Synthesis of Scattered Pieces ✔️

Bonus 7

I acted to care for her, I acted to support her, I acted to love her and I didn't get to know when my acting converted into reality. In return of my acting Aamna was giving me the real love and respect, she was there for me, either at middle of the night or in the middle of nowhere... She trusted me, looked after me, supported me and above all... She loved me!

For how long one can neglect such a great wife for a girl who never glanced at him? Within two months I fell hard for the girl chosen by my parents and time made me forget the girl I liked once.

Moving on from Shifa was not difficult for me, because I had a lovely life partner but it was difficult for Shifa because she was battling with loneliness. But after getting a loving partner she's also happy in her life and I'm happy for her, otherwise I was dangling between self-condemnation and remorse.

"Daddy." A voice pulled me out from the chain of thoughts and I smiled looking at Kulsum, my younger daughter. She was half sleeping but how could she not come to meet me?

"Why aren't you sleeping?" I asked and she came near me, her arms spread open and eyes shut down. A silent demand to lift her and pat her back till she falls asleep one more time.

I didn't waste time. Carrying her fragile frame in my arms I kissed her cheeks and I got one kiss in return. "I missed you." She whispered adjusting her head on my chest , her little arms folded on her belly like a chick.

"I too missed my baby." She opened her eyes and smiled to show me the gap between her milk teeth. Signature look of a 5 year old.

"Today I was playing Ghar Ghar with aapi and mummy, we cooked roti and had our lunch but you weren't with us to play." There was a little disappointment in her big eyes, and I sighed.

The demand of this girl for me to play with dolls  was never changing.

I never thought in my rarest dream while studying surgery that one day my little daughter will use my stitching skills to stitch her dolls' clothes. My holidays belong to her and only her sister. She mixed crushed spicy chips with sugar or biscuits or anything from her snacks to make her signature biryani. Unfortunately, every time I was the chief guest of that feast, it was mandatory for me to finish everything, either edible or not! And after the feast, she became the doctor and I became the father of her sick doll, I needed to look after her. By any chance if I refused to play with the dolls she stopped talking to me... And I couldn't afford it, so conclusively I understood that being a good doll father was necessary to survive as a Father.

"We will play with dolls on Sunday, or... I have an idea." She opened her eyes completely, her slumber was gone now. "I will take you to the Doll Museum. There are so many dolls with different outfits." I could see the visible shine in her eyes after getting that discription.

"Can we bring all the dolls home?" I laughed at the question and shook my head.

"You only can see them." I smiled and the shine of her eyes was gone. She snuggled in my arms and closed her eyes with disappointment and mumbled, "Then what's the benefit of visiting." I couldn't help but laughed and kissed her cheeks one more time. My little doll. For the next ten minutes I was patting her back with a thought that she would fall asleep but I was the one who was about to sleep when a voice echoed...

"Daddy."

"What's now?" I let a defeated cry out without opening my eyes but I didn't get an answer. Looking at her I found her already sleeping. I carried her to her room where my other daughter was already sleeping and my wife was sitting on the prayer mat with prayer beads in her hand.

Adjusting both of the girls in the bed I covered them properly and sat down beside Ayesha, my elder daughter. The linguistic meaning of Ayesha is Life... So was this girl! She brought life to my relationship with Aamna. She brought life to the dull walls of this house. She brought life to every single part of my heart that felt dead after losing my lovely parents.