Selfless Love [Completed]

Chapter 13

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Nudrat had been crying since the time Saeed told her. Rudaba was sat at back seats with her looking completely lost while Saeed and Zain were sat on the front seats and Zain was driving to the hospital.

Every now and then Zain was shifting his eyes and was looking towards Rudaba but throughout the drive to hospital, she was sat in the same position with the same blank expression. She had not shed a single tear. Her eyes were empty, and she looked lifeless.

When they reached the hospital, Saeed walked in with Nudrat and Zain with Rudaba. But, Rudaba was passing no expression, no sign of what she was feeling. She was not willing to accept what she had heard. The doctor guided them to the room where Shahroze's body was kept. To let them see him once before he gets sent to the funeral care where they would keep him until the funeral.

They had entered and found him laid on the bed. Nudrat couldn't hold back her tears as she walked near his body. She was shivering. Saeed, too, now lost control of his patience and started crying. Rudaba on the other hand was confusingly looking at him as if expecting him to wake up. She was the first one to go near him, she reached his side and spoke near his ears.

"Shahroze. Shahroze." Her voice was calm, soft but also vulnerable and full of fear.

"Shahroze, deikho ham tum sey milne aye hain aur tum so gae ho. Aise... aise kon karta hai? Shahroze, utho na. Please. Deikho Aunty ro rahi hai tumhe deikh kay, who chup kar jaeingi jab tum ankhein kholo gey."

Nudrat was crying and shaking her head to what Rudaba was saying and Saeed had just looked away in pain seeing Rudaba. Zain was also crying and was stood just behind Rudaba.

"Zain... Zain... yeh ankhein kyun nahi khol raha? Isey kaho ankhein kholey. Yeh..."

"Rudaba, please sambhalo hud ko."

"Nahi! But pehlay tum isey uthao. Isey kaho uth ke bethay yeh kia...?"

"Chalo yahan se Rudaba. Please, abhi chalo."

"Nahi! Nahi! Tumne kaha tha mein jab chahe is se mil sakti hun. Ab tum hi mujhe le ke ja rae ho. Tum jao yahan sey. Mein kahin nahi ja rahi."

She turned towards Shahroze's body again and smiled.

"Utho na Shahroze. Mein nahi ja rahi. Mein yehin hun tumhare pas."

This time Zain had to hold Rudaba by her shoulders to take her out. But she wouldn't move. She was pushing him away and then Zain had to be forceful. He held by her arms and shook her.

"Woh ab is dunya mein nahi hai Rudaba. Hud ko sambhalo! Hud ko sambhalo!"

She was shaking her head while he was telling her but now was the time when her tears appeared in her eyes and began to drop on her face. She was finally grasping the reality. Finally, coming to accept that he was no more.

Zain held her hand brought her out of the room to give Nudrat and Saeed some time with their son. Nudrat went over to his side and just stared at his face. He looked like he was sleeping. Sleeping in such calm, in such peace and with such comfort. His face looked angelic and was bright as ever. No one could say that he was a lifeless dead body.

"Saeed, deikhein... Kitney sukoon mein lag raha hai mera beta. Duniya ki sari pareshani aur takleef se dur chala gaya hamesha ke liye. Kitna pyaara lag raha hai."

"Haan. Buhat sukoon aur araam mein lag raha hai. Woh hamesha se hi aisa tha. Logon ko khush aur mukamal deikh ke usey sukoon milta tha."

The old parents sat by his side and reminisced all memories with him in their final moments with their child. After today they would only see him on his funeral. And there was a week-long wait. So, they were using this time to just see him. Just to note every detail of his being in their eyes so they can never forget him.

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Zain brought Rudaba outside of the hospital and tried consoling her. They were on the sitting area in the hospital, it was usually quiet, and no one was there when the two arrived. He sat with her on the sofa but stayed silent. After a few moments, she slowly dropped her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She didn't say anything, and he didn't either. Zain could understand her pain and she could understand his. Both of them lost someone who was dear to them. Both of them lost someone who was truly genuine in loving and giving to others. His love was pure, and he knew how to fulfil his responsibilities and every relationship, be it of a cousin, of a parent or of someone whom he loved with all his heart. Their grief was shared because it was the same.

After some time, Zain looked over towards Rudaba and found her asleep. He could see the remains of the tears that she had shed. She was in pain, in immense pain. He could tell. She was broken and shattered. He knew. And he had to fix it all. He had to make her happy. He had to join her broken or missing pieces, so she could come back to normalcy in her life. He needed to do it because he had promised Shahroze. He needed to do it because she was his friend. And he needed to do it because she was his wife. His responsibility.

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Two Weeks Later

It had been a week to Shahroze's funeral. He was buried in New York and Fatima and Aijaz from Pakistan had also come to attend his funeral. Nudrat and Saeed had returned back to Pakistan with Rudaba's parents today.

Rudaba was slowly recovering from the shock and was coming to terms with reality. She didn't speak much now. She would only answer anything that Zain would ask and then she would say nothing further. Zain on the other hand was trying to help her come to normalcy but he was giving her as much time possible. It wasn't all easy for her and he understood that.

They hadn't talked much in the past two weeks. But they were giving each other the needed support even through silence. They were being a friend to each other because both of them knew they needed it. Rudaba would sometimes stay awake for the whole nights and so would Zain. Sometimes he would find her on the balcony sitting silently when not being able to sleep and sometimes she would find him.

Tonight, was the night when Zain found her. She was looking up at the sky with blank expressions when she turned to where he was stood.

"Aj phir neend nahi arai?"

"Nahi. Ab toh adat si hogai hai."

"Mujhe bhi."

"Zain?"

"Haan?"

"Mein aisa kia karun ke Shahroze mujhse naraz na ho? Mujhe aise lagta hai woh wahan uper se mujhe dekh raha hai aur mujhse naraz hai."

"Pehli baat tu yeh ke woh tumse naraz nahi hai. Dusri baat yeh ke usey sukoon dene ke liye tum khush rehna shuru kardo. Ju cheez Khushi de woh karo, ju soch khushi dey woh socho. Uske liye dua karo. Tum uski rooh ko khush reh ke, zindagi ki taraf wapis akar usey sakoon de sakti hu."

"Sach?"

"Sach."

"Thank you. For everything."

"Dost ho meri. Aur doston ka khayal rakhna bhi ek neki hai."

Rudaba had smiled hearing this. After weeks, she genuinely smiled. It made Zain feel good too.

"I don't know mujhe kitna time lagega but trust me, I am trying. Mein khud sab bhool kar fresh start karna chahti hun. Lekin..."

"Tumhe kuch bhoolne ki zarurat nai hai Rudaba. Tum bas khush raho. Jitna time lagta hai le lo. I am with you. Our Nikkah is a reality but that's a relationship we can work on after. Puri zindagi pari hai uske liye. Right now, I want my friend to be happy."

Rudaba had smiled again and so did he. Friendship was something so comforting when the other person understood you and your pain and was willing to support you through it. That's what Zain was doing and Rudaba was grateful for it.

It was the first step and it was gradual, but it was all worth it.

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