Humsafar .

twenty four

Anaaya.

I had a fair judgement of my husband in mind. He was thoughtful, understanding and extremely grateful for all that he had. He was passionate about his work and he cherished his family just as much.

What I didn't really understand about him was the amount of pent up anger and frustration he had inside of him.

For the five days that Rania was missing, He was calm and collected. He would comfort his mother, then go out to find his sister, he didn't eat much, didn't talk to me much.

I didn't try to talk to him anyway, I gave him his space and at the same time, did all that I could to comfort him and his family.

The one thing that Hassan had actually done for me was the fact that he didn't tell anyone about my knowledge regarding Rania's boyfriend. He had told me that nobody would understand my side and blame me instead.

They had found Rania two days ago in Bhurban, her body was beaten up. I hadn't seen someone in such a shock before and I hadn't seen the whole family so devastated.

Even I choked up looking at her..even though she wasn't my blood. I couldn't even imagine Hassan's pain, seeing his sister so ruined.

Rania needed her family's support but the way she was stood in the middle of the room, she wasn't going to be let off easily.

I glanced at her state and visibly stiffened, her once pale skin was now marked with blue and purple, her eyes swollen and her chin badly beaten up. Her body was shaking and nobody knew what had happened.

"Ye kya Kiya tum ne Rania? Apni izzat luta ke a gayi? (What did you do Rania? You lost your honor?)" Her mother sobbed.

She didn't say anything after that, she just sat on the sofa beside her husband. The old couple didn't even look at their daughter and instead looked down.

Rania cried, not saying anything. I wasn't sure if she had been beaten, raped or God knows what. It made my heart ache.

I didn't understand why they were all judging her in such a critical situation. She was obviously in pain and yet they cared about their 'izzat'

It wasn't untill Azlaan and Hassan stepped forward that I sighed a breath of relief, they stood in front of their sister. Hassan lifted her chin and made her look at him.

My husband's lip wobbled a bit and it seemed like he was almost holding back his own tears. He kept examining her face, Rania stared at him with hopeful eyes. He stepped back.

I frowned at his behaviour but chose not to stay anything.

Azlaan, however looked at her blankly.

He took two more steps in her direction and before I could even comtemplate what was going on, Azlaan's hand smacked her cheek.

Her head rolled at one side, the voice of the slap echocing across the hall. I gasped, I had never seen anyone get slapped so brutually.

Nobody said anything. Not even Uncle Shafqat, he was just sat there with his head in his hands.

Hassan stared at his sister with pity but still didn't say anything. He didn't even stop Azlaan. Hiba leaned against the door, crying and even she didn't stop him.

I wanted to.

I really did.

But I didn't know how to even help her when nobody else was even reacting to Azlaan.

I sighed. It didn't take him long to slap her again and this time it felt like my heart was in my throat. It wasn't untill the third slap rang in the air that my blood boiled and I moved forward.

I walked from one side and reached them. Hassan looked away. How could he not stop him? I knew he would just say a word and Azlaan would stop. But he didn't.

Why? Hassan wasn't like this. He was progressive. He understood me, he understood alot of things. Then why was he allowing this to happen?

"That's enough, Azlaan." I said firmly, he scoffed looking at me. I stood in front of Rania, she had always been the nicest to me. How could I not help her?

"Move away, bhabhi. She needs to be taught a lesson." He replied, trying to push me.

I put a hand on his chest.

"I said back off." I said with much more firmness in my voice but it didn't phase him.

"And I said move away. She's my sister, I do whatever I please." He stated.

I looked at him in disbelief. Brothers are supposed to protect their sisters, not hit them.

"Exactly. She's your sister and she's in pain. She made a mistake and she's already paying for it? What more are you gonna do? Haan?"

I shot at him. My voice got a little loud but I knew I had to make a point over here. I couldn't let a seventeen year old girl pay for a mistake she must regret the most.  

Azlaan let out a frustrated noise.

"I don't care what happened to her. She was gone for five days, ran away with some Christan piece of s**t and now she's back? What did she expect us to do? Welcome her?" He stated with sarcasm.

I didn't know that Rania had ran away with a Christian guy. It didn't really matter to me.

Azlaan's voice however angered me to no end. How could he say all those things when his sister was possibly scarred for life?

This was a moment to comfort her, not scare her even more.

"You need to get your head out of your ass, you insensitive piece of crap!" Hassan looked at me with an expressionless look on his face.

I had called his brother a piece of crap. I was sure he had mixed feelings.

"And you need to mind your own f*****g business! Bloody-" He exclaimed back but was interrupted with Hassan's sudden loud voice.

"Azlaan!" He yelled looking at his brother.

"Haan Bhai? Karwa do chup humesha ki tarah. (Yes brother, shut me up like you always do)"

He said to his brother who looked away. I hadn't seen Hassan so conflicted.

"No no, let him say it Hassan. You think you're so honorable by hitting your sister? Who gave you the right to do that?" I fought back.

"Stay away from my matters, alright? f**k off for all I care." Azlaan mumbled the last words but it was audible enough.

I wanted to slap his face. Stupid asshole.

"Azlaan! Shut your mouth right now." Hassan warned him.

A part of me felt slight comfort as he sort of defended me. But another part wanted him to say something to stop whatever Azlaan was planning to do to Rania.

"Kyun (Why?) Bhai? Now she's gonna dictate us how we treat our sister? Hmm?" He argued, looking at Hassan. He grabbed Rania's shoulders while my husband threw me a glance.

"Anaaya. Go to your room." It wasn't a request or a suggestion. It seemed like an order.

I wasn't one to take orders.

"No." I denied.

Azlaan's hand raised again but before he could hit Rania, I grabbed a hold of his hand.

"You don't hit her again, you understand me?"

With my hold on his hand, I looked at Uncle Shafqat who seemed devastated. He was numb and totally quiet, just like their mother.

I called him out.

"Uncle Shafqat, how can you let him do this to Rania? She's just a kid. Look at her!" I exclaimed.

Azlaan chuckled dryly and pulled his hand free from mine.

His eyes raised at me.

"Oye! Idhar baat karo bhabhi.(Talk to us, not them)-Don't be too smart," He told me.

I wanted to wipe that smug look off his face.

"I'm your sister in law. Treat me with respect or don't talk to me at all, you piece of-" I hadn't even finished when Hassan grabbed my arm.

"Enough! Anaaya go to your room." He repeated again but I didn't care.

"I said no, Hassan." I murmured.

I didn't want to waste another moment on Azlaan, so I did what I should have done. I looked at Rania.

I moved forward, cupping her face and examining the huge cut across her busted lip.

God knows who did that to her. I knew she would only tell something when she was comfortable enough. And no comfort could ever come from Azlaan and the others. Hassan? I didn't know.

"Rania, come with me-" I held her hand. Azlaan pulled her away.

"Bhabhi, this is our family matter so stay out of it and leave her hand."

Family matter. I wasn't family.

He had never accepted me as a part of his family. I had slowly started to do so but now I even wondered if Hassan considered me family.

I wasn't so sure anymore.

"Excuse me?"

"Kya ghalat kaha Maine? Sunai nahi Diya aap ko? (Did I say anything wrong? Can't you hear?)" He further argued.

Hassan held his brother's shoulder and looked at me side by side.

"Will you both shut up? Anaaya, go to your room before I say it again and Azlaan, dafa hojao Meri nazron se tum is waqt. (Go away right now)"

His voice was scary. He was so loud and his eyes were so dark. Azlaan managed to nod and walked away. If he was scared of his brother, I was suddenly terrified of my husband.

He was tired of watching us fight and the way his eyes were settled on my face, I realised that he had no patience for arguments right now.

"But Hassan I-" I started off, slightly embarrassed that he had yelled at me.

I wanted to fight more but at the same time, I dreaded the outcome.

"Can't you f*****g listen to me for once? Get out of my sight Anaaya!"

So I left the hall as fast as I could, stressed, worried and slightly scared.

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