Even after living under the same roof, the instances of Sarim and Nauman sitting across each other with nothing but silence between them was something that never happened often. They would prefer ignoring each other. If they ever indulge into a conversation that mostly consists of snide remarks and burning retorts, few disapproving looks thrown then and there mostly from Nauman and then either him or Sarim getting up and leaving the mess as it is.

Nauman was sitting straight on the couch with his hands clasped in front of him. Sarim's posture was no different. This was a telltale sign that they were indeed father and son. But that's where the similarities ended. They were two poles of the same spectrum which functioned entirely differently.

Farwa had silently stood close to them. Irma was asleep now and that was a relief. The more she took rest the more she would be able to have the stamina to fight the emotionally draining fight ahead. The Khula process wasn't going to be easy, if Mohid's anger and his family's desperation was to go by.

"Is Irma asleep?"

Nauman asked, earning a nod from Farwa.

"Mohid's mother called. She wanted to talk to Irma but I refused."

Farwa sat down with a tiredness of eons. She could only imagine what it would be for Irma who was living through this nightmare. Where did they all go wrong? Why was life punishing them like this?

"Make sure Irma doesn't talk to any member from that family."

Nauman's usually commanding voice boomed in the silent lounge.

"Always the same."

Sarim mumbled but it wasn't quite as low to not reach his parents. He looked up into Nauman's eyes. His usual way of declaring his defiance and by now everyone in the family was used to it.

"Can you stop ordering around for once, Baba? Knowing the fact that this is the same family you were once so sure would be Irma's second home."

His tone was biting and the effect of it seemed to get to both Nauman and Farwa because suddenly it felt the tension could be cut with a knife.

"Sarim, it's not the time to bring that."

Farwa's voice was timid, as if she wanted to stop a storm she knew would unleash itself no matter how much she hoped against it.

"For the first time in my life, I'm trying to not be that person who says I told you so because it hurts to even think about it, Ammi."

He ran a hand through his hair. His frustration was evident from every gesture of his.

"Remember, Baba on Irma's Nikkah day, I put across that condition of giving the right to divorce to her? How you and Ammi made me the bad guy in that situation, so much that Ammi didn't talk to me for days and you insulted me in front of those people."

He was eyeing his parents accusingly. Gone was the mature twenty something guy, instead a child who's angry and hurt because of his parents was sitting there.

"Was I not aware of the fact that my suggestion wouldn't be accepted? I knew it already. I was trying to gauge their reaction and seeing how hostile their approach was, made me wary of the decision more than I ever was. You both decided to back them up instead of seeing where I was coming from. And look at us now. A mess created by our own hands."

Farwa bent her head. She had no words to tell him. No reprimand. Nothing to make him stop. He was right. He had always been right.

"It's not about letting your kids have their way, Ammi, Baba. It's about trusting their guts or believing in them more than you'd believe in your acquaintances. Today, the same thing I wanted to secure, Mohid is threatening Irma with. That he wouldn't give her the divorce. It feels like a full circle like everything in our life and it hurts."

He shook his head as if he was lamenting over everything.

"I know we can't change the fact but moving forward we can at least try not repeating our mistakes? I don't want to fight you anymore, Baba because this whole situation is only going to resolve if we act like a family. Irma endured so much because she was both mistakenly optimistic and scared. Scared of coming back to this house and why wouldn't she be? The environment of this place is toxic. You made it that way. I made it that way. I'm done with arguing. I just want you to please not act like a military man but a father this time around. Let Irma decide for herself that she was never given the opportunity too. Don't speak over her. Let her have control over her life. That's the least we both can give her after all that happened."

The resignation in his tone was crushing. Farwa was expecting him to go all ballistic on his father, like he normally would but Sarim was tired. What happened with Irma has broken something within him and it wasn't hidden from Farwa. The fight had left him.

He hadn't waited for Nauman or Farwa to respond to him. He slowly got up and walked out of there towards the stairs. Farwa was watching his retreating back with something akin to longing on her face. Right in that moment, she felt the most at distance with him. There was a wedge between them with was getting wider with each passing day.

"We haven't been kind to our kids, Nauman."

Farwa whispered. Nauman had heard her. If his sharp intake of breath was any indication.

"Sarim is just twenty two. It's not his age to be this aware and bitter about the realities of the world outside. Irma shouldn't be sleeping in her room to get respite from her messed up life when she has a baby on the way but no husband she can rely on. What have we done to our kids, Nauman?"

She was crying now. Her damp cheeks and red rimmed eyes were telling of the anguish she was feeling from within.

"Your strict rule and my cowardice. What a combination. When did we make this house so much of a prison for our own children that they started looking for escapes? Whenever Sarim gets upset, his idea of comfort isn't this house but his friend. Irma accepted her fate as the ticket to escape and look where it brought her? We could give our children the kind of environment where they wouldn't have to look everywhere else to be accepted. We have failed as parents. "

This was the first time she was voicing her thoughts out loud in front of her husband. She was always too scared and too entangled in her own assumptions. Nauman was a no nonsense person not only when he wore that uniform but also when he was away from his base and off field. She had understood this fact very early on in her married life. It wasn't new to her. She came from the family of a generation after generation of army men so this kind of environment she had lived in all her life. She adjusted well with Nauman but never had she thought after living a life together she'd one day question everything. Her own role she played and how it affected her own children. Would things be different if she was a bit better at standing her ground? Or standing up for the people she loved so much. Farwa didn't know. She didn't want to know. Delving on the what ifs was painful and made her feel like she was just a statue in the workings of her own house.

She would look up to Nauman to know the solutions to their problems, he always seemed to know what to do albeit silently or without showing any emotions. But right now, as she stood up to leave she didn't look at him.

He couldn't fix this.

_______

Shoaib Ansari had always been a businessman. He never had much penchant for academics but he knew facts and figures like the back of his hand. This was the reason after completing his education, he had opted for running the shop which was now an important part of his life. But he was the son of a literature professor so it was only fitting that he'd have at least some of the habits inherited from him regarding the love for books. His before going to bed routine was that only. Reading.

So that's what he was doing. Immersed in his book with a content smile on his face because he liked the narration, his bedside lamp was on and and the air of the room was silent sans the low grumbling of the fan ahead but that was part of the norm.

But not for long.

Memoona's agitated form pacing the entire length of the room as soon as she came inside wasn't the part of the norm, or it wasn't normally on most days because this was her way of non verbally communicating that she was tense and wanted to talk.

Shoaib pushed the book back, closing it. He loved his night time reading but he was a good husband. He had always been told. So, what a good husband keeps on fulfilling a routine when his wife is visibly worried about something. Not him exactly.

"What is it?"

Memoona sighed. She thought she'd be able to sort out this situation on her own. Ibsam was hot headed but she was sure once his anger subsided he'd be able to listen to her and would understand too. But she was in the wrong. Ibsam had been avoiding her since that day. It almost seemed like he knew she was going to sit him down and give her a long lecture so he'd always bolt whenever there was any opening. It was childish behaviour but he was a child only.

Not being able to talk it out with Ibsam, Memoona had been left to think about the whole situation again and again. Where were things going wrong? It also made her skeptical about her very much sure sentiments towards what was budding between Izaan and Safwa. Was she the only one rooting for it? Or there were other people too who were opposed to this development like Ibsam. She had to know.

"Do you know about..."

Shoaib raised an eyebrow. Memoona looked away. Ibsam's hostility towards the topic had left her unsure how to bring it up to even her own husband.

"About Izzu and Safwa?"

Shoaib didn't say anything. He looked at her as if searching for something and then nodded.

"What do you think about it?"

It was no surprise that he knew. She was just approaching the conversation. He wasn't an ignorant father even though he was a busy man and spent most of his day invested in the matters of his shop and business but he somehow almost always knew what was going within the four walls of this house even not being here the whole day.

"I'm optimistic about it, if that's what you want to know. Izaan seems happy and Safwa is a nice kid."

Memoona sighed relieved. She was so happy he was of the same view.

"But..."

Her eyes widened a fraction but she waited for him to continue.

"There are other things to consider as well. I will not indulge into those because honestly now's not the time. They are both building their careers and that's what they are supposed to be doing right now. The remaining matters will be considered once they are both ready to start something new and I'm sure that's not anytime soon. Also, we don't exactly know if Safwa's family is on the same page. As I said it's too early to hope for something more. Both for us and for them. I trust Izaan and know he will balance well between both domains of his life."

Memoona nodded, understanding his point. This was something she was already expecting. Izaan had inherited his practical and rational mentality from his father only.

"I'm glad at least we are on the same page here."

Shoaib gave her a doubtful look.

"At least? As far as I know Abba Jee dotes on Safwa just like he dots on his grandsons. Ibtihaj was just yesterday talking about how Safwa helped him in his accounting assignment. Who else?"

Memoona was silent. She was conflicted whether to tell Shoaib the whole thing or not.

"Ibsam?"

He asked and her hesitance proved his guess was right.

"What did he say now?"

"He's just angry like always. I'm trying to talk to him but he keeps on shutting me out."

Shoaib's lips were pursed. He had been noticing Ibsam's weird behaviour for a few days but only now he was getting know that there was something wrong.

"I will talk to him."

"By talk you mean just talk right? You won't scold him."

"I will do what is necessary."

Memoona shook her head. She had approached Shoaib because she knew his intervention was needed right now. Usually when the twins would be too much to handle for Memoona, Izaan would take from there and sit his brothers down to knock some sense into them but Memoona wanted Izaan as much away from this matter as possible because she knew him and how he would start doubting his own self after that. So, Shoaib was a safe bet and moreover the kind of insolent behavior Ibsam was showing, his father's no nonsense talk was needed.

"We will talk to him in the morning."

Shoaib announced and then picked up his book again which was his way of saying that Memoona shouldn't worry about this matter anymore. Memoona could only hope that she wouldn't.

_____

It was morning now and Memoona was in the kitchen. She had seen Shoaib walking towards the twins' room and since then she was on edge. She was good at conversing with her kids but Ibsam was acting so hard the past few days and his father's interference was necessary. She was just hoping that Shoaib wasn't scolding Ibsam right now. That would've the opposite effect.

She heard the footsteps and glanced to her side. Ibsam was standing there with his hands folded on his chest.

"You sent Baba to me."

Memoona shrugged her shoulders.

"You were doing a great job at ignoring me so I had to pull the big guns."

"That's cheating."

"You left me with no option."

He looked around, picked an apple from the fruit basket and started chewing on it.

"He didn't scold you it seems."

Ibsam shook his head with a mouthful. Memoona was expecting this. She had specially asked Shoaib to not go all strict father on Ibsam.

"It was fine. He asked me to be less of an ass though. In calculative words but I read between the lines."

Memoona chuckled humorlessly.

"So, are you going to?"

"I will try not to be. And I'm sorry, Amma."

His apology was genuine, though it lacked Ibtihaj's level of fondness but that was the difference between both brothers.

"It's not just about apologizing to me. You should keep your head clear about Izaan as well. He's your elder brother and he's always been nothing but a shield for both you and Ibtihaj. Even the other day he was asking me if you were doing fine because you looked down. Don't let your false judgment cloud your love for your family, Ibsam."

"I never doubted Bhai's love for us, Amma."

"But you've done nothing to prove that you acknowledge it as well."

"I just find your favouritism about him unjust. And I'm not wrong in thinking like that because you actually prioritize him over me and Ibtihaj."

"That's your way of thinking and seeing things."

"Maybe."

He shrugged his shoulders as if he was already bored by the conversation. Memoona was waiting for him to continue. It just registered with her that he might have promised to keep his act straight in front of his father but the reason because of which he had said all that was pretty much still there.

"I still don't think you guys are doing right but allowing Bhai and Safwa Kiramani to happen. As a couple I mean."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Everything? Amma you must've thought about how far both he and Safwa are on the social standing, no? Something you always warned me about my friendships. Okay, let's roll with the possibility that for now the class difference doesn't mean much, but what after that? Safwa is about to graduate and Bhai's last year of Medical studies is also arriving soon. Then what? They'd have to settle down somewhere down the line and do you think Safwa will adjust in this house? In this lifestyle? Have you seen the car she comes in? It's mad expensive. And even though Bhai has a promising future ahead, still he won't be able to stand next to Safwa's financial status in just a few years. It will take him some time. There's so many what ifs involved and you guys aren't thinking about any of those. Just because she comes here every other day and spends an hour or so smiling doesn't mean she will be fit to spend a lifetime here as well. Food for thought?"

He ended his speech and, not waiting for her to contradict anything he had said, walked out of there. Memoona wanted to call him back and try explaining how Izaan and Safwa were way above what he had just said. But she couldn't delve much on it. She had gotten a glimpse of a very familiar backpack on the table she could see from the kitchen. With her breath stuck in her throat she came out and saw Izaan standing close to the said backpack with his book opened in front of him and him reading from it.

It was just wishful thinking that he hadn't heard anything. The distance between the kitchen and the dining table was not that much and it was a small house anyway. Memoona kept on looking at Izaan and when he looked up right into his eyes she understood right away that of course he had heard everything. The pain and accusation in his eyes were enough to tell her that.

"Izzu!"

Memoona called but he had already picked up his bag and was now out of the door. Memoona was scared of this only.

___

It was a tough day. As tough as it could get for a 4th year medical student. Izaan tightened his hold on his motorbike handlebars. The Karachi traffic was in its full swing at rush hours. He was probably going to be late. It was evening and the hue of city lights around were mildly soothing to the exhausted mind and body. Add in an emotional turmoil he had to face all day during every lecture and ward visit. He was, in simple words, tired.

He had tried brushing off Ibsam's words. It was his sheer luck or bad luck in this case that he was standing there close to the dinning table when Ibsam was putting across his concerns in front of Memoona. Izaan had heard it all.

He was sad that he was kept out of the loop. He had asked both Ibtihaj and Memoona if something was going on with Ibsam and they had denied it. But his hunch was right. There was something actually wrong and the extent of it he'd only know when he'd talk to Memoona which he planned on doing anyway. Unlike Ibsam he wasn't the one to push important conversations away.

Then came the weight of the actual words Ibsam had uttered. Izaan wanted to not let those get to him but he was getting reminded of it again and again. Because most of what was said was honestly, legit. Not true or completely factual but legit because there was a possibility of all of Ibsam's concerns of coming true. This was something he'd have to think about down the line because he knew him and Safwa were in for a long run but thanks to Ibsam he was thinking about it now and with each new train of thoughts keeping him occupied, a weight was getting heavier on his chest.

He stopped his bike in the parking lot of Granna's and took out his helmet. Opening the door to the buzzing student attraction, his gaze landed on their usual table at the end corner right next to the window. Safwa was already seated there with a file opened in front of her. She was fully immersed in it and her face was scrunched in an expression of both concentration and confusion. After what had happened with the board of directors and their less than welcoming approach towards her, she was taking office related stuff very seriously. So much that she was totally ignoring anything else which included him as well. Well most of the days and today wasn't one of those days. She had asked him to come here and meet her. And here he was because if she had called him, he'd always come.

Almost always.

She had spotted him by now and immediately her file was discarded on the table. She was waving at him. Izaan gave her a soft smile and took his seat in front of her.

"You're late."

She complained with a mock glare.

"Traffic."

"Excuses."

He shook his head and held her hand lightly before leaving it. Safwa grinned and then started her talks, those never ending talks ranging from her work stories to the burnt cookies she managed to ruin last night. He was all ears, adding bits about his own day as well. This was all normal.

But somewhere in a deep corner of Izaan's heart, he could feel something had shifted.

____

Farwa took another sip of her tea and tried relaxing like she was supposed to. The conversation with Nauman the other day had been exhausting. She was constantly thinking after that. So much that at times she'd feel her head would explode. She hadn't told Sarim or Irma about it. She didn't have the heart to tell them that look, your mother did something that you always expected out of her. She told your father things the way they were. She thought she was a bit too late for that. Her kids needed this from her for so long now.

Sarim was in Irma's room and Farwa had left the siblings to talk things out. She knew they had stuff to talk about.

She had heard the doorbell ringing and then Manzoor opened the gate. There were mild voices and then she was the person coming towards the lounge.

Farwa's lips formed into a smile.

"Asslam Alaikum, Auntie."

Elaf greeted her with a warm smile which Farwa found herself reciprocating. Elaf had a box in her hand, something homemade. She extended it towards her.

"Mama has made this for Irma. She said something about healthy snacking in this condition."

Farwa was grateful for the gesture. In the past few days one thing she had realized was how wholesome Sarim's group of friends and their bonding was. She already knew Sarim, Hesham and Izaan were very tight together but seeing Safwa and Elaf being so concerned about Irma and Sarim had melted Farwa. She was glad her son had such beautiful people he could rely on.

Especially this one, Farwa was seeing the ease between Elaf and Sarim and it was nothing she found weird. In fact it was a pleasant surprise for her. She had already heard so much about Elaf from Irma and now meeting the girl on a daily basis had put a soft spot for her in Farwa's heart too. She could see an unspoken camaraderie there between Elaf and Sarim. Something she knew both of them were unaware of.

"Is Irma asleep?"

Elaf asked, on which Farwa shook her head.

"She's in her room. Sarim is also there. You should go as well."

Elaf nodded and made her way towards Irma's room. She knocked at the door and upon getting the cue entered inside.

Irma was sitting on the bed while Sarim was standing close to her leaning against the table to the side. The room was submerged in an air of unease. Elaf almost felt like opening the door and getting out of here just like she had come in.

"Elaf! I was waiting for you only. Come, sit."

Irma patted the space next to her. Elaf eyed it awkwardly and sat down.

"Is everything okay?"

She asked and now her focus was directed at Sarim. He was looking mildly pissed, an expression he was wearing a lot these days so it wasn't difficult to pick on.

"She wants to meet Mohid."

Sarim exclaimed with repressed fury behind his words. Elaf looked at Irma in alarm. But to her surprise Irma was calm as a sea.

"I've already told him that it's not like I want to do this for reconciliation. I'm not going back to his life."

"That's good to know."

Elaf mumbled and then raised an eyebrow at Sarim. He just huffed in response.

"Still, why do you have to meet him? The guy is giving you threats that he won't make the Khula process easy for you."

"He was abusive, Sarim. I'm sure every family court in this country will side with me. Atif Uncle said so. If I want to, I can file for Khula even today without preparing for much."

Her voice was devoid of any tremor it used to the last time Elaf had seen her and it was just the last week. Irma was getting better and more in control of the situation with each passing day. It was totally fitting that she wasn't looking for any kind of reconciliation.

"I just want to tell him something and ask something from him which I didn't do in our time together."

Irma was now playing with the ring on her finger. A wedding gift, Elaf concluded. And it pained her to see this. How the relation was on the verge of turning into nothingness but the remains and reminders were still very much there.

"I never said anything to him. Never uttered a word when he used to vent out his frustration on me. I would stay silent and just let him do what he wanted to. I still don't know why I never even yelled at him to stop. What was I waiting for?"

Irma's word had left a heavy silence in its wake. It was broken only by Sarim.

"Because you were hoping it would pass."

Irma looked at him and then bent her head again.

"You were hoping that it's just a phase and it will pass. He will get over it. But that's the thing, Irma, abuse is never a phase. Once a person has gotten used to it, they never stop. It's a never ending cycle."

Elaf was silent and so was Irma. He was right.

"You wanted him to get over it because you had believed in a fairy tale for yourself and you didn't want that belief to break this soon. You were giving it chances. You wanted to try out your luck to its limits because you had gotten there with great difficulty, you didn't want it to end like the way it did. You wanted this story to run its course, have its happy ending."

A tear had rolled down Irma's cheek. Elaf didn't have the courage to reach out and console her. She knew it wasn't her place.

"You should've screamed the house down the first day he raised his hand on you. Tell me, Tell Ammi, Baba, his family. You should've told everyone what that scum did to you. Abuse only gets worse, Irma, because we let our hearts and minds make a fool out of us. There should be a no access clause the first time you are hit. Because it's always going to be a second time and then countless times. Abuse isn't something someone gets out of. If he can raise his hand on you the first time he can do it the second time too and so on."

He took a step forward and Elaf immediately got up to give him her seat. He shook his head and pulled the stool and sat down on it. He was sitting right to Irma's side and slowly he made her look at him. She was crying in earnest now. Maybe the first time since these circumstances hit her.

"Why didn't you tell me, Irma?"

His voice was pained and Elaf felt she was intruding on something. She tried getting up but Sarim had held her hand without even looking at her. He gave it a slight pull and he glanced at her way he was pleading to not go. He didn't want to do this alone.

Elaf didn't have to be told twice. She sat back down.

"You can't always save me, Sarim."

Irma sniffled when more tears dampened her cheeks.

"So, it means you won't even let me try? I could've come. I could've saved you. You promised me you'd call me whenever something went wrong."

Irma had rested her head on his shoulder.

"I didn't keep my promise."

"No, you didn't."

Sarim was comfortably patting her head. The words were so far different from their actions. They were talking about a promise not being kept but right there Elaf could see they were keeping an old one without even voicing it out. The promise of always having each other's back and always being there for each other as a pillar.

Elaf looked away from them. She hadn't encountered many wholesome sibling bonds in her life, not one for herself anyway as she was an only kid but right there seeing Sarim and Irma Elaf could see this is what sibling support must mean. Her eyes darted towards the mirror on the wall.

Sarim was consoling Irma with glassy eyes while Irma was still crying.

And Elaf was crying too. A broken tear at the tip of her own eye was proof enough.

______

Hesham opened the door to Atif's study with the file in her hand. Atif was writing something on a paper when he looked up. Hesham gave him a tired smile.

"You read the case?"

Hesham nodded and placed the file on the table. He had been studying Irma's Khula appeal in his room just to know the ground on which the case was being presented to the family court. By the looks of it, Hesham was sure that the court would comply. The case was in accordance with all the laws and jurisdictions. Once they accepted it a notice would be sent to Mohid and then would start the period of three months in which both the parties involved would either try for reconciliation, the chances of which were not looking bright. After 90 days the Khula would become effective and the marriage would dissolve in the eye of law.

"What do you think Mohid can do to stop this?"

Hesham asked his father. Atif just shrugged his shoulders.

"Both the families are of the same social standing so I don't see him being able to put many efforts that too successful ones. He can only try and persuade Irma through talks in these 30 days when the Khula is presented to the court. That's his only way of making sure Irma withdraws her appeal but I'm sure she won't. One meeting with her made it clear to me that she isn't going back to Mohid. So now her stance is clear. We just have to see what Mohid does or says next."

Hesham nodded understandingly.

"This domain of law is different from criminal offenses. Not something you should rack your brain over. Ansar Minhaj won't have one such case in his track record anyway to help you with."

Hesham smiled. He kinda had an idea that his father was aware of his sorts of internship under Ansar Minhaj but he didn't know Atif would talk about it so lightly.

"I still can't believe you aren't angry at my decision to opt for criminal law and also not joining our family law firm."

Atif was once upset over it, so much that he wanted to just order Hesham to not even think about going out of track but Hesham had talked it out with Bisma and somehow she was able to make Atif understand. He hadn't accepted the idea with open arms but he wasn't now totally averse to it as well.

"Well, I'm a very good father if you haven't noticed yet."

"Weird flex but okay. Because you are not just good but the best. I agree. Bisma Auntie agrees and I think Mom would too."

His answer had left a warm feeling in Atif's heart.

_____________

A/N: A kinda filler chapter and not that long as well. When you are so used to having 7-8kish word count chapters that a 5.5k one looks "short" to you. Yes, that's aims for you.

How are ya'll? The last week was so damn hectic for me that's why I gave consecutive updates beforehand because I knew I was going to be late.

Also, these days I'm so inclined towards making playlists for my stories. You can check those on my Spotify. The link is in my profile description. 

Love,

Aims.