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"Absolutely not" the woman on the bed raged glaring at the man who dared to propose such a plan, his eyes equally as determined as hers as he glared back at her.
The room was quiet till now but after what the man before her had proposed, Ayat didn't know anything but to say no to this idea at all cost, the bruises on her face and the ache in her jaw didn't stop her from protesting against the idea of marrying him.
He wasn't just asking her to move in for protection, this man was asking her to marry him under certain circumstances that involved her daughter's protection and her life.
No matter how much his idea had made sense to her hazy mind she knew better than to fall for it, surely there were other ways to opt for, like having security lining her apartment or to shifting somewhere else but no.
"Ayat—" Zaviyar started taking a step towards her but she only shook her head.
The moment Ayat lifted her eyes Zaviyar sighed seeing the tiredness in her gaze, a sigh slouched her shoulders and her lips trembled.
"Ayat please don't cry" he mumbled taking a step close to her and the girl before him ducked her head down.
"It's too much Zaviyar. My life isn't a game where one man will break into my home and another will ask me to leave it all behind" she mumbled and hid her face with her palms, her shoulders shook and Zaviyar pulled her head to his shoulder.
"I'm doing this for the best of you and Mah" he said, making her pull back while wiping her face clean of all the tears she had shed in helplessness.
"How?" She asked and Zaviyar flinched internally at the iciness that had taken over her tone within seconds.
"Because—" he started but Ayat cut him off.
"Because you think you can, because you're using this against me, aren't you?" She accused making him clench his jaw and pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Don't twist my intentions Ayat" he gritted and Ayat scoffed.
"Don't use my daughter as—"
"I'm not using Mihrimah as bait" he yelled, making Ayat flinch back and bite her lip to stop them from quivering at the loud unexpected sound.
Taking a deep breath Zaviyar turned back around to face her, his eyes softened seeing her gulp her tears down but they only kept pouring out of her eyes, her nose and lips turning red from all the crying and chewing she had been doing.
The woman before him looked like a child to him rather than a mother who had endured so much.
"Love. I'm only doing this for the best of you, I don't intend on using this marriage as an excuse to violate you, trust me. I just want to have the authority to take actions for you when needed." He said, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear and cupping her face.
"Trust me Ayat, no matter how far we go as a society you're still a woman who's alone with a child who's a girl. You know better than me how men like İbrahim take advantage of that. You'll only be living under my roof, with rights to the security I have to offer, Mihrimah will have a safe home where she won't have to worry about someone breaking in." He explained making her stare into his eyes that held nothing but sincerity in them.
"Zaviyar, we aren't your responsibility—" she was silenced as the man smiled and Ayat felt her heart fluttering in her chest, that smile caused a chemical malfunction in her brain for a second making her blink rapidly and focus on his words more.
"You're not until I don't want you to. Mihrimah may be your daughter Ayat but when I'm with her it feels like she's my very own, trust me when I say that I'll keep my word and protect you both without violating your privacy. Just like a partnership you have to sign these papers and let me handle all of this" he whispered, making Ayat gulp at the way his eyes dilated and his hold tightened on her hands that he had taken in his hold while talking.
"I..." She couldn't think, she couldn't possibly think of what to say. If she refuses then where will she go, how will she go? He'll find her again and torment her again.
"Take your time. The faster we're done with this the better. Think about it" he left with a soft hum and an assuring nod of his head.
Her conscience was silenced and her head started throbbing again as she thought hard on this matter. Her mind was slipping back to how fast everything was going, one moment she was an employee in his company, the next she was sort of his friend, he's the cousin of her friend's fiancé and now he's asking her to marry him.
You're a woman with a child that too a girl.
No matter how far we go, society won't help you for long.
His words were echoing in her mind making it hard for her to stay focused when Nuha entered the room. Her footsteps were soft and barely noticeable against the tiles of the room and her gaze was concerned.
The woman on the bed barely looked like herself, her wide eyes were hooded from sleep and sunken in. Her cheeks had seemingly lost the flesh and the rosy tint of her skin had ashen.
"Ayat" she whispered, making Ayat smile at her and usher her close with her hand.
"Nuha" she replied softly as Nuha sat before her and Ayat leaned her head on her shoulder.
"What should I do Nuha?" She asked Nuha to run a hand on her back.
"What do you think you should do?" Nuha asked, feeling her own heart race at the idea of Ayat ever trusting a man.
"I don't know" Ayat whispered with a gloom in her voice.
"What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the question?" Nuha asked, staring at the empty bed beside Ayat's.
The emergency room was fairly empty and Nuha was glad that it was, who wanted to be in the hospital anyways.
Ayat thought hard.
Her mind came back blank. She wanted to run away, to take her daughter somewhere far away but how far could she go. She found herself running again with a 13 month old Mihrimah in her arms, running through the same nightmare again where someone was chasing her and she couldn't seem to get out of their sight.
A tear slipped from her eye as the panic started setting in, how had she put herself in this situation again. How pathetic was she exactly to not see the gravity of the situation. It was all her fault.
"Ayat" Nuha shook her speaking a little louder this time feeling her shake beside her.
"Nothing " Ayat said, pulling away "nothing comes to my mind. I want to take the offer but why?" She asked, making Nuha smile softly at her.
"He's a nice man," Nuha smiled while patting her friend's hand.
"But why?" She asked again.
"Maybe you should give this a try" Nuha tried negotiating and this time this was all she could say, there was no room for argument if Ayat didn't want to do this.
"But why?"
"Because we should" a voice spoke and the two women turned their heads toward the opening in the curtains that revealed a teary Mihrimah.
"I want you to live with him. He cares about you, about me. What could go wrong?" She concluded her part and Ayat stared into her daughter's mature eyes. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes at the hardness of her gaze and the seriousness on her face.
She should've been a child with a normal carefree childhood, not a responsible daughter of a broken mother.
"Don't look at me like that. I can't always help you out, you need someone bigger to take care of you" Mihrimah spoke giving her mother the side eyes glance and Nuha chuckled at her.
The aunt and niece high fived and the distressed mother on the bed kept staring at the floor to find an answer for her problems but nothing came to mind, she was blank and in that moment she thought why not?
he's giving protection to her child and Mihrimah trusts him so why not. But what about her?
Did she trust him?
Ayat could only look into mirhmahs eyes and find them full of hope that she couldn't muster herself. Her eyes then met Nuha's who had been smiling at her reassuringly and she took a deep breath.
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Zaviyar was pacing the hallways when the three musketeers walked out with long faces and battered breaths, his heart started racing when Haider took a seat at the benches followed by Mihrimah and Nuha. The three heaved a sigh and Haider ran a hand through his hair.
"What? What happened?" he asked, sitting beside Haider who had been staring at the ground as if there was no tomorrow, he looked at Mihrimah with raised eyebrows when she got up and walked away.
"I don't understand what her problem is?" Mihrimah was the one to complain first followed by Nuha who shook her head exhaling loudly.
"Kia.. Haider? Kia hua?" he asked a shaking Haider who had been silent all along.
Did she refuse even now? He wondered as he pulled away from Haider and sat leaned back in his chair while closing his eyes tightly. He never thought he'd face such a day in his whole entire life but there's a first time for everything.
"Kia hona tha.. Kuch nahi." they heard a feminine voice speaking, making both the men look up in surprise.
"Tumhe urdu aati hai?" Haider asked in disbelief and Nuha rolled her eyes.
"Humari caretaker pakistani thi" she replied and he chuckled with his eyebrows raised.
"Woah" he exclaimed, smiling her way when he heard Zaviyar groan in annoyance.
"This isn't the time" he yelled, making Haider stop grinning and focus on his cousin again.
"Zaviyar, bro i tried my best to convince her, but—" Haider started while putting his hand on Zaviyar's shoulder "but she won't listen, she's asking for the marriage to be done right away" he said and Zaviyar stopped his action of rubbing his forehead.
"Wh.... what?" the man stuttered as he turned to look at his friend, confusion marking his face making the girls hold their laughter in.
"I asked her to wait for some time so we can prepare but she's asking if the papers are ready then there is no need to stall this' 'Haider said, closing his eyes dramatically bringing a fist up to his forehead while leaning against the wall with his other hand.
"She... she said...?" Zaviyar couldn't form a complete sentence as the three wheezed at his expression.
The man gulped as he realized that he might actually be getting married to the woman who has taken over his thoughts ever since he had kissed her at that wedding.
He jerked his head to the left to hide his face from their view, the memories of that night sent shivers down his spine as he felt the spark of her touch on his lips, the way she molded against him perfectly as if he was made just to be with her.
His lips pulled up into a smile as he blinked not believing a word he was hearing, his smile followed by a laugh that made the trio laugh louder than before watching the man be so surprised at the acceptance of the proposal he presented himself.
"You owe me one" he heard Mihrimah's voice and he nodded his head sincerely.
"I owe you a lot" he said kneeling before her, his hands came up to her shoulders as he stared into her eyes that were full of doubt and hope.
"Promise I won't let you down" he said, making her nod before hugging him.
"Now go bring the documents before she changes her mind." Mihrimah said, making him frown a little.
"You want her to get married in the hospital?" He asked and Nuha's eyes widened.
"No..." she yelled, making the passersby look at her with disapproval in their gaze.
"Sorry" she mouthed and looked at Haider.
"We need a venue, a shoot, a party—" she stopped and narrowed her eyes while chewing at her lips ''not a party" she said thoughtfully as she walked away tapping her finger at her chin.
"We need to go shopping." She announced as she moved towards the doctor's office to ask when her friend would be discharged.
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Haider patted Zaviyar's shoulder with an encouraging smile and walked behind Nuha, his hand landed on her shoulder as he pulled her under his arm to guide her away from the man coming their way from the opposite direction.
"Well go shopping right away and get matching dresses for me and mah... " her blabbing went on and on for as long as they walked around the corridors to reach the doctor's office.
Hiader had a content smile on his face as he felt the warmth of her skin under his palm, her voice was a sweet melody he could never get tired of and her eyes mesmerized him from the spark they held when she talked about something that brought her great joy.
He often wondered what it was that they shared, was the name girlfriend enough for her? No, where did the term girlfriend keep her? She's better than that. He turned his head to his right to see her talking to the doctor, there was something in staring at her that made him not want to look away, there was something that was intriguing about her.
His heart skipped a beat at how beautiful her smile was, how her eyes would grow small at the way her cheeks pulled up into a full blown smile. His own lips pulled into a smile when they walked back to where Zaviyar was supposed to be with Mihrimah, Haider brought his hand forward and Nuha looked at it before putting hers in grasp. Their fingers intertwined as they slowed their pace, taking a wrong turn maybe intentionally so they could relish the silence that they shared, a chuckle escaped their lips as they found themselves in the hospital's garden.
"Any particular reason, we're here?" Nuha asked while turning to look at the man who hadn't even for once let her hand go.
"What?" she asked again when he didn't reply, her head tilted to the left and he copied.
"I like you" he said and Nuha tilted her head to the right, the man before her copied.
"I know, '' she said cheekily, making him smile wider than before. His hands went around her waist as he pulled her close to himself.
"A lot" he whispered and Nuha giggled at the way he nuzzled his nose with hers.
"I know" she whispered back and the man ducked his head in her neck leaving a small kiss behind her ear and Nuha's stomach fluttered, her face felt warm and her cheeks hurt from the way he kept confessing.
"Are you okay?" she asked with a small laugh and Haider pulled back, her laugh grew louder when she witnessed his pout and his messy hair, she couldn't stop herself from kissing his cheek at how adorable he looked in the moment.
"I also want to get married now" he whined and Nuha's smile faltered for a minute but she shook the feeling away.
"Who's gonna marry you right away?" she asked and Haider frowned before throwing his head back, his long hair following the momentum and Nuha sucked in a shaky breath.
"That's the only thing that's keeping me from arranging everything" he said pouting again "and that's why i deserve unlimited hugs' ' he said pulling her in for a hug again and Nuha chuckled hugging him tightly.
"I hope all of this goes well" he whispered and Nuha whispered an ameen for it.
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"I would rather die than let you marry a woman with a child" maa jaan yelled and Zaviyar clenched his jaw, his glare on the floor hardened as he ran a hand through his hair clutching them tightly to remain calm.
"Maa jaa—" Haider started to put out the fire that had been burning between the grandmother and her grandson.
"Chup. yeh teri his karni hai jo mera acha khasa bacha bigar gaya hai, khud tera koi deen imaan nahi hai mere bache ka dimag bhi palat diya hai tune" she yelled making Haider take a step back and hang his head down.
(shut up. It's all because of you that my good son is now also like this, you, yourself don't have any shame and now you're turning my son into your kind too)
"Maa jaan enough" the woman flinched at the uproar and took a step back as the man stood up.
"I love and respect you alot maa jaan but if you say another word against my brother or the woman i like then it's going to be hard to live under the same roof" he spoke with finality in his tone and maa jaan glared at him.
"Tu is ek gair aurat keliye apni maa jaan se badtameezi kare ga" she yelled with tear rolling down her wrinkled cheeks, Zaviyar's heart clenched at the way his beloved grandmother was crying because of him but she sometimes didn't see the line she was crossing and he had let her do that a lot of times before.
(you're going to argue with me over a random girl)
"She's not just a random girl maa jaan, she's going to be my wife and that's final" he said and left while Haider stayed numb in a corner, his own eyes were teary at how much his grandmother despised him. It wasn't his fault that his mother died while giving birth to him or how his father died saving him from an attacker.
He had to admit he had been a bad influence his whole life, he didn't have anyone who would teach him what was right and what was wrong. He only had his friends and he followed the path the crowd took him, that was until Zaviyar was finally allowed to have friends at sixteen.
If Haider had no one and practically lived on the streets then Zaviyar had everything but no one who understood him, he could eat, breath, study and make friends only if maa jaan allowed and he didn't know what the outside world was till his teens when he had his first outburst.
Zaviyar wanted freedom from maa jaans cage and Haider only wanted her to take him under his wing too, he was willing to do anything she would ask but the woman was so blinded by the grief of her daughter that she refused to acknowledge she even had a child.
Haider's cheeks felt wet when he saw how broken the woman seemed, her hiccups rang in the living room and he moved towards her with slow steps.
"Maa jaan" he called kneeling before her and the woman glared at him with venom.
"Get lost, it's all because of you that my life is hell right now" she yelled and the man closed his eyes tightly before placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll talk to Zaviyar, usse aap se aise baat nahi karni chahiye thi" he said, making her look at him thoughtfully, the wheels in her mind turned as she let the tears fall.
(i'll talk to him he shouldn't have talked to you like this)
"Tu chahta hai na me tujhe maaf kardon?" she asked, sobbing loudly.
(you want me to forgive you, right?)
Assalamualaikum guys.
How are you guys? Here's an update after a century and I really hope you like it. I've been trying to get back on my updating game and it would mean alot if you guys would leave your comments to let me know how you like it.
Love,
hafsa