Zoya woke up to see Asad missing, as she sat up she felt a little uncomfortable following what she thought was her inappropriate behaviour the night before. Zoya looked up to see Asad come out of the bathroom, she could just about manage to look at him.
As he stepped closer, she raised her eyes a little to meet his 'I'm sorry for last night' Asad saw how uneasy she felt, he gave her a smile, gently holding the tip of her chin between his fingers he tilted her head upwards, and without saying anything he lowered his head kissing her softly 'I love you' he whispered against her lips making her smile.
After they got ready they made their way to the hospital. Zoya opened the door to her father's room to find it empty, she looked at Asad with a panic over her face 'wh...where is he?' Zoya and Asad ran towards the nurse's station 'Mr Farooqui...my father...where is he?' 'Are you Zoya?' 'yes I am' 'please follow me...hurry'.
Zoya fastened her step behind the nurse. The nurse led them to ICU 'your father had a relapse early hours of the morning, he is very poorly, your mother is with him...he was asking for you'. Zoya swallowed hard, Asad held her hand in his 'let's go' he said before she completely froze with emotion.
Zoya walked in to see her Ammi crying at his bedside 'Abu' Zoya called out in a soft voice, Hakeem looked up at her, unable to speak he raised his hand a little asking for her to come to him 'Abu..' she cried out as she ran to be b his side 'meri beti ne mera itna bara gunah maaf kar diya, ab mein khushi se apne khuda ke pass ja sakta hoon, mujhe koi gham nahi hai...mere baad Yasmin ka koi nahin hai Zoya, Asma aur Haider bhi nahi...is ko akela nahi chorna beta' Zoyas eyes shed tears like never before, she looked at her Ammi who turned away in shame. 'Abu...please' 'nahi Zoya mujhe bolne do, kuch waqt reh gaya hai...we are human, which is why we make mistake after mistake, we never realise what we have until we lose it...I love you Zoya...we were never good parents to you, and we have no excuse. You are better than us...please forgive us' 'I do Abu...please stop...just rest your voice, please don't cry...just...' Zoya started to sob uncontrollably, Asad placed his hand on her shoulder 'don't cry Zoya, let him go with a smile on your face, not like this' Zoya nodded her head as she wiped her tears, she gave Hakeem a heart-warming smile 'Yasmin...will you recite the Kalima with me' Yasmin nodded, with one hand in his daughters hand and the other in his wife's Hakeem started reciting what every Muslim prays to be on the lips when their time has come to exit the world, the name of their creator, the one declaration of faith that makes the a Muslim, the Shahadah.
On his third recitation Hakeem closed his eyes taking his last breath. Zoya looked at him wide eyed, she couldn't bring herself to breath as she kept on staring at him, looking at his chest thinking it was her imagination. Yasmin let out a scream that echoed around the room and into the corridor. Asad closed his eyes letting out his own tears, he placed both his hands over her shoulders and gently squeezed them, Zoya stood up silently, she lowered her face and kissed him softly on the forehead 'Ina Lilahe Wa Ina Lilahe Rajeoun' (To Allah we belong and to Allah we shall return). Leaving her mother to weep at her husband's bedside she walked out to call the doctor, the doctor along with his medical team came rushing in to see him.
Zoya sat outside with Asad in total silence, nothing he said would get her to respond. After half an hour the doctors came back outside 'we are extremely sorry for your loss Miss Farooqui, is there anything we can do for you?' Zoya looked up at the doctor with a blank expression 'I have to prepare for his funeral and burial, I would be grateful if you could release his body as soon as possible' 'yes of course, I will get the paperwork ready'.
Zoya turned towards Asad 'can you call Aleena and Zack...oh and your parents too' Zoya was just about to walk off when Asad pulled her back 'Zoya...please look at me' Zoya took in a deep breath and looked at him 'I am ok...just have a lot to think about and do...dont worry about me' she said and then walked away.
Asad spoke to Dilshad in great length, Dilshad was extremely upset for Zoya but also very concerned, she told Asad that it was quite possible for her to suffer from post-traumatic stress or depression 'Asad, you need to get her to cry beta, she needs to let it out of her system' 'Mum, I feel so lost, I don't know what to do' 'beta you are having to deal with so much yourself, I wish I was with you'.
Zoya walked back into the room where the nurses were ready to take Hakeem to the hospital morgue. Yasmin was on the phone, in the corner crying 'he is your father...your Abu, how can you say that' she said with anger and upset, Zoya didn't need to guess that she was talking to one of her siblings. Yasmin put the phone down and turned around to see Zoya which ones isn't coming?' she asked 'none of them, its just me and you' 'of course it is, who else would it be' she said emotionless.
Yasmin called other family members and Hakeem's managers at work to give them the news, before she knew it everyone had descended to the hospital and started taking charge of all the funeral arrangements.
Yasmin saw Zoya walk towards the main entrance 'Zoya...will you not come home?' Zoya turned around 'the Janazah (funeral) will take place at the mosque, he will be taken to his resting place from there...that is where I will be'.
Asad pulled at Zoya's hand 'she is on her own Zoya, don't you think you could go at least once' Zoya looked up at him 'that is not my home, I have no place there' 'put that to one side, just this once...if not for her then for your Abu'. Zoya pulled her hand out of his and looked up at her Ammi 'I will be there later in the day' Yasmin gave Asad an appreciative smile, to which he nodded in response.
Zoya walked back into the hotel room in such a daze that she didn't hear Asad calling out to her. Asad grabbed her arm and twisted her around 'Zoya...please...don't do this to yourself let it out...whatever it is you feel please just let it out' 'I...I don't know what you are talking about...excuse me I need to shower'.
Zoya closed the door behind her, she absent mindedly stood under the shower head and turned it on still fully clothed. As the cold water drenched her, her body broke out into shivers wraping her arms around herself she leaned against the wall, she could feel herself lose breath as she tried to control herself. Zoya felt her insides shatter over and over again, the anger the hurt, the pain she felt was like no other, every inch of her started to scream out painfully. Asad ran to the bathroom hearing her scream, he opened the door and saw her curled up on the floor crying like a small child. Asad sat next to her and picked her up into his lap, he didn't shush her, he didn't say anything, he let her cry and scream out until she could no more.
Wrapping her shivering body in a bath towel he picked her up and took her back inside, as he sat her on the bed he took the sides of the towel and started to dry her, he eyes were extremely swollen and he could tell just by the way she was breathing that she had caused some damage to her throat with all the screaming. Asad pulled out her a fresh pair of clothes, he kneeled in front of her and held her hands in his 'get changed, you'll catch a cold' Zoya tightened her hold on his hand 'don't leave me...please don't' Asad gave her a faint smile, he stood up making her stand to 'I am not going anywhere Zoya, where will I go without you...I am right here...lift your hands up' Zoya did as he asked not questioning him once. Asad held the bottom edges of her top, he looked into her eyes and without blinking or moving he pulled her top off, the level of trust that these two had was beyond anything, Zoya trusted him with her life. Still keeping his eyes locked with hers Asad picked up her dry top and gave it to her, slowly closing his eyes he turned around letting Zoya change her clothes, giving her the privacy she needed.
Zoya stood outside what was once her home, the place was full of people coming and going. As she walked inside her body felt like it was being jabbed with a thousand needles all at once. As she walked in further she saw her mother sitting with some other ladies who were paying their respects. 'Ammi' she called out, Yasmin stood up and walked over towards her, as much as she had controlled herself and refrained from going anywhere near her she couldn't stop herself, she wrapped her arms around Zoya and started to cry. Zoya completely froze, she didn't know what to do, how to react. Luckily for her it wasn't long before some women came and pulled her back telling her to have sabr and calm down.
Zoya was approached by an uncle she recognised, her Ammi's first cousin...maybe. 'Zoya, beta, I am so sorry...I hope you are ok...its a shame that Haider and Asma couldn't make it in time...the funeral is tomorrow after Zuhr Salah...beta, I know this is not the time or place but something have to be said, your Abu, Hakeem Bhai left a will, I am sure he has given you a copy...Beta we will need you to come and sign the documents for the handover, all this and his empire now belongs to you, and we are sure that you will look after it and continue to build upon it with as much love and dedication as he did' Zoya looked at him 'I don't want it, I never have, I don't know what made him sign it all to me, I have never wanted to be part of it...if anyone should have this it's his wife, I am ready to sign this over to her whenever you want' 'Zoya I can understand that you are upset beta...but please, this was his last request, its what he wanted...and what will Baji do with it all on her own 'she has two other children, she can give it to them' her uncle let out a scoff 'children who have not wanted anything to do with them, who left them when they most needed them...they wronged you Zoya, I admit that...what they did was and is unforgivable...but even Allah forgives his people for the gravest sins upon repentance...please Zoya don't abandon her...she is still your mother, she is still the woman who gave birth to you'. Zoya was about to respond when her Ammi called out for her 'excuse me...', Zoya went and sat down next to a few ladies she didn't recognise, Yasmin started introducing her and then she pointed towards Asad, introducing him as her fianc.
Quietly slipping away Zoya went to stand next to Asad 'you ok?' 'no, not really...but with you here I know I will be'.
Zoya stood by the stairs and continued to stare 'what you looking at?' Asad said making her jump 'oh...nothing...I mean my bedroom...that door there...it used to be that one' 'you want to go up and look' 'I don't know if I can' Asad held his hand out in front of her 'come'.
Zoya slowly opened the door to what used to be her room, not knowing what had come of it and if she could take the heartbreak she closed her eyes. Zoya is this your room, Asad asked looking around. Zoya opened her eyes and was left dumbfounded, her room was exactly the way she remembered it, every toy, every doll, every book was in its own place, even her princess bed sheet was still on. The room was in pristine condition, like someone had really looked after it.
Zoya felt overwhelmed as she walked around her room 'it...it hasn't changed...not one bit' Asad raised an eyebrow you were this clean and tidy as a child too?' Zoya nodded her head 'I used to do everything and anything I thought would get my parents to compliment me, to tell me that I am a good girl' Asad felt his stomach knot as he saw her eyes lower with unshed tears 'I'm sorry Zoya...I didn't mean to' Zoya looked up at him and smiled 'it's ok Asad...I think we should get back'.
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
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