Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem.
The month rolled by in a blur. And without them realizing it, it was already the time for good-bye.
"We will miss you dearly. But it's for your good or else I wouldn't have let you go for any other reason." Mubeena held her daughter while her eyes welled up.
It was hard for Shabna too but she was going with the flow, her Creator has written for.
The flight journey was very tiring and they both suffered huge jet lag. When Shabna opened the door of the hotel room they had reserved, all Jesima could think was to hit the bed and sleep for hours. And she did it just the same, she slept as soon as she lay on the soft mattress.
After a small nap, Shabna prayed her Isha prayer and took a hot shower. She changed into her pajamas and sat by the window peeking over the beautiful view of the city. It shined with bright lights and it was serene in its way. Tall buildings with intricate designs lined up to the height of the sky.
When the Creator could design so perfect, the Creation too tried their best to make up to his perfection, with all their hard works.
"You didn't sleep." Jessie walked out of bed scratching her left eye.
"No dear! Just enjoying the view through here," she took another sip from the hot drink.
Jesima sat on the corner and smiled as she gazed out.
"Do you want some coffee? There's a coffee machine over there, will make it for you."
"Sure, My head is spinning with migraine."
"Doctors and their migraines." Shabna shook her head and made the hot drink for her.
"Tomorrow would be even tiring Shabna. I have selected few houses already and we have to go check them out, so we could rent them," Jesima said as she took hold of the cup Shabna was handing her.
"Okay! If you fresh up, Can we go downstairs for dinner?"
" Why are you even asking? I never say no to food."
...
Shabna bent down and fastened the sneakers down her legs and picked her sling bag and passed it through her hand and when she was sure her phone and purse were inside, she stepped outside the door and locked it. Jesima was already outside the hotel waiting for her.
The first house was not at all what they expected it would be like, it was too small and looked rather suffocating. So they moved to the second one.
The latter one was a decent two-story independent villa, semi-furnished living room, and the kitchen was already stocked with the fridge and oven. They just have to pay the rent for everything they use. The first floor consisted of the master bedroom alongside was the guest room.
It was enough for both, and they liked it.
"It's good," Shabna said entering the bedroom.
"Yeah! It is,” Jesima went to check the closets and the bathroom accessories.
Shabna felt happy coming over here, and for once, it could be the start of a new beginning, she thought as she opened the window and pulled the curtain to the side.
"Asad! I am gonna kill you," a male voice called out on the other side of the window and she turned towards the owner of the voice and froze.
"Asad! I am not going to let you go just like that." He was running behind a small boy.
That face, she couldn't forget in a million years. He was actually in front of her. The hugest crush of her life, well, before her marriage.
She had dreamt of him so much. Whenever she passed that railway station or went on a train ride, she would remember him. Her eyes on their accord searched for him in many places.
Of course, he wasn't there.
It was like the happenings of a fairy tale movie for her, so surreal, and she held it dear to her heart that time.
But everything changed when she got to marry someone else. She emptied her heart for the one she was going to marry.
Now.
She.
Saw.
Him.
When she had searched for him to be in her country, he believed her eyes. She blinked once, twice, like it was a dream. He would vanish anytime now, but he didn't. He was on top of the boy, tickling him hard and the boy’s laughter boomed through the window.
All she wanted for him was to go away. Her heart was now hard and she couldn't take any more drama.
She had had enough.
"The bathroom too is satisfying. A tub and the washbasin consists of enough drawers. That would go for now." Jesima locked the door behind her.
Shabna instantly came out of her small reverie and closed the window behind her with a thud.
"If you say yes, I will be talking with the renter and confirm him."
"Ummm!"
"So it's a yes then?"
"No."
"Yes or no Shabs?"
"It is a No Jesima," Shabna replied pissed.
"Just now you were telling the house was all but good."
"It was a moment before. Now, I don't like it."
"You are such a moody." Jesima turned to go ahead.
Shabna reached for her hand, "You will reject this one, right?" she asked.
"Why do you sound so desperate? Alright, I would, happy?"
"I took you here for being happy, Shabna. So I won't do anything against your wishes, okay?"
Shabna shook her head and hugged her friend, surprising her in the process, and left a breath she didn't know she was holding.
...
Jesima climbed down the stairs followed by a perplexed Shabna in tow. Though she was physically present, her mind was mentally absent. She couldn't still fathom the fact that 'she' actually saw him.
But the rational part of her knew the best, and she had learned enough lessons not to trust the whispers of Shaitan. She has become more matured and why would she ever think about him. But still, the feeling that he was near, nagged her heart the way it shouldn't have to. Then she was quick to recover and her face turned into determination. What she had was a childish thing and now she was over it.
She looked around for her friend who wasn't there anymore. Shabna got up from her seating place and moved out of the house.
"This is Shabna! My best friend. She came along with me." Jesima gestured her hand towards her when she stepped out. She cordially smiled back at the woman who Jessie was talking to.
"Assalamu alaikum! I am Hafila. I live next door." She extended her hand forward to Shabna and she gave her hand a slight shake in a reflex action and answered her Salaam slowly.
"Aunty! My phone's GPS is not working and her phone is still not connected to the internet. Will you guide us to the nearest bus station, so we could go back to the hotel," Jesima spoke out loud.
"Yeah Sure! But the bus station is quite a little far away. The walk consists of at least a minimum of fifteen minutes." The Aunt wondered out loud.
"Samad's father has taken the car out or else would have given you a ride," she gestured to the little one standing beside her and that's when Shabna noticed him and his face was almost similar to the boy who she saw a few minutes before in the opposite bedroom.
"Oh! No problem Aunty. Just tell us the route In shaa Allah will find the way."
"Wait a minute! Will call my son. He would take you to the bus stop.”
Shabna knew deep down that this wasn't going to end well and a nerve on her forehead started to tick, already.
"Samad! Go call Maahi out." and it was enough for the boy to run to their home. Even though she wanted to fly back home, to India, her legs remained still on the same spot. She couldn't move or reject for she knew better. So she stood there, silent.
Two minutes later walked out the figure, she would despise herself looking for. Suddenly the concrete floor looked more satisfying to look into.
"Maahi! They are from our country and they don't know the route to the bus stop. It's a kind request, take them safely there."
"Oka-y!" The answer came rather stretched meaning he could be doing other interesting stuff than being stuck with two women. She knew it was an awkward situation and he couldn't reject his Mom who was being nice. They were being nice, but the thing that was nagging Shabna's heart was that it could have been anyone in his place, but it was him.
She had thought this was her new beginning, but she was sure now that this would be the beginning of her ending.