Ishq Kinara[Love Ashore] Complete

44. The same place

"I told you to keep it professional...."

A try.

"We aren't meeting at the office. Don't worry about that. I will keep my promise of never making it out of professional bounds there."

Try failed.

She thought and then spoke again.

"Tomorrow's Sunday though."

Another try.

"We used to hang out the most on weekends anyway."

Try failed again.

"I'll pick you up and be ready, we are going somewhere."

"Where?"

He leaned against the door.

"Remember, Granna's? Safwa has bought that place and made it her own. It's nice."

Her face softened. Safwa and her charm. Sarim thought.

"How's she?"

He considered her question and then shrugged.

"Ask her yourself tomorrow. I'll come by at eight. After peak hours."

She panicked. Her playing with her fingers was indication enough.

"You think it's a good idea?"

Sarim extended his hand and conveniently stopped her frantic movements. His hand encased her fingers. There was no force in his touch. Just a promise and a gentle coaxing.

"It's the best idea. We have spent shit load of time apart. All of us. Trust me on this, Elaf, We all need it. Especially you."

He left her hand as gently as he had held it and giving her a last look, he was out of the door.

Elaf stood there.

One man reentered her life a week back and now everything had changed.

But this change didn't scare her.

_____

As soon as he left, Yusra sat her down and asked her excitedly about almost everything. How she'd find him. Where was everyone else? Had she met them as well? What was he doing now and how was Irma doing. Sadly Elaf could give a right and detailed answer for just the first question. Rest was unknown to even her and Yusra was disappointed.

She was a mother and the changes in her daughter's life over the course of the hard years were something Yusra was going to regret all her life. Her friends were the people who had given her immense support to face everything when Daud had fallen ill the first time. When their trials had just started. They were there for her during every step and that had given Elaf immense courage to go through it all.

But then life turned haywire and Elaf not only lost herself but her friends also and it left a mark. So profound.

Since the time they had come back to Karachi, Yusra was trying her best to insist that Elaf reconnect with her people but Elaf's answer was always silence or politely changing the topic. Now that Yusra had seen that one of them was back in Elaf's life, she couldn't wait for them all to meet again.

It was after that long discussion with Yusra, getting ready for bed and finally lying down under her covers that Elaf leaned against the pillow and relaxed.

Relaxed being a tricky word.

It had been a week to that encounter with Sarim in the conference hall and nothing remained the same after that.