Match Made In Moonlight ✓

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"When will your brother come back from the US, Ishmal?" Even though it was a simple question, but it did make goosebumps rise on her skin.

What would she say now? If she said anything else that Haider didn't like, he would not be happy with him. And if he had already told something about this to them and her answer and his explanation wouldn't match, then it would be a big blunder.

But keeping quiet here wouldn't appear any less than a blunder even. They would get suspicious. Haider's mother and sister's keen eyes were fixed on her for an answer and he himself was nowhere to be seen. So Ishmal needed to use her mind here. However, this brain never helped her in such circumstances ever. It every time caused her to speak and make stupid errors. This kind of tedious situation always made her senses go numb. It happened when she fled her home due to her father's fear and now as well.

"He...he will come back after three or four months." From her side, she still managed to give a long duration of stay but she was well aware she had messed up a hard time.

"Oh," Aqia said.

Right at that time, Haider entered the lounge. By the stern look he gave her, she was sure that he heard her. She gulped. That was her loss. She always took small things to her heart and found her mistakes in everything that happened around her. She had no belief in herself. She underestimated her skills and that was the reason, Ishmal was so weak and never took a stand for herself.

Aqia and Unaiza had left after a while. Along with Haider also did. Now she was alone in the house. As the afternoon commenced and the call to prayer of Duhr sounded, she remembered about prayer. She missed the fajr prayer because she woke up late in the morning after not being able to sleep for more than half of the night. Now she didn't want to skip this one as well.

Ishmal walked into the kitchen where she could find Razia washing the dishes. Finding her, she stopped her work and turned towards her.

"Do you need anything Bibi G?" She asked respectfully.

Ishmal nodded. "I want to offer prayer. Can I get a prayer mat?"

"Yes. Why not? I'll bring it right away," Razia murmured and stepped out.

Minutes later, she was standing on the prayer mat in the room she was using. Covered in the same black shawl, her eyes were filled with tears. She prayed to Allah for her hardships to ease away.

She knew that if the whole world were against her, even then Allah SWT would never leave her alone.

            ________________________

After the namaz, she had fallen asleep due to tiredness. When she woke up, for a moment her breath got stuck in her throat finding that tall guy standing near the window with a cigarette between his lips. Ishmal hardly stopped a shriek from leaving her mouth. The intense odor of cigarettes then struck her nostrils and she coughed harshly. She hated that smell. He was in his police uniform. The light blue shirt spread across his broad muscular back and the dark blue pants hugged his body.

Hearing her cough, Haider turned around. Ishmal sat on the bed, grabbing her dupatta and placing it on one side of her shoulder, while the duvet was still on her upper body. He narrowed his eyes at her and then blew away the smoke before coming near her.

"From where will I bring a brother of yours after three or four months?" He started off, very to the point and taunting. 

For a moment, Ishmal couldn't understand what he meant. Either it was due to the effect of sleep or because of how weirdly he began the talk. But when she did, her throat became dry.