A few months later, Zaid got a project in Turkey. Everyone was happy about finally nabbing a difficult team, but there were still deals to be closed, meaning they had to go to Turkey. Asif suggested that Mubashira go with. Aira was not happy with the situation, and Zaid didn't want to leave her home alone, so he invited her bhabi to stay over while he was gone. Meanwhile, Mubashira was elated to have Zaid alone to herself.

Their flight landed in Istanbul at night, and Zaid rented a car from the airport. They were driving to their hotel and Mubashira was trying to stay awake and look at the new scenery.

"Accha, suno?"

"Hm?" Mubashira sat up to look at him.

"Unhein pata hai hum married hain. Toh, hamare liye eik hi room booked hai," Zaid revealed.

Mubashira nodded in understanding.

"Koi problem toh nahi ho gi?"

Mubashira yawned and shook her head. "Nahi honi chahiye. Bus sona hi to hai. I don't mind."

Zaid bobbed his head and then yawned himself. It was a long flight. They finally arrived at the hotel and left the car at the valet, the bus boys getting their luggage.

The elevator was going to take them up twenty five floors and while waiting to reach their floor, Mubashira fell asleep. Her head fell on Zaid's shoulders. Zaid looked at the bus boys and chuckled. Instead of waking her up, he knelt and scooped her into his arms.

It didn't take long to reach their floor. The bus boys lead the way to their room and even opened the door for Zaid to walk in with Mubashira. One of them directed him to the bedroom and he nodded in thanks and took her there. He gently put her on the bed, careful not to wake her up, and went to tip the bus boys.

"Hum yahan kaise aaye?" Mubashira asked sleepily when he came back in.

Zaid chuckled. "Tum elevator mein so gayi thi. I carried you in. Sorry, I tried not to wake you."

Mubashira smiled. "Tum nein nahi jagaya. Main bathroom se ho aaun."

Zaid let her go first and changed in the room. He was texting Aiyra when Mubashira came back out.

"All done?"

"Yeah, you can go," she stepped aside to let him have it.

Zaid left his phone and went to the bathroom. Mubashira was getting in bed when his phone beeped. It was a message notification from Aiyra. Mubashira rolled her eyes and settled on the pillow.

A moment later, Zaid came out of the bathroom. He went straight back to his phone and replied to his messages. He sat on the edge of the other side of the bed, then put his phone on the table and reached for the pillow. He was picking it off the bed when Mubashira caught his hand.

"Tum... yahaan so sakte ho. Thake ho ge na?"

Zaid looked at her. "Are you sure?"

Mubashira put her hand back under her head and nodded. "Yeah."

"Thanks," Zaid smiled and got in his side of the king bed. "Uncomfortable ho to bata dena. I can move."

"It's okay," Mubashira's eyes were closing now. "Tumhare saath se ziyada safe maine kabhi nahi feel kiya." She fell asleep.

Zaid kept staring at her long after her reply. He wondered what hell she had gone through to not feel safe even with a father and brother. He slipped down to place his head on the pillow, and turned to keep looking at her until he fell asleep himself.

Mubashira was up and ready before him when Zaid woke. He said salam to her and sat up in bed, checking his phone.

"Aaj baahir weather bohot accha hai," Mubashira informed him.

"That's nice," Zaid replied, distracted by his phone.

"Chalein kahi ghoomne?"

"Mera mood nahi hai. Tum jao," he suggested, attempting a failed call.

"Aiyra ko call kr rahe ho?" Mubashira noticed.

"Hmm," Zaid finally looked at her. "Utha nahi rahi."

Mubashira looked at the clock. "So rahi ho gi. Abhi to 8 o clock bhi nahi hue. Let her rest."

Zaid got up off the bed and gave her a quick smile. "Main fresh ho jaun, phir jaate hain."

Mubashira smiled. "Thik hai tum fresh ho jao, main tumhare kapre nikal deti hoon."

"No, it's okay. I can do that," Zaid passed it off.

Mubashira's mood shifted. "Main karun gi."

Zaid furrowed his brows and walked back to her. "Agar yeh order hai, toh nahi. Request karo gi, toh sochun ga."

Mubashira put on a stiff smile. "Agar aap ki ijaazat ho, toh main aapke kapre nikal doon, please?"

"Yes, please," Zaid nodded in appreciation and went to the bathroom. He got ready and they had quick coffee and went for a walk.

"Sabh kitna khoobsurat lag raha hai na?"

Zaid looked around. "Pehli dafa nahi dekh raha."

"Meri nazar se dekho, sabh naya naya lage ga."

Zaid looked away and Mubashira smiled. She walked up a few steps and turned to face him.

"Tum kehte kyun nahi ho: tumhein mera saath accha lagta hai?" She implored.

Zaid chuckled. "Dar lagta hai. Pehle bhi kaha tha eik dafa," he dropped that bombshell on her and walked past her.

Mubashira stood where she was, her heart beating rapid. What did that mean? She was still contemplating when a phone ringer distracted her. It was Zaid's phone. She turned around and watch him walk back towards her, phone to his ear. He nodded towards the car and she followed after. They were too busy for the rest of the trip for her to wonder what he has meant.

On their last day, they went out for gift shopping then had dinner before catching their flight back home. They arrived back in Pakistan at three in the morning and were at home an hour after landing. They went straight to their rooms and slept.

It was evening when Mubashira got up, and with it being winter, the sun was already setting. She walked around the house, looking for everybody, then got a tea from the kitchen and went outside to sit by the pool.

She hadn't been there long when Zaid and Aiyra walked by as they were strolling in the yard.

"Assalamo alaikum!" She called out to them.

They smiled out of politeness and returned her greeting.

"How was your trip?" Aiyra asked as she helped herself to a chair. Zaid helped her and sat in the third one.

"All good. Jo hum chahte thei saare kaam ho gaye. Tum batao? Asif uncle ke saath akele survive kr liya?"

Aiyra chuckled. "Haan. Bhabi aa gayi thi, toh unke saath accha time guzar gaya." Aiyra put her hand on her stomach and unconsciously hummed.

Mubashira was staring, then cleared her head. "Tumhein pata hai Aiyra? Zaid bohot accha gaata hai."

Aiyra looked at him as Zaid was thrown off guard. "Accha? I didn't know that, Zaid."

Zaid chuckled in embarrassment. "Tumhein milne se pehle maine kabh ka chord bhi diya tha."

"How sad," Aiyra frowned.

"Hain na?" Mubashira agreed. "Actually, isne aunty se sikha tha. Woh bhi bohot accha gaati thi."

"Aww. Kaash main bhi sun sakti."

"Zaid, why don't you sing now?" Mubashira asked. "Itna accha mausam hai. Mood bhi hai, mauka bhi."

"Nahi yaar, let it go," Zaid brushed her off.

"Come on na, Zaid. Get your practice in. Aage baby ko lullaby bhi to sunani hai na," Aiyra chimed in.

"Dekho, abh Aiyra bhi puch rahi hai. Abh toh ga do. How about that one? Joh tumne hamari grad party pe gaya tha? Actually, I think it was the last time I heard you sing, Zaid."

She turned to Aiyra, telling her about the event. "Zaid, main aur Rayyan aas paas graduate hue thei, toh dad aur uncle ne joint party di thi. Party ke baad hum teeno baahar baithe hue thei, aur Zaid ne gaana sunaya tha. How was it, kabhi suna?"

Zaid laughed at her failed attempt to recall the song.

Mubashira smiled embarrassed. "Toh tum hi suna do."

"Accha accha, okay. Mujhe yaad to krne do," Zaid finally gave in and tried to remember the words. Finally, he started tapping his arm rest.

Kabhi sun toh zara
Jo main keh na saka
Meri duniya tumhi ho
Tumhi aasra

Duaein suno
Sazaein suno
Mujhe pyaar hua tha
Ikraar hua tha

Hai tamanna hamein
Tumhein dulhan banayein
Tere haathon pe mehndi
Apne haath se sajaaein

Teri le lein balaein
Tere sadqe utarein
Hai tamanna hamein
Tumhein apna banayein

Kahani suno
Zubani suno
Mujhe pyaar hua tha
Ikraar hua tha

Mubashira was watching Zaid sing, and for a moment Aiyra was too, and then it clicked to her the meaning of the words. She shifted her attention to Mubashira, who silently singing along.

Mubashira watched Zaid sing the song. It was still as beautiful. Moments later, she felt Aiyra watching her and Mubashira gave her a quick smile before returned her attention back to Zaid.

Pehle bhi kaha tha eik dafa.

The song ended and Zaid looked at them for their responses. "So?"

"Accha tha," Aiyra replied. "Bohot accha tha."

"Thank you," Zaid smiled.

"Haan. It was nice," Mubashira agreed.

"Zaid, main thak gayi hoon. Hum andar jaein?"

"Haan, let's go," Zaid got up to help Aiyra off her chair. "Good night, Mubashira."

"Good night, Zaid. Good night, Aiyra," she added too.

"Good night," Aiyra replied and took Zaid back to their room.

It was Mubashira's turn to stroll the yard. She had just woken up recently, so sleep wasn't an option. She had something on her mind keeping her awake.

Was the song meant for her? Did he have feeling for her when they were young? In college, Mubashira was too busy with Mohib to realize anything else around her. She had wanted Mohib, and made sure she got him.

Mubashira scoffed at the thought. Look where that had gotten her. Maybe her own zid had gotten in her way. Maybe she could have had the life she deserved if she hadn't been so stuck up. But life had shaped her in such a way that she had to scream to get what she wanted.

And then there was Zaid. Sure, he was victim of her runaway anger, but she had never been angry at him. He was always calm, and forced her to match his expression. She found herself healing with him. If only they could have skipped the Mohib era. If only she had looked outside of herself.

The thought was nagging at her and making her restless. She didn't like not having answers. So she put a stop to it.

Pehle kyun nahi kaha?- she texted Zaid.

He didn't read it immediately. Mubashira sighed and looked to the stars as she walked across the grass. Then a notification message came up. He was typing.

Kabh kehta? Tumhari engagement pe? Ya straight shaadi pe?- Zaid replied. The day after graduation, she had brought Mohib home, and Jaffar threw an engagement party quickly after.

Zid krte. Jaise Aiyra ke liye ki.-

Toh seekh liya na maine. Tumhein haar ke Aiyra ki zid poori ho gayi.-

Congratulations. I hope tumhari zid meri se ziyada kamyaab ho.-

Good night, Mubashira.-

Mubashira stopped texting and went to her room. She threw her phone again and fell on the bed, mourning her bad choices.