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I have decided to sometimes randomly dedicate chapters to random readers.

This one is for AmnaaIsmail! Thank you for your sweet comments.

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Zafar

The sound of a gunshot sent chills through my spine, especially since it was followed by the distressed cry of my father.

"Baba Jaan!" I yelled, grabbing my phone for the light, and running out of my room and towards the stairs that led to the roof.

"Zafar!" I heard Fariha cry out behind me.

"Stay inside, Fariha! Go into the boys' roomwith Zaid and lock up!" I yelled over my shoulder as I continued running up the stairs. "Baba Jaan!" My heart was beating uncontrollably fast. The image of Baba Jaan hurt, shot, was making me feel sick, but I kept going. "Baba Jaan, are you okay?" I shone my torch towards him and saw him struggling to get up from where he had fallen onto the floor.

"I'm okay, beta. The gunshot startled me a little." He groaned as I gently helped him up. "I just got up to see what happened with the lights." 

"Why do you worry about these things when I'm here?" I led him into his small room, and helped him down onto his single bed. "Stay in here while I go find out what this gunshot was about." 

"Zafar, call your colleagues. Stay inside and safe, my boy." Baba Jaan told me. 

"I'm a policeman, Baba Jaan." I told him. "If I can't defend my own family and property, how am I supposed to protect the city? You don't worry, okay?" I closed his room door, shining the torch around to ensure that nobody was up here and that there was no potential threat towards my father. 

I glanced out across the street and saw that the SUV was back. I immediately called my colleagues and went downstairs. 

"Zafar, what's going on?" I heard Ammi Jaan's scared voice.

"Don't worry. I'm taking care of this." I told her. "Everyone, stay inside the rooms, okay?" I went into my own bedroom and grabbed my work revolver. I had no intention of using it in a residential area, because innocent people were going to be at risk, but these kinds of people were willing to hurt others in order to achieve their goals- which seemed to be threatening/hurting my family. 

"Come out, officer!" I heard a shout from the street. "Stop hiding like a woman!" 

The sound of laughter was heard from the other side of the gate. My guess was that these were youths- the same guy who I had fined, along with his friends.

"It will be in your best interest if you leave from here, quietly." I said, from behind the gate. If I had been alone, I would have marched right out there. But my whole family was home, and there was no way that I would act recklessly enough to risk their lives. 

"Man up, officer!" This voice was familiar, and it was definitely the nasal voice of the rich kid that I'd fined.

"I don't need to prove my masculinity in front of a bunch of brats who hide behind Daddy's money to display their fake power." I paused. "This is my final warning to you. If you don't back down now, even your father's money won't protect you."

"And this is my warning to you." His voice sounded so close, like he was standing pressed up against the gate. "Come out and face me like the tough man that you pretend to be, otherwise I will cause so much chaos that your next generations will shiver just thinking about it. I mean, if anyone survives, that is." 

Don't let him provoke you into doing something stupid. Just wait until your colleagues get here. One wrong move and your entire family is in danger. I kept reminding myself.

There was something suspicious about this. This couldn't be just about fines. Rich brats didn't think twice about paying these measly fines. This was much bigger than a fine, but I had no idea what else I had done that these brats were after me like a frickin' gang.

"Why are you doing all this over a stupid fine?" I asked. "It makes no sense." 

"I'm surprised you don't know." His voice was bitter. "Someone filmed me beating you up, and the video went viral. My father's reputation was at stake because of that. He suffered severe losses in his company, and all because you had to stop me for a f***ing fine." 

"You could have just paid the fine and none of this would have happened." I pointed out. 

His father could bribe off my seniors, or speak to ministers to end this case, but he cannot put a stop to the social media reaction, because people on social media reacted to these kinds of situations, and dragged it out until someone was fully exposed. I have no doubt that this kid and his family must have suffered a great deal of embarrassment because of it. But I still stuck to the same opinion: if he had not sped in the first place, or if he had just paid the fine, this wouldn't have happened. 

Two wrongs don't make a right, and to cover up your wrong behaviour with something wrong (like bribery, or using higher connections to free/spare yourself from facing punishment), would never result in something right. That's what I believed anyway.

"I will make you pay for this, officer." He loudly banged on the gate, making me jump back a little.

But I stood my ground. I was going to stay here until my colleagues got here, and I was not going to let these brats inside my property.

Fortunately, my colleagues did not take long to arrive, and the moment I heard the police sirens, and then the sound of a police vehicle pulling up, I almost sighed in relief. As I said, I would have faced these pr**ks if it weren't for my family. 

I opened the gate, just in time to see my colleagues arrest the brats.

"Take them all in and teach them a lesson." Shehmeer, my friend and colleague ordered. "These wealthy a****les need to know that they are not above the law." 

"You..." The fined kid glared at me.

"You already look bad on social media. Don't make things worse for yourself." I walked up to him.  "These days, it's getting just a little bit more and more difficult each day to use Daddy's money and power to get whatever the hell you want. Why don't you man up and learn to face the consequences of your actions, instead of running to your father crying each time you have an issue."

We glared at each other for a few moments, before my colleagues led the group away.

I later found out that the neighbours had acted as witnesses to their behaviour, and there were even already recorded videos of this, which was uploaded on social media.

Everything had a positive and a negative, and it was possible that social media saved my family's life, because possibly due to the fear of backlash, the boys were not bailed out, and were facing a court hearing for assault on an on-duty police officer, and threatening and intimidating the same police officer and his family, while he was off duty.

Evil doesn't have an eternal life, and good deeds and intentions always help you in difficulties. We all just need to always remember this fact.

****

Ahad

"Why didn't you call me?" I spoke on the phone to Zafar. "I would have come and taught those f***ers a lesson of a lifetime." 

"And then spent the night in jail, potentially destroying your career." He replied, with a laugh. "It's cool. It's all sorted and my whole family is safe, Alhumdulillah." 

"Alhumdulillah." I sat back on my seat in my clinic. "Bro, I have to go. My break's almost up and I need to see another patient soon." 

After ending the call with Zafar, I called the receptionist to send in the next patient.

"Sir, the next appointment is in ten minutes, but someone urgently wants to see you, so if  you're not busy, can I send them in?"

"Sure, go on." I sighed, hanging up. 

There was a light knock on the door moments later, and I said, "Come in."

The door opened and Jazzy walked in, with little Hania walking beside her.

"Arey, meri Hani Jaani!" I immediately stood up, holding out my arms as she raced towards me. She had grown seriously attached to me and Zoya in a very short time, as we often spent time with her. 

"Assalam Alaikum, Bhai." Jazzy said, as I picked my niece up and kissed her cheek, which smelled of chocolate. I chuckled.

"Walaikum Assalam." I said. "Looks like someone has been eating something sweet." 

"Fatima Ammi has been spoiling her because we're leaving tonight." Jazzy sighed. "And I thought, I would come and surprise you at the clinic." 

"Great thought." I looked at my Hani Jaani. "It's always such a pleasure to see my little Jaani."

"Adu." She ran her hand up and down my cheek. Jazzy had told me that the kid loved rubbing her hand across stubble-covered cheeks, and always did it with her father, giggling. Even know she was laughing as the stubble tickled her little hands. 

"Why should Dado be the only one who spoils you?" I reached down and pulled open my drawer, where I had kept a bag of chocolates for Zoya. Although she had grown up eating popular chocolate brands like Dairy Milk, Mars, Snickers and Maltesers, she loved local Pakistani chocolate like Jubilee, and always requested me to get some for her. I may be a doctor, but I couldn't say no to her, no matter how unhealthy her request. 

I'm sure that my wife wouldn't mind if I gave Hania some. 

"Bhai, I beg you, please don't." Jazzy said, wearily, as she sat down on the chair opposite my desk. 

"Mamu ka bhi to haq hota hai na apne bhanjay, bhanjiyon ko spoil karna." I smiled as I handed Hania a bar of chocolate.

*"A Mamu also has the right to spoil his nephews and nieces." 

Hania smiled brightly, seeing the chocolate, and held it towards her mother to get her to open it for her.

"No." Jazzy shook her head. "Keep it for later. No more chocolate, Hania." 

Hania turned to me, holding up the chocolate, her eyes wide. She looked so adorable that I melted like a freaking snowman when the sun comes out brightly. 

"Aww, come on, Jazzy. A small bite." I looked at my little sister, pleadingly. 

"Fawad Ammi ko bhi keh rahe the ke kyun itni chocolate khilai hai. Ab woh mujhse naraaz ho jayein ge." She shook her head. "Aur sahi baat hai na. Itni chocolate nahin sahi Hania ke liye."

*"Fawad was asking Ammi why she fed Hania so much chocolate. And now he'll get upset with me."
"And it's right as well. Too much chocolate is not right for Hania."

"Fawad Bhai? Upset with you?" I laughed. "I doubt it. But, please, Jazzy. One bite. Look how she's looking at me. Bilkul apni Maa pe gayi hai yeh bachi."

*"This little girl has gone after her mother."

"Oh, hush! Ammi always told me off for eating too much junk as well."

"And then you would run to Papa and complain and you'd get what you want." I said. 

"I guess that makes sense." Jazzy nodded. "Fawad acts strict, but the minute she looks at him the way she was looking at you right now, he melts and gives her what she wants. 

"Hani Jaani has everyone wrapped around her tiny pinkie finger." I opened the chocolate bar and sat down, holding Hania in my lap. Breaking off a small piece of chocolate, I fed her, while giving the remaining bar to my sister to keep. "I can't believe that you guys are leaving already. It feels like you hardly spent any time with our family, Jazzy." 

She turned away, but I saw the tears glistening in her eyes. I know that she was hurting a lot, and that if things had been different, she would have spent at least half the trip at our house. After all, what girl wouldn't want to spend time at her parents' house after visiting from abroad after months? But things weren't different, and our elder Bhabi had made life difficult for all of us, and not just Jasmina.

"I wanted to give you a heads up." I cleared my throat. "Ammi and Papa are planning on asking you to extend your stay. They wanted to spend some time with you as well."

An unintentional sob seemed to escape her mouth.

"Jasmina, why are you forgetting that our parents are still alive, and that you don't need to hesitate to come to their place? And Arhaan Bhai's there, Zoya and I live there. Why are you letting one person ruin things for yourself, upsetting everyone in the process?" 

"I'm not doing this because of my ego, Bhai!" She glanced at me, a tear running down her cheek. "I would have brushed off her harsh words against myself, but I don't want to hear another word against Hania. With her father not in the country, God knows what else Bhabi would do." 

"Can Fawad Bhai not stay as well?" 

"His work is the reason we're going back." She said, sadly. "Otherwise, I would have loved to stay."

"Then stay. I guarantee you that Zoya and I will shield Hania like she's our own kid." I tried to convince her. "We'll take care of both Hania and you. Just trust us." 

"Bhai, of course I trust you both." She said. "Look, Fawad is not a controlling husband at all, but he certainly has the authority to put his foot down in matters regarding Hania. Technically, regarding me as well. And..."

"He won't agree?" I guessed.

"You saw how Hania was treated, Bhai, and he saw it too." She glanced down at her hands. "No father would allow circumstances that may lead to an incident like that again. No parent would, actually." 

I began to answer, but then I looked at Hania. Even though I had fed her, somehow she had gotten some chocolate onto her fingers and was now staring at it like it was the most fascinating thing in the universe to look at. "Oh dear, Hani Jaani. What did you do?" 

I grabbed some wipes off my table. As a doctor, I always kept wipes close, as well as hand sanitiser, for hygiene reasons. Actually, everyone should do that, but as a medical professional, I tended to take extra precautions. Using the wipes, I cleaned Hania's little fingers, and I suddenly began to miss this precious little girl already. Goodbyes are so damn hard.

But, even though I wasn't a parent, I understood Jazzy and Fawad Bhai's point of view. No parent would tolerate mistreatment against their child, and Sadia Bhabi had shown her cruel side by the way she had repeatedly yelled at a baby Hania. "Well, decide how you want to say no to Ammi and Papa then." 

Jazzy looked like she was in a dilemma, as she continued staring at her hands in her lap. 

Over the almost three years of their marriage, Fawad Bhai had earned her love and respect to the point that she didn't want to do anything that even slightly bothered him. I respected that. A good marriage was about both parties respecting and listening to each other, and getting the same treatment in return. 

"We're going to miss you, Jazzy. We miss the good old sibling days." I smiled, sadly. 

"Is that Ahad Sheikh admitting that?" She teased, a small smile appearing on her face.

"It's only when you're away from someone for long that you realise their value." I said. "Especially considering the fact that the distances had been caused by someone in the family." 

"For now, I think it's best if we just pray for Arhaan Bhai's happiness." She said. "Out of the three of us, he deserves good things the most. You and I both have majorly messed up, but he never has. He deserves much better." 

"May Allah reward him for his patience. Ameen."

"Ameen." 

And then my next patient turned up, so Jazzy and Hania said goodbye and left. 

And I couldn't help wishing that somehow Jazzy changes her mind about staying. If she really wanted to stay, Fawad Bhai wouldn't be able to say no to her. That's how much he loved her.

I really wanted to have some good old Sheikh family time once again, without all the family drama and politics.

****

"You okay?" Zoya asked me as I got home that evening. 

After my routine shower, I was quietly sitting on the bed, thinking about things. "I spoke to Jazzy, gave her an idea about what our parents wanted." 

She sat down beside me. "And what did she say?" 

I shook my head. "I don't think she'll listen."

"Because Fawad Bhai isn't comfortable with it?" She guessed. "I don't blame him. I would take the same decision if someone mistreats our future child." 

"I don't know why some people can't stand to see others happy." I muttered. "What the hell is Sadia Bhabi's problem?" I looked at her. "I want Jazzy to stay. I want us all to be a family again for a short while, before we all get busy with our lives again." 

"Well, they're downstairs." Zoya whispered. "I think Ammi and Papa are going to talk to them about it." She put a hand on mine. "But no matter what happens, don't hold any resentment towards them. When people become parents, they have to put their kids first."

I nodded. "I know." 

She leaned up and kissed my cheek, before gently turning my face towards herself and kissing me on the mouth. Our kiss, which was usually filled with passion and heat, was calm and romantic this time. 

Mine and Zoya's relationship was like fire and water. Sometimes it was so hot, burning hot almost. And sometimes our romance provided coolness to our souls, like water on a very hot day. We were a mix of love and lust. I absolutely loved us, and I absolutely and completely loved her. 

"Let's go." I grabbed her hand and we headed downstairs.

****

"Just extend your stay for a bit, Jasmina." Ammi said, tearfully to my sister. "Please. We wanted to spend some time with you here." She turned to my brother-in-law. "Fawad, beta, I know that you are unhappy about..."

He shook his head. "No, Aunty. Please don't cry and plead in front of us like this. I already told Jasmina that she and Hania can stay if they want to, and I have no problem with that as long as neither of them are mistreated." 

"Then stay, Jazzy!" Arhaan Bhai spoke up. "We'll take care of you and Hania." 

Jasmina looked at our parents. "Ammi, Papa, I love you both, and I hate to hurt you, but you both will be coming for Iman's birth in just over three months anyway, In Sha Allah. It's not that far." 

I frowned. It wasn't about Fawad Bhai, as I was starting to figure out. He looked perfectly calm and understanding as he said that he had no problem with them staying. I don't think Jazzy herself felt comfortable staying here alone with Hania. And then my gaze went over to Sadia Bhabi, who was trying to feed Ismael a slice of apple, but from her frown it was obvious what she was thinking. And I saw Jazzy notice that as well.

It was terrible. I hated it so much. My sister felt unwelcome at her parents' house. And if she was constantly feeling upset or comfortable, especially during her pregnancy, how was she supposed to have a nice and relaxing time with us?

"Zo and I will visit you guys next month." I announced, randomly. "Whether you both like it or not."

Jazzy brightened, hearing that. 

Whenever the Sheikh family visits London, we stay at their home. Fawad Bhai refused to hear otherwise. Never, ever, not once, were we ever made to feel unwelcome there. There was no awkwardness, just a pure chilled out atmosphere, which is why we all came back refreshed and happy.

"Well, then, I insist that you all come." Fawad Bhai smiled. "It'll be our pleasure to have you all over." 

"And Zoya Bhabi, you can help me set up Iman's nursery." Jazzy grabbed my wife's hand, happily. "You have amazing taste." 

"I would love that!" Zo grinned.

And so, with tearful hugs (Ammi and Jazzy),  and emotional goodbyes, Jazzy left with her husband and daughter.

Goodbyes are hard, but the hope of meeting up again soon has made things easier for everyone.

****

I know this chapter was a bit boring, but I wasn't sure if I could work on it tomorrow, so I wanted to release something.

Is Zafar's problem over, or has it just increased?

Sometimes, when I'm writing about Ahad, I can't even believe it's the same Ahad Sheikh from 'For Our Love'. He has changed drastically.

You will get romance, I promise, but I had a longer day today, and I have an early start tomorrow, so I was tired as I wrote this, so accept this dull chapter.

Do you think Jasmina should have stayed or was she right to leave for Hania's sake?

How cool would it be for everyone to reunite in London? You'll see how welcoming Jasmina is, in contrast to Sadia.

Thoughts and comments?

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