The Tales of love- II

57.4:"Can't seperate the two of us".

She scoffs, "We failed all women. Everyone failed them. No matter what age. We bear so much. We do so much, Rohan". Her voice rising, "Why is it never enough? Why our effort amounts to nothing? Why must we have to go through all this to be acknowledged? Why?"

He didn't speak.

"I am sorry".

"Sorry? Your sorry doesn't save anything. Your sorry is like a manipulation for us. For us to feel guilt for reacting to the pain we bear. It's a manipulation and a shut-up sticker on all the suffering we had to go through. Your sorry doesn't do anything". Her last words were filled with venom

Sophia stirs in her hands, "I will take her to a child psychologist tomorrow. That should have been your first step towards her. She needs to know what happened to her to walk out of it".

He nodded.

"If you are truly guilty". She said as she stands from her seat, "Then make sure that man never has another chance to awake her nightmares. Living through them once was enough".

She stands in front of the hospital holding three years old hands who looks at her like she has all the answers to her questions. She never understands how parents don't see how their children always look up to them? How can they not feel the weight of holding a precious human life in their hands? How can they not see that this human learns from them?

She bends in front of her, "We are here so I can make your pain go away. Do you trust me?"

Sophia nodded effortlessly, but she feels the weight on her. She didn't go back to her home. She stayed with Sophia as she cries through the night whenever she remembers her father's actions and words. She is still in the same clothes as yesterday. She looks over to Rohan who stands at a distance looking at them.

She knows he is not entirely at fault. She did take her anger out at him. But he tried his best. He wasn't supposed to cover for his brother crap. Just like she and Sophia weren't responsible for what others did to them. She smiles at him and without words, they both understand.

"Do you think Sophia will ever smile?" He asked anxiously as they watches Sophia play with the children in the room of the hospital

"Not this soon. We all learn some kind of smile after we bear the pain". She said smiling as Sophia frowns at the clay on her hands, "She will find her own smile. The one that tells a story if someone wants to hear".

"Wouldn't it be painful?"

"It will be". She said, placing her hand on the glass as Sophia looks over at her for assurance and she nodded putting the child's heart at ease, "But she will have people who will look past it and embrace her with her pain".

"What will you do about your parents? Should I send my mother with you?"

"Parents?" She asked, turning to him, "I just have a mother".

He inhales sharply, "I apologize".

She shakes her head, "It's fine. And I realise something". She smiles and for once he can look past her smile- it was all pain, "Some parents will never understand what it is like to be a true parent to a child".

She enters her house almost stumbling from the weight she feels on her shoulder. She looks into her mother accusing eyes as she opens her mouth to speak when she slaps her.

She chuckled, "This is it?"

"How can you shame me this way?"

"You didn't even hear what I have to say".

Her mother shakes her shoulder, "How can you do this to me? To your father?"

She pushes her hand away, "My father is the only parent I ever had, mother". She snapped, "He was the one who taught me how to live. He was the one who put me in school and made me who I am. You are the one who drowned me in an endless pit to please this community and your family members". Her heart breaks, "You placed me in that dirt. For what? To have some praises from people? Did they even mourn with you when my father died? Did they even turn and ask us how we are doing? If we need anything? Did they?"

"I-I-"

"I don't want to hear you anymore. My father died in guilt because of the decision you forced him to take". She shouted, "Didn't you see how he cried? Didn't you see how he looks at me? I stand on my feet again just to ease him but even then he could look past the strength I showed. He hugged me when I cried and told me it wasn't my fault. How can you not see what you did to us? How can you still look at me?"

She sits in her car as she tries her best to put it together. To not break. To not show. To not feel.

She heard a knock on her window and found Rohan smiling face. She didn't inform him that she was coming to the site. How is he here?

Naina.

She must have texted him. She will need to speak to her.

She sighs.

Even when she was a bit mad at Naina she was still somewhere glad that he was here. His eyes tell her that he knows she is hiding behind her shield. And he wasn't here to break it to look through her. He was here to prevent any damages to that shield so it stays as strong as it looks.

She opens the doors exiting as he forwards a bag of homemade food something he had been bringing her since they have signed the contract. She smiles taking the warm food as she eats it while he narrates Sophia progress. She was able to speak a little more. Not sentences. But a little more than one word.

That's progress.

She was glad Sophia was found before she completely lost herself. But who will find her? She was lost and floating above the sea, barely. She can drown any moment. She can die any moment. Why won't anyone tell her she wasn't wrong? Even her father words are disappearing from her mind. It's like someone painted the wall where she printed all of his memories. They are vanishing before her eyes.

All the words which comforted her. All the things she worked for. Everything she sacrificed for. It's all vanishing before her eyes.

"Sheila". Rohan called watching the pain passing through her eyes and her brown eyes looks at him asking questions, "You are still here. You can still do all that you weren't allowed to do".

She heard the laughter coming from the entrance when she finds Zaheer walking in with his team. Her eyes narrowed at the bastard who accused her and shame her after he was caught in the act.

"You bastard". She yelled as she marches towards him, raising her hand in a fist, attaching it to his face as blood pour from his nose, "You are a bastard. A cheating whore".

****

I managed to write the chapters but editing them is a real game. I am trying to edit and publish them today cause I can't wait to see the end of this story with all of you.

Also, #sophiadeservesbetter

Sophia just 😭😭🥺 give her the world, please.

Your author,

Faiqa