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*

Jasmina

"Dil nahin kar raha, ghar waapis jaane ka." Fawad leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched me get ready.

*"I don't feel like going home."

I was wearing a navy blue long skirt with white floral printed patterns, and a white blouse with long lace sleeves. Currently, I was applying mascara as we chatted. "Fikar na karein. Aapki biwi hoon, aapke saath hi ja rahi hoon."

*"Don't worry. I'm your wife. I'm going with you."

He walked over to me and stood behind me, placing his hands on my hips. "I'll be right back, okay? I need to see off a surgeon from Karachi. Make sure you've packed everything." 

I nodded and he kissed the side of my head before heading out of the room.

As I dropped my phone charger into my bag, I felt it again... that feeling of nausea rising up from my belly. 

You know, it was funny, but Hafsa and I used to giggle in our late teens, whenever someone got pregnant immediately after marriage- yeah, we were immature. 

"They really couldn't wait, huh?" Hafsa used to laugh until she got tears in her eyes.

I also remember the teasing smiles on the faces of our elders whenever they heard about someone's pregnancy shortly after marriage. 

However, now that I was potentially in that position myself, I wasn't amused. In fact, I was terrified. In my opinion, the first year of marriage was meant to be the honeymoon phase, where the couple got to know each other. Involving a baby in the first year, a huge responsibility, was not my ideal scenario. 

It's the will of Allah, Jasmina. If He has willed life, it will happen no matter what, and I have to accept that.

I'd just finished rinsing my mouth with mouthwash after I'd thrown up, when Fawad returned.

"Mina?" 

I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I'm sure that it must be something that I ate. Something didn't suit me...

I closed my eyes as a tear rolled down my cheek. I didn't want to be ungrateful to the blessing of Allah, but I was scared. I'd never wanted my periods as much as I wanted them right now. Okay, Allah, I'll accept your decision, of course. But please give me the strength to handle it. I'm terrified. 

"Mina?" Fawad knocked lightly on the door. "The car is here to take us to the airport."

"C-Coming!" I called out. Taking a few shallow breaths to calm myself down, I headed to the door and pulled it open. "Let's go." I walked straight past him to get my purse. 

"You okay?" 

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" I laughed lightly, even as I was freaking out inside. I avoided looking at him, because he would sense that something was off, and then I'd end up blurting it out in front of him. I'm not sure if I wanted to discuss this subject right now. I know that avoiding a subject didn't make it go away, but I could temporarily push it away, right? 

"Mina..."

A knock on the door thankfully interrupted him.

"The staff is here to take our luggage." Fawad walked over to open the door, and let the hotel staff member inside to grab our bags.

I glanced out of the window one last time with a longing sigh. Reality had already started to return harshly, and we hadn't even left this place yet.

*

"Mina, are you okay?" Fawad glanced down at me, his hand tightly gripping mine, as we headed through the small airport.

"I'm fine."

"You haven't spoken much the whole way here, and you're refusing any food or drink that I've offered to buy you."

"I just haven't slept well." I used the overly used excuse that everyone used.

"You really think that I'm going to believe that?" He carefully examined my expressions. "I know you well. Talk to me."

Talk to him. That's right. He would know how to calm you down, to reassure you. My inner voice urged. "I don't want to talk about it right now." 

"I'm here. Talk to me when you're ready." He nodded understandingly.

You know how it sometimes feel that talking about something will make it even more real than it already is? I suppose I felt that way. I suppose I felt that if I didn't talk about it, it would remain a part of my imagination, a fantasy in my head. It wasn't practical thinking, I know, but it was how I felt at that point in time.

I slept through the flight, my head on his shoulder, my hand in his. Even without knowing my problem, or without verbally reassuring me, I found unwavering support and comfort in Fawad. I was at a point in my life where he was now my biggest source of comfort, after the zikr of Allah, of course.

*

We have a saying: 'chat mangi, patt veya', meaning that everything was rushed; a quick engagement, and a quick wedding.

Ahad Bhai seemed to be in a rush to get married to Aliya, so my parents organised an engagement ceremony merely three days after Fawad and I got back.

And my mother-in-law, naturally insisted that I dressed up like the new bride that I still, almost technically, was. 

I wore a long coffee-coloured sheer kameez with beautiful pink stitched floral embroidery over the bodice, with a plain coffee-coloured undershirt (shameez). The dupatta was pink, matching the patterns on the kameez. I paired the outfit with rose-gold high-heeled sandals. Both the outfit and the shoes had been part of my bridal buri. The night before, Fatima Aunty had insisted that I had henna done, and the day of the engagement, Fariha took me to a parlour to get my hair done in a fancy braid.

"Nayi dulhan ho, aur upar se Ahad ki akloti behan." Fariha had grinned when I had protested that I was overdressed. 

*"You are a new bride, as well as Ahad's only sister."

Fortunately, the nausea hadn't returned, and I'd been hoping that it had all be due to eating something that hadn't suited my stomach. 

I had been staying at my family home, helping with the preparations, and I had barely seen Fawad since he had been almost constantly at work since we got back.

"I'm judging so hard that I'm embarrassed of myself." Sadia Bhabi muttered to me as we stood by the drinks table, overlooking the last minute arrangements. "I mean, she doesn't have to be a bad person, right? Just because she's related to Laiba."

"Trust me, I understand how you feel." I nodded. "We have to give her the benefit of the doubt for Bhai's sake, though." 

Sadia Bhabi looked gorgeous in a black saree with a golden border. Ma Sha Allah. Her hair was up in a stylish up-do, an she wore only light make-up of natural shades.

"How are you feeling? You're finally getting a dewrani?" I grinned at her, trying to lighten the mood.

*Dewar: Husband's younger brother. Dewrani: His wife.

"I get to be all tough." She laughed.

"Somehow, I can't imagine that. Sorry, Bhabi." I smiled at her.

"Jasmina!" Ammi rushed up to us. She was wearing a navy blue saree with silver sequins, paired with silver sandals. "Tumhare sasural waale aagaye hain. Chalo."

*"Your in-laws are here. Let's go."

I grinned at Sadia Bhabi. "Duty calls. See you around." I walked towards the house with my mother. 

In the foyer, Ali Uncle was chatting with Papa, and Fawad was with Arhaan Bhai; two sets of best friends from two separate generations. 

"Assalam Alaikum!" I greeted them, hugging my mother-in-law, first and foremost.

"Walaikum Assalam!" 

Ali Uncle patted my head, giving me duas.

I then looked at Fawad, my heart skipping a beat. He was dressed in a black suit, complete with a black tie. He glanced at me adoringly, in a way that made me feel like the most beautiful person on this planet. 

Fariha then entered with her sons, and we all greeted her. She hugged me, congratulating us all. 

As our families then walked towards the back garden, where the engagement ceremony was being held, I remained in the foyer with Fawad.

"Aaj to kehna hi pade ga." I laced our fingers together. "Kudi sadqay thauday te."

*"I have to say it today."
"This girl is crazy about you."

He kissed my cheek. "You look beautiful, Mina. Ma Sha Allah."

"Nayi nayi shadi hui hai. Pyara lagna to haq hai mera." I giggled.

*"I'm newly married. It's my right to look pretty."

He kissed my forehead. "'Pyari' is an understatement, meri jaan." 

I slid my arm through his and led him towards the back doors of the house. "Kaam kaisa tha?"

*"How was work?"

"Busy. Thak gaya hoon, yaar." He stifled a yawn.

*"I'm tired."

"Aap ko pata hai, maine khaas aapke matlab ke kebab rakhwaye hain catering mein." I whispered. 

*"You know, I have especially had your favourite kebabs added in the catering menu."

"You're going to spoil me, Mina."

"I'm only returning the favour." 

My mood soured when Laiba arrived with her sister. Of course, she had to be there, being Aliya's only relative and all. I still remembered the stinging of my cheek when she'd slapped me.

No, Mina. Never again. I had subconsciously used Fawad's nickname for me while having this internal monologue. 

Unlike her sister, Aliya had one of those innocent faces; you know, the kind that makes it hard for someone to believe that she could ever do anything wrong. I wished desperately that it was true, for Ahad Bhai's sake. She wore a light blue lehenga for the engagement, with a gorgeous silver border on the dupatta. Her straight hair was open, but pinned back away from her face. She looked beautiful, Ma Sha Allah. I instantly noticed that while Sadia Bhabi and I were relatively short in contrast to our husbands, Aliya had a good height. There wasn't a huge difference between her and Ahad Bhai.

A while later, as the party was in full swing, I frowned as I saw Laiba chatting to Fawad by the pool. "What are they talking about?" 

He looked quite relaxed for someone who was talking to the She Devil.

Ugh, looks like Bhabi isn't the only one judging hard. I mean, Laiba is going to be a part of our extended family, like Fawad is. It shouldn't matter if they talked... right?

He loved her so much that he almost gave up being a doctor for her. A nagging voice in my head reminded me.

Yeah, but he was between the ages of nineteen and twenty-one back then, barely an adult. He's changed. He has grown up and is more mature, and most importantly, he's married to me. I shook my head at my own silliness.

"What?" Sadia Bhabi looked at me curiously as she was just passing by. She followed my gaze and also shook her head. "Ya Allah! Don't tell me that you're jealous, Jazzy?"

"Why would I be?" I acted nonchalant. "He loves me and I have no reason to be insecure."

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe if you repeat it enough times, you'll finally convince yourself as well, Jazz." She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "Even Arhaan admits that he's never seen Fawad Bhai as crazy about someone as he is with you. Arhaan said, and I quote, 'What Fawad had for Laiba was a crush compared to how he feels about our Jazzy'."

"Bhai said that?" I smiled.

"Yeah, on our Valima." She said. "The way Fawad Bhai kept looking at you."

"I legit have the best family in the world, including you."

"Aww." She gave me a hug. "And I'm glad that you and I don't have that stereotypical Bhabi-Nand relationship. You're pretty cool for a nand." 

*

Fawad

As soon as Arhaan walked away from me to deal with the guests, Laiba made a beeline for me.

"My sister and your brother-in-law." She smiled. "See how fate has somehow ended up connecting us after all."

"Yep, your sister is marrying my wife's brother." I said, turning to walk away.

"I would have married you had you asked now." She called out. "I would have accepted you as a doctor." 

I turned back to look at her. "I don't want to ever discuss our past again. The only reason we'll talk now is out of politeness, because we're basically going to be connected to the Sheikh family now."

"I changed my mind about doctors because..." She continued as if I hadn't spoken. "When my mother got cancer, I saw how hard the doctors fought for her, and I thought that if their partners had told them to give up their careers, and they'd followed through, my mother wouldn't have survived as long as she did."

"I'm sorry to hear about Aunty." I said. "But you should have already known about the efforts that doctors make to try and save lives. Your excuses are silly and pointless, and have no relevance in my life anymore."

"I was young and stupid, Fawad!" Her tone was pleading. "I was thinking that marriage is just about love and romance. The truth is that marriage is about finding the person who would support you and accept you for who you are."

My eyes immediately wandered around the garden until they landed on Jasmina, who was chatting to Sadia Bhabi. I couldn't help smiling. "You're absolutely right. Your partner should support you, accept you as you are, and love you unconditionally." I turned back to Laiba again, my smile vanishing. "It's good that you finally realise that, but go and find that partner somewhere else."

"Do I not have a chance with you at all?" 

I laughed, sarcastically. "You really are delusional, aren't you?" 

"I mean, we were in love once." She shrugged.

"Yes, at an age where I believed that my true love was a girl who expected me to give my dream career for her." I shook my head. "Laiba, I'm not going to say this again. Stay within your limits." I walked off towards where Arhaan now stood, sneaking a slice of cucumber from the salad bar, which had been set up with the buffet service at one end of the garden.

"Caught you." I grinned.

He looked up startled, and then sighed when he saw that it was only me. "Bhai, I'm bloody starved. Why aren't they starting the dinner service?"

"Wow, the host is asking the guest." I laughed. "Typical gadha." 

"You're not a guest, you weirdo. Don't try to get out of doing work by calling yourself a guest."

I laughed again.

"Seriously, though." He looked around. "Ammi told me that she'll give me the go-ahead when it was time for dinner, but she's too busy."

"You remember how when our parents used to hold parties when we were younger, at your house or mine?" I said. "And you and I always used to duck behind the other side of the buffet table and sneak food onto plates from there before the guests, as we were so hungry?" 

His laugh was loud and contagious. "Oh Allah, the amount of time Ammi has ended up yelling at me for that!" He sighed happily. "Remember when your father caught us once and ended up helping us?" 

"Good times." I chuckled.

"The best."

We both exchanged a mischievous look.

"I think we're both too tall to hide behind the table now." He pointed out.

"I'm still willing to sneak away food, if you are."

We both laughed again, and the smell of the delicious food under the round silver dish covers made us hungrier.

"What are you two plotting?" Sadia Bhabi's voice made us both turn, and we saw our wives walking towards us.

"We were just thinking about the good old days." Arhaan replied.

"You mean, when you two used to sneak food behind the table?" Jasmina raised an eyebrow as I placed a hand on the small of her back.

"You're no better. You ate it in the kitchen before it was even brought out!" Her brother shot back.

"That's because I was very young!" She said, defensively. "It was literally my bedtime when the party properly started, and Ammi and Aunty always got me to eat first and away from everyone else."

"So... how exactly do you know that we sneaked food behind the table?" I asked my wife.

Her cheeks turned pink.

"I'm guessing that someone didn't exactly obey the bedtime rule, right?" Arhaan laughed.

"I was curious!" Mina narrowed her eyes at him. "You, Ahad Bhai, Fari and Fawad always got to attend, but I didn't! It irritated me. By the time I was old enough to attend, they stopped doing parties outdoors and only did indoor dinners with just our families!" 

"Arhaan." Afreen Aunty approached. "We're ready for dinner, beta." 

My best friend and I grinned at each other. No sneaking food this time.

As I helped Arhaan out with managing the dinner service, I saw Laiba talking privately with her sister. She looked annoyed, while Aliya was frowning.

Do not even think of causing trouble, Laiba. I mean it.

*

Sadia

I couldn't help watch warily as Laiba spoke privately to her sister, making the younger girl frown. 

"Do not plot against my family." I muttered under my breath.

I had met Arhaan through Ahad. We were classmates, and he had invited our group over to his house for a study session. I got there with our other classmate Mahreen, and my sister Noreen. My sister had been sent by my parents when they'd realised that I had to go to a male classmates' house to study, and Noreen ended up being my chaperone. 

I remembered that when I first saw the Sheikh family mansion, I'd briefly wondered if they were pretentious people. I mean, our family lived in Gulberg in a fairly large house as well, but the Sheikh family mansion was something else. Arhaan, as he opened the door, had immediately stopped all questions regarding the family. Wearing jeans, a navy-blue polo shirt, and scruffy trainers, he had seemed friendly and down-to-earth as he greeted us. I'd immediately thought that he was very handsome, even if I'd never expressed that though out loud to anyone. I was personally very insecure, as I was chubbier than my sisters, wore glasses and was short, but Arhaan, and later the Sheikh family, never made me feel about me. 

I already adored the Sheikh family, which was why I was feeling so overprotective of them now. Ma Sha Allah, they were wonderful, close and got along well, and there wasn't any sort of family politics. 

"If you plot against them..." I continued glaring at Laiba.

"Who are you talking to?" Arhaan appeared by my side as I stood by the buffet table, making sure that everyone had plenty to eat.

"You want my opinion?" I tilted my head back to look up at him, and continued on without waiting for his reply. "I think that Ahad marrying Laiba's sister is a terrible idea."

He sighed. "Sadi, he loves her and this is his decision. He would have done this with or without or support, so my parents thought it was better if we stood by him." He looked at Ahad, who was chatting to Zafar Bhai. "Think about it; if Aliya does have bad intentions, not supporting Ahad would mean that we're giving her a chance to brainwash him against us."

"So, it's better to bring her into the family?" It made no sense to me. 

"I don't want to lose my brother, Sadia. And we have no way to know if Aliya is like her sister. She might be the complete opposite. But at least this way, we're nearby in case she does turn out to be like her."

Arhaan's Ammi, who I now called Ammi as well, wandered up to us, looking like she was stressing about something.

"Ammi, what's going on?" Arhaan gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Have you seen Jasmina?" She asked. "She went to get the engagement ring ten minutes ago, and she's still not back yet."

"Is Fawad missing as well?" My husband grinned. His theory flopped when he saw his best friend chatting to my father-in-law, close to where the engagement itself would take place.

"I'll go have a look, Ammi." I reassured her.

"Yes, please, beta."

I walked into the house and headed upstairs to the study. There was a safe there to keep confidential and important documents, and Ammi had left the ring in the safe. My nand wasn't in the study, and I wondered where she was as I tapped in the code on the safe. Surely, Ammi would have told her where the ring was kept.

The ring wasn't in the safe though.

I frowned. "Where is it?" Maybe Jasmina has already taken it with her. Exiting the study, I called out to my sister-in-law. "Jazz, you up here?" 

I could feel the faint pounding of the music coming from the garden downstairs, and the occasional laughter and chatter as the voices drifted in from an open window by the stairs. Otherwise, the hallway upstairs was deadly silently.

"Jazz?" I walked towards her room. Lightly knocking on the door, I opened it and stepped inside. "Jazz?" The bathroom door was open and the light was on. I heard soft gasping noises and I rushed towards it. "Jazz?!" 

She stood in front of the sink, head bowed and breathing hard. 

"Jazz, what's wrong?" I rushed towards her, placing my hand on her back.

She shook her head. "Nothing." She straightened up.

"Jazz..."

She looked at me, her face pale.

"You don't look well." I placed my hands on her shoulders. My eyes widened. "You're bleeding." 

There was a thin trickle of blood pouring from her forehead, slowly moving down the side of her face. "I... I felt so dizzy, I tripped. I'm fine, Bhabi." She groaned. "I feel so sick." The next thing I knew, she was rushing towards the toilet and throwing up. 

"Jazzy..." I walked over and moved her hair back. "Have you... have you taken a test?" 

"I don't need to." She flushed and headed back to the sink, vigorously brushing her teeth.

"Jazz..." I watched as she used the mouthwash to rinse her mouth.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror before bursting into tears.

"Oh, Jazz." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, caressing the side of her head with my other hand. "I know it's scary, but you need to remain calm, okay?"

"Scary? I'm terrified! How am I supposed to do this?!" She was sobbing hard.

I knew how she felt. I was experiencing the same, and I'd only found out this morning. I hadn't even been able to tell Arhaan yet because he had been busy with the engagement preparations. I knew how Jasmina felt, because I felt the same fear. "Jazz, stop thinking about that for now and let me clean up your wound." I led her inside to the room and sat her down on the bed, before returning to the bathroom to get the first aid kit from the bathroom. 

"Jazzy is like a kid to me." Arhaan had told me in my very early days of marriage. In that regards, I felt protective towards my husband's little sister too.

I cleaned up the wound and put a plaster over it. "Be careful now, okay?" I then headed into the bathroom again to put the kit away and wash my hands.

"Bhabi..." She whispered. "The test... I don't know anything... I..."

"Don't worry. I'll help you, okay?" I ran a hand over her head.

"Sadia!" Arhaan's voice came from out in the hallway.

"Please handle this, Bhabi." Jasmina looked at me, panicked.

"Don't worry." I nodded and headed out of the room, closing the door behind me. "Arhaan, what's wrong?" 

"What's wrong?" He repeated, looking amused. "You went to look for Jazzy, and you also disappeared."

"Jazz and I started talking, making wedding plans..." I laughed, lightly. 

"Where is she?" 

"She's coming. She's just gone to the bathroom." I began to gently shove him towards the stairs. "Let's go downstairs. If all the family members come up here, who would host the guests?" 

*

Jasmina

In my childhood room, I found solace. 

It reminded me of the times when responsibilities evaded me the way a vampire evades a sun. All problems, all issues, everything was sorted out for me before they even reached me. I was carefree, and careless to an extent, I suppose. 

I turned the lights off and sat in the darkness for a while, on the floor on the other side of the bed. I wanted to cry, and I wanted to be sick, and I wanted to be alone. 

Stretching my legs out, I placed my hand over my stomach, closing my eyes. If this is your will, I'm trying to accept it, Allah. But I'm terrified.

"Mina?" Fawad's voice was followed by a knock on the door of my room. "You in there?" 

Tell him, Mina. Share your burden with him. "Come in, Fawad."

He opened the door and stepped inside.

"Don't turn on the light!" I called out.

"What's going on?" He sounded concerned, closing the door behind him. Using the light of his phone, he found his way to me and sat down beside me, also stretching his legs out on the floor. "Why are you sitting in the dark on the floor?"

"Why haven't you been sitting in the dark on the floor? You're missing out." I joked weakly.

He raised the light to my face, making me squint my eyes. "What happened on your forehead?" Of-frickin'-course he noticed.

"I tripped."

"Right... Mina, I was patient, and I gave you time and space, but I need you to tell me what's going on. Something's bothering you, and clearly it's impacting you a lot, so I need to know what it is."

I reached for his hand in the darkness, and held onto it. "Please turn the phone light off." 

He did as I asked.

"Fawad."

"Hmmm?"

"I haven't been feeling well." I admitted. "I think... I think I might be pregnant." The darkness made me comfortable enough to confess.

However, his silence scared me. It was more terrifying than the idea of being pregnant itself. I couldn't help it. I burst into tears.

"Mina!" He sounded alarmed as he pulled his hand free and wrapped his arm around me instead. 

"I'm so, so sorry! Are you mad? Did this ruin your plans?" I sobbed.

"Mina, what's wrong with you? Of course I'm not mad!" He laughed lightly, pulling me onto his lap. "The love of my life is potential expecting our baby. How can I be mad about that?" 

"Our plans... you wanted to be a cardio-something surgeon. We wanted some time together as a couple before we planned a family..."

"But they plan, and Allah plans, and Allah is the best of planners." He recited from the Surah of the Quran. "He plans better than any of us, meri jaan. And if it's meant to happen now, so be it."

I rested my forehead against his, but the maang tikka came in between, so I moved it aside so that it hung on the side of my head. "Are you happy?" 

He placed his hand at the back of my neck, pressing his lips against mine. He kissed me deeply, passionately and in a way that expressed his delight at the prospect of being a father. "Hamara bacha, yaar. Itni pyari khushi hai yeh, Ma Sha Allah. Mere liye tumhare se badh kar kuch bhi nahin hai, to socho ke hamara bacha mere liye kitna keemti hoga."

*"Our baby. It's such a lovely happiness, Ma Sha Allah. Nothing is more important to me than you, so imagine how valuable our baby will be to me."

I was both laughing and crying now, relieved at his happiness. "I'm terrified at the thought of being pregnant, Fawad." 

"I know... you are the one who has to go through it, so it's natural for you to be scared. But I'm going to be with you throughout, In Sha Allah. Okay?" He placed his hands on my cheeks. "You have no idea how happy I am just at the idea of being a Papa. Now we need to quickly find out whether it's happening or not."

I shyly nuzzled my face against his neck now. 

"One request. I need to be told in a unique Mina-style." He requested.

"You don't want to find out together?"

"No, I want my wife to tell me. If you are pregnant with my baby, there should be no room for shyness." He sounded amused. "Why didn't you tell me this before, Mina? Is this why you've been quiet since the resort?" 

I sighed, sitting back down on the floor. "Yes. I had that silly thinking that if I talked about it, it would be real." I laughed at myself. "Stupid, right?" 

"It's not stupid. It's understandable, actually. But Mina, we're partners. Next time, don't bottle things up. Talk to me straight away, okay?" 

"I will, I promise." 

In the darkness we shared a deep, sweet kiss. My terror was fading away, and now I felt special butterflies in my belly. With Fawad by my side, I'll be fine. In Sha Allah.

*

When my husband and I reached downstairs, it was clear that something was wrong.

"Jasmina!" My mother rushed over to me. "Where's the ring?" 

"I... I don't know, Ammi. I never managed to get it." I shook my head.

To my shock, Ahad Bhai also strode over. "Stop these silly games, Jazzy. Give me the ring."

"I don't have it!" I said.

The look of anger and suspicion that my brother directed at me broke my heart.

"This was intentional, wasn't it?" Ahad Bhai asked. "You don't want this."

"Ahad." Fawad spoke from between gritted teeth. 

"I'm sure it must be here somewhere. We'll all look, okay?" Ammi tried to keep the peace between me and Ahad Bhai.

Everyone was watching, including outsiders.

"What she wants, she gets." Ahad pointed at me. "And she doesn't want this. Where the f**k is the ring, Jasmina?" He stepped towards me.

"Ahad, that's enough!" Fawad stepped between him and me. "Do not talk to her like that. Do not make such accusations against her."

"Ahad." My father also came forward. "Come inside. We'll all talk inside." 

Ahad Bhai stepped forward again, and before we realised what was happening, he snatched my clutch from my hands. 

"Ahad Bhai!" 

He'd barely opened it when Fawad snatched it bag from him. "That's enough, Ahad!" He glanced at me. "We're leaving, Mina. I'm not staying where you're insulted like this." He handed me my clutch bag. "Ammi, Papa, let's go."

"Fawad, beta..." My Ammi tried to convince him.

I was staring at Ahad Bhai in disbelief, a tear running down my cheek.

"Ahad, you've lost your mind." Arhaan Bhai was fuming. "How dare you?" 

"Mina, let's go." Gently, Fawad put his arm around my shoulders and steered me towards his car.

*

"Hadd hai! Aise koi baat karta hai behan se!" Fatima Aunty shook her head as we entered the Ali family home.

*"It's the limit! Who speaks to their sister like that?" 

"Fatima, leave it. It's their family matter, they'll resolve it." Uncle spoke as calmly as ever.

"Family matter? Ali, they involved our daughter-in-law."

Fariha looked at me worriedly as I slowly made my way upstairs. 

The boys had been extremely stubborn tonight, so Fawad had gone to buy them ice cream. 

I felt shaken. My brother... Ahad Bhai...

"Bhabi..." Fariha called out after me.

My eyes were blurry with tears and I didn't stop until I was inside our room. Closing the door behind me, I leaned back against it and slid down to the floor, sobbing.

My own brother had badly broken my heart. I'd thought that our sibling bond had been strong, but clearly I'd been wrong. Suddenly, Ahad Bhai seemed to be full of hatred for me. 

What is going on with him?

*

The story has been majorly changed here as well.

Not everything will happen the same as before, not every character will remain negative/positive. 

Is Ahad being influenced by Laiba and her sister?

Is Jasmina pregnant?

Favourite part?

Thoughts and comments? 

Thank you for reading and don't forget to vote!