AsYa FF: Only in the darkness can you see the stars THREAD #1 - Page 33

hey no stress
concentrate on ur studies and family
take care

No probs dear..tk ur tym..

no problem

A/N: Hi guys! Please read this note! 😊

Thank you so much for understanding my MIA situation. I have been so busy and drowning in work that I thought I was going to lose my mind.

I have FINALLY submitted my research experiment report. God! I have never had such a draining project before. I still have exams in the next few weeks, but I feel so much lighter!

The next couple of updates may take some days in between...but nothing too long. I promise!

This chapter is not too long, but an important one. I hope you like it!

Chapter 9: Fix you

It was two days after Anwar's call that his concerns were founded. Over their conversation, he had been hinting at something about how her mother may try to reach out to her. And sure she did.

It was only Asad, Zoya and Najma who were home that particular day. Asad and Zoya had been in their respective rooms and Najma had been sitting in the living room, looking over her final submission of the project work from the recent university field trip, when the door bell of the house rang. Najma had skipped over to the door and opened it. There was a delivery man standing outside.

"Good morning, Ma'am. I have a delivery for a Miss. Zoya Farooqui. Does she live here? I need her to sign and receiver her package." the delivery guy was holding a clip board and a sturdy looking parcel.

Najma nodded at him and hollered on top of her voice for Zoya. Hearing Najma yell, Zoya came rushing out. Najma's octaves had the delivery guy wince and cover his ears.

"Allah Miyan what's wrong with you Tamatar? You almost turned me deaf! You have some lungs on you! I think everyone in the vicinity heard my name" she laughed at Najma.

Najma rolled her eyes. "There is a parcel for you. It says international'. I think it might be from your home!"

Zoya frowned at that but signed the thing and accepted the delivery. Najma went back to her work and Zoya took the parcel to her room. Who would send her something? Anwar or Zeenat? But they would have mentioned it to her.

Very curious, she looked at the return address. Her eyes widened at the address, hands shook and breathing labored. It was her parents' Yorkville address in New York. How did they know where she was? And that too exactly where in India! Here? Oh God! She tried to control her panicky breathing and repeated told herself that she was an adult now and no one could hurt her. Yes Zoya, just breathe deeply and relax.

After a few moments, she relaxed a little and opened the parcel in her hands. There was an intricately carved wooden box inside the parcel and a letter taped on top of the box. The envelope of the letter had the words "Read this first" written on it, so she proceeded to untie it from the box and opened it first.

With shaking hands, she brought the letter close to her and began to read.

Zoya,

I wanted to start this letter with writing "My Dearest Zoya" and addressing you, but I am not sure whether or not I still have the right to do that. I know that have let you down in more ways than possible for a mother to do. I can never apologize enough for my actions.

You were my pride, meri bacchi! My biggest accomplishment in life! But I forgot that my responsibilities went far ahead than just giving birth to do. I realized, too late, that carrying you and giving birth was perhaps the easiest part of being a mother. I failed you where it all mattered.

You were the best daughter a mother could ask for. Such a sweet and happy baby and so loving, but it was me who did not live up to the expectations of what a mother is supposed to do. I could not protect you from the dangers that you should have never been even exposed to, I could not provide for you and neither could I be honest with you. Protecting you from the dangers should never have been the case, had I not brought you into that horrible life. I failed you, again.

I have always been a vain person, Zoya and that is my biggest weakness. There were many times when I thought that I would tell you the truth of your life, but I couldn't ever gather enough courage to do it. The thought of you resenting me forever would always make be back down. And look at the irony! I have still managed to make you hate me for the rest of your life.

I know that you found that letter. After all those failed attempts at telling you know the truth over the years, I thought of letting you know the truth without having to tell you myself. Coward, that's what I am. I had been leaving that letter on the table for many days, knowing that you would one day come when we were not at home and hoped that you will see it. And then, you did.

That letter holds the biggest truth of our lives, Zoya. You are Zoya Siddiqui; Ghafoor Siddiqui's daughter.

I can never ask you to do it, but please try to forgive your Ammi. I have always loved you, maybe in my own twisted and selfish way. But I was never strong enough to protect you. I am so sorry, my darling.

I always thought that Aashif would accept you; he had promised me as such. He wanted a child of his own and we tried for so long, but after we realized that we could not have more children, he changed. I was so deep in my own misery of not being able to have more children that I failed to protect the one that Allah had blessed me with and I overlooked how he treated you those early months. And then it was too late and I was too much of a coward. I will forever regret that.

I know that I can never a part of your life, but I do want to give you some semblance of the life you should have had all along. I am enclosing some information about your father that I hope may be helpful to you. I do not have his address or direct contacts but I do have this box. It's for you, from your father. I hope you realize that he loved you, all along.

Please call me, I know that you have questions and I have answers that go beyond this one letter.

Forgive me,

Your Ammi

Zoya was numb and stared at the letter for many long minutes; her vision got blurry with the tears in her eyes and fell on the paper. She did not realize when she started crying hysterically. The loud sobs that erupted from her were out of her control. She slumped on the floor with the letter cradled to her chest. Years of neglect and loneliness were finally catching up with those words inked on a page.

Her loud cries held so much pain and anguish and it caused Asad and Najma to come barging in her room. They saw Zoya on the floor, crying helplessly. Asad rushed towards Zoya and asked Najma to fetch water. He gathered her in his arms without a second thought and tried to comfort her.

"Zoya? What happened? Are you hurt? Shhh. Tell me. What happened?" his heart seizing in his chest at the possibilities of anything happening to her. His hold tightened on her.

She clung to Asad seeking the comfort that she craved and sobbed against his chest and could not form coherent sentences. Words like "abbu" "lies" escaped her mouth.

Najma returned with a glass of water and Asad made Zoya drink it and gather herself a little. She continued to cling to Asad but after several long, heartbreaking minutes, Zoya could feel herself once again. She was still crying but the desperate sobs and writhing had relented, but the pain still clawed - strong and persistent.

As she hiccupped a little, Asad pushed her damp hair away from her face and very gently wiped her tear-stained cheeks. He cradled her face in his big palms and reassured her with his eyes. She leapt back in his arms and dug her face in his chest, breathing deeply. It felt as if his hold was the only solace she had been seeking all her life.

Najma looked at the two of them, smiled a little and left them alone.

Asad caressed her hair gently and patted her back. A few minutes later, Zoya moved her head from his chest and looked him in the eyes. There was a pull that she felt towards Asad and she could not ignore the attraction. Before anything else, she needed to tell him her truth.

"I want to tell you why I came to India, Asad."

When the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
I will try to fix you

- Fix you, by Coldplay

A/N: Thank you for reading! Comments and reviews are much appreciated!

Leave me love!

-Simi

nice update.
now there is a level of comfort between asad and zoya wgich even najma could sense.i loved how she was hugging asad without any hesitation and asad was calming her.
i hope asad acts as a pillar of support after knowing her truth which may just help them getting closer.

take your time for next update and all the best for your exams.

Nice...finally she is gonna tell him the reason
loved the update

loved the update
too short
cant wait for more and for them to get close
continue soon

Awsome...loved it🤗...take ur time n give us such beautiful updates😳😳