Raidah's Pov

I was drying out the clothes in the backyard wondering why isn't Baraaq leaving for work early these days. Some days of the week I find him home almost all day. I asked him if all was well back; he said it wasn't my job to worry about his.

I fell a bit heavy today however I ignore. When I moved towards the window to hand the rest of the clothes I could clearly hear Barkha talking to Baraaq.

" Latifa have made it. Sana still cooks better. Baraaq I must say your wife isn't as bad as I thought of her. Although I would admit she is arrogant but I guess where she comes from,this kind of attribute is something inborn in her"

I heard no reply from Baraaq.

"It is only from her that the food placed on the table does not feel like a favor. She isn't that bad,she does all the work around I didn't expect her to adjust in here."  she continued.

Although she then started to complain about how tight my dresses are and how I never clean the backyard I completely, I felt immense happiness.
For the first time in these years have someone said that I am not bad either.

Something that I so desperately wanted to hear.  The words somewhere lifted the weight from my chest. I took the opportunity to clean the backyard.  I felt hope,hope of finally being able to be seen. I walked inside my room to change my clothes.

"what is this!!?" Baraaq hissed.

"Mum gave me some gifts,she was so--"

"why did you accept it?" he folded his arms.

"because she insisted and Baraaq I did tell her that-"

"she does not care if I don't like it,she does not care about my rules, she is your mum ofcourse you might be informing her about your misfortunes, Has she packed so many bags of luxury I cannot provide for you" he spoke in anger.

"you have mistaken her. She just was being considerate as I am pregnant so-"

"clothes?" he searched in the bags, he threw all the things on the floor. Investigating every single Bag.

" I don't buy you anything right. Why did you clothes from her! I just got you a dress" he folded his hands again.

My head hurts.

"Baraaq mum just packed the dresses. You know how mothers are. And she--"

"Cashews, fruits... Poor Raidah does not even has anything to eat back at her husband's house"

"will stop Baraaq!"  I finally said.

"No, I won't stop because you can't stop. You're trying to insult me. You don't leave a chance. Why are you here? Why don't live with your parents"  as he said these words,  I had mixed feelings. I wanted to be angry grab his collar and to tell him that he should shut up cause none of what he weaves in his head is true. Another part of me wanted to hold him tight because I could see him so vulnerable.  I love him can't he understand that. I would never insult him.

"Baraaq calm down,you know I'd nevee do anything to --"

"why don't you go! Why don't you leave!" he shouted out loud.

My heart breaks.

"Baraaq for the last time, listen! I cannot even understand why you are humiliating me for such a small thing"

"a small thing? You and your parents,your sisters!  They call you asking about your experiences in this poor house,Qahtan what right has he,he asks me how Raidah is,tells me to take care of you! Why!? Why? Because you go around being sad and stripped as misfortunate ugly bride of Baraaq! You humiliate me!" He pushed me.

I caughy the edge of my bed.

"are you out of your mind Baraaq!" I defended.

"Just because you are having bad day does not give you the right to make mime worse!"  I shouted yet again.

"just get out then! You selfish bit*h"
He pushed me again.

I broke into tears. I was leaving the room when he hissed again
" Go tell everybody outside crying how bad Your husband is "

I slammed the door and sat in the room with him.

"Happy?" I sobbed

"Not until you're Alive" he muttered to himself.

"you think I do not understand but I do. Whenever you see me happy adjusting to this house,you come up with something or the other to create this wreck. You hear someone speak good of me,you hate me!" I uttered crying.

"you cannot be good Raidah. If there is hope let me have it. You're a bad woman, a selfish woman"  he whispered beside.

"what has gotten to you?" I asked helplessly wanting to know.

"you have gotten to me!"

I felt my own heart slowly sinking into despair and hate. My every single breath catching the other but unable to save itself breaking out. I felt a pain I cannot describe otbreaking like turbulent storm in me as I screamed. I couldn't hold any longer. The nest thing I remember was myself in the labour room but I could hardly see clearly everything was a blur,even the voices came meek. I wanted to get up but it was a paralysis over my body.
I only felt pain......

Jana's Pov.

"how can she make you cry?" ibrahim asked.
It has been the hundredth time that he has repeated the same question.

"she is my mother" I answered again.

"that is why she is Alive" he mumbled.

"why do you love me so much" I asked smiling at him.

"because I am Ibrahim" he smirked.

I shook my head. I feel a little embarrassed of what happened at mum's.  It was my fault. My stupid behaviour spoiled everybody's mood.

But he's always there,isn't he?
Smiling,waiting to embrace me. No matter how much I fight and how much I put out discomfort for him,he doesn't leave.

He is always there.

He put his arms around me as I cooked his eggs.

" I love you " he spoke softly.

"I love you too" I kissed his cheek.

"But I love you more" he competes.

"I know" I laughed.

At the lunch time we had our breakfast.  Now he's lost to his phone.
I Search for mine. Back in the room? I went to search for my phone and when I saw the screen.

Seventeen missed calls from Mum.
Twenty from Rumi.  Four from Khadeeja. Oh I owe them an apology.

I called Rumi first. She sounded sad. Raidah was in the labour room she said. Oh no but it's only her sixth or seventh month!

I rushed to the hospital with Ibrahim.
We had to drive a long way to reach there.it somewhere near Raidah's house.

"what happened!?"  I caught Rumi.

The silence absorbed into me and slowly everything was spinning in my head. Raidah lost her girl,her boy was living but critical.  Raidah herself wasn't alright.

We were there for almost the whole day. Brother Qahtan and my brothers with Ibrahim and Baraaq were talking about her, I walked to them.

"we should take her out to the city" Brother Qahtan suggested.

"yes. My dad knows the best gynaecologist in the city. I'll just do the arrangements!"  Ibrahim went at the side.

"I'll get the car" my brother left.

Baraaq spoke of nothing. He stood silently.   He might be sad.

The arrangements were made but Raidah's in laws didn't not agree.

Sometime later we had to move her because the doctors themselves suggested to take her and the boy to the city.

Brother Qahtan and Baraaq took the girl for the burial. When I looked at her, shiver ran through me. How can I life that has not yet lived is taken away. Ibrahim did not see the girl,he moved away.

The day turned into night,the night into day and the day into another dull evening.

Raidah did not open her eyes. The boy was better.

Finally we found Raidah in her entire conscious attending.

I did not go inside.
I kept fidgeting with my purse. My legs were shaking. I was alarmed, very alarmed but I could not see nothing more than my fingers.

I heard cries,loud and clear. The voice turning more scarier.  I held to my purse tighter. I cannot go inside and witness my own sister mourning her child. My hands begin to shake and tears fell on my fingers.
Why Allah?

I felt hands lifting me and my head was on his chest. He's always there,isn't he.

I cried myself out in his arms.

Hours later when the night was dark. I gathered courage to see Raidah.

The nurses brought the child.

I held him and walked in room.

Hardly I smiled. Lumps were adding up the wall in my throat. I tried so hard not to cry.

"Raidah, look!"  Khadeeja pointed to me.

She smiled half and took the child.

He was a very weak child.

"how does he look?" Rumi asked me.

"he looks like me" Ibrahim came in.
He placed his hands on my shoulder and said "he looks like me,so handsome,isn't he?"

Raidah smiled at him.

Brother Qahtan called for Khadeeja from outside and then she called for us all. When we went out Baraaq went in but he returned soon.

The nurse asked Baraaq " sir,are you the father?"

He nodded.

"here's the  bill sir. Please fill up the discharge papers and complete the other formalities at the reception"  she said.

Baraaq stared long at the bill. Brother Qahtan and him were discussing about it.

"It is very expensive"  Baraaq stated.

"I'll pay it" Ibrahim interjected with no attention.

"No thank you" Baraaq spoke with uneasiness drawing lines on his face.

"what's wrong with him,I'll pay it?" Ibrahim insisted Brother Qahtan.

"Ibrahim don't say it aloud. He would ask your help if he needs it but don't insist a favour" Brother Qahtan explained to him calmly.

But my man does not understand as he stated " oh he looks at it like a favor.  Big brother that's where you get this,  I am not even doing him a favor. I'll just pay it. No issue"

We all shook our heads.