Atifa's pov:

Returning back to the hospital, we first rushed towards ammi's room frantically. I just wanted to meet her. I didn't know what I was going to say or anything, but I just knew that I had to meet her, hug her and comfort her. She had been alone these past few years, not even letting us know what was going on with her and here we were, assuming stuff and blaming her for things which she did. We never even thought that she could have her reasons too, right?

"She's currently gone for her MRI scan." Finding the room empty, we asked a nurse and she replied.

"Okay, thank you." Attempting to give her a small smile, Saad replied before turning to me. "Let's get you to your room then."

"How is Alayna, bhaijaan?" Amira quietly asked him as we made our way back to my room, the pain in my shoulder suddenly returning.

(Brother-in-law?)

"She is fine, alhamdulillah. And she misses you a lot!" Turning his face to look at her, he replied with a bright smile.

"I miss her too. And I want to talk to her." Holding his hand, she replied bashfully.

"I will let you speak to her once we are in your api's room." Nodding his head, he replied while glancing in my direction, making me look away from them. Ah, the number of times I have been caught staring at him! It was so embarrassing!

"Okay."

._._._.

"How are you feeling now?" Sitting down beside ammi, I held her hands before asking her, tears threatening to obscure my view.

Around an hour after we were back in my room, ammi was shifted back to her room and I decided to visit her alone. Even though I wanted Amira to meet ammi too, I didn't like leaving Saad alone time and again, the reason why I let Amira stay with him this time. I also wanted to spend some time alone with her.

She had been so lonely all this while, now that we knew what the matter was, shouldn't we at least try to make the best of what we still had? Even though she had been taking care of us all this while, she definitely wasn't going to ask us anything herself, so I should be thinking about her needs and wants now, shouldn't I? Afterall I'm her daughter, and I should have known what's wrong with her from the start, but no, I didn't even bother to get to know anything! Maybe if I would have known, things would have been a bit different?

"I'm fine." Patting my hand lightly, she replied with a small smile, a tired look already taking over her features.

"But you look so tired…" Looking away, I mumbled in a broken voice while wiping away the few stray tears escaping my eyes. I hated myself for not even trying to figure out what the matter could be!

"Is- Is he actually your husband? The guy who you told me about yesterday..." At her sudden question, my head snapped in her direction as I looked at her wide eyed. She had a faraway look in her eyes as she continued to stare behind me, as if lost in her own world, trying to remember something.

"Are you still having a headache?" Blinking my eyes, I looked away from her and inquired, not wanting to answer or to lie to her. I was scared that she might get triggered again if I mention anything about him.

"I'm fine. Now answer me." Coming out of her trance, she replied while looking at me expectantly.

"We went to our house in the afternoon so I thought of bringing you some-"

"Answer me." Interrupting me, she asked in a sharp voice, the gentle look marring her face in the start long gone by now, making me flinch and daring me to change the topic.

"Y- yes. Y- you got us married three years back when he came to Suva." I mumbled while looking away and squeezing my eyes shut, my hold tightening on her hands, afraid of her reaction. I could feel her getting still under my hands before she removed her hands from my hold.

Looking up at her, I wondered what was going on through her mind. She looked lost, confused, stunned, all at once. "B- but I- I don't remember." She finally uttered, sounding baffled, making me sigh in relief. I was just glad that she didn't give any harsh or extreme reaction like yesterday.

"Y- yeah. I- I realised that…"

"A- and I- I was shooting at him and y- you got shot by me." Looking at me with wide eyes, she ran a hand through her face, looking stressed.

"It's okay ammi, I'm fine, see." Attempting to hold her hands once again, I tried to assure her.

"B- but I- I was shooting y- your husband! Y- you should be angry at me, right? W- why are you-"

"No ammi! Why should I be angry at you? You didn't do anything intentionally." Tightening my hold on her hand, I replied frantically while trying to calm her down.

"W- why didn't you stop me yesterday? Y- you should have told me, y- you should have taken the gun from my hands and thrown it away!" Shaking her head, she muttered, tears streaming down her face too by now. Even her hands had started shaking, startling me. I was getting scared by each moment, afraid that she might get violent or do something.

"I was stunned, I couldn't understand what to do and when I understood, it was too late…" Rubbing circles at the back of her hand, I replied meekly, embarrassed myself.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Atifa." Freeing one of her hands from my hold, she kept it on my head, looking tired once again

"It's okay ammi, I'm fine alhamdulillah. Everyone is fine." Attempting to give her a smile, I replied.

"What- what is his name?" Wiping a finger under her nose, she asked me hesitantly while looking away.

Staring at her for a while, contemplating whether to answer her or not, I finally told her. "Saad Ibrahim."

"W- where has he been all this time? Why haven't I seen him or heard about him before?" Glancing back at me, she stammered while inquiring, making me sigh. I- I didn't feel like answering her anything but it seemed like she had a lot of questions to ask.

"H- he has been out of town since the past few years. He came back just yesterday…"

"A- and I- I just welcomed him with a gun?" Sounding baffled, she muttered as tears stained her face, making it hard for her to breath.

"It's okay ammi, don't think much about it! You will get a headache." Getting panicked, I held her shoulders and tried to pacify her.

"B- but I can't recall anything! H- how can I forget about your marriage? About your husband? Or- remember him or anything about him?!" Holding her head and pulling at her hairs, she continued to ramble on, distress clear on her face.

"You should rest ammi. It's okay, you should rest now." Patting her back, with tears streaming down my face too, this time not because of anything else but because of watching her like this.

"H- how can I? H- how could I?!" Shaking her head, she mumbled while squeezing her eyes shut.

"Ammi…"

"I- Is he here? Ca- can you call him? I want to apologise to him…" Looking at me hopefully, she finally left her hair and held my hands.

"Okay, I- I will call him. But you are going to rest now. He will come to meet you tomorrow. Okay?" Patting her hand and wiping my tears away, I replied, feeling tired.

"He must be angry at me, right? He must be upset with me because I couldn't even remember-"

"Ammi please don't think like that..." Hugging her, I murmured. I was getting scared for her.

._._._.

Closing the door, the nurse wheeled the wheelchair inside before helping me sit on the bed. Looking around, I realised the room was empty, Amira and Saad nowhere to be seen. Getting confused, I wondered where they could have gone at this time.

Giving a grateful smile to the nurse, I leaned back on the bed, my thoughts going haywire once again. The fact that ammi hid her problems from us hurted me. It made me feel like I was of no use because I couldn't even be there for her when she needed me the most.

Yeah, she was pushing us away, but couldn't I have just stuck around and pursued her to tell me what the matter was? I'm her daughter! At least I should have known what was going on with her! Why was she so distant and cold! Why was she pushing us away!

I can't believe I just acted so distant and unbothered about her! We did what she wanted us to do, lost our attachment with her as she wallowed in guilt, hurt and pain herself.

I should have known the moment things started going wrong that something must have been up with her. At least when she moved us away, I should have figured out something! I should have dug around trying to find out the matter instead of just staying quiet and wondering which test was it and how much would I have to suffer now.

Hushed voices and shuffling feet brought me out of my thoughts. Blinking my eyes, I looked up to find Amira giggling uncontrollably while covering her face and Saad holding a gift bag in his hand, trying to suppress his smile and give Amira a stern look but failing miserably. A smile tugged up at my lips while looking at them, I was relieved to find them both looking happy.

"Api!" Noticing me, Amira exclaimed with a wide grin before running up to me, her arms wide open to embrace me in a hug.

"Yes Mira." Mumbling, I hugged her back with my uninjured arm.

"I enjoyed so much! You should have been there with us! Even you would have enjoyed a lot! Bhaijaan's friend is just so funny!" Moving back, she told me with her arms flailing around and her eyes twinkling in excitement.

"Your bhaijaan has a friend? And he is here?" Getting confused, I asked her. As far as I remember, he never mentioned having a friend…

"Excuse me! What do you mean by 'I have a friend?' Of course I have a friend!" Raising a brow, he asked me incredulously, sounding offended.

"Oh I- I just never thought that even you could have a friend…" I mumbled while looking away, embarrassed. Not that he couldn't have a friend, it's just that… I never thought about it. He was an introvert afterall. 

"And why is that so? Do I have thorns on me or what?" Narrowing his gaze on me, he inquired.

"No it's just that..."

"Tell me." Folding his arms, he urged me to go ahead, waiting for my response.

"What did you bring with you?" Looking away from his intense gaze and trying to change the topic, I asked him expectantly.

"Ali bought some chocolates for you since you are his 'one and only favorite bhabi' but since you thought I didn't have any friend, I will just return it back to him." He grumbled with a sullen face while quoting the words 'one and only favorite bhabi' with his fingers in annoyance.

(Sister-in-law')

"We shouldn't return gifts back, especially when they are chocolates. Mira, bring that bag to me." Still not meeting his gaze, I replied before ordering Amira happily.

"Nope, I'm not giving it to her." Before she could reply, he informed me in a firm voice.

"Whyyy?!" Finally looking at him, I pouted, giving him my best soft face before turning to look at Mira when his stern look didn't falter. "Mira please listen to api and bring that bag!"

"Why are you involving her in this when you can ask me for it yourself?" Raising a brow, he asked me curiously while changing his stance slightly.

"Because I know you won't give it to me!"

"And you think I will give it to her? Why?" Tilting his face slightly and sounding amused, he asked me.

"Why won't you give it to her either?" Looking up at him through my lashes, I inquired with a frown.

"Because she is going to give it to you." Shrugging his shoulders and looking away, he replied. The obvious. I was seriously asking him silly questions! I wondered how he was dealing with me because I was definitely getting on his nerves. At least I would have gotten annoyed by someone if they would ask me these obvious questions.

"But she can take them for herself too!" I retorted weakly, knowing he wouldn't believe me. Heck, even I wouldn't have believed myself!

"Nope. She already got her share of chocolates." Smirking, he came to stand beside the bed.

"You did?" Looking away from him and at Amira, I asked her in disbelief while internally scolding myself for not noticing her hands before.

"Yes." Smiling sheepishly, she replied, her orbs glinting in mischief as she waved her favorite chocolates in front of me. "And don't involve me in your drama, let me enjoy myself." Slipping Saad's mobile from his hand with a grin, she got down from the bed before settling herself on the sofa comfortably.

"See, even she got fed up with your drama!" He grinned.

"No one asked you to put up with it! You can leave if you are so irritated." Folding my arms and looking away from him, I muttered in annoyance. I didn't even know why I was getting so annoyed because it was the other way around, but oh well, maybe it was the magic of my period that he had to deal with a moody me.

"Hey, this isn't fair! I was annoyed at you, not the other way around!" Whining, he sat on the bed while facing me, occupying the place where Amira was sitting a while ago.

"Why? Can't I be annoyed at you when you are annoyed at me?" Raising a brow, I questioned.

"No. Because then I would have to convince you to talk to me and you wouldn't convince me for anything!" He mumbled quietly like a kid and a smile threatened to escape my lips at his antics, so I looked away while biting my lips.

"Then why did you annoy me?" Taking a deep breath, I asked him.

"I didn't mean to!" He defended himself quickly, his orbs pleading with me to believe him. And it seemed like even he was unaware of the swirling innocence in his orbs.

"Okay but now I'm annoyed so you have to face the consequences." Shrugging my shoulders, I replied, instantly regretting my actions when a sharp pain shot through my right shoulder, making me wince.

Instantly holding my arm firmly, he glared at me. "This is why I say you are careless!"

"I'm not! I just... forgot..." I mumbled sheepishly while looking away.

"About your wound?" Gently removing his hand from my arm, he asked me incredulously.

"Yeah!"

"Wow, I can't believe you!" Continuing to glare at me, he remarked sarcastically.

"Okay, leave it! I'm annoyed at you!" Glaring back at him, I retorted in annoyance.

"Accha ji. Aur meri annoyance ka kya?" Sighing, he asked me while quirking a brow.

(Oh yeah. And what about my annoyance?)

"I don't know." Folding my arms, I grumbled.

"Okay here, take your chocolates." Sighing once again, he extended the gift bag towards me.

"Ab mujhe nahi chahiye kuch bhi." Eyeing the bag, I replied uncertainly. I didn't really not want it, I was just being dramatic for reasons unknown to me too.

(Now I don't want anything.)

"Pakka? Mai le lu phir?" With mischief glinting in his orbs, he asked me innocently.

(You sure? Should I take it?)

"No. Give them to me! Ye mere liye aayi haina!" Glaring at him, I snatched the bag from his hands instinctively.

(These are for me, right!)

"Tumhi ne to kaha ke tumhe nahi chahiye." Shrugging his shoulders, he replied while folding one of his arms and covering his mouth with his other hand with mirth dancing in his hazel orbs, making it clearly visible that he was enjoying watching me uncertain and riled up.

(You only said that you don't want it.)

"But I didn't give them to you either!" Pulling the bag closer to me, I muttered.

"Accha."

(Really?)

"Yes. And why are you laughing?" Looking inside the bag, I asked him, feeling embarrassed to face him.

"When did I laugh?" From the corner of my eyes, I could see him bringing his hands down, but a smile could still be heard in his voice.

"Right now while covering your face." Taking out the chocolate box, I mumbled.

"How do you know that I was laughing?" He wasn't going to accept it, was he?! Khadoos!

(Rude!)

"I just know. You should answer me!" Narrowing my eyes at the chocolates, I replied back fiercely.

"Accha. By the way, Ali sent his regards to you and he is pretty excited to meet you." Changing the topic smoothly, he told me casually, as if knowing already that my mind would get diverted because of this topic change.

(Okay.)

"Oh. Tell him I'm excited to meet him too." Oh well, who was he kidding?! Of course it would! I was someone whose attention was pretty easy to divert, and people usually took advantage of it. At least those who were close to me and who knew about it did.

"Are you really?" Leaning forward, he asked me curiously.

"Kind of. I mean, I wanna know who put up with you for so long." Taking out a chocolate and finally looking up, I replied.

"Oh. Why? Do you think I'm hard to handle?" Raising a brow, he inquired with disbelief clear in his voice.

"No, it's just that you are too dumb to handle at times." Focusing back on my chocolate, I replied casually, knowing it would trigger him.

"When was I dumb?!" He instantly defended himself, a frown replacing his raised brow.

"Don't act like you aren't!" Glancing at him, I muttered while enjoying my treat.

"But I'm not!" Holding my hand and stopping me from having my chocolate, he replied firmly, as if to let me know that he wasn't kidding. And since I wasn't giving him any attention, it was another trigger for him, about which I was unaware of at that time.

"Accha. So who was clueless about bhabi's pregnancy?" Bringing my hand down and keeping the chocolate aside, I asked him with a narrowed gaze.

(Oh yeah?)
(Sister-in-law's)

"Wo- That-" Stammering, he rubbed the back of his neck while looking away, his cheeks tinting slightly before he exclaimed while looking back at me. "That doesn't count!"

(That-)

"And why is that so?" Folding my arms and leaning back, I inquired while quirking my brow.

"I don't know anything about pregnancy or how a woman's body changes during that time and how a person can know if someone is pregnant or not!" With his frown deeping, he defended himself.

"You are the dumbest and most innocent person I have ever met!" Shaking my head, I told him before picking up my chocolate again.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Cocking his head to the side, he asked me.

"I don't know!" Rolling my eyes, I replied.

"I think you are lucky, don't you think so too?" Finally leaning back after a while, he suggested smugly.

"Allahu Aàlam." Shrugging my left shoulder, I replied while trying to suppress my smile, not meeting my gaze with his.

(God knows.)

"Accha."

(Oh yeah?)

"Yeah." Pushing the chocolate box towards him, I mumbled, craving to have some more.

"I won't be telling him anything though." He announced while eyeing the box, as if contemplating whether to have them or not.

"And why's that so?" Furrowing my brows, I inquired, confused.

"Because- just because I don't want to!" Finally picking up a chocolate, he looked up at me, looking just like a child who was asked to leave his favorite chocolates in the market.

"But why?" Pulling back the box with a pouta, I asked him.

"Who knows if you will even be meeting him or not…" Shrugging his shoulders, he replied without meeting my gaze.

"Accha. So you don't want me to meet him." Picking up another chocolate, I looked at him through my lashes.

(I see.)

"Allahu Aàlam!" Taking a bite, he repeated my words smugly while trying to suppress his smile.

(God knows!)

"I don't know about anything else but you have definitely learned how to annoy me!" Grumbling under my breath, I told him in annoyance. He was starting to get on my nerves now.

"Oh, that's an achievement! I will take that as a compliment! Thank you!" Pretending to bow, he replied with a chuckle.

"Welcome, now turn off the lights and let me sleep!" Taking a bite of my second chocolate, I deliberately mumbled with my mouthful.

"You are sleepy already?" Wiping his fingers in his napkin, he inquired with a frown while glancing at his watch.

"It's a better choice than getting annoyed by you!" Throwing the wrapper at him, - which hit his chest - I mumbled before pulling his napkin from his hands.

"But I'm not annoying you right now!"

"Yes, you are." Throwing the napkin back at him in annoyance, I told him before keeping the box back in the gift bag.

"Okay okay, I won't do it anymore, you can sleep if you want." Shaking his head and raising his hands, he told me before getting up from the bed.

._._._.

• Who wants to see Atifa and Ali's meet up? xD

._._._.