Saad's pov:

"Don't start now." I grumbled as I glanced at bhabi, noticing the expression on her face.

"What are you talking about?" She asked me innocently, masking her mischievous expression.

"I know that look on your face." I mumbled, plopping down on the couch in the living room.

"Which look?" She questioned, fluttering her eyelashes and widening her eyes.

"The one which you had right now." I replied while closing my eyes and sighing at her antics.

"Oh believe me, I didn't have any look on my face." She said while making a poker face and taking a seat opposite to me.

"Yeah right, I agree." I muttered, sarcasm dripping off my words. 

"So..." Smiling bashfully at me, she started innocently.

"Bhabi!" I groaned, already hiding my face in my hands.

"A date, huh?" She smirked, eyeing me mischievously.

"I told you." I interrupted before she could continue.

"Where will you be taking her?" Ignoring my valid statement, she inquired with a raised brow.

"The beach." I replied, glancing up at her from my hands, my face heating up the slightest bit. And I was so thankful for covering my face with my hands. Before she could get any wrong ideas, I reminded her. "And it's not just her, Alayna and Amira-"

"Oh yes, why are you taking them with yourself, again?" She interrupted me with one of her queries once again.

"Because it's not a date." I groaned, rubbing my face in my hands. Was she going to leave me alone? I had to think about some things and I couldn't do that with her being present here and questioning me like that.

"But why is it not a date?" I guess not. I don't think she will be leaving me so soon, I thought, groaning internally.

"Because- because... Oh thank God!" I stuttered, not knowing what to reply, before exclaiming in relief. "Bhai is calling you." I told her, grateful for being rescued.

"I won't be going until you reply to me." Folding her arms, she sat straight while looking at me, stubbornness in her gaze and stance.

"Okay fine! I wanted to show them the beach." I muttered, giving up while looking away. Now I feel bad for my poor brother. If she was this stubborn with me, how much more stubborn she must be with bhai?

"Ugghhh! You are so boring!" She exclaimed with a scrunched up face while making a weird gesture with her hand, frustrated.

"Thank you, now go before bhai claims that I'm stealing his wife from him." I replied while rolling my eyes, getting annoyed. "Which I'm not. It's the other way around." I grumbled under my breath with a pout.

"Tumhe to mai dekh lungi. Bohot bolne lage ho aaj kal!" Did she, by any chance, hear me or what?

(I will see you later. You have started speaking too much!)

"Jee theek hai. Jab bhai ko dekhne se fursat mil jaye to dekh lijiyega. Waise agar nahi bhi dekhengi to chalega kyuke hame dekhe wale ab mil gaye hai." I replied teasingly while winking at her. It actually took a moment for me to process what I just said, and when I did, I couldn't help getting flustered.

(Yeah okay. When you get time from watching bhai, you can watch me too. But it's okay if you don't see me too because even I have got someone to watch me now.)

"Accha ji. Bas zara mama ko ye baat sunne do tumhari, to tumhe acche se dekhengi wo." She replied while standing up and glancing at me with a smirk.

(Oh I see. Just let mom hear this talk of yours, she will watch you perfectly.)

"Kya bhabi, aap hi to bolti hai that I'm boring. To ab ye bhi nahi keh sakta mai?" Pouting, I complained, already dreading the teasings which might follow.

(What Zara, you only say that I'm boring. Now I can't even say this?)

"Kya sunne do mujhe?" Mama questioned while entering the room, her gaze flickering between me and bhabi. And I couldn't even start to explain the surge of relief which I felt when she came to my rescue. At times, I couldn't help but be thankful for certain people and certain incidents. They save me from a lot of things.

(What should I listen to?)

"Kuch nahi mama. Wo to bas mai aise hi..." I quickly said before bhabi could say anything. I still didn't trust this woman, what if she just spilled something and mama took it in a wrong way?

(Nothing mom. I was just...)

"Nahi, nahi, batao na mama ko." She insisted while looking at mama, and as she glanced in my way, I saw the smug look on her face.

(No, no, tell her.)

"Bhabi aap jain na. Bhai intezaar kar rahe honge." I replied with a huff, getting irritated. Were all the women on this planet planning on ways to get me killed?

(You should go. Brother is waiting for you.)

._._._.

We were on our way to the beach with bhai and bhabi. Bhai was heading towards her home anyway to pick up bhabi and then they insisted on dropping us to the beach. Or near the beach anyways. And since we didn't know when we might get a taxi or a cab, we agreed.

Also since I was going to get my driving licence soon, we decided it would be better if I drive the car till our destination. This way, I would get to practice and they would get to see how I drive.

"Waise where are you guys going?" I asked them as I concentrated on the road ahead of me. I still hadn't gotten used to driving much.

(By the way)

"That's a secret." From the back seat, bhabi replied quickly. There was something in her voice which I couldn't recognise.

"Oh I see, a secret date, hmm?" I teased, assuming the obvious. I mean, what else could it be if they are both going somewhere alone?

"No silly! Why would we go on a date in the afternoon?" She questioned, waving my teasing off. If I would have seen her expression, then I might have figured out if she was telling the truth or not. I wanted to tease her because she didn't leave any chance to tease me. And that was my opportunity.

"Then where are you both heading to?" I inquired, confused. "Or maybe, you guys are actually going on a date but don't want to let us know because we might tease you both?" As an afterthought, I added mischievously.

"It's actually our time to tease you, chote. Not the other way around." Chuckling and shaking his head, bhai replied from beside me. "Now concentrate on your driving rather than these talks."

(Younger one.)

"Well bhai, even you have given us a reason to tease you both now." She said teasingly from behind me, making her presence known. She was so quiet that for a moment, I even forgot that she was here, with us. And as soon as I realised it, I tightened my hold on the steering wheel, feeling a bit self conscious. I needed to drive extra carefully now.

"They have?" I asked, puzzled and at the same time, trying to distract myself. But honestly though, what was she talking about?

"Yes, they have. Right bhabi?!" She replied, and from the rear view mirror, I caught her gaze for the slightest of moments before she averted them, turning to face bhabi.

"Stay quiet Atifa!" I heard bhabi grumble quietly, making me more confused. What was the matter?

"Why? Are you afraid that you guys would get teased more than us?" She teased back, her voice mischievous. And at that moment, I felt so tempted to just turn my head around to look at them.

"Not really, we have a pretty good reason to tease you both. But I can't say the same thing about us. Since you know... We married a year ago. And it was bound to happen someday. Like, even you-"

"Okay, I get it, no need to elaborate. But, we will know that soon enough. Who will get teased more." She interrupted bhabi, her voice muffled, or more like... flustered? But why would she be flustered? Glancing in the rear view mirror, I saw her looking out of the window. Ah, if only I wasn't driving!

"Okay... What am I missing here?" I finally intervened, not getting what they were talking about.

In reply, bhai just chuckled nervously, a different kind of awkwardness could be felt even in his chuckle, which did nothing but made me even more perplexed. "You will get to know soon enough, don't worry." Bhai replied, when no one else said anything for a while.

"O... kay..." I replied uncertainly. My gaze flickered in the rear view mirror, only to see the kids busy watching something on her mobile. So that was the reason for this silence and our uninterrupted conversation? I wondered what was so intriguing that they looked so curious. "But the question still remains unanswered. Where are you both going?" Looking back on the road, I asked to no one in particular.

"To the hospital." Bhai uttered nervously. But, I thought, why would he be nervous?

"Yaar, ab aap hi jawab dijiyega uske sawalo ka. I'm not telling anyone anything." Hitting bhai's shoulder, bhabi grumbled annoyedly.

(Man, now you only answer his questions. I'm not telling anyone anything.)

Bhai chuckled before replying. "Wo koi sawal nahi kare-"

(He won't ask us any-)

"Why?" But it was too late, I already asked what seemed to be bothering me, making me worried.

"Jee, dekh rahi hu mai." Bhabi replied to bhai, and as much as I know, she might have been glaring daggers at him.

(Yeah, I'm watching.)

"You really have to ask me questions now?" Not replying anything to bhabi, bhai asked me, sounding annoyed. Was I not supposed to ask anything?

"Yeah? I mean, kya hua? Everything alright? Are you okay? Is bhabi okay?" I questioned one after the other, taking a quick glance in his direction.

(What happened?)

"Yes, everyone is fine." He replied, exhaling loudly.

"To phir hospital kyu?" I questioned, getting confused once again. If everyone was alright, then what was the need to go there?

(Then why hospital?)

"Samjha karo yaar. Tum bhi to ek mard ho. Ab mai har baat bata to nahi sakta na." He replied, sounding irritated. What did he mean? That I was a guy and he was a guy and I should understand him? How... Can I understand what was going on with him?

(You should understand me man. Even you are a guy. Now I can't tell you everything, right?)

"Accha, iska mard hone se kya lena dena?..." Still confused, I muttered, slowly, wondering about his vague answer. "Ya Allah bhai, why didn't you tell me ke aapka dard badh gaya hai. We could have done something na." Suddenly remembering about something, I exclaimed while looking in his direction and halting the car abruptly, making us jerk forward.

(Okay, but what is the connection between this and me being a man?...)
(Oh God bhai, why didn't you tell me that your pain has increased? We could have done something, right?)

I didn't actually want to stop the car, but the thought which invaded my mind made me so shocked that I couldn't help but stop it and try to digest the fact. I was thankful that the road was deserted at the moment and no one was around here. Because I wasn't planning on going to the hospital or taking anyone to the hospital.

"Ouch!" Bhabi exclaimed while rubbing her head and glaring at me.

"Allah!" She muttered slowly, and I couldn't exactly see what happened to her. But before I could turn to look at her, I noticed the kids sitting in between, pouting and glaring in my direction.

"Bhai!" They exclaimed together when they noticed my gaze.

"Oops, sorry!" Smiling sheepishly, I apologised. I agree that I was reckless. How could I even do that?

"What? Ab mera konsa dard?!" Bhai exclaimed incredulously, bringing me out of my current worry.

(What? Now which pain of mine are you talking about?!)

"Wo aapko hua tha na... wo wala dard..." Turning back to look at him in concern, a frown on my face, I stuttered. How could I tell him in front of everyone and especially when he himself couldn't name it?

(That which happened to you... that pain...)

I could hear chuckles from behind, and when my gaze flickered to the rear view mirror, I couldn't help the creases on my forehead disappearing and the slight tug of my lips. But what was so funny?

"Yaar, tum chod do bas. Tum meri biwi ko hi maar doge mere baap banne se pehle! Niche utro, mujhe driving karne do." He muttered angrily, bringing me out of my trance. Blinking my eyes, I looked at him to see if he was serious. But my question was answered when I saw his angry glare and him opening his side of the door.

(Man, just leave it. You are going to kill my wife before I could even become a father! Get down, let me drive.)

"But you didn't answer me..." I mumbled, pouting. Why was no one answering me?

"Bas niche utar jao mere bhai!" He exclaimed, frustrated, before getting down from the car. Grumbling and opening the car door, even I got out of it before making my way to the other side.

(Just get down my brother!)

"I'm still confused..." Huffing, I complained, getting annoyed.

"Don't worry, you will realise it soon enough." She laughed before winking reassuringly in my way, making me amused. So she was bold enough to wink at someone? More specifically, a male? And more specifically, me? Her husband? Did she even know the consequences of her sweet little actions? I don't think so, I thought, with a small smile.

"Saad, tum abhi tak nahi samjhe kya?" Bhabi asked with a chuckle, bringing me out of my thoughts and making me groan.

(Saad, you didn't understand it till now?)

"You guys love to confuse me, right?" I grumbled, frustrated.

._._._.

The giggling voices of Alayna and Amira resonated through the air around us, making the atmosphere more vibrant. And even though it wasn't a weekend, we could still spot a few families and couples around.

The thick humid air carried with it the smell of salt, sea and sand, all together. And since the sun was glaring down at us, it was no surprise that the sand beneath our feet was hot. And it felt just like walking on hot coal if we walked barefooted, the reason why we weren't barefooted.

"Can we go and play in the water?" Alayna asked me after a while, a hopeful look on her face as she peered at me.

"Not now Alayna." Shaking my head slightly, I told her while holding her hand.

"Plwese bhaijaan." Amira added, looking at me with her big hopeful doe eyes.

(Saad.)

"After some time." Sighing, I replied. I wanted them to enjoy playing in the sand and have something to eat before going in the water because once we are in the water, there is no coming back. We could never get enough of it and we could never be satisfied.

"Okay." She replied, grinning from ear to ear as she looked at Alayna happily.

"It is so hot!" I heard her voice, catching my attention. And she was right. It was indeed scorching hot. The sun seemed to be glaring down at us, as if reprimanding us for getting out without permission. As soon as this thought crossed my mind, I glared back in the direction of the sun, offended.

Humming in response to her statement, I asked while glancing in her direction. "Want to have some kulfi?"

(Indian ice-cream.)

"Kulfi? Here? Where will you get kulfi here mister?" Laughing, she brushed off my question with her own curiosity, making me roll my eyes. Couldn't she just reply normally for once? Okay I mean, couldn't she have just answered me?

"Leave that on me. Just answer me, would you like to have some or not?" Waving her curiosity off, I asked her once again, my gaze flickering in her direction as we strolled, still quiet away from the sea shore. 

"Umm... I guess." She replied slowly, averting her gaze when our orbs clashed, making me smile.

"Tum I guess use kar rahi ho?" Chuckling, I asked her while noticing her answer, amused. Wasn't she the one who indirectly told me not to answer in I guess?

(You are using I guess?)

"Kyu, nahi kar sakti kya?" Looking at me inquisitively with narrowed eyes, she questioned.

(Why, can't I use it?)

"Nahi bas... Kuch nahi." Biting the inside of my cheeks to suppress my chuckle, I replied.

(No it's just... nothing.)

"Bataiye to."

(Tell me.)

"Aao mere saath." Ignoring her queries, I held her wrist before pulling her with me towards the kulfi stall. Her silence indicated that I was successful in making her quiet.

(Come with me.)

"Woah! I never thought that I would be able to have kulfi here." Noticing the stall, she exclaimed happily, making me grin cheekily at her.

"Pista kulfi?" I asked while taking a quick glance in her way.

(Pistachio ice-cream?)

"Yes!" She squealed slowly, making me look at her in astonishment. Was she really that excited just for a kulfi? Wow. Okay. She's cute. I mean crazy. 'Yeah, she's crazily cute, right?' My brain mocked me with a smirk.

"Assalamualikum uncle, 4 pista kulfi de dijiye." Ignoring my thoughts and stopping in front of the stall, I turned to the old man standing behind the it with a small smile.

(Morning uncle, 4 pistachio ice-creams please.)

._._._.

"What happened?" I asked, looking at her in concern. She was gazing at the sea but there was a faraway look on her face. And although there was a spark in her eyes, I couldn't help but notice that there was something which was bothering her, making her upset.

"Huh?" Coming out of her trance, she looked at me, confused. "What could happen?"

"I don't know. You just... You kind of look upset, I guess." Frowning, I replied while keeping my hands on the sand and leaning back.

"I do?" Perplexed, she asked me, attempting to touch her face but coming in contact with her niqab instead.

"Yeah..." I replied uncertainly.

"Oh... It's just that I miss Emaan. Nothing else, don't worry about it." Giving me a quick glance, her eyes crinkling from the sides, she turned her face to gaze back at the sea.

"Oh... Why don't you just call her then?" Turning my gaze away from her, I asked, confused.

"Uh... Ammi has forbidden us from using our numbers... So I can't exactly call her or anyone else..." Stuttering, she replied, as if hesitating to tell me the reason.

"Oh... But why?" Knitting my brows together, I asked her while observing Alayna and Amira, not turning to look at her.

"I- I don't know! Stop asking me these questions, I don't know their answers.  Why don't you just ask ammi yourself?" She snapped, turning her head in my direction, her eyes narrowed into slits.

"Woah, okay! No need to scold me now. I was just curious." I mumbled with a pout, my gaze flickering in her direction.

Sighing, she took a deep breath before muttering slowly. "Sorry."

"It's okay." I replied, relaxing my body before adding quietly. "Umm... You know you can call her from my number if you want..."

"Really?" Her eyes lit up like stars on a dark night as she turned her gaze to look at me.

"Yeah." I replied, smiling awkwardly.

"But... I can't." Her excitement seemed to fade away as she, most probably, realised something.

"Why?"

"What if ammi gets to know?" She replied quickly, her voice scared and hesitant.

"She wouldn't. Will you be telling her anything?" I assured before asking her. She wouldn't know anything until and unless one of us would tell her, right?

"No?" She replied, which came out more like a question.

"Then how will she get to know?" I asked her, hoping she would understand my point.

"I- I don't know. I'm just scared. What if she gets to know somehow?" She stuttered while looking at me, a scared look in her eyes.

"Woah, am I hearing it right? 'The wild cat' is scared of something?" I retorted, trying to lighten her mood and divert her mind. I didn't like seeing her like that.

"I'm not a wild cat!" Fiercely, she replied back, her gaze burning up.

"But you sure do behave like one." I had realised that I liked this fierce side of hers, when instead of staying quiet, she decides to argue with me. And although at times I didn't actually mean to annoy her or make her angry, this time, I actually intended to do exactly that.

"Oh yeah? When did I do that, haa?" She questioned, get gaze narrowing into slits as she continued to murder me silently.

"Hmm, let me think. Oh yes, when someone actually tried to kill me thrice in three different ways maybe?" Bringing one of my hands forward and tapping my index finger on my chin, pretending to think, I replied.

"The first two times I forgot and you know that!" Turning to face me, she whined, making my lips tug up slightly. But wait a minute, what did she just say?

"Oh yeah, and the third time?" Narrowing my gaze while turning to look at her, I asked, the puzzle pieces already coming together in my mind.

"It... Might be planned...?" Turning her face slightly to look at Alayna and Amira, she mumbled.

"Accha ji, and why's that so?" Raising a brow, I asked her inquisitively.

(Oh yeah,)

"Uh... Are you going to give me your mobile to talk now?" Not replying to me, she asked, trying to sound annoyed but failing miserably.

"Topic changed smoothly!" Suppressing my smile, I announced with a straight face.

"Tell me!" She whined, her gaze flickering to my face.

"Yeah yeah, but I don't have her number." Letting my lips tug up the slightest bit, I replied while taking out my mobile.

"Don't worry about it." Her eyes crinkled from the sides, giving away the fact that she was beaming underneath her niqab.

"Okay, here." Confused, I handed her my mobile.

"Yeah. Jazak Allahu Khairan in advance." Already dialing a number, she replied happily.

"Hahaha. But it seems like you will need good luck to talk to your friend. I mean, if I'm not wrong, she is going to start shouting at you as soon as she realises who it is." Laughing nervously and awkwardly, I replied with a shudder.

"True that." A smile could be heard in her voice as she waited for her best friend to pick up her call.

"Assalamualikum." A faint and confused voice answered the call, making me suppress my smile.

"Walikumussalam." I could feel her breath hitching before hope filled her enchanting orbs.

"I'm sorry but who is it?" I couldn't believe my ears. How could she even forget her own best friend?! Oh wait, it must be one of her tactics, I reminded myself with a shake of my head.

"I can't believe that you forgot your best friend so soon!" She whined, making me smile slightly. She was so cute.

"Which best friend? Sorry but I don't have any best friend!" Emaan replied, no emotion could be detected in her voice, but it was clear and loud enough for me to hear.

"Emaan! It's me Atifa." She said, suddenly sounding tired and exasperated.

"Oh is it?!" There was a pause before she continued speaking, a bitter tone in her voice. "But as far as I remember, she left even without informing me. I wonder what's the matter now if she is calling me."

"Accha na, I'm sorry yaar. Maaf kar do mujhe." She sounded tired to say the least, and I wondered what must have been so draining.

(Okay, I'm sorry man. Forgive me.)

"Maaf? Kis liye maaf karu, tumne to kuch kiya bhi nahi hai, haina?" Laughing bitterly, Emaan asked, a weird tone in her voice.

(Forgive? Why should I forgive you, you didn't do anything, right?)

"Emaan..." Sighing, she trailed off, a faraway look in her eyes.

"Yes? Agar aapko koi kaam nahi hai to call kaat dijiye, aapka pata nahi lekin mere paas bohot kaam hai." I heard Emaan's cold voice, making me clench my jaw. Could she at least just listen to her? I mean, yeah I could understand that she was hurt but was her best friend not hurt at all?

(Yes? If you don't have any work then you can cut the call, I don't know about you but I sure do have a lot of work to do.)

"Okay, I'm sorry, I miss you, I love you and take care of yourself..." She trailed off, her eyes squeezed shut as she gulped. It pained me to see her like this.

"What okay? Where are you going now, miss?" Suddenly, an angry voice yelled from the other side, making me flinch slightly.

"Tumne hi to kaha ke tumhe kaam hai..." Confused, she replied with a frown.

(You only said that you have work to do...)

"Arrreee pagal, bewakoof, nalayak, chudail, meri jaan ki dushman..." Emaan's angry voice continued to yell colourful names, making her remove the mobile away from her ear with a flinch while I just stared at her, amused. That... was something new.

(Oh crazy, fool, witch, my life's enemy...)

"Uh... ho gaya?" Hesitantly, she asked her when we couldn't hear anything from the other side.

(Uh... Are you done?)

"Kya ho gaya? Abhi to maine kuch shuru bhi nahi kiya hai Mrs. Saad Ibrahim." She yelled once again, making me chuckle slightly, which I covered with a cough. I wondered if I should just leave them alone now.

(What are you done? I haven't even started anything yet Mrs. Saad Ibrahim.)

"Mrs. Ibrahim? Ye kaha se aaya beech me?" Just as I was about to stand up, her voice stopped me, no, more specifically the word which she uttered stopped me. Mrs. Ibrahim. Wasn't this the first time that she was addressing herself by my surname? But I actually wanted to hear her say my name. At least for once.

(Mrs. Ibrahim? Where did this come from in between?)

"Jab aap aisi mahaan harkate karengi to hum to aapko usi naam se bulainge. Kyuke mai to jis Atifa ko jaanti thi usme to itni himmat bhi nahi thi ke ghar se bahar akele jaye. Ya mujhe bina batae koi bada kaam kare. Lekin yaha to madam ghar chod ke, yaha tak ke shehar chod ke bhi chali gayi bina batae." Emaan's angry reply brought me out of my thoughts.

(When you will make rash decisions like this then I'm going to call you by that name only. Because the Atifa which I knew, she couldn't even go out of her home alone. Or do something big without informing me. But you madam, you left your home, and even this city without informing me.)

"Accha..." Shaking my head to get rid of these thoughts, I stood up. Glancing at her once, I left to check up on the kids, also intending to give her some privacy.

(Okay...)

._._._.

▪ Do you guys want Emaan back in action?

I really do, but... Let's just see where this story heads off.

._._._.