AsYa SS ~| Reliving Mangalpur |~ LAST PART on PAGE 123 - Page 81

Originally posted by: --starstruck--

i do know what to write i just dunno how to pen it down

Banner credit - ME! 😆

Part 10

"I-I'm f-fine!" she managed to whisper in a groggy, hoarse voice just to assure him. Asad cradled her head in the crook of his neck and kissed her hair. Zoya felt something press on her hair and wondered if he kissed her there but she didn't look up to confirm it, she simply lay there with her head on his shoulder. Asad knew that like always Zoya was suppressing her real feelings, she wasn't really well and she needed the attention of a doctor as soon as possible. With these thoughts in mind he deftly picked her up in his arms and made his way out of the forest.

Just when he picked her he felt her slump, he looked at her face and saw her unconscious. Looking at her in that state made him panic, it made him relive the moments that had passed a few minutes ago. He couldn't lose her again. He checked her breathing and it was fine, which meant she fainted due to fatigue. Heaving a sigh of relief he began to walk towards the highway in the hope of getting any lift, he walked as fast as his legs could carry, stopping in between when he was tired. Now when the adrenaline had gone down he realized just how tired he was but this was not the time to rest. He needed to get to the nearest clinic or hospital.

Once out of the dreaded jungle he placed Zoya down and moved ahead to search for any means of transportation that could take them away. The road was empty, with not a single living soul, he contemplated picking her up and walking ahead but he didn't think he had enough energy to do that. He tried waking Zoya up so that she could walk a little but how could he make her walk when she was so weak and worn out. He slumped down beside Zoya waiting for any car or truck or tractor when he noticed the same car in which he was being dropped off to the main highway coming towards them. He panicked thinking that maybe the village head had returned but when the car came at a halt beside them and he peeked in through the open window he saw there was no one apart from the driver.

"Sirji, mujhe laga shayad aapko yahan se nikalne main gaadi ki zarurat pade isiliye main pehle sarpanchji ke paas gaya aur unse jhoot keh diya ke aap Bhopal wali bus main chale gaye aur phir yahan aapko lene aa gaya."

Asad's eyes filled with tears. If there were insensitive inhumane people in the village then there were some who understood the meaning of humanity. The driver was really brave enough to go against the orders of the village head just to help them. Asad nodded and placed Zoya on the back seat, he then went and sat beside Zoya, cradling her head on his shoulder as he leaned back on the seat sighing softly in contentment.

"Toh ab Bhopal?" the driver asked him.

"Nahi pehle hume hospital leke chalo."

"Sirji iss chote se gaon main aapko kahan hospital milega, yahan ek hakim hai par agar hum wahan gaye toh sarpanchji ko pata chal jayega, hum Bhopal jaake wahan ke hospital chalet hai."

"Par tab tak Zoya ka behosh hona thik nahi hoga."

"Main isiliye paani bhi laya hun." The driver said and handed him the bottle of fresh water. Asad took it from him and sprinkled some water on Zoya's face repeatedly. She blinked when the cold water made contact with her feverish skin and slowly opened her eyes but not fully.

"Zoya stay awake please." He pleaded. Zoya groaned in frustration and wrapped her arm around his waist. Asad smiled that patented small smile of his and whispered in her ears.

"We'll reach Bhopal soon, just stay awake till we reach there then you can sleep, I promise I won't stop you."

Zoya groaned again but instead let out a cough. Asad patted her back and gave her the water to drink.

"My t-throat..." That was all she could manage to say. Her throat felt parched and dry and could taste mud which made her gag, talking hurt her throat.

A few more hours of the car ride with Zoya slipping in and out of consciousness worried Asad. He wondered if there was something serious with Zoya's condition. Asad's worry rocketed up when Zoya suddenly woke up scared, sweating profusely and gasping for air. Asad opened the car windows to let fresh air come in but Zoya kept complaining of breathlessness. Asad kept smoothing her hair or patting her back and cheeks, he didn't know what to do, he felt helpless and confused. They soon reached Bhopal and the driver immediately drove towards the nearest hospital or clinic or any dispensary where Zoya could receive medical aid. He stopped outside Queen Mary's hospital and Asad picked up Zoya and dashed inside the building shouting for a doctor.

The nurses and the wardboys looked at him with a bewildered expression. The receptionist called for the doctor and Asad placed Zoya on the nearby chair as he paced up and down the corridor waiting for the doctor to arrive. He was getting frustrated with every passing second and just as he was about to lose his temper he saw a woman in a lab coat running towards the reception area.

"Yeah, I received a page saying emergency, what is it." She asked the nurse and she pointed her towards Zoya. Asad went and stood next to Zoya.

"Are you with her sir?"

Asad simply nodded as he watched the nurse place her on the wheelchair and move towards the ER. Asad followed them inside. The doctor kept the end of the stethoscope on Zoya chest.

"Now this may sound absurd but her husband says that she was buried alive."

The doctor looked up at Asad who was only looking at Zoya, not even caring to correct the nurse about the relationship he shared with Zoya because after all what relationship did he actually share with Zoya? The host and guest? Because they were not lovers and he doubted if they were even friends. So he let the nurse deduce whatever she wanted, he didn't care what they thought about them he just wanted her to get well soon, he couldn't take her back home in this condition.

"Her nose is blocked with mud and looks like some of the dust went inside her mouth as well, no wonder she is suffering from dyspnoea. Nurse, a pulse oximetre and oxygen mask." She ordered the nurse and turned to look at Asad.

"Ok Mr..."

"Asad Ahmed Khan."

"Yeah Mr Khan your wife is alright, she is just suffering from dyspnoea also called as breathlessness and that is because she has inhaled dust, as you said she was buried alive. Do you want us to call the police."

"N-No, no police please."

"Okay, well she'll be alright in a few hours but I recommend let her rest her tonight, let her stay away from pollution, you can take her home tomorrow first thing in the morning, I'll prepare the discharge papers now but I'll sign it in the morning. And don't worry she is alright." The doctor smiled and went ahead to examine another patient.

Asad moved towards where Zoya lay, he pulled a stool and sat on it. He took her hand in his, his thumb caressing the back of her hand with the most feather-light touches.

I'm sorry Zoya, I'm sorry that I left you alone to die. I shouldn't have done that. This is what I always do right? Leave you alone when you need me the most? Do you know how scared I was when I pulled you out of the grave and you wouldn't breathe? Don't ever do that to me ever again. I didn't like what I felt at that moment and being an emotionally challenged man I don't think I can't describe what I felt back then but whatever it was I don't want to feel it again. I promise you Zoya I will never you stranded like that again.

He stood up and placed a gentle kiss on her left cheek right where her beautiful dimples appear whenever she flashes that dazzling smile of hers. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had always imagined doing that whenever she smiled and now suddenly those thoughts resurfaced making him do just that. He rested his head near her hand and he didn't know when he dozed off.

oOo

Asad felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and a female voice calling out to her. In his groggy, disoriented state he felt it was Zoya and snapped his eyes open to look up at the person, only it was not Zoya but her doctor. She smiled warmly at him.

"Mr khan, maybe you should go freshen up I'd like to check up Mrs Khan."

Asad nodded and walked towards the bathroom while the doctor gently woke up Zoya to check her vitals.

"Good morning."

Zoya looked around not really sure how she ended up here. She remembered being in a car and now she was here. Surely it was the work of only one person.

"Can you breathe in and out for me?" the doctor asked and Zoya did as she said.

"Everything is alright, the discharge papers are ready, you can leave immediately."

Zoya nodded at her, just them Asad emerged from the bathroom and went to stand near her. He wanted to ask her how she was feeling but when he opened his mouth no words came out of it.

"Mr khan you need to sign these discharge papers. And Mrs khan please take care of yourself, no oily food for at least a week." With that she walked out.

Zoya looked at Asad when the doctor addressed her as Mrs Khan. He simply shrugged and picked her up to place her on the wheel chair but she declined.

"I can walk Mr khan."

"It's either the wheel chair or my arms and trust me you are not as thin as you appear to be."

"Haw, how can you say that? Fine I'll choose the former." She said with a huff and sat on the wheel chair herself not letting Asad help her. Asad smiled at her childish behaviour and although it annoyed him it also meant his old Ms Farooqui was back.

As they reached out he noticed the driver was still there, waiting for them to return. Asad made a mental note to give him some monetary benefit for helping them. The car ride was silent with neither of them talking. Asad knew he should let Zoya be, the past 48 hours had been rough and she needed time to let it all in. He himself wasn't sure how to react around her. He had no idea of what feelings he harboured for her, he was confused, he was in denial and he did not want them to come out in the open. These emotions and feelings that he felt were novel for him; he had never experienced such intensity of emotions for anyone. He felt for his ammi and Najma because they were family but what he felt for Zoya was something he couldn't name.

The car came to a halt along with his thoughts. They had reached home. "Home" it felt so nice to be back to their safe haven, a place where no one was behind their lives, where no one wanted to bury them alive.

Once inside Zoya could feel the warmth as opposed to the cold harsh night she spent in the forest. She could smell the sweet smell that always filled the house, she got that "home-y" feeling and moreover she felt safe and at peace. She knew this was not her permanent home, she had to go back one day but she couldn't help feel as if this place was not just a house in which she is staying as a guest but it's a home with people whom she can call as her own. She now knew why they always say "Home sweet home". It definitely was! She looked at Asad once who was also looking at her. They looked into each other's eyes, they had been through so much together and they felt as if they had come to share a special bond. Breaking the eye contact Asad turned to go to his room when Zoya pulled her hand up in reflex. Asad turned to look first at her then at their hands. His hand was also raised alongside Zoya's.

"I'm sorry I thought I'm still tied to you..."

"...I mean handcuffed." She said while pulling her hand down. Asad nodded at her once and turned away from her. Both took a deep breath and started off towards their rooms with a lot of unanswered questions in their minds. Questions that may remain unanswered for a very long time.

XXX

~ The End ~

Or is it?

"Asad I don't know why but I'm having a bad feeling about it. I mean where did this important meeting sprung up from? Aise achanak?" Dilshad expressed her discomfort.

"Ammi it's an important meeting, if I get this deal Dilshad constructions will be on a very high level, everyone will recognize it as a powerful company not only in Bhopal, not only in India but all over the world. Ammi I want to do this and I won't be successful if I don't have your blessing." Asad knelt down and tried to reason with Dilshad.

"Asad my blessings and my well wishes are always with my children. May Allah grant all your wishes and you get what your heart wants." Dilshad cupped his face as she blessed her. When Dilshad said the last line his eyes immediately fell on Zoya standing on the threshold of her room looking at him with a smile on her face.

"Yes ammi I hope I get what my heart wants."

XXX

A/N - confused what it is? This is a teaser of the sequel to Reliving Mangalpur. *covers ears when I hear loud squeals*
Haha yes yes yes guys Reliving Mangalpur might be over (yeah it was the last part ) but the saga of Mangalpur is not.
Here we saw how it took a Mangalpur for Asad to realize his feelings for Zoya, Zoya is yet unaware of her feelings. Similarly it will take only a Mangalpur for Zoya to realize what she feels for Asad. There I'm not disclosing much after all samajhdar ko ishara kaafi hai. ;)
Anyhoo there will be a sequel to it - "Mangalpur in reverse!"
but I'm gonna start it very late. I have to finish off Tu jahan main wahan so that I can start a new SS.

Mangalpur in reverse won't be a short story. It will be a three shot! Yes sadly the story will get over in three parts cause both AsYa have developed feelings for each other, these feelings only need a slight push to come out in the open! Oh c'mon don't pout, my new SS is gonna be something too and I'm sure ya'll will love it just as much as ya'll love Mangalpur!

Leave me love and it's the first time I didn't cry when a fiction ended! Haha!

Love,

Sadie!

Yeh hui na baat Sadie...picture abhi baaki hai...👏

IT WAS PURE AWWEESSOOMMEENNEEESSS...!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE U SOOO FREAKIN MUCH FR DIS SUPERB UPDATE... ND ALSO D WORLD'S BEST NEWS DAT U WILL ATLEAST WRITE ANOTHER 3-SHOT.. A SEQUEL... I LITERALLY SCREAMED WEN I READ DAT... ND MY MOM"S LYK GIVIN ME A DEADLY GLARE SAYIN HV U LOST IT..??!! bt yes plz plz plz try nd start soon...!! <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Originally posted by: --starstruck--

ankie has rahi hai ya ro rahi hai? :P