November rains are a pleasant surprise, not many cycles ago she used to love these showers. Drenching in the torrent, where the two realities, the sky and land comes to the union, a sight of beholding.

Oh, how she misses those nights.

A sigh, things could be so better, they should be, but now this is what it is. Another wind with blighting drizzles, she is almost drenched only by a few meters of the walk, from her porch to the front door.

A storm is near.

While passing the distance, her eyes didn't miss the sight of the familiar car parked there. She smiles, a knowing smile, Zain is here.

"Appi!"

She hasn't even entered properly when two strong arms engulfed her. The arms where she can always go without a second thought, arms of Zain Amir.

This twenty-four years old brother is her safe haven.

Even though she knows life is not generous to her, but having Zain around makes her sigh in relief, that even if someday she is gone Zain Amir will bear all her responsibilities with a smile.

A person she can rely on, a person who didn't leave.

"Ap sb kb aye? Abba sb khairiyat toh hain yuh achanak?"

Though seeing Zain here is not much unusual to her, but seeing her father certainly is.

"Sab khairiyat hain bacche, Meri flight hai aj raat ki aur Zain ko kuch din apke saath rehna tha, toh maine socha jate waqt apse milte huye jaye."

Mirza is happy that finally years later Seher is letting him be a part of her life.

"Abba, have a safe flight." Though Seher is not ready to let him in completely at this point in her life, she really doesn't care much.

"Haan bache, apna khayal rakhiye aur koi bhi zarurat ho toh hum apke saath hi hain."

He sighs, at least she is trying. He knows he can't be a good father to her, he is too late for that. But now they are in talking term. Sometimes it's good to accept the reality than to fight it, they did that.

Mirza Amir always make sure to check on his daughter twice a month, even if he is not in the country, he made frequent calls maybe for a few seconds but he did.

On the other hand, Saira came on the weekends and along with Zain, Ruhaan and Ashana they have pretty good Sundays together. Most of which ended with Zain and Ruhaan having a fistfight, yet next week they will be here.

Following dinner, Rubina went to her room, it was past her bedtime, but having Zain around means breaking all the normal daily routines which happen twice a week. Zain is almost a permanent resident of this place. Likely to be twice a week and sometimes even thrice he stays here. His own room with clothes, a study table and everything else is here. Seher firstly wanted to buy a three-bedroom house, but seeing that Zain would anytime stay over, she opted for the four-bedroom house with plenty of open space and a backyard.

.................................................................

"Appi? Busy ho?" Zain entered Seher's room, looking at him Seher understands there is something he needs to say.

She smiles, she knows.

He steps inside and sits leaning to the bed where she sits.

Zain Amir had grown up over a few hours, all because of her. A sad smile.

"Nope. Tell me what it is?"

" Appi, actually I was missing Mumma today, so I called Tayi Maa and she asked me to come here, I am thinking to bring Ashana here for some days too."

"Chachi loves you a lot and so does we all. Never hesitate to come here, it's your place too. And about Ashana, I just forgot to tell you, she was with her grandma for a few days, the good thing is that I am her legal guardian from now on."

A happy smile.

Finally, after two years he is seeing his sister smile, a real smile. Ashana is the sanity Seher needed.

"That's great news Appi, she will finally have a home."

He smiles. The storm is gone now, it's just sprinkling and soft winds, as his amber eyes look out lost in a memory, a beautiful memory.

"Zain" She called out.

"How you do all this Appi?"

He asked in a haze.

"Do what?"

"Everything. Like nothing happened to you?"

"Life." she gulps, a sigh.

"It is the best teacher Zain, with time it will teach you every lesson. Some you will love and others not. But life goes on, and slowly everything passes on its own"

"Is it easy to forget someone you love?" Zain asked her in a heavy voice, a voice that tells her that her doubt is right, her brother never got his chance to convey his love, he let his love go.

"You never forget someone you loved once. Love is not something you can ever forget, Zain. But the good thing is you start making new memories putting a cover on the past.

Slowly it fades away, a part of you will always be there in past, but living in the present is more important, much like a necessity."

"You still love him?"

He asked a part of him hate the person who caused his sister pain. But he knows the answer.

" I never stopped loving him Zain."'

He smiles. Some love stories lived for an eternity even after the lover left the other.

"He was everything I had. Keeping me sane in his arms. I lost him, and a part of me too."

She smiles a sad smile. She lived a life with him, she deserves a life together with him.

"Hadiya ka nikkah pkka hogya hai, kal parso mein wo log ajayenge yaha baat krne, ap tab kya karogi?"

And he said that now,

a pain that shouldn't be there.

"Kya krungi kya? Zindegi bhar toh nahin bhag sakti na, aur Hadiya meri behen jaisi hai, uske nikkah mein jana hoga. Chale jayenge 2 din ke liye, tu hoga na waha pe bs koi tension nahin!!"

Smacking Zain on the back she laughed off the situation, deep down even the idea of going back is making her feel nauseous. But now she knows to mask it, still her eyes show the pain.

"Wo new Hotel wala jo project uski meeting mujhe v attain krni h?"

He changed the topic,

no need to open up past wounds.

" Haa woh toh next week h, tab aram se baat hogi. Ab nikal mujhe kaam karne de."

Sitting by the window, watching the rain, winds taking her back to the past.

Things change with places and time.

Now it is a new place and the time is not like the old days. Delhi is not somewhere Seher is not used to with, she spent her twelve years of childhood here and her three years of graduation too.

Maybe those few years were the best moments of her life that she always keeps near to her heart. Those memories were the sole reason why she chose Delhi as her new home. But staying with her Saira is never an option, that place holds too many things which she haunts her now. This place is her own, and with Rubina, she is somehow managing to put up the happy face.

........................................................................

The next few days were hectic, passed along the soft winds and sleepless nights, but with Zain staying along, Sehar has been a little relaxed because Rubina won't bother about her much with all the pieces of stuff like having food on time, coming back on time, that all the things.

A few days later the invitation to Hadiya's wedding came and Rubina agreed to be there for a few days. Thankfully Seher was not there at home that time, saving herself from unnecessary talks and taunts of Sadia Khan.

Sadia Khan, to say an ingenious, manipulative woman will be understated. But anyhow, being the daughter of Khan Haweli, Sadia Khan is respected by everyone. A perfect businesswoman who always made her choices right.

Her daughter Hadiya Khan is surprising, a sweetheart. Being the little princess, spoiled rotten by her brother. Haider Khan got married last year, which Seher didn't attain, and sure thing Sadia never leaves a chance to taunt her on that too. Haider and Hadiya both were close to Seher, and Sadia loves her too but her not attaining a family wedding is surely something she will never accept. Though Seher has some valid reasons, Sadia Khan is not ready to let it go.

.................

On a cold winter night of mid-November, Seher keeping things ready for the very important meeting for the next day.

A sudden doorbell takes her out of the dreamy memories. Knowing Zain who must be sleeping by now, she opened the door and there stands Ahad Ahmed Khan.

She sigh.

Some people know their way back home, yet they refuse to come back.

He is one of them, or maybe this is not the home he is seeking.

To say seeing Ahad after two years with a bleeding lip, she did get a fair idea of another fight he got involved in unnecessarily. Standing out of the way, signing Ahad sit in her dining room she did his first aid, without a word.

And then he smiles which makes tears fighting to come up to the surface.

"Theek ho ap Mohtarma?"

The mere call of Mohtarma made Seher shut her eyes controlling her tears which may spill out any moment.

"Don't call me that Ahad."

Pain.

Pain is evident in that voice, and he knows, he had been there, still is there.

"Sorry."

"Chot kaise lagi tumhe?"

"Aree yaar gusse mein thora.."

"Genes mein itna gussa hai na?"

She taunted.

And it's true.

These people ruin things in anger, things they should have cherished all through life.

"Ab wo toh tum hi jano Seher."

"Ammi soo rahi, kal mil lena unse."

"Tumse milne aya hu."

"Wo kyu bhala?"

"Kyuki I do know yeh sab jo tum kar rahi hon, yeh sab tumhe ni mujhe karni chahiye. Tum dono meri zimedari hon. Lekin ni tumne khud sari zimedari le rakhi hain. Get a life Seher."

"Ahad, it is my life now. Aur iss bare m baat nahi krni mujhe. Ammi meri responsibility hain. Tum mujhe saalon se jante ho, all I hope that you will get it by now, but you are still there"

"And You? Did you move on?"

"I did. Main peeche dekhna chor diya h Ahad aur iske agee ek sabad ni."

Silence engulfs them.

The winds sway slowly, as they sit next to each other.

He straightens his legs on the couch, she gives him a cup of chai.

Another sad smile.

Chai.

He sips and closes his eyes, a certain pair of hazel brown eyes came into life, haunting him.

He gulps.

She is addicted to chai now.

A thing she used to hate years ago.

A sigh.

Things changed a lot.

" Wo actually maine... maine divorce papers sign kr diye h"

He whispers slowly, painstakingly. She smiles.

"After two years? Honestly mujhe lga nahin tha ke tum wo papers sign bhi karoge kabhi."

"I am tired now. You know, it is better to let go now. Somehow I know it's not gonna work now. Even you are not ready to let it go, then why should I keep being in a namesake marriage. I submitted those papers today and took the first flight to Delhi. Hopefully, you won't mind me staying in your other guest room."

"I won't. It's your place too."

"Haa sabko yahi bolti ho.But, I did the right thing na?"

"Staying in a relationship, feeling stifled, dying every moment is never an option okay. Leaving from there hoping for a better is.

I know there will be consequences after this divorce in our family, but trust me, they will understand. I will make them do so. You were never happy in this marriage. Just remember no matter what I am always there as your friend."

" You know having you as my friend makes everything so less complicated. When I came here I was lost, trust me signing those two years old papers was not at all easy. But now talking to you with this chai of yours, I feel so relax."

" Well coffee is overrated."

Soft laughs engulf.

After years, they are together at least.

"Do you miss him, Seher?"

A question he asked, an answer she doesn't want to give.

Silence, painful silence.

Loses, they have bear a lot of loses in these years.

"Sometimes I miss myself more Ahad." She mumbled.

Both looking out at the void sky.

"Don't you agree that I deserve a better closure, Ahad?" She whispers.

"We all deserves a better closure of our stories, Seher. Perhaps we never get what we want or what we deserve." He replied in a sad tone.

She sighs, resting her head on his shoulder, a bond that stayed even after years.

Friendship.

A friendship of decade.

"Zain hates you Ahad." She said.

He closes his charcoal eyes. He is tired now but years later at least he is here.

"I hate him more Seher." He replied, she smiles.

What she missed is the pain thoroughly conceal behind his words.

"Hadiya is getting married. I can't believe that." She shakes her head.

"Shukar hai yaha nahi the tum, warna Hadiya ko kabhi koi nahi milta." Laughing and talking, two long lost friends catch up that night.

In the background Rubina smiled, seeing her children finally speaking after years, sending a little prayer for everything to get back like past years soon.

Ahad Ahmed Khan is aware of all his responsibilities and all the burdens Seher have carried on herself without any complaint.

He was stuck in the past for a long and when he finally decided to let go, he came to the only place he can call home. The place near Seher Mirza.

And he was right, a few hours of talk and all the pain for the last two years seems to fade away slowly in the background.

Though he can see the pain and emptiness in Seher's eyes, he knows his limits, and not to ask her about it. He couldn't.

Another sad smile.

Unhe jana tha, humne jane diya,

ab isse badh ke wafa aur kya karte hum.

...........................................................

Meanwhile, on the other part of the city, Arhaan's flight already landed. Stepping here after years brings back many things in his mind.

A place he can call home is waiting for him, or maybe waiting for him but he doubts that now, after everything, all these years later, he has no hope from anyone. He did his part of mistake and lost everything he had once, maybe his home too.

Wo keh gye humse, ke unhe hamara intezaar rahega

sacch baat yeh, hume unke intezaar ka intezaar rahega.

Though he got an invitation to his friend Ayaan's wedding which he has to attain as Ayaan and he has been friends for years now, going to Lucknow he needs courage, to face someone may be waiting for him.

Passing through the lanes of the past is not easy. But once in a while, it gives peace. Arhaan's memory of these lanes was the same.

A wind passes as the sky today is dark, filled with clouds, taking him back in her memories.

Those memories bring a smile to Arhaan's lips.

This place is where his abode lies, where he lived his most happy days, where he got the love of his life.

That was his last summer here, a beautiful summer with her.

A rare genuine smile started shining on his face as he looked forward to the view. Everything is the same just not them this time.

In past years, he has never felt this peace, maybe peace only lies here.

Maybe they were in love but not meant to be together, and when he loved her, he didn't put the condition to stay in a relationship forever right. While scrolling her Instagram he saw the last post, it's posted two weeks ago.

The sadness is prominent in those brown orbs yet she smiles making him lose a breath, just like all those years ago.

The memory of their last day is very clear in his mind.

...................................................

The mornings of Delhi on cool winters of mid-November is not that bad. And today at Seher's place everyone is having a really good time after many years.

Ahad is half lying on the sofa and half-awake Zain is not so ready for a meeting. The aroma of the morning breakfast of paratha spreads in the hall. Seher is almost ready for her meeting cross-checking everything again and again.

Seeing Ahad on an early morning in their living room is not something he is used to in this place like if it was their home back in Lucknow two years back, he will be not a bit shocked but this is something new to him. But he keeps lips shut, the painful memory was still fresh in his mind. So he silently walked towards his room.