24. Hiding Truths

N A D A' S P O V

I and Aunt Naaz were sitting on the couch with Alizah in between us.

Basically we were just chilling.

"Such a darling she is, how her parents must be so helpless that they had to give up on her." I sighed away looking at Alizah who was sucking her pacifier.

"Maybe they have left her purposely." Aunt Naaz added.

"No, Mom how could someone leave their daughter just like that." I told her in the nicest tone possible not trynna be rude.

"I have seen. Money is important than family and love. I just pray that this doesn't happen with Alizah." She kissed Alizah's cheeks, with a very melancholic mood.

Whaaaaaaaa?

"ASALAMWALAIKUM (peace be upon you) MOMMM AND NADAAA AND NOT TO FORGET MY SWEET LITTLE NIECE!!" I heard Uméma shouting as she entered the house.

Ugh...again 'niece'.

"Walaikumasalam (peace be upon you too)." Aunt Naaz and I replied simultaneously.

"Oh I see all the preparations are done for Uncle Zoheb." She said looking at the living area.

"Yes, they will arrive shortly but this Fahad still hasn't come. I had asked him to come early today still." Aunt Naaz complained.

"What Nada?" Uméma came beside me and asked.

"What?" I asked her.

"Why is he late? Doesn't he want to come home and spend some quality time with his family?"

"How would I know? And you, get changed. Uncle Zoheb will be coming now." I walked away.

"It's okay with you right to take the other room?" Aunt Naaz asked. I was going to get shifted, along with Alizah, the room adjacent from Fahad's room.

"Ofcourse. I have already shifted mine and Alizah's clothes. Also, you are asking me this question for the fifth time. It's fine." I tried to convince her.

"I am feeling guilty because you are not able to live in your own room." She said in disdain.

"It's okay and anyway you know that I and Fahad are not real married couple." I reasoned out and she also nodded with sad face and I don't know why that also made me sad.

"Mom can you please feed Alizah I have to go and set my wardrobe too. Please!!" I requested her.

"There's no need to request. I will gladly do that. Come on baby." She cooed picking Alizah up, who giggled gleefully.

As Aunt Naaz disappeared into kitchen and Uméma into her room. I also decided to go upstairs when the bell rang.

I opened the door to see the infamous pillow thrower. Excuse my English people.

"Oh welcome Mister." I sneered with a sarcastic smile and stomped on his foot.

"You insane woman! HOW MUCH DO YOU WEIGH?! YOU WHALE!!" He asked groaning in pain.

"Oh! You insane man! I don't weight much. I am just ninety two pounds." I snapped back at him and removed my foot from his.

"And if you want to know that why I did that? I did it because you threw the pillow at me today. You know Karma is a bish." I taunted and turned back.

"You just wait! At the end of the day you have to step into my room run how much ever you want." He spoke trailing behind me.

"Umm no. For the time being I am not your wife and I will be in another room. So good luck in taking the revenge." I stuck my tongue out at him and ran upstairs in my room.

Idiot thinks that he could do anything. Stupid!

I was sitting in between the pile of clothes. In my right there were clothes, in my left there were clothes. It felt as if I was an island surrounded by the bodies of clothes. Oh God! Really I am such a silly person.

I was arranging all my t-shirts when I heard some footsteps.

"Oh so you are here! Enjoy in your room being alone." I heard Fahad's cunning voice. And I turned back to see that he has locked the door and latched it from outside.

"FAHAD HAMMAD SHEIKH OPEN THE DOOR RIGHTNOW, YOU IMBECILE!!" I banged the door.

"Umm you know what Nada Maham Hashmi karma is a female dog. So bye!" I heard that jerk from the other side. I wish to strangle him to death right now.

"Fahad! Open it you dimwit!!" I banged on the door, more harshly this time.

This blockhead thinks that he is the only person who is smart. Now I will call Uméma and tell her to come and open the door.

"Oh God! I can't believe my brother would do such childish thing." Uméma clicked her tongue once she opened the door after I thanked her.

"I know right. Sometimes I also think that how could you be his sister? Total opposites!" I remarked.

"Just like you both are husband and wife. Total opposites." She grinned. She is the biggest shipper. She really likes the idea of me and Fahad together. Alas, that's just going to be her fantasy.

"Ok come on let's go down! Uncle Zoheb could arrive anytime." She said holding my hand.

"Ummi! What if he catches our lie?" I faltered.

"Wait a minute! First of all, he won't. Second of all, who is lying here? We will tell that you are my friend, aren't you my friend? Before you and Fahad got married, we were friends right? And rightnow you are Alizah's mother.

And we will tell that your husband is busy with his work and I called you for stay, which is not false too. Fahad is always busy with his work. Done. We are not lying." She finished off easily.

"Yes you are right I guess. There is a difference between lies and hidden truths." I stated and I heard a click sound from room across. Where the devil resides.

Oh just my luck!

"How was your stay in a locked room?" Fahad asked me nonchalantly as he came in my room, water dripping from his hair, maybe he took a shower. Ofcourse Nada, dumbo. My brain piped in.

"Very nice actually I got an idea too to take my revenge." I stuck my tongue out. I've been doing that a lot lately. Fahad is to blame though.

"Come let's go." I told Uméma and dragged her with me.

"You know seeing Fahad being so careless is very different you know. He lost all the fun when things didn't go well." She blurted out with her eyes casted down.

"Ummi, if you don't mind will you tell me what happened?" I asked her hesitantly.

"I don't thi-" She was cut off when we heard the bell rang and both of our eys got wide.

"Oh God they have come. Let's go." She rushed towards the door.

"Stay with me. As you are my friend now, not Fahad's wife." She instructed and I don't know why I blushed upon hearing that. Uh, wrong timing Nada.

"Come down fast girls!" Aunt Naaz called out.

"Where is Alizah, Mom?" I asked her cause Alizah wasn't with Aunt Naaz.

"She is sleeping in my room." She answered.

"Asalamwalaikum Zoheb! How are you?" Aunt Naaz hugged her brother. He was a man in his mid-thirties, he was quite handsome for his age. Man! Beauty runs in their genes.

"I am fine! What about you?" He asked her looking with adoration in his eyes. Awww sibling goals.

"Forgot you sister-in-law already?" There came a lady who I guessed was in her mid-thirties who was looking very beautiful I might add. I feel so out of the box now!

"How can I forget my one and only sister-in-law?" Aunt Naaz hugged that lady.

By that time Uméma met them and Fahad strolled down.

Lazy lad! He walked past me not before glaring at me.

"AUNT NAAZ! ASALAMWALAIKUM!!" A girl came in a gave Aunt Naaz a bone crushing hug.

"MEMMMMIII!!!" She moved on to Uméma and hugged her after greeting briefly to Aunt Naaz.

"AZZIIIII." Uméma shrieked.

Uméma also hugged her back with the same enthusiasm and they both started talking.

The girl whose name is Azra, I presume, was nothing less than her mother. How are they all so exquisitely beautiful. I feel like a potato now.

"And who is this beauty?" Azra asked looking at me.

"Azzi this is Nada my friend and Nada this is Azra my cousin." Uméma introduced me when Fahad's head snapped towards in our direction who was previously greeting Uncle Zoheb and his wife.

Did he want Uméma to say something else?

"Asalamwalaikum Nada." Azra hugged me too. She loves hugs I guess. And I too love them so I reciprocated with the same energy.

"Walaikumasalam Azra. How are you?" I asked her. One good thing about me was that I can make friends very quick. In short I am an extrovert.

"Alhumdullillah (with God's grace) good. How about you?" She asked with a smile. And just like Uméma she was a beautiful girl too. With the lightest shade of hazel just like Fahad and Aunt Naaz, she managed to look very delightful. Perfection runs in the family.

"Alhumdullillah."

"Can I ask you something?" She looked skeptical.

"Is it about my eye colour?" I asked her.

"Oh my God!? I was gonna ask the same thing! How did you know?" She exclaimed.

"Ofcourse I came to know. Any new person who meets me ask the same. Those are my real eyes. I am not wearing any lenses." I smiled.

And there came in another girl who directly came and met Fahad, whose face instantly changed as soon as she came.

"Oh Fahad. How are you?" That girl came in and was going to hug when Fahad backed off. And I heard giggles from Azra and Uméma.

"I am good." He answered her curtly and that girl's face fell.

"Oh Asalamwalaikum Aunt Naaz." She went and hugged Aunt Naaz.

"Walaikumasalam Rehanna. How are you?" Aunt Naaz smiled at her.

Rehanna? I have heard it before. When I and Fahad were deciding which name should be kept for Alizah. Fahad denied the name 'Rehanna' instantly. Also Fahad and Uméma both didn't like when they heard she was coming too.

What's going on? I think I will become Sherlock by the end of the day.

"Alhumdullillah I am fine. How are you Aunt?" Rehanna asked.

And the conversation went on.

Azra, Rehanna and Uméma sat on the couch and stared talking so I thought to go upstairs too. To my baby, Alizah, but I thought that it would be rude if I didn't meet Fahad's Uncle and Aunt.

"Oh who is this young lady?" Asked Uncle Zoheb's wife who's name is Mehek I came to know.

"Asalamwalaikum I am...Uméma's friend." I said with a smile and greeted both Uncle Zoheb and Aunt Mehek.

"Awww...such a sweet heart!" She hugged me. Too many hugs today!

"I am Zoheb Sheikh and this is my wife Mehek Sheikh." Uncle introduced.

Waitt! Sheikh? If Uncle Zoheb is Aunt Naaz's brother and has same surname? She still uses her maiden surname?

Wait Nada it could be coincidence too and it depends on the woman if she wants to change her surname or not.

But Fahad and Uméma also use 'Sheikh' as their surnames and according to me, kids use their father's surname, dont they?

Ugh! I will go bonkers today.

"Zoheb don't you think that she will be perfect for our son." She said to her husband.

Son?!

He gave her a look, "What are you aspiring to become, dear?" Uncle asked me.

"I am an English professor. But son?" I asked confusedly.

"Yes our son. He didn't come because of his work." He continued. I just met them and they already want me to get married to their son? Sorry though their nephew, has already took the first place.

"Umm-" I was going to say that I am married when Fahad beat me in.

"Uncle she is already married." Fahad's butted in. Once I was thankful that he butted in the conversation.

"YOU ARE MARRIED?!" Aunt Mehek asked actually hollered.

"Umm yes." I answered shyly. Why was I shy? Answer it someone! Google? Any answers?

"Oh newlyweds. What's your age?"

"Twenty-one."

"If you don't mind can you tell me that have you wore lenses or is that your real eyes color."

"No Aunt those are my real eyes I don't wear lenses." I told her politely.

"Such big responsibilities by this age. Who's your husband by the way?" The most dreading question!

How am I supposed to say that my husband is her own nephew!

"Why don't we go and have dinner first? Okay? Everybody is starving, right?" Fahad saved me. Twice.

Will he do that later too?

Asalamwalaikum and hello people!! Do you like the story? Hope you did. Tell me about it in the comments and don't forget to vote. Until then thank you, AllahHafiz, bye and take care ^_^

Stay home, stay safe guys.

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CHAPTER ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ON: 11/07/19

CHAPTER REWRITTEN/EDITED AND PUBLISHED ON: 22-05-20