Let me think
You ask me about that country whose details now escape me,
I don't remember its geography, nothing of its history.
And should I visit it in memory,
It would be as I would a past lover,
After years, for a night, no longer restless with passion,
With no fear of regret.
I have reached that age when one visits the heart merely as a courtesy.
(Faiz Ahmad Faiz) ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
It was about 3 p.m. After uncle and Shabby took Zainab to hospital, he changed and went to the cemetery that was in the outskirts of the city. He had to visit her mother and Aunt who were resting there. At almost 3 p.m. he reached there through a cab. He had brought rose bouquets with him
It was dull silence there. A chilly feeling ran through his spine. It was woeful. He crossed the gate made of metal bars. Soon, he found their resting places. He sat between their graves and put bouquets of roses on their graves and prayed for them. Then he leaned his back against the tombstone of his mother. His eyes were fixed on aunie's grave, softly smiling he almost whispered and lowered his head closing eyes tightly, trying to control his shaking body.
"I took too long. I'm sorry, Auny!." He was being all apologetic.
"I promised to take care of her but I left and ran away." His cheeks were dampened with tears.
"You know what! I think she and I are same. Neither of us felt the love of mother. I had you as mother figure. And she had me when she was young. But I wasn't that much motherly like you. You even sacrificed your life to save me but I left leaving her behind to save myself and make better my own life." He smiled with sarcasm and looked above his head.
"I'm sorry for letting you down." He muttered under his breath.
"I should be going now. Good bye. May Allah forgive your sins and bless you with his gifts. (Ameen)."
Sun was getting cold. It was late. He realized that uncle and others must be worried for him as he didn't tell them anything. So he got up and considered it a cue for him to leave and go for home.
He brushed his clothes with his hands to neaten up and went down to the gate. The cab driver was inside the vehicle waiting for him. He took his seat in passenger seat and shut the car door. They left for the house.
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"You idiot! You knew you've to pick me up from college but you're saying that you were late as you were busy with your friends!" She cried out at his petty excuse and punched him in his arm continously.
They were in her room at first floor. (Young GENERATIONS rooms were up there.) They were told by security guard at the gate that no one was home as they had to take Appiah (Zainab) hospital. So they were on their own.
She brought him directly there dragging him by his ear, as soon as they arrived home. He was wincing and faking his sobs.
"Yeah, they hid my bike's keys and asked me to do what they wanted. Otherwise I couldn't get them." He, at last, spilled the beans. She was shocked hearing that.
"What!! And you submitted to them easily?? You're insane? They bullied you and you didn't even made a complaint about it. You should have told me earlier. Since when did it start? Tell me the story." She questioned.
"It was a joke. They said they were kidding." He said lowering his gaze.
"What was there demands??" She was being all serious and possessive. He was younger than her. So she was caring to him. There relationship was like Tom and Jerry's. They were best friends at a time and rival the other.
"They wanted me to.....puncture the tyre of our principal as he struck one of them off." He told honestly scratching his neck.
"I'm gonna tell it to uncle, and if he decides not to take any action, I'll be the one visiting your school as your guardian. If anyone ever tries to even touch you I'll cut their hands and chop them into smallest pieces."
She was saying each word with such intensity that the person at the door gulped and choked on his own saliva.
They turned to see him. It was Shabby. His face was covered with shock and surprise. But he recovered immediately as he sensed their attention at him.
"Uh-uh, I came to inform you, we're home. And where's biggie bro?" He asked controlling his stuttering. Now it was their turn to get confused.
"Biggie-bro!! Are you alright? Having a dream?" She asked eyeing him with contorted face.
"I hope so! But a nightmare." He rolled his eyes and left.
He understood that they were still unaware. So this has to be a surprise for them.
They looked at each other and then both shrugged their shoulders carelessly and left the room to see Appiah.
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Doctor bandaged her feet cleaning them up and prescribed some antibiotics and antiseptics to apply on it.
She was sitting on the couch in T.V lounge. Servant had cleared the mess.
"Iman, my child, take your sister to the room. I'll bring something for her to eat. She has to take her meds." Aunt addressed her. She nodded and hold her hand, gesturing Safi to help'em, they went to the staircase.
They put her in the bed and then both sat there by her side. She was continously staring at a point. Amy observed her for some time.
"BTW, how did it happen?" She asked trying to divert her attention. It broke her chain of thoughts. She gave her a questioning look.
"I'm saying, how did it happen?" She repeated her question. Appiah was stunned to reply.
"Oh, nothing, I tripped on my foot. And it all happened." She lied.
"So you're being all clumsy like me. But you used to scold me on it." She said lifting up her right eyebrow.
"Oh! Amy I left my phone downstairs, please get it for me." Appiah asked her to avoid her questions. She got up at instant. Saying 'ok I'll be back ' exited the room closing the door behind.
"You're hiding something." Safi smelled something fishy so he asked, squinting his eyes.
"Do I have something to hide?" She argued instead.
Safi shut his lips tightly and didn't uttered any words.
She bursted open the door and shut it back with a loud BANG. Her chest was heaving due to fast and deep breathing. Her face was all red. She glared at Appiah and asked. Safi was horrified. He didn't even know what happened.
"He was the actual reason, na!" She said through gritted teeth.
"Amy..."
"No, excuses- as I don't care. I don't need'em." She cut her sentence off.
Then she laughed hysterically.
"Oh my goodness! He's back.... After wait for a long time he's back after all. Oh.... and you know what appiah ! I was waiting for him since the day he left, without telling me, leaving me asleep in my bed, and now when he's back here... I didn't even greeted him and I fled over here." She was saying it all hastily in between her non-stop giggles.
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They say 'Reunion of love' is a real hope,
it's like finding a lost treasure.
Reunion mends broken heart
and heal wounds.
But what about the time
that I spent suffering all alone,
that gave me the deep wounds and took my hope.
After a long time suffering, I forgot the taste of love.
I'm now emotionless.
What about my soul,
which is lost in the darkness.
After a longtime lingering, It can't even see the light,
It's blind.
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A/N:
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