Unexpected Promises

Chapter 88, Part 1

Saad's pov:

It had been two days since we returned from the hospital and Atifa was recovering; trying to heal. But it wasn't an easy journey, how could it even be? She had not just realized that she lost her best friend years ago and she didn't even know about it but also that she was on the verge of losing ammi and couldn't even do anything about it!

Last night I found her crying hysterically late at night while trying to suppress her sobs and I couldn't even do anything except try to soothe her to sleep. It was not in my hands; nothing was.

Whenever she would return from the hospital after meeting ammi, she would become silent. Even her University and upcoming exams were long forgotten, but I couldn't blame her. Who could even concentrate on their studies in such mental and emotional strain? Not to forget her physical strain which had limited her work.

Today even Amira had gone with her to meet ammi, and surprisingly, even she was silent all the way back home. It made me wonder if there was something which I didn't know about.

And as for me, I was trying to get back on track with my work. I did go to meet ammi with them while dropping them off or picking them up, but I didn't want to invade their privacy. I wanted to give them their time, let them make their memories. But because of their silence I was starting to wonder if I was wrong. If trying to give them their space was a bad idea. I hoped not. I wasn't mentally prepared to hear any other bad news…

"What's wrong?" Finally deciding to break their silence, I inquired cautiously while glancing beside me at Atifa. Since we were going to stay here for a while longer, I had rented a car for our convenience. "Atifa? Is everything okay?" When none of them replied, I added worriedly.

"Yeah. Let's just get back home soon." Turning her face to look out of the window, she replied quietly.

"Amira? Princess is everything really okay? Why are you so silent?" Glancing at the rear view mirror, I asked her, concerned.

"Bhaijaan, will ammi be okay?"

At her counter question, I was left tongue tied for a while. What was I even supposed to tell her? Was I supposed to give her false hope and lie? Or was I supposed to tell her the truth, break her heart just to mentally prepare her for what was to come in the future and possibly let her lose her sanity along the way?

'Did you forget about Khansa?' My mind reprimanded me. How could I even let her get in that state because of me? Just because I… just because I didn't want to lie? Just because I wanted her to be mentally prepared for the upcoming events? Which by the way, I wasn't even sure about! How could I even think of doing that! Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I heard myself replying, my voice strained. "In Sha Allah she will be."

(If God wills)

"But she keeps telling us that she is going to leave us soon. It isn't true, right? She is just trying to scare us. This is one of her other plans to take us away from you again, haina?"

"No princess, no one is going to take you guys away from me again." Sighing, I parked the car at a side and turned back to look at her. Her doe-like orbs glinted with unshed tears as she continued to stare at me, scared.

"So she might be telling us that to make me forgive her, or else she's scared I won't forgive her, haina?" With a wobbly smile, she suggested hopefully.

(Right?)

"And why wouldn't you forgive her? I thought you said that you already forgave her?" When she stayed mum, I turned to look at her properly before adding softly. "She is your ammi, princess."