Hi Everyone,
I don't have words to express my feelings right now... You all have left me speechless with your love and support in this very difficult times that my family and I are going through. A heartfelt thank you to all of you for praying for us here. As I'd mentioned my mother in law is not going to get better so my personal problems are here to stay. The only relief being that my son goes back to school in the next 40 days, so I get a breather in the mornings and life will be less busy and I get to write regularly again, hopefully, so the updates will be a lil regular again 😊
I'm sorry to have not replied to your comments on the last update and also the wishes so many of you left behind. Sincere thanks for your wishes and apologies for my absence.
Here's the next chapter which goes out to each and everyone of you. Thank you for being the best lot of friends I could have ever had. Love you all loads, much more than I can ever express. Y'all are the best 🤗
Chapter 8
As the lunch finally got over, Zoya felt both relieved and a sense of loss. Relieved because she could ran far away from him and his intense glare that made her feel jittery. But she felt that same feeling of loss as she had 3 years ago. A longing, to hold him close to herself just one time did strange things to her. She knew he was looking at her but she couldn't muster enough courage to look at him. She knew her eyes would give away her true feelings, so she kept her eyes on his father and her boss. As they started walking out of the restaurant she found him fall back in step right behind her. She closed her eyes taking in a few deep breaths to calm herself down. As they approached the door she felt his strong arm stretch out over her shoulder holding the door open for her leaving her stomach in knots.
As the four of them walked towards the parking lot Mr Kapoor thanked them both for the lovely lunch. Both Rashid and Asad smiled back in acknowledgement. Zoya too thanked them for the lunch clearly avoiding any eye contact with Asad. Rashid who had been noticing everything since Asad had whispered her name knew that this was the girl his son had fallen in love with 3 years ago. Though he had been in a constant chatter with his friend he had kept his eyes on these two as well. Though he had not caught every word of their conversation, he had read their expressions well and knew that the two though were sitting face to face after so many years, there still was a lot of distance between them. He had seen how their eyes had love for each other but Zoya was trying to suppress her feelings whereas Asad had gone all out in letting his love show through his eyes.
As Mr. Kapoor and Zoya got into their car Rashid saw Asad step forward almost as if he would pull Zoya out. He could see the frustration building in his sons eyes. Rashid knew how desperately he had looked for Zoya and upon not finding her anywhere and with all the clues leading him to dead ends he had felt as if his world had crumbled. Rashid looked at Asad and could see his agony and his pain in his eyes. He saw Asad take a step closer to her window and immediately he held Asad by his arm. Asad looked back at his father with a look of bewilderment and tried pulling his arm away. But Rashid held it more firmly and then looking at Asad he shook his head telling him not to.
"But Abbu! She will go away, I need to clear things with her, I need to tell her all I have been through looking for her... I still have to tell her what I feel for her" " I know Asad but this is not the correct time to go after her" "But I just found her after so many years... After so many failed attempts... If I don't go now I will lose her again... Please let me go.." He said tugging at his arm that Rashid was still holding onto. "I know what you're feeling Asad and I know its difficult for you to see her go right now but believe me Asad, she's not going anywhere this time. I have observed a lot of things about her today which you will have to consider before you blindly follow her. She might just run away or turn away from your love if you don't think it all through".
As these words fell in his ears, Asad stopped immediately and looked at his father. "What do you mean Abbu?" "Beta I had been looking at the two of you all through out the lunch and I did notice how she avoided any prolonged eye contact with you. There is more to her story than we know and we need to find out everything before you make a move and tell her about your feelings". Asad looked longingly at the car that had started and was now a few yards away from him. Once again his heart dipped at the sight of Zoya going away from him. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath and sent a silent prayer up to the almighty "Please don't take her away again... Mein mar jaaonga. I won't be able to go through the same agony again Allah. Please don't take her away again". With that he opened his eyes to see her car turning in to the corner and disappear. He sighed and looked at his Abbu with hope in his eyes. Rashid patted his hand and pulled him along walking towards their car.
Through the remaining part of the day all Zoya could think of was how destiny had brought them face to face again and her heart ached remembering how his eyes shone on seeing her and how by the end of the meeting he had looked at her. His eyes expressing the pain he felt. Zoya closed her eyes but no matter how much she tried, the pain she felt within didn't ease. All felt futile in helping her overcome this pain and then she did what she had been for so many days, she turned to her Allah for help as she knew he would look after her now too, like he always had. "Allah! Please! Please take this pain away. Please don't make me go through the same pain again, please! Mein mar jaoongi if I have to endure all the heart ache again. Please Allah! Please!" She prayed, not realizing how her eyes were shedding her pain in the form of tears.
Her chain of thoughts was broken by the sound of approaching footsteps. Quickly wiping her tears Zoya looked up and found her now close friend Shipra walking towards her with a look of concern in her eyes. "Zoya! What's the matter? You're crying? Why are you crying?" She heard her ask in the most gentle voice. Zoya looked at her and another stray tear rolled out her eyes. Zoya shook her head in the negative and hid her face in her palms as soft soft sobs escaped her lips. Panic taking over her heart, Shipra was by her side immediately rubbing her back to calm her. "Stop scaring me Zoya. Please tell me what bothers you so much". On receiving no reply she kneeled before a sobbing Zoya and stroking her head said "Zoya please tell me. I know its something big or you would never cry the way you are". Zoya looked at her friend and wiping her tears looked at her laptop that was switched on and had Asad's photograph on it.
As Shipra saw it her eyes widened and she looked at Zoya in disbelief. The longing that she saw in Zoya's eyes pained her heart too. Cupping her face she forced Zoya to look at her. " Why are you doing this to yourself? Why do you keep hurting yourself like this. Why are you looking at his pictures if all they do is remind you of your loss and leave you in the state that you are? " Zoya shook her head gently and opened her mouth to say something but words failed her. She tried again but all that came out her mouth was his name causing her to choke on the air she had just taken in. Seeing her friend in such a condition infuriated Shipra to no end and out of frustration she extended her hand to shut the laptop down but Zoya quickly held on to her hand, stopping her. Zoya caressed his dimples on her laptop screen and said "I met him today". Her voice was barely a whisper but was loud enough for Shipra to hear, and as soon as the words escaped her lips she looked at Shipra and saw a look of horror settle in her eyes.
This was definitely the last thing Shipra was expecting. She looked at Zoya with disbelief and even before she could ask anything Zoya continued " The lunch meeting... That was with him and his father. Mr. Kapoor and Asad's father are old buddies...,...They met a few months ago and finally decided to do a project together... He was there too..." She trailed off as another set of tears rolled down her cheeks. Shipra placed her hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently said "I'm sorry! I really am sorry". Zoya looked at her friend and said "Don't be silly Shipra, it's not your fault, why are you apologizing? Its not like you knew". She whispered.
Shipra stood there looking at her and said what she had been telling Zoya all along." Zoya why don't you go meet him, tell him what you feel" her statement was cut short by Zoya "No! Its not possible. I cannot meet him, I cannot tell him what I feel for him. You know my limitations, you know I can't do this". "But Zoya things could be different, at least give it one chance." "No Shipra. Please..." She said with fresh tears forming in her eyes "You know I have Ammi to look after too. I can't leave her alone at this age. She needs me Shipra, more than I need Asad my Ammi needs me. If I go away too, who will take care of her? Its only the two of us looking after each other after Abbu. I have seen her breakdown completely after Abbu di... I can't see her go through the same again".
Shipra saw her lower her head and her shoulders shaking with her silent sobs. Immediately she took Zoya in her arms and hugged her tight trying to take away her pain. " Why is Allah doing this to me... With great difficulty I had pulled myself together and had started feeling a sense of normalcy in my life and now this. When will I get some peace? Its already so difficult for me to suppress my feelings and now this..." She trailed off letting her pain flow from her eyes. Shipra moved a step back and wiping her tears said "All will be OK Zoya. Have faith in him" "I do have faith in him but what are these circumstances he's throwing at me? How am I supposed to handle all this? And how will things be OK? If this project starts, how will I survive meeting him everyday, how will things be normal with him around me all the time? Do you have any idea how he looked at me all throughout the lunch? It was difficult for me to manage those few hours, how will I mange every single day him being around me, talking to me...looking at me the way he did today. There was so much expectation in his eyes... I would have crumpled under those eyes soon if the lunch hadn't gotten over".
Shipra knew what Zoya was saying was correct but deep down in her heart, all she wanted was for her friend to be happy in her life and that was something that would happen only if she was with Asad. At this point in time she didn't want to push Zoya or she would go back in her shell and become the same as the way she had joined this organization. Another advantage she had now was that Asad was back in her life, the way Zoya had described his reaction to her presence, she knew Asad was still deeply in love with her and knew sooner or later he will win her heart. She looked up and with moist eyes sent a silent prayer to the almighty to have some mercy on this couple who loved each other immensely, especially on Zoya as she had emerged a fighter and a winner in every circumstance that she had been through and most importantly had proved time and again that she was the best daughter anyone could have for she had sacrificed everything to keep her Ammi away from any humiliation, a daughter who had left her studies only so her Ammi could be away from the city that would only give her pain. She knew that Zoya deserved all the happiness.
P.S. Please hit the like button and please do leave behind your thoughts on the update. Trust me I read each and everyone of the comments that I get and appreciate the time you all spend in writing them.
Edited by ChocoBerry - 10 years ago
Cricket
Hindi TV Shows
Kumkum Bhagya
124