Sadkey Tumhare. (For Your Sake)

eighteen

Aaina.

There is nothing more satisfying than morning bliss, that feeling of contentment in your heart, that relaxation, that tinge of happiness, it completely changes your mood for the entire day.

Yesterday night was like a dream. After finishing up with the interview, which by the way was so intense for me as I had to lie through my teeth for more than half of it, we decided to come home early.

For almost an hour, we simply sat by each other's side and drank some tea, listening to what both of us had to say.

It made me so happy that he actually listened to me, to my thoughts, to my dreams, to everything that I could talk about. Now that I thought about it, he barely talked and mostly listened.

For the very first time in all these nights that I had spent with him, we actually slept in each other's arms, without s*x.

And I slept in peace. I hoped he did too.

Waking up before him was not really a habit of mine, in fact, I usually woke up from the sound of the door closing or his footsteps as he was about to leave.

But today, my eyes opened before him. For a few moments, I simply stared at his face. There was no trace of anger or annoyance, just peace and even a hint of Innocence.

Zaydaan was always so guarded, like he had a shield around him, he watched his words before he spoke them out loud, he was calculative and sometimes, even rude.

No, he was rude most of the times. But he had been great to me ever since that God awful dinner.

I knew he didn't want me to wake up before him, get him breakfast, see him off as he left for work. He simply wanted me to listen to him. I understood that.

But this morning was different.

After waking up, I got out of the bed and took a quick shower, changing into decent clothes.

After making myself look presentable, I walked back to the bed and sat by his side.

Nobody in the house was ready for breakfast. Ahad was fast asleep, his parents were not home, which left only the two of us

I liked the idea of eating breakfast alone. Shaking his shoulder lightly, I got him to groan and wake up.

"Good Morning." I greeted with a smile on my face as my husband struggled to open his eyes.

Usually he wasn't much of a sleeper. I looked at the time, it was almost eleven.

I usually woke up around twelve.

Zaydaan inhaled a deep breath, closing his eyes again and putting his hands around my lap, yawning and almost going back to sleep.

He looked like a normal man, not the angry husband and definitely not a foreign minister.

"Good Morning." I whispered again, he hummed.

"Morning. You're up early." He remarked, moving his head to look at me.

I nodded.

"Mhmm, I am. Why don't you get dressed and we'll have breakfast?" I suggested, he yawned yet again, looking at the time and leaning against the headboard.

"Downstairs?" He asked.

Having breakfast downstairs meant that he had to change and shower, then go downstairs and then straight to the foreign office.

I didn't want that.

"Well, no. Mama left for the ceremony and Baba went to karachi. Ahad is still asleep."

So what Aaina? I have to go to work, don't I? Come on, move. I have to shower.

I was expecting a response of this sort but instead, my husband surprised me.

"Okay, breakfast in bed it is then." He stated.

My eyes widened.

"No office today?" He shrugged, looking at his phone.

"A delegation is coming in at two. I'll have to receive them." He informed me.

I understood. He had to receive whatever delegation that was coming in, and then he'd be home by late night.

Uff.

"Okay," I still said, standing up from the bed.

"I'll go bring breakfast and you can get ready."

He nodded, and as I left the room, I spotted him taking off his clothes and entering the shower.

--

While I had lived in a grand house my entire life, nothing could still compare to the decor of the Prime Minister House. We had to move out in a week and as Zaydaan had mentioned, move back in, within four to five months.

But all of that didn't matter right now as I walked across our wing of the house to the kitchen area. The workers were busy cleaning and chatting, greeting me as I walked by them.

I had hardly been to the kitchen before, not that I didn't know how to cook, I did. But nobody really needed my help here.

I doubted that the first lady had even entered the kitchen.

With its marble shelves and clean white interior, the kitchen was as exquisite as any other room of the house.

I greeted the staff working inside, looking at the woman who was busy preparing a tray. I knew it was ours since it had my cold coffee and another black coffee.

Since we just had coffee last night, I knew that Zaydaan would want tea. He hardly liked coffee anyway.

"Haan, give this to me and please send some tea.."

They nodded, taking the coffee mug out of the tray. I had the tray in my hand as I walked back into my room.

Upon opening the door, I saw Zaydaan stuffing a file in his laptop bag and wearing his suit in a hurry.

He had to go at two. Didn't he? Why was he dressing up now?

"What's going on?" I questioned, putting the tray on the table. Zaydaan looked at me for a second, sighing.

"I have to go."

He said in a rush, opening the bedroom door and almost throwing his things in the hands of his assistant.

"What? But breakfast, you said that-"

My husband didn't let me complete my sentence as he glanced at me, wearing his shoes and standing up once again.

"I know what I said but I have to go meet with the general secretary, he's waiting for me."

He informed.

"But-"

As if he would ever hear me when he was in a rush.

"I'll see you in the evening. Be ready, I'm taking you out for the weekend. Pack a shirt or two."

"Really?" I questioned in surprise. He leaned forward, kissing my cheek.

"Mhmm, now I have to go."

He left like a gust of wind would, and I stood there, touching my cheek with a smile on my face and realising that he had actually shown affection to me, without any promise or any deal.

Just like a caring husband would.

-

I was almost thinking of sleeping again when I heard a knock on my bedroom door. Thinking that it was Ahad, I opened it rather quick.

To my surprise, it was the house worker. I looked at her, eyes questioning as to why she was here.

She must have been in her mid twenties, eyes sharp and a face that didn't give away any emotion. Most of the people working in the PM House were like that, too emotionless.

"Minal Ashfaq is here to meet you." She announced.

Now that was surprising.

What did she want? Did she want to humiliate me even more? Had she not done enough?

Maybe I shouldn't even agree to meet her.

But I was curious to hear what she had to say.

"Where's Ahad?" I asked her. She seemed unsure at first, then spoke up.

"He's in his room."

"Can you go call him here, please? And tell Minal to sit in the living room, I'll be there."

It hardly took the woman a few seconds to leave that Ahad arrived in a rush, I was standing beside the door of my bedroom, waiting for him.

A frown appeared on his face as he saw my frustrated posture.

I didn't hate alot of people in my life. And I didn't hate Minal before meeting her but she was the only woman who had made me feel jealous and hateful. Jealous, because she knew a part of Zaydaan that I never could. Hateful, because she humiliated me without knowing who I was as a person.

"Aaina. What's up?" Ahad questioned, his tired eyes screamed that he was still sleepy but I didn't care about that right now.

"Minal is here. To meet me." I told him.

A chuckle escaped his mouth, as if he was glad. I knew Ahad didn't like her much, which meant that he could actually say mean things to her and get away with it.

"Are you kidding me? She never learns, does she?"

"I don't want to go alone so." I shrugged, he nodded.

"You can always say no. Don't go to meet her."

He advised but I was far too gone in my curiosity. I wanted to see what that woman had to say to me and I wanted to answer her back.

Just because I was compassionate and indifferent in their world, it didn't mean that they could walk all over me.

"I'm interested in what she has to say." I uttered. Ahad smirked.

"Okay, then. Come."

We walked side by side, entering the main hall and then the living room where she was sat.

In her Zainab chotani clothes, the brand that was my personal favourite, and her styled hair, and that freaking perfume which could be smelled from far ahead, Minal looked as composed as always.

I sighed, entering the room.

"Salam, Aaina." She greeted.

The way she said her Salam, it reminded me of my husband.

They had studied together. They had travelled together. They had planned things together.

"Hello." I mumbled a response. Ahad didn't say anything to her, just sat on the opposite sofa without any greeting.

"Didn't expect you here, Ahad." Minal added snarkily.

"Neither did I, not after that night's drama." He taunted, she rolled her eyes.

Minal sat on the couch, making herself comfortable.

"That's why I'm here. Please, sit."

She told me to sit. In my own house.

I sat.

"I'm here to apologise, my words were insensitive and extremely rude and I would like to say that I'm very sorry."

Her apology confused me, infact Ahad looked confused and shocked as well. He had told me that Minal was egoistic, almost cold.

Then why was she apologising to me?

"Zaydaan, he called up my father and I can't bear watching my dad upset, because of me. So I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings or if you felt bad because of me." She explained.

I sat there firmly, my mouth set in a straight line.

"Aaina, truth is, I don't know you and what I said, it was put of frustration. I'm sorry."

She apologised for the third time and I couldn't help but feel like I had to forgive her.

She loved Zaydaan and he wasn't hers. Maybe, she really was frustrated, annoyed, angry. And she took it all out on me.

It's easier to forgive but it's not easy to forget. Forgiving her meant having a peace of mind, and not forgetting what she had said to me meant that I was not stupid.

"It's okay. It's fine," I accepted her apology.

She smiled, showing me her perfect white teeth. She was the definition of a perfect woman, the kind that politicians had at their side.

"So you forgive me?" She questioned. I hummed.

"Forgiven but not forgotten."

I reminded her. She didn't look offended, infact she looked as relaxed as before.

"I'm sure with time you'll forget it too. I would like us to be friends." She offered.

Friends? I was about to decline the offer when Ahad stood up.

"Oh hell no! Minal, stop." He yelled out loud. I looked at him, almost enjoying the way he stood up. I knew he wasn't angry but he was a damn good actor.

"What?"

"We've all seen humsafar, we know what happens. Sara pretends to be khirad's friend, then screws up her relationship and makes her insecure."

It almost made me laugh, I had to control myself. Did he really call her the Sara between Asher and Khirad?

"Oh my God, Ahad. I'm not a homewrecker. What I said was out of anger at Zaydaan. It shouldn't have been directed at Aaina."

She said, voice still calm. Her personality resembled Zaydaan alot, she was in control of herself and I understood that her emotions were only directed at certain people. Just like Zaydaan.

"And Khizar was the one who ruined it, which in their case might be you. Horse riding, remember?" She snapped her fingers, smirking.

"Actually, it was the mother in law. It doesn't matter though, because life is not a drama and Zaydaan and I are stronger than that."

I finally said, standing in between the two.

I looked at Minal.

"I accept your apology, I do. But I can't be friends with a woman who is possibly in love with my husband."

I used my words as carefully as I could, knowing that the whole conversation might be reported back to Zaydaan.

Minal nodded, almost in understanding.

"Now, I would like to stay and chat but I have to get ready. Thank you."

I gave her one last smile and finally left the hallway, leaving her alone. Ahad followed me behind, the playfulness back in his eyes.

We walked towards our room.

"Kill em with kindness is your vibe today, then?" He questioned.

It wasn't a vibe, it was my life motto. If I had been stubborn and egoistic in front of Zaydaan, he wouldn't have been as nice to me as he was now.

I entered my bedroom, Ahad sitting on the sofa as I took out two shirts.

"So where are you going?" He enquired, observing me.

"Zaydaan is taking me out for the weekend." I informed him happily, he groaned.

"So I'll be bored? I'm calling Zara for the time being then."

Zara was his on and off girlfriend, the one he always turned to when he felt bored. And she did the same with him. Both of them were peas of the same pod.

"How do you not get captured by the cameras?" I asked him.

How the hell did they capture us horse riding but they never took photographs of him romancing his girlfriends?

"Because I'm smart, baby." He replied, winking at me.

I shrugged, putting my things in a small bag. Since my dupatta was hanging down as I bent, Ahad laughed out loud.

"Hide those hickeys, no one wants to see your raat ke afsaaney (Night action)"

I instantly blushed. Why did he have to embarrass me like that? Typical Ahad.

"Dafa hojao! (Get lost)" I threw a cushion at him, telling him to leave.

"Kabhi mere bhai ko bolo na esay, pata chale phir."

(Talk to my brother like that and then you'll see the result)

I couldn't even think of telling Zaydaan to leave like that.

"Tumhare bhai ki na main izzat karti hoon.,"

(I respect your brother too much to do that.)

I said playfully but it was an honest answer. I respected Zaydaan, more than anyone else. I didn't know if he deserved that respect or not but I still respected him.

Ahad turned serious.

"Meri nahi karti?"

(Don't you respect me?)

Ofcourse I did. He was the only friend I had who could understand what I was going through. And he never left me alone to deal with things.

"Tum nahi jaante ke main tumhari kitni izzat karti hoon. Tum pehle din se mere sath khare ho, I appreciate that."

(You have no idea how much I respect you. You have been by my side ever since the first day, I appreciate that."

I whispered but it was audible enough for him. He stood up, ready to leave the room as he wore back his shoes.

"You never let me feel like an outsider, like a pawn. You made me feel like your friend."

I continued. Ahad sighed.

"Because I am. You're the most selfless friend I have. Most of them just want favours."

Maybe it was true. The more power you had, the more connections you had, the more people wanted to be close to you. Just so that they could enjoy the luxuries and get all kind of favours.

"Thanks Ahad."

He opened my bedroom door, shrugging as if he had done nothing special for me. But he had.

"Anytime, oh and my girlfriend used to hide those with concealers." He pointed at my hickey once again.

I groaned.

"f**k off!"

Ahad glanced at me in shock, staring at my face.

"So she swears too. Not so innocent hmm?"

I hardly swore, but Ahad had managed to make me do that in the Prime Minister House.

He was something.

He hadn't even walked more than ten steps when he turned around, yelling my name.

"Hey Aaina?"

"Yeah?" I waited for him to say something as he stared at my face.

"I promise you I won't be the khizar in your relationship."

Ofcourse he wouldn't. He wasn't a wrecker, he was a saviour.

___