The 'How To' Series. A Series of Zain-Aliyah OS' [OS#3 - Pg 6] - Page 2

How to oust your Bhabhis in front of your Mother

Suraiya Usmaan Abdullah was a strong woman.

But over the years Zain had seen her become easily manipulated by his sisters-in-law.

His mother probably knew that they two weren't as innocent as they liked to appear, but she probably didn't know the extent their treachery extended.

His mother probably thought that she was the key player in this game they were playing with Aliyah, but it was really his sisters-in-law that kept manipulating situations.

Usually he stayed out of such matters because they seemed petty to him .But having seen with his own eyes the extent of damage these women could do, it was time to break their unity, just as they had tried to break his and Aliyah's unity. It was time to show his mother his bhabhis real face and make her realize that she was being played for their own devices, not hers.

First it was time for Nafisa bhabhi. She was his quintessential bhabhi, his best friend's older sister, the woman that had come into their lives and spread love and joy.

He had seen her transform from a warm and loving person to cold and bitter once his other bhabhi had entered. And now, Nafisa bhabhi's only goal was to somehow remove Shazia bhabhi from Fahaad bhai's life, no matter the cost.

She was in her room cleaning up Sana and Arub things when he found her.

"Hi Miss Universe, what's up?" Zain plopped himself down on her armchair.

She smiled and continued to put things away. "Nothing Zain. Aaj office nahi gaye?"

Oops, forgot about that.

"Office bohot boring hota hai yaar. He declared. "And since this morning all I've been doing is hearing praises of Mamu-ki-Bhanji and her amazing party. I just needed to get away."

That was a calculated move and Zain watched as, in reaction, her face became a blank mask, but her eyes lit in curiosity. "Aliyah got praised?"

"Yes." He feigned irritation. "Mom and dad have been bombarded with phone calls and you know them, they too are all praises of her. I'm getting tired of hearing it."

"Mom is praising her too?" Bhabhi asked hurriedly.

"Of course she is. Why wouldn't she?"

"Right..." Bhabhi trailed of distractedly. "Why wouldn't she."

"Well, I'm going to head out with Rizwan for a while."

But Nafisa bhabhi paid him no heed, too lost in her own thoughts.

He stood outside of her room and recorded the subsequent scene.

Nafisa bhabhi paced the room. "Mom changes her colours faster than a chameleon." She muttered, irritated. "What happened to her hate for Aliyah?"

She paced around some more. "Maybe it's time to start playing on Aliyah's team as well. It doesn't look like that girl will be kicked out of his house, no matter how delusional mom might be."

She stopped in front of the mirror and admired herself. "If Aliyah is on my side then it will be easy to get that Shazia out of the house. It will be easy to pacify mom and then everything will be perfect." She smirked to herself. "I'll make Aliyah dance to my tunes after that."

His next stop was Shazia bhabhi's room. Here was a woman he was forced to accept in his life, but did it anyway, like they all did, to keep peace within the family.

Her room was in disarray and she was watching some trashy romance show on TV.

"Hi Miss World. Have you seen Gauhar?"

Zain Abdullah was neither blind nor stupid. If there was a girl shamelessly throwing herself at him, he was bound to notice it. And he had. But he wasn't trapped so easily in a trap as Shazia bhabhi and Gauhar thought.

Shazia bhbhi obviously begged to differ though because her eyes lit up at the question and she had a triumphant smile on her face.

"She's gone out for the moment. But why are you asking, huh Zain?" She nudged him lightly.

"Oh Bhabhi," He put on, what he called, his adorable smile. "You know... Just like that."

"Don't worry Zain. When Gauhar comes back I'll tell her to come straight and find you."

He mussed up his hair and shuddered at the thought. But he smiled outwardly. "Okay."

He then recorded the subsequent scene from outside of her room.

She clapped her hands together squealed in excitement. "Finally Zain is starting to notice Gauhar. Once Gauhar is married to Zain, then we can kick that Nafisa out of the house and we sisters will rule." She flipped her hair over her shoulder casually. "Sorry mom. Your days of ruling are almost done."

Zain sighed. What dramatic creatures women were. Even if there was no one to observe them.

This was going to destroy the peace of their house, but eventually it was for the best, right?

He MMS'd the videos to his mother's phone as an anonymous message from a different sim card.

He had also explained everything to Chand Jaan and sent her to his mother to add fuel to the fire. He stood in the hallway upstairs and watched it unfold.

Suraiyya knew something was up the moment she had received the anonymous MMS videos.

As she watched both she felt an odd sort of calm settle over her.

How was she supposed to react to something like this?

Was she supposed to be disappointed? Upset? Angry? Sad? Should she laugh? Should she cry?

In being very honest with herself, she would admit that she was disappointed. She thought that her bahus were on her side and that they shared a genuine bond of, if not love, then kinship.

She has seen Shazia's kinship go to the pits with her unwavering support of her father, but Nafisa too?

She heard Chand Bibi approaching her with her evening tea in tow and quickly composed herself. However, one look at the nurse-maid and Suraiyya knew that Chand Bibi knew about these developments. Was this Aliyah's ploy? Had she sent these videos?

"Are you okay Madam?" Chand enquired as she handed her the cup.

"I'm fine." Suraiyya snapped.

Chand just nodded, silent as ever, showing no emotion, as ever.

Suraiyya sighed.

They had been friends once. Chand had been her only friend, her only confidante when Fahaad and Zain were little and they were still struggling to establish themselves.

"No one's on my side Chand." Suraiyya confessed in a low voice.

Chand patted her shoulder gently. "I am always on your side Madam. My first loyalty is always to you." Suraiyya felt herself smiling. Chand was ever loyal. "And your new Dulhann. She is always on your side."

Suraiyya stood up in indignation and faced the nurse-maid. "Did she put you up to this?"

Chand just smiled patiently. "No Madam. Dulhann didn't put me up to anything. But just think. She never tries to undermine you or overstep your authority, unlike your other bahus. She wants nothing but your love and acceptance, and a place by your side"

Suraiyya felt her fists clench. It would be a cold day in hell before that happened. "Enough Chand Bibi! I knew it! It was Aliyah that sent me those videos, and now she has sent you here to fill my ears."

"Dulhann hasn't sent you anything Madam. And really, it's not important who sent them to you. What's important is what's in them, and in them are the true faces of your darling, spoiled, modern daughter-in-laws. How can you not see the difference between them and Dulhann? Why can you not look past your blind hate for your sasural and see what that girl for what she is? Why can't you see how good she is for this house and for Zain?"

"I said that's enough Chand Bibi! Go and be useful elsewhere, and don't ever talk to me as such again."

Chand picked up the untouched tea cup and turned away. "I am sorry if I overstepped Madam." She said over her shoulder, not sounding sorry at all.

Zain sighed.

Well, Rome wasn't built in a day.

At least his mother was away from bad influences and had started to listen to Chand Jaan's voice of reason.

Soon he would get her to see Aliyah for all she was.

What is Aliyah, exactly? Asked a sly voice in his head which he studiously ignored.

He made his way back to his room where Aliyah was sitting on bed and video chatting with everyone in Bhopal. There were tears in her eyes which she hastily wiped away when she spotted him at the door.

He yanked the laptop out of her hands ("Hey!" she exclaimed in indignation) and made himself comfortable on the couch.

He waved to all the surprised faces on screen. "Don't worry all. I'm here now to save you from the boredom of talking with Aliyah."

Mamu-ki-Bhanji glared at him from her spot on the bed and he just winked in response.

Ah, this really was the life.

Originally posted by: Loquacious_Aash

Longgg time... but perfectly worth the wait :)

I like how u showed Zain as shrewd enough to read ppl :)

In all this... somehow no matter how much u hate n loath Nafisa... u cant help but pity her na?