Author's POV

Ayesha stood infront of her entire family like she has done some big crime. Her mother gave her a continous glare while the others are still trying to digest what they have witnessed sometimes ago. This is not the Ayesha they have seen. Definitely not. The little lioness in her was too much for them to handle.

Asiya and Ali found their place far away from everyone still being part of the discussion. Surprisingly they seems to be not angry, instead shown regret.

Bapuji came near her and touched her shoulders.
"What happened to you suddenly Ayesha?"he caressed her cheeks.

She didn't speak.

"If this was coming from someone else I wouldn't have bothered. But you were not like this. What made you so disheartened? You suddenly started showing your anger which you haven't done before." She was surprised at the fact that her grandfather is reading her too much. "Tell me dear. Who hurted you?"

She suddenly lost all the courage to open her mouth. She wish it was the same Ayesha few moments ago.

"Ayesha, why are you not speaking? Haven't you hearing what your Bapuji asking you?" Her mama shouted.

"Stop it Meharban. Why do you have to shout at her everytime? She is your daughter. Not enemy."

Bapuji's stern voice suddenly silenced her mother.

"But Baba, you shouldn't support this arrogant girl. Today she talked against her own aunty. Tomorrow she will do the same with anyone." Her youngest aunty Jasmine spoke.

"Remember she is not the only grand daughter you have. But you supports her too much. Atleast my daughters know how to respect elders. They may not be doctors. But respectful." Zeenath aunty shouted.

Shamz gave them a disgusted look. His own mother was trying to talk something when he sternly gestured her to shut up.

"I can't believe that this girl is getting married soon. Imagine if she behaves the same with her in laws and they would throw her out." Zeenath continued to spat venom. "And then what would happen? Her life would be ruined."

"Nothing like that would happen aunty." Shamz spoke making everyone shocked. "For god sake, she is a doctor. She doesn't need her in laws family to survive. In fact she must be the pride of any family she being part of." Ayesha was amazed. Her bapuji smiled. "And stop comparing her with your daughters. She is not any one of them. She is in a different league."

"Shamz, why are you taking her side?" His own mother questioned him.

"You better don't take side of people who are against her."he warned his mother.

"This girl is a loser. Nobody can change that fact. She always need someone to take stand for her. Earlier it was her baba, then her Bapuji, now you Shamz. She can't do anything alone." Zeenath declared.

Hearing her baba's name, Ayesha felt her eyes watering.

"Just stop aunty.  You are saying this because you don't know anything about her. You all have been kept in dark because she doesn't need anyone's attention."he snarled at them.

"Shamz, please.  Let them say anything against me. I don't care." Ayesha spoke for the first time.

"Better you start caring. There is a limit to everything." He replied.

"What you are trying to make her? A jhansi rani?" Jasmine aunty taunted her.

"Yeah. She is. She has fought her own battles that you know nothing about. So just keep quiet." He gave it back to her.

Ayesha felt something is coming that she has afraid.

"Shamz not a word more. Stop this." She said.

"Let them know everything Ayesha so that the next time they raise a finger against you they should remember they are fighting against a real Jhansi Rani. Let them know what you are capable of. Let them know nobody can scare you even if they wish." Shamz paused.  But it was really a calm before the storm.

Then it happened what Ayesha was afraid all these years. Shamz told them everything about the incidents in her college life. How she fighted with her seniors, how she bravely complained about the children from three most influential families of Bangalore, how she got them dismissed and got her friend justice, and how she fighted with a life threatening accident without letting anyone know about that.

Eveyone was amazed at the piece of secret that Shamz told them. Her aunties were permanently shut their mouth. Her Bapuji was awestruck. Her cousins were surprised.

She first looked at her mama's face who was all panicked now. She just hoped this wouldn't be another shocker for her. Within seconds her mama ran towards her and hugged her tightly.

"Ayesha, what am I hearing? Is this all true?"her mother asked. Fear all written over her face.

"Yes. Don't be tensed please. I am all fine. Please."All she wanted was her mother to stop worrying.

"Why didn't you inform us? Did you forget that you have a family here?" Bapuji asked this time.

"No. I didn't want my family to worry for me. Not at any cost."she spoke. "Just like my mama didn't want me to know about her heart attack so that I wouldn't be worried." She exchanged a glance with her mother that has melted all the walls between them.

Meharban has felt her daughter from heart this time. Probably first time after her father died. They were so close to each other all these years yet miles away from each other. They both cared for each other, loved each other. But failed to realize what they expected from each other. In the process of building protecting fence for the other, both of them forgot to spend some happy moments together.

"Ayesha, my daughter." Her mother hugged her with all her love. This time she didn't fail to show how much her daughter matters to her. Ayesha felt that with her heart.

"Mama, if you have shown this affection anytime before I wouldn't have hide the truth from you."

It made her mother cry losing all her control.

"I swear next time I wouldn't do such a thing." Ayesha smiled in between tears.

"I promise Ayesha. I wouldn't fail you as a daughter hereafter. I didn't express my love much but that doesn't mean that I didn't care for you. But I never cared about your happiness, only your safety was my priority. I was always a bad mother. Your Baba won't forgive me."

"No mama. Please don't say that." Ayesha hugged her mother as if her life depended on it. "You are always the perfect mother for me. Nobody can love me like you."

"I don't know how I was before. But hereafter I would be the mother you always wished for.  I won't hide anything from you and you should also." Her mother asked and she nodded happily.

"And dare anyone point fingers at my daughter again. She is Meharban Kasim's daughter. Nobody has the right to berate her. You can be jealous of her, but don't try to blame her for the same." Meharban has warned the entire family with a stern face.

Ayesha felt she is living a dream. She looked at Shamz who smiled at her.

"Ayesha, I am sorry for forcing you for this marriage. I wanted to see you as a great doctor. Believe me. I always wanted to eventhough I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to suffer like I suffered for you. My worry has always overtook my love for you. Now I won't even force you for a marriage. Unless you want to" her mother promised.

That made her surprised. She couldn't believe her eyes for a moment.

"It's ok mama. I totally understand you. I am ready for this marriage. And it has nothing to do with how you forced me. It is ok." Ayesha said for which both Shamz and Bapuji gave her an unbelievable look.

"I want to continue my career. As long as this marriage is not an hindrance for that, I give my consent. I believe you and your choices. Because my choices were always wrong." She wanted to cry but then controlled herself.

Her mama consoled her for reasons unknown for her.

"But I am not giving my consent for this marriage, Ayesha and Meharban." Bapuji announced shocking everyone.

"Ayesha, dear. Everyone may again blame me for supporting you. I agree that I have always shown affection to you more than all my grand daughters and grandsons. But I don't regret for that. Because you are the only one who has been always with us. Even your maaji knows that." Bapuji's statement made some serious disagreement among the others. But they never said it open.

"I know how pure hearted you are. You don't deserve any injustice towards you. I don't agree with the proposal your mother brought for you. I want you to choose someone who knows how precious you are. Someone who is always afraid to loose you. Not some random person who knows nothing about you. Someone who can fight for you. Someone who understands the real you. Someone who don't hesitate to give their time for you. " Bapuji declared.

A long minute of silence prevailed the entire atmosphere. And then Shamz opened his mouth to declare the most shocking statement of her entire life.

"Bapuji, I will marry Ayesha if she agrees."

The earth started shaking around her. She felt she completely losing it at his shocking revelation. His glance didn't give answer to any of her questions. She is completely clueless and stood like an alien.
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A short part, but one of the important chapter.