Laila

Chapter 31

I didn't quite keep my promise, in fact, I did the very opposite. The truth was no matter how much I tried not to think about Farid, I couldn't help it. It was more than a week now and I had no idea how he was doing. Did he miss me like I did? Did he care about me? Even for a second? 

I was lost in my own thoughts when my bedroom door opened and my Ammi walked in.

'You're still awake?' I asked her, it was almost 1:30 at night and it was way past my mother's bedtime. 

Ammi took the book that I was pretending to read away from my hands and she placed it on the night table.

'So are you' She smiled and sat on my bed.

'I can't sleep' I told her truthfully.

'If you miss him so dearly then why don't you go see him' My mother responded as if it was that easy. I burned down the bridge when I left Farid, I have nothing to go back to.

'It's not that easy Ammi' 

'Men are not easy Laila, they are not as sensitive as women and they don't like talking about their feelings' 

'I can't keep waiting for him Ammi, he didn't even try to contact me, not even once' I felt tears building up in my eyes.

'Maybe he is wondering the same thing' 

'Whose side are you on Ammi? I thought you didn't like Farid' I asked her, I couldn't stand the meaning behind her support towards Farid.

'You are my daughter, I will always be on your side, but have you ever thought about him? Who is on his side? Does he have someone to talk to?'

This very moment, my mother left me speechless. Here I was looking down on myself and feeling sorry for myself, whereas in reality its Farid who is alone. Ammi was right, there was no one on his side.

'What should I do?' I felt helpless, I wanted someone to help me sort out this mess.

'You should go back' She surprised me.

'What?' 

'Yes beta, if you restless without him then it's better if you go to him' She embraced me and started stroking my hair.

'He is going to humiliate me if I go back to him' I knew Farid, he will always insult me if I go back to him now. His male ego will force him to do so.

'Maybe, but maybe he won't...maybe he'll be happy to see you' 

Will he be happy to see me?

'Was it easy for you?' I asked my mother.

'My marriage?' She questioned. She didn't like talking about my father, but I wanted to know her side of the story. 

I shook my head.

'No Laila, it wasn't easy. He was in love with someone else when our parents arranged our marriage, I didn't know him...we were total strangers but over time we started getting used to each other, we started talking and I fell in love with your father, then you and your brother came into our lives and everything changed. Your father never told me he loved me, but he loved both of you very much. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make him love me and then one day he gave up...on us...on you and himself.'  I wanted to look at my mother and wipe away the tears from her eyes, but instead I held on to her, my father committed a suicide. Nobody knew why exactly because from afar we were a happy family, but my mother always thought that he committed this act because he couldn't forget his first love and couldn't fall in love with my mother. 

None of us said anything for a while, and when I finally looked up to see her, I saw her smiling.

'I love you' I told my mother.

'And you love him' Ammi held my face and kissed the top of my forehead before leaving my room.

The entire night I debated whether or not I should talk to Farid. I wanted to call him but then realized that it was too late so I decided to wait until morning.

I packed my stuff and went downstairs to the kitchen where my brother and mother were having breakfast.

'Where are you going baji?' Sabir asked while stuffing his mouth with delicious looking pancakes.

'Home' I answered him and looked at my mother who gave me an assurance look.

'This is your home' My brother didn't quite understand my answer at first.

'I am going to my other home' I took a bite from his plate and walked over to my mother.

'Bye Ammi' I hugged her.

'I will always be with you' 

It always 1:00pm in the afternoon when I reached Farids' place. I went to my room, took a quick shower and changed into some new clothes, purple sweater and black tights to be exact. I walked downstairs and noticed that Farid's room was shut closed. 

I decided to go to him since I was dying to see him. I lightly knocked on the door but there was no response from the other side so I opened the door and witness a very ill looking Farid who was asleep.

I walked closer to the bed and saw Farid, he looked so different. His body was burning. I touched his cheek and then sat on his bed and took his hand in mine.

'Farid' I said weakly.

'Oh thank goodness you are here' Mr.Abdul greeted me as he walked into the room to check up on Farid.

'What happened to him?'

'Got an infection, he has been eating poorly so it's making him worse' Mr. Abdul opened up the curtains of the room and started cleaning up his room.

'Why didn't you call me?' 

'Farid sir asked me to not disturb you' Mr.Abdul then walked over to the bed and called out Farid to wake him wake.

After a while,Farid woke up and saw me, his eyes traveled down to my hands and saw that I was holding on to his hands tightly. I asked Mr. Abdul to hand over the bowl of chicken corn soup and I started feeding him some food. After bringing a glass of orange juice, Mr.Abdul left the room and suddenly everything became quite again.

'Why did you come back?' He asked me first, even thought he was sick, he was still demanding.

'Why didn't you call me?' I demanded my question instead.

'I didn't think you'll come' He looked away from me and didn't say anything after that.

'I came back because this is my home, even if it's just for few weeks, I missed being here' I  answered his question, I wanted to talk to him, I wanted to hear him.

'This house missed you too...it missed you a lot'

After finishing up his food and medicine, Farid laid down again. I was about to leave his room when he grabbed my wrist.

'Don't leave me , please don't' He murmured in his sleep and for the rest of the day, I didn't move an inch. 

---------

OMG Farid was so miserable without Laila! lol

Don't forget to vote and comment lovelies! xoxo