Asya FF Through our tears Chap2 updt - Page 2

Chapter 2

A bundle of cotton and steel crashed on him. A tear streaked face, silent sobs and soft hands that grabbed his shoulders for dear life. Asad gathered the softness his hands moved on its own to soothe the crying Zoya. She had reached out to him with so much trust. Zoya that hid her tears from every soul she knew of in the world, she kept her scars and grief private had thought nothing of exposing her vulnerability to him. That Asad now realised, sprang from the faith she had in him and his strength. He simply fell into a deeper abyss when it dawned on him that he had broken her trust.

He had left home that morning hoping to find a way ahead. He drove around Bhopal searching for a clue. He came home disappointed, there was not a single element that could bring in some cheer. He shook off a nosy Tanveer on his way up to his room. It digusted him that he had slept with her. He needed to scrub himself clean. He headed to his shower as if to wash away his sin and tears. He was still scrubbing himself hard when he felt a mass of some semi solid under that right shoulder. He decided to act on it. He got dressed and walked out of his room to meet his friend Dr. Faizaan at the hospital he worked in. Faizaan was a Psychatrist. They had all schooled together and may be just the person to talk to right now. He always knew that Zoya would drive him mad. Right now he would trade anything in the world to have her in his home driving him mad with strewn wires, messy guest room and loud shayari. Zoya had indeed brought colour in his life. His home to him now felt like museum - beautiful, neat and lifeless that had left all it's cheer and life in the past. His blood shot eyes, crinkled forehead and the fatigue that was etched on Asad's face were all tell tale signs of depression Faizaan was surprised. He never imagined he would ever see someone as strong as Asad in that state. Asad sat down with a smile that did not reach his eyes. After some small talk Asad loosened his shirt to show Faizaan his shoulder cyst. Faizaan took a look, probed a little around the area and asked him some questions. Asad answered that he noticed this a couple of weeks earlier and ignored it since it did not bother him. He decided to see Faizaan so that he could take a look at it and importantly talk to someone who was removed from the tumult in his life.

Faizaan smiled kindly at him..." let's grab some dinner Asad" he said and the 2 friends left. Faizaan spoke of his practice and they set about talking about old friends. Asad saw a group of girls smiling at the next table wolfing down a Pizza and that brought a fresh flood of tears in his eyes. He was too much of a man to show Faizaan his tears and he quickly flicked them off. Faizaan continued to talk about the their schoolmates insisted that he get back to socializing with his peers. "Come on Asad you will enjoy" he insisted. Asad was in no mood to listen to his peers and theirs affairs or the girls from school. "Are you still in touch with your annoying neighbour." he asked. Who...asked Asad ..that creature who called you "Jammy" Faizaan mimicked.

Zoya had just finished her evening prayers after spending a day cleaning the Madarassah. The kind caretaker insisted that she stop and sent her away. Clean places have their charm she thought. Mr. Khan would have liked her work she thought. He loved clean spaces didn't he she smiled...the image that swam into her minds eye was again the dreadful arm draped across her Jahanpannah 6 Packs. " How could he do this to me cried some more into her hard pillow. The pain of that sight still tore her up. She actually felt physical pain - like a sharp heel pressing down her navel and spreading into her entire being. How was it that this man who kept her protected from the world when he hated her - like he did at Mangalpur, from Akram managed to give her so much pain when he loved her? Her heart broke and she could think no more. She spent another night crying into dawn,

"Humm" said Asad in response to Faizaan. "She was so obsessed with you man that was unhealthy" he said.

Faizu you have still not told me about the lump what is it?? Asad asked. "If you were a girl Asad I would have thought someone had possibly knocked you on your head pumped in some mind altering shot and raped you!!. Who can do that to stud Khan and you are not a druggie...let's wait for awhile come back in a fortnight if it has not changed and we can remove it not a big deal...it is a badly administered injection i think" he said.

Asad and Zoya barely slept that night...they were far away from each other. But always in each other's thoughts. That left them both with pain that numbed their intellect and their spirit.