Ghazal wetted her lips taking a long anxious sigh unable to decipher the reason behind the presence of her mother-in-law. Why she was here? It was definitely not holding some good intentions because her intuition was screaming badly that the whole ordeal was absurd and troublesome.

"Yes, mam."

She couldn't force herself to address her as a mother, mum or the synonyms of the word because till now whatever Ghazal had come to know about her, not a single task was proof that she had presented herself as a mother.

"You are?"

"I am Ghazal Haaris. Haaris's wife."

Ghazal felt her voice rising a little to give a force on her husband's name to see the mother's reaction. Didn't know, whether she remembered her son or not?

"Oh my! Haaris got married. I am Seher Zeeshan, Haaris's mother. "

Didn't she feel a little shame of introducing herself with the name of another man in front of her own daughter-in-law? Or she was so open-minded to think that it was all normal. Though the lady looked too happy with the newfound information, her eyes twinkling at the mention of her son, Ghazal remained still without any feeling stirring inside her. There was no need for her to show herself happy on her son's bright present because she was the one who was responsible for Haaris's broken being. Ghazal knew how much bruised his soul was, she knew how painful it still was to trust every new person in his life just because of that pathetic path his mother had taken.

"Is there something important that you come here?"

The bright smile vanished from the lady's face with her straight question. Ghazal was never a sweet talker when she didn't like a thing she didn't try to hide it.

"Oh, no. No. Actually I had come with my daughter and then came to know about Yousuf so I thought I should meet him."

"I'm glad you still remember them."

Ghazal replied with a cold voice and began to move past her when she held her arm stopping her movement. She questioningly looked at Mrs. Zeeshan who was staring at her with furrowed brows.

"Don't you have manners to talk with your mother-in-law? Why are you showing me your tantrums? What I have done?"

"Mam, I would love to respect you if I thought you deserved it." Ghazal gently removed her loosened grip from her arm, "and you know better what you did."

"I don't know what you came to know about me but I chose what was right for me. Yousuf could never be Zeeshan, he is all that I thought Yousuf was."

Ghazal was about to roll her eyes at her statement. Was she for real? Did she have any shame of her deed? She left her husband, her son, her whole family just for her selfishness and still she was not regretting her decision. Why Allah sometimes become so patient to test his disciple? Why shouldn't he just give them the result of their wrongdoings?

"What about Haaris? What was his mistake in all of this?"

The lady remained silent at her question clearly she was not expecting Ghazal to be so straightforward with her questioning but she couldn't help her tongue to roll out bitter words for her mother-in-law. A void of not having a mother was the feeling she clearly understood because she never had one but what about children like Haaris who never felt the love of their mother as they were only added in their so-called 'busy-life'.

"Mam, you found love outside your marriage because you never tried to seek it inside. You're just wasting our time so please excuse me."

Maybe the lady also canceled her plan of meeting Papa perhaps due to Ghazal's lecture. As she was about to move away, Ghazal had to halt in her tracks because of the two people who were coming their way. A girl who would be around five to six years with a middle-aged man.

"Seher, let's go. Our Daima is getting bored here."

That was the new family of Mrs. Seher Zeeshan- her husband and a little daughter. That little girl was pretty with black locks around her face and which were cascading down her back. Her face was somewhat pale, maybe the reason why her mother-in-law was present in that hospital. But there was a beautiful shine in her eyes with a bright smile on her lips as she looked at her.

"Mum, what were you doing here?"

"I had come for a glass of water."

Her mother-in-law answered giving a cold glance at Ghazal. Was she wrong if Ghazal wanted to protect her family from the hurt? That hurt which had come like a tornado a few years ago and which had spoiled everything in its way. She didn't want to see again the pain of something breaking in the eyes of Haaris and Papa. Her heart was beating too slow and too fast at the same time as Ghazal's mind was still unable to decipher whether it was wrong or right that she did, looking at the complete family going away from her.

***

Haaris pinched the bridge of his nose somewhat tiredly as he moved towards his father's room. Why destiny pushed him always when he thought all was going well? What was a need to bring him back to his past again? What was a need to show his mother again? That mother who was so engrossed in her new family that she had no idea of the world around her, her son who was staring at them by just standing by her side.

"Hey."

Ghazal's low voice pulled him back from the ordeal of a few minutes before. Her smile was not holding the same warmth which it used to instead there was some kind of tiredness on her features. Haaris smiled at her way, taking his seat beside her.

"You okay?"

"Yes, more than okay. What about you? Did something happen?"

Haaris looked at his father who was sleeping and glanced at his wife who was still skimming his face for the answer to her question. Did she read the sadness on his face? Did she read the disappointment he felt? He bit his lower lip and shook his head to deny all her worries.

What if her mother just looked around her for a moment? What if she would have just met him? Why Haaris was still thinking about his mother, he was unable to understand. What difference it could have made if she met him? But it was definitely better than what he was feeling right now, the feeling of something incomplete.

"What's bothering you?"

Ghazal took hold of his hand which was in his messy locks without his knowledge and intertwined their fingers.

"I'm feeling a lot more than tired. I don't know what is happening."

His voice wavered at the edge in the attempt of keeping the sadness at the bay. Ghazal slightly tilted his head to keep it on her shoulder and kissed his forehead.

"All will be alright. Papa is fine, Alhamdullilah and we will soon be able to take him home."

Ghazal just consoled him thinking of his sadness as the worry for his father. Little did she know, it was all about his mother, due to his mother. He nodded closing his eyes. Her thumb gently caressing the back of his hand, her habit to soothe him. Her mere presence was sufficient for Haaris to solve half of his problems because it was Ghazal who understood him fully and made him confident that he was able to do something in his life.

"You know Adam has made a drawing for his younger sibling." Ghazal said with a giggle, "It was a surprise. "

Haaris chuckled, she didn't know he helped Adam to make that drawing. "With whom do you think he made that drawing?" Haaris looked up with a smile on his face as Ghazal widened her eyes at the information.

"Okay, so I was the only one who didn't know about it."

"Kind of."

He traced her cheekbone with his thumb, relishing in the feel of her soft skin. Should he tell her about his mother? That he saw her at the exit of the hospital and was craving to meet her. How unusual that relationship was that he shared with his mother! Maybe seven to eight years had been standing between them but that feeling of love, care was still there intact just like a treasure in a safe box. But what would be good in the sharing of that information? It would only worry Ghazal some more which Haaris didn't want to when she was going through so much.

"Do you want to rest, Haaris?"

"Lady I took a complete nap of two hours."

Ghazal nodded biting her lower lip, looking closely in his eyes, "I don't know. You're looking very disturbed right now."

"Maybe I was missing my wife."

Haaris smiled wrapping his arm around her shoulders, forcing a small smile on her lips too.

"Then you should know one thing, your wife was missing you too."

"Really! What she was missing? "

Ghazal fixed his glasses on his nose properly and then slightly stretched his lips to form a smile."This." making him chuckle at her adorable gesture and he didn't stop himself to hug his lady tightly with a soft kiss on her temple.

***

Ghazal patted her face with a soft napkin as she exited the washroom. The sun was gently hiding from the earth for the time being and painting the sky with the faint shades of orange and purple. Four days had been passed and that's why due to Allah's mercy Papa had now been shifted to their house.

Haaris had joined his work and now she was desperately waiting for him to return. Yes, because she was missing him but the main reason was Ghazal wanted to share about her meeting with his mother, her mother-in-law. Those previous four days had gone in worry and in the anxiety of sharing this important information. That day when Nanna came again to the hospital, she had told her about Haaris's mother's visit. Ghazal was now feeling some kind of embarrassed to behave like this with the elderly lady but it was all to keep the two men away from getting hurt.

But Nanna had supported her fully by saying that 'Ghazal had done the right thing. When Seher was having a great complete family there was no need to come back in their lives after so much time when all was getting back to normal.' Her heart was not accepting this because still that meeting was hidden from her husband and she never liked the idea of keeping things from her own better half. According to her, it increased misunderstandings between the couple and Ghazal never wanted it in her marriage.

"Someone is deep in thought."

Ghazal jumped at her place as she heard Haaris's whisper just too close to her and now she felt his arms slowly snaking around her waist. Didn't know when she came towards the closed balcony door and didn't know from when she was thinking of that topic that she didn't hear Haaris coming inside their room.

Ghazal tried to smile turning her head to take a look at her husband who was smiling at her with the fringes resting on his forehead. She turned in his arms and moved back the hair from his eyes. " When did you come back?"

"Just a few minutes ago."

Haaris whispered leaning on her gently and cupped her face, placing kisses over her lips tenderly. Ghazal wound her arms around his nape as he slightly tightened his hold on her pulling her a little more close to rest her against him. She leaned back slowly keeping her shaking fingers on his lips, trying to look at his face not trusting her mind as it always faded everything around her on Haaris's adorations.

"I want to tell you something."

"What?"

Haaris kissed her fingers before holding her hand tightly intertwining their fingers. How she should tell him? What would be his reaction? Reaction-she would always be afraid of his reactions. Didn't know how he would take this news? But her intentions were pure then there was no need to be afraid as Allah was with her and knew the reasons behind her every act.

"What happened, tigress?"

Haaris's concerned voice hit her eardrums as he worriedly cupped her cheek, closely staring in her eyes. He took her hand and made her sit on the edge of the bed, still not leaving her hand which was sweating badly with anxiety.

" I met your mother. "

Ghazal felt like she had dropped a bomb in the room as it felt to be filled with an ear-piercing silence with only their low breaths and the thing which was making her more worried was Haaris's hold on her hand which was painstakingly loosening.

"When?" It was Haaris who got his voice back in an instant but now it was distant and cold just like when he had come to know about his job. Ghazal gulped nervously, fidgeting with her fingers.

"At the hospital. She wanted to meet Papa."

Haaris abruptly stood up and now was staring her with a shock etched face. She should have told him earlier or not at all. This was not good, Ghazal was now badly regretting her decision.

"You let her?"

Ghazal shook her head quickly before he could any other meaning. She was badly shivering with fear because the man in front of her was reminding her of Farzan, her ex-husband. No, she didn't want to think like that about him but he wasn't leaving any option for her. The anger and disappointment on his face, that faint shades of distrust in his eyes which was feeling like thousand pins poking in her as he just stared at her, standing a little away from her.

"Why Ghazal? Why you didn't let her?"

By that time didn't know whether due to fear or helplessness, her tears had started flowing on her cold cheeks. Her voice seemed to die inside her as Ghazal was unable to make any proper sentence seeing that wrathful appearance of her husband. Should she tell him that his mother is happy in her own world, she didn't have a single bit of regret of leaving her son and her ex-husband? But that confession would only hurt Haaris more, it would break him some more which she didn't want in her entire life when he was coming back to life. She was stuck!

I just want to get away from here.

***

Haaris turned around, frustratedly raking his hands in his hair to move away from the feeling of emptiness, regret and more like a disappointment. He could have met her, he could have met his mother if Ghazal had allowed her to meet Papa. But she didn't. Ghazal didn't allow her to meet Papa, didn't know why?

"Why Ghazal? Why you didn't let her?"

She was just staring at him silently, her eyes slightly widened and full with tears due to the perhaps shock or surprise Ghazal might be feeling looking at him.

"For God's sake, speak something Ghazal."

He was unable to help himself in the outburst, he was unable to stop himself yelling at her. He wasn't like that but that thought and that regret of not meeting his mother were transforming Haaris in something else which he couldn't think himself as.

"I saw her at the exit that day. I too badly wanted to meet her Ghazal. But you spoiled everything."

When Ghazal didn't speak a single word, he confessed the events of that time when all he wanted to speak a few words with his mother. It didn't matter to him that she was with her new family, a husband, and a daughter. What mattered to him, she was still his mother and he was still her son.

"I didn't want to hurt you and Papa again."

"Why are you assuming things? Maybe she is regretting her mistake, maybe she wanted to meet Papa for something better."

Though his mother didn't felt unhappy it could be possible it was just a facade, a show for the world that she was in a happy and smooth relationship. Perhaps she wanted to come back in their lives and he would be able to live with his family, happily as he dreamt for so long.

"This is not the thing, Haaris." Ghazal stood up and held his arm pleadingly to make him face her. "She just came to meet Papa, she is happy with her new family."

"You're are saying this because you have piled up hate for my mother inside yourself. But what about me Ghazal? I am still yearning for her love, for her care."

Haaris exasperatedly sighed shaking his head to remove all types of the ache he was feeling burning in his mind with his cluttered thoughts.

"Will you please listen to me with a calm mind for some minutes Haaris? I can-"

"I can't get calm. You heard Ghazal, I can't get calm. You ruined everything. You are selfish you don't want me to mingle with my-"

A heavy slap stopped his speech to get completed, a tinge seemed to grow in his left cheek as he held it to move the burning sense.

"I thought about your hurt. I just don't want to open those wounds which took a long time to heal. I thought about the emptiness in Papa's eyes and I didn't want to witness it again in his eyes. If that's what makes me selfish then I am." Ghazal pushed his chest a little more away from her, "I clearly understand that feeling of yearning because I never saw my mother, I never felt those feelings of being with a mother even if I badly wanted to."

It was his pathetic habit to say whatever he felt right at the time of his anger and sometimes Haaris too didn't have the idea what his tongue said in the pit of his wrath. Ghazal's face was wet with tears as her orbs were staring at him with complaints and only complaints, she was taking ragged breaths. He had hurt her badly in his anger which had forced her to slap him to stop his rubbish.

"Go away, Haaris. Just go-"

Ghazal held her head and Haaris came closer to her, wrapping an arm around her waist to support her and trying to keep his hold intact as she was squirming in his embrace to get away from him. "I hate y-"

The words remained incomplete as her eyes tiredly closed and Ghazal blacked out from her senses in his arms. Haaris worriedly patted her cheek regretting his outburst seeing her condition and also the piercing of those words which were about to come from her. Though they weren't completed still Haaris could feel the weight of that hate on himself.

What I have done!