Not a Fairy Tale

40.

"Ammi, have some fruits." passing a bowl of fruits to his mother Athar ordered before sitting beside her.

"Madiha nhi aayi abhi tak?" she asked and Athar shook his head. Today Madiha and Athar had different shifts so Madiha was late to come back. He took his mobile out from the pocket to call his wife but at the same time Madiha walked inside the room with a bag full of fruits and passed a disappointed look to her husband.

(Madiha hasn't come yet?)

"Ab kya kar diya mene jo aese ghur rhi ho?" knowing very well that he got this look only after making some mistakes he asked and Madiha ignored while walking towards the bed.

"Darwaza band karna bhul gya hoga." Said the lady and Athar smacked his forehead but looked at his mother.

(Must have forgotten to close the door.)
(How do you know?)

"Ammi, are you feeling better now?" Madiha asked while sitting beside her mother-in-law and the old lady nodded. 

"Aap fruits khaiye main khana banane jaa rhi hu." Madiha passed a tiny yet tired smile and shook her head.

(have fruits, I'm doing to prepare for dinner.)

"Abhi abhi to aayi ho, thaki huyi hogi, kuch deyr araam kar lo."

( You have just come, you must be tired, take some rest.)

"Ammi pehle kaam kar leti hu, Araam karne ke liye puri raat hai." with this statement Madiha walked out of the room and Athar saw his mother grimacing while mumbling something.

(Mom, I'll do my work first, I have the whole night to rest.)

"Ammi?" this call was a question in itself and she started having fruits without saying anything.  "Ammi, tell me what are you thinking about Madiha?"

"Iski maa ne agar usi waqt rishta qubul kar liya hota to aaj halaat alag hote. Na ise itne mushkile dekhni padti na tumhe itna intezaar karna padta."

(Back then, if her mother had accepted your marriage proposal, the situation would have been different today. Neither she have to face so many difficulties nor you have to wait so long.)

"kya kar sakte hain? Qismat me yahi likha tha."

(What can we do? It was in our destiny

He sighed in a dismissal manner as he did not want to give his mother any reason of stress. She was already not in a good condition. For four days she was hospitalized because she had a heart attack, fortunately, she was out of danger but not completely fine. Arif and Farha had shown their real color due to which the old lady went to this condition. 

Athar and Madiha decided to take her along and now, after almost a month, Madiha made her place in her mother-in-law's heart however the old lady didn't express her love in words.

"Ammi, your medicine." Madiha walked inside the room and passed the medicine box to her mother-in-law and turned to go back in a hurry but stopped on the door only by a question "Abhi kya bana rhi ho?" asked the old lady.

(what are you cooking for dinner?)

"Abhi... Mix veg, kal hum dono wohi le jayenge lunch me."

(For dinner... Mix veg, tomorrow we both will take the same for lunch.)

"Sabzi mujhe de do, cutting chopping ka kaam main kar deti hu." stepping out of the bed the old lady said and walked towards Madiha.

(Give me the vegetables, I'll do the cutting and chopping.)

"Ammi, aap araam kariye."

(You take rest)