"Words are a strong weapon which can even pierce a stoned heart ..."
A N A B I A looked around her with moist eyes when she saw her so-called cousins laughing in a corner at her. She knew it was a new prank of them to humiliate her again. Like the always do. She stayed there, head bowed and fingers fidgeted while her tayi ammi gave her a good earful for something she didn't do.
"It was a five lakhs rupees saree made with real gold details and you ruined it ? How could you be so careless? Even your death father didn't earn that much in a month !" The old lady's heavy voice echoed in the walls of the Abbasi haveli.
As always, Anabia's aunt asked her to do all the house chores and also to wash her precious saree with her hands at it was handmade and the work could be ruined if she washed it in the washing machine. Anabia carefully washed the piece of clothing, scared of her tayi ammi's wrath.
She left the saree to dry but when Shabana - her Tayi Ammi - saw the saree, the golden colour of it had turned in a brownish one because of the bleach her cousin - Shaiza [Shabana's daughter] - put after Anabia had left the saree to dry.
And now, she was getting scolded for something she didn't even do.
"I...I didn't...do..an-anything, Tayi Ammi..." Anabia stuttered, she hated being humiliated but it was something she faced almost every day.
"Shut up! You're so worthless! I mean your mother died when she gave birth to you and your father also passed away in disease living you as a burden in our house!" It was too much to bear for her small and fragile heart. She didn't ask for it, it just came on her way. She felt as if she was bad omen for her late parents and a burden for this so-called family she lived with. She was reminded of this every time.
"BAS ! Ab ek aur lafz nahi mein sunoga meri Anabia ke bare me! Tum bhul rahi ho Shabana ye mera ghar hai! Aur meri Anabia koyi boch nahi hai, mere bete ki akhri nishani hai wo!" Jamshaid Abbasi, an old man in his late sixties with salt-pepper hair and beard said. He was the elder of this house and Anabia's only gardian and mehram because after him she had no one.
After she had lost her parents at the mere age of eight. It was Jamshaid who raised her into the beautiful woman she is now. He provided her with everything, even love but his love wasn't enough to fill the gap only parents can. Moreover, the way she was treated also had an impact on her.
"Dada jaan...I pr-promise...I-I-I didn't ruin Tayi Ammi's saree !" Anabia hugged him and sobbed. She was scared that her grandfather wouldn't trust her.
"I believe, my bacha. Mere Bia kabi jooth nahi bolti !" He was right. She wasn't one of those who lies.
"It's my last warning, Shabano. Next time, you'll face the consequences. If she is saying that she didn't ruin your saree then she didn't." His voice held finality as he grabbed Anabia's hand and went in his room not before glaring at his grandchildren and daughter-in-law.
~ ~ ~
"Partner ?" Anabia softly said, her grandfather and her have a special bond. They are not grandfather and granddaughter but more like best friends. All the time, Anabia and Jamshaid call each other partner because according to him, she was his partner as his wife died a few years ago and he was her partner, until she found the one.
It's only when Anabia is in distress that she calls him Dada Jaan. It's like a code word for both friends.
"Yes, partner ?" Jamshaid asked still looking at the book in his hand. He was reading an urdu novel.
"I am hungry..." Anabia mumbled while sitting crossed legs on the bed. She sleeps in her grandfather's room as he needs her in the night. If God forbid, his health goes down.
"Then eat ?" His statement came out like a question.
"You don't understand ! I want something...chatpatta !" She squealed thinking about the heavenly gol gappe
of the street corner's shop.
"Gol gappe ?" Jamshaid removed his glasses and looked at her. He already knew the answer. His granddaughter has a big fetish for those unhealthy street food.
"Yes and Subhan chacha's !" She negociated already knowing what was going in her grandfather's mind. He wanted her to order them from a five star restaurant. But only Anabia knew they don't taste the same as Subhan chacha's.
"No, it's very unhealthy !" He put back his glasses and went to his previous task. Anabia huffed her cheeks and put her elbow on her knees, resting her head on it. She pouted in a cute way, reminding Jamshaid of the ten years old Anabia who hasn't change yet.
"You never listen to me! It's just one time!" She tried again.
"Well, you said the same thing yesterday !" He replied back, with a bored expression.
"Fine, I won't bake chocolate chip cookies for you anymore." She stuck her tongue as Jamshaid had a horrified expression at Anabia's words. She didn't just threatened him? Or did she?
"You won't dare !" Anabia pulled his cheeks making him annoyed.
"Oh yes I will !" She smiled victoriously, knowing very well her plan worked. Her grandfather loved her baked cookies to an another level.
"Acha, tum jiti aur me hara ! Bohot garmi hai baher, isliye mein Mehraan ko bolta hon ke wo ate waqt tumhare golgappe le aye." He dealed with her. She nodded happily and smiled. Jamshaid felt his heart smiled in content. His second goal in life after pleasing Allah was making his precious daughter smile. As much as he can.
'Adeel, I am trying to fulfill the promised I made you, to keep your daughter always happy and smiling. Even if that means going against my own family.' Jamshaid thought, the next thing he was going to do was risky but he had to. To make sure, his Bia will be in safe hands after he is gone. No one knows when the angel of death will come to them and he was no different.
"Where are you lost, handsome ?" Anabia asked mischievously with a teasing smile. "Thinking about my beautiful dadi jaan ?"
"Hatt, besharam." He lightly pushed her shoulder making the sound of her laughter echoed in the four walls of his room.
~ ~ ~
Anabia was so annoyed at her grandfather right now. She was wearing a her abaya and hijab with a red face, from anger. A few hours ago, Jamshaid had asked Mehraan to go to Swat to sign some property papers and it was urgent. But according to him, he couldn't go alone as it was night and Mehraan needed to be there till the next morning.
She couldn't understand why her grandfather was so adamant for her to go with Mehraan. He had gone multiple times alone, even in cities far from Swat so why does she has to go now? She wanted to stay in her room and read novels, not go on a stupid trip with him. Someone she barely spoke with even though they live under the same roof.
"Dadu, what's the point of sending her with me ?" She heard Mehraan's voice from the stairs.
"Ab tum itne bare ho gaye ho ke tum meri baat bi nahi suno ge ?" Jamshaid dramatically said, putting his hand on his heart, pretending to be offended by his grandson's statement.
"Acha, ap behj de usse mere sath. Aur Kuch ?" Mehraan asked, shaking his head at his grandfather's antics.
"Nahi puttar, bas filhal ye kafi hai. Uska kayal rakna." Jamshaid smiled happily. He patted his shoulder.
Anabia cleared her throat and walked to them, lowering her gaze. "Chalo ab tum dono jao. Otherwise you'll get late." Jamshaid kissed Anabia's forehead while she made faces, telling him how discontent she is with his idea.
"Allah Hafiz." They said in unison and went in the car.
The car ride from Islamabad to Swat was going to be very long, so Anabia bought a novel with her to pass the time. She didn't have a mobile phone so she couldn't play games or watch youtube videos. She was going to sit in the back, as she wasn't very comfortable sitting in the front with a na-mehram.
"Can you sit in the front? I feel like a driver otherwise." Mehraan softly said, trying to not sound rude. Anabia nodded and sat in the front sit, beside him.
"Your seatbelt." Mehraan pointed out, making her blush in embarrassment.
"Sorry..." And she buckled her seatbelt.
~ ~ ~
They were now driving for two hours now. Mehraan was initially going to take the highway but when he saw his brother - Azlan's message popping on his phone screen, telling him to take the forest route because at that time there would be traffic on the highway. And, unfortunately, Mehraan listened to him.
The Abbidi family was something like this. Jamshaid has four sons and had no daughter. His elder son - Furquan - is married to - Shabana - and they have a daughter - Shaiza - along with two sons - Azlan and Mehraan himself.
His second eldest son - Javed - is married to - Sohai - and they have two daughters - Asma -, - Aqsa - and a son - Saifaan.
His third son - Ashraf - is married to - Zaida - and they have a son - Faizan.
His last son - Adeel - was married to his late wife - Momina - and they were blessed with a daughter - Anabia.
Everyone in the Abbidi family had an arrange marriage except Adeel who had a love marriage. He fell in love with Momina in college but his family was rich and her family were from middle class which was a problem for Jamshaid and his late wife - Zaafira - as they wanted a bride from the same status as them for their son.
Adeel was very persistent and married Momina against his parents wish. All the siblings lived in the same house except him, as he choose to get a separate house because his parents didn't want him to leave under the same roof as them. They had financial issues but they were happy.
An year after their marriage, they found out Momina was pregnant, with a baby girl. As Momina gave birth to Anabia, she left the world, leaving Adeel on his own to take care of his new born baby girl. He took care of Anabia as a father should and gave her all the love he could. But when he found out he had cancer, Anabia was eight years old at the time, he left the world as well.
When Jamshaid came to know about his youngest son's death, he was devastated. He didn't know Adeel had a daughter, so he took her and decided to let his hate go and keep the little happy.
Mehraan glanced at the girl sitting beside him who didn't utter a word since they drove. He needed to talk to someone as he was beginning to feel sleepy but having a conversation with her was the same as talking to a wall.
So he decided not to initiate a conversation with her.
"Sh*t" He mumbled under his breath as the car stopped.
"Kiya hua ?" Anabia asked, confused.
"I think the tire punctured, kiya musibat hai yaar." Mehraan glanced at his wrist watch, it was nine p.m and the sky was dark. They were stuck in a forest where not even a single soul was seen, moreover the weather was extremely cold as it was the middle of the month of January.
"What are we going to do now? There isn't any garage near." Anabia spoke. "But you know how to change a tire? I mean you should've an extra tire in the back ?" She asked hopefully but Mehraan's expression told her all.
"I do know, but unfortunately, my tire got punctured two weeks ago and used the extra one. Since then, I didn't bother to put new one in the car's trunk." He replied calmly, trying to find a solution.
"I will try to call a driver from home, it would take time but it's better than staying here without anything. Don't come out, we don't know what type of people can be in this area." Anabia nodded quietly, her heartbeat was fast as if something was going to happen. Something life-changing.
Mehraan got out of the car and dialed driver chacha's number. He cursed under his breath when the phone call didn't work, because their was no network in the deep forest route. "Why Allah, why ? What will I do now? Anabia is under my responsibility and I don't even know what type of people can be here. Help us, Ya Rabb." Mehraan prayed desperately. He was more worried for Anabia than himself.
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