“And one of His signs is that He has created for you, spouses from among yourselves so that you might take comfort in them and He has placed between you, love and mercy. In this, there is surely evidence (of the truth) for the people who carefully think.” (30:21).[Quran]

"Ariaaaa…" she made a face when her name was called out for the upteenth time that morning...she was in the bathroom! Couldn't she realise it?

Quickly finishing her business she stepped out and clutched her wet hairs in a hair band, albeit she knew it wasn't a good idea considering her waist length thick hairs. She glanced at her bed and sighed seeing the garbage her room has become even though she was a cleanliness freak, but she doesn't even gets to enter her room whole day and when she comes here to sleep she feels so much tired that sleep overtakes her as soon as she puts her head on her pillow.

"Ji ammi?" Putting her powder blue cotton dupatta on her head she asked respectfully although this women deserved the opposite.

"Kitne der se chilla rahi thi mai kaha thi abhi tak?" She yelled in loud voice that even the people crossing their one storey house would have heard it.

"Ammi mai nahane gayi hui thi…" she fidgeted with her fingers looking down knowing what was coming next.

"Nahane gayi thi to nashta kon banayega? Huh? Nijaaz nikalta hi hoga ab college ke liye. Uske kaam kon karega?" She yelled at her or it was her way of talking to her cause she hadn't got anything instead of yelling from this women who was also her mother in law.

"Mai bas abhi kar leti hu. Ap fikar na kare…" she tried telling her but she cut her off rudely.

"Koi zarurat nahi hai! Shah sahab jalebi or samose le aye the hamare liye. Tum khud ka bandobast kar lo." Aria looked up shocked. Jalebi and Samose? Her favourite...and everyone ate without her? She felt hurt! At least she expected Nijaz to save her some of those...and if they had their breakfast at least she would have let her take a bath in peace.

A tear rolled down her cheeks and she wiped it away harshly stepping towards their small kitchen and starting her never ending chores.

"Bahuuuu!" Here she goes again!

"Ji Ammi?" 

"Upar chat par bohot dhul ho gayi hai...zara jaa kar dho lo...jab tak bolo nahi tab tak kuch kaam nahi hota…" Mrs. Shah said descending down the stairs.

"Lekin ammi abhi?" She asked unsurely cause it was past maghrib and it would be dark upstairs.

"Haa to or kya? Khana to pak gaya na? Jab lagana hoga mai awaz dedungi." She literally pushed her towards the stairs.

"Ariaaa!" She could sense warning in her Baba's voice.

"Baba karne de naa…" she literally whined.

"Bilkul nahi! Hath dekho kaise karak ho jaa rahe hai tumhare." Her Baba snatched the plate from her hands making her roll her eyes.

"Sirf char plates hai Baba!"

"Sirf Chaar nahi. Chaaaaaar plates hai!" He said exaggerating a little making her laugh. 

"Ariaaa?" Her thoughts broke when Nijaz called her from the terrace door. "Ammi bula rahi hai niche." And when she thought he came for her, for checking up on her, for looking at her after the hectic day...he crumbled her hopes in ashes. Nodding her head, not meeting his eyes she went pass him.

××××××××××

She literally fell on her side of bed as soon as she entered making Nijaaz startle for once.

"Ap thik ho?" He came to her side seeing her crouching in ball, pressing her knees to her chest. Pain sipped in her body like a blood not living any cell of her entire being as she felt herself breaking down.

"Please jaaye yaha se…" she squeezed her eyes close not wanting him to see her breaking down.

"Aria…?" He asked unsure taking her laying form in his eyes.

"Please! Mai hath jodti hu apke samne mujhe akela chod de!" She literally begged in front of him.

Nijaaz felt his heart clenching in someone's fist seeing her this vulnerable. So he did what he thought was best for her. He layed down beside her, taking her shaking form in his embrace for the first time! 

××××××××××

Nijaaz just got back from Fajar Salah when his gaze went towards his wife who slept like she didn't had any sleep since ages. And he held himself responsible for her condition. 

"Riaa? Hey! Come on get up. Namaz miss ho jayegi." He shook her hand slightly but her hand fell back lifelessly...his senses goy alert.

"Aria? Jaan? Please open your eyes...Aria?" He began shaking her but to no avail.

"Babaa…" Nijaaz knocked violently on his parent's room.

"Kya hua hai? Itna shor kyu?" Shah asked his disheveled looking son.

"Baba Ria ko hosh nahi araha hai…" before even completing his sentence he ran back to his room where his wife layed lifelessly.

Within ten minutes he reached nearest private clinic.

"Your wife is weak. She isn't getting proper diet and rest, as a consequence her body shut down due to stress. Apko inki saari chizo ka khaas khayal rakhna hoga...make sure she doesn't get much stressed otherwise results will be much more worst than it already is." Doctor explained everything in detail while writing prescription simultaneously.

"Thank you Doctor. Sorry for disturbing you early in the morning." He replied apologetically.

"I am glad I can help you...it is my duty after all." 

He stepped inside the room where Aria was now wide awake.

"Ria? Kaisi ho ab?" She smiled sarcastically in return, taunting him for even asking after making her go through this much.

She didn't answered his question rather looked away from his eyes.

"Zaman Bhai aarahe hai mujhe lene." She whispered after a while making goosebumps to rise over all his body.

"Kya matlab?" He stuttered a little but composed himself.

"Mai APNE ghar jaa rahi hu." She stressed each word.

"Ria ye bhi apka…" 

"Don't. Don't say things which are not true. Enough is enough. I didn't told a word to your mother cause I expected you to take a stand for your wife. But not anymore. I can't stay like this. Apko apni Ammi ke sath rehna hai...befikar rahe. Mai bhi apne bhai ke sath rahungi...waha at least mujhse mulazmo jaisa suluk nahi hota." She said before he could even complete his sentence making him shock. It was the longest conversation they had ever since their wedding!

"Riaaa...please...give me a chance to rectify my mistake please. Please don't leave me for the mistake my mother did!" She looked shocked at him.

"Wait a minute. Kya matlab your mother's mistake? Huh? Apne first time hi stand lena tha to kisi ki jurrat nahi hoti ke wo apki biwi ko kuch bole. Ohhh haaa...you are still spending your father's money thats why you couldn't stand up for your wife? Right?" She flinched as he banged his hand beside her.

"You are crossing your line Aria." He whispered dangerously low.

"Line to abhi maine cross ki nahi hai." She gritted her teeth furiously. "Discharge karwaye mera. Ghar jaa kar mujhe packing bhi karni hai. Bhai wahi ayege mujhe lene." She said in a final tone.

"You said everything to him?" He asked looking away…

"No. Cause unlike you mai apne shauhar ka tamasha nahi banati mere ghar walo ke samne. Believe me if he would have been informed, you wouldn't have been standing in front of me."

××××××××××

"Dur ho kar baithe!" She warned him through her narrowed eyes as he scooted closer to her.

"Biwi ho tum meri." He grumbled as if reminding her.

"Ohh...acha?" She mocked him openly while the driver looked at them curiously from the mirror oblivious to their little world. "Nahi wo kya hai na mai bhul gayi thi. Ab teen mahine baad apko ab yaad aaraha hai ke apki ek biwi bhi hai...?" She sadly smiled although he couldn't see her because of her veil.

He couldn't reply. He just could not. Because she was right. He was the worst husband one could ever get. And she deserved the best…

That day he promised himself that no matter how much time it takes he will get better...for her. Even if it means living without her...because of him she had suffered so much and he will die before not making up to her.

××××××××××

"Aria?" She startled at her brother's voice. "Beta khana khaalo." He further added patting her head and sprinting off to the kitchen to turn off the flame. Zamaan loved to cook for them!

Three years passed since that day...since she last saw her husband. Since she was living with her brother. 

He was betrothed to her since childhood...didn't he ever even liked her? Or was forced to marry her? Was that the reason he didn't returned back for her? Or did he got married else where? He must have even forgot her existence.

His thoughts were the only thing which clouded her mind since she had left him. First she was angry at him for not taking stand for her. But than her anger turned into regret as she started registering the things she did. He needed her! It wasn't his choice to get married while studying, circumstances made it the only option. She should have supported him no matter what! She was his wife after all! She shouldn't have taunted him regarding his father's money. She sure have wounded his ego, that's why he didn't came to her.

It wasn't like she didn't tried. She did. She went back, but his father informed that he already left. No one knew where.

Zamaan was sceptical about her- living here, although he didn't mind having someone's company but he wanted to see his sister settled.

"Ummm...bhai this is delicious!" She moaned in delight as soon as the delicious white pasta touched her taste buds.

Zamaan's chest puffed out proudly hearing her praising which didn't settled well with her sisterly ego.

"Lekin agar ap thodi kaali mirch or daal dete to koi jawab nahi hota iss chiz ka." Zamaan sulked hearing her remark.

"Tum bas jealous ho ke tum mere jaisa pasta nahi bana sakti!" He slapped her head lightly at which she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Tumhara office kaisa chal raha hai?" She completed her education when she didn't saw any traces of her husband and was now working as an employee in a prestigious company.

"Don't ask bhai!" She literally whined. "Itna kaam karwa rahe hai ke bas. Pehle employs ka sunte nahi or fir loss par loss hota hai to extra kaam karwate hai. Waise sunne me araha hai ke company ko koi business man kharidna chah raha tha. Kon hoga aisa bevakuf jo dubti hui company ko kharidega. Ho sakta hai afwa ho." She kept on rambling. And Zamaan loved this time when she would eat his ears off with her constant chatter. Beside this time, all she ever did was regret over her past.

"Ap bataye? Apko koi ladki mili ya nahi? Karle bhai shaadi karle...baad me pachtayege jab koi apko ladki nahi dega." She shook her head in no like scolding her son!

"Tumme kyu rishte wali aunty ka bhoot chadh jaata hai har dusre din." He avoided meeting her eyes.

"Ap bhul kyu nahi jaate usse?" He freezed for a moment.

"Kise?" He acted confused.

"Zada banne ki zarurat nahi hai Acha! Sab jaanti hu mai!" She replied confidently making him nervous for a second.

"Acha batao kya jaanti ho?" Zamaan wiped his mouth with a tissue and folded his hands on his chest challenging her.

"Yahi ki ap apke best friend ki behen, jiska naam Zehna…" he kept his hand on her mouth to stop her from further speaking.

"Bas kar meri maa! Uski shaadi ho chuki hai. Koi sunega to kya sochega?" He joined his hands in front of her dramatically.

"Ye ap mujhe samjhana chode. Khud samjhe. Uski shaadi ho chuki hai! Wo bhi do saal pehle...ab to move on karle." She pleaded seriously in the end.

"Mai nahi kar sakta...tumhe kya lagta hai mujhe acha lagta hai kisi or ki biwi ke baare me sochte hue? Maine bohot koshish ki...lekin nahi kar saka." He sighed.

"Apka to Allah hi maalik hai bhai!" She exclaimed dramatically. She was done with her brother now! She got up angrily and stepped towards her room when bell rang.

"Itni raat ko kon agaya ab? Dikh nahi raha mera mood kharab hai?" Aria literally shouted at no one.

"Pagal ho gayi ho? Kuch bhi bole jaa rahi ho? Jao jaakar dekho kon hai." Zamaan scowled from the kitchen.

"Bas order dediya kare mujhe. Koi izzat hi nahi hai iss ghar me meri. Aria press kardo. Aria paani lado. Aria gate khol do. Mulazim to bas free ke hai yaha."

Grumbling profanities under her breath she opened the door, but the sight in front of her left her breathless, angry, flustered and happy at the same time!

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Author's note

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Until next time,
Love,
Nabiha❤

02.09.2021