The 'How To' Series. A Series of Zain-Aliyah OS' [OS#3 - Pg 6] - Page 4

Originally posted by: -Yuks-

Maybe Shazia announced that she was pregnant? Or maybe she made it seem like Fahaad had taken advantage of her?
Sort of like how she tried to get Gauhar to trap Zain after Holi.
So that way Fahaad was compelled into marrying her.

Originally posted by: Loquacious_Aash

Very much possible. And i doubt we are ever getting an answer so lets assume that 😆

Originally posted by: -Yuks-

I hope that in the future they do delve into what happened between Fahaad and Shazia.
With this OS I'm pretty much taking a shot in the dark regarding what Nafisa was actually like before Shazia came into the picture. Maybe she was petty and insecure then as well? Who knows?

How to get your mother to feel sympathy for your wife

Dad had to go out of town for a few days with Fahaad Bhai and Zain couldn't think of a better time to build some sympathy in his mother's heart for Aliyah than this.

As well-meaning and loving as his dad was, his ever loving behaviour towards Aliyah was one of the things that instigated his mother against her.

Was there any better way revive the trampled emotions of love and care within his mother (and awaken the feminist in her) than to be an absolute jerk to his wife?

I'm sorry in advance Mamu-ki-Bhanji, but the next few days will be very difficult for you.

"Aliyah!" He stormed into the house, yelling in his best angry voice.

His mother, who was currently occupying a couch in the living room, stood up in question. Ah, good that she's here already. Now I won't have to yell louder to get her attention.

"What's the matter Zain beta?" His mother asked curiously.

He ignored her, however, and yelled for his wife again. "Aliyah! Come out here."

She came scampering out of the kitchen, hair flying, looking around for the danger. "What Zain? What happened? Are you okay?" Her dupatta was tied around her waist and she was still holding a wooden spoon. Her cheeks were rosy from the heat. She looked adorable.

Get your angry face on Zain.

He thrust his tiffin box into her hands. "Lunch was terrible." He stated simply.

"Oh..." She trailed off, clearly surprised by his proclamation. "Okay... Ummm... what was wrong it?"

"What was wrong?" He repeated, as though mocking. "Did you even taste it before you sent it? It was just terrible. Your Shouhar works hard all day long, and when he gets hungry, this is the trash you send him?" He indicated in the general direction of the tiffin box.

Aliyah hugged the box to her chest, her fingers gripping it tightly as unshed tears swan in her eyes.

"I... I'm... I'm sorry Zain." He had clearly stumped her and she didn't know how to respond.

He looked to his mother and was glad to see that, instead of the smug look she usually attempted to hide when Aliyah was being scolded, she too just looked disturbed by his behaviour.

"Zain beta, this is no way to..."

"Mom please." He cut her off. "This is a matter between Miya-Biwi. Don't get involved." His mother looked even more stumped at his proclamation than Aliyah did.

"I hope though mom that you have made dinner and not her. Iske haath ka kha ke dekh liya aaj."

With that he walked away from the two silent women. He spotted Chand Jaan at the door of the kitchen and she gave him a thumbs up.

Zain watched from a window as Aliyah stared down at the contents of the tiffin box.

He had not even dared to take a bite of the food, for if he had, he would have devoured the whole thing and there would be none left for his drama.

He could smell the delicious aroma of the gosht from here and it was making his mouth water.

Aliyah grabbed a spoon and took a tentative bite of the dish. She seemed to contemplate over it a moment, shook her head, and went to the garbage to throw it out.

It pained him to see such wonderful food wasted for no reason, but all was fair in love and war, right?

His mother stopped Aliyah before she could throw the food out and took a bite of it for herself.

Aliyah seemed to wait with baited breath for a verdict, but none came. "It's terrible, huh?" She said in a meek voice, and went to throw out the food again.

But was once again stopped by his mother. "It's not that terrible. I'm sure someone less fortunate would like it just fine."

Aliyah brightened up at the suggestion.

Well, it wasn't big, but there was at least some bonding between mother and daughter in law.

"Aliyah, why isn't my shirt ironed?"

Zain chose to say these words just as his mother happened to walk by his room. He hoped she had stopped to eavesdrop.

Aliyah looked up from her newspaper, teacup in hand, and raised an eyebrow in question. "I wasn't aware that your shirt needed to be ironed. I didn't get a chance to read your mind this morning." She stated sarcastically.

"Tum meri biwi ho Aliyah, and you're supposed to look after my things."

"What is this Shouhar-Biwi nonsense you are going on about Zain? Kal se dekh rahi hoon, you've called yourself my Shouhar at least 20 times."

Mamu-ki-Bhanji, he sighed, must you fight about everything? It's the meek Aliyah that will gain you sympathy points with your mami, not your sherni attitude.

"Well I am your Shouhar and you are my wife and there are certain things that I expect from you, like preparing my lunch or taking care of my things. It's your responsibility that I look good at work."

Aliyah just looked at him as though he had sprouted a second head.

"What's wrong with you Zain Abdullah? Just a few days ago you yelled at me for touching your things. You burned the t-shirt I wore, only because I wore it, even after you know that the only reason I wore it was because you made me burn my blouse. You wouldn't even let me help you put on a tie on your first day at the office. And now all of a sudden I am supposed to take care of your things?"

Well, when she put it like that, he sounded like he was bipolar.

He frowned at her skeptical face and said a simple "Yes."

When she didn't budge from staring him down, he picked up his shirt and made his way to the desk. "Never mind Mamu-ki-Bhanji, I'll just do it myself." He picked up the iron that had become a permanent fixture in their room and scratched his head. "Now, how do you turn this thing on?"

Aliyah sighed, exasperated, and nudged him aside. "Move. I'll do it. We wouldn't want the great Zain Abdullah to hurt himself with something as simple as an iron, now would we?"

Zain watched, affection warming his heart, as Mamu-ki-Bhanji muttered in irritation under her breath, about him most likely, and used the iron none too gently on his shirt.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed his mother walk by again, and she looked lost in thought.

Zain pulled himself out of the swimming pool and shook some of the water out of his hair.

"Aliyah!" He hollered at the top of his lungs. His voice was getting sore from all this yelling, but he had to soldier on. He gave her 7 seconds to respond before he hollered for her again.

She appeared at their bedroom window. "What is it Zain?"

He noticed his mother appear at the living room door as well.

"I forgot my towel. Bring it down to me." Zain commanded casually and sat himself down on the recliner, waiting for her to obey.

He had to admit, he loved seeing her irritated expression when he demanded something wifely of her.

Zain was brought out of his thoughts when he felt the towel hit his head and fall into his lap.

Surprised, he looked up at the window and saw Aliyah standing with a smug look on her face.

"There you go." She said simply and went back into the room.

Out of the corner of his eye Zain noticed his mother's mouth twitching as she suppressed a smile.

Chand watched mother-in-law and daughter-in-law work silently, side-by-side in the kitchen. This scene happened daily. Suraiyya begum cooked to make food for the family while Dulhann was only allowed to make lunch for Zain baba (on Ussman sahab's orders).

The two usually acted oblivious to each other's presence. Though she frequently caught Suraiyya begum throwing a glare at her daughter-in-law, or Dulhann throwing a wistful look at her Mami.

It was so sad that these women didn't get along.

In her opinion Suraiyya begum needed to forget the initial days of her marriage and along with it, her hate towards all Bhopali people. Not everyone was like her mother-in-law.

Chand sighed for the umpteenth time and continued on with her own assigned task.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard a loud sizzle of oil, a loud clatter, and a cry of pain.

Dulhann had been adding a wet vegetable to some smoking hot oil and it splashed up and landed on her forearm. Aliyah dropped the platter holding the vegetable and pulled her burned arm to her with a whimper.

Before she could react, it was Suraiyya that yelled Aliyah's name frantically.

She went over and shut the stove off under the still smoking and sizzling oil.

"You silly girl!" She exclaimed, irritated. "You never do anything carefully."

Dulhann looked at her, eyes swimming with tears as she held her burned arm tightly against her chest.

"Here. Show it to me." Suraiyya begum said in a much more gentle tone. She held Aliyah's arm and examined the angry red oil splatter.

"Let's get some cold water on this, okay?" She led Aliyah over to the kitchen sink and put her hand under some running cold water.

There were a few moments of silence as Suraiyya begun gently washed off the burn. Finally, it was Dulhann who broke the silence. "I'm sorry Mami," she said in a small voice.

"It's okay beta. Kitchen accidents happen all the time. You just need to be a little more careful, okay?"

Aliyah just seemed dazed at Suraiyya's kind, motherly tone and nodded along with her.

Suraiyya begum looked around awkwardly at Aliyah's reverent look and finally seemed to notice her. "Chand bibi, don't just stand there. Get some burn ointment for Aliyah."

Chand smiled to herself as she fetched some ointment rom the medicine cabinet. She had to tell Zain baba about these developments.