Sadia Khan became a widow very early after her marriage, and her father brought her back to haweli along with her five years old son Haider and month old daughter Hadiya. Ahmed khan, her brother was been supportive and Rubina khan, her bhabi her friend.

When Rubina left with Seher, it broke Sadia. She was left alone again.

Haider shifted back a few months later. But that broke her more.

Her son was not like before.

He blamed her for everything.

And rightfully so.

Ahad left her, and that broke her even more. But that's a tale of some other time.

Ahad promised her a home, perhaps that's another of her unfulfilled wishes.

Hadiya was in Aligarh for her studies and last two years she denied coming back for holidays.

So with Seher, the happiness of Haweli also left.

When Haider got married, Sadia thought that the new girl will bring some changes. But she was wrong.

Things did change but not in a good way. Alizeah Khan is nothing like Seher Mirza. Though she is humble but straightforward too. And with the constant comparisons between her and Seher, she lost it.

Haider on the other hand didn't care much. He love Alizeah and never came between the arguments between the two.

When Hadiya came back, her nikkah got fixed with Ayaan Khatoon. Unknowing to them Arhaan's good friend.

Destiny is again playing its game.

••••••

Stepping inside the Haweli, today her feet are not heavy like yesterday. She is in pain, but it is pain she will bear with a smile.

The pain of being loved by her love.

She rushed towards her room and this time, the tears are gone, the room is her room again.

A certain figure did see her, who is quite aware of her absence from Haweli last night.

After taking her much needed a warm bath, she changed into her normal dress with makeup covering all her neck hickeys. After two years she is wearing salwar suit again.

A burn makes her hiss in pain, well cooking after two years so feel like the first time.

Coming downstairs, she gets the feeling that almost everyone is here today. And to her surprise, she is engulfed in a bone-crushing hug,

"I miss you so much..Appi"

"Hadiya" she whispers.

"Aapi.." Hadiya said still not believing her presence.

Tears flow freely, and this time Seher didn't stop Hadiya.

The little girl missed her way too much.

Hadiya khan, being the only girl she was always been the lonely one. But from the day Seher started coming here, she got everything she wanted.

A friend, her Appi, a partner in crime.

Next one standing there is Haider Khan, hugging her lightly he whispered,

"I missed you Bacchay".

"Missed you too Bhai." she whispered lightly.

The next one to greet is Mir Mustafa Khan.

Even in his eighties, he holds an aura of royalty in those cold eyes.

"Kaise hai ap Bade baba?"

"Ap agyi hai na, ab behtar hai." he replied lovingly.

"Daddo?"

"Wo ati hongi Sadia ke saath, ap kal agyi ye sunke hum sb jaldi agye."

"Main breakfast bana deti hu sabke liye."

Seher is determined to make some things normal for herself, like old times and it starts with having breakfast together, a rule of Khan Haweli.

"Yeh theek hai, bahut dino se sab ne saath mein nasta nahi kiya." Mir Mustafa, himself was missing those days.

"Haa ekdam, appi, I will help. Chalo." Hadiya said making her way toward the kitchen.

"Seher, tum mili Alizeah sey?" Haider asked wondering if Seher had met his wife or not.

"Kaha nahi toh, mujhe laga woh bhi ap logo ke saath Aligarh gyi huyi hai. Woh yaha thi kya?" Seher replied with guilt. She should have met Alizeah herself, but she...

"Haa, shayad room hongi, main bulake lata hun." Haider said but stopped a bit before going towards his room.

"Jee bhai." Seher made her way towards the kitchen, but Haider called her

"Seher"

"Haan"

"Woh winters arahe hai, Gajar ka halwa hojata toh..." He asked with a smile.

He missed Seher's special halwa a lot.

"Shaam ko bana dungi bhai." Seher replied with the same smile.

After meeting with everyone, Farah, Asma, and Zara. They started making breakfast. Working in the kitchen, Hadiya get to see her burn.

"Aree aapi yeh kaise hua?"

"Woh bs kuch nahi jane doo."

"Hadiya?" A call comes from the dining hall.

"Chalo khana le jao main ati hun."

Parveen Khan is a soft lady. The one who loves Seher a lot. When Seher left, she failed to keep the rules of the Haweli intact.

She lost many things in life, and with Seher, her last hope had gone today. But today seeing the breakfast table set that too with desi breakfast, she smiled in a hope that maybe the daughter of this haweli is back.

"Sabhi hai aj breakfast pe, yeh kaise bhai. Aj koi jaldi nahi hai kya kisi ko. Aur nashta bhi desi hai." she asked.

"Daddo?" Seher called her from behind.

"Laadon..." She whispered and soon hugged her with happy tears.

Tears that stopped years ago, the day Seher left.

"Bola tha na jaan ho haweli ki. Log toh aise hi beta beta karte h, ghar toh betiyon se hoti hai. Ap agyi , ghar ban gya." she said lovingly.

After greeting Seher, Rubina is the next one in line. Praveen hugged her and these two ladies cry their hearts out. Sadia on the other hand have a straight face, but is happy in heart.

Seher knows her too well so keep quiet. Talking to her alone is a much better option.

"Nashta toh bahot achaa hai Seher." Rubina said as she is surprised, Seher cooked after almost two years

"Sach mein, itne saalon baad kuch acha khaya." Haider said this time

"Tumhari Biwi kaha hai Haider?" Sadia asked him.

"Ammi woh usko bhookh nahi lagi abhi."

"Kyu?" Sadia is not ready to let it go.

"Sadia , ap bhi na, bacchi hai baad mein kha legi. Jaane doo." This time Rubina defended her.

"Bacchi nahi hai, aur agar yaha ke riwaz fir se shuru horhe hai toh usse yaha hona chahiye."

"Kal se khayal rakhunga Ammi."

"Behtar hai."

Once the breakfast is done. Rubina went with Hadiya to see all the arrangements for the after. Today Ayaan with his family is coming for lunch and to discuss the marriage functions.

Alizeah comes out to the hall where Sadia is sitting with newspapers along with Seher and Daddo.

"Alizeah, ap nashte mein time se kya nahi ayi" Sadia asked her

"Mann nahi tha" Alizeah said in not so humble tone, which make Seher a little offensive. This is haweli and here being disrespectful towards any elder is not done. She will not allow it in any way.

"Iss haweli ke kuch kannon hai Alizeah. Aur morning breakfast saath karna unhi mein ata hai." Sadia said as if scolding her.

"Achaa aur ghar ki so called Seher ka raat bhar ghar se bahar rehna usme nahi ata na?" Alizeah taunted. But this make Seher stand on her feets.

"Alizeah yeh kya tareeqa hai baat karne ka?" This time Parveen Khan asked.

"Kyu Nanno, apni laadon sey puchiye na raat bhar kaha thi yeh. Aj subh hi ayi hain ghar wapas." In no way Alizeah is going to stop, unaware of the anger Seher is holding.

"Seher kahi bhi hon apse koi matlab nahi hain." Sadia said seeing Seher trying her best to control herself.

"Kyu nahi hain, hume yaha 12 baje ke pehele ana hota hai, aur Seher raat bhar bahar rahe wo badi baat nahi. kyu? Ajeeb riwaj hain iss haweli ke bhi." Alizeah just doesn't know anything about this Haweli and today she proved it again.

"Raat 12baje key pehle ane ko islia bola jata h kyuki fikar hoti hain subko. Aur raha baat mera bahar rehne ka, apko usse koi taluk nahi hona chahiye. Iss ghar ke riwaz hain kuch, aur jab tak main yaha hun, woh riwaz manne honge." Seher said as if ordering her. Sadia smiled, Seher Mirza is back to rule again.

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

Morning brings new hope, but for Arhaan Ahmed it is shocking. He woke up in an empty bed in an empty home.

The only presence of her fragrance is there, he smells like her, this place smells like her, making him believe that last night was not his dream.

It was a reality.

But today she is not here, again.

Without a second he comes to the hall, the kitchen, their bedroom, study, garden, every part is empty again, as if there was no one here last night.

His heart races, an unknown fear is there, he remembers the lines, ".

And this silence is choking him.

This silence is killing him.

To his relief, there is breakfast already made in the kitchen. He tasted it and smiles.

She was here, with him, for him.

He smiles but the fear is also there.

A text on his phone snapped his attention. It is from Ayaan, saying that he is gonna pick him up for lunch. He sighed and completed his much-loved breakfast.

Something he missed a lot.

•••••

"Biryani aur Kebab Aapi banengi." Hadiya said with finality.

"Unke haathon mein choot lga hai Hadiya" Sadia opposed, knowing very Seher will make all the food by herself, even with an injured hand.

"Main bana dungi" Seher replied.

"Aree ek hi baat mein mat lage rahon, laadon apko jo theek lage woh kariye magar apna khayal bhi rakhiye. Kya haal hogya apka yeh? Kyu Rubina Begum khayal nahi rakh payi ap mere Laadon ka?" This time Daddo have to interfere, this topic is hanging here for the last half an hour.

"Ammi jaan, apki Laadon nahi sunti thi mera kehna" Rubina complaind. Seher did take proper care Of Rubina in Delhi, but that is not certainly applicable to herself.

One can see she not only lost a few pounds but also seems to be weak.

"Aur apne bhi jane diya bhabhi jaan, yeh koi baat nahi huyi." Sadia taunted, she is not going to leave any chance to show her anger.

"Ab jab tak waha hon, Laadon ka khayal rakhon tab tumhi Sadia, waise bhi yahi toh kaam hai na tumhara." Daddo said.

Back when Seher used to live here, Sadia always made sure that she had her lunch at the proper time. She always treated her the way she should be treated. Anyone may forget for once and treat Seher like one of them, but Sadia always remembers who Seher is to this Haweli.

"Apki Laadon bohut badi hogyi hai Ammi jaan, uske faislon mein ab hm kaha kuch bol sakte hai." Sadia in no way is gonna stop. And this made Seher leave the hall, going to the kitchen she started working on the lunch, Hadiya followed behind her.

"Sadia, aapa yeh sab na bole" Rubina Begum asked her this time.

There are things that we can't change, and digging them will only hurt us more. Talking about the past does the same. And making Seher upset is not something any one of them wants.

"Kyu bhabhi kuch galat bola hai maine?" Sadia complained. She is not completely wrong. Her anger is valid, but Seher was right too.

"Sadia , woh saalon baad yaha ayi hai, usko mat bolo kuch." This time Praveen Begum said.

"Ammi usko humare dard ka bhi andaza hona chahiye."

"Aur uskey dard ka kya Aapa? Hum sab ko khud ka dard samjh ata hai lekin Seher ke dard ka kya. Uske toh ansu bhi nahi nikalte ab, woh bhi sukh gaye hai." Rubina is right.

Everyone here felt a similar kind of pain when Seher left, but the pain Seher Mirza bore with a smiling face is something one can never understand.

All her life she has loved one person and kept waiting for him but when finally they were going to start a life together, destiny played its own game.

"Uske dard ka toh hume andaza bhi nahi hai Sadia." Praveen Begum always loved everyone equally, but for Seher, she have some special place in her heart. Seher made her haweli a home.

"Dard isi baat ka h Ammi, usne hume apne dard batne tak key kabil nahi samjha." Sadia said.

"Agar bol bhi deti toh kya hum kuch badal pate Aapa?" Rubina asked with tears.

"Sadia beta Laadon ko sunane sey acha usse baat karo, apni Laadon hi hai woh." Praveen begum asked her daughter. It is better to let go, sometimes holding on gives only pain.

"Woh karungi hi main Ammi jaan."

"Aur yeh Alizeah ko bolo zubaan pe thoda kabu kare. Aj kya sab bol rahi thi." The incident a few minutes ago is not something they will let go. But since Seher asked them to, they kept quiet. Alizeah left for her room as always.

"Bilal ne bataya wo ghar gyi thi kal." Sadia informed then, though it is not needed but still.

"Humari Seher kahi bhi jaye, hum uss par pura yakeen hai. Seher shaan hai iss haweli ki."

"Sach me Ammi. Dekha nahi kaise ate hi sb pehle jaisa hone laga hai." Sadia smiled this time.

"Ammi jaan, Ahad ata hoga, uski flight land hogyi hai, aur saath mein Zain bhi arha hai. Kal nahi apaye dono ko kuch kaam tha." Rubina said.

"Chalo ab ye haweli phir se achi lagegi."

"Aur uska kya?" Sadia asked.

"Pta nahi Aapa."

"Meri baat huyi Haider sey, uske taraf se koi jawab nahi aya hai." Daddo said.

"Usse pata bhi Hadiya ka nikkah horha hai?"

"Maulum nahi yeh bhi"

"Aey Allah sab theek kare." They have only hope, that everything will be right.

"Ye ailment hai laga lo" Sadia gives it to Seher on the balcony.

"Theek hai, iski zarurat nahi hai"

"Seher there are some scars which we can see, you are not able to hide every scar of yours from us."

"Aunty.."

"Seher, I really felt bad when you left, even hated you for that. But then again, I know what you had been through. I don't blame you for anything but I feel it's right to be angry with you."

"I know Aunty."

"Laadon..

"Jee Aunty?"

"Aj se apka khayal rakhna mujhe"

"Jee Aunty.

"And listen, ignore Alizeah. Woh kuch bhi bolti hai." With that Sadia left.

Standing on the balcony, the cool breezes messed up her open hairs, like the past.

Sitting here alone is no less than a nightmare to her. Yet a bitter truth of her life. You know the feeling of losing the one who meant the world to you, no one can ever put it into words, no matter how much they try.

Today, as Seher sit here with the breeze peppering kisses on her face, she can feel his presence among them. A lone tear made its way out of her brown orbs but dried too soon, she knows he sucked it up just like old times. She smiled, listening carefully to the breezes that touch her hair just as if he is playing them, all she want is this to last a little longer this time.

The call from downstairs pulled me up and bitter reality drowned me again. The depths of my love have long lost their rights. A smile started shining on her face as she looked forward to the view. Everything is the same just not they this time.

••••••

"Bhai you didn't tell me you have such a beautiful place here, it's too good man." The moment Ayaan enters, he said making himself comfortable on the couch and legs on the centre table.

"Ayaan, don't put legs on the centre table."

Seher Mirza's rule.

Arhaan could imagine her face now, glaring at Ayaan.

Seher Mirza has strict rules for her place, and this is her home.

"Why? I thought you are okay with it. Like back in NYC we used to sit like this only?"

"That's NYC Ayaan, here it is 'no legs on the table', a compulsory rule."

"Hey, it's not a school, right? And who the hell makes such rules dude?."

"The owner of this place made it which is certainly not me."

"You are staying here on rent?"

"Something like that only. Tell me what you want now. I am having a very bad jet lag."

"Please, You have to come to Arhaan for the lunch, it's my wedding preparation Bhai, I need you"

"I will be there for your engagement. It's just lunch and I badly need to sleep"

"Okay fine, just because I know how bad jet lag can be. So I will let it pass this time"

"Yeah."

"But what about your lunch?"

"I will manage, don't fret"

"Fine then, I will drop by in the evening, and will maintain the so-called decorum of your house"

"Hahaha very bad one Ayaan."

"What!!! I know I am the best."

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

When the Khatoon clan comes to Haweli, they are surely mesmerized by its beauty. The haweli is surely a thing of beauty, its rich heritage and culture are quite relevant to everyone.

Mir Mustafa Khan though is not the ruling Nawab anymore still have his aura intact. Looking from outside no one can say a thing about the secrets of the Haweli.