The dinner table was full of dishes but the most chirping boy was sitting silently, Anwar glared at him and gestured for Maryam to serve for herself to ignore Bilal. He looked at everyone and in the end left the dinner.
"Billu" Hamdan called him but before he could respond. "No need to beg him for dinner, if he wants to stay hungry then fine" Anwar's scold echoed in the home. Bilal went to his room and locked himself. All the other members waste their time in the dining area as no one likes to have dinner in that situation including Anwar.
"Suniye, itna gussa mat kariye na, aapka BP high ho jayega" Maryam tried to handle the situation but...
(Don't be so angry, your BP will shoot)
"Maryam, It's already high, now you don't irritate me to make my condition worse" Anwar draw out the remaining anger on Maryam and place the glass on the table with a thud. Shifa leave the dining area and Anwar glared at her as he thought she was showing her anger in defence of Bilal.
"Papa I'll talk to Bilal, at least you don't be angry" Hamdan came forward as a responsible son.
Maryam looked at Anwar with tear-filled eyes, before leaving the dining area, but not throwing a glare at Anwar.
Yes, she was the same Maryam who shivered with Anwar's angry gaze, back then. But Now she shows her anger too. Anwar felt guilty to become the reason for her tears, but also couldn't help himself. Maryam always becomes the prey of his anger.
In the time being Shifa came back With the BP monitor and sat down beside Anwar. Holding his arm silently, she checked his BP and Hamdan gestured his wife to go to Maryam.
"It's high" Shifa muttered and passed a pill to her father.
"Papa, don't be angry" Hamdan repeat the same thing. "Come on, have food. I'm also not eating because of you" Saying that in a friendly manner Hamdan served food on the plate. Shifa also served a genius amount of food in a plate and went to Maryam who was crying silently sitting with Mehvish.
"Offo mummy, aesa lag raha hai papa ne Aap ko pehli baar daanta hai, why are you overreacting?" Shifa tried to say something good but ended up with the most unfit phrase.
(C'mon mummy you're not being scolded for the first time by papa)
"Achha na bas ho gya ye rona dhona, jaldi se khana khaiye" She made a morsel but Maryam didn't have it.
(Mummy now it's enough of crying, have food)
"Mummy please na" Mehvish also demanded but Shifa glared at her with anger.
"Bhabhi ye sab aapki wajah se ho raha hai"
(This is all happening because of you bhabhi)
"Mene kya Kara?" She asked with a dull face
(What I have done?)
"Apni saas ke thode taane sun liya kariye, unka mood theek ho jayega lekin Aap to bilkul bekaar bahu hain. Ghar me saas bahu ka koi entertainment dekhne ko milta hi nhi hai" Mehvish laughed and looked at Maryam.
(You should listen to some taunts if your mother-in-law, she will feel better to draw out her anger on you, but such a useless daughter-in-law you're! There is no entertainment in our home)
"Mummy there are still two days in going back, I'll try my best to be an ideal Daughter-in-law, cunning and clever. Fine?" Mehvish laughed as so Shifa, Maryam glared at both of them but laughed while cleaning her tears.
"Tum dono pitogi mere haath se"
(You both get a slap from my hand)
"Chalo Ji, ye to directly achhi saas se domestic violence karne wali saas ban gayi" Shifa smack her forehead dramatically making the other two laugh.
(Oh God, she directly come to domestic violence)
Maryam and Mehvish were still laughing but Shifa went back to her room after making a fake excuse that she had to work on an assignment. But in reality, there was no assignment. Locking the door of her room she throws herself on the bed.
What will happen now? That was the only question Shifa asked. She was scared. Her poor heart was beating fast. After Anwar's behaviour with Bilal, Shifa was imagining her condition.
"What will papa do with me if got to know about my job?" She mumbled after turning her side. For many hours she was thinking about different consequences but unfortunately, every possibility was ending in a horrible point. In between the chaos she didn't realise when she slipped into the arms of slumber.
<><><><><>
"Daniyal"
"Ji baba?"
"Beta aage kuch karne ka socha hai ya ese hi zindagi guzaarni hai?" Mr Hasan Kazmi asked after lifting the very first morsel.
(Dear, do you have sole plans or wanna live the rest of your life like this?)
"Baba mene sab soch liya" Daniyal knew how to tackle this situation.
(Yeah baba, I've planned everything)
"Allah ka karam hai aapne kuch to socha. Wese kya irada hai?" Mrs Khatija asked with a satisfactory smile.
(Thanks to Allah you think about your future. So what's the plan?)
"Soch raha hu kal purane dosto se Milne chala jaun, kisi achhe se restaurant me lunch karenge phir movie dekhenge phir dinner aur phir cheen ki neend. Good plan na?" Daniyal got a glare from his parents.
(I'm planning to meet my old friends, we'll have lunch in nice restaurants then a movie and after that dinner. The plan is good. Right?)
"Khatija kya hum ne aese bete ke liye itni duaye kari thi? Kaash Allah ne Ek aur beta diya hota, ye to bilkul hi nalayaq hai" Mr Hasan Kazmi was looking disappointed in his son. The couple had prayed for four years of marriage to get offspring, then they got Daniyal, but now he is not fulfilling his parents wish.
(Khatija, had we prayed so much for this son? I wish Allah had given us one more son, he is absolutely useless.)
"To ek aur beta le aaiye na... Kam se kam mujhe to sukun milega" Daniyal huffed while filling the glass with water. Mrs and Mr Kazmi blinked blankly while looking at each other then their gazes shift at their thirty years old only heir, who had indirectly demanded a brother. Feeling their gazes on himself Daniyal realised the mistake he had made while choosing the correct words.
(So bring another son, at least I will be relieved)
"I... I mean to say... Adopt someone" He chewed his words while looking everywhere, but his parents.
"Only you're enough to make us worried, we can't handle one more stress" Khatija glared at him with fake anger making him chuckle.
"Thankfully, you understand my value in your life"
"Daniyal meri baat dhyan se sun lijiye, kal Mirha aa rhi hai apne parents ke sath, to kal aap kahi nhi jaa rhe." Mrs. Kazmi announced taking away the smile from Daniyal's face.
"Ammiii~ Mirha ko kyu bulaya hai aapne?" Poor Daniyal was shocked, according to him, spending time in a cow stable would be better than wasting time with Mirha.
(Ammi~ why you've called Mirha?)
"Don't overreact, abhi wo log sirf milne aa rhe hain, lekin agar aapne mujhe us ladki se jald nhi milwaya to main aapki shadi Mirha karwa dungi"
(Right now those people are only coming to meet, but if you do not introduce me to that girl soon, then I will get you married to Mirha)
"Ammi?? Are you blackmailing me?"
"No, I'm warning you." Mrs Kazmi proved that he was the mother of Daniyal, hence two steps ahead.
<><><><>
Hands were lifted up in the fresh thin air,
Eyes were dropping uncountable tears.
Remorse and grief conquer the fort of her heart,
That's how a new day of her life start.
A knock on the door failed to grab her attention as she was lost in the prayer. Someone entered in the room but she was unaware. Completely unaware.
"Shaffo" The polite call with a soft touch on the shoulder forced her to look up. "Why are you crying?" Hamdan asked kneeling beside her and Shifa shook her head before wiping the fresh tears and masking a smile on her face.
"Shifa are you alright?" Hamdan inquired while holding her chin, in the same way, he use to hold in childhood.
"Yeah Bhai, just feeling afraid of Papa's anger" Shifa muttered but Hamdan smiled.
"You don't have to worry about him, Now smile and listen to me carefully" Hamdan wiped Shifa's tear and she nod her head. "We had handled only 50% matter, 50% is remaining yet" Shifa nodded while standing up from the prayer mat and folding that. Morning prayer is still her most favourite prayer.
Everyone was sleeping in the home except these two siblings who were planning to make everything fine.
"Bhai you go to awake that drama king, I'm making breakfast for him, he is on hunger strike since last night." Shifa placed the prayer mat in its right place while Hamdan nodded and both of them moved in the opposite direction.
Shifa's heart was not at peace but she was showing herself as normal as could. Making few sandwiches along with three cup of tea she went to Bilal's room.
"Sandwiches banaye hain, khane gain ya nakhre dikhane hain?" Shifa asked trying to show her anger but Bilal glared at Hamdan as well as Shifa.
(I've made sandwiches, wanna eat or not)
''kal raat se intezaar kar raha hu koi to ayega manane lekin meri to kisi ko fikr hi nhi hai! Sab sirf kehte hain ki mujhse bohot pyaar hai lekin ye to sort kehne ki baate hain." Bilal picked two sandwiches in either hand and attacks them like he was hungry for ages. Shifa and Hamdan blinked blankly but laughed at the dramatic act of their 23 years old little brother.
(I have been waiting since last night that someone will come, but no one cares about me! Everyone just claims to love me but in reality, no one does.)
"Raat se bhuka hu" He mumbled while stuffing his mouth with a sandwich. He lift the cup of tea and Shifa huffed.
(I'm hungry since night)
"I'm also hungry since yesterday but I'm not overreacting." She lift half the sandwich and passed the half to Hamdan who also skipped his dinner last night.
"It's all because of papa" Bilal got a glare from his brother. "We all know why papa doesn't like Rayyan" Hamdan added and Bilal sigh.
"Bhai Rayyan is my best friend since childhood, what's wrong with this if he smokes? I don't smoke, it should be enough for papa" Bilal shrugged but this time Shifa glare at him.
"Rayyan love to do bike racing, he'll provoke you to smoke, just like he does for racing" Shifa tried to show her wise side but she shouldn't forget, ghar ki murgi daal barabar (a prophet is not honoured in his own country)
Younger brothers could consider a psycho's advice but his sister's.
"As if I'm mad to start smoking!" Bilal rolled his eyes and this time Hamdan took the sandwich from his hand.
"Enough is enough, Bilal. Do you even have any idea how much papa is worried about you? And I agree with Shifa."
"Bhai Rayyan is my best friend!" Bilal defends his friend while snatching back the sandwich from Hamdan.
"Your best friend is promoting you to do a bike race which could be dangerous for your life." Shifa put her point and Hamdan nodded, but Bilal made an angry pout
"Billu, try to understand, Papa wants your good. The wrong company could harm you in the long term. Maybe after some time, Rayyan will offer you a cigarette, just for a single puff. And that will be turned into fun for you, which is the first step towards addiction." Bilal was silent because it was already happening. He had been smoking for the last few days, just for fun and a new experience. Though he was taking only one or two puffs. However, it was the first step towards addiction as Hamdan said.
"Say sorry to papa and make everything fine" Hamdan added but Bilal showed his anger.
"He slapped me..."
"Parents never want anything bad for us, maybe their ways are wrong but not their intentions." Shifa was listening to Hamdan but her mind was recalling Daniyal. It wouldn't be wrong to say that she was kinda lost in Deni's thoughts.
" Deni ne bhi yahi kaha tha" she muttered in her lost state making Hamdan startled.
(Deni said the same thing)
"Who is Deni?" Bilal and Hamdan put up the same question at the same time making Shifa realise what the crap she had done.
"Umm... No one" She mumbles piling her face but Hamdan looked at her with a suspicious gaze.
"Shifa... Who is Deni?" That was a strict question but Shifa smiles. "Bhai Deni is a Radio Jockey. And I love to listen to his program." Shifa's reply brought a smile to Hamdan's lips as he thought it was an innocent act of his sister to listen to a radio program so deeply but deep down Shifa was feeling guilty as the list of her lies was increased one more time.
"Bhai, now to Papa and apologise. Okay?" Hamdan asked while lifting the cup of tea and Bilal huffed as usual. "Billu" Hamdan glared at him
"Achha na... At least lemme eat this peacefully. Sab ko apni hi lagi hai mere baare me to koi sochta hi nhi hai" He mumbled while finishing the second sandwich then glared at Shifa.
(Everyone is thinking about themselves, none care about me)
"Couldn't you make one more Sandwich? And why didn't you think to give me something to eat, yesterday only?" Poor shifa got scolded by her younger brother who usually behaves like an older one.
"Such a stubborn brat you're" Shifa smiled and lifted the small piece of Sandwich but before it could land on the country to her mouth, it was hijacked by Bilal.
"I'm so hungry" Shifa and Hamdan both laughed at Bilal's drama. He was not ready to grow up.
"Shifa make breakfast for everyone, and billu you go and apologise to papa" Hamdan ordered both of them to got a glare from his youngers.
"You're ordering as I'm your maid, why only do all the work? You also do something na!" Shifa complaints but she also know every holiday it's her duty to make breakfast so it wasn't any problem for her but showing her fake anger to Hamdan was her right!
"Umm... Okay. I'll take you to for a lunch and shopping." She grinned happily. "Bhai you're my best brother and he is worst one" Shifa said the last part about Bilal before stepping out from the room.
Hamdan was going next day and Shifa was again going to miss her Daan bai.
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To be continued....
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A blast is waiting in next chapter
Do you have any idea???
_Naaz Jamal