Slow October breezes, a rainless dark sky void of the gleaming twinklers the night glory is nowhere near. The trees stilled no whispers to be heard.

There in amidst the woods, a short distance from the chaotic city Lucknow, the board doors of The Khan Haveli, stands tall.

Doors closed as always, away from all the chaos, silence prevailed the large wall, strangling the members with every breath.

The empty hall screams, corridors echoes of the loses, haunting Sadia with each step she takes.

But even if it stings, Sadia Khan knows to face it, she bears her pain, always had done this.

As she comes near to the hallway of the first floor, her steps halt in front of a certain room.

The last room to the left, she smiles. The closed-door is a sign, he left her here.

But that's what he suppose to do, to left her just like she did all those years ago.

With a worrying glance, she steps inside, why she doesn't know. The bedroom is clean, she made sure of it, not a thing misplaced.

A photograph placed by the bedside. A smiling little boy of nearly three with charcoal orbs looked back at her, she steps back.

"Come back soon, Ahad."

She abandoned him years ago, he did the same.

Karma hits you back.

She snatched his home decades ago, he didn't accept her in his family anymore.

She sighs, no matter what, truth is painful, but she had to bear it, always have to. She has suffered a lot only because of silence.

Her silence mocks her.

The sound coming from the hallway brings her back, finally, she is here.

Carrying all two chart holders on the left shoulder, bag on the right, car keys on her fingers and she is walking mindlessly.

And hard it was, and this long drive from the main city is frustrating her more. Alizeah is so done with all this silence and chaos. All she wants is a peaceful life with her husband.

A husband, wall smirked at the mere thought.

"Where were you Alizeah? It's already past eleven. Apko waqt ka koi andaza hai bhi ke nahi."

And here comes her mother in law, Sadia Khan, can this day get anymore worst than this.

With the last ounce of patience left in her, she said,

"Aj hume site pe jana tha isliye waqt lg gya, uske baad meeting bhi thi humari."

"Toh apne Haider toh call kia?"

And that's when it touches her buttom.

"Jee kiya tha, apke bete ne uthaya nahi. He didn't tell you about the texts I send him?"

"Alizeah...

"She called me Ammi."

A sweet voice said from the other end.

Clad in her cotton salwar, a sweet smile, Hadiya stands there with her phone in glue to her ear.

"Continue with your call, Hadiya." Alizeah smiles.

"I'll call you back Ayaan."

"Hadiya what didn't you tell me?"

"Because Alizeah Bhabi is not a kid Ammi, she knows what's right and what's not."

The message is clear, stop controlling our lives.

A sigh and Sadia left.

Everyone can't be like them now.

"And Ammi, I am going back tomorrow."

She just nodded.

No one can ever be like them.

"Alizeah Bhabi, can you drop me tomorrow morning?"

"I will."

At a clue, a tall figure enters, slumbered shoulders, tired eyes.

He is done for the day.

"Haider Bhai?"

"Yes, Diya?"

"I'm going back tomorrow."

"I will drop you then."

"No. Alizeah Bhabi will."

He smiled and nodded.

"I know she will."

He knows, Alizeah mocked.

He knows everything but still decided to stay here. Her husband is just impossible for her to understand, this whole palace is.

As Hadiya left, Haider turns to her,

"What happened this time, Alizeah?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you sulking then?"

"As if you care Haider."

"You know I do, so just.."

"Just what? I left my freaking life behind in Mumbai for you, and you don't even have time for me now. Stop being notorious."

They were done for the day.

Life was better in Mumbai, far better, at least for them.

The walls sigh as the two lovers walk towards their room.

Love and responsibilities crushing each other.

Sadia shakes her head, Hadiya, Haider, Alizeah stayed behind, for her.

But they will never fill the void others left behind.

Walking to the next corridor, the only room is still luminescent, it's already late and her mother, Parveen Mustafa Khan is still awake, she sighed. Entering the old vintage room her eyes halted at the family portrait for mere seconds.

A sad smile, they were a happy family at that time.

That was four decades ago, ages ago.

Now all seems to a facade to her.

"Sadia?" Parveen soft voice brings back.

Sad old eyes hold pain, but not more than hers.

Parveen Mustafa had made her choices long back, all wrong choices.

"It's pretty late Amma, you should sleep now," she said with sincerity.

Her loyalty lies with the palace, she can't deny that.

"Come sit with me for some time, until you Abba comes back."

"Where is he?"

"In the study."

Sadia sits next to her mother tightening her scarf a little.

Parveen smiled, years it had been but her daughter is still the same.

A sharp businesswoman, a soft heart.

"Hadiya is going back tomorrow," she whispers. A frown forms on Parveen forehead.

"Woh kyu bhala? Uska nikkah hai mahine bhar mein, abhi jane ki kya zarurat."

"Hum usse nahi rok sakte Amma. Uski marzi hai."

"Sadia woh.."

"Woh Hadiya hai Amma. Apne bhai pe gayi hai." Sadia said Parven shakes her head.

Anger, frustration trails behind but she can't voice it. For Hadiya Khan, her rules will never work. Her brother protected her well.

"Seher se baat huyi apki?" Parveen asked.

Seher. Sadia smiles a sad one.

Even the name brings those recalls back, a beautiful past which can never be a part of the appalling present.

"Meri nahi huyi Amma."

"Hum chahte hai ap waha ho aye ekbar."

"Hum dekhte hai."

Silence engulfs, words are dying to come out but can't.

"Amma?"

"Jee.?"

"Woh ayega kya?"

"Ye sawaal hum bhi puchna chahte hai, aur jawab ka intezaar subko hai."

Aur kuch saawalon ke jawab sirf Intezaar hota hai.

●●●

Beyond this floor, the first right room is shinning with fluorescent twinklers, she asked for them, he fulfilled. She smiles, her brother is the best.

Hadiya can ask for the moon and Ahad would give that to her.

She rests her back and opens their WhatsApp group, 'Khan haveli sucks' No messages were exchanged recently, last was the time Haider got married, months ago.

She sighs, and there was a time her phone used to flood with notifications from this group.

Hadiya

Hello,

This is to notify you all that I'm getting married in a month. Any of your reason for not being present on that day will not be entertained here.

Sent.

She can only hope this works.

●●●

Haider keeps his phone on the side table, he had seen his sisters text. How much he wants to run away from all this with his lover Alizeah, but now is not the time for that.

At least Hadiya will be free after a month.

He can only hope for her happiness.

◆●◆●◆

Late-night hours and he is drowned in her memories. The undone finance report lies in front of him.

The WhatsApp notification brings a sudden sense of longing.

He missed Hadiya, a lot.

A headache coming up, he closes his eyes, a certain pair of hazel brown eyes gleaming at him, a smile comes to his lips, a sad smile.

Opening his charcoal orbs he sighs, rubbing his face with his palms. Getting the papers from the last drawer his fingers trailed her name for quite some time.

A gust of wind pass, a blast of pain in them. He can't make her stay. Closing his eyes, he signed those papers, killing himself, his heart.

She is a gem.

And he doesn't afford that.

She should be happy always, he hopes.

Now is the time to go back to living, to face the past.

◆●◆●◆

Miles away from the country, it's midday already. He has a meeting next hour when the Whatsapp notification came.

He sighs, Hadiya is getting married. Pain engulfs as the sudden memories hit him.

Last time the Haweli witnessed a marriage was two years ago, and he was the happiest then.

But he can't even go there, he doesn't want to. And he knows, someone is waiting for him, back in the country, back in his home.

The home where his heart lies.

◆●◆●◆

The midnight moon touches the sky, she lost in her solitude. Eyes closed, the zephyrs playing with her strands. She opens her eye, chocolaty eyes, glistening with unshed tears.

She gulps them away. Seher never cried for two years, and she would never cry for him again.

The small figure next to her shivers, she covers her with the fur blanket. Ashana, her daughter.

No matter what people say, this will remain truth, adopted or not, Ashana will be her daughter, only hers.

And all she can do is to wait for him to come back to her.

Qki usse khabar thi mohabbat key usulon ki

Woh mohabbat hi kya jaha Mehbooba ko intezaar na karna pade.