Scarred

Chapter 3

"Tumhara mood kharab hay," (You're in a bad mood) the old lady more like stated then ask.

"No, it's nothing like that," she sighed pushing the bangs away from her forehead, "Did mama call today?" she asked in a hope that she did, her father was on a business trip to France and her mother was accompanying him like every time and as usual Daniyah was staying with her grandmother till her parents get back.

She saw the old woman smiling sadly and shook her head.

"Do they even care about me? About any single one of us?" she was voicing her anger, by now she had thrown her school bag on the stairs and was descending back downstairs, "you tell me nani, is it fair with me? Aapi? Bhai? They leave us every other month like this and we have to depend on all of you--"

"But we are your family, beta!"

"I know! And I really appreciate all what you do for us? But what about them? I mean I don't even remember the last time mama actually sat with me and we talked! You know what happened today?" Daniyah gave a sad smile wiping the stubborn tears which were pooling in her eyes, "Ayesha, my best friend, fought with me and made me realize that I am one of those people who take everything for granted! What can I do if her parents are getting divorced? I told her that it's all going to be okay! And I thought if I'll tell her that I am there for her she would understand but instead she said that I cannot do anything for her as I have a picture perfect family? How can I feel the pain she is going through? But is she right nano? I barely even know my parents, how would I feel the pain if they get separated?"

"Nauzubillah!" she heard her grandmother said.

"Nano I lost my friend today and it hurts and it's not even my fault! I know she is going through a hard time but the way she yelled at me today it broke everything we had BUT YOU KNOW WHAT SHE HAS? A mother, she will go to and talk to and what do I have? No one! The time I call my mother, she tells me about the last thing she bought or the dress she thinks will perfectly suit me," she broke into sobs and sat back on the last step, covering her face with her palms.

She felt her nani sit right beside her and soon she was enveloped in the motherly hug she was craving for and on the chest of her grandmother she poured her pain out. At that moment she created a bond with her old woman which was stronger than the bond she shared with the woman who gave her birth.

"I am sorry for what I said," Daniyah heard herself whispering after she was tired of crying.

"It's okay, jani. I am right here," her grandmother kissed her head, "You know Daniyah when your grandfather died I was expecting your Najam mamo, they didn't tell me for a whole week and when they were bringing his body back from Qatar that's when I got to know, I can't tell you about the pain, loss, betrayal, I was broken and helpless, I didn't cried because I went in the state of shock. My mother was used to bring your mama and your kaka in front of me to get any reaction but I would just stare at them, I was losing my sanity, it was when I actually saw your grandfather's body that I started crying, I started screaming and it took a toll on me, I was admitted in hospital resulting in premature birth of your uncle," Daniyah was silently listening to it but she was confused that why her grandmother was telling something she already knew,

"He was so small and so weak, there were very less chances of his survival, I lost my husband, I couldn't lose his son but what could I have done? One night in the hospital I was all alone because my mother couldn't stay with me as she was taking care of your kaka and mumma, I was wide awake in the mid of the night with all the horrifying thoughts killing me, at that moment I called Him, I asked for His mercy, I asked Him that He is the one who is doing all this so He should give me the strength of enduring this pain, I let it all out, I didn't know how much I asked, what I asked but I knew that I did and then I left all on Him, being exhausted I slept, what I didn't know that he was just checking me because the next morning when I woke up, my mother was right beside my bed reading Quran, after feeding me she told me that Najam was in a far better condition than his birth, he was going to make it, I have never believed in miracles but that day, I did. I thought none of my prayer will ever get answered but little did I know He was testing me, after all don't we test the people we know are strong enough? He was checking my strength, He was pushing me away from the world so I could look up to him and I am so glad that I did because not only he blessed me with a healthy son, he blessed me with so much more.