As soon as Sharjeena stepped into her parents' home, she was greeted by the warmest embrace from her mother and father. Her mother's eyes, misted with tears, lingered on her tiny baby bump, a reminder of the life growing inside her daughter. Rameen, her younger sister, rushed towards her, enveloping her in a hug so tight that it almost took Sharjeena's breath away. "Aapko kitna miss kia, Appi!" Rameen exclaimed, her voice muffled against Sharjeena's shoulder.

Once the initial greetings passed, they all gathered in the living room. Sharjeena was served a cup of tea, and a plate of fresh, crispy fritters was placed in front of her. She smiled, her heart swelling with happiness as she looked at her family. The joy of being home, with her loved ones, mixed with the heightened emotions of pregnancy, and for the first time in years, Sharjeena, who never cried in front of her parents, felt her eyes fill with tears.

Her mother, always attuned to her children, noticed immediately. "Kya baat hai beta?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

Sharjeena wiped the tears that threatened to spill over and smiled through them. "Kuch nahi, ammi. Bas aap sabki bohot yaad aa rahi thi, toh ab milkar bohot zyada khushi ho rahi hai. Aajkal emotions control hi nahi hote, jaane kya ho gaya hai!" Sharjeena said, slightly embarrassed.

Her mother's eyes softened, and without another word, she wrapped her arms around Sharjeena in a warm embrace, pressing her cheek to her daughter's hair. "Meri bacchi," she whispered. Her father, standing nearby, couldn't help but interject with a playful grin.

"Arey bhaai, humein bhi toh mauka milna chahiye apni bacchi se baat karne ka. Jabse voh aayi hai, tum use chhor hi nahi rahi ho?" he said, making everyone laugh.

"Aur mera kya?" Rameen chimed in with a mock pout. "Mujhe toh pehle se hi pata tha ki jaise hi appi aaengi, ammi baba mujhe bhul hi jaaenge!"

The room filled with laughter, and in that moment, Sharjeena felt her heart warm. This is what she had been missing—these small, intimate moments of love and joy that only family could provide.

"Acchha chalo, naashta karlo. Maine halwa puri banaai hai. Aur tumhare liye halwe me extra dry fruits daale hain. Tumhe voh saare khatam karne padenge. Is waqt tumhe zarurat hai," her mother said, leading them to the next room.

As Sharjeena sat at the table, the aroma of the food filled her senses. She took a bite, and immediately, a sense of bliss washed over her. It was exactly what she had been craving. Her parents watched her, their eyes filled with joy and love as they exchanged a knowing glance.

"Jo zaayka ammi ke haathon mein hai, voh aur kahi nahi hai," Sharjeena said, savoring the food.

After breakfast, Sharjeena followed her mother into the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around her from behind, resting her head on her mother's back. "Ammi, I am sorry us din ke liye jab maine aapko khaana bhejne ke liye manaa kia tha. Mujhe pata hai ki maine aapko hurt kia. Voh—"

Her mother turned around gently, placing a soft hand on Sharjeena's cheek. "Nahi, beta," she said, her voice full of understanding. "Mujhe tumhari baat ka bilkul bura nahi laga. Aur main Mustafa ke jazbaat bhi samajhti hoon. Bura bas yeh soch ke lagaa tha ka ki main is waqt mein tumhara theek se khayaal nahi rakh paa rahi." She stroked Sharjeena's face, her expression warm and motherly. "Tumne kabhi mujhe aur apne baba ko apne liye kuch khaas karne hi nahi diya. Koi khwaahish hi nai rahi tumhari. Toh mera dil bas yeh chahta hai ki kamaskam is waqt mein main tumhara jitna ho sake utna khayal rakhu. Tumhe tumhaari pasand ki cheezein banaa kar khilaau."

Tears welled in Sharjeena's eyes again, but her mother wasn't finished. "Par aaj subah tumhe itne suqoon se halwa puri khaate dekh ke maine bhi soch lia hai," she added with a smile, "Main ab naa tumhari sunungi aur naa hi tumhare shohar ki. Jaise uska haq hai tumhara khayal rakhne ka, vaise hi mera bhi haq hai tumhein laad pyaar karne ka. Toh bas, voh main karungi."

The words hit Sharjeena like a wave, and she couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. She fell into her mother's arms, feeling the immense love and warmth that only a mother could provide. "Thank you, Ammi," she whispered.

As Sharjeena lingered in the kitchen with her mother, her younger sister Rameen burst in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Vaise toh yeh aapke liye ek surprise tha, appi, par mujhse ab control nahi ho raha!" Rameen giggled, bouncing on her toes. "Yumna appi aa rahi hain lunch pe baby ke saath!"

Sharjeena's heart lifted. "Yumna aa rahi hai?" she said, her voice brimming with joy. The thought of seeing her sister and her nephew made her feel light, as if the family gathering was the very warmth she had been yearning for. "Kitne time baad hum sab ek saath honge," she added, smiling at the idea of a complete family reunion.

Her mother, busying herself at the stove, looked over her shoulder with a warm smile. "Haan beta, aur kyunki Bilal shaam ko lene aaega Yumna ko, toh maine use dinner humaare saath karne ko keh diaa hai," she said. Then, her gaze shifted toward Sharjeena. "Kyun naa tum Mustafa ko bhi bula lo dinner pe."

At the mention of Mustafa, Sharjeena's smile faltered just a little. She missed him—there was no denying that—but the thought of him being here with her family, especially after how he had avoided them recently, gave her pause. The memory of the last family gathering stung: Mustafa had come home late from work and casually remarked that it was good they didn't go because he didn't want to face her father. His words, even if said lightly, had wounded her. What if the same thing happened tonight?

Sharjeena hesitated, then looked at her mother. "Mujhe nahi lagta ammi ki voh aa paaega," she said softly. "Voh kaafi busy hai... aaj bhi office ka kaam hai." Her voice trailed off, not wanting to reveal the deeper reasons behind her reluctance to extend the invitation.

Her mother, sensing the hesitation in Sharjeena's tone, looked at her with soft, understanding eyes. "Beta, dinner time tak toh free ho hi jaaega," she said gently. "Voh bhi aa jaaye toh sab itne dinon ke baad isi bahaane sab ek saath ikhatte ho jaaenge."

"I know, Ammi," Sharjeena replied, swallowing the knot in her throat. "Par.. in dinon kaam thoda zyaada hi hai uske paas, aur main.. pressure nahi daalna chahti."

Sharjeena's mother gave a small nod, her expression thoughtful but not pressing. "Theek hai beta. Jaisa tumhein theek lage."

Sharjeena smiled softly, grateful for her mother's understanding, but her heart felt heavy. She didn't want to have that conversation with Mustafa, fearing that it would end with him dismissively declining and her feeling more distant from him. As much as she missed him, it was easier this way—to keep the peace and avoid any unnecessary tension between Mustafa and her father.

As Yumna arrived, the house brimmed with laughter and light. The baby, wrapped in soft blankets, became the center of attention as the sisters took turns cuddling him. The warmth of family radiated through the room, the chatter soft and easy as they reminisced and joked together. The three sisters found themselves sitting together on the couch, arms wrapped around each other as they giggled like they used to when they were younger.

Over lunch, their mother delighted them with stories about her pregnancies, recounting the quirks and cravings she had with each of her daughters. "Jab Yumna hone ko thi, har waqt sirf aam khaane ko dil karta rehta tha," she chuckled, and Yumna grinned. "Ab pata chala, ammi, ki mera yeh mango obsession kahaan se aaya hai!"

Yumna then turned to Sharjeena. "Checkup kaise chal rahe hain? Baby ke saath sab theek hai naa?" she asked, her voice soft with concern.

Sharjeena nodded, smiling. "Haan, sab theek hai. Doctor ne kahaa ki baby acche se grow kar raha hai."

Yumna's eyes lit up. "Kyun naa hum shopping karne chalein! Yaad hai mere time pe tum aur main saath gaye the maternity clothes kahridne? Ab tumhaari baari!"

"Oh, nahi uski koi zarurat..." Sharjeena hesitated, but Yumna wasn't having it. After some playful back-and-forth, Sharjeena agreed, her mother chiming in, "Main baby ka dhyaan rakh lungi. Tum log jaao. Phir vaise bhi raat ko Yumna waapas chali jaaegi!"

The three sisters headed to the mall. Sharjeena tried on a few pieces, feeling the soft stretch of the fabric around her growing belly. Yumna whistled, grinning. "Mustafa bhaai tumhein yeh pehna hua dekh ke bohot khush honge," she said, nudging her playfully.

The comment made Sharjeena pause, her heart aching slightly. As happy as she was in this moment, the thought of shopping for baby stuff without Mustafa stung. She missed him and wished he had shown more interest in the baby's arrival. Pushing the thoughts aside, she allowed herself to enjoy the day with her sisters.

After shopping, they stopped at a café, their chatter flowing easily as they sipped coffee and laughed about their childhood memories. Sharjeena felt happy, truly happy, surrounded by the warmth of her family. The weight that had been pressing on her chest lightened as she enjoyed the simple joys of the day.

By the time they returned home, the early evening light was softening the edges of the day. As they pulled up to the house, Sharjeena's heart stopped. Mustafa's bike was parked outside.

Her breath caught in her throat. What was he doing here?

Without thinking, she rushed inside, her sisters trailing behind her with shopping bags in hand. As she entered the living room, she froze. There, sitting on the sofa with her parents, was Mustafa. He had a cup of tea in his hands, his eyes locked on hers with an intense, unreadable expression.

For a moment, the room seemed to spin. The cheerful warmth from the day evaporated, replaced with a thick tension that filled the air between them. Her parents were talking about something, but Mustafa's gaze never wavered.

Sharjeena's heart raced. What was going on? Why was he here? The questions swirled in her mind, but the weight of Mustafa's gaze kept her rooted to the spot, unable to move or speak.