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@AainaZaydaan : from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each and every one of you for your lovely wishes and prayers. I am truly fine now and feel overwhelmed by the love that I've received from you all.

Aaina x Zaydaan.

The drive back home was just as hard as sitting in the car, pretending that the pain was not there. He had noticed, ofcourse. He always noticed.

The flashes of the cameras from far away were the least of his concerns as he saw his wife hiss due to the pain. She had taking her medicines in the morning but it was still uncomfortable as she was used to having more space in the hospital bed.

Still, she was extremely glad to go back home. It had not even been ten minutes since they arrived home that Zaydaan was ready to take her up to the bedroom.

Aaina didn't want to go just yet, she felt way too relaxed as she sat against the comfortable sofa, her feet placed up on a settee and her daughter sitting right by her side.

Zayla had been clinging to her ever since she came back, something that Aaina felt utterly glad about. Usually, kids would easily detach themselves after a few days of absence but Zayla wasn't like most kids.

Ahad and Noora sat on the opposite side of the sofa, watching Zaydaan who was stood right in front of Aaina, holding out his hand.

As if she only needed his hand to move anyway.

"Come on let's go up." He motioned to her, hand still pulled out for her.

Aaina merely smiled and used the same hand to pull him back on the sofa by her side, chuckling as there was no force in her to actually make him sit back down.

"I will but in a while." She told him, enjoying the way she sat, so relaxed, with Ahad and Noora and not in a hospital bed.

Zaydaan clearly didn't agree with her as he showed her an annoyed expression on his face.

"You need rest. Listen to me for once." Ahad stifled a laugh at his brother's remark.

"I always listen to you." Aaina defended. Ahad and Noora both looked at each other, stifling their laughs once again.

"How ironic." Ahad couldn't help but mumble. She wouldn't have been in this position if she actually, always listened to him.

Aaina just rolled her eyes at her best friend who was already addressing his brother.

"Bhai, come on sit. You can play nurse in a while." He teased, enjoying the pissed off expression that graced his brother's face.

Noora jumped into the conversation, smacking Ahad softly on the shoulder.

"You know that he can fire you ass anytime he wants, right?" She questioned her husband.

Zaydaan Ziagil smirked upon hearing that as he actually sat back down and nodded at the two.

"Your wife is smarter than you." He remarked, looking at Ahad even though he was complimenting Noora.

Aaina looked at Zaydaan in wonder.

"Look at that. Is Zaydaan Ziagil complimenting someone?" She questioned, looking at Ahad.

"He is just stating a fact. Thank you, Zaydaan Bhai." Noora replied, staring at her brother in law and then at Aaina.

Ahad made a sound in the back of his throat.

"You see what's going on here?" He said to his bestfriend , sensing the slight bonding between his wife and his brother.

Aaina nodded, the same smile on her face as before. She liked that Zaydaan had a soft corner for Noora, he kind of trusted her even when he hardly trusted anyone.

"Mhmm. They're getting close, it seems." Aaina murmured in response, her husband just clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Ahad continued the banter, a part of him eager to get his brother into some homely trouble. They had been stuck in so many problems lately, it would be nice to actually have some playful conversations. Besides, getting Zaydaan annoyed at him would just be a bonus.

"Zaydaan Bhai has been getting close to alot of people lately." Ahad started, the twinkle in his eyes telling his brother what he was about to talk already.

The little shit.

Aaina looked at her husband, frowning. Who was he talking about?

"What is that supposed to mean?" Aaina enquired, raising her eyes at her husband.

"He didn't tell you?" Ahad said, laughter following his own question.

Noora let out a groan as Zaydaan glared at his younger brother but it had no affect on Ahad.

"Ahad, stop behaving like a muhallay ki aunty." She said to her husband, but Ahad had done his job already.

He couldn't wait to watch the scene unfold in front of him. Not everyone could make Zaydaan Ziagil nervous over a tiny matter like this.

"Tell me what?" Aaina questioned Zaydaan, suddenly turning serious.

Zaydaan simply rolled his eyes, putting his leg up on the sofa as he turned towards Aaina.

"Minal. She came to the hospital and sat by my side for hours, she comforted me when I needed someone." He said, rather quickly than it was needed.

Even Noora felt intrigued by the way Zaydaan had said it, like he just wanted the conversation to end.

Aaina remained quiet for a moment, then she saw the playful expression on Ahad's face and didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her interrogate Zaydaan live. She smiled at Ahad, then looked back at Zaydaan.

"Oh. Okay." She whispered, telling her husband that she was ready to go upstairs.

Zaydaan stood up, putting his hand around Aaina's shoulder as he lifted her up. She groaned as the pain hit her but stabled herself enough to walk.

Her husband put one arm around her shoulders and his hand reached out to hold her hand from the other side as he made her walk.

Zayla was still sat on the sofa so Zaydaan motioned her to get up as well, calling out for his daughter.

"Come, Zayla. Let's take your mama upstairs." Aaina remained quiet, only hissing a little every time she took a few more steps.

Finally, they reached the elevator and Zaydaan didn't remember the lady time he had actually used the thing.

Finally, as he opened the room to their bedroom and made Aaina sit back on the bed, her legs straightened out.

Zayla simply walked upto her mother's dresser and picked up the pink lipstick, applying it everywhere but her lips. Zaydaan let her do it, knowing that it made her happy.

His attention turned back onto his wife, who was already staring at him. She was going to bring Minal up now, wasn't she?

It would be so unlike Aaina if she didn't taunt him over Minal atleast once.

"What did you both talk about?" His wife enquired, crossing her arms and then as she uncrossed them once again.

Zaydaan gave her a blank face.

"You. Considering you were on the death bed." He replied, his monotone voice made Aaina click her tongue in annoyance.

"And you were there getting comforted by your ex girlfriend." She taunted.

And there it was.

The first taunt. Atleast she hadn't lost her personality in the plain hospital over the days.

"Yes, I suppose I was." He agreed, not even being shocked at the scowl on her face.

"Great." The sarcasm in her tone was quite evident, Zaydaan only gave her a half smirk.

"The irrationality is back." He stated, Aaina shook her head.

No, Aaina. You've fought with him way too many times over this. You talked with Minal, you had a good talk with her, you can't be mad at her comforting him. He was worried about you, you should feel flattered.

She told herself, making herself understand that it wasn't a big deal but even though she knew there was nothing at all, she still felt jealous.

She figured jealousy didn't care about truth or logic.

"It's not. I know she's your friend and she understands you. She was there in your time of need." She still said, sounding mature to her ownself.

The bitter look on her face told him otherwise.

"Dil se keh Rahi ho?" (Are you saying this from the heart?)

Zaydaan enquired, making Aaina drop her head.

"Nahi." She admitted sheepishly, telling him that she was not saying it from the heart.

Zaydaan Ziagil let out a small laugh, knowing that Aaina would always remain a little irrational when it came to Minal.

"She also hugged me. I needed that comfort." He added, now enjoying her jealousy.

Aaina groaned, throwing a cushion at him.

"Now you're just looking at ways to piss me off." She said, not even willing to imagine her husband hugging a woman that was not her.

She knew her husband was enjoying this, yet she couldn't help but feel annoyed.

"Why did you hug her?" She questioned, scowling at her husband. Her very happy husband.

"I was upset." He said with a shrug, still grinning at her with those playful eyes that she loved so much.

"Zaydaan, I don't like these things." Zaydaan still grinned at her, enjoying her frustration. Aaina clicked her tongue.

"You are not even taking me seriously." She accused, Zaydaan lifted himself up from bedside and leaned above, placing his lips on her cheek.

He puckered his lips and placed a kiss on her cheek, his thick beard teasing her cheeks and her annoyance fading away with the kiss.

She tried to hide the smile that made it's way onto her mouth but clearly failed as her husband saw her tender expression.

His eyes turned to look at Zayla, who had an entire pink lipstick smudged onto her eyes and cheeks.

He tried to control his laughter, not willing to make his daughter feel bad about herself as he picked up a few wipes from the table and walked towards her.

"Would you look at that? Oh how beautiful you look, Zayla." He made her stand in front of him, turning her towards Aaina who also tried to control the laughter that was bubbling in her throat.

She looked so..pink.

"Thank you, baba. Like mama na.." She trailed off, asking if she looked just like her mother.

Zaydaan nodded.

"Exactly like mama. Now can we wipe it off so you can nap with your mother?" He questioned, Zayla pouted.

"Why?"

"Because I always take my makeup off before sleep, right Zayla? Or else I get pimples." Aaina jumped in, convincing her daughter that she had to take her makeup or whatever lipstick she had put on her entire face, off.

Zayla nodded in understanding, turning her face towards her father again.

Zaydaan used the wipe to clean off her face, making sure that there was no pink spot anymore.

After the lipstick was off, he used a little lotion and put it on her face as well..making sure that she was all clean before he beckoned her towards the bed.

"Come on, lay down." Zayla still stood near the bed, watching as her father helped Aaina lay down on the bed properly, then pulled a comforter up and covered her with it.

"I'm not done with the Minal topic. I'm just tired." Aaina suddenly said, reminding him that she would bug him again.

Zaudaan nodded.

"I'm ready to face whatever you throw my way, Meri jaan."

Meri Jaan meant more than ever to her, Aaina closed her eyes, ready to sleep.

"Zayla, up now." His daughter got up on the bed and laid down beside her mother.

"Don't touch mama's stomach, alright?" He softly instructed, Zayla just nodded.

She was quite sleepy herself since her sleep arrangement had been disturbed since the past few days.

Zaydaan dimmed the room lights, smiled at the sight and then walked out of the room.

He had never disliked going to work so much.

@AainaZaydaan : my actual heaven.

As the Prime Minister walked through the hallway, ready to go downstairs and leave for his office... His eyes fell upon his Ahad and Noora, both of them were stood at the corner, clearly not caring about the prying eyes. His hands were on her waist and her hands entangled around his neck, Zaydaan wanted to walk away but he had recently found out and he knew that he had to at least congratulate them.

He genuinely felt happy for his brother and this news came as a relief in such a stressful time.

He cleared his throat, grabbing the attention of his brother and his brother's wife, both of them separating from one another in one quick motion.

Zaydaan didn't bother noticing the flushed expression on Noora's face, neither did he care about the uncomfortable look on Ahad's.

"Ahad, Noora." He took their names, as if he was greeting them in a better, proper manner.

"Jee bhai." Noora said sweetly, waiting for Zaydaan to say something.

"Jee, bhai." Ahad mimicked his wife, receiving a pinch on his side.

These idiots were going to be parents?

"Why didn't you both tell me?" Zaydaan enquired, disliking the fact that his brother would hide something like this from him.

"What?" Ahad didn't catch on, not until he saw Noora and realised what Zaydaan was referring to.

"Oh. We wanted to tell you but Aaina was sick and you had just lost a child yourself, I-" Ahad tried to explain, resulting in a hand gesture from his brother, who motioned him to shut up.

"You think your brother has no right to be happy for you?" Zaydaan asked, Ahad shook his head.

"No, bhai. I just didn't want to well, hurt you." He responded, smiling at his brother.

Zaydaan shook his head at him, moving forward and embracing his brother.

"Are you mad? Congratulations." He said, patting him on the back as he pulled away from the hug.

"Thank you." Ahad murmured, seeing how Zaydaan turned to look at Noora.

He put his hand on her head.

This was the gesture that people who were much older did to the ones younger than them, it was a gesture to show your blessing or happiness for the other person, it was even used as a greeting at times.

He pulled back his hand and looked at Noora.

"You are going to be a wonderful mother, Noora. You're trained enough already." He told her, earning nothing but a full smile from his sister in law.

Noora couldn't help but feel grateful. Zaydaan bhai used to be so intimidating at the start, he was still a little intimidating but he was like also an older brother to her, it was hard to explain. They didn't talk much but she still understood that Zaydaan bhai did have a soft corner for her.

"Thank you, bhai. It means alot, coming from you.." Noora replied, hearing the man say nothing after that as he nodded and walked away.

@AainaZaydaan : lovely to see our railway minister raising awareness against pollution and how eco friendly trains have changed the dimension of the country. Ahad  hardly gives interviews but when he does, he makes sure they are worth watching.

She had woken up around two hours ago and changed into better clothes with the help of the several women that Zaydaan had assigned for her. He was being way too protective, she could have easily managed with just a nurse but here he was, keeping an eye even when he was away at work.

She had changed into a pair of sweatpants and a blue top, had got her hair brushed and that was pretty much it, she was back on the bed, sitting in an upright position.

She had even watched a movie with Zayla. While her little girl got excited over Mulan, Aaina was not exactly too thrilled. Still, she had clapped when Zayla clapped and she had made sure to give all attention to her little girl.

Zayla had then left the room with her Aunty Noora, leaving Aaina to sit idle.

She let out a sigh as she scrolled through her phone, dialling her husband's number.

Shockingly, he picked it up on the very first ring.

"Hey, look who picked up. Maybe I should get involved in dangerous situations more often." Aaina teased, hearing silence from the other head before she heard her husband's voice.

"You won't dare again. How are you?"

Aaina yawned, even though she was fresh as a daisy.

"I'm good. I slept for hours actually, changed, then watched some animated movie with Zayla. Now I'm just bored." She gave him the details, looking at the time. It was seven in the evening already, night time approaching.

"That's nice."

"When are you coming back home?" Aaina asked him, hoping that he would be home soon.

"I won't take long. I'll be there for dinner." He informed.

"Okay. I'll see you then."

"See you." She heard him hang up.

Aaina let out a sigh and picked up a book from the bedside table, the very same one that Zaydaan had been reading at the hospital.

@AainaZaydaan : 🖤

She had read about thirty pages of the book so far and had actually got intrigued by it to the point that she wasn't willing to put it down any second.

The anarchy was one of those stories that the writer had written in such splendid detail that Aaina felt drawn to it since the first chapter.

Her eyes focused on each and every word as she did not even take notice of the time. 

A knock on the door made her hum as she didn't turn her head to find who was there, she was quite focused on finishing the next chapter.

She had to finish this one by tonight, she just had to. The story, the narration and the detail was incredible.

Nothing could take her attention away from it right now.

"Can I come in?"

Well, that did it.

Aaina heard the voice of her mother in law reach her ears and she could not help but sigh and put the book down on her lap.

She looked at the woman who had already closed the door behind her and was standing near it.

"You're already in."

Aaina stated, not knowing how she would ask this woman to leave. She didn't want to yell or scream, this woman had given her so much love and respect but at the same time, she had given none to her actual child. What was she supposed to do? Nothing mattered more than Zaydaan, but Safina Ziagil had been a mother to her.

"I want to talk to you." Safina murmured, looking at Aaina.

"I don't want to talk to you." Aaina said in a curt tone, knowing that this would not end well.

"I want to explain my side of the story."

Aaina clicked her tongue. What more was there to know? She did not exactly glare at her mother in law but she looked at her with such disappointment in her eyes that Safina had to look away.

"And I already know your side of the story. You had a daughter, you had a son, your daughter died saving your son and you have loathed him ever since. Every time you try to love him, all you can see is the face of your dead daughter."

Aaina started off, hating herself for giving into her emotions and actually making a conversation with the woman. A conversation that wouldn't do her any good.

"You tried to replace her by thinking of me as your daughter or maybe you just did that to hurt my husband more than you already had. You mentally hurt him since he was a child, you hurt him to a point, where he became this cold man who was unable to express himself."

She accused, spitting out each word with an anger that wasn't there before.

"And as if that was not enough, you hit him where it would hurt him the most. You held him responsible for something that was not his fault. In a time where you should have been a mother to him, when you should have offered your shoulder for him to lean on, you decided to be the worst version of yourself! "

Aaina exclaimed.

"I never spoke against you because I had promised him that I would not, because even after all the screwed up things you had done to him, he still respected you. But you lost that respect as well."

She told the truth to her mother in law, there was no point in hiding it. She had remained quiet for Zaydaan's sake, but also because she wanted to be selfish. She wanted to experience the love of a mother after her own had abandoned her but not anymore, she couldn't do it.

Whenever she saw this woman now, it just showed her an image of a little child being told that he was a nahoosat (bad omen) by this very woman.

"What is there to even explain? Safina aunty." She stressed on the word aunty, seeing the hurt expression on the woman's face.

"Don't say that, Aaina. I am your mother." Safina Ziagil insisted.

Aaina shook her head.

"No. You are not my mother. I already have a mother. Just like you already have a child that you refuse to acknowledge or love." Aaina didn't remember the last time she had stood up for Zaydaan like this but she had to do it this time.

"And I am not sitting here asking you to love him now for my sake or love him at all, because he clearly doesn't care about your love anymore." Aaina continued.

Safina wiped away a tear that had left her eye and looked at Aaina.

"Aaina..you don't know how it is like to watch your child die right in your arms. You don't know how it feels when they're looking at you and then they die. "

Aaina understood how painful it must have been for her but why did she have to put Zaydaan through even worse? Why did he get punished for it?

"You think I don't hurt when I do these things? I have no control." Safina told her, Aaina let out a bitter chuckle.

"You had decades to control yourself! Decades!" She insisted, not bothering to hear any more.

"Please, go." She pointed towards the door but the woman came near her instead, she sat by Aaina's side.

"I see my Zartash in you. I was broken from the inside when you came into our home and looked at me like a daughter would look at her mother. Don't push me away." She pleaded.

A part of Aaina felt sorry for her and a part of her wanted to hug her, another part of her simply resented the woman and wanted her to suffer for putting Zaydaan in pain. What was this conflict?

"I never wanted to push you away. I considered you my mother but you're the one who ruined everything." She replied, feeling her throat tighten.

"You can not understand, Aaina."

How could Aaina not understand? She had gone through so much lately.

"I can. I lost a child too, if you haven't noticed. And when Zayla got taken away for even a few hours, I thought I would die. I get it. What happened to you was terrible but it does not justify what you've done to the child, the man that you birthed."

She didn't want to hold back, she wanted to say what came in her head and heart, she didn't care if it bothered the woman.

"You say you understand but you don't, Aaina. No one can." Safina stated, crying.

"Can you imagine Zayla, your first born girl..dying in your arms, trying to save another child of yours?"

Aaina gasped at her choice of words. Did she hear her right? Had the woman really said this to her? Had she talked about Zayla?

No. Maybe she was just hearing wrong.

"What?" Aaina mumbled, waiting for her to repeat whatever she had said.

Safina stood up, not even understanding herself that the words she was uttering right now were disgusting and hurtful.

"The only way you can understand how I have felt for years is if the same thing happens to you too. If Zayla dies in your arms and you feel absolutely helpless." Safina Ziagil chokes out, Aaina's eyes widened.

She wished she could just get up from the bed and drag the woman out of her room.

"How can you say something so disgusting and-" Aaina was just in the middle of telling her mother in law how hurtful her words sounded before the door opened with a loud bang.

Zaydaan Ziagil walked inside the bedroom, not looking at anything else but at his mother.

The anger that he held in his eyes, they were a proof that he had heard every word. Aaina felt his body shake with anger and she gulped herself, worried that Zaydaan might do something horrible.

He was protective over Zayla, he loved her. He wouldn't hear one thing about her. No man would.

Zaydaan took two steps towards his own mother and Safina took one back, feeling scared by the look on his face.

"If I hear my daughter's name out of your filthy mouth one more time, I will forget that you are the woman who gave birth to me." Zaydaan warned, pointing a finger at her.

He had never talked to her that way, never. Not in this dreadful, cruel tone.

"You stand here and talk about understanding? Well, I don't want to understand you. My wife does not want to understand you and if you don't leave in the next five seconds, I will drag you out of my room on my own, respect be damned." Zaydaan threatened, seeing his mother's scared face.

"And..if you ever say another word about my daughter again, I will not hesitate in throwing you out of my house."

Zaydaan, in the early days of their marriage, had told her that he wouldn't hesitate in throwing her out of the damn car. It was the first and the last time she had heard him threaten anyone by telling them that he would throw them out.

He had never even said it as a joke. Yet, here he was..telling his mother that he would throw her out of his house.

"This is my house, the Prime Minister's house. Be careful from now on." He told her, opening the door again for her to walk out.

Safina Ziagil stood there for a minute, staring at her son. Had he really said that to her? Had she really hurt him to the point where he had lost all respect for her? Had she failed so hard as a mother? Was she truly a horrible person?

"Leave!" She snapped out of her trance as he heard the loud voice of her son.

She gave one last look to Aaina and Zaydaan, before she walked out, embarrassed, ashamed, hurt and guilty.

Zaydaan closed the door as his mother left, letting out a few deep breaths.

He inhaled, then exhaled, he inhaled again and then exhaled again. He was trying to control his anger, trying to calm himself down.

Aaina watched him lean against the door for a few more seconds before he finally opened his eyes and turned towards Aaina.

He stood there, not coming near her.

"I know that I shouldn't have, I have never before but she took Zayla's name. No one takes Zayla's name like that."

He said to her, watching as his wife's eyes held no judgement, no curiosity, just plain understanding.

"You don't have to explain yourself. It's okay."

Aaina replied, holding her hand out for him.

Zaydaan walked close to her, not caring that he was still wearing his shoes. He simply got into the bed and laid by his wife, trying to relax, trying to forget, trying to not think.

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Thoughts?