Ayla was sitting silently on her bed, in her right hand, she fisted the letter and khula paper, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Ayla!" Rubab came there to check on her, but when found her sitting there, blankly. Rubab got worried. "Ayla! Kya hua?" Going to her, Rubab asked.

(Ayla, what happened?)

Ayla stare at her with empty eyes.

"Kaif..." She could only manage to utter his name.

"Kya hua unhe?"

(What happened to him?)

Ayla passed Rubab the Khula papers and his letter.

Rubab read it several times, rechecking if she read correctly.

Rubab never thought this day will come where Kaif would leave Ayla. After what happened these days, she has witness his genuine care for Ayla, he was changing himself for her and their daughter, why did he do this?

She looked at Ayla, who was too stunned to say anything.

"Ayla! Aap theek hain?" Sitting beside her, Rubab held Ayla's hand and asked.

(Are you okay?)

The warmness of her mother's hand startled Ayla, who's whole body was cold.

"Mamma! Woh... woh aisa kaise kar sakte hain." Ayla burst into tears.

(How could he do this?)

"Ayla! Ayla! Khamosh ho jaiye. Apki tabiyat kharab ho jayegi." Rubab rubbed her back, and console her.

(Ayla, don't cry. You will get sick.)

"Beta, khula toh apko hi chahiye tha na." Hugging Ayla, Rubab said.

(You wanted separation.)

"Par... par humne nahi socha tha woh hume chorh denge."

(But... but I never thought he will leave me.)

"Shhh! Bas kariye. Mat sochiye iss barey mein." Caressing her head, Rubab told her.

(Shhh! Don't think about it.)

•••

Everyone were waiting for Ayla to come downstairs. But Rubab came there alone.

"Kya hua, Rubab? Ayla theek hai?" Naziya Begum asked when saw her gloomy face.

(Rubab, what happened? Where is Ayla?)

"Ammi, woh..." Rubab didn't know what to answer to them, she just passed the separation paper to Azlan. She didn't take Kaif's letter with her to respect his privacy.

(Ammi, actually...)

"Kya hua?" Huzaifa wondered.

(What happened?)

"Kaif ne khula ke kagaz pe sign kar diya hai." Azlan announced.

(Kaif has signed separation paper.)

"Kya?" Hamna, who was unaware of everything, asked. Looking at her brothers, shocked.

(What?)

"Yeh kab hua?" Huzaifa took the paper from Azlan to read it, and asked.

(When did this happened?)

"Apko pata tha iss barey mein?" Huzaifa asked to Rukhsar, who was the only person stayed calm with this news.

(You knew about this?)

"Kaif ne bataya tha jane se pehle." She mumbles.

(He told me before leaving.)

"Jane se pehle? Kaha gaya woh?" Naziya Begum demanded.

(Before leaving? Where did he go?)

"Sheher chorhke."

(He left the city.)

"Lekin itna bada faisla woh kaise le sakta hai." Hamna asked.

(But how could he take such a big decision.)

"Koi baat nahi. Aaj nahi toh kal unhe alag hona tha. Bas Kaif ko zara waqt dekhna chahiye tha." Azlan took a deep sigh to calm himself, and said. His expressions were unreadable.

(It's okay. They were about to separate. But Kaif should have considered about how delicate this time is.)

"Ayla kaisi hai?" He asked to his wife.

(How is Ayla?)

"Shock hai." Rubab informed them.

(She is in shock.)

"Ussey aram karne do abhi." Rukhsar told them.

(Let her rest.)

"Koi hume batayega hua kya hai? Khula kaha se agaya jab humne kaha tha iss baat ka faisla bachha hone ke baad hoga." Naziya Begum demanded.

(Can Someone tell me what happened? How can they take such a big decision?)

•••

Ayla laid silently in her bed, her daughter was sleeping beside her, peacefully.

Ayla looked at Kaif's letter again. Trying to make herself believe he really left.

Tumhara pyar aur sath mere liye bhi kisi khwab se kam nahi tha, Ayla. Jis din humara nikkah hua tha main khudko iss duniya ka sabse khushnaseeb shaks samajhta tha. Par tumse mohabbat karne mein ek baat toh main bhool hi gaya tha, tumhari kadar karna. Aur meri issi laparwahi ki wajah se maine tumhe kho diya.

Sitting up, she wiped the tears from her face and put the letter away. But she could still hear his voice.

Aur tum sahi ho, isme tumhari koi galti nahi. Tumne toh bohot koshish ki thi, hamesha mere mood swings ko samajhti thi, hamesha mere hisab se rehti thi, main hi kabhi tumhari feelings nahi samjha, yeh nahi samjha jaha tum yeh sab mere liye kar rahi ho, mujhe bhi tumhara sath dena chahiye. Tum Ayat ke liye pareshaan thi, mujhe lagta tha tum mujhe waqt nahi de rahi, Aunty ki tabiyat ki wajah se sara attention tumhara unpe tha aur mujhe problem hoti thi ki tumhe mera ehsas nahi.

Halaki kabhi maine khud tumhara sath nahi diya, tum akele na jane kitne battles larhti rahi, aur main iss baat se khafa rehta ki tumne mujhe kabhi apni priority nahi banayi. Priority toh maine kabhi tumhe apni nahi banayi, halaki tum har kadam mere sath thi, mere hisab se rehti thi.

Main tumhe iss aziyat se azad karta hoon. Tumhare aur humari beti ke liye yahi theek hai ki main tum dono ki zindagi se chala jau.

Apna khayal rakhna. Aur humari beti ka bhi.

Aur Meri ek baat manogi? humari beti ka naam Azrin rakhna. Maine jabse suna tha humare beti hone wali hai, yahi naam socha tha uske liye...

And his letter ended abruptly, just like their relationship.

Once again, she broke into tears.

"Ek baar humare hosh mein aney ka intezar kar lete, Kaif." She complained in the empty room. "Humne apko maaf kar diya tha." There was no use of telling this. He left.

(You should have waited for me to wake up, Kaif.)

(I have forgiven you.)

•••

At evening, Ayla decided to leave her room and meet everyone. They were here to celebrate baby's birth and their health, she does not want to worry them more.

It was her decision in first place to get separation, now she can't do anything about it that Kaif fulfilled her demand.

"Theek ho?" Khushnuma went to her, took the baby from her and asked. Ayla nods her head, mustering up a smile.

(Are you okay?)

Everyone downstairs has decided not to talk about Kaif and their separation.

"Laiye bachhi hume dijiye. Hum bhi dekhe apni par nawasi ko." Naziya Begum ordered. Khushnuma passed her the baby.

(Give me the baby. Let me see my great granddaughter.)

"Masha'Allah! Kitni pyari hai." Naziya Begum praised.

(She is so pretty)

Ayla went to sit beside her mother. She was feeling weak, but being with everyone was better than being alone.

In her bedroom, she keep thinking about Kaif.

"Koi mujhe bhi toh dikhaye." Three years old Arsalan spoke up for the first time. Trying to peek at the baby from his mother's side.

(I also want to see her.)

"Idhar aao!" Rukhsar, who was sitting beside Naziya, calls him.

(Come here.)

"Tumhari choti behen, pyari haina?" Rukshar picked Arsalan in her lap, and point at the baby.

(Meet your baby sister, she is pretty right?)

Arsalan's nose cringed. "Mujhe yeh wali behen nahi chahiye." He announced.

(I don't want this baby sister.)

"Mami, yeh pyari nahi hai, isko wapas karke dusri le aao." He looked at Ayla and requested, making everyone laugh.

(Aunty, she isn't pretty, return her and get another one.)

"Arsalan!" Scolding, Rehumna called him to herself. "Baby hai woh koi toy nahi jissey tum wapas kardo." Whispering, she told him.

(She is a baby, not some toy which you can return.)

"Par mujhe yeh nahi pasand ayi." Arsalan innocently replied.

(But I don't like her.)

"Abhi choti haina." Hamna called Arsalan to herself, pinching his cheek, she explained. "Jab badi hogi toh dekhna tum dono ki bohot achhi dosti hogi, khoob kheloge uske sath."

(She is little.)

(When she will grow up, you two will be a good friend with her, you two can play.)

"Main usko football sikhaunga." He became excited to play with someone. Being only child in his paternal and maternal side both, he had no one to play with.

(I will teach her how to play football.)

"Haan sab sikhana." Hamna nods her head.

(Yes, you can teach her everything.)

"Waise, Ayla, naam kya socha hai?" Rehnuma suddenly asked.

(Ayla, what name did you decide for her?)

"Humne toh koi bhi naam nahi socha..." Weakly, she answered.

(I haven't thought of any name...)

"Main naam batau?" Khushnuma asked, excitedly.

(Can I tell a name?)

"Main batau?" This was Hamna's voice. They both said together.

(Can I tell?)

"Kuch naam toh maine bhi soche hain." Rukhsar quickly said.

(I have also thought of some names.)

"Ek bachhi ke itne sarey naam toh nahi rakh sakte na. Koi ek log naam batao achha sa." Naziya Begum scolded everyone.

(How many names will you give a child. Only one person can name her.)

Everyone's face sulked.

"Ek kaam karo, sab log apne apne naam batao, jo Ayla ko achha lagega woh rakh degi." Huzaifa suggested.

(Why don't you all take the name you want, Ayla can decide which one she likes.)

But no one said names one by one, they all said it together.

"Zara!"

"Aiman!"

"Hana!"

"Lubna!"

"Kulsoom!" This was Rukhsar's voice, as everyone turned to her.

"Kitne purane zamane ka naam hai yeh. Kuch achha batao." Naziya Begum objected.

(This is such an old name.)

"Mujhe pasand hai yeh naam. Rehnuma ka naam main Kulsoom hi rakhna chahti thi, woh toh uske nana ne uska naam Rehnuma rakh diya toh nahi rakha maine." Rukhsar said.

(I like this name very much. When Rehnuma was born, I wanted to name her Kulsoom, but her grandfather named her Rehnuma.)

"Thank you, nana ji." Rehnuma looked up and mumbles.

"Ayla! Aap bataiye, apko konsa naam achha lag raha hai." Rubab asked to her daughter.

(Ayla! Which name you like better?)

"Sarey hi naam achhe hain." Ayla didn't want to break anyone's heart, and mumbles.

(All of the are nice.)

But the problem was, they can not name the baby all these names.

"Mere paas ek idea hai." Kabir raised his hand. "Kyu na sab log apne apne naam chit mein likhko, fir ek chit uthate hain jo naam ayega woh rakh denge." After he said aloud, he realised how stupid it sounded.

(I have an idea.)

(Why don't we all make chits of the name which we I like, and pick one, then we will name the baby what name is written on the chit.)

But others liked the idea. Soon, everyone started writing name in a paper.

Kabir passed Ayla pen and Paper too. "Hume nahi chahiye." She refused.

(I don't want.)

"Koi toh naam hoga apke mind mein. Likh lijiye, sab likh rahe hain." Kabir shrugged his shoulder and told her.

(You may have some names in your mind. Everyone is writing, you should too.)

After the chits were made, they were put on the table, while everyone looked at it.

"Chit kon uthayega?" Shahzain asked.

(Who will pick up the chit?)

Ayla looked around to see others expression when she found someone missing.

"Fuppi! Shyra kaha hain?" She asked to Hamna.

(Where is Shyra?)

"Uske papers start hone wale haina, issliye nahi aa payi. Paper baad ayegi tumse milne. Bohot excited thi woh." Hamna informed her.

(Her exams are coming, that's why she couldn't come. After her exam, she will come to meet you, she was very excited.)

Ayla nods her head. Since Hamna shifted to her in laws house, Shyra has stopped visiting them. But it was not like they used to have evening tea together when she was here.

"Kabir, tumhara idea tha na, tum uthao chit." Khushnuma said, teasingly.

(Kabir, it was your idea, you should pick up the chit.)

"Main kyu?" Kabir looked shocked.

(Why me?)

It may be his idea but they don't have to make him scapegoat.

"Kyuki ap sabse chote bhi hain, haq toh apka hi hai." Ayla added, patting his back to encourage him.

(Because you are the youngest one here, it's your right.)

"Theek hai agar aap kehti hain toh... lekin agar Kulsoom naam ki chit ayi toh meri galti nahi." He warned them.

(Fine if you say so... but if I got Kulsoom name chit then it won't be my fault.)

"Maine Kulsoom nahi likha hai." Rukhsar huffed.

(I haven't wrote Kulsoom.)

He roamed his hand in the air, not able to decide which one to pick, then he closed his eyes and let the fate decide.

Opening the chit, he read the name. "Aala Azrin."

He then looked around, waiting for someone to claim the name.

"Yeh toh bohot pyara naam hai, kisne rakha?" Rubab asked.

(It's such a pretty name, who's suggestion it is?)

Ayla raised her hand.

"Bohot pyara naam hai." Rukhsar also praises the name.

(It's really pretty.)

"Aala Azrin Khan. Allah kare apne naam ki tarah hamesha khush raho, abaad raho." Naziya Begum kisses her cheek and mumbles.

(Aala Azrin Khan. May you always be happy like your name.)

•••

Nearly five years passed, everything in Khan haveli changed.

Once the haveli which was epitome of happiness and togetherness, was now broken inside. Now, the families not only live separately, there was rift in hearts too.

Everyone now lives in themselves. The only source of happiness and loudness in the family was Aala Azrin. Who was now five years old, and very mischievous.

Right now, she was hiding from her mother because she does not want to drink milk.

"Aala Azrin, abhi issi waqt yaha aiye." Ayla warned, holding a glass of milk in one hand, and other hand place on her hip, her foot impatiently tapping.

(Aala Azrin, come here right now.)

Aala Azrin, who was hiding behind a sofa, smacked her forehead. She knows she was in deep trouble when her mother calls her by her full name.

Only one person could save her now, her grandmother.

Slowly, not getting into the eyes of Ayla, she slipped away from the house and went to her grandmother's house. She was scrawny for her age, people always mistake her for 2 years, her little body gave her benefit of running faster, and hiding easily.

"Dado!" Rukhsar was sitting on the sofa, reading newspaper when Azrin hugged her from behind,

"Arey, dadi ki jaan! Subah subah pyar araha hai." Removing her spectacle, Rukhsar held hands, and brought her in front of her, asking about her loving behaviour.

(Dadi's life, why are you showering so much love?)

"Maama mujhe milk de rahi hain." Azrin's face cringed when she complained.

(Maama is making me drink milk.)

"Buri baat, khane pe munh nahi banana chahiye." Rukhsar pat her cheek and told her. "Aur maama apko milk iss liye deti hain kyuki woh apki sehet ke liye achha hai."

(You shouldn't make face on food.)

(And Maama makes your drink milk because it's really good for your health.)

"Par mujhe woh nahi pasand na." Azrin whined.

(But I don't like milk.)

"Achha toh fir kya pasand hai meri beti ko?" Huzaifa, who just entered the room, asked, while pulling Azrin to himself.

(Then what does my daughter like?)

"Chocolates!" Azrin's face broke into a huge smile, her eyes gleamed.

"Fir main promise karta hoon agar apne milk piya toh main apke liye dherr sari chocolates launga." Huzaifa promised.

(Then I promise if you will drink milk, I will buy lots of chocolates for you.)

"Itni sari?" Azrin extended her arms and asked.

(This much?)

"Itni sari." Huzaifa extended his arms to show her he would bring more chocolates.

(This much.)

Her eyes rounded in excitement. Her mother never allows her to eat more than one chocolate per day.

"Azrin! Hume pata tha yaha hongi yeh." Ayla has come after her in their house when she couldn't find Azrin in her house. She was still holding a glass of milk.

(Azrin, I knew you will be here.)

"Maama, laiye hum milk piyenge." Azrin ran to her mother and said, sweetly.

(Maama, give me the glass, I will drink milk.)

Instead of being happy that Azrin is asking for milk, Ayla looked at Rukhsar questioningly.

"Promise kiya hai, dherr sari chocolates lane ka." Rukhsar points at Huzaifa and told her.

(He has promised to bring chocolates for her.)

"Taya jaan, inko chocolate allow nahi, inki health ke liye sahi nahi." Ayla passed the glass down to Azrin and said to Huzaifa.

(Taya jaan, chocolates isn't good for her health.)

Because Azrin was born 2 months earlier, she had many complications with her health. She was allergic to many things and sensitive to harsh weather.

"Woh khud hi zyada nahi khayegi, apne pet jitna hi khayegi." Huzaifa assured her.

(She will not eat much.)

"Maama!" Azrin pulled Ayla's sleeves and showed her the empty glass.

"Good girl! chaliye, taiyyar ho jaiye school jana hai." Taking Azrin hand, she told her, then she said goodbye to Huzaifa and Rukhsar.

(Come on, let's get ready, you have to go to school.)

Azrin left the living room with Ayla, but again returned to give Rukhsar and Huzaifa a kiss on their cheeks, and left.

"Azrin ko dekhke mujhe Kaif ka bachpan yaad ata hai. Usko kitni chirh thi doodh se." Rukhsar's eyes glisten with tears.

(Whenever I see Azrin, she reminds me of Kaif. Even he hated milk.)

Huzaifa holds her hand to console her, but even he misses Kaif whenever he looks at Azrin. She was spitting image of her father, her eyes, her nose, the color of her hair, the way she talks, and many of her habits were just like Kaif's

"Kitni baar maine ussey kaha hai, ek baar ajao, kam se kam apni beti se akey mil lo. Par woh sunta hi nahi meri." Wiping her tears, Rukhsar said. "Baap hote hue bhi baap ki mohabbat se mehroom hai Azrin."

(I have asked him many times to come and visit us. At least meet Azrin, but he doesn't listen to me.)

(Despite having a father, she is unaware of his love.

"Yeh faisla uska khudka tha. Shayad yaha ayega toh apne hi faisle pe pachtawa hoga." Huzaifa said.

(It was his decision to leave. Maybe if he will come here, he will regret his decision.)

"Achha subah subah udaas na ho. Kabir kaha hai?" To change the topic, Huzaifa asked about Kabir.

(Okay now don't get upset. Where is Kabir?)

But Kabir's topic was another upsetting point for her.

"Office gaya. Usko bhi jaise kisi ki nazar lag gayi, office jaldi chala jata hai, itna late ata hai. Allah jane kya ho gaya humare beto ko."

(He has went to office. I think he got evil eyes fixed on him. He lefts for office early, comes late. Allah knows what happened to our sons.)

•••

After putting Azrin in her school bus, Ayla returned to her home.

"Ayla! Beta jaldi taiyyar ho Hospital jana hai." Azlan was there waiting for her, he hurriedly told her.

(Ayla! Get ready quickly, we have to go to hospital.)

"Kya hua, baba?"

(What happened, Baba?)

"Sab theek hai?" Ayla and Rubab asked together, worried.

(Is everything okay?)

"Dr. Mazhar ki call ayi thi, hume fouran Hospital bulaya hai..." Azlan said something which both Rubab and Ayla thought they would never hear.

(Dr. Mazhar called, he has asked us to reach hospital immediately...)

"Ayat ko hosh agaya hai."

(Ayat has woken up.)

•••

Ik what y'all will say.

Till now, I was getting virtual treats (hum dharne pe baith jayenge, sooli pe latak jayenge, and all..) after this, I am afraid readers will come to my house 😶 aur woh pyar jatane nahi ayenge, badla lene ayenge that I am ending the chapter on cliffhanger.

But kya karu... main hoon adat se majboor 🙈👉🏻👈🏻

Btw, Chand Raat mubarak everyone... and Eid Mubarak to those who are celebrating Eid today💕

-Ufaq