also demanded to go to meet Maham and Razi so Anwar granted him permission to do so.

"I'll come to pick you in evening, don't be late" He ordered before going back and Maryam nodded half heartedly, she was still remembering the scene which she watched in hospital.

Maryam went upstairs with broken heart... Her heart was full of wounds plus pains and her life was like a dark night.....

But....

Wounds can be healed moreover their pain will be faded away... And a bright morning always use to hide behind every dark night...

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To be continued......

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Jab bhi talasha usko bas tanhaiyon ko hai paya,

Bechara sa ek aansu phir se aankh main hai aaya.

Itne to sitam na karte ke teri yaad se bhi lage dar,

Jab jab hain tute khawab to sirf tujhe hi wahan hai paya.

Kabhi aaina Jo dekha to besud hi roo pade hum,

Phir Khud ko bohot talasha, magar haath kuch na aaya..

Ek tamanna thi dil main jagi phir usi ko marta dekha,

Manzil bhi mil na pai raste par bhi pachhtaya

_Naaz Jamal

(24.may.2020)

(Tanhai= loneliness)

(Sitam= cruelty)

(Besud= unconsciously)

(Pachhtaya=regret)

Hmm...

So...

How is the update??

One more question!!

What's your opinion about the poetry?

🤨 🤨

This is the first time when I write a poem thinking about anyone else...

Otherwise I write shar-o-shayery only for myself

_Naaz Jamal