"Look at this! Isn't it sexy?" Salem seemed to be in a pleasant mood. He was showing Pari his new toy with childlike enthusiasm.

"Salem.... take it away from me." Pari was scared looking at his new collection of guns. It was a gift smuggled to him by Moosa from the gulf.

"Will you kill me?" Pari stuttered seeing Salem filling bullets in it.

Salem looked at her as if she had asked the dumbest question. "Pagal ho kya?" (Are you crazy?) He kept the gun aside and sat beside her. "How can I shoot you? And how can you even come up with this absurd thought!" Salem looked more offended now.

That's when Jammy barged in and jumped on the bed. Jammy was the recently adopted rottweiler by Salem. Salem had gone to an animal charity event where Jammy was up for adoption. He was a 5 year old dog with weakening eyesight and left by his previous owners. Knowing his story, Salem felt a soft corner for Jammy and decided to adopt him. It's been 2 weeks since he was brought home.

At first, Pari was scared of Jammy and Jammy was scared of Pari but now, they are trying to get along.

"Jammy! Get down from my bed." Pari yelled at Jammy as his fur hair was all over the bed.

Jammy got a bit startled at the raised voice. He barked but didn't move an inch.

"Jammy!" Pari said in an angry tone.

Jammy responded with a growl.

"Enough you both!" Salem yelled as they both looked at Salem.

"Pari, it's him home too. So what if his hair falls all over? We can ask the help to clean. Or just let it be. Not a big deal." Salem said to Pari and then he looked at Jammy.

"Mr. Jammy, Pari is my wife. So, you don't get to growl and bark at her. No barking! Do you get it?" Salem said to Jammy.

In the past 2 weeks, all the servants at home had complained to Salem about Jammy and Pari. Jammy wanted everything Pari was eating and Pari would create a huge ruckus. Another problem was he would follow Pari in all rooms and Pari hated the constant following. Jammy even followed her to the restrooms.

But things were changing. Pari started to take care of Jammy's day time meals. At night, Salem would take care of it. She was growing attached to Jammy. His presence was definitely bringing a positive change as she wasn't as bitter as before.

As the month passed, Pari loved spending her day with Jammy. She even called her parents and told them about Jammy and his antics. When Jenny and Aamna came to visit Jammy, Pari wasn't talking bitter to them. Her time was spent in taking care of Jammy and playing with him. She even actively took interest in talking to doctor's for Jammy's treatment and cure for his eye sight.

Jammy was her baby.

She never knew she could love a dog so much. It also changed Salem a bit. Salem would not come home excessively drunk as he knew Jammy would be up for him and ask him for treats. Salem made sure to have time taken out on Sunday mornings for Jammy and his runs. They say dogs are a reflection of their owners and Jammy was a proof of it. Jammy's love and antics were reserved for only family, especially Pari and Salem. He would barely look at others who'd come to pat him.

Priya also came with her baby boy Yug to meet Jammy. Yug was happy following Jammy and when Yug got tired Jammy would be by Yug's side. It was funny to see a baby and dog's dynamic.

But Priya...she wasn't happy with Pari. She was glaring at Pari the whole time as Pari was loving and greeting Yug.

"Accha sorry." Pari said.

"Sorry? Sirf sorry? (only sorry?) I will slap you! If you were not Salem's wife, I would have actually slapped you hard." Priya whispered-yelled.

"I am your sister. Not just his wife." Pari retorted.

"Yes, but the consequences of even touching you is too much." In 6 years of Pari and Salem's marriage, everyone knew that nobody was allowed to hurt Pari, not with their words let alone any action. Salem only tolerated Pari and Kabeer's meaningless fights but he always intervened when things got serious. Salem detested any men or boys eyeing Pari, touching her with other intentions.

Priya was sure she would be 6ft under if she slapped Pari in her house. "Anyway, where did this wild idea of running away came from? Are you crazy?" She asked in an angry tone.

"You don't know what he did! How can I stay here after all he did? Nobody is supporting me when I ask for divorce! What was I supposed to do?" Pari defenses herself.

"How is our family going to support you? Against Salem? We are no competition for him and his power. Your father's bills...they are being paid by Salem's money. Kabeer works at Salem's owned restaurant. Moreover, his degree and education is also supported by Salem. And there's one more thing...." Priya stopped herself but Pari forced her to say it.

"Kabeer said to Salem that he wants to shift to a better home and locality and Salem agreed. He was going to buy the house of Kabeer's choice but your parents denied so Salem gave Kabeer money as a loan to buy a home." Priya confessed.

"I will kill Kabeer." Pari gritted her teeth.

"No! Don't do something stupid. Pari, try to understand. Your parents are by your side but they know they can't fight Salem and save you even if they want to. See, they can take you to their place but then what? You know how Salem gets when you go there....he won't let you live in peace even there. He will come there snd create chaos till you agree to go with him. Kabeer, ya he doesn't understand your plight. He is a kid who just sees the starry world and wants things to go his way." Priya explained.

Priya knew the conversations that happened in their family. None of them were happy with Salem's behaviour but they also didn't want Pari to be divorced. The tag of a 'divorced' woman was too much to carry in this society.

"These are all excuses!" Pari scoffed. "If they wanted, they could save me."

"Shut up! And what did you do to? You ran away? Thankfully, I really didn't know your whereabouts otherwise Salem would have killed me. You don't know how angry and ruthless he was. Running away is not the solution, Pari."

"And? What is the solution? Divorce is not a solution, running away is not a solution....then what is? Y'all will never understand what it is to live with a monster!" Pari was almost on the verge of tears.

Priya hugged her. "I am sorry. I know I will never understand your plight but please don't runaway next time." She was trying to suggest what was ideal.

Pari spent some more time playing with Yug and Jammy, eating with Priya. When Priya was leaving, Pari wanted to make her wait some more time. She missed the safety and warmth Priya offered.

Salem came back early by 9 pm and they had their dinner together as he asked her about her day. Pari looked visibly upset.

"What's going on in your mind?" He asked her. Pari shook her head.

"Hey, look here." He held her chin gently and made her look at him. "Nothing, I just missed Priya and was remembering our days before marriage."

Salem looked at her and pulled her to sit on his lap. "You will not understand....a girl has to leave everything and come..." She paused her words and looked down, holding her tears.

"Only to end up with a monster like me? Hmm is that what you are thinking?" Salem asked as he nustled in her neck.

"Sorry..." He whispered and that's all it took for Pari to have a meltdown. She cried with her tears not stopping. Salem took her more in his embrace.

"Why....why would you..." Pari cried and hit Salem on his shoulders continuously. Her words were incoherent but the hurt she felt was expressed in more languages than one.

Salem let her cry on his shoulders and caressed her head. "Shh..enough enough now, babe." He kissed her cheek to make her quiet.

He carried her to their bedroom and Jammy followed them with his tail wiggling. As he kept her on bed, Jammy climbed on the bed and went to Pari and sat close by her, as if sensing her mood. Pari petted his neck and kissed him. It was the perfect family picture - Pari, Jammy and Salem lying in the bed.

"Iss Kebab me Haddi ka kya karna hai?" (What to do about this third wheeler?) Salem commented.

"What do you think? He loves you more or me?" Pari asked.

"Difficult to say. Nowadays, he spends the most time with you. But I would like to believe he loves us equally." He said and caressed Jammy.

"He loved playing with Yug. You should have seen how excited even Yug was around Jammy." Pari told Salem.

"Mom was asking what our we thinking about our baby...." Salem said silently.

"Ya, even my mom was asking me when I was staying with them..." Pari shrugged. "I don't think it's our time yet." Salem took her fingers in his hand and didn't say much. Jammy got up from the bed and went down in his small bed to sleep.

"Sometimes, I think it's the correct time but then I am not sure..." Salem said his thoughts out loud.

Pari shook her head furiously and had tears in her eyes. "You...you won't force me to have a baby, right?" But before Salem could answer, Pari's thoughts ran wild. She knew if Salem wanted something, he would make sure he gets it - be it with her consent or without.

"Please Salem, please, don't take this one thing away from me. Let it be my decision...you...you had promised me Salem. Please, no." She started crying again.

"Hey! Hey! I am not taking away your right. It is your decision, baby." Salem said and kissed her. "But I know, one day, we will have our kid. Running in this house and troubling the shit out of us." He laughed.

"But before that, when did my wife became such a cry baby? I fell in love with the fiery girl...the girl who wasn't afraid of throwing stones at the scroundrels on streets." He reminisced the first time he felt a pull towards her for her personality and not just her face. "The woman who isn't afraid to look in my eyes and promise me to show hell." He said quietly. "My wife isn't this person to cry and get emotional over these things. She is strong, just like me." He soothed her. "But don't get me wrong, whether you yell or you cry, I am so deep in love with you...I can't help but love all of you, the whole of you. Doesn't matter if I fell in love with that fierce girl, I will love every version of you. Just you." Salem confessed.

She looked at his eyes to find something but there was no insincerity, neither in his words nor in his eyes.

"How can you hurt the one you claim to love?" The words flew out of her mouth. It was a genuine question.

"Why do you think love is only meant to be the way you see it? Everyone has a different version of love. My love has everything - belief, anger, passion, hurt. Don't doubt my love, Pari." Salem answered.

Pari kept quiet, knowing it was not wise to question him further. That night, she slept peacefully.

The next few weeks, Richa mailed her that the activities in Blue Eyes were not as vile to make headlines. Pari just replied with two words, "dig further." Richa mailed her back saying, "digged further. Definitely news worthy. But still no evidence of Salem's involvement." Pari's reply didn't change. Pari was sure that she could give directions to Richa, but only Richa should dive deeper into this and collect proofs against Salem and others. Pari didn't want to be caught handing proofs to others. Whatever happens, it was Richa whose victory would be highlighted. If Salem gets exposed, it would be Richa who would get the limelight and promotions. If Richa doesn't get proofs, it would be another forgotten case. But if Pari gets caught red handed, there would be noone coming to save her. Pari had learnt her lesson of playing the safe tricks.

She just hoped Richa found something concrete soon.

----

Jan 12, 2025

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