SS - Life's Little Cruelties - Last Update Page 49 - Page 2

As dawn broke three very tired eyes sat starring at the telephone, waiting for someone to call to say that all is well. But the call never came, not being able to wait any longer Zoya grabbed her phone and keys and drove off into the wet, muddy, and carnaged streets of Bhopal. Her heart pounded against her chest as she drove to every hospital she could think of, every police station she knew of hoping against hope that she would find something that would lead her to Asad. Her eyes were drained from crying tiredness consumed her but she fought back everything that came her way. Zoya came across a road block, there were a number of cars ahead of her all horning, she jumped out of the car and ran toward the officers behind the check point.

'Ma'am what are you doing, you need to go back it's not safe here...' ' no you don't understand...my husband...Asad...Asad Ahmed Khan, he hasn't ...I can't get hold of him , he left for the airport yesterday but never reached, please let me through I need to find him...please officer let me through'. The officers felt for this girl who was crying and begging him with all her heart, but he couldn't let her pass, it was not safe 'ma'am I'm sorry I can't let you through, you need to go back, we have our emergency services at the site, they are working as fast as they can, but it will take time'. Zoya stumbled backwards as her eyes searched beyond the check post. Her mind felt like it was about to explode, she didn't know what to do, all she knew was that she needed Asad to come back to her, as each second passed in his absence she died another death. Mindlessly pushing past some other people who had started to gather Zoya made it to her car only to fall to the ground and pass out.

Zoya tried to open her eyes but the bright light made it difficult for her to see. As her eyes accustomed to the brightness of the light she sat herself up and looked around 'what am I doing here?' She asked herself, Zoya got out of bed and almost dropped, her legs felt weak and her head dizzy, once she steadied herself she walked outside to find Najma and Dilshad in the kitchen. As soon as Najma saw her she screamed out her name and ran towards her 'Z...Zoya are you ok...you're awake...Ya Allah thank you...how you feeling?' Zoya continued to look at Najma as if she had gone crazy 'Tamatar...what the hell is wrong with you...why you acting like I have just returned from the dead?' Najma and Dilshad froze Zoya turned to face Dilshad, who was looking at her wide eyed 'Phoopi, what am I doing in Mr Khan's room, if he finds out that I slept in his room, he will kill me' Dilshad dropped the plate she was holding and grabbed onto the table to stop herself from falling. Dilshad was just about to say something when Najma shook her head 'Zoya, bhaijaan has gone out, come sit down' as soon as Zoya sat down Najma ran to her room to call the doctor.

'Who is this Phoopi?' Zoya asked as she sat on the sofa 'this...umm...this is...' 'I am doctor Rao, you must be Zoya' Zoya smiled politely before she turned to a worried looking Dilshad 'Phoopi are you not well?' 'No...I mean yes...I'm fine Zoya...' Dr Rao could see the state Dilshad was getting herself into 'I am a friend of Mr Khan, I just popped in to say hello' 'wow, really, please sit'.

'So, Zoya tell me about yourself' Najma and Dilshad stood rooted by the door as they heard Zoya speak, every word she spoke shook them to the core. 'Well, my name is Zoya, as you already know, ummm I am from New York, I came to India on holiday and have been living with Phoopi for about...a week now' 'do you like it here?' 'I love it, Phoopi is just like a mother to me, in such a short space of time I have grown close to her and Najma' 'and what about Asad?' 'Akdu...I tell you I have never come across a man with so much arrogance, he is rude, wears a temper like it's the latest fashion accessory, and to top it the man has a severe case of OCD' Zoya rolled her eyes as she remembered how unwelcoming he was to her. 'Zoya, what date is it?' Zoya looked at Dr a Rao as if he was a little weird 'umm...I am not sure...Tamatar, what is the date?' Najma wiped her tear ridden face and stepped forward '14th July' 'there you...' Zoya stopped and looked at Najma 'Tamatar, have you gone mad, how can it be July when we are in September...I think she meant 16th September'.

After a few moments Dr Rao excused himself and came to meet with Dilshad 'Mrs Khan, we will need to carry out further test, a brain scan at the very least' 'Dr, what is wrong with her, I mean she wakes up after five days and now she...' 'Mrs Khan, Zoya has something we called selective amnesia, the trauma, the thought of having lost Asad caused a mental imbalance, even though she did not hit her head for any damage to be caused, what Zoya's body and mind has done is to block out all the recent events that led up yo her to face the possibility that Asad may have died'.

'What do we do now, without Asad here how will we cope?' 'Mrs Khan, Asad is not here now, but he will be as soon as he recovers, Asad surviving was no less than a miracle. What you need do is let Asad know what is happening, when he comes home, he needs to be mentally and emotionally prepared for what he is about to face'. Asad did survive, but his injuries were so severe that he spent three days unconscious in intensive care. Dilshad and Najma had been visiting him and had managed to make excuses for Zoya's absence, due to being kept under sedation Asad wasn't always able to recall his last conversation with his mother.

As Dr Rao continued to talk to Dilshad, Zoya came out of her room 'Phoopi, where are all my clothes, my things?' 'Dr...' 'Just go with her for now, let her believe what she wants, but like I said I need to carry out more tests, you will need to bring her to me and as soon as you can'.

Dilshad blurted out the first thing she could think of that might have been plausible 'ohh...we were thinking of renovating your room, so whilst Asad is away on business we shifted you in there' 'oh...but nothing is being done right now...so can I move back in?' 'Sure...Najma will help you' as Najma and Zoya got busy with moving all her things back Dilshad sat before her lord asking Him for his mercy 'Ya Allah, you saved my son, I asked you and you gave him back to me, I ask you once again, Ya Allah please give me back my Zoya, Asad's Zoya, her love for Asad and the fear of having lost him has caused this, how can it be fair to suffer in such a way...please Allah help my children'.