Irrevocably In Love

Chapter 38

Rida looked at Kaif’s parents wanting to ask them about their sudden arrival since they had left just a few days back while Kaif had returned after enjoying a holiday with them but she could also see the swollen eyes of Mrs Sayed making her realise that there was something up.

Kaif looked at the questionable eyes of Rida and without uttering anything he handed a paper to her, while she eagerly took it, reading it carefully while a smile broke on her face. She looked at Kaif who nodded his head at her while smiling brightly she once again looked at the information that was in her hand. It had every detail about Rehan’s aunt and when she read her current address she was determined to meet her without wasting any time. She stood up wanting to leave but before she could even say something Kaif asked her to take a sit wanting to speak something important.

“I know you want to meet her, but that wouldn’t be a great idea Rida.” Kaif said and Rida looked at him confused. She couldn’t understand why he was stopping here from meeting his aunt when she was the only person to know Rehan’s mother. Kaif understood her question and glanced at his mother who was gazing at the paper in Rida’s aunt, lost in her own thoughts while her husband had his arm around her shoulder.

“Because from sources I have received some information saying that she is mentally unstable.” Kaif said his eyes on his mother to witness a lone tear escape her eye.

“What?” Rida was stunted hearing what Kaif had said. She couldn’t believe what she had heard.

“Yes Rida, she has been mentally unstable for almost twenty five years now.” Kaif said nodding his head while Rida shook her head not believing him.

“How is that possible Kaif? She was a nurse and it is mentioned here so how can she be mentally unstable?” She asked showing him the page that he had handed to her. Kaif kept numb not knowing how he was supposed to answer so he quietly walked to his mother, sitting down in front of her while patting her leg as thought telling her to let everyone know what she knew while Rida looked between their eye talk with furrowed eyebrow unable to understand anything.

“My sister, Marwa and Rehan’s father were best friends.” Kaif’s mother said slowly and a gasp escape Rida’s mouth. She clasped her hand on her mouth her eyes wide open at what she had heard.

“You…” Rida wasn’t able to comprehend what she was supposed to say but Kaif’s mother understood and she slowly nodded her head, tears pricking her eyes.

“Yes I am Rehan’s Khala, Minaz’s elder sister. Marwa was the eldest of us three.” She said joining the piece of information of Rehan’s family. While he thought himself to be homeless there was a family related to him, which was just under dark, hidden from him and the family was no one but the one he considered close to his heart.

“While Rafiq was in love with Minaz, Marwa was in love with him. She had tried harming Minaz so many times when she had realised his love for Minaz but Minaz was a tough woman so she did not let it harm her and it had remained in between our family. Rafiq knew nothing about Marwa’s attack and she always pretended to be sweet in front of him but after the two were married she couldn’t take it. Dad and mum had married Minaz as soon as she had completed her higher secondary because he had seen to what extended Marwa could go so one day he asked her to visit his grandmother telling her that she was ill and in that process he did his Nikaah. Rafiq and his family had questioned at the suddenness but nobody had told him the real reason because Dad thought that everything will fall in place once they are married but it didn’t. Marwa become more harmful, she started cutting herself for him and what not so we informed Minaz about it and told her to shift to some other city so that she wouldn’t be able to find them and it wasn’t difficult since Rafiq had lost contact with Marwa after their marriage. After a month she started acting normal so we thought that she had forgotten about him and dad started looking for her to get married but she denied saying that she wanted to work and in that process we came to know that I was pregnant with my second child.” She pointed to her husband and herself while Rida sat there grasping every word.

“While I was in my second trimester, dad passed away and since mum and Marwa were left alone I decided to stay with them but we never knew it would be the worst decision of our lives. Eventually I thought everything was back to normal. I informed Minaz about my pregnancy when my due date was a day ahead and she was very happy for me and wanted to meet me but I could call her knowing that Marwa was still unmarried. So that day we decided to go and meet them but I don’t know how but Marwa came to know that we were in her contact. She asked me their number but I did not give her and without creating any fuss she left. I was getting ready to leave for Minaz’s place when I was attacked by Marwa. She had hit my head with something wooden making me fall on my stomach as a result we lost our child.” Mrs Sayed whispered suppressing her sobs in her husband’s chest while Rida looked ready to faint. She couldn’t believe the lady to be so cruel to attack her sister during her most crucial time. Kaif didn’t know when a tear left his eye but he was quick enough to wipe it making himself see as a strong man.

“I couldn’t process that we had lost our child so I decided that we would leave this place. Zakir had his friend in London so we decided to shift there. Mum did not object since she had witnessed Marwa’s anger and she did not wanted risk our life for her. I lost contact with Marwa and she too did not wanted to keep contact with us but I was in touch with Minaz. In a few months I was again pregnant with Kaif and Sheerin. Minaz was happy for me and after a month she too informed me that she was pregnant. I was very happy since we almost had a month gap in our delivery dates. I used to regularly talk to Minaz and since mum was staying with her I had come to know that Marwa was now determined in her work and had changed. I did not give any heed because I had lost all my love for her when she had killed my child. I was blessed with twins and within a month Rehan too was born but while delivery Minaz lost her life. I couldn’t make it but I would always talk to mum about Rehan. Rafiq took care of Rehan for two years with my mum’s help before she left this world. I came back India and found Rafiq attached to Rehan that made me stress free while Marwa pretended to be ignorant to Rafiq. And that was the last time I had met Rafiq and Marwa. I tried calling Rafiq many times but I guess he had changed his number. I visited many times but he had shifted too while Marwa was gone too.” Mrs Sayed completed wiping her faces with her wobbling hand while Rida looked at her in complete silence. She didn’t know what she was supposed to say or ask. It was too much for her to handle.

“Is Rehan really his son?” Rida asked the one question that she could think of. The family looked at Rida with confusion etched on their faces making Rida to lower her eyes but when Mrs Sayed whispered a small yes she couldn’t stop the tears that were forming in her eyes.

And then she couldn’t forget what Rehan’s father had told her. It was his Khala, Marwa who had told him that he was not his child. She could now put the two and two together and all she could think was that while everyone thought Rehan’s father to be the bad man it was his Khala who had turned his live upside down.

Without any other word, Rida glanced at the paper in her hand before standing up hurriedly. Kaif too stood up alerted with her action.

“I need to sort things out. Rehan has gone through a lot in his life and I don’t want him to go through it anymore.” She said wiping the tears from her eyes while the couple looked at her in confusion not understanding what she was talking about waiting for an explanation.

“What do you mean?” Zakir spoke for the first time in that hour while Rida shook her head mumbling a small sorry. It was not her right to disclose her husband’s past even if the people standing in front of her were his family. She knew whether his father or no, Rehan would never want to spoil his image in front of anyone.

The family understood what she was going through so they simply nodded their head looking at Rida leave while Kaif following her.

“I will come with you too.” Kaif said and even though Rida wanted to oppose she kept quiet nodding her head, while messaging Rehan to come to the following address she had sent.

Because for her it was either now or never.