"Why carry the sadness of the past, it happened because Allah willed it to happen and nothing can change it."

"Why grieve over the present, it won't stay forever, indeed with hardship is ease."

"Why be anxious about the future when it lies in the hands of Allah, The Sustainer, The Protector and The Creator of every aspect of existence."

✖✖✖

Dad was watering the flowers and I was following him.

"Flowers are beautiful, just like my daughter! " my dad said with a smile.

I gave him a toothy grin.

"Leally? Am I beautiful?" Asked my six-year-old self.

"Yes, my princess!" He bent down to my level and kissed my forehead.

"But you said I was pletty?"

He laughed. The sun rays were shining upon his face.

"My princess is beautiful and pretty." He said.

"Leally?"

"Yes!" He said and stood up.

Suddenly, I slipped and fell down.

"Dad!" I cried and lone tear escaped my eyes.

"Be strong!" I heard his encouraging voice but he was no where to be seen.

"Dad! Whele ale you?"

"I'm always here, princess!" He said but I was scared.

The flowers disappeared. The sun was also missing. Everything was scary now. I could only see the darkness and blood oozing from my knees.

"Dad, come back! It's hurting!" I yelled.

I could hear dad's voice. He was telling me to be strong but I was just yelling and asking him to come back. Tears stained my face.

"Dad!" I yelled.

"I'm here, princess!" I heard him whisper.

My eyes flew open. Mamma was by my side. She was reciting something. I hugged her tightly.

"Dad, Mamma, dad was there!" I was blabbering the same thing again and again.

"Inaya, calm down." Mamma was saying. But I could hardly hear her. She broke the hug and cupped my face.

"Everything is okay, Inaya! I am here!" she said and kissed my forehead.

"Mamma, Dad!" I said and placed my head on her lap. She was slowly caressing my head. Mamma was reciting something. I was now afraid of sleep because of the nightmares. It had more impact this time since the last time I saw nightmare was three years back. I started having nightmares soon after Dad's death. My eyes were wide open and staring at nothing.

"Inaya!" Mamma called.

"Hmm?"

"Get up, let's pray tahajjud!"

I nodded and sat. Mamma patted my cheek once and smiled.

I made my way towards washroom.
I did ablution and came out.

"I will be back." she said and made her way to washroom to perform ablution.

I took out two prayer mats and spread them on the floor.

I saw Adyaan standing near the door.

"Nightmare?" He asked.

I nodded.

"It's all because of her! She said such harsh things that affected you to this extent!" He said bitterly.

"Adyaan, it's just a nightmare and she doesn't have anything to do with this."
Or maybe she does a bit.

"It's not just a nightmare! I can't see you like this!"

"Like what? I'm okay, Adyaan."

"No, you are not! I know you are happy and all but somewhere you are still that little girl." He said concerned.

"Adyaan! let's just forget it!" I said. He stood still and I sighed.

"Adyaan! We cannot do anything about it. Allah will make everything right. He has everything planned and remember He is the best of planners. It's just a test and we have to pass it with A+ grade!" I said, the last part cheerfully.

His lips twitched up a bit forming a small smile.

"Now I am guessing you have already prayed Tahajjud."

He nodded.

"Ah! Impressive! Now go read Qura'an Shareef till Adhaan!"

"Okay! Take care!"

"Stop acting like big bro! I am the older one here!"

"Doesn't look like it!" He smirked. I playfully glared at him.

"Now, pray!" He said and left.

✖✖✖

I was lying on my bed but sleep was far away. I thought of reading Qura'an but my headache won't let me. I get headache after nightmares. I started getting nightmares after dad's death and it continued for two years but Alhamdulillah with Mamma's and Adyaan's support I got over it. I didn't got nightmares from three years that is until this night. The nightmare reminded me of my father and my eyes welled up again. I hastily wiped my tears. I won't cry!

"I will not cry! He is in better place now!"

I kept saying to myself and closed my eyes. After I calmed myself, I stood up and walked to the window. As I opened the curtains, the first rays of the sun gently kissed my cheeks. It reminded me of Rihana Phuphi because she loved sunrise.

"Sun is inspiring. It sets everyday but it never backs out and rises next day yet again." She used to say.

Sometimes, she would call us to watch sunrise with her. Those times were good even if she didn't like me from the beginning.

Rihana Phuphi!

She is a widow. Her husband left her after a year of marriage. I don't know why he left her. But she never remarried. Thinking about her, I was reminded of that unfateful day.

*flashback*

It was the day of father's funeral. The people who came to see dad went back. Me and Adyaan were in the room. We heard some noise coming from outside. But I couldn't hear the exact words. I was about to open the door but Adyaan stopped me.

"No! Don't! Mamma said we should stay here!" He said.

"It's been half an hour now and we will not go out. We will just see what's happening out there!" I said.

He looked unsure but nodded anyways. I opened the door and we peeked outside.

"I said she is unlucky! But no one listens to me!" Rihana Phuphi was literally yelling.

"There is no such thing as luck!" Mamma said, calmly.

"Then will you Care to explain why my brother's business came crashing down after her birth and why did he got a heart attack when he was with her?" She asked. Her eyes were red with anger.

I was shocked when I heard this. I slowly came out of the room and stood a little far from where everyone was standing. Adyaan quietly came to stand beside me. Everyone's attention was drawn to Phuphi so no one seemed to notice us.

"Rihana!" My grandmother said loudly, "That's enough!"

"No, Ma! She doesn't deserve to live here. She-" Rihana Phuphi was cut off by Naeema Phuphi, her younger sister.

"Aapi, please!" Naeema Phuphi said as she looked at me.

Slowly everyone in the hall was aware of my presence. Rihana Phuphi took a step towards me.

"Inaya, why did you kill your father?" Rihana Phuphi asked ever-so-sweetly.

I was purely shocked. I didn't know what to say.

"No, I didn't!" Words just left my mouth. Tears were already flowing down my cheeks.

"But he died because of you. You brought unluck in-" Rihana Phuphi was saying.

"Aapi!" Mamma said loudly.

"Truth is always bitter, Razia!" She said to Mamma.

"Stop Phuphi! Inaya did nothing!" Adyaan yelled.

Her eyes softened as she looked at Adyaan.

"Oh! My love! You shouldn't go near her or else she will-"

"No! I will never leave her! You are bad! You are very bad!" He said and held my hand in his.

"Adyaan!" Phuphi said.

Adyaan pulled me with him to the room.

"Aapi! Please, don't destroy their relationship!" I heard Mamma saying.

I was crying furiously.

"Inaya! Don't cry! And don't listen to Rihana Phuphi!" Adyaan said and side hugged me.

After some time, Mamma came in. Her eyes were glassy. She looked at me and Adyaan and then hugged us. After a moment, she broke the hug and smiled at us.

"Mamma, why was Rihana Phuphi saying that?" Adyaan asked.

"Because she was sad and she didn't knew what she was saying. She didn't mean it." She said and kissed my forehead.

"Really?" I asked.

Mamma nodded.

Although, I was not that young but still I believed my Mamma.

"But I still don't like her!" Adyaan said stubbornly.

"You shouldn't say like that, she's your Phuphi!" Mamma said.

"Okay!" He said and crossed his arms across his chest.

Mamma took the Qura'an from the shelf and started reading it. We were just listening to her. It was after Maghrib that everything happened. Only the females were home. Listening to Mamma gave peace to my heart. After an hour or so, Aunt Huda entered the room.

"Assalamualaikum, Aapi!" She greeted.

"Walaikum assalam, Huda!"

"How are you?" She asked.

"You shouldn't have come." Mamma stated, smiling weakly.

"Aapi, how can't I? Naeema told me everything!"

Naeema Phuphi and Aunt Huda were friends even before Mamma and Dad's marriage but they became more close after the wedding. They were like sisters and shared everything. So it was easy to guess how Aunt Huda knew everything.

"Aapi, she won't let you live peacefully." Aunt Huda said.

"Huda, she's just confused and hurt. He was her brother. Allah will heal everything. Besides, this is my home. I can't leave this place." Mamma said, "And I don't want to be a burden on Abba (father). He's already ill." Mamma sighed.

"Aapi! Rihana di already don't like you and now with-" She stopped for a moment before continuing, "Aejaz bhai gone... It won't be easy. And I heard what she said about our Inaya." She said and patted my head.

"Then, what do you think I should do, Huda?" Mamma asked as she sat on the bed, tensed.

"You should come with me!" Aunt Huda said, "I'm going back after a week.... think about it!"

"No! I just can't leave this place!"

*flashback end*

I was brought into reality by a knock on the door.

"Adyaan, Is that you?" I guessed cause I knew he would be awake by now.

He opened the door and entered the room.

"I knew you would be up!" He said and sat on the couch placed in front of me.

"Good thing you came! I wanted to talk to you!" I said. I really wanted to talk to him about all this Rihana Phuphi stuff.

"What is it?"

"Don't hate Rihana Phuphi! These nightmares are not because of her."

"But-"

"Don't you remember how much she used to love you?" I asked.

"I do." He said quietly.

"Don't hate her. Just forget all those things. Don't you remember, She loved you like her own child. You were like her own!"

"I know all that but I also know how much she disliked you or more like hated you!" He said bitterly.

"Adyaan!" I was tired of this. "I think forgetting all those things will be best! Let's forget everything, please!"

"Okay! We will never ever talk about her or anything back in India except for good things. But there are only handful of good memories in India." He said.

"I have many good memories. Even if involves Rihana Phuphi, they are good!" I said.

He gave me a look.

"Okay! We will not talk about it! But still-" I was cut off by him.

"You very well know I will never like her. Whatever you say will be waste!"

"Right! How can I win from a stubborn teen!" I said first pointing at myself then him.

"You are one yourself!" He smirked.

✖✖✖

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu, my dearest readers!

How was the chapter?
I added Inaya's past!
Do you like it? Or is it a bit much?
What do you think about Rihana Phuphi?
(Please answer this one. I really want to know!)

Please ignore all the grammatical mistakes. (I know there are tons!)

And I know I updated veryyyy late this time. But I have reasons!

First, it was Ramadaan and Eid. Then many family occasions came in which I was pretty occupied. Then came MY ILLNESS!! I was very sick! Headache, cold, stomachache and what not! I'm still a bit sick! And to top all of that, my wattpad was not working properly. I had to rewrite the chapter.

Jazakillahu khairan kaseera for your time!

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Until next time,
Assalamualaikum!

Gazal