KHADIJA'S P.O.V 

It's been six days since I saw him after seven years and still just by looking at his face I am reminded what type of person he really is, till the time I was standing behind Enaam and enjoying the bickering of all my cousins with Rafia's in-laws along with the chocolate soufflé, the heavenly taste was giving me the never ending pleasure, well I have always been a fan of chocolate, then again who isn't? I was still admiring the twenty types of cuisine and the beautiful decoration when both the sides start calling an all so familiar name, a name I loathe, it's a hard word but he deserved it. The day I got to know that he, who shall not be named, is cousin of Yahya, I panicked, I begged Rafia to not marry him and I told her everything about Voldemort's brother but she assured me that Yahya was nothing like him and I prayed every night that he should better not be like him. My attention got back to the present when my cousins started teasing Yahya and his cousins about the decoration and I shook my head.

"O sisters of bride! Why are you killing my little brother?" it was his voice, it was definitely him and I gasped, why is he here? Ya Allah! Why I have to be here? Can't he just stay where he was?

He is important to his family as much as you are to yours. A part of my brain mocked and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Ignoring 'sarcastic part' of my brain I tried to escape this place ignoring the teasing both side were busy doing when Emaan suddenly said something but I just heard my name and I looked at her but then she moved revealing me standing there to the crowd, she did what she shouldn't have, all the eyes were on me but his was the one which caught my attention and unwillingly as I looked into them, they were stunned as if they weren't believing what was happening but what surprised me the most was they didn't have that same crudity, wildness and arrogance they had seven years ago instead this time they had some type of control, politeness and modesty.

I shook my head to concentrate on the email I just got from my boss, working for a big firm is really isn't a piece of cake, though I am one of those few women who got the post on which I am working and I am the second Muslim female working in this firm and I am really thankful, a lot of people around me criticize my passion for working and studying but mainly baba and Abdullah chachoo stood by me every single time. Oh! How I missed baba and mama, may Allah gave them the highest place in Jannah, I looked at their picture frame which was placed in my desk it was taken in Macca almost five years ago when I forcefully send them for Umrah.

"NSM sahiba, we are called in conference room right now. CEO sahib ka dimagh kharab hogaya hay." I looked up to Irtiza one of my very respectable colleagues and a brother like figure at this firm.

"Ub konsa project cheeliya J.S.T walo nay?" I stood up frowning, "Can't you talk to that friend of yours, Michael or Marcus whoever he is."

"Matt, his name is Matt and what should I say? Hey Matt, my boss is going all Hitler at me so can you please stop doing your job?" He asked and I chuckled.

"Khair how is Safaa? Tell her to call me." I said getting into the lift.

"Will do but right now she is just lost in herself and the nursery's decoration, your best friend also known as my wife to some is ignoring me." He pouted and I smiled.

"Come on! the way you participate," I said smirking "At least someone has to do before the baby arrives." And he nodded with a silly grin over his face. The ding of the lift got our attention and then we walked towards the conference room, almost everyone was there and was waiting for the CEO. The room was busy in hush whispers when the flaming Mr. Archer entered and all of us stood up, making ourselves to face the upcoming wrath, and then he smiled, NOT GOOD!...

Three hours and twenty minutes later when we walked out of the room, none of us had any energy left in us, we all had missed our lunch and above all the namaz so before making it back to my desk I turned for the common room.

"Hey Khadija aren't you coming for lunch?" I heard Jenny asking me.

"No I have to offer my zuhr prayers you guys go on." I smiled and went to do wuzu. Entering the empty restroom, I took of my beige color hijab and started from washing my hands, I was half way through when one of my colleagues, Sally entered the restroom she was one of the sweetest people around.

"Hey!" she chirped and with a smile I nodded while continue reciting my duas. "Oh you can't talk I am so sorry! Stupid me! Carry on." She quickly apologized and entered one of the stalls, after I was done I wrapped my scarf again and was about to get out when Sally came out.

"Sorry couldn't reply I was reciting some ablution prayers."

"Oh! no worries! By the way Khadija you really look good in your scarf," she said with a genuine smile, "I heard about the things those girls said to you and Fatima, if it would I would have been devastated! But you really took them well." She said.

"Yeah I mean aren't the most precious things covered, I mean look at yourself I have never seen you wearing the revealing clothes like they do and I really appreciate the way you dress. I was just stating some true facts." I shrugged and her smile widened.

"Thank you, they even said stuff to me on my first day here that's why I stay away from them."

"Come on Ally! They are like open candies and we are one of those golden wrapped chocolates," I winked, "take pride in it." And with that I walked towards the common room.

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I was busy preparing Biryani as promised to Asifa, it was her birthday and as chachi and Bilal were not in New York so for making it special for her I was preparing Biryani and her favorite blueberry and cream cheese frosting cupcakes. She was the youngest among all and after the death of my parents when I moved in with Abdullah chachu she had become my little girl. Though she is ten but she is much smarter than kids her age and after all they are the only family I am left with in US and I can't leave this place because all my life and memories with my parents are here.

"Aapi, baba is calling you." Jasir entered the kitchen though my back was at him but I know what this troubling sixteen year old would be doing. He was the second son of Abdullah chachu and the most mischievous one out of all three kids.

"Lick that frosting and I'll chop your fingers." I said glaring him.

"Are you personally trained by terrorist themselves? Always ready to chop and kill!" he frowned.

"Are you send by iblees himself? Always messing up with people like us." I countered back and he grinned.

"Lahol wala quwat! Aapi that's not how you talk to your younger brother, now is it?" He smirked and I rolled my eyes, "And everything for that little sister of yours? What have this handsome face done to you?" He said eyeing the cupcakes, before he could attack them I dragged him out.

"She is six years younger than you while twenty-one years younger than me and Mr. Jasir Abdullah Hameed this type of over confidence isn't good for health." I said taking off my apron and walking towards the study. With a knock I peeked inside and found chachu reading a book as he looked up at me, he smiled taking of his glasses he got up and motioned me to come and sit.

"Biryani bun gayi?" he asked sitting on the couch with me.

"Bus ten more minutes." I smiled while picking up the news paper from the coffee table.

"I don't know how Haleema and I would handle these three once you'll leave." He said with an adoring smile but I frowned.

"What do you mean? I am staying here with you all." I replied.

"Khadija beta, it's been almost six years now, you should consider re-marrying! Having a daughter like you it's a honor but beta I don't know how long I –"

"Chachu don't say like that!" I begged, "and after Adnan and what he did I guess I can't get married again." I replied in a whisper.

"Hur koi uss janwar jaisa nahi hota." He replied coldly. I still don't take his name; he was the dark past I had. The silence fell between us again. It sometimes hurt that after how staying in this country I tried to protect my modesty and keep myself for one person, that one person shattered me into pieces, I just turned out to be his toy and when he got bored of me after six month of our wedding, the day I was about to tell him the big news, the news that we are being blessed, he handed over me a divorce paper while bringing another woman in the place which was supposed to be ours. The agonizing pain I had, the loss which came in the package with it, in just a day not only I lost the person I called my husband but my child, the child I dreamed about. I didn't even felt my child's heart beat and in just few hours I was barren like a desert. Wiping of my unshed tears I stood up to leave when chachu said again,

"For once Khadija just meet him and talk to him and if you would still not like him, I swear I won't pressure you," He said at me his eyes pleading and I felt my walls breaking down.

"Fine but what's his name?"

"Wali Zulfiqar Ahmed," and it felt like my fate had just slapped right across my face, my fate is laughing at me and someone had threw a basked of iced water at me.

"No! No!" I whispered falling back on the couch, sobbing. "Please chachu I beg you marry me to an illiterate or disabled person even a man double my age but not him, not him chachu!" I pleaded and he looked at me worriedly, "You don't know him, he is a monster." I cried.

"Khadija, Khadija listen to me!" He was calling me but I got up and ran upstairs locking myself inside my room. I cried in a way I have never cried before, after all I wasn't so strong, I can take the amount of burden my soul can bear.

"Ya Allah! Why me? Why again? Ya Allah you promised you don't burden a soul more than it can bear! But now after all the pain I went through you brought the man who almost destroyed my existence! Ya Allah have some mercy on me! Ya Allah don't make me so helpless! You took the man I thought love me but I didn't cried but accepted it, you took my child and I accepted it, my parents were taken away still I stayed firm but Ya Allah! If I am destined to be someone else's make that someone your follower. The pious one from your ummat!" I don't know how long I cried but I cried till my energy was completely drained out.

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Next morning I walked up on the carpeted floor, my body was aching from all the side, with a groan I stood up and made my way to the washroom, as I saw my reflection I gasped, my eyes were still puffy from crying, I had tear stains on my face and now I am feeling hungry too.

Ya Allah! I hope Biryani didn't get burnt!

Splashing the cold water on my face, I performed wuzu and then changing my clothes I prayed my fajar and then I begged him again,

"So be patient. Indeed the promise of Allah is Truth." (Quran 30:60)

Suddenly the verse my father was used to tell me every now and then came into my mind and wiping my tears I got up and started my two nafil for his guidance. After I was done I folded the prayer mat and went downstairs in search of some food, there was leftover biryani in a box and plate having my name, I took it out and saw that my plate was already made, it must be chachu, so putting in the microwave oven, I took out one of the cupcakes and start munching on it.

"Khadija is that you?" I heard chachu's voice and I went out of kitchen.

"Jee," I said in a low voice not meeting his eyes.

"Beta I am sorry,"

"It's okay chachu," I gave him a weak smile and went inside to get my plate. "I over reacted last night, I should rather apologize." I said putting my plate on the counter.

"No! look Khadija I have your best interest at heart, I don't know how you know Wali but if you are against it I know my daughter would have some solid reason behind it. But I want you to give him a chance, I have known him from almost last three years and I know about his past," I looked at him and he gave me an assuring smile, "I am asking him to talk on the next youth conference, listen to him and then tell me what do you think." He said patting my head and giving a kiss to my forehead, he left me in my deep thought.

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A.O.A

So on reaching 15th chap, here's a little gift :)
Specially dedicated to (Zoi) silent_ninja_tfios <3

Well now we have know about Khadija's thoughts too, and now you might understand why she cried so much after listening to Wali's speech :')

And please forgive me for the errors, my back aches so it's not edited!

COMMENT AND VOTE FOR OUR DIJA <3