" So Maryam yahi rahegi kuchh dino ke liye, hamare saath. "
Seher teased Dua, who threw her a glare and continued stabbing the register with her pen.
Irham slowly took the pen from her hand and said,
" Tumhari notebook kharaab ho jayegi Dua. Relax. "
" Kaise relax Karu api, aap janti hai meri aur us Maryam ki bilkul nahi banti. "
Dua groaned complaining to her sister- scratch that, sister in law. Her annoyance was very clear as Dua made no effort to hide it.
" Yaar Dua itni tension ki koi baat toh hai nai. Jab tak Maryam api ghar me hai, tum bas Azaan bhaijaan se door raho. Woh bas bhaijaan ke aaspaas bhatakti hai, tum hamare saath raho. Usse ladne ka koi mauka hi mat do. "
Seher told Dua as she munched on her potato chips happily, however instead of getting a 'thank you ' in return, Dua threw an eraser on her cousin.
" Uffo Dua, tum apni padhai pe concentrate karo. Irham hai na Maryam ko sambhalne ke liye. Tum bas saari colleges mein apply karo, apne career aur padhai pe dhyaan do. "
Aamirah said passing her a plate of freshly diced apples. Dua took a spoon and started eating while Seher, Aamirah and Irham resumed watching their drama.
Dua ruled out the college she had already applied to and opened the site of another college. All this while, Seher's words kept roaming in her mind. She knew Maryam was always looking for ways to stick to Azaan. It never bothered her before, because Azaan paid more than enough attention to her, but now everything was different. She could not help but feel jealous as she recalled the way Maryam was batting her lashes at Azaan.
*
" Chale ab jaldi jaldi mere paise nikalei. "
Dua said with a smug face and Faraaz smiled a little before placing 5 notes worth rupes 2000. She grinned and said,
" Kya bhaijaan, aaj tak mai kabhikoi shart haari hun jo aaj harti. Mujhse shart laga kar bekaar hi das hazaar rupay haar gaye. "
Faraaz patted her head and said,
" Koi baat nahi, tumse haarna chalega mujhe. "
She grinned and hugged him while counting the notes in her hands again and again, however she stopped when someone took the notes from her hand and she turned to see a smirking Maryam standing there.
" Kya hua Maryam ? Mere paise kyu liye tumne ? "
Dua had raised her voice a little which disappointed Faraaz, he hated seeing his little Dua fight with anyone.
" Tumhare konse paise Dua, tum kaha koi job karti ho "
Maryam always irritated Dua and she knew this was just the start. Dua crossed her arms on her chest and calmly said,
" Maine aur Faraaz bhai ne kuchh shart lagayi thi, unhone ne haarne par paise diye mujhe. "
" Matlab tumne mange unse, how sad. "
" Bhai se mangne mei kaisi sharam. Maryam do mere paise mujhe. "
Dua was getting angrier by the second, Maryam rolled her eyes and then a smirk came to her face and she said,
" Sai kaha mangne me kaisi sharm, toh muje pakdo. Agar pakad logi toh mai de dungi, agar nahi pakad paayi toh fir sabke saamne mujhse please keh kar mangna. Agar nahi mangogi, toh ye mere hue. "
Faraaz had had enough and said,
" Maryam, do use abhi paise. "
" Nahi bhaijaan, ab toh isse mujhe pakadna hi padega. "
Before they could stop her, she sprinted out of Faraaz's room and rushed out. Dua glared at her before running after her. Maryam turned and stuck her tongue out to tease her which only made Dua even more mad.
Shew chased her around and Maryam ran down the stairs, Dua cursed her in her mind and ran down the stairs behind her, just as Maryam put her leg on the floor, she slipped and fell over Azaan, who, unfortunately, was standing near by.
Dua too came soon and the entire house was filled with silence. Dua clenched her jaw as she took in the sight in front of her. Azaan standing with Maryam on him, she made no effort to move away from him.
Azaan slowly pushed Maryam off his chest and dusted his suit making Maryam frown. He looked at Dua who looked very mad and said,
" Sew where you're going Maryam. "
His eyes never left his wife who looked like she was physically holding herself back from throwing hands at Maryam.
Maryam stood up with a slight smirk and said,
" Azaan tumhe ye apni biwi ko kehna chahiye. "
Dua angrily looked at Maryam and told Azaan,
" Api hi mera envelope leke bhaag rahi thi. "
She rolled her eyes seeing the way Maryam was eyeing her husband and taking the money from Maryam's hand, rushed back upstairs.
The elders just shook their heads at their banter and went back to talking among themselves.
Azaan was about to go follow Dua when he felt a tug on his sleeve and saw Maryam holding him.
" Azaan mujhe ice cream khani hai, chlo na kahi bahar chalte hai. "
" Mai Dua se baat karke aata hun, tum tab tak baaki sab se pooch lo. "
She rolled here eyes and said to herself,
" Mujhe tumhare saath bahar jaana hai, baakiyon ke saath nahi. "
***
" Kya hua hai, mood kyu off hai tumhara ? "
Azaan held Dua's hand as she pushed him a bit and said,
" Mera mood oh sahi hi hai, mujhe ka hoga ? "
Azaan held back a chuckle threatening to escape his mouth as Dua unconsciously pouted her lips.
He followed her as she kept folding and arranging her clothes. He tried to grab her attention but she was avoiding him completely. He grew tired of it and holding her wrist pulled her closer.
She was taken aback and widen her eyes seeing him standing so close to her.
" Kya kar rahe hai aap, Azaan "
" Tumse baat. "
" Toh insaano ki tarah door se baat karien, ye kaise pakada hai mujhe bachcho ki tarah ? "
She was a baffled, blushing mess and Azaan was finding it hard to stop himself from snuggling closer to her.
" Tum toh meri sun nahi rahi thi, ka karta mai ? "
Azaan had his head tilted and Dua found the sight super adorable. She pushed him and created some distance between them, saying,
" Kya kehna hai aapko, kahiye ? "
He sighed and said,
" Mujhe pata hai tumhari nahi banti Mary se- "
Dua scrunched her nose and glared at him,
" Kya Mary, bachhi hai wo koi ? Maryam hi kahe usse, ya toh kuchh na kahe, "
He let out a smile and continued,
" Ha ha theek hai, Maryam se, par is tarah ladne ki kya zaroorat hai ? Woh bhi sabke saamne. "
Dua hung her head down and sadly thought to herself,
Us chudail ki bhi parwah hai inhe, par apni biwi ki nahi
Azaan made her face him and said,
" Woh toh chaar jagah jaake tumhari hi burai karegi na, hmm ? Mai nahi chahta ki koi tumhare baare me kuchh bura bole. "
Dua felt her face heating up and a thousand butterflies fluttered in her tummy as she heard him talk to her so gently.