on the left upper corner. Closing the textbook, she shut the laptop and put it to charging. As soon as she plugged the charger in the wall, sigh escaped her mouth. Her eyes were dull and tired. Her back ached from sitting constantly in one posture. She clasped her waist and moaned. The pain tensed in her muscles.

Hai Allah.

She picked the textbook and neatly placed it diagonally on the shelf. Her fingers ran to open the folder and she tucked in her assignment in the pocket of it. The work was done earlier today and the burden was off her. She could relax, perhaps find some fun activity to keep her engaged.

As she came out of the study room, she saw Manal in the living area. The tv was turned to low volume but her eyes were on the phone in her hands. Zoha quietly closed the door, holding the knob tightly to avoid making noise. Then ambled to the stairs. Her attention was all on Manal, figuring in her head what she was doing alone. On the coffee table, there was a plate filled with biscuits and chicken pastries. But it seemed like Manal wasn't in a mood of eating. She was glaring at her phone screen. Zoha slowed down and watched her.

Manal's neck was strained in one position, arching forward. She was so focused in the small device that nothing mattered around her.

"Damn you!" Manal spat.

Zoha flinched in shock.

"The biggest lair. Hate you!" Manal was aggressive. "Come in front of me and you see what I do to you." She was talking to the phone.

Zoha wondered what was wrong. Who was she texting. Manal was definitely in a bad mood. She appeared disturbed by some unknown reason.

"Ughhh! I hate you!" She screamed and tossed the phone across the floor. "Deceiver." The phone crashed and got detached.

Zoha was dumbstruck to see that. What was going on?

"Such a big liar," Manal kept on raging.

Who was a liar.

Tears bursted in her eyes. She bawled, hitting the wheelchair arm.

"Mummy! Get me out of here." She shouted painfully, attempting to get out of the chair. "Mummmy! Please mujhey nikalain."

Saliha didn't show up but Rumina came rushing.

"What happened, Manal bibi?"

"Mummy. Where is she? Call her. Go. Now." Manal started beating the chair.

Zoha was terrified. Things got worse than she imagined.

"Who does she think she is," Manal scolded the air. "Damn you. Damn you." She screamed her throat out, as the tears streamed down her cheeks.

Afterwards Saliha approached, running, masked with terror.

"Manal, what happened?" she asked.

Manal looked up at Saliha. Saliha stared back in her eyes.

"What happened? And what have you done to your phone?"

"Everyone is a liar," Manal complained ardently.

"But tell me what happened?" Saliha picked up the broken phone from the floor and put it on the table. "First calm down. This is not how you react on small things."

"Do you even know why I am mad? If you don't know then how can you say that?" Manal raised her voice in front of Saliha.

"You didn't answer me before."

"Your beloved niece is a lair. I have been trying to contact her. I texted her so many times. Everytime she says she is busy and doesn't reply. Why is she doing this to me?"

"Can't it be true that she is busy?"

"Absolutely no. She is faking. I know she wasn't like this before. No matter how busy she was she always replied."

Saliha thought quietly.

"Why are you thinking so much, mummy? Don't you see she is avoiding me?"

"You are not totally wrong. I have noticed something too. The change." Saliha slowly started realizing.

"Did she even come once to visit me?" Manal filled in the gap that Saliha was keeping from telling. "Do best friends do this?"

"I didn't get a call from Rubab either. I wonder why."

"Because they are lair and deceivers."

"Manal, don't make assumptions," Saliha retorted. "They must be really busy. We never know."

"Forget this, mummy." Manal's tone changed. "You don't understand what I am going through. In fact nobody does." She averted her eyes in disappointment.

"Beta, don't be hopeless. You are thinking that you won't be able to walk again, right?" Saliha said.

"Forget it," Manal said with crushed hope.

"Look at me, beta." Saliha lifted her chin. "Don't be disappointed. Life has ups and downs but that doesn't mean you give up. You have to be strong."

"But why did this has to happen to me?" Manal asked helplessly.

"Don't say why did this happen to me in a bad way. Rethink it in a positive way. What is the true reason this happened to you."

Manal was pushing away Saliha's logic. She withdrew her gaze.

"So many things happen to people. Even worse as losing limbs. But look at you. Allah protected you and has given hope that you will be better soon."

Zoha felt goosebumps rise in her arm. Nervousness bulged under her skin. She felt her body vibrate a little, shivering as if it was cold. Before tears gave up in her eyes, she went to her room.

What is the reason this happened to you.

Zoha thought.

Did she ever found a need to ask this question to herself.

Why did everything happened to her?

Her life was labeled by even a bigger tragedy. She suffered like no one. Her heart beared the wounds and pain that were far from the pain Manal was going through. Despite of all of this, Zoha stayed quiet and never expressed her feelings to anyone. She gave the freedom to people like Manal to hurt her by not talking back to them, and speaking for herself. It was also Zoha's fault to where she was. She was a coward. Introvert. And never defended herself against the attacks. Now she was regretting and crying.

It couldn't have happened if for once she said something back to Manal. Shehryaar was right. She has to be strong now. Otherwise people would take advantage of her weakness. And she couldn't let that happen to her again. She has to put an end to people's nasty remarks. She had to no matter what. She had to step up and show who she was. She could not make her life more harder by holding back her voice. Enough was enough.

When she ran her hand on her face, her fingers felt the fresh tears against the smooth cheek. The water from her eyes always reminded her how vulnerable she was. She wiped them off. Now this time she would not let the fear swallow her. She must come out of her shell. She did not want to die from inside, she wanted to live and stand up high.

**********

"Don't think negative, beta," Saliha kept reminding. "Negativity will eat you if you give it a space to live inside of you."

"You are not in my position that's why you are saying this." Manal's hyper-ness was gone. She sounded low as a hurt bear.

Saliha reached for her hand and patted. Her face was close to Manal. "I know. Faiza hadn't come once to visit you. Forget about her. Maybe she wasn't your close friend as you were thinking."

"Shame on her," Manal said indignantly.

"I am myself surprised that this is the Faiza I chose. I can't believe it."

"You don't call her either. Promise."

"Why bring the need to talk to them when they don't want to talk to us."

"She is a liar and a big deceiver. I hate her." Manal's teeth gritted and her fist clenched. "I wish I had known her and what she was capable of doing. But she never was like this. Why did she do this?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe she thinks she is too good to be my friend anymore." Manal paused and thought. "Nothing is same after this accident. Everyone's attitude has changed."

"You know your daddy called me. He is coming to Pakistan in two days." Saliha patted Manal's hand once more. "He will spend some time with you and hopefully you will feel better."

"I miss him," Manal said.

"You didn't eat this?" Saliha picked the plate from the table and offered the pastries and biscuits again. "I thought you liked them."

Manal took one pastry without a word.

"I will be making the dinner. What would you like to eat tonight. I will cook your favorite dish." Saliha smiled. "It will be wonderful if you tell me what you would like to eat."

"I want to eat chicken peas pilau with potatoes."

"That's your new favorite dish?"

"I just feel like eating it." Manal was disinterested and spiritless.

"Okay then," Saliha put the plate on the table and rose from the couch. "I don't want you to be hungry. Try to eat some biscuits."

"Mummy," Manal called as Saliha was heading to the kitchen. "Can you take me in the kitchen with you? I feel really alone here."

"Sure. Then don't complain about the smell." Saliha chuckled. She came back and drove the wheelchair.

"I won't." Less enthused.

Zafar's flight was in the early evening. Shehryaar went to pick him up. Manal was in her room. Saliha helped her change clothes to make her appear presentable. Manal was sitting on bed, legs straight- unmovable. She was wearing cotton kurti and white trouser. Saliha suggested her to take dupatta too though she never wore it. Manal hesitated but then uncomplainingly took it and put it around her neck.

Zoha could have never known that Zafar was coming to Pakistan for Manal's incident if Shehryaar hadn't informed her. She dressed up, wore pink studs and combed her hair into ponytail.

It was six fifty, nearly seven. Zoha told herself that she would only go down when her uncle came home from airport. And then Shehryaar would be there too. As much as she felt uncomfortable to be around him before, she was as much comfortable to be around him. She knew he wasn't like the person she thought him to be. He proved her wrong. He was far humble and respectful towards her.

When Zafar reached home at around seven thirty, Zoha fixed the dupatta around her neck, combed her long hair for perfection and spread a smile across the lips. She didn't want to look sad.

As she came out of the room and was closing the door that she heard Zafar's deep voice, talking to Saliha. Shehryaar spoke too. Zoha got little nervous to come in front of everyone. She said she had to be confident and not overthink small things. They always held her back.

She breathed in and exhaled. Then climbed down the stairs. Zafar was sitting on the sofa, luggage standing beside the coffee table. Zoha was happy that he was back. He traveled across a long distance. It must have been exhaustive for him to go back and forth. She wondered how different it would have been if Zafar's business was established in Pakistan. His life would had have been easier.

Zoha sauntered over to the living area and unraveled her presence. Shehryaar was the first one to see her in quite amazement. Then Zafar looked, didn't speak but then broke his silence.

"Zoha, beta," he said. "How are you, sweetheart?"

Zoha's thin lips formed in slight trembling smile. "I am fine, baray abu."

"What were you doing?" Zafar was washed with delight. His attention wore off from Saliha and he turned in his sitting position to properly face Zoha.

Shehryaar was sitting beside Zafar, more closer to Zoha but on an adjacent couch, glancing at her.

Zoha sometimes looked at Shehryaar then Zafar. "Nothing much." She found herself speechless when the entire undivided attention was on her. She felt that her every expression, her every move was being watched. It was least comforting.

"How are your studies going so far? You are doing bachelors right?"

"No masters."

"Mashallah. Then you must be really busy." Zafar sweetly spoke.

Zoha nodded lightly.

"Shehryaar, beta, can you take the luggage to the room," Saliha said. Zafar's attention diverted from Zoha to Saliha and then he looked at Shehryaar.

"Thank you, beta," Zafar said.

Shehryaar dragged the luggage and at the stairs he hefted the weight. Zoha looked at him, lips pursed, expressionless.

"You must be hungry. Do you want to eat now or later?" Saliha proffered.

Zafar heaved a sigh and patted his clad thighs. "Feel tired. It would be better to rest. I will eat later."

"Would you mind if I serve the children before you?"

"No no it's totally fine. I will get my back straight." Zafar got up and began heading to his room.

Zoha thought to go in the kitchen. She hadn't helped Saliha in days. But she was uncertain. Was it appropriate to just go and then stand there quietly and awkwardly. Saliha barely spoke to her. Often she did not even look at Zoha, as if she did not exist. If was upsetting to receive such treatment. Zoha wished that things went back the way they were. Happy and beautiful, when Saliha was kinder and engaged Zoha in kitchen chores. Presumably Zoha was her favorite. She favored her over her own daughter Manal.

It was hard to believe that this was the same Saliha. The memory of old things seemed like a portion of some dream. Zoha thought very often about it when she slept alone in the night, but only thing that kept her from sleeping was her past. It brought tears in her eyes.

In spite of all that happened, Zoha wanted to forget about it and be the first one to speak to Saliha. She wanted the perpetual silence and resentment from her to break. It was not easy. She was scared and ever more nervous. Her heart was in her throat.

When she approached the kitchen, she heard the noise of clanking dishes. Saliha was hovering near the sink and dish holder. Zoha swallowed the lump, clasped her hands in front of her and kept her gaze lowered. She slowly took steps toward Saliha, knowing what she had come for. She wanted this negative bond to end. It was too much of a burden to carry and sleep with it.

She halted when she realized she had come enough closer. Saliha still hadn't noticed her. She was caught up in her own work.

Zoha felt as if she would stop breathing. Things around her started spinning a little but she held firm on her decision. Had to do it. No backing off.

Clearing her throat, she stole the attention of Saliha.

"Bari ammi," Zoha murmured. The slightest hum in the air ceased.

Saliha put the plate on the countertop and looked around. Zoha's eyes were below Saliha's chin. She hadn't had the courage to look directly into her eyes.

There was no response.

Zoha took glimpses of her stern face.

"I have to say something...if you don't mind." She could feel the heat of resentment floating around Saliha's presence. "I know you are upset of me. Really upset," Zoha's voice shook. "I am ashamed of what happened. I have hurt you. Please forgive me."

There was a silence then. Neither of them spoke. Saliha looked at Zoha and walked off to the stove where there was a big silver pot. Zoha stood, ignored.

"Please, Bari ammi," she insisted.

Saliha opened the lid of the pot and transferred the pure white rice into the tray.

Zoha was sorry for something that she didn't even do. It was no where close to being her fault and yet she was facing this.

"Believe me I never wanted bad for Manal though what she had done to me."

Saliha turned around. "There is no point in bringing this up. It will be better if you forget it."

Zoha half expected Saliha to speak this time.

"It would be easy for me to forget this if you say that you forgive me," Zoha said.

"This is not in my hand," Saliha said. "My poor daughter is the one heartbroken."

"I will apologize to Manal if that lessens your sadness."

"I have made a mistake myself and that's why I am punished." Guilt crept in her voice. She sounded little low and crestfallen.

Zoha didn't know what Saliha was talking about.

"I didn't care about my own daughter properly. It is my fault that I gave her this much freedom." Saliha closed the pot with the lid and opened the drawer to pick the rice spoon. "When I am guilty then how can I blame someone else."

"Bari ammi, can I help you set up the table, please?"

Saliha directly gazed at Zoha with dismal. She was holding the rice tray in her hands. Zoha went and took it from her.

"Beta, don't humiliate me," Saliha said.

"Believe me I have no intention to make you feel bad."

"I know. But...still...I don't like how you do everything."

"It makes me happy."

Zoha brought the tray to the dining table and went back to the kitchen. Instead Saliha could have taken out the curry in the bowl, her eyes were fixed in the distant, leaning by the counter. Zoha was feeling better after talking to her.

"Bari ammi?"

Saliha was driven out of her thoughts.

"What else should I put on the table?"

"Yeah...sorry." She rubbed her eyes and carefully pulled out a bowl from the cabinet. "I am still telling you that you don't need to do all of this."

"You never minded what I did."

"Because I feel bad now."

"Why?"

"I have hurt you. I am guilty at what I said to you."

Zoha realized Saliha's heart was softened for her again. Wasn't this what Zoha wanted. Didn't she want the misunderstanding to end.

"I was blind to see who I was talking to. It was never your fault."

"At the end humans make mistake. If my mother was alive she would have done the same thing," Zoha said.

"Instead I should be sorry to you," Saliha pardoned. "You deserve more. Sorry, beta."

Zoha was surprised that Saliha was begging her. She was encumbered by her emotions.

"No, Bari ammi. Don't say that."

"Sometimes adults do things that they get ashamed of later."

"Forget everything that happened," Zoha said. "I want to forget everything too." She did not want to cry.

"Is it this easy for you to say? You have lost more than any one of us. Don't you want to take out your anger on me and Manal?" Saliha's eyes were teary. "We have done bad to you."

"Bari ammi, don't cry."

"I couldn't speak to you because I hadn't had the courage to face you."

Zoha placed her hand on Saliha's shoulder.

"We are still a family. These things happen. Please don't cry. At least for the sake of me?"

Saliha sniffled her nose and mopped the tears from under her eyes. "I am sorry, beta," she whispered.

Zoha didn't utter a word in reply. Her heart was pumping faster. She withdrew her hand from her shoulder and went over to the stove to take out curry.