She removed the scarf letting it fall off her hands to the couch resting at one corner of the room. Her caramel coloured hair was pulled up in bun strands dangling on her side touching her cheek once in a while.
Jahanara felt something she never felt in these last few days and now took upon the courage to finally play with colours. She huffed walking out of the room dragging bags of it placing them against the wall.
She heard the familiar cries making their way, halting her in between as she saw a struggling Raaya with tears and a puffy nose trying to wriggle out of Aisha's arms. She quickly put her arms out grabbing her princess as she snuggled closer to Jahan side sniffing while she rocked back and forth.
"What's upsetting my baby huh?" She sweetly whispered, wiping her tears that pricked her heart. No matter what she despised, tears in her eyes
Her eyes weren't made for her tears.
The instant quietness relief washed over Aisha as she walked away remembering the soup that was left for cooking. After that, she pulled Raaya making her sit in a small cot that she made knowingly the hours she spent here would vary.
Raaya put her arms up. "No baby now you will play with toys and let mummy do some painting," She murmured. Raaya pouted but took the stuffed toys bought by Danish and the jiggling voice it produced excited her.
Jahanara couldn't believe Raaya was going to turn a year older. It earned a breathtaking smile and how proud she was that despite not being so experienced with help of Sakeena's advice, Aisha and Danish it would have not been possible.
"Baji(sister) Raaya's food," Aisha knocked on the door, passing the tray to Jahanara. "Thank you, Aisha, you can go rest now," She smiled at her. Placing the tray on the round table she picked Raaya strapping her small belts on a higher chair wrapping a bib around her neck.
The round cup had soft fruits like bananas, peace and mango diced as instructed by Jahanara after feeding Raaya who ate less and made more mess and refused to eat more which worried her but her doctor said that it would take time for kids to adjust to the new food.
Humming as she slept in her arms with a kiss on her forehead she placed her in the cot securely with the small pillows standing up to see that so much time passed and now her hands were aching to do so. At first, she dropped the brushes feeling the throbbing pain in her hands.
'It had been almost ages, of course, this was going to happen,' she thought, sitting on the stool picking her sketchbook tossing through her attempts whenever she could spare some time. Her pencil stained her fingers as she finally stopped at the page she thought she mindlessly drew.
Despite being displayed in black linings it created havoc in her heart. His beady eyes stared back; it was beyond her understanding that still with closed eyes she could draw him. It did not feel right at all. She sealed the book, positioning it aside and stretched her arms above her head stifling a yawn.
Her eyes gaped at the shirt she was wearing. It was Shehraz's after cleaning his room and wardrobe some clothes which now were all owned by Jahanara because the fancy dressing wasn't comfortable when it comes to doing her work.
Talking about Shehraz she forgot to reply to him and sat down with closed eyes finally coming to terms with what she wanted to paint and despite the nagging feeling. She was going to do it.
For it's just a portrait.
The last brush stroke as her shoulders drooped down and sat with a thud her hands covered with all numerous shades smudged complimenting her fair complexion.
He was beautiful, his pointed jawline, the deep eyelashes, his raven orbs that reflected any colour it started into those freckles that adorned his cheekbones that made her remember each time they spent it all played in front of her eyes.
'I miss you,' she couldn't utter those words.
It was a stab in her heart and the tears burned her striking blue-grey eyes as she covered her mouth with her hand preventing a sob which would awake Raaya until her phone rang quickly without looking at the caller. She accepted the call.
"Hello?" Her hoarse voice came out.
"Hi, is this Jahanara Zahid speaking ?" A woman's voice asked, confusing Jahanara as she pulled the phone to see it was an unknown number.
"Yes, who are you?" She finally said wiping her tears and the next words didn't help her current situation throwing her into anguish.
The pleasant air of Islamabad and the loud voice of Magrib Azan calmed the anxiety that increased when the location neared her. She unconsciously covered her head in respect. And informed the driver to pick her up when she called.
Her mind screamed at her to leave while her heart said not to. These useless centres would never contact until and unless it was important. She recalled the conversation. They were closing it down and were contacting anyone going their belonging to the rightful owners.
"Thank God it's closing down," She said to no one. After she ran away leaving Omar behind she had nowhere but to surrender herself to some other orphanage which was bearable but ruthless when it came to giving away kids and money. She shook her head throwing the thoughts out and crossed the road seeing the hustle and bustle entering and going to the counter.
"Salam how may I help you?" The recipients gave a tired smile that did not reach her brown eyes.
"I got a call to collect my belongings," Jahanara's cold tone came out as the receptionist nodded, instructing her to go to the women's waiting area.
Jahanara sat still with a frown tapping her feet impatiently biting her lip. 'What things I don't get. I never had anything valuable,' she thought, trying to recall anything but nothing.
"Miss Zahid," A voice called, making her cringe as the elderly woman held a brown box with her full name on it.
"That's yours," she said with a kind smile, passing it to Jahanara and walking away with relief that she was doing well.
That box froze Jahanras inside as she shook it to hear some voices and sat down opening it to finally remember the valuables that held inside her were part of him she could never forget.
She sat in the middle of her bed beside a sleeping Raaya. The collectables all on a clean cloth as she closed her eyes exhaling. Her fingers held his leather watch with no glass but the time stuck.
"7:09," Jahanara whispered, aware that this was the time of his death which sent shivers down her spinal cord. His dark black wallet she opened to see no cash remembering she used them all and credit cards were still tucked in their small space with his passport size picture.
Oh, how he hated his passport size pictures complaining over the phone made her grin at the memory.
She gulped the growing lump and then came his journal but she kept it down not wanting to invade his privacy. It wasn't for anyone's eyes and she respected that. His hoodie was also there folded which still had dry stains of blood. Her hands roamed at the soft fabric remembering the times he would wear it when he felt cold or slept with it.
She chuckled at the beautiful memories she had the privilege to keep them but the more she remembered the more it glistened her heart.
She wrapped it all, placing it carefully into a new while box discarding the old one and went to her room keeping it away from anyone as she locked the room. A plan formed in her mind that his belongings were hers to keep anymore. She has no right to do so.
The sudden shouts startled her as she ran downstairs carefully to see the unexpected.
"Because of you today I have no child!" Aliyah shouted on top of her lungs pushing Danish with force as he stumbled but regained control of himself when that was not enough in Aliyah's eyes, rage blinded all her senses.
She was hurting the man who gave his everything for her.
"Not the vase damn it!" Jahanara in time stood in front holding her wrist removing the vase and yanking it away.
"Are you mad?" Jahanara wailed, shoving her away and placed the vase on the side table looking between the couple. Her nostril flared seeing her agitating even more.
"Get out of my way," She barked glaring at Danish who wasn't able to digest the statements he heard from her in their room.
"You were the problem not me and because of this all I am suffering they are blaming me and it's ALL YOUR FAULT!" She cried out pushing her way in front to lunge on him but Jahanara stayed rooted pushing her away.
Because of you, I have no child!
Her words pierced through Danish ears finally registering as he stood there with a bruise on his feet due to the water glass
that was laid shattered in their room.
You were the problem, not me. His body started to tremble as he felt his heart rate and blood pressure shooting up. Jahanara noticed his unbalance as he stumbled on a reflex and she caught his arm.
"Sit Danish Bhai," she whispered at his broken soul but what she heard from the vicious woman's mouth next made her blood erupt.
"So this is the problem now you know love me and suddenly she is more pre--" Aliyah could complete her sentences before the stinging sensation as it echoed through the living hall heard by every corner of this mansion the servants rushed in a daze staring at the scene with gasps.
Jahanara knew how bad of a daughter-in-law she is but what a horrible wife was not expected at all.
Jahanara could feel the burn in her hand as she pulled her arm digging her nails in it forcing her to glare into the cold blue-grey eyes which showed enough for her to fear her.
"If I ever see your face in this house you won't live to see the daylight Get out!" She pushed her roughly as Aliyah winced.
"Security throw this filth out of here!" She spat with a clenched jaw. The security nodded, guiding her as she struggled; her icy glare was enough for them to take her out.
It established fear in everyone's heart. Her tone was as thick as the ice piercing anyone or anything that came her way. Her eyes darted towards the servants with a raised brow.
"Yaha koi drama Chal Raha hai(Is there any drama going on) go!" She stressed the word go as they all sprinted almost tripping on their way out. She placed her hand on her heart which was faster than the speed of lightning as she saw the man who sat there staring in space with blood on his feet.
"Aisha gets some water and First Aid," She yelled, making Aisha work faster before spoiling her mood further.
"Jahan don't tell mom about this and tomorrow I want to spend some time with Raaya," He barely whispered as he looked older now with the lines on his forehead and dark circles. Her eyes softened at the man and nodded her head.
"I am so sorry for this all," he finally said, pressing his temples which were throbbing with immense pain.
"Don't get some sleep," She said, passing the first Aid kit and water with tablets and walked away leaving him alone with his thoughts.
But she knew that someone needed to know this and she wouldn't be able to comfort him as she picked her phone texting shehraz about all that happened to make her fingers tremble. She sat down on the bed thinking how Aliyah dared to accuse her was beyond her understanding.
Humans could go to any extent to hurt, not knowing the consequences they had to face in the future.