"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all."
-Mulan
With a tilt of her neck she looked at the two people waving at her and the one behind them standing with face as emotionless as ever, she raised her own hand as a small smile curved her own lips and waved at both the pair of mother and daughter who were still standing as their car reversed out of the Kirmani mansion and the large gates were closed. Once Mohuiddin Shah got the car back on the road he looked up in the mirror and passed a smile to the piece of his heart he was finally taking back home. Farhana Shah on the other hand was calling the maids to set Daniyah's room again and the cook to prepare the meal for welcoming their daughter, next on her list was Davar, she couldn't imagine how ecstatic he would be to know his sister is back in town.
"How was Lahore, beta?" Mohuiddin Shah started as Farhana Shah finally ended all the calls, his eyes were on the road as the calmness among them shifted and slight tension took its place.
Pushing her falling hair, Daniyah contemplated on the words she has to say without giving space to any misconception or any sort of doubt. Looking in the rear view mirror she smiled, "Umm... it's different from here and it was good Alhamdulillah, though obviously anywhere without family is hard but we have a cook there who is also wife of the caretaker so she was a great help and was very sweet." She looked away as bibi's familiar face came in her mind, the smile on her face turned into nostalgic one and she made a note to call her soon.
"So my daughter was settling—"
"Mohuiddin kuch batay ghur kay liyai chordain?" (Mohuiddin can we leave some discussions for home?) Her mother smiled with her lips pressed and her voice firm as she placed her hand on Mohuiddin Shah's tensed forearm. Without seeing her father's face she knew his expressions, his inner lips being bitten by him trying to control his rising anger, his fingers which would be in a tight fist around steering and his eyes on the road, not even closing for a blink.
Daniyah placed a hand on his shoulder opposite to her mother rubbing it softly, she was used to calm her father whenever he and her mother would have an argument and she felt her father relaxing.
"Now mama and baba you tell me how was the trip?" Daniyah forced a smile after letting few seconds passed. And turning to her with a wide smile her mother started telling her about the story of their trip, from their first destination to New Zealand to going to States where her sister was.
The conversation seized when their car turned towards the lane where her maiden home was, the memory of last time she was in the same place with glass like hopes which shattered in seconds played in front of her eyes and she closed them to stop the tears from skipping.
What if her parents were told of her arrival?
Did the servants kept their promise?
Would it feel home again?
The anxiety she was trying to dust off and bury under the weight of her smile was surfacing and she took a deep breath and focused on the goods which lie ahead. The long iron gates were opened as the guards on the both the side saluted, the BMW she was sitting in halted at the long concrete porch and she saw from the tinted windows all the same army of servants standing with their hands tied and a welcoming smile of their face, their head slightly bowed showing off their respect. The door was opened by one of the men and Daniyah stepped out.
"Oh bibi! Welcome home," a warm smile curved her pink lips as an old and similar face appeared and took her petite hands in their warm but rough ones. Squeezing them lightly Komal bibi met her eyes and Daniyah bit her lips as she she looked in the eyes which were coal black but the gray of her age was lingering in them, but it was the wetness on her bottom lashes that made her heart quiver.
"How are you Komal bibi?" her voice was weak as she took a step forward and wrapped her arms around the woman. After Komal bibi, Daniyah met all the others and then made her way inside the house.
Between her parents she entered the elongated foyer as she felt the lump in her throat forming, she was home, she was home with the people her heart was yearning for, her small steps were welcomed by the warmth the house has been holding for her since the past two decades. Her pastel pink dupatta tracing her steps as its corner danced on the floor. Her eyes wandered like they are here for the first time, as she took in every wall, every corner of the house.
Once settled in the living room, the father and daughter were side by side, and as he asked she answered every question, some which were true others which were dusted with the lies she was bound to remember.
"Was she happy?" was the first.
"Yes," with a smile she learned to fake, was the answer.
"Was she being treated right?"
"They all love me."
"Does he treat you right?"
"Does he?" the mind questioned. "He does!" the tongue said.
***
"Upo tuto (phupo utho)," (Aunt wake up) the soft palm hit her cheeks repeatedly as her eyelids softly flutter, she felt fingers running through her hair as she opened her eyes completely and the toothy grin which greeted her melted her heart. Turning on her back she looked up to the only pair of eyes in their entire family who were like their grandmother's the same color her niece took after, the one which held unconditional amount of love for her. A grin on the angular face and the raised eyebrows.
"Bhai," she whispered as she pushed herself up and lunged towards him, her fists tightly clutching his cotton shirt as her face buried in his chest, his strong arms around her frame as he kissed the crown of her head.
"Oyai oyai! Kia hogya?" (Hey hey! What happened) the heart of a brother drops a beat as his sister start soaking his chest and Davar in those centuries like seconds felt his heart stopping. "Niya, look at me," soothing yet firm, calm yet worried was his voice and Daniyah gained her control.
His palms settled around her face as he moved it to scan her expressions and before his eyes he saw the bitten lips turning into a smile, a weak smile but a smile nevertheless. He traced his thumbs across her cheeks to wipe the tears, as he gave a small smile himself, one which knows that there is pain and it needs to be healed. Taking her by her shoulder he brought her near and Daniyah rested her head on his chest, the two of them bit back their smile as they saw little Inayah looking at them curiously before crawling her way to her father. Davar quickly took her in his arms and the baby hid her face in the crook of her father's neck.
"She reminds me of you a lot," Daniyah heard his whisper and craned up her neck to look at Davar who was smiling at Inayah kissing her nose. "You know she doesn't let anyone even Nisha come closer to me, she acts totally like you, I remember when you were her age damn! It was used to be a war to get dad's attention and no one ever won but you and then here's the day, when days he tried to get to you but you were too far,"
Daniyah looked at the clean shaved man, a person she grew up with, one who was known to make jokes and play tricks, one who would keep the burning crackers on his hand for the fun of it, one who ran away at the age of ten to scare their mother, who drove car on the busy road when he was twelve. She remembered when she went to meet her sister-in-law in the hospital when Inayah was born, Davar was busy teasing her till the poor girl cried and then ate the pudding of her lunch, 'You are a father Davar act like one!' his mother hissed and the reply which came made the others laughed but no one needed to know how he worked to get his wife to forgive him. He wasn't ready to grow up but the brother talking in front of her was different.
This time when he turned to look at her, there was not a single tear in his eyes because they all were gathered at his throat making it hard for him to swallow, "Niya you mean more to dad than what Ini means to me, don't say everything is fine and all is good when we all clearly know then it isn't. Look Niya, I wouldn't have been saying all of this but in past months I have kept myself a thousand times where dad is and Ini at your place, I don't know what is happening but by the comparision—"
"Bhai, I wish with all my heart that Ini never becomes another Daniyah," she looked at her little niece and traced her hand softly on her legs.
"What did he do?"
"Whatever he did is past us, he was confused and there were reasons—" Davar, for Daniyah was one of the few people she couldn't hide anything from no matter how hard she was used to try and today she found herself letting her guards down.
"What reasons that he didn't even let you talk to us?" she sensed the annoyance in Davar's voice, putting an argument in front of brother is hard but putting an argument in front of a brother who is lawyer is the hardest.
"Bhai I know everything wasn't what we thought of it to be but now it's changing and I want to stay and see how it turns."
Davar shook his head and pushed himself to see Daniyah's face, "Look Dani, it's now crystal clear that whatever happened wasn't small and it's courageous of you to forget it and move forward but believe me it's utter stupidity to let the wrong keep happening, this is not you Daniyah! We weren't there but it didn't mean we didn't want to be, believe me we tried to get to you—"
"I know bhai! I don't doubt it for a second," Daniyah took his hand and gave an assured smile.
"Then what is it? Look I am not saying get away from him or any other stuff like that nor I am mom who believes in shit like—"
"Ba!" a sudden protest from Inayah made them look at her and understanding dawn on Davar's face.
"Okay! Sorry no swearing," Davar quickly pulled his ear on Inayah's interjection and Daniyah smiled at the pure bundle of innocence in front of her. "Dani, if it's mom and her words for the love of God don't keep feeding yourself that, Dua and you are daughters of Shah family and no matter how old the two of you are or how many years it had been to your marriage the doors of this house will always be opened."
Daniyah read the face of her brother, his pleading eyes, his assurance which buried all the words their mother ever said and then images of Emaad came in her mind and a promise she has made, and more than everything the small existence which was nurturing inside of her.
"Bhai, you don't worry and I know my family is always behind me, you and baba will protect me no matter what but I know that things are changing and I don't want to ruin anything by taking wrong steps and..." her voice lingered on how to tell her brother about her pregnancy.
"Daniyah you are okay right?" She looked from Davar to Inayah and gave a nod.
"Bhai, Inayah will have a baby cousin soon and I don't want to ruin everything for the child." She whispered and waited for her brother to respond.
The silence which followed escalated her heart beat; mustering up her strength she raised her eyes at Davar whose face was devoid of any emotion. It took minutes before she saw how he forced a smile and patting her cheeks he tenderly kissed her forehead. Through her closed eyes the tears finally cascaded down as Davar left the room with Inayah in his arms.
Her slender hand crossed against her stomach as she bit back the sob.
It's important for you to be happy and positive all the time, when a woman carries a child, it nurtures with whatever a mother has to offer both physically and mentally. It's not all about what you eat but what goes in your mind. Aisay he thori khuda nai jannat maa k qadmo talay di hay, ub tumhara sub kuch yai bacha hay tum iskay liyai khush raho (God doesn't have placed jannah under the feet of a mother without a reason, from now your everything is the baby, be happy for it.) The words her mother-in-law said the next morning when the news was announced, the morning when the two sat and talked through hints, like every other morning that day too Talat Kirmani provided her a support, and the words which she said was a promise Daniyah made to herself, she can't break it.
The soft knock on her door brought her back to the reality and she prepared herself to face everything with square shoulders. It was not only about her now, her every decision would have impact on her child, and she had made a decision, a decision she thought was right.
Face freshly washed and deprived of any make up, in her old loose shirt with jeans Daniyah walked down after twenty minutes, carefully stepping down the stairs she made her way to the dining area adjoined to the open living room. Her straight hair up in a pony bouncing at the nape of her neck and with a smile she met her family again. Her over-sized full length shirt was ending quite below her waist and her jeans were a bit fitted than they were.
"Now it seems like Daniyah is back home!" Nisha was the first one to speak and others turned to look at her, her smile widened as she shook her head on her sister-in-law's remark.
"Why did you took off your dress, it was so beautiful." Her mother asked with a knowing smile but before she could answer her father was the one to reply, "My daughter should feel like that she is really home." The simply said sentence held emotions which made her own heart heavy; Daniyah craned her neck to meet Davar's eyes, who was busy pretending to be attending his daughter.
"Chalo, Niya come on! All of your favorites are here today!" And Nisha was right, as Daniyah dragged a chair next to her father, her eyes wander from the array of dishes on the table to her mother who was looking at her with a tender smile. A dish of grilled chicken alfredo pasta with the additional cheese on top was near to her plate, she loved steaks so another dish had grilled chicken steaks which were to be served with mushroom sauce and sautéed vegetables, then there were dishes filled with Pakistani cuisine, mutton karahi, butter chicken, and homemade naan, shami kebabs and cheese ball bites to be served as a starter.
"I really hope you have some cheese cravings going on because mama had really selected half the dishes which had cheese in them even the sweet dish," Daniyah let out a soft chuckle which made the dimple in her cheeks appear and the family sat to devour the food.
Small conversations were made throughout the dinner as everyone ignored the announcement of her pregnancy which Davar had already made and the rest were anxious to know about it from Daniyah herself. As soon as the leftover food and other dishes were taken away, Mohuiddin Shah gained Daniyah's attention by placing his hands on top of her and silence took over the place.
"Did they force—"
"Moh—" he raised his hands without looking at Farhana Shah as coldness covered his face for fraction of second, her heart stopped for a second as she saw her father ignoring her mother like he had never done before.
Her eyes wander from her father's to her mother's pained expression and she brought a soft smile on her lips, extending her hands to meet her mother's, a sign to tell her father to never act like that ever again.
"Baba all that matters to me right now is the baby and the support I need from you all. I know you have questions, a thousands of them, I don't know whether I'll be able to answer them or not but I need you to understand my decisions. Baba we had you while growing up, all those I know had a father figure and let's for a second consider a fact that I tell you I wasn't happy which would be a lie!" she started stoning her heart as confidently as she could, "Then what would you do? Baba leaving him is not an option for me, I want to give my child a proper home and a complete life which I had and doubting and being vigorous about our actions wouldn't let my child have a family which it deserves. And who doesn't make compromises, yes there had been some bitter moments in past months," the memories of some bitter moments played in front of her eyes and she felt shivers in her spine, "I want to be past that, I want to wait for the change, I know things will be better—"
"I feel like in past five months my daughter had aged five decades, obviously Daniyah I'll respect all the decisions you will make and I will stand by you no matter what but I will tell you one thing beta, one thing you should always remember. There is a thin line between faults and habits, people say sorry after doing both, but the difference is in the way they say and do it, and chances are given to those who are at fault not to those who have a habit. Whatever you do don't become guilty of giving chances to the wrong person because then the mistake will be entirely yours."
"I would like to believe that I am giving chances to the right person then."
"And right now I am a father and I pray that you are right!" with a surrendering smile Mohuiddin Shah left the table.
***
His frustration was growing as he kept listening the phone going back to the recording for the countless times, the curtains were still drawn and has been drawn since past one week, it was her job to maintain the room and Emaad cared less about these things. Still in his pajama t-shirts and trousers with his hair a mess because of the thousand times he had run his fingers across them, he was continuously dialing the same number from past one hour, or since he woke up but there was no respond.
Agitated he threw the phone back on the bed and brought his fingers to his temple massaging them. His eyes were closed as he kept all the negative thoughts at bay, her similar eyes kept coming in front of him, he wanted to see her, he needed to see her.
Emaad was aware that he had a lot of making up to do, Mishaal wouldn't make it easy for him for being disappear for almost a month. Their calls started to get shorter and from daily to once after three days, and the main topics were, when he was returning and how was Zaviyar?
Emaad understood that the problem was from his side and after their last conversation three days ago where Mishaal broke down, Emaad planned to leave for Lahore as soon as he could, but things weren't turning the way he thought, Faisal Kirmani left soon after Daniyah left with her parents, he was in Dubai and the troubles in their company was growing as the clashes between the families were increasing.
Letting out a tired sigh because of the lack of sleep, Emaad picked up the phone to call one last time and after facing failure again he called his assistant to book next flight for him, with the short call being done he went to get ready for the office and get the work done for the while he would be missing.
***
With towel wrapped around him as he entered the changing room he stood there cursing himself for thinking that his dress for the day would be hanged there, a week had passed since she had gone and every single day he would first curse himself after entering the changing room and not directly going to the walk-in closet. His plan of going an hour late to work extended to two hours and despite all his plans he was already running late.
Choosing the first ironed shirt and pants he could he rushed to the bedroom, the blue and white cotton checkered shirt fitted his body perfectly, covering his broad shoulders and well toned muscles and was paired with grey trouser pants. Glancing at the wooden wall clock he rushed towards the large dressing table and sprayed his perfume carefully around his neck, the musky fragrance over-powered the smell of his deodorants.
"Bhai—"
"Janaan get me cuff-links from the closet quick!" he said before listening to Janaan as he turned towards his bed to collect the files he was working on last night, "My brown shoes too!" he yelled as he hurried towards the other side of the bed.
"Bhai you really need to grow up!" A smile formed on his lips as he heard Janaan's annoyed yell as she entered the room again, with his shoes, socks he forgot to wear and the cuff-links. Getting on the couch he quickly took the socks and shoes and then turned to Janaan who had her hand extended with square shaped cuff-links made with the combination of three different woods.
"Nice pick," he smiled as he cuffed his sleeves.
"I am known for my fashion sense," the smirk appeared on her lips making Emaad laugh as he picked his phone and other belongings, "And I was here to tell you before you rudely ordered me around that tomorrow you are taking Daniyah and me to dinner." His steps halted for fractions of seconds as the smile disappeared and taking a deep breath he turned to face Janaan.
"Kul possible nahi hoga," (It won't be possible tomorrow.) he tucked his hands inside his pocket as he continued, "before you complain I assure you that I'll take the two of you to dinner as soon as I return from Lahore—"
"Lahore?" Janaan frowned looking at Emaad with quizzical eyes.
"With sudden disappearance of dad," Janaan rolled her eyes and looked away on the bitter mention of their father, "things have not been good in the office, I have to go there and handle some crisi—"
"Bhai everything is okay, na?" her voice dropped down an octave as her heart pleaded for everything to be fine.
"Nothing that I can't control," he assured with a smile as his mind defied his statement, he took a step forward cupping her oval shaped face, "you my little sister should worry about your wedding there are hardly two months left, I will deposit some more money in your account and if you need anything else you know my number and get your bhabi in these tasks as well! Now I have to go and yeah don't kill me as I'll probably be leaving tonight or max by tomorrow morning!" he bit the inside of his cheeks as he delivered the news.
"Bhai!" Janaan groaned as her shoulders dropped.
"But I'll be back sooner than you know!" he smiled and kissing the top of her head wrapped his arms around her petite frame.
***
"Sir, I have already called the Lahore office and Mr. Irfan will give you the reports about the Faisalabad factory, and I also sent one of the men to your apartment but there was no response," This made Emaad looked at his assistant as he locked his phone again.
"Did you call Jalal?" His stern voice made his assistant shiver on his place, who was a boy few years younger than him, with straight nose supporting rectangular glasses and his clothes loose on his skinny frame, supporting numerous file and an ipad he was sitting with Emaad in the back seat of his car which was crossing the roads leading to Jinnah Airport.
"Sir I got in contact with his assistant, Mr. Ansari is busy with his bankruptcy case, apparently the hearings—"
"I am not interested in the crap Ismael, what I wanted to know is, did you deliver my message to him or not?" His voice didn't raise but the tone which turned icier was enough to freeze the blood running in Ismael's body.
"Sir, I called his assistant thrice and asked him to get Mr. Ansari to you as soon as possible."
"Well, I think your soon isn't working," he turned to the driver and removed his shades and just a look in his eyes made the driver stop the car, "You can submit your resignation letter latest by tomorrow morning," his tone a bit polite which and a smile on his face but the words were enough to shake the soil Ismael's world was based on.
"Sir—"
"Mr. Siddiqui you are wasting my time, please," he pointed towards the car door with the slight movement of his hand. Baffled, terrified and confused Ismael quietly left the car and as he closed the door the car bolted forward, leaving him rooted to his place, till the tears of humiliation blurred his eyes.
Emaad straightened in his seat as he unlocked his phone ignoring the tense posture of his driver and dialed the number he had memorized after Mishaal's.
"So you finally decided to call yourself!" the familiar mischievous tone met his ears and he rolled his eyes.
"Why the hell you didn't respond to my assistant?"
"You haven't fired him yet?" Jalal on the opposite side suppressed his emitting smirk knowing the answer very well.
"Just dropped him on half the way." he shook his head while pinching the tip of his nose.
"Damn! You are seriously like your father, Kirmani," Jalal laughed and Emaad's jaw hardened.
"Now, I have to get him a job somewhere else—"
"Oh come on! He was killing your vibe and I already told you need someone more your type. I did you a favor buddy—"
"Jalal tell me about the task at hand." On the terse voice of Emaad, Jalal's laughter seized.
"The flat is empty, I was in Islamabad from last few days and have returned today morning, she has probably gone somewhere during —"
"She has a friend; she had gone there for couple of days stay before as well."
"Well I'll check that up and I have already handled your office work so you can go home as soon as you get back to Lahore."
"Hmm. And what about the property transfer?"
"You'll get the papers tomorrow first thing in the morning."
"Sahi and by the way for your current case you might want to be in contact with barrister Shamsi, he might help you." With that said he ended the call, pushing the phone back in his pocket he got out of his car which halted at the airport while he was saying his last words to Jalal, his security got his luggage out and with an army of men he rushed towards the CIP lounge and in matter of another fifteen minutes he was in air. Once settled Emaad finally closed his eyes for another two hours.
His body relaxed on the thought of being with his family, he was sure once being there he will handle everything. He always handles everything.
----
A.O.A!
How are you guys?
The respond I got about Emaad were pretty interesting and every single perspective was quite fun to read especially the ones who were team Emaad! You guys never fail to amaze me so thank you for your support!
I have updated half part of the chapter as I was getting tired of making you guys wait! I hope you like it. Vote and Comment! And let me know about your thought ❤
Special dedication to sabagul28 for the amazing banner above! I absolutely loved it 😍
Till the next time,
TC,
Zehra :)