Aziz-e-Dilam عزیز دلیم

seven

The family had gathered for evening tea in the lounge. Duaa, Aamaal and Faiqa were seated on the couch and Hania sat on the floor in front of them, with her head resting in Duaa's lap. Her mother in law was massaging her hair.

Azaan sat on the other setee with Shahveer busy in his phone and leaning on Azaan's left shoulder and Behroz almost asleep on his right. The poor man couldn't move a muscle due to the love he has for his boys!

Faiqa and Aamaal were looking through a magazine while showing Duaa the latest trends in lifestyle and Zohaib was their gossip girl, commenting here and there and everywhere.

He filled them up on what happened at University, who's with who now and who dumped whom. That boy was just a Nafsiaati Phupho!

Furqaan and Bakhtiyaar were talking to Rayyan about the upcoming project in which Bakhtiyaar would lead for the first time. He has impressed everyone with his intelligence, dedication and hard work.

Rayyan especially loved the boy and his work ethic. At 24, he was just like his father. They were proud of all their children. Despite all the shenanigans, they are good kids. The best kids they could have asked for.

Hania was scrolling through the pictures that Eshal had sent her this  afternoon.

Baby Abeer had just had her first tooth and she looked absolutely adorable and cranky!

Mirhan and Hanzal have also grown a bit since they saw them last month. As if!  She just missed them a lot.

She showed Duaa the pictures and her mother in law immediately recited protection prayers for her grandchildren.

The iPad was passed around and everyone ooh-ed and aah-ed and cooed at their darling babies.

The maid then entered with the tea and sandwiches. The smell brought Behroz back from the land of the dead and he finally had pity on his Taya Abbu.

Ya Allah Khair! His arm was going numb, but he didn't complain. The boys tire themselves out at Uni all day. Juggling studies, pranks and the occasional casual flirting was not an easy task! 

"Qiraat, come sit with us. See Eshal appi has sent Abeer's pictures. She's so cute Masha Allah!" Hania called out to their maid. She wasn't a maid as such but a young girl barely 16 summers old.

Qiraat is Rumaisa Khala's daughter, albeit adopted one. Rumaisa Khala lived down in the valley and had never been married. She had adopted Qiraat when someone had left her at the madrasa.

The poor girl was just a few days old and was found crying her lungs out in the early morning, without appropriate clothes for the cold weather. She was left without a mother's love and a father's care.

Rumaisa Khala had volunteered to take the baby when no one came forward to claim responsibility for her.

The baby was just too beautiful and precious and Rumaisa Khala already had lost her heart to her.

She had pin straight black hair that reached her mid back and the most gorgeous liquid gold eyes. She was sincere and honest and had the most beautiful of hearts.

There wasn't a single person who wasn't affected by her peaceful presence and kind aura.

Qiraat visits the Hamdaani Haweli quite frequently with her mother and helps her with the odd jobs on her days off from school.

Duaa and Rayyan were the girl's benefactors and had sponsored her studies. Faiqa and Aamaal looked after the other aspects of her upbringing.

The girl who was abandoned by her birth parents was immensely blessed so as to gain another, more loving family in the form of her mother and the Hamdaanis.