"... it's so good to be back, I'm missed home so much." Safa said walking through the doors. "Amma, Kulsum I'll ask someone to take your bags to the guest bedroom, come on inside."

"Aapa relax you have just come home, and we aren't really guests here." Kulsum said helping her mother walk inside towards the inner sitting room.

Hooriya heard voices outside, she checked the clock on the kitchen wall.

"It's five already ?" Her eyes widened. How did time fly so quickly. Switching off the fire below the pot she covered the pot of kheer and walked outside to greet her in-laws.

"Assalam Walekum momani jaan." She said with a smile as she walked into the inner courtyard.

She knew she wasn't getting a reply, she never did, but always hoped that maybe one day. Well today wasn't her day. She pushed back her slumped shoulders and moved to greet Bijan and Kulsum Khala.

"Assalam Walekum Bijaan, salam Khala." She said bending down to greet the two woman who both wished her and kissed her forehead lovingly.

"Hoori, kya hua ? Why have you become so thin ?" Kulsum asked her with concern.

"Nothing really. I'm trying a new diet, and apparently it works." Hooriya giggled. "What about you Khala ? Found some hot and happening boy for yourself ?" Hooriya winked at Kulsum who blushed.

"Iss nigodi ko kaha ladka mileyga ? Koi apni kafan se char kadam dur, do-char baccho ka baap bhi iska haat tham le toh shukar hai." Bijaan said rolling her eyes. (Who is going to marry this idiot, and you think some young boy will marry her ? If she finds herself a guy with 2-3 kids, who is in this second innings at life, that would be considered a good offer for her)

"Amma zyagti kar rahi hai aap." Kulsum said pointing her finger at her mother. (That's not fair mom)

"Haan chal chal, if you had married my nephew twenty five years ago, you too would have kids almost as old as Hooriya today."

"I'm done with her, Appa I'm going up I don't want to debate with your mother again." Kulsum said rolling her eyes and turned around to leave but stopped as she saw a young girl peaking from behind the pillar.

Meher stepped from behind the pillar playing with the hem of her dupatta. Her cheeks had turned red in embarrassment as she was caught eavesdropping.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I had come down to take a break, I'm so sorry-."

Meher was interrupted by a booming laugh.

"It's okay, my Amma toh here has a habit of complaining about my spinster's life to everyone." Kulsum said with a smile.

"Meher come here." Hooriya called out to her, extending her hand for her. Meher quickly rushed to her side and his her herself behind Hooriya, making Hooriya chuckle at her childish behaviour.

Hooriya looked at Safa, who had her eyes trained at Meher. Hooriya caught Safa's eyes and Safa nodded at her. She had informed her mother and sister about Arham's second marriage.

"Everyone meet Arham's wife Mehrunisa, but we call her Meher. Meher meet Arham's family. This is Bijaan, Kulsum Khala and that's momani jaan, Arham's mother." Hooriya introduced Meher to everyone.

"Mashallah." Safa said stepping forward and Hooriya stepped aside from the scene.
"Finally. I've been waiting for you for so long." She said holding Meher's chin lovingly. "I'm sorry I wasn't home to welcome you." She said kissing Meher's forehead.

"I..It's fine." Meher said giving Safa a small smile.

"Come meet Bijaan." She said guiding Meher  towards her mother.

"Salam."

"Wa-salam, bohot khoobsurat hai. Allah tumhe zindagi ki tammam khushiyo se nawaze." Bijaan said caressing Meher's head lovingly. (You are very beautiful. May God grant you with all the happiness in life.)

Safa made Meher Sit on the couch next to her, she held her hand and looked at her lovingly. Hooriya who stood there forgotten looked at the duo enviously, why didn't she get a piece of this love.

"If you are so jealous of the love your mother-in-law is showing towards her, what will you do when you have to share the love of your husband ? Are you sure ready for it." Kulsum said placing her hand on Hooriya's shoulder.

"Don't worry Khala, I won't be able to feel jealous of Meher more than this, itna waqt nahi hai mere pass." (I don't have that long.)

" what do you mean?"

"Nothing." She said plastering a huge smile on her face. "You should go and get some rest before dinner."

"You are right, my skin otherwise looks dull, I'll see you in some." Kulsum said and sauntered off towards her bedroom.

•••

The dinning table was fuller than Meher had ever seen in her shot span of stay at the Butt mansion.

Bijaan sat at the head of the table and on her either sides sat her daughters. Meher to Safa's left and Hooriya to Kulsum's right.

"Arham isn't joining us ?" Kulsum asked as Gul served her food.

"No, bhaijaan had called. He said he was going to be late." Gul informed them.

"Mamu jaan nahi aaye ?" (Mamu didn't come ?)

"He has gone to Islamabad, work he says ." Kulsum said rolling her eyes. "Aapa zara sambhal kar, nahi toh patta chala baap bhi bete ke nakshe kadmo par chal kar two khatoono ka sohar bann kar ghum raha hai." Kulsum said breaking her naan bread. (You need to be careful, the next thing we know that the father has followed the footsteps of his son and is married to two women.)

Meher looked up from her plate, her forehead wrinkled. Husband two women ?

"Khala aap kya-."

"Oh just don't pay heed to Khala Meher, she had the habit of pulling momani jaan's leg. The men of this family are very loyal to their women. Right momani jaan ?" Hooriya said looking at Safa pleading her to cooperate.

Safa gulped down her pride and nodded, giving Meher a small smile.
"She's right. Where is Arham by the way ?"

"Woh meeting ke silsilay me baher hai, he said not to wait for him for dinner." Hooriya informed them. (He's gone out on a business dinner)

"Don't you think, now that he had his wife. She should be keeping tracks about his whereabouts and not you." Safa spat venously trying to mask her anger behind a smile.

Hooriya nodded and bent her head down, preventing everyone from seeing the tears which had sprouted up.

"I'll do get the kheer." She said and quickly got up and rushed to the kitchen.

"I...I'll go help Hooriya baaji." Meher said pushed the chair behind to get up. The bitter exchange did not go unnoticed by her.

"Wait." Safa's crisp voice made her sit down on her chair immediately. Safa turned to Meher and gave her a genuine smile. "I'll help her." She said and went to the kitchen.

As Safa entered the kitchen she saw Hooriya pouring kheer into bowls as tears streamed down her face.

"Stop with the drama already." Safa said making Hooriya halt in her action.

"Drama ?"

"Yes. You said you were happy with Arham marrying then why are you standing in their way Hooriya? Why won't you let my son alone, let him be happy ?"

"Ammi I never -."

"Don't. Don't you ever call me that. I'm not you Ammi." Safa spat.

"Why do you hate me so much ? What have I ever done to you ? You've hates me since the day I understood who you were, I've never done anything to you then why ?"

"Because you killed my child. You killed my unborn child." Safa whisper yelled holding Hooriya's wrist in a painful grip. "When you were two, in order to protect you from the incoming car, while trying to save you I lost my child and the ability to ever mother again, and now you. You paid for it but my son is paying for it too ? How could I not hate you ? I hate you, I wish I had let you die that day and not protected you." Safa said vengefully.

"You don't mean that." Hooriya said in a whiper, shocked at the revelation and the anger laced in Safa's voice.

"I do. I very much do."

AN : So now you know why Safa hates Hooriya, and hello to the new characters.

Next chapter is extremely sexually detailed. I've taken the help of a friend who writes erotica so yeh.

It's so uncomfortable for me to write stuff whereas asking people about their sexual history is so easy (part of my job lol)

Anyway the next chapter is A rated so yeh.