page 119...

....now the whole  responsibility  lay on hus shoulders,  he had completed his MBA and managed to get a suitable job but  a huge lion's sgare was whisked away by amma  for her committee  , the regular  amount  was being added up for  rosh in s wedding,  fortunately  roshni was  getting married into a well to do  family,  kamran  was  younger brother in law of ujala,  kamran  and his family  happened to roshni at  function and  quickly  decided to  make her theirs

Amma was rather  hesitant  and  upset  on this  alliance  of her  family girl  getting  to be  married in a higher  status  family but ujala and her husband  assured amma  roshni  will be  happily settled  

Middle daughter in law  also   gave her consent  vetoing  for kamran,  he was quite a favorite  with them all, unanimously  they believed  it was  a perfect match,  azim showed no interest in the developments  nor did he  bother  what was happening,  amma  once again  became  pathetically   emotional at her elder son's  uncaring  attitude, then her motherly   instincts took over  and she protectively  defended  azim saying what else can he do if he actively  participated in the  progress  of  roshni  s  matrimonial alliance  he would be  questioned by the  curious  what about his own  wife and married life so to avoid  getting himself  trapped into the unwanted  situation he gives a cold shoulder,  poor son , just got married to keep  the honor of his parents  promise  and how long he tried to  compromise  with his  argumentative wife with a wagging tongue and amma on a  dramatic  note  ended her speech 

page 117..

...a friend  of abba gadcalso gone  to Lahore in search of  employment and  settled down there  , both were  still telephonically  8n touch  with each other and as close as before,  abba  in fact  instructed   azim bhai to go meet rashid ahmed but  azim bhai  always  ignored  good suggestions  now  he got a wedding invite  for   rashid  Ahmed s daughter  , azim bhai   every month  from  Lahore  visited  multan to see his  family,  he would  hand his mother  a certain amount  that made her  very happy  and  she  showered  her blessings on him, 

On this occasion  azim bhai  packed up his bag for his return journey  after spending his leave  and  abba  also got ready to go along with him,  

He was invited to sabar s daughter's wedding,  , he had specially attended  ujala s wedding in multan and abba  must   return  the  visit and the five thousand he had given ujala withhis blessings,  his friend had  insisted  so much, abba  had to  be present and  give a token amount  equal to his friend's  and   it was a custom and  perfect occasion  , 

Azim suggested abba gave him the token amount he would carry it back and personally hand it to the bride s father,  because  how would  abba  return home  was  not sorted out,  azim was hesitant  to take  abba with him to Lahore but abba  persuaded him  there won't be any problem  , he and  catch a bus back home , and within two days abba was really back  8n multan home  but  he wasn't alone,  azim bhai was with him followed by his newly married  bride

sikender e Azam ki amad

...exhausted from the long journey  azam  felt  vaguely  disoriented  but the address was easy to locate,  he quickly found the house  but  before lifting his  hand to knock at the door he  suppressed  his  fears of fleeing away,  nobody knew he was coming,  amma  for past  one week  constantly  tried to contact   azm bhai  but  he was  unreachable,  perhaps  he had  changed his  sim and  didn't bother to inform the  family  , wasn't  azm bhai  so uncaring  always  ready to share his own  problems and  unfeeling of the hurt he gave others,, he felt  lighter and better  after criticizing  nazish bhabhi,, he even   forgot to be regular  and punctual  to phone home,, during this phase  again was sent on training from multan to Lahore  from his head office,  it was a prepaid trip officially,  his other  two colleagues were  staying in a hotel  , azim also would have enjoyed  his stay in the same hotel  but amma   changed his plans  , how could he stay in a hotel  when he had  a  family house  

It was his brother's house  he elaborated  but  amma  stubbornly refused to give in because  brothers are family  and  responsible  for  family  members,  if  the unrelated  can  enjoy amma s son's  finances why can't his own brother too

page 109.

...opening the  glass door both  diya and  kaghan together  entered the room  , her abbu was sitting at the reception  desk though he was alloted a separate independent  office  but  he found it quite boring to stay alone   8n there and  opted to spend  spare time at the reception 

Arrived diya to greet  sir rafiq  as kaghan watched  Qasim appear  from the right side  and loudly   flung a  casual  salam, he was seeing them all after a very long time,  kaghan  answered him  on asking  she was very annoyed because  he had  invited  such big fools for the wedding  moving her gaze  in the direction of wald sahib,  rafuq openly  laughed  out loudly  but Qasim  successfully  managed to suppress his smile,  sawar coming down stairs   in surprise watched the scene  of how  joyful  kaghan   was  by nature  , so she wasn't  a sulking woman  only she was  annoyed by the villainous  him, rubbing his ear he presented himself forward for  the oncoming  attack  and soon realized  abbu s favorite  was unaware of his presence   and therefore  was gossiping  unstoppable, wearing an expression of sombreness  he  walked into  the  inner side  of the counter  and without  lifting his  eyes  simply exchanged greetings with others 

page 100...

....today mamuna was giving them  cooking lessons  on making new dishes  chicken jalfarezi and  labbshirin,  kaghan  mehek and annual were  in one  group,  diya, seena baji and  Nadya were together in another,  miss mamuna gave them  basic instructions and sent them all to  the hall  where they were to wait for her to join them 

Mamuna had asked to start with the sweet dish so  it can be ready and cooled in the fridge  , , mehek washed the chicken,  kaghan was given the task of peeling and chopping the fruit in the tray  she held,  making tiny cubes if the apple she glanced more than once  towards the table where  sawar was  to work,  but why were these boys so awkwardly  careless,  they all had  started to enter  the hall  together  yet  he was  still  not  around,  for sure he must be  held back by other boys in the lawn  , o God, why was she bothered,  she bent her head  towards the fruit basket,  her disturbed  glances flew frequently to the door, , helplessly she turned her gaze  again  but the boys were still not  coming,   meanwhile  anam picked up a box from her table to carry it back to hers, Maryam declared they had no salt at their table,  anam took the salt to her, , she reached her table  and  in walked  sawar, diler, amran  all smiles, kaghan  quickly bent to finish her task,  grating almonds and pistachios  after the freshly cut fruit,  mehek and annual boiled the milk  and  on the second stove  chicken jalfarezi  commenced, , step by step instructions were carefully followed,  the cooking was once  in a while was checked and stirred 

The boys observed the girls were seriously  and steadily  busy and  quickly  began  mixing their   materials  spices and  became  actively focused 

page 97...

.....as the  county  sizzled  in summer  murrie   became the ultimate destination for  travelers,   the rush was at it's peak,  javed sahib  called a meeting  in his office that afternoon,  all the rooms were booked,   their agenda was the latest increased  prices, , full house  no accommodation  more demands  and less  things,  each  one was  to  tell the condition  of  their  rooms  and  asked  what  changes  were  needed, equipped  with  their suggestions  he could make better decisions,  rafiq was noting down   all the points,  Sadiq  drew his attention towards  the inadequate  toiletries,  javed gave  rafiq  who was  the manager  a  complaining look  because  he was  to have seen to all the  matters without others  telling him,  , anyway   he  remained silent,  though  the manager had failed  him,  he lowered his head to scribble  along,  then  he called out sawar  by his name  to directly  confront him,  sawar was quick to respond  he and his team were  ready with supplies and  he was personally  seeing to  the chores every day,  , his one liner completely knocked out  javed, he was satisfied  and  returned home  after twenty minutes  or so  sawar  approached  rafiq  who still sat holding his pen and notebook  left there surprised   sawar had informed him   new blankets  were  needed,  there was a shortage  , now  the  rush  season  was in full swing  more blankets were  to be  stacked,  earlier there was in the off season  no demand  and  very few tourists arrived  and blankets were  borrowed from  other vacant  rooms,  but    now   murrie was  getting overwhelmingly  crowded  with  tourists  minimum of seven more blankets  at least were to be added on the  list 

page 91...

...rajya phuphu could hardly make it  panting  and trying to cross the uneven   rough paths and within five minutes  just some distance away from  the azmir hotel   her legs  buckled , she cursed   , kaghan  got  her chance to flee and quickly   asked  her to stop  it wasn't necessary to go on, , phuphu explained  it was  as necessary as eating food,  elder woman   pushed herself  forward   not giving up, she began dragging her feet, 

Kaghan  was quite  annoyed  , had the elderly woman  ever    attended  cooking classes  , phuphu  said  if kaghan  s mother was alive  she would not have taken the trouble herself like this,  naturally  the shrewd aunt knew how exactly to make her niece speechless,  aunt walked  talked and panted breathless  , Kagan s heart melted,   she wanted her aunt would sit down for a while  somewhere   before  they could reach their destination the mall road,  she suggested hiring a taxi, dita and she  looked around for some place to sit their aunt,  there wasn't any right  spot,  ,  as they turned the   corner towards the jungle  a huge rock  was before them   right for  phuphu  to sit on, they helped phuphu  holding her by the arms supporting her to balance  herself on the rock,  for some unknown reason diya coughed and coughed  to catch her attention,  she had seen sawar  , kaghan  made aunt comfortable  on the rock and turned to follow  diya s gaze  , it was him, sawar was enjoying  himself  in the cafeteria  , with him was an elderly person,  kaghan  had never before seen  him in this  manner,  it was  unimaginable  he could laugh  so gaily,  it seemed  unbelievable if not impossible 

page 83...

....rafiq Ahmed felt   sentimental  how  delightfully  delicate and innocent  his g girl was like a  fresh blossom,  he had  raised her  like a mother  after  her mother's death   , he was so protective  towards her  fearing   slight  strong  breeze might take her away,  he put away his  newspaper and gestured her to come  to him , she almost ran 8nto his protective arms tightly hugging him as she did her mother 

He  spoke  trying to soothe  her emotional hurt  life never   dealt us a fair game  , one  had to opt to learn to enjoy what all he had , he was definitely more  experienced in life  she still had to experience for herself  but  she was equipped with   modern education  intelligence and  talent but  she  must  possess  courage and  confidence  in equal  proportion to  her attributes,  he ended his  lecture  by giving her a look of expectation  , she responded  with a silent nod

He coughed  to clean his throat and continued   like before  because he  always shared  his thoughts with  her regarding  the  dangers  risks  her future  may  be holding,  preparing her to face  the  unseen 

Growing up means  being  curious to know  what  is what,    learning  new things,  being surprised  at absolutely  new things  trying to find out about them,   like a beginner  searching  for  more angles   and diving  into  different dimensions  by the time  a child  enters  youth he knows  life is unpredictable 

kinare khwab jo

...sawar hasn't had to leave his house forever in the oddest of circumstances,   his mind  without plans and  pockets empty  he reached  murrie  where a previous acquaintance  an owner  of a local  tea shop  used  his  contacts and got him  placed in a hotel  at the reception  on trial  for a month,   the daughter of the manager  is a regular student in a college,  she is a heartbroken  and  avoids  getting emotionally hurt again  and stays  out of situations  that could  involve her, , her first  time meeting sawar  brings a storm  in her  life 

Shamma  is a  young widow,  she  opened  a five star hotel in murrie  with the wealth  her husband had left her,  she is also  a local resident of murrie 

Shazya moves into a new colony with her husband,  she finds herself   surrounded with  loneliness  and long silent  solitudes,  husband  has  his responsibilities  to see to

Shamma   has some  issues  to solve  regarding her hotel 

Rafiq fractures his leg falling down  8n the hotel 

Sawar helps him a lot 

shazya makes friends with amna bhabhi who is married  to the son of the Mauldin

Shamma happens to see sawar on the highway to murrie 

It was their  second  meeting  but  for  inexplicable reason  he felt special 

sal nav mubarak...

....sara  helplessly explained to her mother tanya beghum  she wasn't going to attend  the wedding of sambal and she wasn't to be  coaxed into it

Whole  clan was to be present  there  and how could  sara refuse  to be  there,  it was impossible to  shut up  the waging  tongues,  what would  they  explain  sara wasn't  coming,  better  was that she  prepared herself  to come along,  be positive  and be ready  after two days  after the  breakfast  they were leaving saying it all  ranya  unhurried  exited the room  but  sara was sunk deep down into an emotional  marsh, amma  s word was final now no matter what occurred  nothing can change her decision,  some time earlier nobody could have taken her for granted,  she happily  would have accepted  any invitation  but not now  because her heart was put off, she  didn't like  going out  ,  she didn't socialize anymore  nor liked seeing  crowds  with faces  and faces have expressions  , it all was so awful,  everyone knew  she had  her life shattered 

page 72..

.... she returned home  after  overnight stay in the hospital,  she was warmly  welcomed home,  she  found it hard to smile , there was nothing  left  to  say , ,during the night  amjad tried to  console her sympathetically  but she  couldn't take it anymore and  exploded  breaking down,  how could she  stay calm  unhappy as  she was  listening to ammi   always   ready to  verbally pounce on her cutting her spirits,  what  is it to someone  who  says one thing  and means something else, what does it matter  to an uncaring person  like ammi who was heartless 

How absolutely true it is sometimes  the person speaking doesn't know at all how  hard  his words will  hit the listener,  amhad kept  hearing her out  all her wailing  pouring  over him, , 

only she herself  experienced  her problems  and not  a day  passed without ammi letting her know sarcastically  it was only her fault  , as she   spoke  she got up to  pull out something out from her handbag 

Amjad  asked now what was she up to 

He saw her unfolding a  piece of paper and read it

Curious he asked what was that  he turned  on his side in bed 

Nothing it was 

How she tell him  she had just opened the charm given her by zalikha and  recited it, sharing this  with him was to be  dangerous 

Simply she explained she was to go for  medical check up  after a week,  there was an appointment,  she silently folded the paper  back before putting it inside her bag 

from previous...

....for three painful days  her face was swollen,  Bella  pleaded but the older woman  didn't  give her her consent,  Bella  was young but  it didn't give her  any  right to treat the seniors  as old, the old were  more experienced  but not all of them were  fools, it wasn't correct to underestimate them, the older generation  raised the modem generation after all,, slowly but steadily  her mouth opened  to fire constant  volley of firey words  and  Bella   felt thankful,  it was better  to  explode verbally  than  get frustrated  not expressing herself,  opening up  with all your heart  connects, or she would have  shut herself up with all her doubts inside her, family  couldn't have helped without knowing what was bothering her

aks by zarif ahsan

....he   saw the moon 

And the moon saw him

They are seen sighing and talking 

The scene is dreamlike 

Covered over amidst puffy clouds

Weather has  given 

Them both 

Chance to be together  

Like  moon  and partridge 

To laugh and cry

In love  for the other 

Increased in beauty 

Blossomed in purity 

from previous...

....namal s  marriage was fixed,   Bella  was expecting,  it was her second,  the first time  on her way back from  ammi s on the bike  she  got hit and   as a result  unfortunate  miscarriage,  for ammi it was naturally a shocking disaster,  she  called  Bella names for bringing so much  sorrow on the family,  , before this nobody  had ever experienced such an accident,   over the breakfast table  Bella  began shedding tears  before  the entire gathered family,  after all  wasn't she  told to give  sadqa  before leaving the house  also never to go out  after maghrib,   there were  so many  invisible  creatures  unleashed  then and  just look at this lady who was out riding a bike  after midnight  and  in that condition,  it was  certain to happen,  she was  humiliated  before  them all adding  insult to injury  but  she  had to go , she didn't go because she liked to go on bike,  she was aware  ammi would  put restrictions on her,  she was  ready to  accept  all  just for the love of her husband,  just one day earlier her brother had called her on the phone  informing her about her ammi  not  feeling good,  ammi wanted to see her,  debating  with herself  she tried hard to resist but  finally   her attachment  towards ammi won and she gave in as any loving daughter would  to hold on to the delicate thread of maternal  bond,  sge git permission  via Ajmal from  ammi  in law and  had left  only with him after  his office was over 

aurat o waham...

.... there is no reality of  doubt, yet it exists , it is a sickness  if  one gets contaminated   he suffers  and  others  also  suffer with him,  she had never before  worried over this matter  because she had  never  happened to come across  any  doubting tom, it was only after her  marriage that she witnessed her mother in law  who made a mountain out of  a molehill    being a superstitious  person   ,   thankfully  this  habit of her mother in law  had turned into  a  strong  taboo   applied only on her , only she  the bride was the victim,  in fact  in hushed  tones the elder  son's wife  protested  that was  of course  completely ignored 

No house lizard was to be  killed  but on seeing  one  one was to chant holy words   three times , no matter how  irritable  the  resident  lizard  proved was  not  to  get  rid off, ,  most of all she was  a coward  of the  highest  level  that  anything  as simple as from  a lizard  to cokroach  to darkness  to solitude  to  outside  world  ....everything  scared her, she turned panicky,  on alternate days something special  was performed to  remove  evil and  cleanse  the surroundings,  , if her path was crossed by a black cat   she would  drop off all her urgent issues  turning  back from that point  , one time  it  was the  height of   extreme  doubt  when  her only daughter s match making was    progressing and she was to visit the suitor  s house  to check on his family and background,   day date and time all were fixed  but it was a holiday  and everyone was home 

ladies kitty party

from previous...

...Haris  , did you speak to  your mother about us 

She looked  more than  other days  disturbed and lost 

What's the hurry  , my dear 

Haris  gave a fleeting glance  over her pretty face 

She explained her point  she wasn't  otherwise in  a hurry but  her  step mother  and father were  arranging with a nephew   who was a  big loafer and already  got  rid off  of his previous two wives and  it  was certain  when baba will come back home from the hospital   the first thing  would be to fix the datevif her marriage  with  him and all she wanted was to  fix  hers and   Haris   marriage, 

He argued  what if one of her and his parents didn't agree to it,  was it possible  zartasha would  get married to another man and go away  to just  forget  Haris  , he awaited  for her response  earnestly looking at her 

page 45..

.....shazta  placed her hand over  Ajmal khan s  hand that was pale and laid limp  on the hospital bed  on  a white  bedsheet  , her eyes  oozing with  love  for him  which he liked so much  about her, her tone  was sweet like honey  soothing him,  all her   positively  nice  qualities   captivated him for life,  her love for him was so  pure and genuine  he forgot  his  first love  whose seeds were  siwn deep within from his adolescent  days, 

Shazta was his  life,  but what made her talk so he felt distant and she a stranger,  he was hers forever  and everything he owned and possessed  was equally hers too, , he had  nothing noteworthy  of his to say in that house except a crazy weird woman  his first wife  always  ready to pick a quarrel  and a girl  of marriageable age,  it was shazya who was blessed with  his two sons  ,  his weak voice  indicated his  poor health,  , shazya  tried to appear  smiling  but within  storms of  deep-rooted  hatred  tossed her mind off balance,,  she  kept  the storm of hate   unreleased  not letting him know  of her emotional condition 

page 43...

....oh, it's you, shazya beghum  looked at her with hatred   , she was visiting  mother   in  the hospital  after one day and one night were  over  , zartasha stood by the door  of the private ward knocking  it and waiting for someone to emerge 

How is your husband doing,  he survived  didn't he, her tone  and the hidden sting  cut deep into  shazya s soul 

You did your best to have him dead but  prayers of the real well wishers  kept him alive and well,  the  cool satisfaction  in shazya  s voice  made  zartasha  shrug  her shoulders  casually as if others life and death  didn't bother her,  it was none of her concern 

Shazya said what was she waiting for it was high time  she ought to have left,  the doctor had   given instructions  to keep the patient  stress free and  the biggest problem  of Ajmal was zartasha  , 

Why did she  tell him all

She must  get   ready for true vengeance   because  shazya will never  let zartasha  marry that man  and evey moment  she burned in the fire of envy  she would   regret  her deeds,  she was openly  and  directly  threatening  zartasha  verbally,  , seeing  zartasha  s eyes aflame  with  hatred  made  shazya  secretly  gleeful,  zartasha  believed  the  only person   shazya controlled was zartasha  s father  but     she would rebel  

page 35..

.... they met again  in a bookstore,  the doctor  suggested some  good books  besides the regular  course adding  books were  best  unconditional  companions  for life  , good reading  improves  and polishes  personality and plays a most meaningful  role  to  highlight one's  life quality, 

She was  looking for  the books  on her list  when she  hit someone and heard a voice  rather familiar  to her ears  that it was a second  deliberate  hit  , her head was still lowered    but she had  not failed to recognize  the sarcasm in the voice  , it was harish  , she lifted her eyes to see  a spark of recognition   reflecting in his eyes too, an explanation  from him  why would  girls  hit him at all was demanded from the curious  onlooker  salesman

 Dear brother  you must realize  girls  in our  country   get  attracted to  the military man and perhaps  he looked  one of the army  for his physique and  presence  ,  he definitely had a dashing  persona and girls delighted in deliberately  hitting him without reason  to enjoy his  close proximity and  didn't  the salesman  just now witness  the scene himself,  a meaningful  smile escaped   from the  salesman  who quickly suppressed his  giggling  but zartasha   softly  but maliciously asked who gave him permission to leave his house alone ,  her implications  were very  direct and he asked what exactly did that mean,  the book shop was quite a tight place and the salesman  looked more interested in their  conversation 

page 29....

.....it was the  second  phase of night  , he who was habitual of getting up early and going to bed  punctually   had his sleep  turned away from his eyes like  joyfulness   is distant  and indifferent to the poor,  the face of that girl  constantly kept appearing before  him,  thinking   it over and over again  if this was for real any girl could  go to that extent,  he  had   experienced  only  the goodness of women  in his life,  the girls  he had classmates for and the females he had  for students,  all he had the chance to  meet were  nice and  dignified  women,  and if he ever happened to come across such  women  who were  careless  he  always  saw to it as a fresh case  to reform  her , , he was  made fun of  by his  known ones for going out of the way  to   improve  others  playing the big brother  and he always  explained himself beautifully  that he  not only loved  his job  but also  was extremely passionate   about educating  others so they could  progress better, , he  never would  blacken his  noble profession of teaching   he wasn't merely a  paid employee  who is expected to cover the syllabus  but  he  wanted to enlighten them as a right  correct  citizen,  he   felt awful  because all his so called  friends  who claimed to know him   didn't  believe him but  believed the  trickster woman 

page 27..

....what an old fashioned  minded man he us,  in public  he maintains eye contact  and   speaks confidently  but in complete solitude  when there is a mod young woman   beautiful   too present  his eyes are glued directly  to  an  invisible fixed spot  on the floor 

Finally he had to lift his face to tell her firmly he didn't  have much time to spare  and she must  quickly  speak up,  she followed her plan  step by step  and dialed  vice chancellor  s number  sure Ajmal khan 8s in his office this time,  only she could hear the telephone conversation  and turned to speak rather loud  and clear to amil khan   why was he  touching her, she threatened to  make a complaint to the university authorities  , he must mend his ways or  face  charges followed by  humiliation on the other side  amil khan  looking quite surprised jumped up from his place  and took off his glasses  to look at her , she ought to   get herself checked up by a psychiatrist, she  was  calling him names  over the phone  provoking him deliberately  to annoy him , she began shrieking and  called out   for help , now  he understood  it was a deep  conspiracy and  he was in a big problem,  several  faces   reached along with  akbar khan s staring  and glaring  at what she was showing them all , her tears and her torn up sleeve,  one elderly woman  casting  vicious glances at amil khan stepped forward  to pick up  the fallen or rather dropped by zartasha veil to cover  her head as if zartasha had never removed it,  

from previous...

....he was on his way to   take  his  class  when  suddenly  zartasha  stood before him  blocking his way, amil khan was taken aback and  looked at her questioningly , ever since  their mutual  scuffle  he was doing his best to avoid her, he was  a  polished man who didn't like frictions   specially with  those who surrounded him, 

Her opening line to the conversation was that she wanted his advice on a specific  important matter  and it wouldn't  take his much time,  she  looked at him with hope and anticipation,  

He was ashamed   at his  unpleasant behavior  the other day  but he  couldn't favor her  or show  soft  attitude  towards her in the classroom  because  she wasn't  the  only person  attending  lectures and  that  could  lead to more misunderstandings nor did zartasha ever  displayed  her reactions to the  ugly episode,  so clearly she hadn't taken it to the heart and outside the classroom she  ignored him completely,  so it was rather odd she had stopped him and  asked him to  help her

He agreed to see her after class was over,  he briefly   answered  and she  nodded   her  satisfaction,   listening to the lecture she  constantly planned  her important meeting  with him,  she was hundred percent  sure  of success  of her plans,  she was  sitting with  three  four  friends  when she was sent for  ,  the peon  informed  in the presence of all  she was to go to the office  of amil khan,  ignoring  the surprise  on her friends  faces she  left them,  the girls  exchanged glances  in silence,  this was  something happening for the first time  that  amil khan  sent for anyone  and that too a girl student  alone to his office,, standing  outside the  glass door  for a moment  she controlled herself,  breathed deep, touched her hair  and asked  for permission to enter the  cabin 

from previous...

... as she massaged  hair oil on her mother's head her mind was hyper actively  scheming   how to take revenge   on amil khan , she shared her thoughts of hatred  fuming inside her with ma,  afraid  the flames  could rapidly pull down the  entire  world down  amazed at the fire burning in  her  heart  that wasn't in any way  cooling off,  praying  and hoping  simply  the fire of hate  wouldn't  destroy her completely because playing with fire was  absolutely dangerous 

Wasn't ma still in love with baba, she asked braiding  husna  s  thick long hair  keeping her tone  carefully casual 

Husna  today was feeling better and herself had  tenderly  invited   her  daughter to rub oil on her head   , such precious moments  were rare to come by in her life when ma  deliberately  and  willingly in her full  active  best mood  liked to spend time  together with her and shared  her  feelings,  on her informal   query  ma breathed a long sigh before looking at her  palms  sketched with lines , she didn't love him so passionately any more as she did before she  discovered  he was cheating on her,  she was speaking  to nobody in particular  , she stared  somewhere  in the air in the oblivion,  she lovingly  arranged  ma s  veil around her and thought there was no  attachment without  love,  no prayers without love, as long  as envy is felt know it there is no love 

In love  only love is felt  but in rivalry  there is no love  

page 25...

....ok then  sir please tell us if you  were ever in love 

 Munib  suddenly and unexpectedly  raised a question  that for a long moment  left the new lecturer  amil khan  stunned speechless 

Sir,  we all know  there are  several girls  who have  dreams of you  nestled in their eyes 

Arsalan  s voice  was laced with  cheekiness,  now  amil  khan realized  the   risk of getting  friendly with his class students,  it could prove  unbalancing   and difficult to maintain  the decorum  but  how could he go against his own  nature  , he wouldn't be him if he wasn't easy going,  but  he knew exactly how to tackle such  situations  and asked them how  could they know of other girls feelings  8f they didn't have access to their hearts and  then  in the educational institutions  one  only sticks to the  point precisely  on learning  and crossing the threshold of the subject is sheer sin, nobody expected a response from him and were silenced instantly 

But  munib  spoke back  cutting across the wall of silence  , amil khan  was no fool and exceptionally handsome  man  so he always addressed all his female students  merely  a few  years younger  as child so  there were no misunderstandings  or  as romantic silly girls  are quickly  fall prey to crushes, munib was not ready to let him  escape  so easily  , wasn't he rather  over  serious   over this matter  of opposites attract

Amil khan  caught the point  he would not be able  hold his dignified position if he didn't  satisfy them,  well  he never got  the right kind  so far  who  could  make his heart  beat faster  nor did he find anyone  worth a second glance 

page 21...

....palosga and Maria had  come to the restaurant where palosha liked having ice creams ,  they held the cups in hands as tw boys stepped  inside  with a middle aged  fashionable  trendy woman  to sit down  at  the  next table,  zartasha  gave them a casual fleeting glance  and then  her eyes refused to get off them,  she stared hard at their faces  and  asked palosha to look at them , they were  her father's  sons from the second wife sitting there,  her tone was filled with  poison  of hatred   that  evoked  a feeling of  warning  in her and startled she turned to look at her  , her heart began beating faster,  she couldn't  turn  to stare at others  , that was uncalled for,  in fact  zartasha should also stop  looking at them,   specially when it was troubling her painfully,  palosha  was deeply aware of zartasha  s feelings and reactions  for  those  fake  relationships  , her facial expressions were  giving her away,  palosha  decided to quickly leave  the place  but  zartasha  s scheming brain   already had conspired  to take full advantage of  the situation 

Zartasha   looking at the expensive diamond finger ring  decorating her hand   got up winked at palosha and took a picture of her own ring  , palosha got  worried  after all what was she up to, gleefully Zartasha explained  palosha was a coward  and not to worry   it was  a wall just up to the washroom followed with a dangerous venomous smile 

from previous...

....what is it you're saying  Jamil khan

I am now married to shazya and  two days  later  we  are  off to  Malaysia  on our honeymoon,  his voice  was filled with  so much  satisfaction and  restfulness  as if speaking about  his   daily  ordinary life  

But what is my fault asked husba  still  there not believing him , she had come into his life  she was a paragon of love  and beauty  and he  possessed  nothing  besides  his  small  cottage  but his  business  doubled and trebled  8n past two and half years  that wealth rained  on him  , in fact  he began  playing  tremendous  money games 

He wanted an heir  to his  immense wealth   that  husna was unable to  give him,  he  cruelly added husna was merely a non fragrant exotic blossom   and he needed a boy to carry on his  lineage,  he had to take this step,  ge married another woman , she  broke into   sobbing  , had he not  promised  her his love  for life,  the  golden dreams he showed her are settled  in the  threshold  of her  eyes,  had she  lost  the  attraction  he so much  admired , the   odes he   dedicated  to her beauty  have  turned  to  forgetfulness 

He didn't forget a thing he had said  , he  still   accepted her  as his first love  but  no where  is this  written that the first love  ought to be the last and only love 

from previous...

...palosha was her childhood hood friend,  even their walls were  absolutely in love  with each other and stood  glued together for ages,  though she was a different type of a girl  , rather more of a sober  sort  who always tried to   advise her to mend her ways,    they  went to the  same university  with different subjects,  she always shared her   experiences with her  , each and every  thing that ran through her mind and heart,  if she hadn't shared her  experiences with  palosha she wouldn't have  ever doubted  zartasha for her behavior  because she  behaved  normal   in her presence,  she  would  laugh and joke    talk sensible  but  when she shared her escapades palosha was  shocked  and  ask her if she told the truth,  zartasha  would laugh  and  added  she gad two  different  faces  , one  good  the other  evil  and palosha was  lucky to have  seen her only good side  ,   zartasha  s silence   frightened  her and palosha  remained  silent 

page 17...

....hers was a weird fate she was born with,  , mother  lived engrossed in some  other world   and her father  enjoyed  himself  immensely  in this   attractive world,  he wasn't at all  interested  in a  new born , it was her  fate  she grew up  uncared for,  she was helpless  and filled with bitterness,  poison of hatred  ran through her entire system,   she was contaminated  with  this  bitter  venom  of hate she wanted  to   transfer  it all into someone else,  sge wanted to  make others feel the way she did,  sge saw how  her mother was humiliated  by her father and  an odd feeling of sadness descended on her,  that  day  a fire of  the third kind    in zartasha   almost  burnt her  and she had to put it off  with  great effort  by  getting anyone    beaten  up  as she went  through the market  and  stood  aside  watching   the scene  sobbing  or walking  past someone   clad  in  stiff  white cotton  collar   suit  she deliberately  would  start calling him names  until the poor man    made his escape,  she  enjoyed  getting attention of unaware  innocent people  who would come  to rescue her and  beat up other innocent and  not  guilty  passersby,   all those  chivalrous men  never  stopped to find out  who was right  and who was wrong,  not suspecting  her at all  that she could also be lying 

visiting cousins

from previous...

.....eyes are mine  house of fireflies

Delightful  is the grace  in body 

Like fluttering butterflies 

Making me above others in glory 

Stiff neck straight and upraised head 

All th gathered  applauded  their  admiration  showering their praises

! Zartasga Ajmal attractively   lowered and lifted  her thick  lashes in style  receiving  her  admires  comments  with a  rosy smile , 

One man afridi  cheerily asked her if the woman  8n her poetic lines was just one  with all those attractive  attributes or were there  more than one  females described,  his friends called him  smooth  polish for his funny approach,   someone  naughtily compared h8m to the brand cherry blossom  used to  brighten up  dull   surface 

All the guys were  welcoming  tge new youngest head of the department  8n the university  , they asked him to speak   , he was a pleasantly  warm personality,  he introduced himself  , his name was amir khan,  an educationist  , all his family were  well versed,  , no sister  just the two  brothers   , every  girl  was a glimpse of a sister to him now it was the turn  of  others to  introduce themselves,