Forgetting Love (Dublin Sisters #2.5)

Chapter 5

His eyes grew wide, "Hey, you are the one being touchy. It was a joke. Relax will you?"

"Relax you say? I have back ache and pelvic bone ache. My feet are swollen. I have terrible heart burn and your baby doesn't cease kicking me. Would you relax when all this was happening with you?" she fumed.

He averted his gaze from her and started the car to life. No one could argue with a pregnant woman. It was better he shut up and let her go on with her outburst. Because he knew she was like a ticking bomb if he said the wrong thing she will explode and he will have to hear it all night until the next day. And he was in no mood for an argument. He pressed his lips in thin line and quietly drove to Nouman's place where Aileen was minding their children.

Samreen was on the verge of tears. She was always sore, whether her back, her feet or her pelvic bone. And on top of that her chores never finished. Now her husband was in a humorous mood. Well she definitely didn't want to laugh about her condition. She blinked several times gazing out the window, trying to conceal and control her tears. She didn't want to cry in front of him. He was never fond of her weeping. The tears always irritated him. She sighed but there was a time when he couldn't bear to see tears in her eyes.

It was late winter evening when the sun set was during the afternoons and it was pitch dark even at 6pm. After the day at university, she had been walking back from the bus stop to her home. It was a good five minutes' walk when she realized a man was closely following her. Her heart beat had thudded loudly. And despite the freezing temperatures, her palms had started perspiring. She gulped and anxiously looked around to find anyone in the deserted street that would help. But no one was seen in this dark gloomy winter night. Her footsteps sped, her mind racing how to escape. Her flat was only two buildings away. She could hear the footsteps behind her getting louder and faster. She inched closer and closer to her home. Her mind whirling with thoughts. She decided to rush inside and banged the door so the man wouldn't be able to enter the building.

Just as she was fretting what to do, she saw Faraz unlocking the main door of the building. She skidded up the stairs and nearly jumped at him. Clutching his arm, she pressed herself against him, using him as a shield she was trying to protect herself from her stalker. Faraz was startled and staggered back a step as someone had grabbed his arm. He was ready to push away the person when he realized who it was.

"Samreen?" he scowled.

She was heaving, trying to catch her breath. Standing between the door and Faraz, she glanced over his shoulder to see if the stalker was still there. "Please help me. I think he is still there." She whispered.

"Who?" his frown deepened.

"The man who was following me." She murmured again glancing over his shoulder.

Immediately, Faraz grew rigid, he pushed the door open and gestured her, "go inside and I will check."

She nodded and feebly let go of his arm. On shaky legs, she made her way to her flat. It took several minutes before she could unlock the door as her fingers were trembling. Her racing heart still not ready to steady down. She was breathing hard standing at the entrance of the flat. Unable to move.

Faraz came and saw her standing outside her flat's open door. He warily walked up to her and murmured softly, "Samreen" she didn't react.

"Samreen"

There was no reaction.

He touched her back and whispered, "Sammy"