Ishq Kinara[Love Ashore] Complete

14. November

The tinted glass of the window was basking in the glow from the light outside. The last pleasant days of November were morphing into the deep winter, as deep as Karachi can get. The vibe is different from fall; the orange hue of melancholy isn't infused in the very air we breathe. Instead, the nostalgia is of the kind where you just reminisce back on what it was and give a small smile to it. There're no hard feelings, no longing and no sighs filled with what ifs.

The vibe of November is of acceptance with open arms.

Nusrat Aapa ran her fingers through Safwa's open hair without saying anything. This wasn't her idea for this night but Safwa had questions, questions Nusrat Aapa had never thought she'd ask. But that didn't mean she wasn't prepared. Having spent almost half her life in this house among Kirmanis, she had quite and idea how they worked.

"Won't you ask me why I never told you about this?"

Safwa shook her head.

"I know Phupho. She can be secretive. I know you too as well. You can keep a secret."

Nusrat Aapa just smiled caressing Safwa's head.

"So they were in love, right?"

The hope and childlike anticipation in Safwa's question was endearing.

"Yes, oh yes, they were."

Nusrat Aapa's fingers had slowed down and a nostalgic expression had settled over her face.

"It couldn't be anything but love. So pure and so heartfelt. They started off as friends. Atif was like family to Bisma. She was so used to seeing him around since they were just teenagers and when they started developing feelings for each other it never seemed off, more like it was bound to happen this way only. Their camaraderie was genuine and nothing about it was weird. Issa knew about it too."

The photographs from today came back to Safwa's memory and she could agree with every word Nusrat Aapa was speaking.

"It was after your parents' wedding when they thought of taking things forward. Atif told his Baba Jaan about Bisma. As Hesham has already told you, Baig Sahab, Atif's father wasn't like your grandfather. He was a man of principles who held his family values dear. Atif's mother wasn't much different. They took some time but eventually they accepted the idea of having Bisma around."

Safwa immediately got up.

"They did?"

"Not completely but yes, for a while they did."

"Then?"

"As I've said for Mr and Mrs Baig, their family values were of outmost priorities. Bisma didn't think much of those. She had always been a pampered child. Her father doted on her and after his demise your father did the same just like Bisma did with you. He was more of a father to her than a brother. Bisma had always been given the liberty to live her life on her own terms. And that's where the clash started. The Baigs wanted to mold Bisma into someone who'd fit in their lives and their family. It was subtle at first but then it got pretty evident and Bisma sensed it right away. She tried playing it cool. She was in love with Atif after all but soon it started suffocating her. "

Safwa could imagine this. Bisma wasn't someone to lose herself while pleasing others. It wasn't her. Not in slightest.

"She talked it out with Atif I think. But he'd always been a pretty obedient child to his parents. There wasn't much he could do here. One thing lead to other and before we all knew it, Bisma backed out. She ended it with Atif."