Malik enterprises

Zain- I just simply didn't want to teach you anything and wanted Faris to be my PA, roz tumhe ghar Mey toh bardasht karta hi hun, ab toh tum office mey bhi agayi ho, isliye i found a solution for my peace. He said casually as if it was a normal thing, well for him, it was.

Hamdan and zarif looked at zaima waiting for a reaction, though they knew it would never come. Faris didn't think much about it, nor did he understand why they were looking at zaima like that.

Zaima- soch lijiye, ek bohut talented ladki ko aapki PA banane se mana kar rahe hai aap, rahi Baat mere yahan hone ki toh don't worry, mai har do ghante Mey aapke Paas aaungi taki aap akela feel na karo. She said raising her eyebrows with a teasing smirk on her face.

Zain- that's what I thought, tum kabhi sudhrogi nai. He said rolling his eyes. Hamdan and zarif glared at zain thinking just why zain was this keen on making zaima feel like she was a problem, all the time.

Zarif- don't worry, mera office complete hone ke baad tum wahan ajana, I won't be like this idiot. He whispered to zaima who chuckled at his words.

Zarif had his own company, Sheikh enterprises, but since it was in renovation, he shifted everything in the malik enterprises untill his company is all set to be worked in. He didn't want to shift here but haroon and zain's father convinced him and his father to do so.

Zain- ajj ke liye bas dheklo kya kya kaam karna hai tum dono ko, Monday se start your work properly. He said seriously making both of them nod.

Zarif- chalo, time to work. He said and started guiding zaima out but before that she turned around again and looked at zain with a sheepish smile on her face.

Zaima- bye bhaiyya, don't miss me much. She said making zarif and hamdan chuckle while zain just shook his head on her antics.

Evening

Zaima removed her hijab and instantly layed down on the bed letting out a tired sigh. First day of work and she was already done, how will she manage in the upcoming days! The thought crossed her mind but she quickly closed it telling herself that she believed in herself and would manage.

She glanced at the clock and quickly stood up as she moved towards the bathroom, it was maghrib prayer time and she couldn't or more like didn't want to miss it just because she was tired, infact praying just helped her get over the exhaustion always.

After praying she sat down on the bed, and just as she did, her phone rang. Her eyes sparkled when she saw the caller id and in seconds answered the call. She moved her hand a little away from her face as it was a video call.

Zaima- Assalamualaikum baba! She greeted with a wide grin on her face.

Rehmat- walaikumassalam baba ki jaan. Kaise ho aap? He asked calmly with a smile on his face.

Zaima- Alhamdulillah baba, aap kaise ho? She asked.

Rehmat- mai theek hun bacha, ajj ka din kaisa tha aapka, thaki Hui lag rahi ho. He asked with a concerned look on his face. While zaima smiled softly at his words, her baba always knew when she is tired and when she is not. No matter how much she tries to hide it.

Zaima- ajj first day tha office mey, bas isliye thora thak gayi hun. She replied making rehmat sigh.

Rehmat- mai toh mana hi kar raha tha tumhe ki mat join karo itni jaldi, lekin tumhe hi apne bhaiyya se kaam seekhna tha, ab dhekho thak gayi na meri bachi. He expressed his displeasure and concern.

Zaima- kya fayda baba, bhaiyya se kaam seekhna tha lekin unhone mujhe zarif bhaiyya ka PA banadiya, aur uss pagal ko unka PA rakhliya. She said in frustration as she remembered the moment.

Rehmat- usne fariz ko apna PA rakhliya? Aisa kyu kiya usne? Behen toh tum hona uski, phir bhi Fariz ko tumhari jagah dedi usne? He said as anger rose in him hearing what his elder son has done.

Zaima just stared at his face silently, her baba didn't know that not only her place, but also her rights are given to fariz. She's bearing it for years, so this is nothing new to her. In fact, rehmat didn't know, anything, because zaima simply didn't tell him anything...

Rehmat- abhi tumhare bhaiyya ka dimaag set karta hun mai. He said ready to cut the call but zaima quickly stopped him.

Zaima- nahi baba rehne dijiye. please, aap unse kuch nahi kahenge.

Rehmat- lekin beta this is not right, I understand ki ab zain aur hamdan pura office sambhaal rahe hai, lekin iska matlab ye nahi hai ki zain jo chahe wo karega! Aur ye hamdan kya kar raha tha tab? Why aren't you his PA?

Zaima- unke paas already ek PA hai isliye wo included nahi hai ismey. Par aap itna kyu naraaz ho rahe hai?

Rehmat- mai naraaz nahi hun bacha, even mujhe khushi hai ke zarif will help you out in the work, wo bhi mera bete jaisa hai, lekin hamdan aur zain ko phir bhi ispe serious rehna chahiye tha.

Zaima- nai baba aise mat bole, bhaiyya aur bhaijaan bohut serious lete hai apne kaam ko. Aur waise bhi I don't have any problem working under zarif bhai, in fact he is less stricter than bhaiyya, Fariz ki toh roz fielding set hogi ab. Kyuki bhaiyya ka gussa sirf mai jhel sakti hun. She said proudly.

Rehmat- phir bhi bacha-

Zaima- nai phir wagera kuch nahi, bas aap promise karen ki unhe aap kuch nahi kahenge. She said seriously making rehmat sigh.

Rehmat- accha bhai, nahi bolunga tumhare bhaiyya ko kuch. Ek toh complain kar rahi ho aur phir ye bhi keh rahi ho ki use kuch nahi bolna.

Zaima- ye complain thori hai, mai toh bas aapko bata rahi thi.

Rehmat- haan haan sab jaanta hun mai, bhaiyya ki bachi. He said shaking his head while zaima grinned listening to his words.

Zaima- khair wo sab toh chalta rahega ab, aap bataiye, bhai kahan hai? She asked.

Rehmat- aur kahan, apne office mey hai wo aur mai mere.

Zaima- hmm, maine socha agar paas hai toh baat kara dete aap.

Rehmat- abhi lunch kar ke gaya hai, thori der phele hamari baat hoti toh Kara deta baat. He said.

Zaima- haan wahan toh dopehar hogi na. Mai jab bhi call karti hun wo kehte hai ki wo busy hain. Isliye maine socha hai ke jab mera office mey lunch break hoga tab phone kar lungi mai unko, tab toh early morning hogi na aap logon ke paas. She said thoughtfully making rehmat chukle.

Rehmat- bas baat karne ke liye itna socha aapne? He asked and zaima smiled sadly but made sure rehmat didn't notice her sadness.

Zaima- phir aur kya karun mai, bhai itne busy rehte hai ki baat hi nahi karte. Workaholic insaan. She said with a huff which made rehmat shake his head.

Rehmat- tumhare sab bhai waise hi toh hai. He said as a matter of fact making zaima chuckle. And then zaima felt her eyes brimming with tears but she quickly blinked them away.

Zaima- baba, mujhe bohut yaad aa rahi hai aap dono ki. Kab wapas aaoge aap log? She asked softly and rehmat went stiff. Zaima always asked that question ever since they had left, but rehmat always has the same answer.

Rehmat- bohut kaam hai bacha, jab kaam kaam hojaega we'll come. He said making zaima sigh. She was tired, tired of hearing the same words over and over again. Wasn't her baba tired answering the same words too!?

Zaima- ji... Mai dua karungi ki aap dono jaldi wapas ajao. And yet again, she masked her hurt, her pain and her longing, smiling through it every time.

Rehmat- theek hai baad mey baat karte hai, khayaal rakhna apna. Alhafiz....

Zaima- ji aap bhi, alhafiz...

And with that the call ended. Zaima kept her phone aside and leaned back on the headrest. She stared at the ceiling blankly, but tears still fell from her eyes. The day's tolerance and pain came through her tears every time she was alone, and then with everyone she was back to being the person they are used to, cheerful, talkative and always smiling.

As if sadness didn't exist for her, as if nothing could hurt her. But she was a human too, a human who only showed her pain and sadness to Allah, no one else. Not to her choti mama and chote baba who loved her immensely, not to her cousin brothers who are like real siblings and can't see her in any pain...

Because she knows no one can replace that pain with happiness other than her bhaiyya, the one who doesn't show her care and love. Yet she knew he still cares and loves her secretly, well she assumed that he did.

She sighed and layed properly on the bed, trying to rest a little. But then a knock came on her door, and before she could answer, haris entered in as if he owned the place, well afterall it was his sister's room.

Zaima- assalamualaikum bhai. She greeted sitting up properly and moved aside to let him sit.

Haris- walaikumassalam zaimu. Kaisa tha office ka phela din? He asked ruffling her hair.

Zaima- yaar bhai mat karen na. She said with a pout making him chuckle. He knew she hated that and still did it just to annoy her.

Haris- accha nahi karunga, ab batao.

Zaima- puchiye mat, aapko pata hai bhaiyya ne bohut zyatti ki hai ajj mere saath.

Haris- ismey naya kya hai? He asked making her pout.

Zaima- bhai be serious na. She whined making him sigh and he gestured for her to continue. Zaima told him everything that happened in the office except for the words zain said about why he didn't want her to be his PA. while haris frowned hearing everything.

Haris- bhaiyya ne aisa kiya toh tumne unhe Kuch kahan kyu nahi?

Zaima- kya kehti mai, waise bhi ye unka decision tha. Aur-

Haris- oh haan mai toh bhool hi gaya tha, bhaiyya ka decision toh tumhare liye patthar par lakhir jaisa hai. He said sarcastically and zaima glared at him.

Zaima- that's called respecting his decisions and opinions. She said firmly.

Haris- that's called chamcha giri. He said with a tight lipped smile making zaima frown.

Zaima- jayen ab mai aapse baat nahi kar rahi. She said looking away.

Haris- arey, kuch galat thori bola Maine. He said and again earned a glare from her. He sighed and took her in a side hug. Accha na sorry ab aise mu toh mat latkao tum. Nahi ho tum chamchi aur sab bilkul sahi keh rahi ho, bas? He spoke softly making zaima smile.

Zaima- bilkul sahi. She said and moved away from the hug.

Haris- accha chalo ab dinner ka time hogaya hai. He said.

Zaima- bhaijaan aur bhaiyya agaye? She asked and haris shook his head. Zaima gave him a knowing look making haris roll his eyes. Of course she won't have dinner now,  again.

After awhile

Zaima was sitting on the sofa kept in the middle of the main hall. She glanced at the clock once again for the fifth time now, 11:05. She sighed and again started scrolling on her phone.

After a few minutes the sound of a car entering the main gate reached her ears finally giving her the sigh that her wait was over now...

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