Chapter 10
It was not only the hearts beats of the people that surrounded her that stopped beating but also the heart of the man who stood by the door. 'Zoya' Dilshad managed to whisper as her eyes quickly filled up 'Princess have you lost it...do you know what you are saying' Zoya looked at Haider with a raised eyebrow 'you of all people are questioning my decision...' 'Zoya...beta...what are you saying...how can...Rashid say something please'.
Rashid looked at Zoya and as much as it upset him he understood where she was coming from 'Zoya...are you sure this is what you want beta...please think it through properly...it is not a decision to be taken lightly' as Rashid spoke Asad looked at him wide eyed as did Najma and Dilshad.
'Rashid...how is this even an option or choice...what are you saying to her there is nothing to think about' Rashid walked up to Zoya and took her in his hold 'Dilshad what she has asked for may hurt us deeply but it is not wrong, she has lived the past five or six years on her own, she is no way, shape or form married, it was a marriage of convenience, a marriage that took place when she was barely adult enough...her name is joined to his by paper only, they have no relationship, they have no connection so why shouldn't she ask for this'.
Zoya's eyes started to shed tears as she wiped them she looked up to find Asad standing there looking directly at her. She had never seen him look as he did now. His face, his eyes mirrored what she looked like the day he left her, he looked broken. 'Asad' she whispered without realising, Rashid, Dilshad and Haider all turned around to find him standing by the door. Asad slowly walked towards them 'not that you care but the answer is no...I will not give her what she has asked for...not now not ever...' Asad's eyes started to harden as he turned towards her, he took a few measured steps and stood a few feet away 'you want freedom...it's yours...but before then you will have to see me breath my last breath... I would rather die Zoya...I will do anything but I won't give you a divorce...did you hear me...mein Talaq nahi doon gha'.
Asad voice echoed around the room, his words swamped Zoya's entire being 'I would rather die...mein Talaq nahi doon gha...' Zoya held on to her stomach that churned excruciatingly. Asad walked off leaving a deadly silence behind him. For the first time Haider saw something in Asad that made him feel differently, as much as he loved Zoya and was on her side even he felt strange at her request, maybe it was because deep down he thought that maybe one day they would come together
Haider left Zoya in the capable hands of her parents as he chased after Asad.
'What the hell do you want Haider...if you have come to gloat then you can leave' 'No...I haven't...' Haider walked further into his room 'why?' he asked. Asad looked at him 'Why what?' why won't you let her go, be free...uncle was right it's not like you are a married couple, you hate each other so why would you want to keep something you resented from the very beginning?'
Asad stood still as Haider questioned him the more he thought about what he was saying and asking the more confused he seemed to become 'why Asad...is it about control...do you still have some vengeance or hate that you need to vent out on her...don't you think she has suffered enough...you, your parents...everyone around you is suffering isn't it time to let go?'
'Hate...I don't Hate her Haider...I don't...look this is none of your business please leave' he said as he started to become more irate with his own thoughts 'that's where you are mistaken my friend Princess is my business, she is my sister so everything that happens to her is linked to me' 'What do you want me to say to you Haider' 'how about the truth...if you can't be truthful to me then at least be truthful to yourself Asad...there is a very fine thread that is holding you and Zoya together and trust me one more pull and its gone, she is gone...so whatever it is that is going on in that head of yours...come out with it'.
Haider left his room not knowing if what he had done and said was right or wrong, all he did know was that Zoya's happiness meant the world to him and he knew that despite everything her happiness was with him.
As much as Haider had asked him to be truthful and come out with whatever was going on in his head he couldn't, he didn't know or understand himself. At this moment in time all he knew was that he was sorry for hurting her, yes she was his wife on paper but he didn't know what that meant. Did he feel sorry for her, did he feel compassion or was it that he was trying to build a bridge that lead to becoming mutual friends, no one knew, not even him.
The whole family walked around in a house that felt empty, the atmosphere was enough to suffocate anyone and there was very little anyone could do about it. Asad came down the next morning to find his parents sitting silence, he looked at his watch then around the living room 'she is not here' came Dilshad's broken voice 'not here' 'no, your Abu thought it would be best if she went to stay with Haider and Humera for a few days' Rashid closed his eyes as the annoyance in his wife's voice was evident 'Dilshad...you...' 'No Rashid...not this time, this time I am with him. How can you forget he is your son too. I know what he did was wrong and to a greater extent unforgivable but regardless with time we could have mended things, we could have helped them overcome their distances and sort things out...I love Zoya more than anything and I have seen her suffer...if I am saying this it's because I don't want this to continue...look at us we have all distanced ourselves, we are no longer that happy family we used to be...I want my family back Rashid, I want my children to be happy and to be together' Dilshad broke down and as she did Asad went to her side and held her in his hold 'I promise you Ammi you will have your family...your children will be together...I promise'.
'Asad be careful of what you promise beta...what you want will never happen and I will never force or compel my daughter to do anything she doesn't want to do' Asad let go of Dilshad and walked towards his Abu 'one chance is all I ask for Abu...I want you to let me fight this fight on my own...I want a fair fight a fair chance of putting things right...Abu please have a little faith in me...believe that I can do this' Rashid couldn't help chuckle 'you really think I can't...ok fine...you promise me that you won't interfere...no taking sides or helping her in anyway and I promise you Abu that by Daddi's barsi I will have Zoya standing by my side holding my hand' Rashid raised his eyebrow 'Asad, that's 4 months away...are you not aiming a little too high, you can't rectify years of damage in 4 months' 'it's a challenge Abu...one that I will not back down from and one that I will not lose...I will have Zoya standing by my side on the day that brought us together 5 years ago and the very day that we lost the one person we were so close to'.
Dilshad smiled through her tears as she prayed silently to her Allah, she wanted this more than anything 'Bhaijaan' Najam called out in a low voice. In all of this she seemed to have been the only one who was suffering and bearing all the emotions in silence 'Bhaijaan...as much as I would love for this to happen...don't you think by living here...under the same roof will make it that much more difficult...I mean...' 'You are right Tamatar...maybe something I should have thought of earlier...Ammi...Abu I will move out...if I do this I need to do it from the outside in' 'Asad...no beta' 'Ammi please let me do this...I have made a promise, taken up a challenge and my time starts now'.
Asad picked up his bag and walked out leaving his family in array of emotions.
Later that evening Asad went home to pick up his belongings. As he walked past her room he stopped seeing her come out, Zoya looked at him and then at the suitcase he was holding in his hands 'I'm leaving Zoya...so you don't have to' he said pointing to the bag that she was also holding. Asad put his case down and turned to face her 'I may be leaving this house Zoya but I am not leaving you...I will not give what you have asked for...you don't want anything to do with me...that's fine, from now on our relationship remains with in the strict boundaries of two professionals...so I guess I will see you at work tomorrow'.
Asad walked off leaving Zoya still standing in her door way as soon as he walked out the front door Zoya turned around and closed her bedroom door behind her. She fell to the floor and clutched her stomach, instead of feeling relieved that he was finally gone she felt a strange pain take over, she didn't understand what was happening, she held on to the sides of her head that had started to throb 'stop it Zoya...just stop it' she kept chanting.
At home everything resumed as normal, it was as if Asad had never come back or even left again. As much as she tried to understand Dilshad and Rashid's reactions she couldn't.
It had been three days since he left and she hadn't seen him, which meant she was able to start getting back to her usual self but at the back of her head she still kept wondering where he was and why he wasn't here.
Zoya walked into Rashid's room to find him on the phone she wouldn't have known who it was if he hadn't mentioned his name, and when he did she almost felt like her heart skipped a beat 'Abu...' 'Zoya...come beta, that was Asad I have asked him to take charge of the Health Programme, so everything that comes under that he will lead on' 'th...the health programme...but...' 'I know you wanted to develop it but you are already busy with the Education one as well as the work you are doing with the orphanages...I felt it would be better that Asad take it under his wing...I hope that is ok?' Zoya put on a smile 'yeah...sure...after all its your decision Abu how can it not be ok...' 'Sorry beta...was there something you wanted?' 'Huh...oh yes...UNICEF and WHO (World Health Organisation) will be holding a set of conferences and workshops in Kuala Lumpur I have sent of our application and reserved a few seats...I just wanted to let you know...' 'that's great Zoya, I think it will be a great opportunity and experience for you...how many seats did you book?' 'four, will that be enough or shall I book more?' 'No...that is more than enough...if you give me the dates I will get my PA to book the hotel and make any other arrangements necessary'
Rashid felt like he was standing at a cross road, on one hand he wanted to support his son and help him win his challenge on the other he felt like he needed to stand with Zoya and let her take her own decisions and as bad as they would be he would accept them. Rashid knew that this was their fight and that it was only them who could resolve anything between them but for this one time he was going to put something in place, take a chance and see where it lead to. Rashid called his PA and asked her to make reservations for Zoya and Asad for the conference in Kuala Lumpur and then another reservation for him and Haider for two days later.
'4 months Asad...after which you will either have Zoya as your wife or you I will make you sign those divorce papers myself'.
Edited by Saima-Syed - 10 years ago
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