Days turned into weeks, but the tension was still lingering in those families. Ayzal stopped interacting with everyone even her family, she shut down her phone, her mother always gave her food in her room because she never left her room, she didn't see her father in all these weeks as she started avoiding him.
On the other hand, maaz just stays in touch with his family when necessary except his father, everyday when he leaves for his office first he stopped in front of Ayzal house and waits for her, who knows when she needs to go to the office, his hopes never die, he always spends half an hour in front of her house without letting anyone know, just desperate of one glance but never succeeded.
°°°
After a month of loneliness longings, maaz walked inside his mansion with heavy steps and a tired look, he saw his family was sitting on the table while maids were arranging dinner, he went towards his room without a single word to freshen up, after a while he went out of his room wearing grey sweatpants and black t-shirt which was hugging his muscly chest. He sat down between his sister and mother, he saw everyone was eating except his mother, he looked at his mother who started serving him food and asked "why aren't you eating mom?" Rafia smiled and replied "I was just waiting for you" maaz silently nodded and felt slightly guilty about how he stopped interacting with his mother and family, even though they still care about them like usual, he sighed and made a bite and forwarded it towards his mother, Rafia who was serving herself looked at the bite and back at maaz and smiled knowing he is just feeling guilty, without hesitation she took the bite, as maaz started feeding her and himself as well, while jiya and Azaan was looking at the interaction with adoring eyes.
Maaz POV
After completing the dinner, I decided to sit down in the living room with my family, I sat down beside my sister jiya, we started sharing talks and gossip about our whole day, after a while everyone my parents left towards their room, I was about to stand up when jiya held my arm, I looked down at her and she spoke "I wanna talk to you" I can sense the seriousness lingering in her voice, I nodded and sat down again "what is it, baby sissy" I pulled her legs on the couch and spoke "it's about Ayzal" a ray of hope shine inside me as I spoke "she called? Or maybe texted you?" She bit her lower lip and shook my head as she continued "no no... She didn't" I joined my eyebrows in confusion and spoke "please be clear, now I'm feeling worried again jiya" she sighed and spoke "we all know that you asked for ayzal's hand right?" I nodded confusingly and said "yeah so?" And she continued "but I guess they are not clear about it... I mean, maybe you should ask for her hand more formally, that situation wasn't good enough to take your words seriously" I nodded and started understanding the depth of her words. I stayed silent for a few seconds before looking back at jiya and said "maybe I should tell dad that I'll ask for her hand soon, I know he'll be happy with it" jiya agreed with my words which made me feel more relaxed, I kissed her hair before standing up "goodnight baby sissy" I walked away as she spoke loudly but playfully "I'M NOT BABY ANYMORE!!!" I chuckled and shouted back while walking towards my "YES YOU ARE"
THE NEXT MORNING
AUTHOR POV
Maaz woke up earlier than usual, even though he couldn't get enough naps all night by the thought of asking for ayzal's hand, he wasn't sure if she'd agree or not, he got all ready for the day, and went downstairs he walked towards his father study before his mother stopped him "Morning maaz, breakfast is ready dear"maaz paused in mid way as he turned around and spoke "I need to talk to dad mom, I'll be back in a while" Rafia walked towards maaz and stopped him by holding his arm he moved his attention towards his mother and spoke "is it about you and Ayzal" maaz nodded as Rafia continue "I'm not interfering but as a mother I need to tell you, just think twice about making this decision it's about your whole life" maaz nodded understandingly her motherly concern, he gently pulled her in a hug and spoke "don't worry mom, I know what I'm doing" Rafia patted his cheek and maaz turned around back towards his father's study and walked forward, he knocked on the door, and walked inside as his father gave the permission, he entered and saw jiya was sitting on the chair with a small pout while his father was standing in front of her and it seems like he is trying to negotiate with her like she is a kid, maaz sighed and spoke "c'mon dad, you are spoiling her even more" they both moved their attention towards maaz as jiya spoke whinely "it's none of your concern, you are just jealous" maaz raised his eyebrow and spoke mockingly "me? Jealous of who? You? Not even in your dreams baby sissy" as he called her baby again she whined more and spoke to Azaan "dad!! Please ask him to stop calling me a baby, I'm a grown lady" Azaan chuckled and kissed jiya's forehead before giving and mocking serious look to maaz and spoke "don't you dare to tease my princess, you lil boy" maaz chuckled and walked towards them and spoke "okay okay, I get it you both are a good team" he paused and again continued with a more serious tone "leave it, dad actually I wanna talk to you about something... Really.. really important "Azaan sensed maaz seriousness and spoke "sure son" maaz sighed he looked towards jiya who was also looking at her, because she understood what he is gonna talk about, she gave him an encouraging nod, as maaz spoke to his father bluntly "I wanna ask for Ayzal's hand" Azaan nodded understandingly and spoke "but you already did son" maaz gaze down cast for a few seconds before he again looked at Azaan and spoke "but I don't think uncle Zayn took it seriously otherwise he had talked to you about it... Maybe I should ask for her hand more formally" Azaan hummed while thinking about maaz prescriptive, after a silence of a few seconds Azaan spoke "if you want then I can talk to Zayn" maaz beamed and chuckled hopefully as he spoke "really?... For real" Azaan nodded with a smile and spoke "of course my son" he paused and again continued with a playful tone "just hope he won't kick me out of his house because of that slap" jiya and maaz chuckled along with Azaan as jiya spoke "slap, curse, or even if you kill him he would never even think about kicking you out, no matter how his behaviour is towards Ayzal, but he always places you at his father's place" maaz nodded and spoke "yeah, I give that to uncle Zayn, he definitely treat you with so respect and honour and I'm sure he is at least not gonna kick you out" Azaan nodded with a knowing smile and spoke "do you both know why he respect me and trust me this much?" Jiya responded "because you are his elder brother" Azaan smiled and patted her head "it's correct sweetie but that's not the reason behind this much respect even after I slapped him in front of his family" maaz joined his eyebrows in confusion and spoke "then what's the actual reason dad?" A pained look across Azaan face as he looked down at the floor and spoke "your grandfather died in a plane crash when I was 9 and Zayn was 7 I guess, your grandfather's death give your grandma a deep depression that afterwards she gets diagnosed with leukemia, we spend every single penny just for the sake of our mother" maaz and jiya was looking at him silently with sympathy look, because they have never seen Azaan talking like that as Azaan continue "our father's business also ended because there was no one to take care of the business, and one by one we lost our everything even our parents, our mother fights with leukima for many years but she also lose the battle and leave me and zayn alone and at that time I was 17 and Zayn was 15" Azaan stopped with a deep sigh as Ayzal asked in a low but sympathetic gentle voice "then how did you take care of yourself and uncle Zayn" Azaan looked at jiya, his eyes were glittering with painful tears as Azaan spoke "I started working as a waitress, for myself and for my brother" maaz who was standing silently beside his father, he couldn't help and suddenly hugged his father tightly, jiya also stood up and hugged his father and brother tightly, Azaan smiled and hugged his both children back, they were in the middle of the moment when the study door swung open and they heard Rafia's playful voice "ouch!! I'm feeling like a stranger now, you all are having family moments without me" everyone chucked as maaz opened his arm for his mother, Rafia slipped in her son's embrace and they all hugged each other together.
"Even if the world turns cold, family remains the fire that remembers your warmth."
Love you honeybees
Maybe I'm gonna change the cover of the book on wattpad and inkitt but not on webnovel because of some issues in it.