▬▬▬▬▬

▬▬▬▬▬

The sound of door clicking open made the older woman turn her head towards the entrance, the news in the background was loud and clear as her eyes settled on the disheveled state of her grandson who was the face of tabloids, it seemed.

"Mind explaining what this is?" The woman asked. Although her tone expressed it all too well that she wasn't going to be giving any heed to what her grandson may say but the man stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the back of the woman's head.

Greying hair tied back into a sleek yet small bun, her broad shoulders stiff and hands clasped behind her back as she kept her posture, pin and proper.

She turned around and raised a thin eyebrow in question as her hands came up in front of her, thick fingers cladded in gold and precious stones tapped against each other waiting for an answer that the man refused to provide her with.

"What are you talking about?" Zaviyar broke the silence as the cold stare of grandmother was turning out of a breaking point for him.

"This" the woman stated briefly gesturing towards the big screen where the footage of him and Ayat played out. His breath got caught in his throat as he watched himself being covered from very possible angle along with the woman who probably didn't even know of this drama yet

"I told you I was going to attend a wedding. She was there" he said making her glare at him.

"Yeh sab jo dekha rahe hain Zaviyar. Kia hai yeh sab?" She asked making him run a hand down his face and begin to walk away. His head was aching to the extent he was second away from banging it on the wall.
(All this that they're showing Zaviyar. What is all this?)

"Kahan jaa rahe ho?" The woman yelled making the man turn on his heels and face her.
(Where do you think you're going?)

"Kia hogaya hai Maa jaan? Edited hai nahi hua aisa kuch" he said running a frustrated hand through his hair.
(What's gotten into you Maa jaan? It's all edited, nothing happened)

"Yeh kis lehje me baat karrahe ho mujhse" his grandmother glared at his tone. Zaviyar inhaled deeply not wanting to sound rude again but he couldn't help it this time.
(Watch you tone)

"Me pehle hi thaka hua hoon. Please mujhe maaf karden, me jaa raha hon" Zaviyar said walking away. He had only taken a step up on the stairs when her voice reached his ears and his calm broke.
(I'm already very tired. Forgive me but I'm leaving)

"Haider tu mere haath me nahi tha tü bhi uske qadmon pe chal para hai?" Maa jaan started making Zaviyar throw his blazer on the ground feeling his rage surface. The whole nights events came back full force and was ashamed to see who was going to be a victim of it, but it was high time Maa jaan stop balming Haider for things he didn't even do.
(Haider was already out of my control and now you're also following in on his footsteps)

"Kia? Aakhir Haider ne aisa kiya Kia hai? Kion uske peeche pari rehti hain aap?" He gritted making the woman seethe in anger, the short temper running in this genes wasn't a good thing for this night.
(What? What exactly has Haider done? Why are you always after him?)

"Cheekh kis per rahe ho? Yeh saari us Haider ki parhai hui pati hai. Khud tu jahanum me jaa raha hai tu bhi chal de uske peeche-" she yelled.
(Who are you yelling at? This. All of this is the teaching of that Haider. He's already going to hell and now you're also following him-)

"Allah ka waasta hai Maa jaan humari jaanon per reham karen. Aur kia galat kia Haider be Maryam se shaadi se inkaar karke. Batayen?" Zaviyar asked making Maa jaan glare at him and fist her hands. The jewels adorned around her fingers glinting under the warn lights in the living room.
(For god's sake Maa jaan have some mercy on us. And what wrong has he doen by saying no to marry Maryam? Tell me?)

"Tu kia karon apne khandan me gandagi ko milne do? Kisi badkaar se karwa don uski shaadi" The woman yelled.
(So do you want me to let our blood get tainted? Let him marry any characterless woman he wants?)

"Yeh dekhen Maa jaan mere haath jure hain. Hum bare hochuke hain khuda keliye yeh hukum chalana kam karden. Aapke khandan ke ilawa har koi galeez nahi hai." Zaviyar joined his hands loudly making the clap echo in the now silent house.
(Look Maa jaan I'm begging you. We've grown up please stop dictating our life. Not everyone out of our family is filthy)

"Tu phir tum karlo Maryam se shaadi" Maa jaan suggested making him take in a deep breath and look at her, calmly this time.
(Then you marry Maryam)

"Maa jaan aap kion us bachi ke peeche parh gaye hain? Woh buhat choti hai abhi" he tried explaining that the girl was indeed much younger than the two brothers.

"Nahi hai. Mene buhat dehaan se usse pala hai, tumhe shikayat ka koi mauqa nahi mile ga Zaviyar. Yeh Meri guarantee hai" she tried explaining, her lips slowly stretching into a smile knowing Zaviyar's anger was now subsiding.
(She isn't. I've raised her very carefully she won't give any reason to complaint Zaviyar. It's my guarantee)

"She's eighteen for god's sake Maa jaan" he exclaimed.

"And submissive. Girls of her age are ideal to marry. When I was her age i had already birthed your father and Haider's mother. I know men like younger girls because they're-" she started explaining but Zaviyar stopped her.

"Mene kaha me Maryam se shaadi nahi karonga. Me pasand karta hon kisi ko aur mere liye woh kaafi hai" Zaviyar didn't know why he said what he said, it was true he didn't want to marry Maryam but he didn't know he had his eyes on someone and the exasperated look on Maa jaan's face told him just how he had messed up.
(I said I won't marry Maryam. I like someone and they're enough for me)

"Agar koi aur larki is ghar me aaye tu mera mara mun dekho ge tum dono" The woman gritted making Zaviyar roll his eyes.
(If any other girl marries into this home you'll find me dead)

"I'm going Maa jaan. I've said what I've said, don't force us to take any harsh decisions" and with that Zaviyar left the room to his own.

The woman behind him wasn't going to back down easily and if that meant forcing him then so be it, besides men his age married only when forced.

❀⊱┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄⊰❀

"Her reports have come back" the doctor informed making the women hold their breaths. Both held each other's hand under the table as the man ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm very sorry to tell you Mihrimah has a tumor in her brain" Harold finally broke the silence and Nuha felt Ayat's hands go cold in hers.

"Ayat" she whispered casting a worried look to her friend. Ayat's eyes lowered as she swept her tongue on he lips to wet the chapped surface.

"What... What can we do now?" Her voice sounded force ad Ayat finally met the light green iris of the doctor.

"It's growing fast and we need to remove it immediately. The procedure is costly but-" Harold was in the middle of explaining but he was immediately cut off by Ayat.

"Begin with it" the woman said abruptly and Nuha's head snapped towards her.

"The survival rate is decreasing with every passing minute. Waiting isn't the best option" the doctor said looking at the horrid look on the black haired woman's face.

"Do what you have to. I'll take care of the expenses" Ayat said, her voice a different kind of cold, the that sent shivers down Nuha's spine knowing well where this was going.

Her baby girl's life was at risk, the more time slipped through their hands the more Mihrimah slipped out of their embrace. Flashbacks of their past made Ayat feel dizzy, nausea hit her and the woman took off for the bathroom at the end of the corridor.

"Calm down Ayat" Nuha sobbed behind her as the woman heaved over the toilet, the sandwich that she ate this morning still hadn't digested and left her empty stomach.

Tears rolled her their eyes as the two hugged each other for life, Nuha's hands went cold as she again found herself in 2013 when Mihrimah and Ayat were attacked.

She was once again on death row watching life slowly slip out of herself as she watched her friend crumble down with the weight of her daughter's illness and her daughter lay in that hospital bead with machines attached to her.

They had a chance but it only grew thinner by each second as the tumor was swiftly spreading, and the only thing the unaware child could complain about was a severe headache.

Imad, Hazel, Haider and Zaviyar. Everyone was here as they prepared for Mihrimah's surgery. The girl laid her head in her mother's lap while the sedatives kept her down. Nuha rubbed Ayat's back as the woman bit her lips to keep herself from crying.

Mihrimah had just slept after much difficulty, her fear of needles had only intensified as the doctor informed her of the little procedure they were going to do, her tears and pleas had ripped Ayat's heart but what could she do. If it was in her hand she wouldn't have let anything happen to her daughter but she was helpless. Her fingers ran through her daughters hair and everyone in the room held their own tears in.

Zaviyar's phone kept vibrating in his pocket but he ignored it knowing Maa jaan was the one calling him. His eyes stayed stuck to the mother and daughter and he felt a lump in his throat.

He couldn't even imagine this little girl not being around, her wide smiles, bouncy hair and snarky, sarcastic comments. He couldn't imagine his life without her and his heart raced everytime he thought about how he couldn't imagine his life without either these women.

"Ma'am" a nurse interrupted the silent moment and the woman finally looked up. Her eyes moist and streaked red as she stared at the stretcher.

Nuha squeezed Ayat's shoulder and Ayat nodded to herself before getting up from her place. The transfered Mihrimah to the stretcher and the party followed them out till the OT.

"Everything's going to be okay, Ayat" Hazel whispered in her ear and side hugged her.

Hours had passed and there was no sign of anyone out there. After what felt like ages the door opened and the doctor walked out. With their hearts in their mouths the adults faced the doctor.

"So....?" Imad had started and the doctor finally cracked a smile.

"The surgery's a success" he announced making them loosen their breaths and a stream of happy tears rolled down each one of their cheeks.

"Our baby is okay"

"Mah is okay"

The two women said simultaneously as they hugged each other with tears running down their cheeks. They buried their faces into the others shoulder and let out a chuckle of happiness.

They shifted Mihrimah to a private room, Imad and Hazel left for the night along with Haider and Nuha as she had been here for over two days now.

Zaviyar locked eyes with Ayat and He passed her a small smile, Ayat returned the gesture and Zaviyar felt his arm snaking around her shoulder pulling her into his embrace.

Ayat's face grew a little red as she looked up at him, feeling her heart rate increase. All the things she had said that night, made her feel guilty and she fully turned towards him as she settled on the couch in the room. He let go of her and walked over to Mihrimah's bed and sat down beside her. A small smile played on his lips as he ran his fingers through her hair feeling her wake up for a moment, her hooded eyes met his and she smiled.

"Zavi uncle" Mihrimah mumbled making him grin happily at her.

"Yes my love?" He whispered planting a kiss on her forehead before she started snoring again. It had been a good few hours since the last time Mihrimah woke up. The doctors were keeping her under observation and after sometime her exhaustion took the most of her causing her to sleep.

It was a special order that zavi uncle doesn't leave or else Mihrimah would be very angry at her mama the rest who accompanied her. This statement of hers caused a rift between Haider and Zaviyar about who was the best and Zaviyar had only laughed when the little one concluded he stays with her.

"Zaviyar" Ayat called him making him turn his head back to her and smile at her softly.

"Thankyou" she said gazing at the two, Ayat didn't know why but she felt as though Zaviyar has fulfilled the void of a father figure for Mihrimah, their fondness of each other had only grown and grown and ever since the day Mihrimah was brought here, almost a week back Zaviyar hadn't left her side, whether if when she was getting a shot or playing board games or glaring at the poor seventeen year old Izhaan who they had mistaken for an adult. He sure did look more mature for his age and his mere existence had him become the centre of Zaviyar's glares.

"For what?" He asked turning around to face hr completely.

"For being there for Mah when her real father should've been" Ayat mumbled but he had heard her and his heart skipped a beat at the thought.

A broken chuckle left his lips as he shook his head. Ayat met his eyes and the warmth in them almost melted her as well.

"I was something I needed to do. She wanted me there and I felt the need to be there with her. I know how it feels when you're parent is alive but chooses not to take up the responsibility. It hurts. And that's not what my little girl deserves. I'll always be there for her" he said making Ayat smile widely at the duo.

"And I'm sorry" she said making him frown at her.

"I shouldn't have acted the way I did that night. I was-"

"I understand. You're her mother. Me being stranger went into panic hearing about her situation, you're her mother, it's justifiable"

The two smiled at each other and suddenly everything was okay, but only to them. A new storm was Brewing in the Qureshi house and the outcome was going to be worse then a tornado rocking your house......

Assalamualikum guys how are you all?

So I'm back after I disappeared for I don't know how long but.... I'm here and I really want to apologize for the delay I just haven't been feeling that good about my writing these days which has caused me to stop and then you sort of know what happened.

So anyways I hope I can get back to my old kind of habits where I used to update frequently and it would mean a lot for me if you guys would comment and vote.

So here's an update.

I hope you like it.

Comment and tell me how it is.

Enjoy.

Allah Hafiz.

Love
Hafsa Tahir