© All copyrights belong to StarsAndMoon1447 on Wattpad
*
Fariha
"I'm going to miss you so much." My eyes were filled up as I hugged Zafar, who was about to leave for the airport.
Bhai was dropping him off, but as he had to go to work from there, I couldn't go along. Besides, we had decided to give the parents a day off, so that they could go sightseeing, and Arhaan Bhai and Ahad were taking Omar and Saad out to check out the famous cricket stadiums like Lord's and The Oval. My sons were excited as they were already obsessed with the sport. Zoya and I were going to give Bhabi company, while taking care of Hania and Zaid.
"I will miss you too, Fari." He pecked my lips. We were in the study alone, saying our goodbyes. "But in a few days, you'll be back, In Sha Allah. But my family needs me right now, otherwise I wouldn't go back early."
"I know, Zafar, and I completely understand. In fact, I was ready to..."
"Shh." He put a finger over my lips. "You need to relax and enjoy with your family. You've been through enough." He leaned closer to me and kissed my cheek. "Your gajray will be waiting for you when you come back, In Sha Allah."
"Gajray, a loving husband and such amazing in-laws." I grabbed the lapels of his shirt. "My life is as perfect as it can be, Alhumdulillah."
"As is mine." He kissed me, and for a while we just lost ourselves in each other. "I love you, Fariha."
"I love you, too." With a final kiss, we separated and headed out into the hallway.
"Boys, be on your best behaviour." Zafar said to Omar and Saad, who were ready to leave with the Sheikh brothers.
My husband then took Zaid carefully from Ammi, and gave our baby son a light hug. "Allah Hafiz, Zaid. Mamma aur Bhaiyon ka khayal rakhna hai, theek hai?" He kissed Zaid's cheek.
*"Take care of Mamma and your brothers, okay?"
I smiled at the cuteness of the scene.
"Let's go." Fawad Bhai came downstairs, ready for work. "Fari, Zoya, if there are any issues, please don't hesitate to call me, okay? I stocked up the kitchen with snacks and other stuff earlier this morning, so just makes yourselves at home and help yourselves to anything. And please make sure that Mina doesn't find a way to convince you to let her out of bed. I know that girl very well, but this is about her health."
"Don't worry, Bhai." Zoya smiled. "She can try all she wants, but it won't work on us. Fariha's a mother, so she knows how to be strict, and I'm pretty stubborn myself so I won't let Jasmina emotionally blackmail us into letting her get up."
"We've prepared lunch as well." Ammi said. "So, you girls don't need to worry about anything but heating it up."
"You guys are amazing, seriously." I smiled at Ammi and Aunty. "Thank you." Then I walked over to where Zafar was still cuddling our baby boy. "Message me when you board and call me when you land, In Sha Allah."
"I will." My husband smiled at me. "Call me if you need anything."
"You've done enough." I said, thinking about the cash that he had left for me, even though I had reassured him that I could manage. I was a doctor as well, after all, even though I was on maternity leave at the moment. But Zafar, being Zafar, didn't listen.
"Car!" Hania instantly noticed her father's car keys and rushed over to him, raising her arms.
"No, meri jaan. Papa has to go to work." Bhai lifted her up and kissed her cheeks. "When I get back, I promise I'll try to find time to take you for a drive."
Hania wrapped her arms around her father's neck, not wanting to let go.
"Hania, come on." Zoya called out. "We'll play with the dolls, okay? Let's have a tea party!"
Finally, Hania was convinced and Bhai set her down. Saying goodbyes, he and Zafar left, shortly followed by everyone else.
The house was suddenly too quiet, and I bit my lip, trying to control my tears. Allah! I miss Zafar already.
****
Jasmina
As everyone was meeting and greeting each other downstairs, I was feeling annoyed. I hated being bound to bed.
As a teenager, I would have loved it. Watching films on my plasma TV, while having snacks in bed, and being pampered by Ammi, etc etc. But as a housewife and a mother, it was beyond irritating and so incredibly boring.
I wanted something to do!
When scrolling through my phone got boring, I began to rummage through the bedside table drawers and found some letters in the top drawer. I rarely get something buy email, apart from Amazon packages, with things for Hania, or rarely, books for myself, or of course the birthday cards that my parents and parents-in-law send for our birthdays. I grabbed an envelope, and realised that it was an already opened electricity bill. The bills were all addressed to Fawad, and I barely ever looked at them.
But today, curiosity got the best of me and I slipped out the piece of paper and scanned it with my eyes. As I saw the numbers, my eyes widened. I am not good at determining budget, but this doesn't look cheap at all!
I then grabbed the water bill and the gas bill, and let's just say that the combination of the three bills together almost made my heart stop. I then looked at the last envelope in the drawer...Fawad's credit card bill. Although most of it was done on an app, he had a thing about receiving paper copies as well because it made it easier for him to do the monthly accounts. Again, this was something else that I never considered before, which was pretty stupid of me, to be honest, considering that it was my duty, as well as his.
It felt wrong for me to look through his credit call bill, but I was coming to a new realisation, and I wanted to see if I was right about that. I took that piece of paper out of the envelope and again, scanned the document.
"Ya Allah!" A huge wave of guilt crashed over me. Was I really that privileged that I'd never even considered budget or our general financial situation before? Yes, I'd been more considerate about my shopping before, but I'd never even thought about the other bills. Water, gas, electricity was not cheap in a house like this in probably one of the most expensive cities in the world. And his credit card bill was huge, and from what I could see, his spending was hardly done for himself. It was either for me or Hania. My Netflix subscription, my shopping...God, even my monthly phone bill was paid for by him, because I had one of the latest smartphones that required a lot of monthly payment.
He spent long hours, sometimes over twenty-four hours at work, under intense pressure, and I never, ever once considered the financial burden on him? Marriage wasn't just about love and romance. It was also about sharing burdens in a way that one person was not bearing all the difficulties. If, like in our case, I was a housewife and didn't work, the least I could do was not to put this extra burden on my husband, who works to the point of exhaustion?
Especially when he had never, not once, complained about it.
I would look at something and compliment it, and he would buy it for me. Whatever Hania liked at a toy store, he would get it. We'd had small arguments over that before, but only because I thought he was spoiling us both. Not because I had ever genuinely considered the burden on him.
"Bhabi?"
I put the envelopes inside the drawer quickly, as if I'd been doing something illegal, and wiped my wet cheeks. I had no idea that I had been crying silently, my heart hurting for my husband. "Come on in."
Fariha walked in, carrying a plate with fruit on it. "I brought you a healthy snack."
"Fariha, you didn't have to." I forced a smile onto my face.
"Of course I did." She said. "It's for Iman's sake, not yours." She grinned at me, but I could see sadness in her eyes.
"Missing Zafar Bhai?" I guessed.
She laughed. "He just left, but yeah...I miss him."
"Aww, you guys are goals. Ma Sha Allah." I meant that genuinely. "Made for each other. May Allah always keep you both happy. Ameen."
"Are you buttering me up to stay in Bhai's good books?" She teased me.
"Does your Bhai even have bad books?" I took a slice of apple and bit into it. The delicious juiciness of it made me close my eyes in pleasure.
"Good point."
"Where are Hania, Zaid and Zoya Bhabi?" I asked, glancing over her shoulder at the doorway. It was way too quiet, and it was worrying for a parent of a toddler, even when she was being looked after by a very trustworthy person.
"In Hania's nursery." She replied. "I'm just going to join them in a minute. We're about to have a tea party."
"At this point, I'd do anything to attend the tea party." I pouted slightly. "Fari, let me join you. This could be a secret between us all."
"No, but, we can bring the tea party here." She said. "Because, I'm on Bhai's side on this matter."
"Fine, bring the tea party here." I rolled my eyes.
"Umm..." Zoya Bhabi appeared in the doorway, carrying Zaid, and with Hania by her side. "Mothers, it's a toilet break time. Zaid needs a nappy change, and Hania needs to go pee pee, but she won't let me help her. She wants Mama."
"Oh, thank God!" I glanced up heavenwards, relieved to have something to do, even if it was helping Hania in the bathroom.
****
Zoya
As we had the tea party, Ahad kept sending me messages, and photos. I was constantly biting back a smile as I replied to him.
"Shall we give you some privacy, Zoya?" Fariha teased me.
I looked up, my cheeks feeling warm.
"So, I have an announcement." Fariha cleared her throat.
"Isn't Zaid just three months old?" I raised an eyebrow.
Jasmina laughed and Fariha blushed, before saying, "Zoya! You're too much!"
"Ahad and Arhaan Bhai approached me, and I have decided to join Ahad's new clinic after my maternity leave. I'll be a general practitioner there." Fariha continued. "In Sha Allah!"
"Ma Sha Allah!" Jasmina and I said in unison. My Nand looked as happy for Fariha as I felt.
"Ahad is doing a great thing, and I wanted to make some contribution." Fariha continued. "I spoke to Zafar, and we've both decided that this is a great idea."
"This is great." I smiled. "Ahad needed all the help. He's really excited about this."
"I'm so proud of Bhai." Jasmina said, thoughtfully. "He's come a very long way."
"Zo." Hania looked up at me. When I looked at her, she gave me a small pink tea-cup.
"Oh, thank you!" I accepted it from her. "I was craving tea."
"Hania, it's Mumani." Jasmina corrected her. "Only Mamu calls her 'Zo'."
For some reason, that made Fariha start laughing.
"What's so funny?" I asked, confused.
She shook her head. "I have no idea." She was struggling to control her laughter. "It's just one of those random moments where everything seems funny. It's been a while since I've feel so relaxed, but coming to Bhai's house always relaxes me, I guess. And then I start acting like this."
"Oh, I'm familiar with those moments very well." I said. "I called it the non-alcoholic, non-drug drunkenness."
"You truly are Ahad's wife." Fariha ruffled Hania's hair.
"Okay," I crossed my legs, suddenly feeling excited. "Let's play a game. Truth or Dare."
"I can't even get out of bed, and you want me to do a dare?" Jasmina scoffed.
"You can dare to tell us the truth." I raised both eyebrows twice, in a teasing manner.
"How will this work?" Fariha asked. "We don't have a bottle to spin or anything..."
"A baby bottle counts." I pointed out. "With a baby and a toddler around, I'm sure we can get a baby bottle here somewhere."
"For the first round." I said, as soon as we managed to find an empty bottle of Hania's in her cot. "Whoever the bottle lands on needs to mention one lesser known fact about their husband. Nothing too personal, of course, or not something that would be embarrassing for him, but anything cute or sweet."
"Do we have to?" Fariha's cheeks were flaming red.
"If you refuse, you'll have to write an embarrassing message to your husband and send it...in front of us." I grinned. "Again, nothing too personal, but it would be something that you wouldn't usually write."
"My hubby's gone." Fariha looked smug.
"Babe, he's barely at the airport. I'm sure he still has the time to read a message." I winked. I took Hania's bottle and spun it over a catalogue. It stopped on me.
"Karma." Fariha muttered.
"Okay..." I pondered upon it for a while, thinking what I could mention about Ahad. "Ahad has developed a soft spot for kittens lately. There's this black and white kitten that comes to the back of our house every day, and almost every day, he goes and gives it milk. He's even bought and kept a bag of cat food, especially for it."
"Aww! Is that really my same Bhai?" Jasmina smiled.
"I've softened up that tough heart, sweetie." I said. "The next question will be asked upon turn."
"I'll spin it this time." Fariha reached forward and spun the bottle and it landed on Hania.
The three of us burst out laughing, startling Hania a little, who stared at us like we had all completely lost our minds.
"Her future husband is probably playing around in a playground right now or watching cartoons." I giggled.
"Let's not even mention Hania's future husband right now." Jasmina looked at her daughter, fondly. "She's still a baby."
"She'll always be a baby to you, Bhabi." Fariha reached for the bottle again. "Omar is nine and I still think he's my baby." She spun the bottle around and it landed on Jasmina. "Okay...this will be interesting." Fariha pursed her lips as she thought about the question. "What's the one thing about Bhai that seriously annoys you?"
"Good one." I clapped like an excited child. "We all want to know if Dr Perfect has a flaw."
"His selflessness. It seriously gets on my nerves at times." Jasmina admitted. "I mean, for once, just one single time, he needs to think about himself. I get annoyed even when he's putting me first, because for once, I just want him to consider himself and what he wants."
"But that's what makes him good, Jasmina." I said. "What is that one thing, that would also be considered a flaw, if looked at objectively?"
"This might sound strange to you guys, but he's so good that I feel guilty even thinking about this question." My Nand replied, her gaze on her hands. "But, I guess I would say how he tends to swear when he's angry, with no regards to who is around. I mean, he has never, ever done it in front of Hania, but he has in front of his parents, as you know very well, Fariha."
"Oh, believe me, I do." Fariha laughed. "I used to laugh at him all the time whenever Ammi yelled at him for swearing. And Papa, used to threaten him with chittar sometimes when Bhai swore in Punjabi, even though our parents have never physically hurt us in any way."
*Chittar: a beating with shoes.
shraddhakim, I feel like you have mentioned this before, the fact that Fawad can swear in front of his parents.
We were laughing again, and tears were coming out of my eyes because of it.
"I am sure he has said H-E-L-L in front of Hania though." Fariha reminded Jasmina. "I remember you hissing at him, 'Fawad, language!'."
"That must have been a genuine mistake." Jasmina said. "He's ten times more considerate around kids, including Saad and Omar, or Ismael."
"Acha ji? Aur kis kis baat main woh considerate hain?" I teased her.
*"Is that right? And on what other matters is he considerate?"
Jasmina blushed. "My turn is over."
Soon, we ignored the bottle and we just started randomly discussing stuff. Fariha sat in bed on Jasmina's other side, and began to feed Zaid, while I put Hania down for a nap as the little girl was getting sleepy.
"So, what's the most romantic date you guys have had with your husbands?" I asked.
"Easy." To my surprise, Fariha is the one who answered. "When I was pregnant with Zaid, barely past my first trimester, and it was my birthday, he took me to Shalimar Gardens, and we had an amazing picnic there with food that he had prepared himself, everything that I loved. I guess it wasn't over-the-top romantic, like you're expecting, Zoya, but for me, it was perfect."
Shalimar Gardens date back to the times of the Mughal Empire, and is a beautiful, historic tourist destination of Lahore.
*Fun fact: Although the destination that Fawad once took Mina was fictional, this is the place which inspired me to make up that destination.
"Romance doesn't need anything materialistic, Fariha." Jasmina said. "The fact that Zafar Bhai prepared food for you himself, and food that you love, is very, very romantic, in my opinion. Plus, the location is beautiful."
"Jasmina is a hundred percent right." I lay back on the carpet. "My favourite date with Ahad was building sand castles on the beach in Karachi. It was so silly and childish, but it was so perfect. Yes, PDA was a no-no, but there's just something super amazing about doing something so basic with your husband."
"That sounds incredible!" Fariha sighed, dreamily. "Zafar is a picture of hotness if he does something like that with our kids. I don't know why, but I find his fatherly behaviour very attractive. Is that weird?"
"No, trust me, it's not." Jasmina was blushing now. "I have no words to tell you how I feel when I see Fawad and Hania's bond."
"Sweetie, your expressions say it all." I was amused. "But, we may not be parents yet, but when I see Ahad with Hania or his nephews... I won't finish the sentence as it might be slightly inappropriate, considering that he's your elder brother, Jasmina."
"What about you, Bhabi?" Fariha adjusted Zaid in her arms. "What was your most romantic details? Please edit out details that will make me uncomfortable."
"I don't know. I feel like every moment with Fawad is more romantic than the last." Jasmina said. "Alhumdulillah and Ma Sha Allah. But I absolutely love it when we're home and he cooks for me. We've had a few dates like these, and I wouldn't choose anywhere else for a date."
"And if I ever asked him to make me something, God forbid." Fariha rolled her eyes.
"Unki biwi Jasmina. Samjha karo na, Fariha!" I playfully spoke, grinning at Jasmina.
*"Jasmina is his wife. Try and understand, Fariha!"
"I get it though." My Nand looked at her Nand. "Ahad Bhai would never make anything for me, but if Zoya Bhabi asks him..."
They both laughed at my expense.
"Big brothers are the worst, and yet it seems like they end up being good husbands." Fariha handed Zaid over to Jasmina while she grabbed baby wipes to clean herself up and adjust her clothes.
"I have two big brothers, but I'm seriously grateful for them, actually." Jasmina kissed Zaid's forehead. "Ahad Bhai and I were always clashing, but he's always stood up for me. I can't even say anything about Arhaan Bhai, apart from the fact that he's been like a second Papa for me."
"Arhaan Bhai's awesomeness is out of this world." I agreed. "He's like a big brother to me as well."
Tears filled Jasmina's eyes. "I just wish that his life was easier. Sometimes I feel like I'm the reason his marriage is...the way it is. Sadia Bhabi has a problem with me, so maybe I'm the cause."
I sat up. "No, Jasmina. She's psychotic, and that's not on you. You've done nothing that justifies her treatment of you, and let's say, for the sake of argument, that you had done something...what about Hania? What did Hania do to her? What did Ahad and I do to her, because she's constantly taunting us as well? What did poor Omar do to her that she accused him of being a thief for taking chocolates that I gave him?"
"Some people just enjoy being cruel, Bhabi. They give various excuses and justifications, but the fact is that being mean and horrible gives them a sadistic satisfaction." Fariha said, quietly, and we all knew that she was also thinking about her b*****d ex-husband.
I swear, if I had met that guy, I would have made him eat his own eyeballs for breakfast. He reminded me, for some reason, of the man that had fathered me.
"It's okay, Fariha." I whispered. "Cruel and sadistic people think that they are invincible, especially when they are getting away with their mistreatment of other people. But evil does not have eternal life. It will be accounted for one day, and we all forget that. Whether it's in this lifetime, or the Afterlife, one day we're going to have to answer some very difficult questions in front of Allah. I don't wish ill on anyone, I'm just saying that there's no such thing as 'getting away with' doing something evil, or wrong."
"I have never met your mother, Zoya, but I can tell that she must have been a very good woman." Fariha smiled weakly at me. "And I have to say this, but Ahad is also very lucky to have a wife like you."
"I think it's safe to say that all of our husbands are lucky to have wives like us." I joked.
"I haven't laughed this hard in a long time." Fariha clutched her stomach as if she had stitches from laughing.
"Actually, I am thankful for Ahad. He has made me stronger and more confident. His support and encouragement gives me the power to stand up for others around me, as well as for myself."
"Zafar gave me a new chance at life, so anything that I say about him isn't enough. He is building me back together after how Umair had completely shattered me, and now I feel my self-confidence and self-esteem rising again."
"I don't even know where to start with Fawad, but he's helped me grow a lot. He's taught me about forgiveness, and virtually about everything to do with humanity and compassion. And he loves me so, so much, that sometimes I feel like it's all just a long and beautiful dream. I don't feel deserving of this much love, after everything that I've done, but he still loves me absolutely unconditionally."
"Clearly Allah felt that you were deserving of that love." I said. "And the way you love him and respect him, Jasmina, it's only natural that he loves you that much." I then turned to look at Fariha. "As for you, you just ended up with a terrible partner the first time, but that doesn't mean that you don't deserve the best. You're a strong, confident and a role-model type woman, and you deserve someone who absolutely values that."
"And you brought Ahad onto the right path." Fariha told me. "You've supported him and loved him despite his past, Zoya. You're that rare person who fights for others as passionately as she fights for herself, and I guess Ahad recognises what a true gem you are."
"I'm feeling emotional with all this feminist talk." I stood up. "And when I'm emotional, I get hungry. You ladies want something?"
"Sure, I'll come with you." She picked up Zaid. "I'm just going to lay him in the cot that Ibrahim used to use while he was here."
"The fruit wasn't enough. Get me something tastier, please." Jasmina smiled. "Maybe bedrest isn't too bad after all."
"I feel sorry for Fawad Bhai." I spoke to Fariha loud enough for my Nand to hear, as we left the room.
"I know, right?" Fariha nodded, grinning.
"Hey!" Jasmina protested behind us, making us both giggle again.
****
Jasmina
Maybe I should have asked the girls for advice on this?
No, Zoya Bhabi was from my Maika, and Fariha was from my Sasural. By discussing this with them, I risked making Fawad look bad, and I didn't want to do that.
I should discuss my concerns with him before anyone else first. This is our personal family matter, after all. Something that should stay between a husband and wife.
I briefly considered getting a job, but who would give me a job when I would need to go on maternity leave in a month or two?
I shook my head. "I don't care. I have to ease Fawad's burden somehow."
Maybe I should start focusing on our budget as well. I should make note of what I spend and where I spend it, and see what I can cut back.
A spouse is meant to provide ease for their spouse, husband or wife. He was the only breadwinner in the family, and I vowed to myself to do anything and everything to help him out.
Sometimes saying 'I love you' wasn't enough. In fact, when it comes to marriage, you must make an effort to genuinely show your spouse how much you loved them.
That's it. I'm going to sit him down when he's free, and together we're going to decide what was essential spending, and what wasn't. And no matter how much he reassures me that he 'could manage', I need to be mature about this and decide what must be cut back.
We may be wealthy, but when the entire household depended on he earnings of one person, everything must be done carefully.
Sometimes, when Fawad walks in through the front door, seeing him makes me want to cry. He looks like he is ready to collapse from exhaustion, after twenty-four to thirty hour shifts, and yet he still finds the time to show me affection, or to play with Hania.
But now I'm going to show Dr Fawad Ali that Jasmina Fawad can be a caring and mature wife as well. It's about time I faced reality.
****
Through Jasmina, I'm trying to show that marriage isn't just about love and romance. I know you guys prefer that, but making sacrifices for someone is also a sign of love.
I know that I've mentioned this previously, but seeing the bills had shocked Jasmina genuinely, and had made her realise how truly privileged she was. How will she help Fawad?
This chapter was generally about the wives, and it was drama-less. I have been giving more updates recently, so I wanted to write a little bit of a relaxed chapter.
@MehweenGR you wanted the wives to discuss their lives, and I tried to write it as appropriately as I could.
Thoughts and comments?
Thank you for reading, and don't forget to vote.