Rehan's P.O.V.

Everyone's appetite was completely gone due to what happened merely five minutes ago. I hated that Ahad Khalu slapped Mahi when it was clear that Khala was provoking her to react like that too.

"Ahad, why did you raise your hand?" Baba asked firmly, Ahad Khalu had been sitting stoically on the couch for the past few minutes, "Ahad."

"She has gone completely crazy Bhai." No, she hasn't.

"That is no excuse to be slapping a 26-year-old Ahad. She-"

"Did you not see how she was disrespecting Rehan and Sajal?" Khalu interrupted him, "She was not apologizing either so, I lost control."

"Baba," Roza said softly, "Api was having a panic attack." It was clear as day to us youngsters but to them, her freaking out was nothing but disrespect. "She needed a hug or comfort instead of you slapping her."

"Roza,"

"Amma please," Roza said in a irritated tone, "You do not need to speak right now." She was right, Khala had no right to speak right now. "This would have never happened if you had just stopped provoking her."

"I-"

"Sajal, shut up." Ahad Khalu snapped effectively quieting her down.

"She isn't answering her phone," Jannah said concerned, "It goes straight to voice mail." Now that is really concerning, considering the state of mind she just ran out of. the. house, who knows what she can do to herself.

"Good job," Roza began clapping for Khala, "This is what you wanted right?" Khala shook her head, "This is exactly what you wanted Amma!"

"Roza," Ahad Khalu said, "Stop,"

"Stop what Baba?" Roza asked angrily, "She," She pointed at Khala, "Your wife is the one who needs to be stopped." Her gaze met mine, "Do you have any idea what kind of things she says to Api because of you Bhai? She called her a fucking disgrace to the family after the divorce. The divorce that YOU wanted." I kept quiet taking every single accusation she had, "The divorce that she didn't even talk, she only took that step because you wouldn't talk to her."

"Sajal?" Amma said her name softly,

Khala's gaze dropped to the ground ashamed, "She won't let her breathe, every time she calls home she needs to taunt her. She needs to say some twisted fucken thing to make her anxiety and mental health pumplet." Roza's whole body shook, "I never knew Amma could be so mean and cruel until this fucken divorce. She is your daughter Amma!" Roza threw her hands up in the  air, "The same one you begged for before you even had a fucken child."

"Roza," I say firmly, "I think that is enough,"

"What's enough?"

"Khala is wrong." I agree with her, "But right now instead of playing the blame game, we need to look for her." I had no idea that she had gotten this bad. "Do you have any idea where she could be or do you have her location shared?"

She glared at me but nevertheless checked her phone, "No way," Her gaze softened,

"What?"

"She's. . .she's at our old treehouse, it's not far from here but her and I haven't visited in ages." She replied, "Um, I'll be right back."

She shrugged on her jacket, "Wait let me come with you." I say but she shakes her head,

"I think all of you have done enough for one. night." Roza said firmly, before rushing out the door the same way Mahi did.

"Khala." I say taking a step forward, "I made this very clear to my family and I had thought I made it clear to you as well." I take a deep breath in, "The divorce was originally my choice, and Mahi resisted." I had accidentally said it once during an argument. "Then she brought the papers when our relationship hit rock bottom." She looked up at me. "If Mahi is such a disgrace to you Khala then I should be too." I cross my arms over my chest. "I do not and will not tolerate the way you have been  treating Mahi. No mother should treat her daughter like after everything she's been through."

"I am sorry," Khala whimpered, "I am sorry,"  Amma went over to comfort her tightly hugging her, as Baba hugged Ahad Khalu.  Breathing out heavily I leaned down infront of her as she sat on a chair, "I am sorry." She repeated. 

"Khala," It seemed like she was hiding something, "Kuch hua hai kya?" (Has something happened? ) I know she would never treat Mahi so cruelly unless there was something provoking her. 

 Ahad Khalu cleared his throat uncomfortable, "Roza ke Saas." (Roza's mother-in-law) She admitted, "Salaar ko toh nahi pata per-" (Salaar does not know but-)

"Sajal." Khalu stopped her but I shook my head at him, who backed off. 

"She is demanding to know why Mahi and you got a divorce, she is demanding to keep Mahir away from the wedding but Roza doesn't even breathe without her." 

"But why?" I ask confused, "Mahi is Roza's older sister, why are they trying to keep her away. from their happiness?"

"Because," Khala cried, "She says that a divorced woman brings a bad omen to a newly wedded couple. She doesn't want Mahi around at all." What a regressive thought process. "I do not have the energy to say this to her, I do not want to crumble her self-confidence anymore, so I thought if I kept saying cruel words to her, she wouldn't come home." 

"Sajal," Amma whispered, "Tum apna rishta karab kar rahi ho aise." (You are ruining your relationingship like this.). Amma was right, "Mahi samajhdar hai, batao do use." (She is an sensible girl, tell her.)

I swallowed harshly, "What if we pretend like the news is fake?"   I don't know if what I suggested is the right solution, but to make Khala stop tortuing her while she suffered herself, this was all I could think of for now. 

"Kya?" (What?) She asked me shocked

"What if, we tell her the divorce is just a rumor and that Mahi and I had just separated for a little bit." I suggest, "This will solve the problem easily, and-"

"Bhai," Jannah said, "Mahi won't agree."

"For Roza, she will." I say firmly, "Hum Mahi ko bata de te hain." (We will tell Mahi) Sajal Khala wiped her tears away, "But then, for Roza, in front of her mother-in-law. we can pretend to be a couple. That way Mahi doesn't have to miss anything, Roza won't be hurt, and the problem will be solved." This is the only thing I could think of, "And you Khala, can stop triggering her panic attacks."

"Rehan," Khalu whispered, "Meri bachi bohot sensitive hain."  (My child is very sensitive)

"I know,"

"Woh nahi manegi." (She will not agree.) He continued, "Mahi will go fight with her mother-in-law, but she will not come back and pretend to be something of yours when all it has caused, is a pain for the past few years." My gaze dropped to the ground, "She won't." Mahi is stubborn, but for her family's sake, she will do almost anything to make them happy. . .

I mean, she married me didn't she?

"That's my responsibility," I answer him, "I promise Khalu."

The room fell into silence as I stayed sitting on the ground thinking about one thing. . .

Where is Mahi?

. . .

Mahinoor's P.O.V.

"Api!" I hear Roza's voice, "Api, I know you are there." She said as I hid in the treehouse more, "Api!" I covered my ears so I do not have to hear her voice as I just wanted to be left alone. "Api!" Her voice got closer as I heard shuffling within the leaves, and soon enough Roza came to stand in front of me. She breathed out heavily pulling my hands. away from me. ears, as I broke down in her lap. "Shh," Roza comforted me, as she ran her fingers threw my hair. "I got you."Sobs racked my body as Amma's cruel words echoed in my ears, "I got you, Api."

"It hurts so bad," I whined as my hand rubbed my chest constantly, "My heart hurts so bad Roza,"

I hear her sniffle a little, "I know," She whispered, "But there is nothing that I can do or say that will ease it Api." I know there isn't, "But there is someone that I know who wouldn't want you to hurt like this."

"Who?" I whimper, 

"Miraj." She answered causing my body to freeze. "She only came into this world for 4 hours but she was a fighter, something she got from you Api." I slowly lifted myself away from her as I looked at her, Roza leaned forward and wiped my tears away, "Allah ki rehmat thi woh,"(She was Allah's mercy.) She continued, "Aur joh rehmat banke aai thi, woh apni Amma ko itni taqleef mein kaise dekh sakti hai Api?" (She came as mercy towards you, so why would she put her mother in pain?)

My bottom lip quivered again, "Phir woh chali kyu gayi?"  (Then why did she leave?) I asked tearfully, "Roza, phir woh chali kyu gaui?"(Why did she leave Roza?) I took her hands, "I am her Amma right? Why would she leave me? Why did she leave so suddenly Roza?" Losing Miraj, made me lose everything that I held dear to my heart, I lost Rehan, I lost my passion for my work, I lost my family support, I. lost. . .I lost the will to become a mother again. "Can she not see everyone blames me for her death?"

"Api," Roza said shaking her head, "No one blames you-"

"Rehan does." I interrupt her, "He blames me day and night for something that was not in my control!" I exclaim, "H-He thinks-" Tears began streaming down my cheeks again as Roza pulled me towards her again, "Rehan thinks I wanted to kill our child."

"Sh," Roza hushed me, "No he doesn't Api,"  

"He does," I insist, "Roza, he said those things to me when we were in New York." Roza ran her fingers through my hair. 

"Bhai gusse mein the." (Bhai was mad) That was the only excuse anyone had for his actions, but no one asked me how I felt, how it felt to see a piece of me, that I fostered inside of my stomach for nine months, to lose the fight for blood in four hours. 

"So?" I ask, "Just because he is mad that means he  can say the cruelest things to me, Roza?"

She sighed, "No." He had no right to say that to me, not one at all, and if we were going to be pointing to fingers then the biggest one should be pointed at him. I begged him not to go on that press conference, I had told him that it was too close to my delivery date but no, at that time he was told me that it was way to important to miss. 

"I hate him," I cried, "I hate him, Roza." Roza kept quiet allowing me, to vent out my emotions.

I do not know if I truly hate him or if this is just the pain of not having his support speaking, but I surely did not expect Rehan to abandon me emotionally at a time when I needed him the most.  Rehan was always around me physically, but. not. there mentally or emotionally available for me to share the pain I was experiencing. . .

At that point and time, it didn't feel as if I only lost my child, it felt. as if I lost Rehan with her forever. 

. . .

Walking back to our house Roza held my hand tightly in hers as if I would run away again, "Api?" She whispered looking straight ahead and avoiding my gaze.

"Mhm?"  Feeling a bit more calm than the state I was in back at the treehouse.

"Do you truly hate Rehan Bhai?" She asked, "I mean, you two used to be so in love with one another, we thought that no matter what happened you two would be able to survive it." So did I, "Or is the pain of losing a child really so much that it has the power to break down the strongest of relations."

"The pain of losing a child is just that powerful." I answered her, "We both hold Miraj close to our hearts, but we also have a lot of complaints against one another, those complaints are what have turned him and I into strangers."

She sighed, "Talking to one another didn't work?"

"When did he want to talk to me Roza?" I questioned her, "Most of the time it felt like I was speaking to a brick wall. He just wasn't there."

Roza looked over at me with tears in her eyes, "You know I love you alot right?"

Smiling softly I say, "I know you do."  I look up at the sky to see the beautiful dark sky sparkle with the stars so brightly shining, I imagined Miraj had become one of those stars...

I  do not know if she is proud of what Rehan and I have become. . .