What I've done?
Asad walked away. He just left her standing there. He didn't...couldn't look back. What had he done? How could he have done that? He knew without a shadow of a doubt his Ammi would be furious with him. His Ammi...his sweet, sweet mother. She was here, in this hospital, shot! Please live Ammi...
X-X
Zoya stood rooted to the spot. Asad...no...Mr. Asad Ahmed Khan had hit her. She was trembling. No one had ever laid a hand on her and that Mr. Khan, a virtual stranger had, just completely shook her. She had misjudged him. For all his chauvinism she had never thought he would ever resort to physical violence against a woman...but boy was she wrong! Silent sobs racked her body as she tried to compose herself. She knew his Ammi was in mortal peril but that didn't give him the right to physically hurt her, especially when he didn't know the entire story.
X-X
He had to apologize. He knew it wouldn't be enough but he had to anyway. This wasn't about absolving his guilt. He was wrong and he owed her this. No matter what the situation had caused Zo...Zoya had protected and saved a rape victim from her worst nightmare, how could he blame her for doing that? His Ammi would be so ashamed of him...and he...he was ashamed beyond anything imaginable. He would spend the rest of his life making it up to her.
X-X
"Zoya..."
"Mr. Khan, I am in no mood to listen to you. I understand that you are worried for Phuphi so I am going to give you some leeway but do not talk to me about anything else because, frankly, I don't want to hear it!" Zoya spat at him, her cheek still smarting from where he had hit her.
"Zoya, I am so sorry. I know you don't want to hear it right now but I am going to say it anyway. I am not going to justify my actions because frankly there is not justification but...but I am sorry. I will keep telling you that till you believe me. It can take you a day, weeks or years...but I'll keep telling you that until you believe me.
Zoya could see the sincerity in his words. She was glad that he had recognize that he was wrong but she knew an apology was not enough, this time. She was willing, though, to give him the opportunity to rectify his mistake but she was she was sure as hell going to make him work hard for it!
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