Ayla POV
Beep beep beep. I could hear these sounds around me, I tried to focus on opening my eyes but I couldn't. I needed to know where I was and what was going on. I focused all my energy on my eyes to open and when they finally did, bright white light pierced through my eyes. I blinked a couple of times to figure out where I was and I came to the conclusion that I was in the hospital. The door swung open and a middle aged women walked in, to check on my IV when I made eye contact with her and worded out water.
She immediately, put her clipboard aside and helped me drink some water and went off to get the doctor to run some tests on me. I was trying to remember what had happened and then it all came back to me, all at once. I, instantly choked out a loud sob and burst out into tears. Doing this, triggered a pain at the back of my head and I kept my hand on it find it bandaged. The doctor came in at this time and relaxed me down and ran a few tests on me.
I was then told to wait and a senior doctor was to come meet me. No one in this time frame was to meet me, because this was a case of domestic violence, they needed me to be okay and give my interview to the police without any pressure. I really wanted Salaar to be with me but I understood protocol so I waited. To my surprise, Dr. Audrey walked in. She was the woman who broke the news about baba's death to us. She came and asked me how I was doing and told me the entire procedure. She was to check my body for any forms of abuse and then report to the police officer. I was a bit reluctant in doing so but she assured me that what I tell her today would only remain between the both of us and she'll just write a report to submit it to the police.
Every bruise she would point out, would give me a flashback of how my life was in the past year and I would burst out crying. With a heavy heart, I told her what happened with every bruise. After she left, I was given space to get dressed and when I looked at myself in the mirror, my entire body had faded bruise marks, some were fresh from today. I burst out crying in front of the mirror. All I could think about was how ugly I was now and how this would've never happened if my parents were, the way they were and if my husband was there for me. I was truly in a foreign land with nobody.
There was a light knock on the door and an unfamiliar voice called out to me, I quickly wiped my tears to get dressed again. I thought it was the doctor or someone but to my surprise, when I opened up it was Rozina aunty, Salaar's mother. The minute she saw me, she instantly hugged me and all I could feel was motherly love in that hug so I broke down yet again.
"Mera baccha, its okay stop crying, I'm here", she said whispering in my ear
(My child)
She directed me towards the bed and help me sit there and poured me a glass of water, I drank it and got back into my senses, when I asked her
"Aunty, aap yahan kaisay, weren't you in England?", I asked
(Aunty, how are you here? Weren't you in England)
"Beta Salaar called me last night and I took the first flight to Toronto, I just reached an hour ago", she said, whilst smiling at me and running her hands through my hair
"Aunty woh uh Salaar theek hain?", I asked
(Aunty is Salaar okay?)
"Jee meri jaan! He just has a slight burn warna woh bilkul theek hai", aunty said
(Yes my love! He just has a slight burn otherwise he's all fine)
"Did he get burnt be-because of au-aunty?", I hiccuped out with tears threatening to spill
Rozina aunty looked down as if she was embarrassed to answer me, but she gave me a slight nod. Oh God, here comes the waterworks again. She just hugged me really tightly and said,
"Mera baccha don't take stress, it will get better soon!"
(My child)
The nurse then came in to change my IVs and I soon fell into a deep sleep knowing I have at least Salaar and Rozina aunty by my side. I was woken up the next morning to find out that I was being discharged and now here came the big question, where was I to go? I didn't have a home, if you think about it, not in Pakistan and not in Canada. I was truly all alone. Confused about what my next step would be, I heard Rozina aunty call out to me and right next to her was a nurse pushing a wheelchair.
"Beta you're coming home with me, you will stay with me and Salaar until you get all better Insha'Allah", she said
"But aunty, how can I stay at your house, log kya kahain gay?", I said
(But aunty, how can I stay at your house, what will people say?)
"Beta logon ka kaam hai kuch na kuch kehna, bas you're staying with us. You will be in my room till we get this situation sorted", she said
(My child, people will always say something, its decided that you will stay with us. You will be in my room till we get everything sorted)
We took an Uber back home. I hadn't seen Salaar all day and I was getting worried if he wanted to do nothing with me right now, because of the amount of baggage I carry. Anyway, after getting back home, Rozina aunty cooked for and me and gave me my medicines and sent me to bed.
A few hours later
I woke up with a slight throbbing in the back of my head. I looked to my side to see Rozina aunty sleeping peacefully. I needed water and I wasn't going to wake her up for it.
I gathered the energy to get up and go outside to the kitchen. It was a really cute and small apartment, with 2 bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen with dining space. I went to the fridge and got out a bottle of water and sat in the dining area, drinking the water and thinking about life.
My train of thoughts was broken, when I heard the door creak open and I saw Salaar walk out of a bedroom with a laptop in his hand. He headed towards the kitchen, not noticing me sitting there and only noticed me when he poured himself some water,
"Oh Asslam Alaykum Ayla, how are you feeling?", he asked me
"Wa Alaykum Assalam Salaar, I'm doing a lot better now, Alhamdullilah", I said
There was an awkward silence of about a minute when I got the courage to speak up,
"Salaar hua kya tha? I still can't remember a lot after I went inside to confront aunty", I said
(Salaar what had happened? I still can't remember a lot after I went inside to confront aunty)
Salaar seeing this took a big gulp of water and looked at me dead in the eye, narrating the entire incident. By the end of it, as usual, the waterworks started flowing, I couldn't believe that this is what my life had come to. Salaar quickly got out a tub of ice cream for the both of us and just said,
"Your tears aren't worth the assholes, so let's just sit about it, talk, and get it all out at once"
If I thought that I just had a crush on him before, this one sentence made me realize that I was in love with this guy, the way he supported me through thick and thin, got burnt by my mother in law and from what he told me, dealt with the legal side of the entire case against aunty on domestic violence. I don't think I could ever find a gem like him again.
"I read stories like mine on people posting on instagram, about how their parents would get them married off to strangers and this stuff happens and never in my wildest dreams did I think, I'd be a victim of this", I said
"The world works in weird ways Ayla, what can I tell you? Maybe this was all in your qismat, because you were destined to shine brighter in life?", Salaar said
(qismat-destiny)
"Woh theek hai Salaar. I geniunely had restrictions getting married this early, but I forgot all about it, thinking it was good for me. Lekin meray saath aik ajeeb kisam ka mazak hua hai", I said, giving a mocking laugh
(That is true Salaar, look I geniunely had restrictions getting married this early, but I forgot all about it, thinking it was good for me. But life has played a weird joke with me)
"Ayla, I don't think we can change what has happened in the past, but we can for sure alter out your future", he said
"What do you mean?", I said shoving a spoonful of ice-cream in my mouth
"This", he said and turned around his laptop to show me the profile of Fasiha Sheikh, an Arab divorce lawyer, she was one of the best lawyers regarding family law in Toronto and I had even heard about her when she came to visit the law department at college.
"If you want Ayla, we can set up a meeting with her in a few days and officially file for divorce", Salaar said
This geniunely caught me off guard, I wanted to get divorced from Shehryaar but this seemed too real. Seeing the obvious shock on my face, Salaar said,
"Ayla we have one week till our university starts again, for our last semester. Why don't you do Istikhara till then and have Allah give you a definite answer?", he said
"Yeah yeah I'll do that", I said whilst nodding my head at him
"I'm gonna go to bed now, do you need anything?", he asked
"No, I don't, I'm gonna go to bed now too, Shab-a-Khair", I said
"Shab-a-Khair Ayla", he said
And walked out of the room, leaving me with my thoughts.
A few days later
The very next day of mine and Salaar's talk, I had talked to Rozina Aunty to teach me how to pray for Istikhara and when she did, I did it for 5 days in a row, and to no surprise, all the dreams that I had indicated me being free from my relationship with Shehryaar. I couldn't get a clearer indication from God. So I decided to talk to Salaar about setting up an appointment with Ms. Sheikh.
As for my in laws, I had recieved a not so friendly call from Saima baaji, abusing me and threatening me for sending her mother to jail. I don't know why, but I actually recorded that call just for logs. Salaar had gone out to run some errands and Rozina aunty had to go meet up with a family friend. They were due to come back anytime soon now, so I decided to actually make something for dinner for the both of them. I looked at the ingridients available and I could make daal chawal. Although, daal chawal was my comfort food, I didn't know how they'd react to it, but my suspicions went down the drain when both of them praised me a lot for making them and I quote, "their favourite dish from Pakistan".
After dinner, aunty went to pray Isha and I tugged at Salaar's shirt before he left for the masjid
"Hey can I talk to you about something?", I said
"Sure Ayla what's up? Do you need to go to the hospital?", his face immediately fell down thinking I'm in pain
"No no stop overthinking", I laughed out
"Then, what's up? Everything okay right?" he asked cautiously
"Yeah I just wanted to ask, when's the earliest you can get an appointment with Ms. Sheikh for the divorce?", I said
Right as I said this, it was like Salaar's eyes lit up and he showed me his gorgeous dimples. He was grinning ear to ear like a child who gets something he wants
Man he was adorable!
Lol I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit dead, we're nearing to the end of Khudgarzi soon! Thank you to whoever was by my side since I started posting. As always, don't forget to vote, comment, and follow! I LOVE Y'ALL MWAHHHH!!!