There was such a long silence that even I felt awkward. So I cleared my throat.

"L... let's go Rahina."

Taha turned to his heels.

"O....kay..." I said confused and stood up reluctantly. Something wasn't right. Those two wouldn't even look at us now. He just kept on walking ahead as I tried to catch up to him.

"Hey Taha....was that Aunty your.... mother?" I asked carefully.

He kept mum and was just walking ahead.

"Taha...."

"JUST SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND GET IN THE FUCKING CAR!" He yelled at me making me flinch.

I got in the car quietly but still ... something didn't feel right. The curious uneasiness.... wanting to do something... won't go away.

"I have to go..." I said and darted back in leaving him yelling my name behind me.

I halted in front of Aunty and Sarah trying to catch my breath.
"Is it true?"

The both snapped thier heads at me surprised.

"Are you Taha's Mother?"

Taha came running behind me and grabbed my elbow.
"Let's go!"

but I shoved his hand.
"No!"

"Sarah....you tell me!"

I noticed the helplessness in the girl's eyes.

"No... he's not my son!" Aunty snapped but I noticed how her voice broke and eyes teared up that she looked away to hide. I turned to Taha to find him equally heartbroken.

"You're lying!" I snapped.

Damn! Why am I interfering in someone else's family business?!

"Who are YOU to question us?" Sarah snapped

"Huh?" I was dumbfounded.

She's right? Who am I to question them? But I need to think of an answer ASAP. What do I say...who am I?

"I'm..."

"Just leave both of you!" Aunty said

"Let's go Rahina!" Taha said sternly but the pain in his eyes won't let me leave at that moment.

"I'm Taha's Wife!" I blurted out.

"My what?!"

Everyone looked at me shocked and even I was shocked with myself.

"Aunty...you can hate your son...but, would you hate me too?"

"Yes. I hate you both. Now get out...go away and leave us alone!" She sobbed

"A...ammi... please... please don't cry. We'll leave... we'll never show our faces....just please don't cry..."
Taha implored to her soo emotionally that....it hurted.

So again I blurted out something... weird.

"Then Aunty....will you hate your .... Grandchild too?"

"G...Grand... Grandchild?!" Taha looked at me horrified.

"I wanted to surprise you Ji. (Honorific for husband or any elder) Surprise!!!" I fake laughed but was about to cry any moment now.

"Grandchild?"

I turned to aunty.

Yes! I finally have her attention.

I went to her.
"Aunty, I don't know what happened but your son is a really nice person. Please don't hate him like that. I know it's hurting both of you. Aunty .... atleast don't hate us." I kept a hand on my stomach.

I got her! She was all teary.

"Your son misses you a lot. He always talks about you and I know you miss him too. How wouldn't you.. he's a part of you. The one you gave birth too. Your own flesh and blood...like hiw this child...will be your own flesh and blood too."
I took her hand keeping it on my stomach.

Tears streamed down her eyes as she looked at her hand...me and then at Taha...who was teary too.

∆∆∆∆
I can't believe we were outside Taha's home. It was an apartment in a tower. Aunty invited us in but Taha just stood outside hesitantly.

"Taha.... what's wrong?" I asked.

"I.... can't." He said in a hoarse voice

"Why not?"

"It's been 12 years." He said dreamily looking inside.

Oh my! 12 years huh? I can't even imagine what he must be thinking.
Wait? 12 years?

Something clicked me!

I took his arm and smiled at him
"Welcome home...bhai." I said softly making sure no one else heard and pulled him in as he let out a shaky breath smiling with tears.

Sarah came out shyly and looked at her brother who was looking at her with such brotherly affection and awe. Of course, he saw her after 12 years....she must've been just a little girl back then.

I thought she would say something but instead she just grabbed my arm and took me in. It was her bedroom. There was a bunk bed. Ah! The siblings shared the same room huh? That's cute! But....still it's...

"It's all the same." Sarah completed my thoughts looking at the bed melancholicly.

"Hm."

"The bed, his stuff....his memories.... it's all here." She said looking at me.

"Even though Abbu kicked him out, we couldn't truly hate him... neither could we forgive him. I was soo young back then that... I didn't even know why he was being sent away."

Hate him?... forgive him?

"Um...what did he...do?" I asked hesitantly.

"Didn't he tell you?"

"Um..."

"Maybe he was... ashamed....or maybe he was afraid you might leave him too. Promise me Bhabhi...." She desperately grabbed my arm.

Bhabhi? Oh my....

"....that you won't hate my brother or leave him if I tell you."

I nodded.

"Actually....he got in a fight in school when he was in his SSC (10th grade) and that boy....was paralyzed for life."

I gasped as my hand flew to my mouth in shock.

"... It was a turning point of his life and he was a bright student too. But because of one mistake, his uncontrollable temper in his teenage he got kicked out of school and people scorned at us. Our parents were to ashamed to even face that boy's parents. His life was ruined because of bhai. When Abbu tried to talk to bhai....in his frustration...he slapped Abbu. Our Abbu is as temperamental as bhai of course and couldn't take it anymore. So he.... kicked him out...After that, bhai even went to juvenile jail. Abbu then declared Taha bhai dead to him and warned us never to even mention him again or else.... we'll be the same to him."

She was in tears by the end of the story and I realised I too had a tear drop sliding down my cheek.

"That's....so cruel. I know it was his fault too but...."
I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"It is cruel. Ammi never stopped by loving her son but she was too afraid of Abbu. And so Dil pe pathar rakhkar unhe apne bete ko bhulana pada. (So keeping a huge bolder over her heart, she had to forget her son)
Even I was afraid....of both bhai and Abbu. I had seen him once or twice though. Whenever I was in trouble he or his friends would help me. Whether it be with money....or people."

"He protected you from a distance?" I asked and she nodded.

"That's soo like him." I said more to myself.

"Thanks for bringing him back home Bhabhi." She smiled wiping her tears and hugged me.

When we stepped out in the living room, Aunty was placing snacks on the table while Taha was just gazing at his mother longingly. My heart clenched at the scene.

"Aunty... your son is home now." I said and she finally shed tears she was holding in for soo long. She went to her son and carassed her face as he was crying like a child who was lost but finally united with his mother. It looked like a typical bollywood reunion but...it was soo touching.

She finally hugged her son and Sarah too joined them too. I felt so happy seeing the even more happy family. I did something really good.

Way to go Rahina....woohoo!

'Thankyou' he mouthed to me as he hugged them. I tilted my head smiling at him.

∆∆∆∆

As soon as we entered the house all smiling and happy Mr Angry young man stood right there with his ever famous scowl to ruin the mood.

"Where were you 2 until now?" He glared at Taha.

"We were at Taha's home." I said proudly.

"Taha's home?" Ruzhaan asked confused.

"Thanks to Rahina I could meet Ammi and Sarah today and even go back home. Ammi hugged me....and...and you won't believe how much Sarah has grown. She was this tall back then..." He said gesturing with his hand at his knee level.
"....now she's even taller than Rahina." He said excitedly grinning from ear to ear.

"Everyone's taller than this girl." Ruzhaan mocked pointing at me

I gasped.
"Hey!"

He ignored me.
"Because of her? What did this stupid one do?"

"I'm right here khadoos!" I said offended as we moved to the couch.

I was ignored again!

Taha explained to him the whole story but missing The very important detail.

"I'm happy for you." Ruzhaan said.... smiling? Wait....the Devil can smile?
He squeezed Taha's shoulder.

"But how did she convinced them?"

At this Taha's smile vanished.
"Uh....that...."

"Let me explain!" I stepped in.

"Oh no!" Taha stepped away from Ruzhaan petrified.

"Sarah was my classmate from school. And when we all came face to face... I told them that... I was Taha's Wife!"

"What?!" Ruzhaan yelled startling us.
"Wife?!" He looked daggers at Taha.

"It was all her idea not mine!" He raised his hands in defeat. So now the demon eyes settled on me. Oops!

"Oh and apparently.... I'm pregnant with Taha's Baby. That's what convinced them even more. Your welcome." I cooed.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?! Ruzhaan growled making me flinch and Taha ran for his life while I was left contemplating if I should run or hide as I was his next target. I got up ready to escape but he was walking towards me with his dark orbs burning with rage.

"You..."

"....need to cook dinner. Whoa! Would you look at the time!" I giggled nonchalantly and sliding through his side darted towards the kitchen.

"I'm surrounded by IDIOTS!" I heard him yell and I giggled.

∆∆∆∆
Taha was sitting on the terrace with a smile on his face. I went and sat beside him.

"Hi" I said.

"Hi."

"You look happy." I said stating the obvious.

He chuckled.
"Happy is an understatement. It's all thanks to you I was reunited with my family."

"You're welcome!" I said
"Um...you know, when we were in 3rd grade, we suddenly heard the news that Sarah's older brother.... passed away. No one knew the real reason though and as we were just kids, we never truly understood that either. The elders used to talk about it but they never told us anything. Sarah and I were in the same class but we weren't close friends and hardly talked. After that, she became even quieter and eventually she changed school. They had shifted out of town and came back just a couple years ago. After that, today is the day when I saw her again and it's today I realised that it was all a lie.
Her brother didn't die....his existence was erased. That's...soo cruel...you must've suffered soo....soo much. They....." My voice trailed off as I was sobbing by now.

He patted my head.
"It's ok.... it's all over now. The moments of happiness I got today washed off all the pain from the past 12 years. So stop crying now." He comforted me.

I looked at his warm smile. Wow, he really was like a real brother.

"You don't meet your father today?"

He sighed.
"Hm...he must be at work. And I don't think I can ever face him though."

"You will some day." I said smiling.

He let out a shaky breath and nodded.

_________________________________

How was the chapter BTW? I hope you had a good laugh and your heart moved a little at the same time.

Next chapter.... Ruzhaan's gonna be really mad.... I think. Why?

Read to find out.

Can't wait for your reactions!!!