Hello Peeps,
Now where do I begin 😳...ummm ... Am truly overwhelmed with the response I am getting for this story 😳. I feel blessed to have you all as my buddies ❤️. I am so happy that you all took my request seriously and have given me the 75 like mark, rather taken it to 85 🥳. Thank you so much my lovelies. This one goes out to each and every one of you who has hit like on the previous chapter.
Love you all so so much 🤗. Now won't hold you all back. Happy Reading. Hope you all enjoy this one too. Look forward to your comments and feedback 😃
Chapter 5
As soon as he had got his Ammi's permission, Asad had started arranging for his tickets and accommodation in Bhopal. He couldn't wait to go and confess his feelings to Zoya he was literally counting days to leave for Bhopal. The earliest tickets that he got were for three days later. He was so excited that he had already packed his bags which had resulted in a lot of teasing from his parents. Asad too couldn't stop smiling at the thought of seeing her again. He was getting restless by the minute and all he wanted was for it to be time to leave.
Asad had been sitting just flipping channels looking at the time crawling at a snails pace. It was finally the day he would be leaving for Bhopal. He looked at his watch for the umpteenth time when he heard his mother call out to him " Baar baar ghari dekhne se time jaldi nahi beetega". He looked over his shoulder to see his Ammi walking up the stairs and smiling wide trying to suppress her laughter. He was just about to say something to her when his phone rang. He looked at the call and smiled seeing his father's name flashing on it. He picked up the phone smiling from ear to ear thinking it was another of his father's calls where he would pull his leg.
" Assalam o aleikum Abbu. Ab aap aur kya bolke mujhe tease karna chahtey hain?" What he heard next had the colour draining from his face. He felt his heart stop beating for a few seconds and then knocking wildly against his rib cage. He felt as if the earth under his feet shook with such intensity that he couldn't stand straight. Slumping onto the couch he asked "Where is he?" As soon as he got the answer he got off the phone and called out to Dilshaad who came running down the stairs hearing him.
Asad rushed to her and without any delay told her to grab her purse and whatever money she had in the house. Dilshaad looked at him in confusion and asked "What happened Asad, you are scaring me beta, is everything alright? Where are we going and why do we need the money?" Asad looked at her and with tears forming in his eyes said "Abbu... Abbu has been taken to the hospital. He complained of chest pain and so his pa rushed him to the hospital". Dilshaad's eyes widened with shock and the look of worry on her face deepened. She held Asad's hands in hers and asked "Is everything else OK?" "I don't know Ammi, let's hurry".
In no time they were outside Rashid's room awaiting the doctor to come out. As soon as he was out he looked at the worried faces of Asad and Dilshaad and smiled " There's nothing to worry about now. It was mild angina pain. I have done an ECG too and all is OK, but only for the time being". He saw the color drain from the two faces in front of him. He placed his hand on Asad's shoulder and continued "If he doesn't look after himself he can land himself in deep trouble. He needs to be careful that he doesn't stress himself. He needs to take complete rest for the next 15 days. He needs to be on a light diet as he is overweight which can affect his heart in the long run". The doctor smiled warmly at them and made his way towards his cabin.
As Dilshaad was about to enter the room, Asad stopped her telling her that he was heading to meet the doctor as he had one more question to ask him. Dilshaad nodded in agreement and pushing the door entered the room to see Rashid laying on the bed looking back at her. Sitting on the stool next to the bed she held his hand " Rashid! Are you OK now? How are you feeling? " she almost choked. Rashid squeezed her hand and nodded his head in a yes "Yes Dilshaad. I am OK. Didn't the doctor say the same". " Yes he did, but you scared me so much" she said with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Mein bhi darr gaya tha. But look alls well now so please stop crying Dilshaad, am OK".
Dilshaad looked at him in disbelief and said " OK. You call this OK? Just look at yourself ". She said pointing at him from head to toe. "The doctor has given strict instructions for you to be on bed for the next 15 days and has even said you need to go on a diet. So now forget all the late nights at office and all your favorite foods. I will chalk out a diet and an exercise plan for you, to help you reduce the excess weight".
Dilshaad had just finished talking when Asad walked in. He looked at Rashid with moist eyes and asked him what Dilshaad had just asked. " Yes I am OK beta. Why are you two worrying so much. Asad has the doctor allowed me to be discharged?" Asad's mouth opened in shock "Abbu! No you are not getting discharged before tomorrow. And you are asking us why are we getting worried?" Asad moved forward and stood on the other side of the bed. Taking his father's hand in his own he continued "Agar aapko kuch ho jaata toh Ammi aur mera kya hota? You are being very careless about your health Abbu, from this very minute you will follow every instruction that the doctor has given and what Ammi plans for you. Now none of your stubbornness will be entertained". Rashid sighed dramatically realizing that there was no escaping the orders that his son and wife had issued.
From that minute onward both Dilshaad and Asad had been by Rashid's side, not leaving him for even a minute. After a few hours Dilshaad's head shot up to see the time and then at Asad who was sitting reading a magazine. She looked at the clock again and then back at him and then whisper shouted his name " Asad!" As Asad heard his Ammi's voice he looked up at her and saw her eyes wide. With fear gripping his heart he got up in an instance and was at his Abbu's side looking at the monitors. He looked back at his Ammi questioning with his eyes what the matter was.
She looked at the clock and then at him. Pointing a finger in the direction of the clock she signaled for him to look at the time. As soon as he understood what his Ammi wanted to say his face fell. He looked at his Ammi with sadness in his eyes and turned around to sit back on the couch. Dilshaad didn't understand Asad's reaction so said out loud "Asad its way past your flight time, what are you doing? Did you forget you had to leave?"
Asad looked at her surprised. "No I hadn't". " Then why didn't you go beta?" Asad was shocked at his mothers question, he couldn't understand how she was ready to let him go when both she and his Abbu needed him here. "What made you think I would have gone leaving you both alone in such a critical situation?"
"But beta the doctor had already said all was OK, and we were already in the hospital, you should have gone. You had been waiting to go and confess your love. Was that not important?"
Dilshaad saw sadness in his eyes when he spoke next "That is important too Ammi, but that can wait a little longer. As a son I cannot leave you both alone like this. As soon as these 15 days are up, I will leave for Bhopal. Am sure Zoya kahin nahi jayegi". He said winking at his Ammi in an attempt to lighten the mood. No matter what he did or what he said, Dilshaad could see the sadness in his eyes. She too felt bad for her son and this gesture had impacted her deep down. In her heart she had then decided that no matter who this girl was, no matter what her family background no matter where she came from and no matter what she looked like, for her sons happiness she will accept Zoya with open arms.
Zoya had been trying to make sense of all that she was being told. All she did was look from one to the other. She couldn't believe the information that she was being given. After the most agonizing 5 hours of her life, Zoya escorted the visitors out the door. She came and slumped down on the couch. Closing her eyes she wondered what ill had they done that this is what they were being punished with. She opened her eyes and sat there staring at nothing, but her mind working in overdrive trying to make sense of everything, trying to find a way out of all these problems. Feeling absolutely helpless she sighed and got up to go to her room when she saw her Ammi standing in the doorway.
She could see the fear, uncertainty and questions in her Ammi's eyes. Trying to find answers herself, she walked up to her and said "All will be OK soon Ammi. Mein hoon naa! I will make everything alright". "But Zoya, what all they said, it means we have nothing left! Nothing?" "That doesn't matter Ammi, we have each other and that is what will help us sail through this difficult time too". " But what will we do? With nothing in hand, with your course still remaining, with not even a place to live what are we going to do?"
As much as she was trying to put up a brave front for her Ammi's sake, these were the same questions she had been asking herself a few minutes ago. Zoya looked at the helplessness in her mother's eyes and knew she herself looked no better. She took her mother in an embrace and rubbed her back in an attempt to help her relax. "Sab theek ho jayega Ammi... I will work something out. Don't worry". " How Zoya? How? Its all over beta, all over". Benazeer said with tears forming in her eyes. She looked at Zoya and caressing her face she said "What dreams we had for you and what has life thrown at us? I really am so sorry beta, it all seems like a nightmare. Just 2 days ago, all had looked so normal, but your Abbu leaving us has shattered every dream we ever had. I am so sorry beta, so sorry. Only Allah knows what he has planned for you, whatever planning your Abbu and I had done seems to have been overwritten by HIM". She said pointing upwards.
Zoya held her Ammi in a tight hug letting her shed her pain in the form of tears. Zoya too couldn't stop her tears from spilling out of her eyes. Though she was being strong for her Ammi she too had the same questions from life and from the almighty.
The next couple of days, Zoya tried to pull together her Ammi and herself. There wasn't much left of their life but she still had hope of coming out of all this mess. A week later Zoya was left with no other option but to move on with her Ammi. Packing what little she could call her own, Zoya zipped up the small bag and moved towards her Ammi's room. She saw her Ammi sitting on her mat with her hands spread out in dua. She stood there looking at her Ammi praying silently and the tears rolling down her cheeks. As Benazeer finished her prayer she opened her eyes and looked at Zoya. Sharing a knowing smile the mother daughter walked towards each other and held hands. They walked from one room to the other reminiscing the happy days that they had spent in every room. Walking out to the lounge, they looked from corner to corner reliving every minute that had been spent in that room. They both walked up to the chair that Gaffur always sat on and caressed it for the last time.
They heard a knock at the door and turned around to see that the lawyer had arrived to see that the house had been emptied. He looked at them apologetically and then walked out the door. Understanding his subtle reminder, Zoya looked towards Benazeer who was still standing by the chair, holding onto it and crying. Zoya walked up to her Ammi and placing a hand over her shoulder said "Ammi, let's go". Benazeer looked at her and shook her head in the negative. With tears streaming down her cheeks she said " I don't want to leave this house Zoya, this is our home beta, a home that your Abbu built for me and you. I don't want to leave it. I don't want to go anywhere else " Zoya couldn't hold on to her tears anymore and hugging her Ammi she too cried for their loss. She tried consoling her as much as she could and after a long time both mother and daughter walked out the door.
Wiping each others tears they looked back at the bungalow that was once their home. They walked out to the main road and hired a taxi to take them to the railway station. Boarding the train to go back to where Benazeer had originally come from, Delhi, a city where she still had relatives who would help them put their life together again. Both had mixed and different feelings about that city. Where Benazeer felt a sense of relief wash over her to be returning among her own people after so many years, Zoya felt restless as the place reminded her of Asad. Though she knew it was childish to be feeling like that, she couldn't help her heart racing at the thought of running into him at the next corner. She shook her head at her own thoughts. She knew it was a big city and her chances of meeting him again were next to impossible, but her heart kept weaving these small dreams again and again.
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