°°°°
The anxious thoughts didn't let Shavez wait any longer than the morning Sun rays to barely sprinkle over the mass of the Earth. The air was freezing cold and Shavez didn't even bother to put on a jacket to lessen the affliction of the atmosphere.
He was again standing by the same gate which he had visited few weeks ago, 'Back home again'.
He banged the gate in urgency as it was locked due to time constraints. An old woman unlocked the door and she looked familiar to Shavez but he had no time to dwell upon it so he rushed inside with haste.
"Please tell me Ms. Anees is awake," He asked, trying to catch his breath, his lips turning white due to the shiver.
"She is," the woman replied. "I saw you here before," She said, leading the way for Shavez who was following her behind with no interest in whatever the woman was saying afterward.
"Here" they entered a room where Mrs. Anees was sitting on the prayer mat with her legs folded making use of her fingers to carry on with her zikr.
The room had two beds on either side, it was very clean with minimal elements in it. A table drawer between those beds to keep meds and stuff, and a plant kept beside the door, that's it.
The old woman left Shavez be when he walked inside the room.
Ms. Anees, whose face was towards the other side, turned to look at the new person who just entered into the room at that hour. Seeing Shavez she turned back around blowing into her palms and hovering her face with it.
Shavez was patiently watching her, waiting for her to be over with folding the prayer mat and sitting across Shavez on a bed, gesturing for Shavez to do the same.
"Assalamualaikum" He greeted sitting at the indicated place.
"Wa' Alaikum Assalam, I did not expect to see you after the last time you came here," She said with a wide smile on her face. Shavez could repress a smile at that.
"How are you, auntie?" He asked as if he was not asking her that at the brink of dawn.
"I'm good, how about you, what is so urgent that couldn't have waited until daybreak?" She was concerned seeing the falling face of Shavez.
"I didn't know where else to go" Shavez dropped his head down.
"Tell me," She asked.
"Adnan is arrested" He informed her and as soon as he did, her mouth fell agape.
"W-why? what did he do?" She asked, worried for her son.
"He deserved it, deserves much worse than that actually," Shavez said, "I came here to ask you that he blamed me for his father's death, what do I have to do with it?"
"Please tell me first, why was he arrested? You said you were good friends, why does it look like you hate him?"
"I thought so too until now" Shavez tsked. "He tormented his wife, beat her to death, she could have died if not for the help at the right time"
The woman gasped but didn't utter a word. Her hand flew across her mouth to set forth the shocked state.
"And when I meet him he accuses me of uncle's death, I don't know how am I involved" Shavez pointed at himself. "I would have never let that marriage happen if I knew he was masking his hatred and humanity"
"I'm sorry" The woman finally spoke.
"Don't be sorry. Sorry never helps"
Shavez was lashing out at the woman and strangely she was hearing him out with moderation as if she was guilty and Shavez was not wrong for doing so.
"Tell me please, why would Adnan blame me?"
"Did your mother never tell you how your dad died?"
"I know it was an accident. Why are you bringing that up now?"
"It was not just an accident." The woman said and Shavez's eyes blew out, he never thought he would hear something like what was about to come, he was not ready to hear whatever it may be.
"W-what do you mean?" He blurted with agitation, a fear clogging his throat.
Adnan's mother was trying her best to control her tears but she couldn't hence the tears dripped from her eyes "I don't even know whether Zahra knows about this or not."
"I want to know"
"Shavez" She uttered, having decided to tell him.
"My husband was not very fond of your father. I know he is dead but I am not hesitating to tell that he was not a good man. He gambled and lost a lot of money, never considered me and Adnan his responsibility, his family. Used harsh words towards his father and hated your father"
"We used to live together but after your grandpa's death we separated, Adnan was a teenager then."
Shavez was listening to her intently like she was narrating a tale to an innocent kid, adding details to make him understand. He was younger than Adnan so he didn't really remember any of this except for their faded faces from his memory.
He bent his head down to place it between his hands to support the throbbing pain in his head.
"Your grandfather's will included all his property to your dad and that was where my husband went feral. He planned his accident. I know this because I heard him talking to someone on the phone one day. I didn't quite understand what he was talking about but I knew something terrible was going to happen"
"Then we got the news that they were dead. Both of them died in the same accident. Your father was the target, sure, but karma really played the trick, and my husband who was there in a car to witness the scene didn't come out alive."
Ms. Anees was crying rivers recalling that, and Shavez was blank, his already stinging brain was not catching up, it was refusing to believe whatever he heard but somewhere in the corner he knew she was telling the truth.
The death of his father was a planned murder, he was feeling exactly like he should feel about the entire situation, terrible. Terribly blanched.
"I am sorry because I spent my entire life blaming you people for my husband's death, I never really cared about the upbringing of Adnan. It breaks my heart to hear that he abused his wife, I am really sorry" She said wiping the tears off her face.
Shavez shook his head.
What else could be done when the one chosen to blame actually regrets? Helplessly cannot blame them anymore.
If they cannot be blamed anymore, where should we put the burden of resentment and hatred and accusations we want to throw at them? Swallow it all with the threat of mental damage.
"Say something," The woman said, pulling out a tissue paper from the table top and handing it to Shavez. Though he wasn't shedding any tears like her, she anticipated it decisive.
"You were the one who planted the seed of hatred in Adnan's heart," He said bitterly. "But that still doesn't justify his actions"
"I am not justifying him," The woman said, immediately. "He told me you are quite successful all because you had so much money to invest and be able to follow your passion. He was jealous of you and the way he spoke, I knew there was no turning back on the path he set on. He never told me he worked for you but I knew he was keeping track of your actions. I am sorry I couldn't stop him, when I did, you can see where I landed."
"What money?" Shavez turned his head to look into the eyes of Adnan's mother. "Until today I didn't know I owned such money or property or whatever you are talking about." He said. "By God's grace aunty, My success is mine, alone. I didn't leech on someone else's possession."
The woman nodded, smiling from below her tears like she expected those words to come from Shavez.
"How's she now?" she asked." My daughter-in-law "
"She won't be your daughter-in-law anymore, She had suffered enough" He stated, thinking about talking to Rabi about getting their divorce. He was certain of making Adnan lament.
Mrs. Anees nodded. "I understand, I failed as a mother"
"He failed as a human"
"I saw that you put your relation as 'son' under your name when you came here last time," the woman said when Shavez was planning to go now that he knows what he wanted to know, the reason for Adnan's hatred that is.
"I did," He recalled.
"Would you forgive me for the sake of that?" She asked, her eyes silently seeking for the words to come out of Shavez's lips.
"What are you asking forgiveness for?" He asked.
"I could have stopped that accident from occurring, I could have warned your dad or your mother or anyone, I should have focused on Adnan's upbringing, but...all I did was resent. I didn't realize it until he dumped me here. He had no emotions in his eyes when he left me to rot."
The pain and regret in her eyes were evident to Shavez and he was a mild-hearted man. He wanted to blame her for the death of his father and leave the room without granting the lady his forgiveness despite the pleading words of hers.
He was silent for a long time debating with his own varying thoughts.
The one's gone are just gone, be it from the heart or the world.
"Ammi never held any grudge against you aunty so will I, you really don't have to ask for my forgiveness," Shavez said, rubbing his palms together and getting up from the seat. He glanced at the watch and his eyes widened when he saw it was almost 10 in the morning.
"I should leave," He said, approaching the door. "Forgive me for barging in this early."
"I hope to see you again. You grew into such a polite man, my heart fills with joy whenever I see you" The woman extended her hand to reach Shavez's head, getting the cue he crouched down and let her pat his hair.
He stepped out of the building taking the route towards the graveyard. He wanted to sit somewhere and play the entire conversation he just had with Adnan's mother in his mind again. He brought both of his hands against his face rubbing all over it and breathing into.
His dad did not die in an accident it was a planned murder, it was a MURDER. If not for Adnan's dad he would be alive. He lost his father at such a tender age and the cause was his own uncle, the own brother of his father.
Why didn't her mother tell him if she knew about it? They had taken loan from bank to set up his business. If they were rich and had so much property what may be the reason his mother didn't want him to know.
The misunderstanding about him using that money to build his future was the reason Adnan started loathing him all along.
He was jealous of him and jealousy drives people out of their clear conscience and make their hearts full of animosity.
His thoughts were interrupted by his phone bell.
"Hey Assalamualaikum. Are you at work?" Rabi asked from the other side.
"Wa'alaikum assalam, no I'm not" He answered in a strained voice getting up from the open land of the graveyard. Dusting his joggers and let the twigs he was playing with fall off.
"Oh okay" Rabi trailed her words.
"I'm on my way to the hospital actually" He said.
"That's great, I need to talk to you about something."
"Me too" He said wanting to give Rabi the details of Adnan's psychotic nature and where did it come from. "We will talk when I get there"
°°°°
"Were you home?" Zaki asked, spotting Shavez in the lobby by the pharmacy. He shook his head.
"Where then?"
"I'll tell you" He stated, holding the medicines handed by the pharmacist after doing the payment. "What are you doing here?" Shavez asked.
"I'm coming from the police station," Zaki informed Shavez. "You remember Hareem?"
"Um..Not quite" Shavez tried to recall by squinting his eyes while Zaki pushed the elevator button and they waited for it to arrive.
"The law student. We met him when we went on a vacation. He was stubborn to work with you once he graduates..does that ring any bell?"
"Oh yes I remember the guy, is he the one we bumped into and wouldn't let go of us for the next half an hour or so?"
"Yes the same. We were so annoyed, " Zaki laughed, nodding when they heard the elevator bell as it arrived and went inside where there were no people except the one who guards it.
"What about him?" He asked Zaki after telling the floor number to the man.
"I hired him for this case" Zaki said, bringing forward a brown envelope which might contain the papers relating to that.
"You did? But he's a fresher how could you trust"
"Well he is not entirely a fresher, I met him through a law firm where they don't enroll freshers. If they did that means he has the potential. And my instincts say he will be of great use, he has the spirit" Zaki said.
"I trust you" Shavez said coming out of the lift meaning it, he could always trust Zaki and rely on him.
They walked towards Haya's room and found Rabi already sitting on one of the metal chairs fidgeting with her knuckles, Shavez drew his eyebrows together wondering what might make her this nervous.
They spoke regarding Haya's progress and Zaki filled in the details being carried out with the case, amidst everything he didn't find anything which he could pinpoint the reason of Rabi's anxiousness so he proceeded with telling them the morning incident.
He told both of them about everything he learned, about the things which were kept hidden from him, of how Adnan lured him into believing that he was his well wisher but in reality he was his enemy from the very start. But he did not tell them anything about the incident of his father's death, he kept that to himself, simply because he didn't want to tell that his family had murderers. He was glad Haya was taken out from that hell hole.
His lips etched to tell Rabi to talk to Haya about getting the divorce. He knew Rabi would want the same but he felt it was not his place. His intention was nothing more than to watch Haya live a peaceful life but he might get misunderstood so he chose not to say that out loud.
Oh how he wanted to take Haya and disappear from the eyes of the world.
"By the way I wanted to speak to you both about something, and our father should not know about this."
"Yes?" Zaki said.
"I can't let Haya stay with that man. We are filing a case anyhow, I want Haya to get divorce"
Shavez's eyes widened on hearing that, he never experienced his thoughts being conveyed through the words of another person just like he wanted to, immediately that too, how much he was yearning to say it but a minute later as though she heard him and decided to use it as her own words. He was never more happy.
He suddenly felt like he is Lord's favorite child.
"Both Zaki and Rabi looked at Shavez who seemed quite shaken, "What would you say?" She asked him directly.
"I-I dont know it's H-Haya's call" he stuttered.
"I'm certain, she will not survive with that man"
Shavez averted his gaze from Rabi and found Zaki smiling.
"Sick? What's there to smile in a situation like this?" He whispered annoyed because his throat was practically constricted right now.
Zaki didn't answer him, instead brought forward the envelope and gave it to Rabi.
"What's this?" She asked peeling it open.
"Divorce papers," Zaki said, composed.
"Divorce papers!?" Both of them exclaimed in shock.
"How? and so soon?" Shavez asked eyes hovering over the papers in Rabi's hand while she was turning page after page scrutinizing them.
"Yes, This was the first thing I made him do," Zaki said, mentioning the lawyer from before.
"You are a genius" Rabi said extending the papers towards Shavez who took them to watch it with his own eyes and make them believe it was really happening.
"I love you man" Shavez said looking at Zaki who stuck his tongue out. "Not literally but I do" He completed with a snicker.
"Says the one who told me to mind my own business just a few days ago" Zaki shrugged pretending to be annoyed but the hidden smile was a giveaway.
"I will definitely talk to Haya, might as well hand over"
"It won't be easy," Shavez warned.
His heart swelled with contentment, after the morning he was saddened to the core that he thought it would require him a week or so to recover from the cobweb of tousled thoughts but now, he felt quite light hearted.
°°°°
"Adnan was taken away to the police station" Rabi informed Haya while wiping the corner of her lips with a tissue paper.
"I-I can't eat more" Haya said, taking the tissue paper back from Rabi's hand who was holding the porridge bowl in another. "We are almost done anyways" Rabi encouraged her to take a few more sips before putting the bowl in the tray and setting it aside.
"I want to talk to you about something," Rabi said, handing her the glass of water.
Haya nodded, signalling her to continue as she sipped in some water.
"After all that has happened, I won't let you stay with that man." she stated boldly which made Haya's hand to halt, pulling back to rest it in her lap.
"But I cannot do anything unless you tell me to. So I want to ask you this Haya. Would you prefer to spend the rest of your life with someone who peeled your skin and mocks you for wincing over it?"
Haya was silent. Her eyes still, on the water which was forming circular waves as she was making gentle movements around the rim with her index finger now halted.
"I'm not asking you for an immediate answer, I'm not even asking for an answer but here are the divorce papers" She said pulling out a set of papers from her leather bag. "Pen it down. Pen your choice down by signing on them."
Haya's almond eyes were huge and her face morphed into an unreadable expression.
"Also, don't worry about him, from now onwards Adnan will never be able to see you. I will make sure of it and.. I don't want you to tell me that you will still choose that man" She firmly declared.