Lost and Found

Chapter 33

SORRY FOR BEING SO LATE!

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Two Months Later.

"You can do this!" Khadija whispered like every day she does when we come for my physiotherapy and exercise treatments, looking at her encouraging smile I gripped the rod from both sides and pull my body up with all the strength I had and after a few seconds when I was on my feet I sighed, I have been doing this for past couple of weeks every day I stand up, hardly take a step and fell back. "Come on relax," she traced the crease on my temple and then gave my arms a light assuring pat.

For her.

Taking a deep breathe I moved my right foot forward and then left and then stood straight to catch my breath just this little movement was enough to make me completely drenched in sweat but giving up right now wasn't an option so gathering all the power I could I tried taking few more steps and repeating the procedure of moving right foot forward and then left I took four steps in total and then fall back on my wheelchair while gasping for air.

"You did great!" Khadija cheered passing the water bottle to me and wiping the sweat from my forehead.

"Yeah," I weakly smiled running my hand through my hair.

"Hey," she slowly whispered and I meet her gaze," Wali, look at the bright side, you are improving in a much faster rate than everyone predicted and the great thing is you will be back to normal on the day of our walima." She grinned with the hint of red on her cheeks and it does made me feel better.

"In Shaa Allah! So have you guys decided what you are wearing?" I teased her with the same question I have been asking from last ten days when the first time the discussion of our big day started.

"Oh, don't get me started on that! I am so ready for wearing pajamas!" she got up and pushed my wheelchair towards the exit while I laughed because almost every day Rafia and Rumaisa are found at our place looking on different website for the perfect dress for not only Khadija but everyone and as we have decided that the function would take place in Karachi in July just after Eid so everyone is going crazy, these days it's just a chaos.

"Let's have lunch before going back home?" I suggested once we were in the car as Khadija is driving lately it's important to guide her to the destination because according to her 'driving in front of you isn't easy!' and I haven't figured out the reason yet.

"So the Turkish place it is!" she smiled while strapping her seat belt and turned the key in ignition, there was a comfortable silence in the car where both of us were drowned in our thoughts and I didn't realize that I was battling with mine till Khadija took my hands which were placed on my knees and interlaced our fingers, looking at our linked hands I smiled, it was a reassurance that we'll be all right, I'll be all right.

Fine, All right, Okay...

I have been listening to these similar words for what feels like eternity now it should make me frustrate but on the contrary I am feeling anything but frustration, it's like a numbness which has settled inside me, I sound like pessimist but I know it's not even pessimism, it's more like a cold calmness. I smile when my family and friends cheer me up, I certainly believe what they say, I have hope but it feels like after everything I am not counting on it and if nothing happens I might not be even surprised.

Shrugging my thoughts away I looked at the women beside me, her eyebrows creased together, a slight pout on her full lips and her left hands tightly gripping on the steering wheels while her right still holding mine. It still feels surreal to be here with her. Its been almost four months since our wedding, four months since she took away my last name, I would have said heart but wasn't it always hers? As a smile took its place on my face I looked away. Funny isn't it? That the presence of one person can actually change your entire way of thinking, can make you believe in life and happiness more than you ever did. Sometimes presence of this one person is enough to bring you closer to your own self, to your faith and makes you hold on your imaan.