"Kuch lafzo ka asar itna gehra hota hai
Ki rishto ko hila deta hai...
Tabhi to mohobbat me bhi har raaz
Kabile izhar nahi hota..."

(Some words have such deep effect
That they shake the relation...
That's why in love also every secret
Isn't worth telling...)

****

"Finally here," Shahid says with a huge smile plastering his face while side hugging his wife. All of Sidhra's discomforts disappear seeing her husband in such a blissful state.

After their exams, Shahid suggested paying a visit to Pakistan for their vacation. At first, Sidhra was reluctant and on top of that, her Mom firmly disagreed. Sidhra tried reasoning with Shahid that she doesn't know their way of living, their lifestyles, etc but Shahid lovingly convinced her.

After hiring a cab they head towards Shahid's farmhouse in Mubarak village. Sidhra first gets confused why he isn't taking her to meet his parents but he assures her that he first wants to spend some alone time with her as they didn't get to spend much time together in the last month because of their exams. He also tells her that it was a suggestion from his dad which he has accepted.

As they approach near their destination Sidhra gets mesmerised at the scenic beauty. To increase her excitement Shahid hires a bullock cart for them, some fifteen minutes before their destination. The man in front of them who's riding the cart and the passer-by looks weirdly at them as Sidhra shouts loudly and hugs Shahid during their ride. It's a totally new experience for her and her excitement and happiness knew no bounds.

After reaching their farmhouse Shahid instructs the housekeeping staff to place their luggage in their room and takes Sidhra to the backside of their farmhouse.

"Let's go to our room and take some rest, Sha. I'm really very tir... No, I think I'm not that tired anymore." Sidhra complains about being tired and taking some rest but as soon as her eyes land on the swing in the garden which is decorated with flowers she runs towards it. Shahid laughs at her childish acts. After some ten minutes, they go inside their room to freshen up.

"You are so sweet. I love you sooooooo much. Thanks a lot love." Sidhra showers his face with her kisses when she hears a gasp.

Both the husband and wife look at the open door where a maid was standing with her lowered head. "Kya hai?" Shahid asks in a raised voice.

"Ji saab wo khana lagae kya bus yahi puchne aayi thi?"
(Sir I only came to ask if I shall serve the food or not?)

"Serve it after ten minutes and next time knock at the door before showing your face," Shahid replies in a calm voice.

After the maid leaves Sidhra asks, "I was kissing my husband why did she react that way?"

"People here aren't that open-minded like us. For them openly expressing love and affection is equal to committing some type of sin. It's not her fault but the way she has been brought up." Shahid replies.

"So this means I'll have to maintain distance with you in this house." Sidhra pouts.

"No my dear. I never said so. If they are having a problem with this then it's their own problem why should we change our life for them." Sidhra hugs him hearing his reply.

***

After dinner...

"Do you really eat this much spicy food?" Sidhra asks this question for the tenth time and Shahid chuckles.

"Sidh I'm born and brought up here in this country and people in this country prefer hot and spicy food rather than continental. Since my childhood, I'm having the habit to eat such food. And next time please don't try to taste it." Shahid explains while caressing her cheeks.

"Not even in my dream. My tongue is still burning. Don't know if she put a gallon of chilli power in that gravy." Sidhra makes a sour face and Shahid chuckles, "that's why my dear I made them prepare least spicy food for you but you still ended up tasting mine."

***

Days went on smoothly. Shahid sometimes took her for fishing and for sightseeing. Sidhra was spellbound seeing the beauty around the hilly mountains. She wished her vacations would never end.

On their visit to the nearby city, Shahid takes her at a mall for some shopping. She didn't felt awkward their as there were a few girls wearing jeans and shirts like her unlike in the village where the women were fully covered all the time. To Shahid's surprise, Sidhra herself selected some cotton Kurtis along with matching leggings and pants, stoles and chiffon dupattas. He tries to reason, "there's no need to change your outfits for others I like you the way you are and others opinion doesn't matter to me."

Her reply makes him speechless, "who said I'm doing this for others. I'm doing it for my husband. Aren't you supposed to motivate me in good things."

Since the time they got married, that is two months ago Shahid explains different hades to Sidhra. How pious husband and wife will enter into Jannah and what all comforts will be bestowed upon them in the afterlife if they obey God's commands, etc. As they say, a good thing if heard frequently starts affecting your life. So is the case with Sidhra. With her own free will slowly she began to offer salah five times a day on time, she began to read the Quran with Shahid but he had to do a lot of correction. Finally, Shahid's hard word is bearing sweet fruits.

He didn't want to make her feel burdened by making her change her lifestyle forcefully so he tries to change her mind in a religious way by bribing her about the afterlife and all. He feels immense happiness even after witnessing a little change in her behaviour.

After doing some more shopping they went towards the ice cream parlour. While Sidhra orders her favourite Mississippi mud, Shahid takes butterscotch.

After roaming around for a while they return home. Next day Sidhra wears one of the kurti which she brought. She feels happy hearing so many compliments from her housekeeping staff and of course her husband.

Two weeks passed away but for these two love birds time was running. She realised the time when her Mom told her. Seeing her daughter in a kurti with a dupatta didn't go well with Minar. No matter how much Sidhra tries to convince her mom but she fails and now Minar is coming to Pakistan to see from her own eyes if what her daughter is saying is true or not unaware of the fact that she has directly and willingly fallen into the trap where her son-in-law wanted her to fall.

Shahid is more than happy hearing about Minar's arrival. Now is the perfect time for a payback.

***

Minar arrived at the farmhouse after a few days. She got glad that her daughter isn't being forced to do anything but she clearly disapproved of her daughter's friendlyness with the maids as she dislikes typical village women but Sidhra disregarded her mom's advice to stay away from them.

Finally the day of their return to Karachi came. It's time to visit Shahid's parents. Sidhra is quite nervous since morning but Shahid is constantly assuring her that his parents will love her like a daughter. He gets surprised seeing Minar in a total Pakistani dress for the first time, even Sidhra gets surprised and express it but Minar only returns a small smile in reply.

After nearly an hour they reach Karachi. Minar is constantly gazing outside as if remembering something in the lane of past. Shahid parks the car outside his haveli as he wants to surprise his parents. He orders the watchman to take the luggage inside but Minar being Minar doesn't allow anyone to touch her bags and herself starts removing them.

Meanwhile Shahid and Sidhra goes inside and fortunately finds his parents in the lawn. Sidhra finds a women who's instructing the servants and a man sitting on a chair but both are having their backs towards them. Holding Sidhra's hand Shahid calls them, "Ammi, Abbu." (Mom, dad).

When both of them turns around the women has a huge smile on her face and her hands automatically goes on her cheeks but the man's condition is just the opposite. He turns pale and suddenly runs in Sidhra's direction. Sidhra gets more confused seeing her FIL running towards the gates leaving them.

Her eyes gets wide when she sees her FIL holding her mom just a few seconds before she could hit the ground. Before everything turns black only two words leaves Minar's lips which is unheard by her daughter, "Malik tum..."

***

Kabhi jo milenge raaste pal mei hi chamkegi hasi purani toh kaho kya kahoge phir hamey, kaise chupaonge nami ye palko ki? Yeh agar jo sach nahi to sach bhala hai kya???

(If ever our path meets within a moment the old laughs will shine so tell me what will you say then, how will you hide the moisture in your eyes? If this isn't the truth then what else is???)

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Assalamalaikum/ Hello my dear readers...🤗🤗🤗

I hope you all like this chapter...

I'm sorry for the late update but there are lots of things going on in my life now...

So all the misunderstandings and secrets will be cleared in the next update...☺☺☺