MY NIECE'S AUNT (COMPLETED)✔️

CHAPTER 48- AN IMPORTANT DINNER

'Mariam, stop playing around...stay away from the sofas...MARIAM!' Mahdia is nervous as Ahyan is coming to her home. This not for the first time that he is coming, he had come one more night when he had helped her with the rent. But that was sudden and now he is coming to make a decision that will decide her future, their future.

Mariam was excited about Ahyan coming over, she is jumping around happily. Mahdia had a tough time making her ready and then getting ready herself. Mariam is dressed in yellow and white frock while Mahdia is dressed in a casual olive green short dress and black Stiletto, she is trying to get used to these heels.

Mrs. Siddiqui is arranging the plates, while Mahdia is running around trying to tame Mariam.

'F***' Mahdia yelped as she twisted her heel and fell on the ground. Mariam paused running around the table and looked at her aunt. Then she started laughing, ignoring Mahdia's deadly glare.

'Mariam.' Mrs. Siddiqui's stern voice scared both Mariam and Mahdia. Mariam placed a finger on her lips and quietly walked towards the sofa and sat there quietly. Mahdia managed to stand up, she adjusted her dress. Just then the door-bell rang. Mahdia panicked while Mariam excitedly leaped out from the sofa but when she saw Mrs. Siddiqui walking towards the door she again quietly sat down on the sofa.

Mahdia adjusted her loose ponytail on her shoulder and took a deep breath. She felt her heart beating faster, her throat dry and palms clammy.

Mahdia peeped from behind her mother, Ahyan stood outside the door holding a bunch of red roses. He is formally dressed in a sea-green shirt and black trouser, his hair neatly combed and gelled, his stubble well-trimmed. He smiled politely at Mrs. Siddiqui greeting him. She didn't smile, simply asked him to come in and turned around entering.

Mahdia looked at him, he smiled nervously.

'You will be just fine.' Mahdia kissed his cheek. Ahyan is stunned by her boldness but he liked it. Her kiss motivating him.

'I have never been this nervous for any meeting in all my life.' Ahyan confessed honestly and Mahdia chuckled.

'Ahyan! Wow, roses.' Mariam said peeping from inside the living room.

'Hey! Mariam.' He waved at her. Mariam rushed to him.

'For you.' Ahyan handed the bunch of roses. Mariam took them.

'Give them to me...' Mahdia extended her hand to get the roses but Mariam moved her hand and frowned, 'No, it is mine.'

Before Mahdia could say anything more she had turned around and vanished to her room. Mahdia sighed.

'You have me, let her takes the roses.' Ahyan winked at Mahdia and she blushed.

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The dinner was a silent one, Mahdia and Ahyan kept glancing nervously at each other and at Mrs. Siddiqui who was calm, too calm. Mariam was the only one talking, she talked about her school and how a bunch of girls were bullying her and how she taught them a lesson, in her own way. After Dinner, Mariam and Mahdia were sent to the room. They didn't want to but Mrs. Siddiqui looked very serious and so they quietly went into the room. Mahdia was asked to tug Mariam to sleep.

'Bye, Ahyan. We will meet soon.' Mariam said and hugged Ahyan, he placed his arm around her and hugged her too.

'Bye!'

Ahyan's gaze met Mahdia's sad eyes. He gave her a slight nod and a smile assuring her. She nodded back and held Mariam's shoulders taking her into the room. Ahyan felt nervous as only he and Mrs. Siddiqui stood alone in the living room.

'Sit!' Mrs. Siddiqui gestured him to a sofa. Ahyan felt awkward wondering if he should sit or not. Nevertheless, he sat. His fingers crossed.

Mrs. Siddiqui walked towards a table, opened the top drawer. She looked sadly at the family photo she had been looking at last night. Ahyan watched her back feeling increasingly worried. She sat opposite Ahyan, he shifted little in his seat.

'Ahyan! You love my daughter?' she asked after a moment of deadly silence. Ahyan looked up into her eyes and nodded, 'Yes.'

Mrs. Siddiqui nodded, 'You want to marry her?'

'Yes, I promise I will keep your daughter hap...' he stopped abruptly when Mrs. Siddiqui stuck out her palm. He closed his mouth and shifted in his seat. He could feel sweat bead drip from his forehead, he adjusted his collar.

'What if your parents don't agree?' she asked straight.

'We will convince them, I am sure they will be open to reasoning.' Ahyan said, he sounded less confident this time. Mrs. Siddiqui seemed to have noticed as she raised her eyebrow at him.

Mahdia quickly tugged Mariam in the bed and slowly tip toed towards the living room. She leaned against the wall her ears pressed to the wall, she tried to listen to the conversation. She is worried as no sound is coming from inside.

'And even then, they don't agree?' Mrs. Siddiqui said, 'Will you leave them?' she asked

Ahyan didn't reply, he looked away. He shook his head little.

Mrs. Siddiqui nodded her head, 'I expected this from you. And I am impressed.' Ahyan is surprised and Mahdia is shocked.

He looked at her confused, Mrs. Siddiqui smiled, 'when a girl or a boy can run away with their lover not thinking once about their parents, the very parents who gave birth to them and raised them, then leaving the lover for him or her will be easy. If they can't be loyal to their own parents then what is the guarantee they will be loyal to their lover? Very few manage to stay loyal, like my son and his wife. Seeing the way, you love and respect your parents and value family, I am sure you will always love, respect and be loyal to my daughter.' Ahyan nodded, Mrs. Siddiqui sighed.

She spoke after a moment of silence, 'My son had a love marriage. He had eloped with the girl he loved. They got married, also had a child. But they were never happy. The guilt eating them up every day. And then one day, in one accident they died.' Ahyan inhaled sharply, he felt bad as he heard this. He noticed Mrs. Siddiqui's eyes moist. He lowered his head.

Mahdia felt bad herself, why is her mother talking about this?

'I don't want you and Mahdia to have the same fate as them. The loss of my son and daughter-in-law still depresses me. Now, I don't want to lose Mahdia.' A tear escaped her eyes. Ahyan stood up and kneeled in front of Mrs. Siddiqui, he held her hand, 'nothing will happen to Mahdia. I promise. I will convince my parents and everything will be okay.' Ahyan assured her. Mrs. Siddiqui smiled at him, she sighed and glanced at the photo frame.

'I wish I get my family back.' She smiled at the photo. Ahyan smiled looking at her.

Mrs. Siddiqui then stood up and walked towards the table, she picked up the frame.

'See, how everything was so perfect but then everything just...' Mrs. Siddiqui found her words melt in her mouth as more tears pricked her eyes.

Ahyan smiled sadly at her and then his gaze fell on the photo.

Ahyan shook his head, for a crazy moment he thought he saw his sister in that photo frame. Surely, he is seeing things, how can Sadaf be here. For some reason, he felt terrible thinking about Mrs. Siddiqui's loss. She turned around and went to get water from the table in front of the double sofa. Ahyan walked towards photo frame and picked it up. He looked closely at it and his heart leaped to his throat.

The woman sitting in the centre with a baby in her arms is Sadaf. Ahyan's heart began racing, his hand trembled. He looked closely at the man, he remembers him. 

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Ahyan is going to know a shattering truth :( Be ready for his heartbreak :(

How is Ahyan going to react? 

How was the Chapter, guys? Do tell your opinion in the comments....