Hana's P.O.V

"Why haven't these curtains changed yet?" Mama yelled.

I was in the kitchen preparing gajar ka halwa. Maan loves gajar ka halwa. For Maan, I've especially learned to make this halwa from Mama.

We all are very happy today because Riya Aapi and my Maan are coming. My heart beats faster with every passing second. I was happy, I was excited, I was nervous. I can't believe I was going to meet my Maan after 8 years.

"What are you still doing here, Ahmed? They must be waiting for you at the airport," Mama yelled at Baba.

My halwa was ready, so I came out of the kitchen to help Mama.

"Calm down, biwi. There are still 2 hours left for them to arrive," Baba said, putting his hands on Mama's shoulders, trying to calm her down.

"Accha. Do you think that you can fly there? You will take one and a half hours to reach there, Ahmed," Mama said angrily.

"Ok, my love, I am going," Baba said, kissing Mama's cheek, making her eyes wide open.

"Baba, did you just kiss Mama?" I yelled in a fake surprised tone. And Mama was startled hearing my voice while Baba tried to control his laugh.

"Yes, I did," Baba said proudly, making Mama blush hard.

"Oh Baba, look, Mama is blushing," I teased Mama, and she hurriedly walked out from there, making us laugh.

"Beta, go and help her, she must be stressing herself," Baba said, and I nodded.

"While I am going to bring your Maan," Baba said, putting his hand on my head, and now I was the one who was blushing. Baba smiled and left.

"YEH KYA HAI? (What is this)" I heard Mama yelling from Maan's room. I hurriedly ran to her.

"What happened, Mama?" I asked, concerned, as I stepped into the room.

"Look... no one fixed my son's room yet,"

Mama yelled again.

Two days ago, Mama and I ordered many things for his room to decorate,

like a new lamp, curtains, dressing table, nightstand, and many things. But they were still there where we had put them two days ago.

"All the servants of this house are useless. No one is worthwhile. I am going to fire all of you," Mama started yelling again as the servants came running.

"Mama, relax. I'll fix his room with their help. You go take some rest before they come. You're stressing too much," I said in concern, putting my hands on her shoulders.

"But his room..." Mama was saying, but I didn't let her complete her sentence.

"No but. I promise I'll fix his room. So don't worry. Now go." She didn't look convinced but nonetheless, she left.

Who would blame her? After 8 years, her daughter and son were coming home.

I looked at his room and remembered his promise.

"I promise when I will be back, I will take you to my room and we will spend our first night together."

My heart beat faster thinking about our first night. I smiled shyly, shook my head, and started my work.

*******

"Hana!! Your still here?" Fathima aapi shouted.

It's been 2 hours now I was still here in maan's room.

"Why are you shouting aapi.? My ears are fine. If you say something in a low tone I can hear" I said in sarcasm.

"Yes.. your ears are fine but your eyes and your mind are not fine" aapi was angry at me but why???

"Aapi why are you angry did I do something wrong?" I asked looking everywhere to find if I did something wrong but I found none.

She didn't say anything but glared at me. She takes my hand and drags me to the dressing table.

"Look.. how beautiful you're looking. My brother is going to faint when he sees his wife like this" she said smiling sarcastically. Emphasized the word 'wife'

I didn't say anything I was looking at the girl in front of me. She looked horrible. And sadly I was that horrible girl.

"I looked horrible aapi," I said looking at my reflection and pouting

"Oh, I didn't know that. I thought you looked like the most beautiful girl in the world" she and her touches of sarcasm. Ya Allah helps me.

"Aapi..."

"What aapi?? After 8 years you're going to meet my brother like this" she yelled looking at my head to toe.

"Aapi please don't shout I am go..." she didn't let me finish my sentence.

"Shut up. Don't say anything. And go to your room and get ready. they will be here in an hour" aapi said glaring at me.

"Ok," I said and run to my room. I know if Fathima aapi is angry then there is no way we can argue with her.

As I entered my room I saw a beautiful white dress placed on my bed. I know Fathima aapi placed this here. I take it happily and run to the washroom to take shower.

As I walked out of the washroom fully dressed I went toward the dressing table and dry my hair. And applied light makeup.



while I was busy in my light MakeUp session. I heard the car horn. My breath hitched. And that's when my heart skipped its thousands of beats as I knew he was here. Butterfly erupted in my stomach. My eyes widened as the realisation hit me. I was going to face him after 8 years... I was going to face him!!. I halted in my place. I was not able to move.

'ya, Allah! Please give me strength. I am so nervous I don't think I can face him. Ya Allah, please help me'

While I was praying marziya aapi came to my room running.

"Hanu!! They are here!" Aapi said as she stepped into my room.

"Aapi..." I whispered My eyes filled up with happy nervous tears.

"Hana, what happened beta? He is here. Your maan is here. are not you happy?" Aapi asked cupping my face. And I smiled with teary eyes.

"I..am.. ha..happy... It's just... I... I don't know aapi" I stuttered and hugged her tightly as the tears left my eyes.

"Hana relax" aapi caressed my back trying to relax my running heartbeats.

She pulled back and cupped my face cleaning my cheeks.

" I am so happy for you. I always knew that Rumaan is very important to you. but today seeing you like this. I think I was the wrong Rumaan it's not just important for you. he's everything to you." Aapi said and I smiled while my eyes still filled with tears.

"Now stop crying and fix your make-up. Your kohl spread all over. If Rumaan see you like this he'll be scared" aapi chuckled.

"Aapi please" I smiled wiping my cheeks.

"Ok, now I am going. you get ready and come out." She said and I nodded

She walked out. And I saw my reflection. And whined. She was right if maan sees me like this he'll be scared.

So.. Again makeup session. Urgh.

But I can do anything for him. I smiled and started cleaning my face.

*****

Author's P.O.V

Rumaan stepped out of the airport with his sister and his 6 years nephew and his little 3 years niece in his arms. He felt strange, but not bad way. It's just that he was here after so long. So...

"LOOK BABA!!!" Riya yelled. And run toward her father

"Baba!!" She screamed and hugged him. He was startled at first because he didn't see her coming.

"Mera baccha," her father says while hugging her back. Tightly.

"How are you beta? I missed you so much" Ahmed said happily meeting his daughter after 8 years.

"I am here too baba," said Rahman.

He stepped in front of them with Riya's 2 kids. They looked up at him who stood there with an annoying face.

Riya takes her daughter. as Rumaan also wants to meet his father as well.

"oh, Mera beta. I missed you" Ahmed said hugging him tightly. Which Rahman returned.

"I missed you to baba," he said and moved back as his baba wanted to meet his grandchildren.

"Arre my grandchildren.. come to nana," Ahmed said and take his g.son in his arms kissing his cheeks he put him down and take his g.daughter in his arms and kissed her cheeks.

"Let's go now. Your mother is going to kill me if I didn't take you all on time" he said making them laugh.

"Oh, baba I missed her so much. how is she?" he asked as they got in the car Rumaan sit with his father in the front seats. Ahmed smiled.

"Alhamdulillah. she is fine. Always ready to kill me with her glare" he said driving making them laugh again.

"Don't tell me baba you still scared of mama?" Rumaan asked in amusement.

"Not only my beta. Every husband scared of their wives." He smiled. Rumaan shook his head smilingly.

"And how is fathima.? I can't believe she's getting married. She's so annoyed dad. How can shazam agree to marry her" he said

"Oyee don't say that. My daughters are precious they are the best girls. their partners are lucky to have them" Ahmed said proudly thinking about his 3 daughters. Yes, Hana is also his daughter. He never thinks less about her than his daughter.

Rumaan smiled and shook his head and looked out of the window. He knew that his sisters are precious.

Ahmed waited for him to ask about Hana but he didn't. He looked up in the mirror and saw Riya also looking at him. He gave her a questioning look. Riya knew what her father was asking. And what makes him wonder? She just shrugged her shoulders and looked away.

She knew that Rumaan forget Hana completely. And It was all their fault.

Yes, it was all their fault. Riya and her parents. Ahmed and Shabana told Riya to stop Rumaan from calling every day. So she did as they said. They all stopped them from talking to each other. Because they just wanted their kids' bright futures. They wanted them to distract from each other for some time and concentrate on their studies. But it went wrong as Rumaan forget her completely and moved on in his life. there were very fewer chances left for him to come back to his Hana.

While Hana's love increased. Every passing day... She didn't forget him not for a mere second. And all credit goes to his locket which he gave her on their wedding night. That locket always reminded her that she was his wife and he was her everything, her husband. and he will come back for her. But she was wrong. he indeed came back but not for her.

As Shabana opened the door and saw Rumaan standing there, she hugged him instantly.

"Ya Allah, mera beta wapas aa gaya (my son is back)," she said, moving back and kissed his forehead. Lots of tears left her eyes. Rumaan looked at his mother and smiled.

"Meri mama, I missed you sooooooo much," he said again, hugging her and kissing her forehead and cheeks lovingly.

"I missed you too, beta," Shabana said again, kissing his forehead again.

"I think no one missed me," Riya said, making a fake sad face.

"Aww, mera baccha, I missed you too," she went to Riya and hugged her, and then she met with her grandchildren. And they all stepped into the hallway.

"MARZI!" Riya yelled in happiness and ran to Mariya when she saw Mariya walking towards them.

"Riyaa!" Marziya also yelled while running to her best friend and her best cousin.

"Slow down, girl," Riya said in concern as she stopped in front of her and held her shoulders to stop her from running further. Marziya smiled at her concern and they hugged each other.

"I missed you so much," Marziya said.

"I missed you too," Riya replied.

"How are you? You look so cute," Riya said while kissing her cheeks.

"You know, Mama, whenever I saw Riya and Marzi Aapi talking on the phone, I felt like two lovers were talking. I always doubted that they are not just cousins or besties but something else, and today it's proved!" Rumaan said, making a fake disgusted face.

"Rumaan!" both yelled, glaring at him.

"What? You both are behaving like you didn't talk for 8 years, while you were talking almost every day," he said and rolled his eyes dramatically. And Shabana and Ahmed tried to control their laugh.

"Yes, we just talked, but we didn't meet for 8 years, hai na Marzi?" Riya said and pouted. Marziya also nodded and pouted. They again hugged each other.

"Oh god, Mama, yeh nazara mai aur nahi dekh sakta (I can't see this anymore)," Rumaan said, putting his hands on his eyes dramatically.

Marziya came forward and smacked his head. He looked at her from between his fingers and saw she was trying to intimidate him, which she failed. But that led him to burst into laughter at his cute 7-months-pregnant Marzi Aapi.

"Stop laughing! You made fun of me and Riya na. I won't talk to you," she said, turning to the other side and crossing her arms in front of her.

"Oh sorry, sorry Aapi. Aise naa karna (don't do this). I was just jealous you showered all your love on her. You didn't see me nor did you ask about me," he said, standing in front of her, making a sad puppy face.

"Awww. So you're jealous. Yes, I missed Riya but I missed you too. You're also my cousin and my little brother," she said, smiling and hugged him.

"I missed you too, Aapi," he said as he hugged her back and smiled.

He always used to talk to her on the phone whenever he saw Riya talking to Marziya. So he was comforted and free around her.

"Can anyone miss me?" They all turned to the voice and saw Fathima standing there annoyed.

"Oh, who are you? We don't know her, Mama. Who is she?" Rumaan teased his sister. She looked at him for some time then ran to him and hit his chest repeatedly.

"What!! You don't know me??" she said, hitting him everywhere on his chest, arms, and stomach. While Rumaan laughed, enjoying his sister's sweet torture.

"Oh yes! Yaad aaya (now I remember)!" he yelled and she stopped.

"Mama, she's my... cute... sweet... innocent..." As he was saying, Fathima’s smile grew wide.

"...lovely... maid Khaurun Amma... she is her daughter, right?" Rumaan said, and Fathima looked at him wide-eyed and mouth open.

"You!!!!!" she yelled and ran after him. He knew it was coming, so he already ran far from her into the living room. She grabbed cushions and threw them at him one by one.

"How dare you? You don't remember me na. I'll make sure you'll never forget me after today," she said while throwing cushions, which hit him.

"Mama help me!! This dayan (witch) will kill your one and only son," he was running here and there to escape from those cushions.

"Did you just call me dayan!!!! Rumaan you're dead!!" Fathima ran after him and threw the ball which she found on a nearby table.

"Aaaahhh!!! Sister, sorry. Now I remember you're my sister... my lovely sweet sister... my cutie pie. Stop now," he said, trying to calm his angry sister while running.

As she threw another cushion at him, he stepped on something and lost his balance and was about to hit the floor when someone held his hand.

But unfortunately, they lost their balance, and Rumaan’s back hit the floor with that person on top of him. He felt something soft on the back of his head, which saved his head from hitting that hard marble floor.

Their eyes were closed for a second, then Rumaan

opened his eyes and saw that person for some time. And when he recognised who that person was, he whispered,

"Hana?"

★★★★★★

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