Tied For Eternity

Chapter 3; My Unhappy Family.

Maleeha's POV.

"Samajti kya hai tu apne aap ko?(What do you think of yourself?) Huh? You think just because your father loves you more than any of us you have the upper hand? Lemme clear your doubts." My mother exclaimed.

"Naa Ammi. I promise I won't do it again. Just lemme go, please." I begged.

Luckily, my mother could not whip me or bruise me. She could just overload my brain with responsibilities and work until my body and soul give up.

She allowed me to leave, after giving me a whole list of chores to complete before she returned. One of them was making tea. The last of all chores.

I carefully put a pot of water onto the stove to heat, while I got the tea bags and cups, sugar and milk, before placing them onto the tray. An explosion got me to look behind. Flames were all I saw. What had happened? I had no idea. I tried to look out for an escape and saw none... was this my end?

The putrid smell of carbon monoxide poisoned my senses. I knew it wasn't long before I began to feel strangely dizzy. Black spots began to engulf my vision... I had to strain to see anything a feet away. Accepting my fate, I closed my eyes, hearing some faint shouts before all darkness surrounded me.

I got up gasping to my surroundings. I realised I was in bed, sitted upright next to my sleeping 'husband' . Thank God, he was asleep. I laid down, trying to forget about that horrible day. My near death experience. I smiled ruefully while staring at Shehzaan. Mere Zaan. (My Zaan).

I had never been able to put that nickname to use...and from the looks of it I might never be able to put it to use. What a fate! I caressed his jaw lightly, stopping everytime he slightly stirred. He was right in a way. I shouldn't have been married to him. It should have been Shaheena. The perfect bride for him. The girl with a perfect figure, the picture perfect wife, and one who is perfect in the sense of education and brains. Beauty with brains.

Sigh.

I ignored the girl in love with Shehzaan inside me and took a bath and got dressed. I had duties to complete. I didn't have time to mop around for him.

I put on a pink and green indian outfit that was both simple and elegant. I draped the dupatta on both my shoulders making sure it covered my arms fully. I walked out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen. I found my now mother-in-law busy with making breakfast. The one thing I have always loved about this family, the fact that although they appoint servants and are rich, the women of the family are the ones that cook. Most rich families prefer enjoying life more than working in the kitchen.

"Assalamu-aleikum aunty..." I greeted.

"Ammi."(mom)

"Sorry?"

"Ammi bulao beta, ab tum meri beti hogayi ho. Meri Shehzaan ki biwi. And waleikum-salaam." She said patting my cheek. (Call me mom,now you're my daughter. My Shehzaan's wife.)

I blushed and asked if I could help her with something.

"Actually the newly wed bride does not work in the kitchen until her mehndi fades off. But looking at the shade of your mehndi, it is not going to be soon. " She informed giggling.

"Yet, there is a ritual that the bride makes something sweet on her first day at her in-laws. So, chop chop while I make the breakfast."

I laughed and got to work. But what should I make? My hands stopped while getting bowls out of the cupboard. Aunty's laugh got me out of my reverie.

"Sorry. I know you're confused but I don't blame you. Hmm, why don't you make Shehzaan's favourite dessert?"

"Sooji ka halwa! Why didn't I think of that before?" I mused.

I got to work as Aunty got back to making breakfast. Humming an old song, I got the semolina and roasted it in a pan. Amina, Shehzaan's younger sister came in when I was almost done.

"Assalamu-aleikum, what's going on here? Oh, bhai's favourite. And here I was thinking that you don't love him." Amina stated giggling.

I blushed furiously.

"Ammi, tell her not to tease me. This is not fair. They've been making comments at me since yesterday." I protested making puppy eyes at ammi.

"Amina, don't tease her. It's not fair. The teasing is supposed to be Shehzaan's part-time job. Not yours. If you know what I mean." Ammi stated giggling along with Amina like teenage girls in a high school love story.

I pouted and concentrated on filling bowls with the halwa. I smiled ruefully at their teasing. If only, sigh. If only, Shehzaan and my marriage was like a normal couples. Ammi asked me to wake Shehzaan up.

Walking into our room, I stared at his sleeping figure contemplating on how to wake him up. Maybe just call his name a few times. Or shake his shoulder perhaps.

Get over with this woman!

Have you ever hated your conscience? Well, I do.

I walked up to the bed calling Shehzaan's name a few times, shaking his shoulder every now and then. Why isn't he getting up?

A lot of tries later, he opened his eyes. His midnight blue eyes staring back at my orbs. I averted my gaze, nervously clearing my throat.

"Good morning, ammi asked me to wake you." I informed.

"If you wake me up like this everyday, then I might just have to pretend to sleep till late." And there goes my heart!

He chuckled at my red face before going to freshen up. I walked down the stairs, wondering whether I would be able to make this work between us. Sigh.

Breakfast was served in a while. I watched as ammi served baba jaan, while he stared and smiled at her creepily. After she was done, he served for her, and she shook her head laughing at him.

Baba jaan called me to sit a seat away from ammi, and I wondered why. That's when Shehzaan came in. He walked straight up to the seat next to ammi as I glanced at Amina horrified. She just muffled her giggles trying not to choke on her food.

"Ammi, serve for me." Shehzaan whined. Literally. Big baby.

"Shehzu, now you have a wife. So, I quit taking care of you. It's her responsibility now. " Ammi dictated with a stern tone and smirked at me while gesturing with her eyes for me to serve 'his highness.' I gulped before serving Shehzaan, making sure my dupatta covered my arms all the time. I then served myself and sat down to get started.

Halfway through the breakfast, Ammi informed about a ritual that is performed when a girl goes to her parents house for a meal as the new daughter-in-law.

"Once you leave this house, never think of coming back. Don't you even dare to pretend to visit. Make any excuses or rather let me make some but don't step foot in my house again. Or else, you'll see the worst of me." I remembered my mother's warning.

What am I going to do now?

I watched as the rest of the family laughed at something baba jaan said and smiled sadly. They didn't know about my relationship with the rest of my family, and it was better that they didn't.