Rida glared at her oblivious husband as he nonchalantly scrolled down on his phone while finishing his breakfast.

"Is this "the thing" you told Hamza last night?", Rida asked in a sweet voice.

Jibran coughed as his bite of toast suddenly felt too dry to be swallowed. He gulped down the tea from his mug and looked at her with a sheepish grin.

"Honey, I didn't want to spoil your mood."

"Oh yes dear. I perfectly understand", she replied sweetly again and Jibran felt a wave of unease.

He knew his mother and wife did not get along too well, in fact they did not get along at all but what could he do as he cannot lose any of them.

Looking at her, he knew she was not happy. Her face had that angry expression when she clamped her lips in a straight line and refused to acknowledge his presence. She pushed away her chair as she left him alone on the table and went in to give Haya some milk.

Rida was playing with her daughter's hair as she was finishing her bottled milk. Hamza was still sound asleep as it was still too early for him to be awake. She was lost in her thoughts when someone hugged her from behind.

Jibran whispered into her ear, "I am leaving Rida. Take care." She mumbled okay but didn't turn around or went to see him off as she was still angry with him. It wasn't that she was a cruel woman who was trying to snatch away a son from his mother but her mother in law, the woman in question had been the bane of her existence.

She shuddered as she realized how much was needed to be done before her arrival.

"Baji! I have dusted and kept all the plastic jars inside the cabinet as you ordered", announced a tired Bano to Rida.

"OK! Now replace those with these glass jars", replied a sweaty and dusty Rida.

She had been busy in rearranging everything according to her mother in law's liking which includes not using plastic containers or utensils. The woman was so strict in her believes and theories. It was hard to make her notice the other side of the coin.

Rida had changed her attire to the traditional Shalwar Qameez. Her sleek modern styled home was now turned into a Mid Century and Boho styled cottage. There was a big shelf displaying titles ranging from recipes, knitting and home décor. Brightly coloured cushions were placed tastefully on the Sofa set. The previous jute area rug was replaced by a red and gold carpet that looked fit to be in Arabian Nights.  Four yellowed bulky Macramé curtains were hanging on the living room windows. These curtains were specially made by her mother in law for their new house and she had given those with special instructions to where to hang them in addition to several other instructions to what goes where.

Rida had been so annoyed by the list of outdated furnishings and the strict instructions to place them immediately to their assigned places but Jibran had asked her to change them as she wished when his mother, Mrs. Qadeer went back to her house in Lahore.

Jibran had shifted to Karachi due to his career and here he met Rida and married her after a courtship of six months. Mrs. Qadeer couldn't disapprove as they found out that Rida's grandmother were a long-lost friend of Jibran's grandmother. Opinionated as she was, Mrs. Qadeer didn't dare to utter a word infront of her mother in law (i.e. Jibran's paternal grandmother).

The door opened as Jibran came into view dragging his mother's suitcase behind him. Rida arranged a bright smile on her face as she beamed at her mother in law. She looked up to find Mrs. Qadeer wearing a turquoise Saree with full sleeved blouse. Her hair was neatly made into a tight bun. She scrutinized Rida carefully the moment she entered the room.