SULTANATE سلطنت

Hukmaraan-۳

" ...and then Ammi and I bought a croissant from the local bakery. It was so delicious. Decadent! You should have been here Aunty" Aamna wiped her tears as she heard her daughter's voice over the phone, sniffing silently in her absence.

" Ammi said the next time we go to the farmer's market, she's buying the purple carrots. Do you know how that's made?" Aadab caressed her mother-in-law's back who was trying very hard to control her sobs.

" Ye-yes I do. I'll send you a detailed recipe of two of them" Aamna said amongst her tears and this time she was caught.

" Aunty, ab aise toh nahi karein. Aap yun royegi toh main yaha kaise khush rahu?" Dur Afshaan said in a small voice, not liking the fact that her wonderful Aunty is crying because of her.

" Ab meri beti itne door chali gayi hain aur main rou bhi nahi?" Aamna wiped her eyes and complained petulantly to the girl she has come to love like her own.

Her son's estranged wife.

" Bas kuch hi mahino ki baat hain phir shayad main wapas aasaku aapse milne" Dur Afshaan said, careful not to make a promise she cannot keep.

" Mujhe pata hain aapne waha apni nayi zindagi basa li hain. Ab aapko apne aunty aur apne Bhabhi aur apne bhatijey ki kaha yaad aane wali hain" Aamna sobbed lightly and Aadab hugged her from the side, rubbing her shoulders in consolation.

" Aap yaha aajayein" Husna took the iPad from her daughter and invited her to their place.

Brussels.

Where they have been living since the last few weeks.

" Aadab ki haalat naazuk rehti hain aajkal. Ab toh hum apne potey ke saath hi aayenge waha usse apni Chachi se milwaane" Aamna told her stubbornly and Husna laughed at her childish tantrums.

But Dur Afshaan couldn't. For she wasn't the baby's Chachi anymore. She was separated from his Chachu and they didn't share a relationship beyond that.

" Aapse ek baat poochni thi Aamna Bibi..." Husna said hesitantly and Dur Afshaan gulped the dry lump in her throat.

" News mein joh dikha rahein hain kya woh sach hain?" Husna hoped against hope it was true but then she didn't know what she'll do if it was.

" Jee. Sab sach hain" Aamna smiled a little when she confirmed what she was asking about.

" Abbajaan ke party mein sach mein problems chal rahe hain?" Husna asked her again for confirmation and felt her daughter's hold tighten on her arm.

" Alam Shah ek money laundering racket mein zimmedar paaya gaya hain aur jaanch karnein par Abdul-Qadeer Sahab bhi usme connected mile hain" Aamna sighed because it wasn't easy to hear that about your own family.

" Cabinet Ministers ne motion file kiya unke khilaaf aur bas ussi ka tension chal raha hain unn sab mein" she gave her a small smile and Dur Afshaan didn't know what to think of it.

She knew that somehow her husband was behind this. She just knew it.

" Aapki internship sahi se chal rahi hain na?" Aadab changed the topic and sure enough, it was able to lift their moods for Dur Afshaan suddenly started chattering excitedly.

It was her dream job after all.

" Mahad, aaj aap itne jaldi kaise aagaye?" Aamna was surprised to see her son home so early, that too on the weekend.

He has started staying late at the office and would rarely be seen by their family, especially on the weekends.

" I've to leave for Brussels tomorrow morning. Embassy mein kuch kaam hain" Mahad nodded his head at his Bhabhi who sighed seeing him so worn out and overworked.