Three days since I had seen my wife. We had gone longer than this without seeing each but it was much different this time as she was upset with me and I was miserable without her. Constantly, my mind and heart weren't at peace thinking of how everything could be avoided if I had just come to my senses quicker.

As always, I tried to work to distract my mind from thinking about her absence but I couldn't even work with the battle being fought in my mind hence I decided to stay home, drowning in self misery.

Yet, through all the dark clouds shone a ray of sunshine. She would come back, at any cost. She would be with me soon again and we would live happily, with our child. No distance between us couldn't change the fact that she was my wife and the mother of my unborn child.

I could faintly hear my phone ringing in my room from the bathroom where I had been washing my face. Using a towel to wipe my face, I walked out to get my phone before it stopped ringing.

"Asalam Alaikum." I had no idea who was on the other side as I forgot to check the ID in my rush.

"Walaikum Asalam, Ahad. Come over to our house right this minute. Allah hafiz." She cut the call as soon as her message was through, leaving me to ponder on what had to be done so urgently.

Concluding I looked presentable enough in a white graphic tee with blue jeans, I grabbed the keys and drove off to my parents' house, constantly playing out different scenarios that would occur, judging from the serious tone my mother used to talk to me. There was no motherly warmth or love in her voice for me.

When I entered the house, everyone's face was expressionless and they all had gathered like I was the only person who was been awaited. Zoha sat next to our mother as her head stayed in her hands. Dad and Sameer bhai sat on a sofa beside them. Ibrahim wasn't around.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, sitting down next to the men.

"You tell me Ahad. Is everything fine? Your wife has returned back to her parents' house after something you did that involved your phupho's daughter. You both had an affair years ago and yet none of your families know so tell me if everything is fine?!" Her voice rose with each word as she got off the couch and stood in front of me. She looked really angry but refused to meet my eyes like she couldn't even look at me right now. "Yeh sikhaya tha humne aapko? Ke aap apni girlfriends ke saath ghoomo phiron apni family ko inform kye beghair? Chalo wo bhi theek hai, lekin ab wo wapas aake aap ki shaadi kyun kharab kar rahi hain?"

*Is this what we taught you? That you go around keeping girlfriends without informing your family? That's fine too, but why has she come back to ruin your marriage?

"Mama, let me explain please." Her words and the disappointment in her eyes that were quickly welling up with tears made my heart ache as guilt took over me. I had hurt my beloved mother, deeply. I took both her hands in mine to make her at least look at me but she quickly shook of my hold.

"Tell me everything, from the very beginning." And so I did. I told my mother everything there was to know about my relationship with Yashma and how it had abruptly ended because of her selfish reasons. I hoped that she would calm down listening to my story and as I told her that I had full intention of marrying her until she left me to marry someone else so she could live in London. I saw her emotions change, from anger to sympathy for what had been done to me but she would never accept my actions, rightfully so.

"Mama, I knew about Ahad bhai and Yashma too. I had seen them once but I hid it from you. It's not fair for him to get scolded only." I looked at my sister with soft eyes as she tried to divert mama's attention and anger towards herself, trying to save me. "No, it was my mistake only. You kept it a secret only because we had told you to do so."

"Bas bohat mayoos kya hai aapne mujhe. Bohat behtar tareeke se bhi ho sakta tha sab kuch. Ab bas dua karein ke Nawal bhi apna dil bara karke aap ko maaf karde. Uske liye asaan nahi hoga aapko kisi aur ke saath dekhna." She shook her head at me and I hugged her tight. There weren't many incidents where she was this angry with me as I was her first born child, thus her ladla.

*You have disappointed me a lot. There were much better ways to do everything that has been done. Now just pray that Nawal forgives you. It wouldn't have been easy for her to see you with someone else.

*ladla: beloved

"I promise I won't do such a thing again, ever." Mama patted my back as I kept hugging her, refusing to let go. Only then it occurred to me that no one from my family, except Rumaisa, knew that Nawal was pregnant.

"Aapki bahu ko wapas to aana hi parega, aap dadi jo ban ne wali hain." I softly leaned down and whispered into my mother's ear causing her to look up at me in shock.

*Your daughter-in-law will have to come back, after all you're going to be a grandmother.

"Really?" She seemed to be just as disbelieving as I was when I first got to know. I only nodded at her.

She cupped my cheeks in her hand, bringing my head down to her level to place a kiss on my forehead, making me close my eyes and smile. "Masha Allah, Alhamdulillah." I broke the news to everyone else as well and they all got up to congratulate me, making me miss my wife more. She deserved all the congratulations much more than I did as she was the only who had to go through the struggle of being a mother while I just had to hold her hand and ease her through the journey with my support.

"Once she's back, you must bring her here to me, understood?" Mama pointedly ordered and I vigorously nodded. She left the room as I sat back down to talk around with my family, yet there was a void of my Nawal. She was my family and I missed her deeply. I could only hope she forgave me quick and returned back home, to me.

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(A.N): Please vote and comment, thank you <3