THIRD PERSON'S POV:

"That's why you don't like Rose" He asked and she nodded wiping her tears.

"How much will you cry, stop it now!" He ordered and she nodded while controlling her tears but they were coming out again and again

"tumne kabhi kisi ko bataya kyu nhi tumhari pareshaniyon ke bare main? (Why You didn't share anything with anyone)" He asked and she took a deep breath

"Shadi apni marzi se kari thi... Ammi ya abbu se kese kehti ki jis ke liye unke khilaf gai usne mere Saath kya kra... Or Maham chhoti thi.. Usse kuch keh nahi sakti thi... Razi to aaj tak bhi mujhse baat nahi karta... Use lagta hai mene apni zindagi khud barbaad kari hai.. Isliye usse bhi kuch nahi keh sakti thi.." Maryam put his heart out in front of her husband and he just nodded.

(I did Marriage with my own will, how would I say to my parents that the man for whom I went against them, he treated me like that... Maham was younger so young so I couldn't share anything with her and if it's come to Razi then he still don't talk to me properly, he believes that I destroyed my own life)

Anwar cupped her face with one hand and she sniffed...

They arrived home very late, so Anwar ordered his children to sleep and he lead to his bedroom with Maryam. For whole journey Hamdan and Bilal were silent. They both were shocked on the reality and Bilal was more surprised and he was angry too because his parents hide the reality from him.

"sleep now and don't think anything" Anwar said to Maryam and she nodded. She lay down on bed on her side and Anwar caressed her head. Maryam tried to sleep but couldn't, Aatish's face was roaming around her eyes. And his words were ecoing in her ears.

"Maryam"

"Ji" opening her eyes she said

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I.. I can't sleep" She stammered and he sighed

"Take this" He said while giving her two sleeping pills and a glass of water which Maryam nodded and Anwar made his way to courtyard to spend some time alone as he was already disturbed because of Aatish and Maryam but he was shocked to found Shifa sitting there, resting her head with wall and gazing the sky, she was crying silently. Bilal was standing there with furrowed brows and Hamdan was sitting beside Shifa.

Anwar sat down beside Shifa but didn't utter any word, when she found him there she made herself stand to went to her room but.

"Sit.." Anwar ordered and Shifa obeyed but no one utter anything, he gestured Bilal to sit and he also did do. Maryam also came out from the room she didn't take sleeping pills so she wasn't slept. Hamdan gave space to Maryam to sat down beside Shifa. Maryam embraced her daughter and kissed her forehead.

"You never told us that you know everything" After a long silence Anwar asked to Shifa and smiled sadly.

"You also never say that I'm not your real daughter" Shifa muttered and Anwar was silent.

"Yes papa you never said anything like that but you proved it everytime, I always thought that you loves me and Hamdan bhai so much but not Shifa aapi.. Now I understand the reason... You are her stepfather so you don't loves her" Bilal said to Anwar angrily and he glared him.

"Shut up... I never wanted bad for Shifa.. I always wants better for her" Anwar said angrily.

"But papa its true you never love Shifa like your own daughter, I never said anything but I noticed that from childhood" Hamdan said and Shifa break the hug the hug..

"Stop it... You both... I don't need anyone's love... no one was discussing about this topic before few hours then why you both are discussing now? I lived like a girl without father for whole 22 years then I can live like this further too." Saying that angrily Shifa made herself stand and moved towards her room.

" Shifa beta... Listen" Maryam siad but Shifa ignored.

"Shifa" that was a loud overbearing call which made Shifa stop in her way.  She turned to saw Anwar and he gestured her to come back. She unwillingly followed and sit down in front of Anwar.

"I never discriminate between you and my sons... You are my daughter and I never want anyone to say that you are stepdaughter, that's why we never disclose this to you and Bilal.. Hamdan knew about it but he never said anything as he promised us in childhood" Anwar said to Shifa and she nodded with lower gaze.

"But you never love me.. Even you hate me.. You don't like me to talk to anyone, you don't let me do anything which gives me happiness" Shifa said slowly and Anwar caressed her head.

"I don't hate you but I don't like you to do all those things from which I stop you" Anwar said and Shifa nodded and decided not to talk anything, but she remembered about Faraz. After a short time Shifa excuse from there but other four members were still there.

"Is Hamdan bhai my real brother or not?" Bilal asked, he was still doing a question like a naive boy.

"You three are real siblings... There isn't any step relationship between you three." Maryam said and Bilal hugged her mother.

The family spend almost whole night together, Maryam didn't disturb Shifa as she thought she need some time to digest everything, Aatish's meeting gave a new twist to their life...

Shifa had a chance to discuss everything with her mother but Maryam didn't want to discuss her past. But For the first time Anwar felt what he did with Shifa. He ruined her childhood with his baseless strictness and iron rules. He never thought that Shifa was hiding so many things inside herself since a very small age. But at the same time Anwar was also not wrong with his intentions. He wanted Shifa to spend a happy life unlike her mother, but he chose the wrong way.

Every time Strictness is not a the way to make someone disciplined.

But Anwar was still not guilty for what he did, as his intentions were never wrong and he was still determined that he would be as strict as he was in past. Because he wanted Shifa not to took any wrong step in her life like Maryam. Maryam was a pampered daughter that's why she did her stubbornness so Anwar didn't want to show his love towards Shifa but in reality he feels proud on her. The way Shifa showed her innocent and wise both sides together, that was making Anwar more proud to be the father of her.

=================

On the other hand....

Shifa closed her eyes to sleep but when she was about to consumd by the slumber a face come across her senses. She wanted to avoid that face but no one can control his or her unconscious mind.

That face wasn't belongs to Faraz nor with Kashif but that was a different person

He was kabeer...his full name was Bani kabeer khan...

No... He wasn't shifa's boyfriend nor she was liking him, but Kabeer proposed her before the singing competition, Shifa didn't share that with anyone even she hide that with Afifa as she was scared if Anwar got to know about that he would stop Shifa to go college.

Shifa always stay away from boys but still some boys try to be free with her.... But then Shifa was hell scared, she couldn't even think to love someone.

Bani kabeer khan was the most handsome boy of shifa's class, he was neither tall nor short. Nor muscular nor lean.... he had light beard with fluffy golden brown hair which goes well with his white complexion. But shifa wasn't interested in him so she clearly refused. Controlling her heart to think about him shifa slept again. She didn't had any feelings for him in her heart nor she wanted to develop any. She never think about anyone in her life except Faraz Siddique...

=================

Khwab dekhne ki saza unhone hame kuch is tarah di hai...

Ek Neend hi to bachi thi aakho main, woh bhi chura li hai...

_Naaz Jamal

03.07.2020