Eventually you'll meet someone who is tired of the games too, and your loyalty will match theirs!

Jahan

Water drops trickled down my cheekbones, tickling my skin and I groaned in the pillows. The sensation, a painful tease to my skin.

" Jahaan, wake up!"

A sweet soft womanly voice sang. And I perched my head on the pillow tucked under my chin. I opened my left eye. Seeing the sunlight brighten up the room almost painfully making my groan once again and throw my head back on the pillow.

Why was it so bright?

" Jahaaaaaaan!"

God!

I opened my eyes. Seeing a blurry figure stand before the wall length windows and pull the curtains more apart, drawing in more sunlight. I squinted my eyes seeing my vision clear up.

The woman's back was to me. Her long brown hair were curled at the ends because of the shower she took, a wet trail going down the back of her dark maroon shirt. And I closed my eyes yet again as her glass bangles clunked together making my heart go crazy. I felt the bed dip and her breath hit my cheeks. My breaths started to pick up but I didn't dare open my eyes.

Her hair tickled my cheeks, as she ran her strands softly down my cheekbones and then up my temples. Following the pattern again. The drop of water tickling agonizingly down my skin. I turned around away from her as her scent filled my nostrils. Musky and assortments of jasmine with hints of wild roses. It was her scent that drove me crazy.

" Wake up now! The sun is up!" She lightly scolded me and I felt the covers being pulled.

" No!" I groaned.

Her bangles clunked yet again and she came to my side again and pulled the covers away from me successfully. I peered up at her. Her beautiful face fresh and glowing. Her dark chocolate hair shaping around her face and those dark pools of brown looking down at me with all the innocence in the world. Her eyes, they were the most attractive of features as they changed colour according to her moods and they brightened up my world no matter what. And right now, her eyes were dark brown as she stared down at me with a pout. Her cherry red lips enticing me.

I sat up, reached forward and grabbed her hand. Pulling her down to sit besides me. Her eyes lowered and her cheeks puffed out, drawing my eyes to the small mole on her right high cheekbone. And I lightly poked it with my finger. She folded her arms around her chest and turned her back to me, getting mad like a five year old.

" You won't talk to me now?" I asked with all the innocence dripping in my voice.

She tilted her head just a little and shook her head.

" Did I make you mad?"

" Uhm hmm!"

I chuckled.

" Are you going to be mad all day?" I asked. Feeling a fluttering in my heart strings.

She shook her head. And her shoulders curled inwards. I sat up and reached around her. Burying my face in her neck. Her soft skin providing me warmth that no other could.

" I missed you."

I breathed against her warm skin. The woman shifted in my embrace and turned to look up at me with her large eyes. A smile spreading across her lips. Her magical smile doing wonders this very morning.

" We missed you too!" She exclaimed and stood up.

And I noticed how her hand rested on her round stomach. Making an aching grow somewhere within me. The maroon shirt she wore did nothing to hide her growing stomach. My throat clogged up and I pinched the bridge of my nose.

" Ronaq!" I whispered extending my hand to her.

She rose her perfect arched eyebrows and kept her little hand in mine.

She came to stand before me and I closed my eyes as she leaned in. Feeling her lips press a ghost of a kiss against the skin of my forehead. I didn't open my eyes after that. Too afraid that the mirage would go away that it was yet another impossible dream, a figment of my crazy imagination. And she melted in my arms and I wrapped mine around her and held her tightly against my chest. And in that moment,

I held my world!

•

I pressed the door bell and ting it rang softly inside the two storey house. The car keys swirled around my fingers as I stood before the doors feeling someone play with the lock before it was opened.
A woman's face appeared before me. And before me stood, Serina Ali Khan. A smile blowing up her features as she looked up at me. I smiled as well and leaned forward giving her a side hug as she ushered us in.

" Assalam O Alaikum mom!" I greeted stepping in the warm house.

" Walaikum Assalam. These eyes have been deprived of your arrival, Jahan!"

She said briskly reaching for the glass with yellow small flowers on it and filling it up with water. I lazily fell on the couch as she set the glass before me and settled besides me. Her hand reaching forward and she curled my fingers around hers.

" Tell me, how have you been?" Her small eyes looked up at me with so much love and excitement that guilt gnawed at me. I was her only child and I couldn't even manage some time out for her.

" I am good! What about you and Dad?" I asked reaching for the glass.

" We're great as well. Your dad is off to a meet his old fellows - said would be back by lunch time!" She filled in and I nodded.

" So, what about everyone at home?"

" Everyone is great there as well-"

" Why didn't you bring Afaaf and Mohid? Afaaf is such a great company. She's such a fine young woman!"

" She is!" I said looking down at my hands.

" -but she had some work at home. I didn't ask her to come." My mom nodded and stood up. Going around the open kitchen as I saw her moves from where I sat on the couch. She opened a lot and stirred it. And then opening cabinets here and there.

I opened the television and surfed through the channels here and there aimlessly as my mom cooked in the kitchen. After minutes I stood up. Walking up to parents room and then looking up at the staircase, before the staircase was the back door of the house and a small backyard where I had spent very little of my childhood. Going up the stairs were two more master bedrooms and a small storage room and a small temporary kitchen. After getting married to Ronaq, we had lived here for some months before moving back to the haveli. She loved it here though but we never planned to settle here and mom and dad were always fine with it.

Now the portion upstairs was rented. And the few things that I had up there were now shifted in the guest room downstairs, where I'd sleep over sometimes. Although the house was cozy and beautiful, I never had any attachments with it. It had wood flooring and cream walls with dark chocolate sophisticated furniture. A large lounge area just by the main door and an open exterior kitchen opposite to it. A dining table at the side and the bedroom and stairs at the back.

" Jahan, you'll stay till lunch?" My mom asked as I came to stand by her in the kitchen and nodded.

" Yeah, I wish to meet dad." I shrugged.

" Uhm hm! He's been asking a lot about you lately!" She stirred the pot on stove and I leaned against the polished counters before hopping on it.

" I am making your favorite Pulao!"

She said grinning. Her water lines wrinkling and I tried to grin back at her. For the sake of love she was showering over me. My mom was beautiful. Born in the house of pathans, she had this white fairy skin with small dark eyes, almost black. And her once brown curly hair were dyed with a burgundy shade although the colour was fading off now. She had high cheek bones with not much flesh on her cheeks and that made her cheekbones more pointy. The age factor adding to it. She had an average height and slim figure. And she loved cooking.

I reached for the large jar with blue striped and opened it. A swarm of memories flooded in and I smiled to myself seeing fresh homemade butter cookies sit inside. I took one big biscuit out and munched on it. The taste had me closing my eyes instantly, the feel of butter and chopped baked dry nuts mixing in my mouth had  caused a frenzy of taste to meet my buds.

This jar was our favorite. Ronaq and I, loved mom's cookies. And when ever we would be coming over, my mom would bake a treat for us and we'd fight to have the first biscuit. Infact the jar was also her favorite. She liked small things, found joy in simple treats. And now whenever I'd find that jar filled with cookies, it'll make me remember my partner. My Ronaq.

Mom maybe noticed me zoning out as she reached for my hand and rose her eyebrows.

" Do you like the cookies?" Her soft voice asked.

And I nodded- mouth full.

" Great, I've made some extra butter cookies for Khan Dada and Dadi Gul Jan and some coconut ones for Afaaf and Zaryaab. Take them with you before leaving."

She opened the fridge, looking through the vegetable compartment and I furrowed my eyebrows.

" Matlab, you've made extras for everyone except for your own son!" I feigned hurt.

She turned to me and gave out a small laugh. Smacking my shoulder lightly.

" No, you silly. I made the very extra chocolate chip ones only for you. I've made them after such a long time - I was even getting confused during the recipe." She went on and I shook my head seeing her wash a dish.

" You shouldn't have bothered mom. I've stopped eating those biscuit since I've become only." Her eyes stopped on me and she gave me a blank stare keeping her hands in her hips.

I got down the counter and reached for the plates on the stand. She began cutting the tomatoes for the salad and I silently laid out the table for lunch. The silence was starting to get thicker as minutes passed by and I knew something deathly was brewing in the air.

" Jahan!" My mom called out, as she pushed the knife away on the wooden cutting board and directed all her attention to me. I looked at her, giving her the same attention.

" What have you thought about the future?"

I lowered my eyes to the floors and shrugged.

" What do I have to think about?" I asked not literally ready to have this conversation with her.

" You know exactly what to think about?" Her hands were on her hips again as she leaned against the counters opposite to me.

" No mom. You tell me? What should I be thinking of?"

" Going on with your life Jahan. You're not considering to be like this all your life, are you? Will you be living like this, playing with Afaaf's and Zaryaab's child to fill the void of being a father? Will you be staying like this, working day and night because you won't have a reason to return back home-"

" Mom stop okay!" I said gently, feeling the coils tightening around my neck to choke me.

" Jahan, what are you expecting from me? You are my son! I know what you've been through and everyone has give you all the time you need. But if you keep on going like this, all alone on your own. You'll lose me as well like you lost her. And I don't wanna die leaving you on your own. I want to see you happy and settled back in life before I die!"

" What do you expect from me mom!"

My voice grew in octaves and I pushed myself away from the hard surface of the counter. Seeing eyes swim in her black eyes.

" What do you expect? It was the second Eid without her barely four months ago and you want me to get married already!" I placed a hand against my chest feeling my breaths tighten.

The woman's eyes lowered and she shook her head. Soft tears rolling down her wrinkled skin.

" I cannot do this mom! I simply cannot! It's not in my hands!" I stated.

" But-"

" I want to leave." I turned around so fast that my mind swirled and my mom shrieked behind me. Keeping my anger and tears at bay, I walked up to the door and ripped the door open. Small hand gripped my wrists.

" Jahan I am sorry. I am sorry please. Please!"

I heaved as my mother stopped me. Her head resting on my shoulder and I clenched my jaws.

" Please stay for lunch. I won't speak of it for today! Please!"

My grip on the door tightened as I looked down at her black eyes.

" I won't do this to Ronaq." I told her before walking inside.

The afternoon past with the three of us having lunch together - mom, dad and me. Dad made little talks over the table about here and there. If he sensed something was wrong then he didn't question and soon after lunch, mom insisted that I accompany her to the market for some groceries and I obediently complied.

We were on the way back now, the late afternoon sun casting it's golden rays on the windshield.

" You know I've started to like living here then any of the cities your father was post to."

"Of course mom. This is your hometown." I said distracted, looking down at the phone screen on my lap.

" No. I think it's just not that. Maybe the fact that there weren't any good groceries in those cities!" I laughed at her fact.

" Mom that's not supposedly a valid fact!"

" Well it could be, because you see - JAHAAAN!"

I turned the steering wheel with all my might and the tires screeched on the road. I felt my control failing on the wheel as my body plastered to the car door, feeling all the force being put on my side of the door. Everything was spinning as mom kept screaming in the background. I tightened my hold on wheel and pressed onto the breaks. My car resisted and we came to an abrupt stop just before the tall trees.

My heavy breaths filled my ears and my vision cleared. Turning to the side I could see my mom shocked just as I was. Her hand was clutching her chest and her mouth was agape. Suddenly there was eerie silence.

What the f-?

" Mom, are you okay? Are you hurt?" I asked once I felt the energy return to my body a d she nodded her head.

" You?"

" Yeah I am good!"

I unbuckled my seat belt and did the same with mom. My mom panicked suddenly.

" Oh God, Jahan you saved her. At least you saved her!"

I looked at the woman as she opened the car door and got down. I breathed a sigh of relief and opened my door and followed after mom. My mother was bent by a girl as they say on the road.

" You sure, you're okay!"

The girl nodded.

Goodness, who even told you to cross the road like that. Who even jumps before a car that's coming in full speed your way. Allah knows how I managed to miss her by a fraction otherwise she would have been dead by now. I wanted to scold her, but my mom was being so empathetic that I failed to form any words out of my mouth.

" Hey sweetie! How about we drop you home, I am already feeling so guilty!"

What? Mom!

" No please. I'll be fine on my own!"

" Please I insist. It won't be a bother for us!"

The girl nodded at last and my mom helped her to her feet. I looked curiously plus worried as they turned around. And shit. She was the same girl from yesterday.

What the f-?

My eyes had probably widened and so had hers. As she stilled upon seeing me. I scratched my neck awkwardly as she shifted on her feet. And I noticed the white floral chiffon dress she wore, now had a big blotch of dirt on the knee area. Probably from the fall she endured. Her fingers wrapped around her hair strands as she tucked them behind her ears. The girl whose name I knew and my mom walked passed me and into the car. I skeptically turned towards the car and then at the road before walking to my vehicle.

The ride back to her home was filled with mom making small conversations with her. And she, directing the way back home.

I still couldn't decipher what had happened back there. For all I knew I could have been charged for hitting someone on the road. I turned the car over the small hilly pathway up to the society. And she directed the street and soon we were before her house.

" Which ones the door?" My mom asked her turning in her seat.

" Uh! The brown one there." She pointed and then opened the door.

" Thank you so much - please come in, have some tea." She offered and mom grinned ready to say no but then turned to me.

" Okay!"

Mom!

" Yes please." She turned towards her doors and mom opened her car door.

" I am not going in!" I stated. And my mom narrowed my eyes at her.

" Jahan stop being so rude. Come on now, shabaash!"

I groaned internally and clenched my jaw. Having no other choice but to follow them inside.

The house was nice. Much similar to my mom's and very near to her house as well. We settled on the sofas and mom asked for a glass of water declining the offer of tea.

" I am sorry. I didn't get your name?" My mother asked her and she sat before us.

" Saboohi."

Mirza!

My mom nodded looking around the house.

" Who do you live with?"

The girl visibly tensed. And looked around before answering carefully.

" My parents. Mm - my dad had a surgery, total knee replacement, so he's in the hospital and my mother is there. And I have my aunts staying here."

Mom started to ask about her father's health and all that and I completely zoned out. My phone dinged and I unlocked it seeing a miss call from Zaryaab.

" I think we should leave now!" I said to mom and she nodded.

" It was very nice meeting you Saboohi. Mix a tea spoon of tumeric in milk and drink it. Okay!" The two women exchanged goodbyes. I remembered it all a sudden and dug in my wallet.

The woman frowned as I extended her national ID card to her. She took the card and looked up to me with her doe eyes.

" Don't drop your ID card in rickshaws next time." I turned around to go but stopped and faced her.

" And learn to cross the road wisely." Her strawberries and creme cheeks filled with colour as she turned red in embarrassment and shifted on her feet uncomfortably.

I swirled around and stormed out of her house.

The ride to Mom's home was filled with everything about Saboohi.
" She's such a nice lady!"

She said and annoyed I glanced at her stopping before her gates.

" You say that to every lady!"

" Oh no. I don't!" She pointed and she took the grocery bags off the seat. She peeked in through the window and said.

" Coming in for dinner?"

I shook my head.

" Afaaf asked me to be home by this time. Everyone would be waiting for me at home!"

She nodded her head and I bid her goodbye, driving off.

When I reached home, everyone was indeed waiting for me. I greeted everyone in the garden. Seeing Khan Dada, Dadi Gul Jan, Zaryaab and Afaaf. And of course Mohid. The boy ran up to me making me swing him in my arms.

" Chachoo!" He yelled in his enthusiastic baby voice.

" Yes my baby!" I kissed his chubby round cheeks and he nibbled on the crust of a samosa.

" How was aunty and uncle Jahan?" Zaryaab asked as he patted my back making me answer him. Afaaf had laid out the table for late afternoon snacks and I could see Samosas, pakoray, Chaat and sandwiches. She served tea to me making me give her a smile.

We sat around the table and slipped tea, ate, laughed. And I roamed my eyes to the flowers planted in the garden.

When everyone was here then why only you couldn't be here, besides me!

•

What an odd time to update 😂😂

My lovelies, I am making a changing in the marriage time period of Jahan and Ronaq, I mentioned in We run For Love that they were married for 6 months but no they were married for three years. I'll mention it in the coming chapters as well.

And how are you liking the chapters so far!?

I don't swear. But when it comes to Jahan I feel like it's very natural the emotions he shows off and at that moment I cannot contain myself! 😂😂

I'll surely try to cut down on swearing, Astagfirullah, I don't wanna be burned in Jahanum! 😂🙈

Well all you guys need to do is,

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Till then<

Love,
_Hafsa♥️