(Chapter 1 contnd)
With great efforts he opened his eyes. "I have to beg her forgiveness...I know she will forgive me". He held on to the hope. "I can't let her go"! He remembered the promise he had made to himself. That had been few days ago. And yet it seemed like he had spent aeons without his lovely Zoya. His eyes fell on the earring he was clutching. It was one of the things that had gotten him through these rotten days. He had to find her. He rose up, brushing off the gritty sand which covered his clothes, stuck to his skin and had nestled in his hair making him look like an adventurer on a quest. I have to find her. He WAS on a quest. To find her. He started walking towards the horizon that was lined with what looked like a settlement. A pristine white structure stood out amongst all. It seemed like a dargah. He could use all the blessings and seeking Allah's intervention set off towards the dargah.
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CHAPTER 2
There were few people in the dargah. Some had come to pay respect. Some to express gratitude and some to have their duas qubooled. He found solace in this place.He had first laid eyes upon her in a place not very different from this one. She had looked both deeply melancholic and exquisite in the same moment.
He could almost she her now. Her beautiful face turned down and almond eyes staring into nothingness through the glistening tears that soaked her cheeks. Her dark duppatta seem to reflect her heavy set pensive mood. The ornate bridal jewellery completed the portrait making her seem to be a beautifully stroked painting. He could almost see her now through the intricate screen in the dargah that separated women's section.
He had wondered about her then. Why was she so distressed? Why was she alone? Why was she in a bridal attire. Why had she looked breathtakingly beautiful inspite of her miserable state. Yes. He could almost see her now. But wait. Something was amiss..
He didn't remember her wearing a white salwar kameez. Why did she seem different. Simple, unadorned. He was hurting so much. He was missing her so much he had started seeing her everywhere, every moment. He had to find her, he remembered.
With new found resolve he started out of dargah. Though his Zoya was a true blue New Yorker, she held deeply rooted spiritual beliefs. He knew she would look to find peace at a spiritual place. He had seen on her I-pad the open page where she must have looked for best ways to get Ajmer. He thought he would ask around. As he walked out his gaze turned down to the earring he held in his hand.
"Oh , I am so sorry ! I wasn't looking where I was going", he said. He realized , he was so pre-occupied with looking for Zoya, he bumped into some on the steps of the dargah making the person lose her balance. As he held her arm to help steady her, he met her eyes. Allah! His whole world stood still in that moment.
Standing before him, on the steps of this beautiful dargah, was Zoya Farooqi! Zoya, his Zoya, stood there with a million questions, broken heart and total defeat in her eyes. " aap? " was all he could ask. She started to turn around and leave. Asad held her wrist and as she turned around begged and pleaded her with every thread of his being without uttering a word...just through his eyes. " Your eyes speak volumes, Mr. Khan" she had said on that magical night before nikaah. He hoped from the bottom of his heart that today his eyes would tell her how much he loved her. How she had come to mean more than anything or anyone in this world. How he had come to think of her as his soulmate. But most of all he hoped his eyes would convey insurmountable regret he felt at having caused her so much pain and hurt.
Zoya stood there on the steps of that dargah looking into eyes of the person she had come to love the most. These eyes that spoke volumes also belonged to the person who had hurt her the most. She tried to read them out of habit.
"Ab aap kya kehna chahenge, Mr. Khan.?Truly is there anything left to say?", she thought. She continued to try to decipher what they said.
" Forgive me. Give me a chance to tell you how my world has come crashing down since that fateful night. How I can't imagine being without you. How much I...how much I...love...you. I love you, Zoya. Truly, deeply and completely. Forgive me, My one true love".
There was all engulfing silence. Everything and everyone but the two of them ceased to exist in that moment. Yes, his eye spoke volume, Zoya thought. Inspite of all the mistrust, pain and hurt he had showered her with. She knew Mr. Khan, perhaps better than anyone. She knew he was being true in that moment. Her heart seem to whisper to her that beautiful evening on the steps of the dargah " Forgive him, Zoya, cause he is your one true Love".
P.S: hope you all like it. Sorry i am not very savvy with PMs.
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