Chapter 3
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[MEMBERSONLY]
Strings, Tying Us Together
Banner Credits- Raz 
Chapter Three
Zoya took the papers, from the wooden box in her hands and started gazing the moon reminding the day when she was reading these letters first, the last letters of her Abeeda Khala, Zeenat's virtual mother and her khala, which she found in her belongings, when they were leaving for India, for the process of funeral as it was her wish to grave her in Bhopal, her native place. Zoya's turmoil was obligating her to recalling the words wrote in letters again and again; however she has read them umpteenth times before, which were already stored in her mind and soul. Her eyes were staring at the moon asking why it did happen and recalled the words of letter.
My Dear Zoya,
I know you will get my letters after my death and it would be my last letter.
Ek ma ke dil main jate waqt sirf ek hi arzoo hoti hai, Ke uske bacche humesha Khush rahe, sath rahe. And I know my both daughters will also fulfill my wish and I am proud to be a mother of two beautiful daughters.
I know Zoya, you have loads of question in your mind, which I have never discussed with you, the questions about your identity which you asked me at the age of 6 and lied that your parents were no more in a fire accident. Main humesha tumhe tumhari haqeeqat se juda rakhna chhati thi, par haqeeqat to ye hai key hum haqeeqat par jyada waqt tak parda nahin dal sakte, and I realized it when doctor declared that I was in the last stage of tumor. Shayad Khuda ne mujhe tumse jhoot bolne ki saza di us bacchi se jhooth bolne ki jisne mujhe sabse pyar kiya, or dekho aj mein is haqeeqat se waqif hoon, that I have to leave soon. Par jhooth bolne ke ilawa I didn't have any way.
But today, I am going to tell you as much as I know about you, I am leaving this letter for you, kyuki ye tumhara haq hai ke tum apni haqqeqat jano. I don't know how you would react after knowing this, but please engulf all your courage and read.
21 years ago, we were settled in Indore, I always thought that I have only one daughter, Zeenat, but Allah proved me wrong and the destiny played its cards. Zeenat's Abbu died in an accident and I came to Bhopal with her. I was back in Bhopal after whole 7 years and I was unaware about the happenings after my departure.
Your mother and my best friend Zainab met me after a long time; we were not in the contact with each other in these 7 years, but she never shared anything about her personal life, about your father, only she gave me her address. Next day Zainab came to my house to leave you for some time and took a promise from me that I will only give you to her, only her. She told me that she will pick you up after an hour, and I took you from her lap, you were a bundle of joy and I was pleased to have you in my house.
Hours passed and the whole night passed but she didn't come, I became worried and visited the address she gave to me. When I reached there, what I saw was that the whole house has caught the fire. Fire brigade was quenching the fire. I was numb when one of the spectators told me that the landlady, Zainab died in a cylinder blast.
Firstly, I was in shock of Zainab's death but my anxiety increased even more when I realized that I had her remembrance with me, you. She left you with me and now you were my responsibility. I searched for your father everywhere as your mother had not discussed anything about your father with me. I found for the place where Zainab used to live in our college time, her ancestral house, but the watchman told me that your Nana jaan has died and in his knowledge there was no one related to Zainab. I fired a complaint in police station, I requested Maulvi sahib to announce about you after each Namaaj, I searched for your father everywhere and what I had was disappointment.
After the efforts of whole year, one day Maulvi Sahib told me that possibly only Zainab was your family. And may be Allah has weaved this strings to bless me with another daughter and finally I accepted you as my own daughter, I thought that Allah, Allah has sent you for me, you became my life and Zeenat's younger sister. Sach kahu to shayad Khudgarz ho gayi thi main.
And when you asked me about your parents, I-I lied, that they were no more. Kyuki main uss choti si bacchi se uski poori zindagi sirf islie nahi cheen sakti thi kyumki"kyunki main uske Abbu ko nahi dhundh payi.
Tumhari Ammi se wada kiya tha mene, Jab tak wo-wo khud use lene nahi ayegi, apni jaan se bhi jyada sambhal kar rakhungi tumhe. Aur aj jab jaan Ja rahi hai to tumhe tumhare bare mein wo bata rahi hu, jitna mein janti hu.
I don't know, would you forgive me or not. But the mistake I commited 21 years ago please...please mera baccha rectify that. Jao jake dhundho apni pehchan. Who knows that God may have decided something better than this life for you. Khud ko paheli mat banne dena. Aur ho sake to apni Khala, apni gunhagar ko maaf kar dena.
God bless you my child! May Allah help you to find your reality, your identity and give you the best, because you deserve it.
Your Abeeda Khala
She came to reality when the papers started blowing from her lap in the storm; she quickly collected them and clutched them tightly near her heart, when a teardrop rolled down from her eyes.
*******
Asad came near to the large size photo frame and intertwined his hand behind his back to control himself. His mind and heart were on the battle so he decided to solve his query to share it with the person in the photo frame.
The astonished Asad asked thoughtfully, "three years, on today's date I lost you. All say that you are no more, but I know that you are here, here in my heart. You are alive and till my last breath you will be alive."
He gulped down the fresh loath formed in her throat and being amazed he continued, "but I didn't knew that...that you must be alive .. alive like that"
The tears started swimming in his eyes but he didn't stop, "I-I lost you in my own hands, but why did my heart forced me to -to follow her ...why did I thought that she was familiar---why did I thought that she was YOU! Why?"
"I have never thought... that you must be alive in some one else's face. You know what...Kabhi kabhi lagta hai ke wo tum thi...but kabhi lagta hai...wo tumhare jesi thi.", he continued saying in confusion but suddenly his eyes started folowing the path of memories of the morning, "Uski ankhe ..uska chehra bilkul tumhare jesa. Sab kuch ju-just like you. But I was wrong she was'nt you. How could she. And when we met I realized that she was'nt you. She can never be. Uski batein wo tum ho hi nahi sakti. Tum to kya wo tumhare jesi bhi nahi!", he concluded at the end.
And then his image fell on the glass of photo frame when the person in the photo skimmed out.
It seemed that
she was Zoya but she was'nt, this was concluded by Asad an in tears he caressed
her portait and whispered, "Khuda ney use tumhari Shaql se Nawaaza hai, par
uski battein , ...nahi wo meri Aseemah jesi kabhi ho hi nahi sakti.", he
declared in vanity.He frowned his brows and again amazed, "Ammi believes in coincidents. Wo kehti hai ke ittefaq hota hai. But what was that, I saw her whose face was just like you, wo bhi aj jab"jab m-mene tumhe"", he stopped in between and shooking his head in denial he took his feet back and said wiping his tears roughly with the back of palm in a sternly,"Aseemah! Aseemah means protector. You have always been my protector then how--how can y-you l-leave in between alone, so alone. I will n-never fo-forgive you f-for this.", he pressed his lips and while closing his eyes he whispered in a soft loving tone, "But I can't forget you too. Tumhi bolo what should I do, without you. Tell me!!", the tears started flowing from his eyes when he frozen there when he himself stated, "But how could I blame you, because I was the reason behind this. Just because of me, you left me. Only because of me,"and he punched his fist in the mirror near him.
The blood started pouring from his hand and in the single stroke the whole fist covered with blood and the entire floor stained with the blood but he didn't
**********
Zoya cried and cried clutching the papers, the last letter of her Khala and expressed her emotions in tears, "You are not my culprit Khala. You were the one who gave me life and protection. I can never see you as culprit. Never!!"
She gulped the fresh lump and sobbed, "I want to know who I am, I want to fulfill your last wish, but Appi..Appi is so worried. Wo kehti hai that she doesn't want to loose me because I am her Zoya, her life", she closed her eyes and requested to Abeeda looking at sky as she was there to see her, "Please Khala do something. Api ko mana lijie na!!", saying this she rested her head on the wall chanting the same line, Aapi ko mana lijie na and engulfed the sleep.
********
The clouds were showering the water in the night which took the broken Asad into the drift of remembrances.
Asad (while connecting phone call): Come on Come on get up the phone Aseemah!
His lips curved into a big smile when she took it.
Aseemah(Whispering): What are you doing Asad, kitney baar bola hai mene that I will call you on, what if someone else picked it up.
Asad: Toh! Come-on yar. Asad Ahmed Khan ki girlfriend hokar itna darti ho tum? Madam college me ijjat hai humari.
Aseemah: Asad! Come to the point.
Asad(in a flirty tone): Arey wah! Matlab tum taiyar ho?
Aseemah: For what?
Asad: Haw! Shameless girl. You want to listen it.
Aseemah(yelled in low tone): Stop it Asad!! Otherwise I will disconnect the call.
Asad: Accha Dadi Ma suno. There is good news. Tomorrow Ammi is coming to your home to discuss about our---
Aseemah(excitedly): Our marriage?
Asad: Umm! Yes.
Aseemah: Wow Asad I am so happy.
Asad: Me too. That's why I want to meet you tonight.
Aseemah: No Asad. I know abbu is not in the town today. But Waqar chachu is here. Abbu ne strictly kaha hai, jaha bhi mujhe jana ho Waqar chachu ke sath hi jau.
Asad: Arey yar ye sasurji bhi na! Come on Jaan. Stop behaving like a stupid daughter of saas-bahu serials. Have some fun in life. Wait I'll be there to pick you up.
Aseemah: No ways Asad! Waqqar chachu ke samne mat---
Asad: Accha Accha okie. I will be waiting for you on the square, near your Bunglow. Okie.
Aseemah: Bu--
Asad: No ifs and buts. Mene tumhari ek baat mani hai na now this is your time, or Agar tum nahi ayyi toh I will be there. And mind it.
Asad disconnected the call.
It was a beautiful night the stars were shining and the moon was on its glory, when Asad and Aseemah decided to spend some Alone time. Aseemah left her home, climbing the wall of backyard, hiding from Waqqar Chachu, who was appointed as her bodyguard by her father.
They both came on the crossing in opposite direction, Asad indicated her to cross the road which was chocked by traffic. She was unable to cross the road so Asad crossed the road till the square circle and got jammed due to traffic. She indicated him that she will cross it easily and when she crossed it suddenly a car came to her side and crashed her like a feather. She was lying on the muddy road all drenched with blood, even water was not able to vanish it.
Asad rooted there and the only word he yelled, "Aseemah!!"
********
The roar of clouds took him into the reality with a jolt and all he could scream, "Aseemah!!"
The tear droplets rolled down from his eyes to cheek and then destined to the floor and his fist was still bleeding.He stammered with guilt, "I killed you. I forced you to c-come there. I -I am the responsible of your death and I cannot forgive me for -", he himself cut in between and exclaimed, "Aseemah! The protector. See how unfortunate I am, that I became the reason for my protector's, my love's, my life's death. I am your culprit.", he knelt down and cried, God knows how long.
**********
A/N: Okie Guys! So this is it for this chapter now. To be honest I am still unsure whether I made for writing or not. So I need your feedbacks and likes. Please I again request you that If you find any mistake then please specify it. I really need to know about your views.
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