Chapter 20
Inside the suffocating stillness of the closed room, Tania's sobs had finally fallen silent, but the agony of her soul refused to leave her even in sleep. In the hazy depths of a dream, she felt a familiar touch—that same scent of maternal love, that same embrace that felt like a cool shade in a scorching desert.
"Mama! Where did you go? I am so alone..." In her dream, Tania clung to her mother's veil, weeping like a helpless child. "I don't understand anything, Mama. Should I leave Almeer? Can a first love ever be forgotten? Is it all really that easy?"
Staring into her mother's face, she finally poured out the words she couldn't say to anyone else: "Mama! I have loved Almeer from the bottom of my heart. I don't know when he became a part of my very existence. Shahroz is a very good friend, but I can't look at him the way I am spiritually connected to Almeer. Almeer never harmed me; he was unaware himself that I was the very cousin his family was searching for."
A sense of helplessness filled Tania's voice. "Baba trusts me so much; he will never send me to the house of your enemies. Mama, what should I do with this heart? How will I manage all this business?"
Sophia placed her hand tenderly on Tania's forehead and spoke in a low, soothing voice: "Tania, my life! Listen to me. Do what you feel is right. You are not weak anymore; you are a strong girl who stands on her own feet. Almeer is innocent. If your happiness lies in being with him, then stay. Take more time; do not make any decision in haste. I am going now... Take care of yourself."
"Mama! "Don't go, please stay!" With a scream, Tania's eyes snapped open.
Silence filled the room, save for the ticking of the clock, which seemed to beat in sync with her heart. She looked at the wall clock; it was five in the evening. Was it only a dream? She could still feel the warmth of her mother's touch on her cheeks.
"Where did Mama go?" In a state of panic, she searched every corner of the room, but there was nothing there except memories. Once again, the dam of her tears broke, and she pressed her mother's photograph, lying on the bed, against her chest.
Then, suddenly, her mother's words echoed in her mind: "You are not weak!"
Those words infused a new courage within her. She wiped her tears and composed herself. This was her Pul-e-Sirat (a narrow bridge over a deep abyss), and she had to cross this path alone. She rose from the bed and headed toward the washroom to perform Wudu (ablution)—she needed to seek help from her Allah. He was the only one who could pull her out of this whirlpool.
After offering her prayers, Tania prostrated before Allah, crying out her heart in supplication. She felt a strange sense of peace washing over her. It is Allah alone who knows the state of hearts, who reads the words that never reach the lips. That Lord, who loves more than seventy mothers, never lets anyone leave His door empty-handed. With this conviction, she rose, folded the prayer mat, and went into the lounge where Shahab Sahib sat looking worried.
Seeing Tania, he stood up anxiously. "Beta! Are you alright?" "Yes, Baba, I am perfectly fine," Tania replied in a soft voice. Shahab Sahib said affectionately, "You didn't even eat lunch. I'll ask the maid to bring some juice and sandwiches."
Tania checked her phone and found a long list of missed calls and messages from Almeer. Her hand stopped at the last message: "Tania! If I don't find you, I will file a case against your uncle. I didn't want this to reach the media, but you have forced me. You have two days."
Tania's heart trembled for a moment, but then she remembered her mother's words: "You are not weak!" Now, she possessed a God-given strength that would not let her be intimidated by any threat.
Shahab Sahib noticed her lost in thought and asked, "Beta! Is it a message from someone?" Tania steadied herself and replied, "No, Baba, it was just a call from Rumeisa. It's her Rukhsati (wedding departure) today; I have to get ready."
Shahab Sahib kissed her forehead and began to speak. "Tania! When I fell asleep today, your mama appeared in my dream. She was saying, 'Take care of my Tania.' " Tania was startled. "Baba! Did she come into your dream, too?" Shahab Sahib nodded in surprise. "Yes! That's why I came to your room, but you were in a deep sleep. Beta! I only want your happiness. Forget the past; there is no pressure on you. If you want to build a home with Almeer, I am with you." Tania threw her arms around her father and wept.
Almeer looked at his phone; his last message had been read (the blue ticks were visible). He had decided that he would no longer play nice. Just then, he received a call from the farmhouse maid informing him that Aasia Begum's health had deteriorated. Almeer left the office in a panic, only to see Shahroz's car ahead. Shahroz was coming toward him.
As soon as Almeer stepped out of his car, he thrust a paper toward him. "It's good that I ran into you. I was about to send this notice to Tania's house." Shahroz read the notice in which Almeer had accused them of holding Tania captive and pressuring her for a divorce.
Shahroz spoke in a calm, steady tone. "Almeer! Your mother called me. I only came here to tell you that I am just Tania's friend. She loves you, but you are forcing her to choose between her father and her love. Remember, a human can live without love, but never by compromising on dignity. Don't let your ego turn her love into hatred."
Saying this, Shahroz walked away, leaving Almeer standing there frozen. His words hit Almeer's heart like hammer blows. "Was I about to make a spectacle of my own love?" In a fit of rage and regret, he tore the notice to pieces, threw it away, and sped his car toward the farmhouse.
"Tania! I am afraid of losing you. You live in my soul; I am incomplete without you... please come back..." Tears streamed down Almeer's face.
Almeer's car was entering the farmhouse gates, but his mind was still reeling from Shahroz's words. On the other hand, Tania wiped her tears and began preparing for the evening—one that might change the direction of her life. She didn't know that Almeer's ego was now burning in the fire of remorse, or what destiny had ultimately decided for the both of them.
(To be continued...)
Copyright and Legal Notice: All rights reserved by the author. All rights (writing, characters, and plot) of this novel "Along With the Spring" are legally reserved in the name of Ishrat Khanum. Copying, sharing, or publishing any part of this story on any other webpage, blog, YouTube video, or social media platform without the author's written permission is a legal offense and may result in legal action.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All characters, places, and events are purely products of the author's imagination. This story is not intended to offend any individual, institution, religion, or community. Any resemblance to real-life events or persons is purely coincidental.
© 2026 Ishrat Khanum/Ishrat Zahid/Zoaq Isha | Zoaq Digital Novels. All Rights Reserved.