Faizaan is pacing anxiously in the living room. Feroz is asking him to be patient and relax. His father is sitting on the sofa, though he is tensed he doesn't show it on his face.

Amreen's agonizing screams is making Faizaan's heart race a marathon, his palms sweating. He took out a handkerchief and wiped sweat beads off his forehead.

This morning Amreen had gone into labor. Faizaan had wanted to take Amreen to hospital but due to lack of female doctors Fiza insisted that like many before her, Amreen will have kid at home.

Faizaan wasn't even allowed inside while Amreen gave birth to their child, only ladies are allowed in.

After pacing for what seemed like eternity for Faizaan he heard baby's cries. A wave of relive passed inside him, a hesitant smile on his lips. Feroz hugged him and patted his back, his father also relaxed.

The wet nurse come out, Faizaan panicked looking at blood in her hands.

'Don't worry Amreen is fine...but....'The wet nurse said.

'But?' Faizaan's heart stopped for a second.

'Your child, your daughter.... she is very weak...there are chances that....'

'My daughter will be fine.' Faizaan interrupted the wet nurse. He is positive nothing bad will happen. He rushed into the room while Feroz took the wet nurse to have her hands washed.

Inside few maids are cleaning up everything, Fiza stood beside Amreen. And Amreen lay on the bed. She is sweaty and exhausted yet there is a glow on her face and a wide smile on her lips as she looked at her new-born baby that lay beside her. The baby is skinny and pink. Fiza looked disappointed.

Amreen smiled meekly at Faizaan, who has his eyes-wide and tears in his eyes, happy tears.

'My baby!' Faizaan said sitting beside the mother-daughter, 'She looks just like you, Amreen. Haina, Ammi?' Faizaan looked excitedly at his mother.

'Haan Beta. But it's a girl (Fiza rolled her eyes, Amreen's smile faded) first born should always be a boy. But she is...What can we do?' Fiza shook her in disappointment.

Faizaan ignored his mother and looked at his daughter, he leaned forward and kissed the baby girl's forehead, 'Welcome to the world, love.' he smiled at her, the baby girl moved her head little, a small smile on her tiny lips. Amreen smiled as well.

No matter what her mother-in-law said, Amreen felt proud, proud of being a mother, proud of gifting Faizaan a child.

After Fiza had left, Faizaan held Amreen's hand and looked at her. 'Thank you, Amreen.' He kissed her forehead showing his gratitude and Amreen's smile widened.

********************

One month later,

Amreen and Faizaan were left on their own with their daughter, Afrah. Ever since Javeda told Fiza about Amreen carrying a girl they were practically left on their own. Fiza had completely disconnected herself with the baby. Even after the birth, Fiza didn't have change of heart.

Amreen and Faizaan both very young and completely clueless as to how to manage a child, they did whatever they felt was right.

Nevertheless, they were happy. Faizaan would get gifts for his daughter and wife, shower them with love and attention and Amreen would stitch something for the baby girl. But, the girl was very weak. She wouldn't drink even milk properly, Amreen and Faizaan always get confused. Wet nurses checked on her and said everything is fine. Faizaan wanted to take the girl to hospital but his mother would always intervened stating lack of female doctors.

Fiza didn't even allow Amreen's Chachi to come and stay few days to help Amreen look after the kid. Every time Amreen asked her mother-in-law she would rebuke her stating, "Ma ne kuch nahin sikhaya."

Amreen didn't want tension between the mother-son and hence always had lied to Faizaan that Fiza is very helpful.

In reality, Fiza was miffed with Amreen for not getting dowry and also for producing a girl as the first born; she is now taking out her anger on Amreen this way.

Also, the maids aren't supposed to help Amreen with the baby, whenever Amreen asked for the maids, they say what they were taught to say, 'Sorry, Choti Bahu we are busy.'

Amreen wouldn't insist much and do the work herself, like oil-massaging the baby, bathing her, cleaning her diapers.

One night Amreen sat on the bed with her little Afrah in her arms, she has fed her and now is trying to make her sleep but the little baby is being very stubborn.

'Arey baba! Have some mercy on your Ammijan. Sleep please.' She requested the baby with a cute pout. The little girl blinked back, still wide-awake.

Amreen is about to say something when the door opened and Faizaan came in. Amreen smiled widely, he seemed to be happy as well.

'How is my wife and my Bacha?' he said happily placing the briefcase on the table.

'Dekhiye na, your daughter isn't sleeping.' Amreen pouted

'Naughty girl.... Afrah has become naughty.' Faizaan faked anger as he held his baby girl. She blinked back this time with a smile. Faizaan admired her, she looks very much like her mother.

'See, what Abbujan has gotten for you.' Faizaan took out two tiny gold anklets. Amreen gasped.

'Why you got this? It must be costly.' Amreen protested.

'Relax, Begum.' Faizaan teased, he then forwarded Amreen the anklets. She looked at it, they were so tiny in comparison to her palm. Amreen felt her eyes getting moist.

After, Afrah had gone to sleep Amreen began to prepare the bed for sleep. Faizaan came out from washroom after he got ready for a good night sleep.

'Come, I will press your legs.' Amreen said gesturing him to take his seat on the bed.

'After some time, before that see this.' Faizaan said and took out something from his briefcase. Amreen looked on curiously. Her eyes widened when her husband showed her a box containing two beautiful gold bangles.

'Liked it?' Faizaan asked. Amreen nodded. Faizaan then gestured her to forward her hand and she did. Gently he made her wear the bangles, 'Never remove it.' he said.

'I won't. I promise.' Amreen said sincerely.

Faizaan smiled as she looked closely at her bangles, examining them carefully. Her eyes shining with unshed tears, happy tears.

'You needn't have gotten this.' Amreen said.

'Why not?' Faizaan hugged his wife from behind resting his chin on her shoulder, 'How can I get for my baby and not for the mother?' he said and Amreen smiled.

'Thank you.'

Faizaan kissed her cheek and separated their frames, 'I am very tired. Come press my legs.' Faizaan said yawning.

'Ji.' Amreen smiled.

********************

Fiza held Amreen's hand and eyed her bangle greedily, 'From where did you get this?' she asked.

'Inhone diya.' Amreen blushed. Fiza looked at her and then at the bangle, her son got such expensive gift for Amreen but has never got a single thing for her. Fiza felt envious.

'Give it to me.' Fiza said directly. Amreen is shocked. She refused instantly, this is her husband's gift for her and plus she has promised to never take it off. This made Fiza mad with rage and she ordered Amreen to wash piles of clothes.

'But the maids are there for that.' Amreen said innocently.

'Maids aren't useless like you, they have so much work to do.' Fiza rebuked angrily.

Amreen tugged her saree Pallu in her petticoat and picked up the piles of clothes and walked out to the backyard. The washing area is little away from the main house. She also has left a maid to look after Afrah.

'Call me if anything.' She had said and left to wash clothes. Few minutes after Amreen left Fiza had called that maid (purposefully) to do some other chores.

Amreen was clueless.

One hour later,

Amreen was exhausted cleaning and washing everything, she had also hung the clothes for drying. After she came back a worried maid rushed towards her.

'Choti Bahu, Afrah.'

Amreen's heart stopped for a minute when the maid narrated how Afrah had been crying for at least half an hour but no one was allowed to tend to her. The poor baby eventually exhausted herself crying and slept. Amreen rushed to her baby. Afrah still had dried tear marks on her cheek, her face slightly red. Amreen fell on her knees.

'Why didn't you make her stop crying? you could have called me, Ammijan.' Amreen asked her mother-in-law as she sat reading a magazine on the sofa. Fiza looked up from the magazine, and with a straight face she said, 'Why didn't you give me a grandson?'

Amreen chose to remain silent, by arguing with an ignorant she didn't want to insult herself.