Days were passing slowly for Hemayal as everyone tried their best to give her rest and make her eat on time and take supplements on time. With passing days, her body was changing, her emotions was changing. She was becoming sadder day by day, she didn't know why there was this deep grief in her heart. One day she was sitting on the carpet near the bed, her back supported by the bed frame as she stared at her hands. Her eyes roamed across the lines on her hands, some deep , some shallow, some forming a cut and some determining her fate. The mehndi which was always present on her hands was faded now, splotchy on some places. She mulled over her thoughts with eyes.
What was in these hands now? Where was she? A daughter of a poor woman and now she was a poor woman too. She was poor because there was nothing in her hands. She was alone. No one who loved her, no one who would get worried over her slightest frown. She compared herself to her mother, atleast her mother had her Baba. She had watched their love with her own eyes. Her mother had her. Her mother had friends in the haveli. Then she had Yahya. But Hemayal, she didn't have anyone. Amma was not there, Yahya was equal to not being there. She loved Yahya and she was grateful to Allah that He had granted her the man she loved. But a little part of her wanted someone to be completely her's, that would chose her even when the world was ending. Would Yahya ever chose her over Neha? Never.

She placed her hand on her stomach. This child was her everything. It was everything and she would protect it with her life. She will forget what Neha said, she had to. Or she had to fight for her baby.

The door opened and Yahya came into the room. Hemayal laid a glance on his looked away, placing her hands in her laps as he assessed her. Walking towards her, he sat down on his knees.

" Tum kabhi apni zuban sey mjhey kuch nahi kaho gi, haina?"

He raised her head with his finger at her chin and she looked at him befor looking away, a tear finally slipping down her cheek.

" Aur tumhari aankhein hi shikayat kar kar k mjhey maar dein gi."

Hemayal placed her hair behind her ears, ignoring him like he didn't say anything.

" Mayal, hua kya hai? Kyun itni udaas rehti ho? Aaj bta dau."

Hemayal saw the request in his eyes and she stared at him, trying to gauge whether he was sincere or not. Then there were tears in her eyes before she even opened her mouth,
" Mjhey darr hai."

" Kis cheez ka darr?"
He sat beside her on the floor, rubbing his thumb across her hand in a a calming motion.

Hemayal bit her lip to control her sob and he tried to pull her into him by placing a hand on her shoulder but she resisted.

" Aap mjhey chhor dein gey. Jab mera - bacha paida hojaye ga, aap ussey mjh sey m-mjh sey ley lain gey."

Yahya held her close as she broke down, he slowly rubbed her back as she cried.

" Main marr jaun gi.. mey bta rahi hun mey marr jaun gi."

Yahya shushed her her up, placing a finger to her lips but she pushed his hand away. She wanted everything out now.

" Mey aap sey mohabbat karti hun, aap nahi kartay. Menay kabhi kuch nahi kaha. Lekin Allah ney meray saath aisay kyun kiya? M-menay tau boht duaeyin ki thi.. lekin phir bhi mey akeli hun aur wo mjhe sey mera bacha bhi chheen ley gi.."

Yahya held her close until her cried died down to sobs.
"Mey itna zalim hun, Mayal?"

Yahya cupped her face as he cleaned her tears with his hands.
" Hmm? Kis ney kaha yey sab?
His voice was hard.

" Menay suna tha. N-Neha ko aik aurat sey baat kartay.."

" Neha ney bola yey?"
There was anger in his voice and his eyes were hard, blank, pained.

She shook her head.
"Uss aurat ney."

He tucked her hair behind her ear.
" Mey itna bura hun, Mayal? K tumhey laga k mein tumhey chhor dun ga kyun k mera matlab poora hogya hai?

Hemayal stayed quiet, wiping her silent tears.

" Aur mjhey afsos hai k tumhey lagta hai k mein tumsey mohabbat nahi karta."

Her eyes immediately jumped to his. There was pain in his eyes that made her heart hurt. She never wanted him to be hurt.

" Mey kyun tumsey mohabbat nahi karun ga? Tum itni khubsurat ho, itni masoom, itni pyaari. Meri itni achi dost ho aur aik farmabardar biwi ho. Mey tau khush kismat hun k itni pyaari larki meri biwi hai.. aur mjh sey mohabbat bhi karti hai."

She was going to say something when he started again.
" Mey Neha sey mohabbat karta hun tau iska matlab k kisi aur shaks sey nahi kar sakta? Bibi say karta hu, Abbu sey karta hun, Amma sey karta hun. Tum sey bhi karta hun."

" Iss mohabbat aur asli mohabbat mey boht farq hota hai."

" Kya farq hota hai? Tum meri biwi ho, mey tumsey mohabbat karta hun. Baat khatam. Zaroori hai k hum yey ginain k kis sey kon zyada mohabbat karta hai?"

" Aap kabhi mjhey Neha sey zyada nahi chahain gay. Aap un sey zyada pyaar kartay hain, mjhey kabhi choose nahi karain gey. Mey aapki zindagi mey zabardasti ayi hun."

" Agar aisa hota tau mein yahan hota? Mey saara hafta uss k saath kyun na rehta? Meray upar kon zarbardasti karta hai k Hemayal k paas jao? Aadha hafta idhr tumharay liye hota hun.
Jo tumhara mukaam hai wo Neha ka nahi aur jo Neha ka hai tumhara nahi. Menay apnay dil ko day hisso mey karliya hai."

Hemayal became quiet as he brushed his fingers through her hair.
" Yakeen aaya k nahi?"

He looked into her eyes and she nodded after seeing sincerity there. She was as light as feather. He had cleared all her doubts and she was grateful for all she had and all she didn't.

" Aisay rotay hain? Hm? Mera bacha bechara sochta hoga k Baba kitnay buray hain. Har waqt ammi ko rulatay rehtay hain."

He kissed her head and then pinched her red rose before kissing it.

" Aur yey tum kya keh rahi thi? Akeli ho? Mey tumhara kya lagta hun phir?"

" Aap tau chalay jaatay hain."
Her lips pouted a little at the end and he bit his smile. She was always like this, boht jaldi maan jaanay wali aur boht jaldi naraaz honay wali.

" Phir iska matlab hai k dus baara bachay aur hon, phir tumhey sakoon milna hai.
He raised his eyebrows mischievously and Hemayal's eyes widened before she pushed him away.

////////

Yahya was entirely focused on his work. It was the middle of the night. After arriving from office, he had closed himself in his study. He had asked Hemayal to sleep and had went to work again himself, careless of how tired he was. Files, pages, empty cups of coffee littered his table. He had an important project due and he needed to look everything through for the presentation. Too engrossed in his work, he only picked up his phone after the third fifth bell.

" Hello?"

"Yahya? Kesay ho?"
It was Neha.

" Theek hun. Tum batao, itni raat ko kesay phone kiya? Khairyat?"
His eyebrows scrunched but he kept typing on his keyboard as he talked to her.

" Ab tumhey phone karnay sey pehlay bhi tumhari doosri biwi sey ijazat liya karun?"
Yahya stopped his hands, his jaw clenching at her taunt but he kept his cool. It was normal now, Neha involving his second marriage in everything. Every time they talked or were together, she never forgot to taunt.

" Tum kyun Ijazat logi yaar. Wesay hi poocha hai k raat k dhai baj rahay hain. Khairyat hai na?"
He rubbed the middle of his eyebrows.

" Haan Yahya, khairyat hai."

A few seconds stretched before them as Yahya felt her hesitation through the phone.
" Aur?"

He felt the wetness of her voice when she said,
" Yahya... tum sach mey bhool gaye? Aaj tumney meray paas aana tha."

Yahya wanted to slap his forehead. He actually forgot that today was Saturday and he was supposed to go back to Neha. But right now his concern was the wetness in her voice the doubts in her words.
" Sorry, yaar. Mey bhool gaya. Aaj itna important kaam tha. Saara din busy guzra, abhi tak study mey hun. Kal subah hi aajaun ga."
He had more work here that's why he was staying in the haveli more these days and he knew it irked Neha, no matter how many explanations he gave.

" Aur tumhari biwi? Wo kahan hai?"
Yahya refrained from rolling his eyes as he tightened his jaw. He had gotten protective of Hemayal but the one on the other side was his wife too.

" Wo tau sao rahi hai, Neha. Menay jaan boojh kar nahi kya. Sach mey busy tha."

" Hmm. Sahi baat hai. Jab tumharay paas wo hai tau kyun meri yaad aye gi."
He understood where Neha waa coming from. He had loved Neha for too long now, she was with him and in his thoughts where ever he went. But these days, he hadn't been as attentive he was before. Handling two wives and giving them equal time and attention was difficult, more difficult now that he has started some new business.

" Neha, kyun itna guilty feel karwati ho? Tumhey bhool sakta hun kabhi? Mey boht thaka hua hun iss waqt. Subah baat karta hun."
He still had work and he wanted to wind up quickly. And he was a little disheartened of the fact that Neha was still insecure about his love. Hemayal was the new one, she needed reassurance but Neha should know him inside and out.

" theek hai."

Placing the phone on the table, Yahya rubbed his temples as he tilted back into the chair. He was tired due to the continuous work. He still hadn't changed out of his office clothes. Sighing, he went back to work, continuing to type from where he left of. A few minutes later, his door opened and he looked up to find a sleepy Hemayal. Dressed in a soft, crinkled off-white shalwar kameez with her tiny bump visible , her dupatta hanging off her shoulder like she had draped it in hurry, hair a mess of long dark strands flowing on her back, eyes red with khumar and pink feet bare as she walked up to him and perched herself on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and snuggling her head between his shoulders. Yahya's eyebrows raised with surprise as a smile broke out on his lips as he pushed the laptop away to make space for her.

" Oho, Kya hua bai?"

He brushed the hair out of her face as she sinked into his lap, settling there.

" Mjhey lga k aap challay gaye."

She opened her eyes which were red with sleep before closing them once again. He bit his smile before he bent down to kiss her closed eyelids one by one which were pink from the trail of tiny blood vessels on them.

" Kahin nahi gya."

His hand brushed her little bump and then he wrapped his arms around her back, supporting her and holding her close. Her presence, her scent filled his mind and heart with peace and calmness. She was like a ray of light, a innocent soul who captured everyone's heart with her large doe like blue eyes. However mature she may portray herself, he knew she was child-like inside, yearning for love, trying to please everyone, obsessed with rain and scared of the dark.

" Chalo jao ab, andar ja kar sojao. Kahin nahi ja raha mey."

He tried to untangle her arms but she snuggled in more.
" Aap bhi ayein."

He heard her warm whisper in her neck and sighed, smiling lightly as he turned his lap top off and held her properly before standing up so she didn't fall. He crossed the lobby and entered their room, sure that no one would be awake to see them.

" Itni halki ho, kuch khaya piya karo, yaar."
He told her as he laid her down on the bed and she gave out a chuckle before he tucked her in.
" Change kar k aaya. Tum sojao."

A few minutes later, he came back and slipped into the bed to find her awake and waiting for him as she would her arms around him and snuggled closer. Yahya let out a laugh as he kissed her hair and enveloped her in his arms.

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