Adeena was the one to realise that they were being watched by Kazmi's, removing Daniyal's hand from her face she took a step back and looked at Zaryab who was also looking confused about whatever happening around him.
"Let's go back." Zaryab grabbed his mother's hand and Daniyal looked at him, only then he realised that Adeena wasn't alone, her son was also present with her.
"Where is your husband?"
"He's no more. He died in an accident two years ago." Adeena replied and Daniyal looked at his family members who were looking shocked to see all these things.
"Daniyal?" It was a question from his mother and Daniyal again looked at Adeena but didn't get words to introduce her to his family.
"Actually, We were friends in college, then Daniyal went to the USA for higher studies and the day he came back from the USA, I was getting married. After a long time we're meeting today..." Adeena explained and Daniyal furrowed. "Friends?" He couldn't stop himself to ask.
Mrs Kazmi looked at her husband who was standing blankly. It wasn't difficult for anyone to understand that what was the relationship between Daniyal and Adeena in their college days. Their eyes said it all.
"Kazmi Sahab..." Mrs Kazmi grabbed the arm of her husband who was clueless about his next move still he took a step ahead.
"Daniyal, enough for now!" Mr Kazmi patted on his back as if telling him to walk ahead and leave space for Adeena to leave. "Shifaaa... Beta Daniyal ke liye chai banao." Mr Kazmi said in a loud voice but Shifa didn't come out of the room.
(Shifa~ dear make a cup of tea for Daniyal.)
"Adeena... Dinner hamare sath kar ke jana." Saying that Daniyal moved towards the terrace, leaving his family in a big shock.
(Stay here for some more time Adeena, go after having dinner.)
"I... I should leave now. It's already getting late." Adeena said with hesitation and Mrs Kazmi nodded.
"Haa Bibi jaldi jao, aur dobara aane se pehle puchh lena." Badi Amma threw a deadly glare at Adeena and she showed a nodded with hesitation.
(Yeah sure, go fast and ask next time before arriving.)
"Haan, Badi Ammi theek keh rahi hain. Aur ek aur baat, ye Daniyal se tumhari dosti thi ya jo bhi tha bohot purani baat ho chuki hai, ab to tum bhi ek bachhe ki maa ho aur Daniyal ki bhi Masha allah shadi ho chuki hai, aur wo apni zindagi mein bohot khush hain, behtar hoga maazi ke rishton par zyada dhyan na diya jaye. Wese bhi ab ye tumhari behen ki sasural hai, behno ki saural mein zyada aana jaana bhi achha nhi lagta." Mrs Kazmi's conversation shifted to tum from Aap. She immediately left giving respect to the one whom she was liking till a few minutes ago.
(Yeah, Badi Amma is correct. And one more thing, your friendship with Daniyal or whatever it was, it's a part of past. Now you're a mother of a boy and he's also happily married, so it's better not to focus on the past. And now this is your sister's in-laws home, so it's better not to visit frequently.)
Adeena looked at Daniyal's parents then Badi Amma. "I'm sorry... I guess you people didn't like my presence, I'm already going." She took a pause without making eye contact with anyone "after meeting Daniyal." and when she resume everyone's eyes grew wide,
Without bothering to glance at anyone she walked towards the stairs of terrace. "Khatija, where is Shifa? Send her upstairs, right now." Mr Kazmi asked with another level of anger, it's unusual for him to call his wife with name but today there was something else on which he wanted to focus. His son's marriage.
"Shifa, come with me." Mrs Kazmi walked into the bedroom of her son to find out Shifa crying sitting on the floor, her face was hidden in her knees and voice of sobbings echoing in the room. "Bilkul chup! Roone ki zarurat nhi hai! Aap Daniyal ki biwi hain, unke sath jaa kar khadi rahiye. Haq se." Following her mother-in-law's order she walked upstairs followed by Mrs Kazmi but both the ladies were stopped on the top most stairs to listen to the ongoing conversation.
(Just stop crying, you're Daniyal's wife, stand beside him rightfully.)
"Adeena you have been tolerating so much for last two years!"
"Not for last two years Daniyal but from the time you left me alone. When you weren't with me I use to cry whole night, I had beed waiting for you to come back from US, you promised me before going that you'll talk to your parents about our marriage after coming back, but before you could return... everything was already finished! And... Shahid also died two years ago."
"Why didn't you get married again? Why are you wasting your life?" Daniyal questioned and Adeena sobbed. "Kon karega mujhse shadi? Tum karoge?"
(Who will marry me? Will you?)
Shifa didn't find more energy in her body, she sat down or better to say almost fall down on the stairs only. Deep down she knew Daniyal forgot her in front of Adeena, only her photo had a great impact on him and here whole alive Adeena was giving Daniyal a clear and open marriage proposal.
"Adeena meri shadi ho chuki hai."
(Adeena, I'm already married)
"Lekin phir bhi tum mujhse shadi kar sakte ho Daniyal, aur ye baat tum bhi jaante ho..."
(But the fact is, you can marry me too. And you already know this!)
Shifa closed her eyes and felt like she died at the same moment, she waited for Daniyal to refuse but he didn't say anything for next two minutes. Standing up from her place she walked downstairs silently. Mrs Kazmi opened her mouth to stop her but this little woman wasn't in condition to understand anything.
"Kya hua Dulhan?"
(What happened Dulhan?)
"Badi Amma mene kaha tha, bohot baar kaha tha lekin wo meri baat nhi sunhe, Mera mazakh udate hain." She muttered while walking ahead but badi Amma was confused about what she was saying
(Badi Amma, I told him many times but she doesn't pay attention to what I say. He makes fun of me.)
"Ye Kya badbada rahi ho Dulhan?"
(What are you mumbling, Dulhan?)
"Wo bure khwab bhi sach hone wale hain" mumbling that she sat down on the couch without uttering a word. Badi Amma was caressing her head and trying to make her off cry when a maid open the door of the room which was locked till years... Maybe some seven years and now it has been used like a storeroom.
(Those nightmares are turning true.)
"What are you doing?" Asked Mrs Kazmi and the maid turned to see the lady of the home.
"Ji wo Daniyal sahab ne kha hai ye kamra saaf kar du, Adeena Bibi yahi rahengi..."
(Actually... Daniyal sir has asked me to clean this room as Adeena madam will live here only.)
Shifa pressed her lower lip in between her teeth and stood up from the sofa, her dupatta slipped down from the right shoulder but she didn't notice and kept walking to her bedroom, soon she came near the bed and let herself fall on it while crying loudly but all those sobs were soaked by the pillow.
"Adeena Shifa ki behen hai... Ye aurat aakhir chahti kya hai?" Mr Kazmi was looking frustrated and angry.
(What does Adeena exactly want? She's Shifa's sister.)
"Tumhe dikhta nhi hai wo apni behen ka ghar ujaadna chahti hai?" Badi Amma asked with another level of disappointment and Mrs Kazmi just sat down on the couch while holding her head and this time she had tears in her eyes.
(Can't you see she wants to ruin her sister's marriage?)
"Mujhe kisi se shikwa nhi hai apne bete se hai."
(I am not disappointed with anyone but my son.)
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Shifa was silently watching the scene standing on the doorstep of her bedroom, Adeena and Daniyal were sitting in the hall holding mugs of tea he had especially made for Adeena
But he never make tea for Shifa, even when she was sick.
Tears roll down from her eyes. She already had covered a good distance towards her Deni and now it's impossible to step back towards the Lonely streets of her heart.
The strong girl was again preparing herself to be shattered into a million pieces but this time she was sure this damage would be non-recoverable.
Mrs. Kazmi was also watching the same scene from her bedroom, not only her son but she was also watching Shifa crying standing on the door step of her room.
"Daniyal time dekha hai aap ne?" Mrs. Kazmi burst out while taking steps towards him she stand still in between Adeena and Daniyal.
(Daniyal have you seen time?)
"What's wrong Ammi? Why are you angry?"
"Aap mujhse puchh rhe hain ki kya hua hai? Aadhi Raat Hai, aapki biwi bedroom Mein aapka Intezar kar rahi Hogi Behtar hoga aap uske sath Waqt Guzare na ki...." throwing a deadly glare on Adeena Mrs kazmi preferred to leave her sentence incomplete.
(Are you asking me what's wrong? It's midnight your wife must be waiting for you in the bedroom you should spend your time with her instead of...)
"Ammi it's important..." Daniyal said in meek voice and Shifa scoot to bed, she didn't want Daniyal to see her standing on the doorstep
"I don't care if it's important or not, for me your marriage is more important than anything else, go to your room right now." Pointing towards the door of the bedroom Mrs Kazmi almost yelled and Adeena's face turned pale.
"Yeah, Deni... You should go." Adeena muttered in her sweet voice but Mrs Kazmi furrowed.
"Excuse me... His name is Daniyal. Not Deni. Only his wife calls him Deni. Don't you try to use this endearment for Daniyal."
"I... I'm sorry" Adeena muttered before standing up from her place. Daniyal gave a disappointed look to his mother, he wanted to say something but the sharp glare of his mother indicated him to go to his bedroom. Adeena had already gone to the guestroom.
He silently slipped himself in the bed and Shifa opened her eyes. She wanted to say something but waited for her husband to initiate the conversation. He kept watching in her eyes for next two moments and before her silence started to prick him he closed his eyes.
"Deni." She grabbed his hand and Daniyal hummed without opening his eyes. "Today you told me that you love me." She muttered and Daniyal opened his eyes. He didn't react just kept watching his wife who was controlling her tears. "How much do you love me?"
"Ye kesa sawaal hai Shifa?"
(What kind of question is this, Shifa?)
"Sawal kese bhi ho aapke paas to mere har sawal ka jawab hota hai Deni."
(No matter what the question is, you always have an answer for my every question.)
"Aaj koi sawal na puchho"
(Don't ask me anything today)
"Aap unse shadi kar lenge?" She asked in a hushed tone and this time she couldn't control her tears.
(Will you get married to her?)
"Nhi..." Pulling her in his arms he closed his eyes to sleep but Shifa wasn't ready to leave this conversation so easily.
"So why she's here in our home?"
"She's just a guest."
"Deni I'm telling you her intentions are not good, she's planning something big." Shifting away from Daniyal's arms she shared her fear and doubts but Daniyal furrowed.
"Shifa, you don't know her yet. She can hurt herself to save others from pain, she can't hold any bad intentions, even she told herself that she doesn't want to come in between us." Shifa was seeing her husband's blind trust towards his first love.
"Don't trust her words Deni, She's a big liar. She told me that she come here after following the address present on the letter posted by abbu... And you already know where those letters were being sent!" Shifa sat down on the bed and Daniyal sighed while shaking his head, he also sat down in front of his wife.
"Maybe some misunderstanding! Adeena doesn't lie. She never lie."
"Whatever. You just send her away from this home. This is my and your home Deni. Please."
"Aapko kya ho gya hai Shifa? Aap to kisi bachhe ki tarha baat kar rhi ho jo apne khilone dusre bachho se chhupa kar rakhta hai." Disappointment was clear in Daniyal's words but Shifa also wasn't going to tolerate all those things.
(What's wrong with you Shifa? You're behaving like a possessive child who can't share her toy with anyone.)
"Khilona nhi wo mera shohor share karna chahti hai, jo main hone nhi dungi." She glared at Daniyal who gave her a disappointed look one more time.
(Not a toy but she wants to share my husband, and I won't let her do so.)
"Shifa how can you be so negative? Adeena's intentions are not wrong! Try to understand."
"I'm not negative but I'm not blind like you. If her intentions are not wrong then why didn't she just went away without meeting you? Why did she remind you about your past when you're already married? If her intentions are so pure then why was she explaining her past actions? Why was she telling you the story of her helplessness? And why this lady with pure intentions have proposed you to get married? Do you have any explanation?"
"Shifa she was just sharing her feelings with an old friend."
"No, not an old friend but ex-boyfriend!" She controlled her eyes to shed more tears but her heart was crying. "Now she wants to make you her husband and you're all set to do so because you know well how to make me fool with your sugar coated words." Shifa raised her voice, before Daniyal could say something in reply she resumed "if you think that I'm an Idiot woman who blindly comes around by your any explanation so let me clear this to you Deni, no. I'm not an Idiot! Whenever you divert my mind from some topics by asking a question in reply of my question I know your intentions, but I pretended to be a fool because I thought you're doing all those things to not hurt me with the truth."
"Think whatever you want, conclude whatever you can... In the end you're going to do only what you want so there is no point of discussion!" Daniyal glared at Shifa back and laid down facing opposite to her.
"Remove this love's blindfold from your eyes and see the reality. Maybe you loved the Adeena who was innocent and pure hearted but this Adeena is not same for sure." Telling in the same manner as Daniyal she also laid down facing opposite to him but both were unable to sleep.
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Author's note:
Either I can reply to your comments or write a new chapter so I have chosen to go with the second option. I hope you don't mind. Don't stop voting and commenting, it motivates your author.
Next update is also on the way, so bombard this chapters with likes to motivate me to hit the publish button of that very chapter.
How's this chapter and what do you think what's going to happen next?
Bye...
N.Jamal