Changing Relations ✔

Chapter 2

Zain POV

I stopped at the doorway. I looked back at my penthouse before leaving. I went over to a chair and took hold of its back. I lowered the shutters a little and adjusted a tablecloth. I looked out on the snow-covered square. I passed by the sofa and paused for a moment. The unstirring silence of the rooms. It enveloped me. I now liked this silence. I really enjoy now the empty penthouse which was once filled with Her scent.

I was strolling about in the hallway as if on a promenade. Then I stopped in front of the mirror.
Have I ever accomplished anything at all? I turned the lights off. The flat plunged into darkness. I stood at the bedroom window and looked out on the square.
A meeting with my future.

A card is in my pocket. My wedding invitation card, Hanya Qureshi weds Zain Abdullah. "You must come at least." Suddenly Her sweet voice rang through my ears from the dining area. "At least you mustn't leave us expecting your visit" her voice again ran through my ears from the dining area.

I turned around. I called over to the dining area but no answer came. I lingered in front of the dining area for a little while. Finally I set out, locked the door to my penthouse, but stood in front of the door pane. I peered into the darkened hallway, Like a visitor getting ready to ring the door bell. I then thrust the key into my pocket and threw myself down the stairs.

The flat was left on its own. The brown dining table, Chairs around it. A studio couch worn with use. An easy chair beside it. After getting off my car, I went past gardens, past little, tiny yards covered with snow. Shutters and curtains closed.
A bright colored house stood on the corner, as if it was just painted. I knocked on the giant door and waited to be opened. Two boys in gym shoes came running down the steps. When they spotted me, they ran back up. They disappeared upstairs, on the second floor.

"Assalamualaikum" my mother in law opened the door smiling at me.

"Walekumasalam...how are you mom?" I asked

"Allahamdulilah and you?" She asked

"Allahamdulilah" I replied.

"Why don't you come in son? Everyone's here" she said stepping aside and I walked in silently praying not to see her now.

"Go and make yourself comfortable in Hanya's room, I'll send the coffee up." She said.

"Why in Hanya's room?? Why not in Hareem's room??" I asked immediately standing up.

"Nothing to worry about son. It's just Hareem's room is all messed up due to all the guests luggage. We are making it set properly, till then stay in Hanya's room." My mom said coming down the stairs.

"But isn't Hanya there in her room??" I asked softly.

"No son, she's not in home. She has gone out" my mother in law said and I breathed a sigh of relief!!

As I walked upstairs, I noticed that everyone was here. Mom was busy helping my mother in law with the work. My dad and my father in law lying carelessly on the sofa covered by a greenish gray blanket. All my and her relative and friends were there busy with some kind of work.

But my eyes longed to see her, which I know I can't.

Everyone is here because of my wedding. We stay in London but my father in law called all of us here, for the wedding. So we're staying here only. I know it sounds weird that the groom and bride staying under one roof but here the situation is different. And I didn't even thought about this.

"Hello son. Where were you??" My dad asked and I stopped on my steps.

"Went to penthouse" I said and he nodded slowly.

"Uncle where's Hani??" Sanjh came forward and asked my father in law. And immediately my heart beat increased.

"She's out..." He replied and looked at me. I quickly went up to her room.

I felt as if I've been staring at Hanya's pic from a long time. So familiar her face is with dark brown eyes and neatly made eyebrows. Her sharp nose and her pink soft lips only differed from Her. Maid came and gave me the coffee and went away.

Sipping my coffee and standing in the balcony, looking straight at the sun, which was shining brightly. Now my eyes doesn't burn when I stare at the sun because now I don't feel anything.

Soon a car stopped at a distance and she got out of the car. Hanya is surely a girl with a both "dark" and "bright" side and she surely have got the best of both that's why she agreed to marry me. She looks around and look up and smile seeing birds flying but what I see in her is the absence of that love and happiness which her eyes had before.

Her complexion is so clean and pure just like Her. Her beauty and grace was so hard to describe. As she walks towards the house her house, her expression changes from sweet to sour and her steps also become slow as if she was contemplating to walk further or not!! And all this is because of me and my fate.

When I use to come here before, she use to laugh and joke around. There wasn't a single minute when she doesn't tease me and Her. But now she's quiet. She doesn't laugh or joke. But even though if she's quiet and calm, her smiles and blushes are "eloquent". Her face is very much expressive, even if she doesn't say out loud.

Hanya is a perfection of innocence. She was a woman that walked in, could have graced any billboard or magazine cover, but she was better than those two dimensional photoshopped models. Somehow her imperfections made her perfect. There was a shyness to her, hesitation in her body movements and a softness in her voice.

Right now she was standing on the steps but she's not ringing the door bell.And just then she looks up and our eyes meet. We both are gazing at each other's eyes deeply but soon the door opens.