'I love you too, Papa. More than anything' I confess breaking the hug. My father smiles back at me.

'I know beta. You are my acha wala bacha, strong wala bacha.' He says, he is speaking to me like I am some five-year-old kid. I smile because of his tone. He held my cheek caressing it gently.

'My bacha.' He gestures me to forward my head and I obliged. He kisses my forehead and looks at me wiping my tears.

'I promise you, my child. I will become the best father to you...' he says

I shake my head 'Papa, you already are my best father...my hero...' I say and kiss his palms. I lean forward and joined my forehead with my father's, tears streaming down our cheeks. This is perfect father-daughter reunion.

'Beta...I promise I will not force you into marriage and...I promise I will have you married when you want and with whoever you want...My bacha deserves the best' he says.

I smile, I feel even better now. All the negativity disappearing. I smile brightly and hugged my father again, unknowingly he has given me the best gift, Arham.

I felt lighter after talking my heart out to my father and him returning back to his old self that he was before our fall out. His health started improving and my family returning to normal. Now I need to add Arham and then my family will be complete.

One week later, my father is discharged and is going to come home. I stayed back at home while my mother and brother are gone to hospital to bring back Papa.

I cooked my father's favourite Dal and Chapatti. With help of Dheem Chacha I cleaned the entire place. I dressed myself in traditional full sleeve lavender long kurtha with white Dupatta and churidar pants.

I get super excited when I hear the doorbell ring, I rush to open the door.

'Papa' I say excitedly and hug my father tightly, he almost stumble back but thankfully my brother was holding my father firmly.

'My beta is looking so pretty' My father says. My mother looks at me with pride, she caresses my cheek lovingly.

I feel really proud when I see my father lick his fingers clean as he happily eats the food I made. I smile thinking about the two most important men in my life is fan of my cooking.

'Beta...here...' Papa says taking out a five hundred note and hands it to me 'this is your return gift...it's not much but...'

'I feel like a millionaire. This five hundred is equivalent to millions' I say sincerely. I also had made Halwa, I fed everyone happily. My parents are really surprised by my cooking skills; they didn't know I could cook.

'Arham why are you acting like a chicken...you are coming and are going to meet my parents...else I will...I will...fire you' I say angrily. I am on call with Arham and from past fifteen minutes I am arguing with him to come and meet my parents. Arham is being too shy or reluctant to come here. My Dad has given the green signal but Arham is chickening out. I feel like flying there and bash his head.

'Arham...I am warning you...' I threaten him. Few minutes, he gives in. I hear him sigh in defeat and I smile victoriously.

'Zahra, I will come and meet your parents but there is something I need to talk to you first. Will give you details when I come' he says and I nod happily.

We bid our goodbyes and go to sleep. I feel really excited thinking about making Arham meet my parents, finally I and Arham will be tied in eternal and pure bond of marriage. The dream that I had seen when I was sixteen is going to finally come to live.

*

Two days after, I get ready to meet Arham, since my Dad is at home I dressed in traditional salwar kameez. I made an excuse to my parents stating I need to go get some fresh air. My mother had stopped me but my Dad supported me and I felt the proudest then.

I quickly made my way towards a nearby park where I am to meet Arham, I had tied my hair but when I left my house I quickly untied it and did some simple makeup like applying kohl and lip gloss.

I look around and soon enough I find Arham sitting on a bench watching few children playing in front of him. I smile.

He is looking so handsome; his side profile is even more gorgeous. I adjust my dupatta and walk towards him, smiling widely.

'Arham' I say greeting him happily. He stands and we are about to hug but stop midway realizing we are in public. I am really disappointed, it's after one week I am seeing him and I can't even hug him.

'How are you and everyone back home?' he asks as we sit together. I smile at him, I just want to sit there and keep looking at his handsome face, admire him till my heart's content.

'Zahra....'he says snapping his fingers in front of me breaking my trance.

I extend my hand and held his 'How will I be without you...? I missed you so much' I say pouting, he smiles and places his palm on my cheek and gently caressed it.

'I missed you too' he says.

We sat in silence hand in hand, lost in each other's eyes. After some time Arham breaks the silence

'Zahra' he says, he looked very serious all of sudden. I am not liking this look. I wonder what he is going to say.

'I will meet your parents but...Zahra...I will tell them everything...I am not going to hide anything.' He says

My jaw drops. Is he mad? He is planning to confess everything to my parents, about Nooren? Irum?

I bit my lower lip angrily and glare at him, 'Are you out of your mind?' I say standing up, he stands up too.

'My parents will never agree for the marriage if they know you are a divorcee with a kid.' I say angrily. What kind of guy is he? Why does he want hit his own leg with an axe?

'Zahra...I don't want to start our relationship based on lies' he says

I roll my eyes 'But if we don't lie there will be no relationship.' I argued glaring at him. Arham looks away and then back at me.

'Zahra...if I lie about such important part of my life then what is the difference between me and Aamir? How will I be different from him?' Arham reasoned.

Arham has a very valid point but I don't want to think rationally. My Dad has said he will let me marry anyone I want but I know he will never let his daughter marry a divorcee, and that someone who has a kid.

I shake my head, Arham held my hand and make me look up at him, 'Zahra I have decided, I am going to tell your parents everything. If they accept me with my past then we will marry' he says, he sounded so firm.

I felt my heart sink, I held Arham's hand 'What if they don't agree?' I say bringing his palm to my lips and kissing it 'I can't...live without you...I love you' I say, my voice cracking. Arham held my face in his palms and kissed my forehead.

'I love you too...and your parents loves you too. Your happiness is their top priority and I am sure they will agree...you trust me (I nod my head, tears streaming down my cheeks) you trust our love (I nod again) you trust your parents...?'

'Yes...Yes' I say and hug him sobbing in his arms. Arham hugs me back and kissed the top of my head.

*

I and my mother are sitting in the lawn after having dinner, this time I and my mother had cooked dinner together. My father was really proud of us.

'Beta...'my mother says placing her hand over mine, like always she sensed my tension without me telling her. I turn to her

'Ma, if I ask for something will you give me?' I ask softly. My mother smiles and caressed my cheek with her palm

'Anything for my princess' she says.

I smile sadly. I don't know what to except, what if my mother reject Arham?

'Ma... (I gulp) There is...our... (I shift closer holding my mother's palm, she keeps looking at me patiently, I am not able to understand from where to start, how to say?) New Marketing head at office...his name is Arham Hooda and...I...la...la-love him.' I confessed and bit my lower lip.

I am not able to understand my mother's expressions; I feel really anxious. My mother looks away, I placed my fingers on her chin and make her look at me.

'Ma...he loves me too...he exposed Aamir and you know Ma...Aamir he had tried to molest me one night but Arham...he saved me. If he hadn't come I would have never been able to face you and Dad.' I say

This got my mother's attention she held my hands and looks at me concerned 'Are you alright? Did Aamir do something with you?' she asks

I shake my head 'He would have if Arham hadn't saved me and also I would have gotten married to a married man if it hadn't been for Arham...Ma, I and Papa would have never patched up if he hadn't been for him. Ma, Arham loves me a lot and I love him too...' I say holding my mother's palms tightly in mine.

My mother looks at me for a while 'He wants to marry you?' she asks and I nod. My mother looks away and then back at him 'I will talk to your father...'she says her typical dialogue. I bit my lower lip still deciding if I should tell the whole truth. My mother is about to leave when I held her hand and she turns to look at me.

'Ma, there is something else...Arham...he...is...Ma...he is... (I close my eyes and take a deep breath and open my eyes looking directly into my mother's eyes) Arham is divorced and...and he has a two- year-old daughter' I finish and close my eyes tight, I am expecting a slap. I hear my mother gasp and I know that I am done for.

'Zahra? Are you out of your mind?' she says standing up, she jerks my hand away and I open my eyes. My mother is looking really shocked. I gulp.

I stand too 'Ma, that is his past...he loves me a lot...'

'No, he doesn't (my mother held my arms and shake me little) he just wants maid for his kid... Such men look for young women like you, they trap girls like you with their sweet talks...God! How can you do this Zahra? That man has had a wife and also a kid? Gosh! You are so stupid' she says holding her forehead in her palms.

I am not liking the tone she used for Arham, I clenched my fists tightly and look at her

'Ma...I wasn't going to tell you this but Arham made me...he said he will marry me only when you and Papa accept him with his past. I insisted that we will never tell you this but Arham didn't want to hide anything.... Ma, I don't care about his past...I love him and I am going to marry him.' I say firmly.

My Mother is shocked with my audacity. I turn to leave when I spot Dad standing few distance away from us. Oh God! He heard everything. I didn't want Dad to find out like this.