Philophobia

FIFTEEN

Happy weekend, everyone! 

"I am going for a month."

Straightening her bent body her eyes flooded with ambiguous sentiments. The heart, the same heart that was wondering on the unexpected shower of blessings, was aching. The humidity in winds outside grew tremendously and the suffocating pressure on her throat choked her. None of the goose bumps were sending tickles down her body but the nerves were throbbing.

His eyeballs were still on the changing dimensions of her face. With pain overlapping the bounties of love again, the mind was enchanting on its victory.

"Sataish." He switched his gaze to her twisted fingers.

"Thirty days, right?" Moving her face away and resting it on her knees she asked.

"No. Thirty one." He said while turning his neck towards the threshold of the room.

The complete silence was troublesome.

A sob pierced the delicate murk falling onto the room and his temples shivered. His eyes went closed tightly and his hands involuntarily travelled to his head. Burying it deep in the well of his palms a hissing sound escaped through his mouth and the hold on his hair tightened. A tiny tear laced his lashes and then fell making a straight line on his arm.

He checked from the corner of his eye and the thought that she had not seen him vulnerable made a second of tranquility available.

"I will not stop you. You have great way to go ahead. I am with you. In every moment, you will find me by your side. Chase your dreams." Her voice echoed in the room filled with the fragrance of wild flowers and his ailing heart observed the simmering pain between the words.

"I am happy that successes of this career are waiting for you. Thirty days are not that big but thirty one are." Turning at his side she tilted her neck again and a pressing tear salted her throat.

"You can wait for thirty days and the next will be the one in which your anticipation and excitement would encircle you." Looking at the side of her face he said.

The distances were again there.

...

"How easy it seems, Irtiza! Few hours ago I was finding it hard to believe in reality and now its sharp clutches are bleeding me. How that frenzy you created just made me realize that you are also burning in the same fire! You are igniting with me but we both lacked the courage to take the first step, you rightly said. Now when I am staring at this closed brown door I wonder that if I would ever make my steps in it." Walking by the passage she stopped at the wooden plank and thought.

Shrugging her shoulders she went to the terrace and cold winds sent shivers down her spine. Slipping in the couch she was wondering at her life. A weak smile spread on her lips and her fingers intertwined relaxing the dried palms.

"How childish I am! My husband is going for a conference. He has to speak in front of aced professionals and here I am shedding tears. I should be more welcoming. I should be more grateful to Allah that He has blessed me with the best. He is genius. He is intelligent. He has got great manners. He is kind. He has made me comfortable. He has made me feel like being in my own house. He has never crossed his decided limits. He has rights but he has never practiced them. He is what a girl desires for. I should be thankful and I am. Yes, I am." A heavy breathe escaped through her lips and she arched her eyebrows.

"He is handsome too. I am always ashamed to admit that I stare at him almost every time." Biting her inner cheek she confessed and chuckled.

"I should ask if he needs any help." She ran a hand through her hair and got up. Setting her dopatta on her head she exited the terrace and the warmth inside comforted her.