They were sitting at the dinner table, having lunch when Maa Begum noticed Mahjabeen toying with her food.

"Mahjabeen mai kuch din se ek baat note kar rahi hu", Maa Begum started taking a sip from her tea and continued, "Tum theek se kuch kha nahi rahi"

Mahjabeen shrugged and replied, "Padso golla khaali thi na isliye shayad..", she took a bite of the toast and smiled as it didn't trigger her nausea.

"Magar Murtasim toh bata raha tha walima ke baad se tum ultiyan-", she stopped her eyes widening, she quickly placed the tea on the table and hugged Mahjabeen.

"Ye bimaari nahi khush khabri hi ho sakti", She said with a smile, taking out a note from the knot on her dupatta and called the servant. " Raza", she called the servant came running, "Ye rakho, humarey haan khush khabri hai"

Mahjabeen sat there confused, she was waiting for Maa Begum to announce the good news. Maa Begum took her to her room, "Maa khush-", she tried to ask but was cut off.

"Haan Mahjabeen tumne aaj mujhe khush kardiya", she gently helped her sit on the bed, "Purey gao ko ye khush khabri sunaungi", Maa Begum said with a proud smile.

Mahjabeen nodded with a smile, she wasn't understanding a word Maa Begum was saying but she listened like she did in her classes.

Maa Begum dialled Maryam's number and started informing her in excitement, " .... Maa banne waali hai", Mahjabeen heard it and clapped her hands in excitement.

"Aap Maa banne waali hai?" She asked with a smile on her face biting her nail in excitement, Maa Begum gave her a look and on the other side Maryam started laughing.

"Mai nahi tum Maa banne waali ho", Maa Begum finally cleared, at that moment the canvas of expressions that were on her face seemed to shift from shocked to excited, happy then to confused again.

"Aapko kaise pata ki mai Maa banne waali hu?" She asked in confusion, Maa Begum laughed and said, "Humari umar me sab pata chal jaata"

Mahjabeen's eyes widened, "Toh iska matlab mai Maa banne waali hu", she squealed her hands moving around in excitement, Maa Begum passed the phone to her.

Maryam congratulated her and said, " Aap toh khush khabri ke bad khush khabri suna rahi", she teased, the first good news being her results and now this.

"Tum bhi Maa banne waali ho?" She asked with a look of amazement, she glanced at Maa Begum who was contemplating whether to believe Mahjabeen's words for a second but then she did and ran out of the room to distribute sweets in the entire gao.

"Ya Allah tune mujhe Daadi aur Naani dono ek saath bana diya", she cried out.

Maryam who was on the call quickly denied, " Nahi nahi yaar Mahjabeen", she couldn't help but facepalm but Mahjabeen who was in her own world didn't hear it.

"Hum ikhate shopping jaaya karenge, socho agar humare bacche best friends bangaye", Mahjabeen dreamed on not realising the line had been cut long ago, Maryam was calling Maa Begum who wasn't picking up the call. If she wasn't stopped, Maa Begum would announce this news to entire Pakistan, and if Naurez came to know that misunderstanding would be extremely hard to clear.

" Kya musibat hai!"

***

"Aapne Murtasim ko toh nahi bataya na abhi tak?" Mahjabeen asked nervously, she wanted to be the first one to announce him the news. She wanted to see his reaction, would he be happy? She remembered how hesitant he was whenever they tried to be intimate in the beginning, what if he didn't want a baby?

The thoughts seemed to make her upset, Maa Begum who had already shared the news noticed the look on her face and shook her head. She messaged Murtasim whenever he came back to act like he didn't knew about the pregnancy news.

"Yaar ye Maryam ko kya aafat aayi hai", she exclaimed and picked up the call finally.

"Maa aapne kya kardiya", she cried on the other end, the news had reached her house.

"Mera beta ro kyun rahi ho, ye toh khushi ki baat haina", Maa begum explained softly, Maryam wanted to scream, "Aapne Mahjabeen ki baat kaise maanli, mai pregnant nahi hu"

She cleared the doubt, Maa Begum gasped and cast an angry glance at Mahjabeen who shrugged innocently. Maa Begum realised it was indeed her fault, she should have confirmed first.

"Mahjabeen tum qayamat laadogi Maryam ke ghar pe", she couldn't help but say as the call disconnected.

" Maa Begum woh chodiye, Maryam ke hisse ke gulab jaamun wapas mangwa lete haina. Faltu me do dibbe bhej diye sabko", she said in her mind calculating how many boxes she could devour when they were re turned.

"Ya Allah ye ladki mujhe pagal kar degi", she  exclaimed and exited her room.

***

Mahjabeen was thinking of different ways to reveal the pregnancy to Murtasim, when he entered the room. He concealed his expressions quickly, he wanted to hug her but if she realised he already knew the news then he would have to face her wrath.

He removed his coat and placed it on the sofa, as soon as he sat on the sofa Mahjabeen came to him with a drawing book and her camera flashing on his face.

She was thinking of ideas when she had noticed a drawing book, it would be sweet and Murtasim would easily get the message.

"Tum kya kar rahi ho?" He asked as she flashed the camera on his face, and passed him the drawing book. "Samajh aayi?" she asked waiting for his reaction but all she saw was confusion.

"Nahi", he replied but she gave him an angry look so he tried, "Drawing book hai", he said the obvious, she raised her brows indicating him to continue. He realised she was trying to reveal the news to him, he held in a smile and started playing with her.

"Isme colouring krte hai?" He guessed now giving her an apologetic look as she gave him an hint, "Colouring kiski favourite hoti hai?" She thought he would guess it but his reply left her speechless, "Tumhari"

"Aap rehne de", she huffed and snatched her drawing book from his hand when another idea came to her mind.

Murtasim was controlling his laughter as she skipped to the bed and started drawing. He wasn't giving her the answer she wanted, and he was sure he wouldn't have guessed it if Maa Begum hadn't informed him of the news beforehand.

His wife was colouring in her book, he was correct when he answered with 'Tum'. She indeed coloured, kids loved colouring too but not as much as she did. There was a smile her face as she scribbled and then finally revealed it to him. On the sketch she had written an equation,

Murtasim loves Mahjabeen = ?

She gave him hopeful eyes and Murtasim couldn't help but bursting out in laughter. Her innocence was driving him crazy, he laughed and walked towards her enveloping her in a hug.

" Mahsim", he guessed and Mahjabeen was exhausted by this guessing game so she asked, "Paanch sao rupey nikaley".

He gave her the money,  "Khush khabri hai", she said with a smile repeating Maa Begum's phrase. Murtasim decided not to tease her any long as he gave her the reaction she wanted.

"Aisehi rahiyega", she said and quickly retrieved her camera. She took his pictures and when she was done, she explained why she took the pictures, "Ye mai baby ko dikhaungi, ke dekho tumhare Baba kitne khush they jab unko tumhara pata chala"

Murtasim teared up and he hugged her. His happiness was on the roof, he was going to be a father soon it made him emotional as he realised how lucky he was that he got such a lovely wife.

"Love you Maho", he whispered in her ear, she smiled and snuggled closer in his arms.