I'm back with another update everyone. This is a very sad update and I think most of you probably didn't even see it coming. Grab your tissues everyone because tears will be falling alot in this chapter....
Author's POV (Edited)
We as humans when born, set our goals high. We love to achieve the greatest spots and wanted to be successful at every moment. Some were lucky enough to achieve their goals while some struggled for it their whole life.
Some achieved them sooner than the others while some spent their whole lives achieving it. We as humans have so much in mind. We want to do hundreds and thousands of things in one day. We want to travel the world, see varieties of places and enjoyed the delicacies of those places. As humans our wishes and goals had no stop.
We keep wishing and thinking and wishing and thinking. The cycle repeats itself. We as humans think that we have all the time in the world. We as humans think that we can achieve anything.
But it's nothing but a lie coated with sugar paper. We as humans think that nothing can separate us from our wishes and goals. But literally one thing can.
Death can separate us from our goals and wishes. It can make us leave our goals and wishes halfway. It forces us to leave our house, our loved ones behind. It separates us from our loved ones and left them in misery and grief. It is an inevitable part of life that no one can run from. It will come one day.
We as humans sometimes got so lost in the worldly pleasures that we often forgot that we have families at home. Our mothers, our fathers, our grandparents are waiting for us to come home and spent time with them. But we as humans neglected them thinking that we will spend time with them some other day.
But that day never comes. Either, they left us or we left them. Life is unpredictable. We as humans will never know what's waiting for us in the other second. We spent our lives on what ifs. We don't know the future rather we guessed it and try to live our present accordingly to it. We are just foolish people thinking that we have got all the time in the world.
Rather we got very little time and we as humans kept deceiving ourselves that there's so much time we still have. But only after a grave loss, do we understand the importance of time. But then it will be too late.
We were left with nothing but guilt, remorse, regret and loads of tears. We as humans only understand the importance of our elders in our lives when we lose them. It's the bittersweet truth of life. It portrayed us the bad guy in our own's eyes. It made us feel pathetic and kept taunting us that if we had spent more time with our loved ones.
It took a lot of effort to keep our grief aside and board the station of normal life again. Some people achieved it sooner than others. While some kept failing in it over and over again. Some overcome their griefs so early while some kept grieving for lifetime. But one way or another, we as humans had to put our grieves, our problems aside so that we could live in this world. Otherwise, it's people would kill you by their constant taunts, their continuous efforts to let us down.
We as humans become heartless to overcome our grieves and one day we almost forgot that we even lost someone. We came back on the track of life and that's how my friends, the circle of life works...
****
It was a fine day but only if it was. Shiza was ironing Shah Zain's clothes as he was in the shower. She hanged the ironed clothes before turning off the iron and coming downstairs to prepare breakfast.
It was her routine now. She would make breakfast and dinner for the whole family. Zohra, Lubna and Yusra were finally free from the cooking chores as their daughters and daughter-in-law had taken over them. Lubna and Yusra were pretty happy about it but Zohra was so not.
She hated the idea of Shiza handling everything. It made her envious of her. She kept trying to meddle in her business all the time she was in the kitchen.
Today was no exception. As Shiza entered inside the kitchen, she found Zohra pouring the tea in the cups. She doesn't say anything and straight down walk to the fridge. She took the fruits out before cutting them. Zohra scoffed before muttering under her breath
"Talk of a picture perfect daughter in law."
It's not the kitchen was too big to for Shiza to hear. She heard her clearly. But she chose to not respond. It was a fine day and she doesn't want to waste it arguing. Zohra fumed with anger on her irresponsive behavior. She turned around and slammed the spatula on the slab. Shiza flinched before Zohra commented
"Do you think you won?"
Shiza looked at her totally confused. She can't understand why Zohra was still keen on fighting with her. She calmly answered her
"What are you saying? I really don't understand."
Zohra scoffed and then chuckled dryly. She knew her tricks damn well. She walked towards her before eyeing her from head to toe. She then clicked her tongue and stated
"You are a good for nothing girl. These acts will take you nowhere. You should stick to the old plan of yours. You wanted to steal everything from us, right? Then why are you acting like a good responsible daughter in law now?"
Shiza's fists clenched. She had tolerated her so many times. But it was getting out of her control. She answered her this time
"Zohra aunty, I have had respect for you in my heart. But if you keep insulting me like that than that respect might not be there in my heart anymore."
Her voice was curt and strong. She had spent her days listening to her taunts and mocks. Now, if she can insult her than she will also fight back. Everyone has a certain limit point and Shiza had crossed her point now. She will not be the shy, timid and quiet Shiza anymore. She will fight and argue when someone will try to belittle her..
****
At the breakfast table, everyone was seated. Light conversation filled the atmosphere as the men were engaged in business talks. The ladies were quietly eating their food. But Shiza was not eating at all. She was feeling anxious. She was feeling like a ton alot of burden was placed on her heart making her unable to breath.
She was feeling like that since morning when she wakes up. She offered her fajr prayer and even recited the Holy Quran. But the feeling was still there. It was slowly gripping her mind and body too. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest.
She couldn't focus on anything. Her mind was alarming her for something. But there was nothing out of ordinary. Everything was going fine. Nothing is wrong. Then why is she feeling like that? She couldn't understand the gaping uneasiness plummeting inside her heart. Zain noticed her lack of interest in the food so he slowly nudged her under the table.
It was like she was pulled out of her dream-land. She turned to look at him and he leaned closer to her. Everyone was too busy to notice them. He then asked her in a whispered voice
"What's wrong?"
Shiza stumbled on her words before muttering a quick
"Nothing."
But Zain was confirmed that there was something wrong. She wasn't even eating her food. She looked so lost like her body was present here but her mind was elswhere. So, he again asked her
"Then, why aren't you eating your breakfast?"
At his question, Shiza looked down to see her place and true to him, her food was untouched. She hadn't taken a single bite out of it. But what she can do. She felt like she would puke if she eat it. Is she getting sick? She doesn't know. She was just feeling like that since morning.
She shook her head before saying to him
"I don't know. I'm not feeling hungry."
Zain's eyebrows furrowed. What's wrong with her? Is she sick? But before he could asked that, Shehnaz Ammi noticed Shiza's untouched plate of food. She immediately asked her in concern
"Beta, why aren't you eating anything?"
Shiza looked at her and saw the concern etched onto her face. She felt bad for worrying her. But that uneasiness was not leaving her heart. So, she stood up from her chair and muttered a quick apology
"I'm sorry but I'm not feeling hungry."
With that said, she went upstairs and get inside her room. Shah Zain saw her retreating figure and he knew that something was wrong. She was behaving strange. She was not like her usual self. She was acting weird since morning.
Shehnaz turned to Shah Zain before asking him
"Beta, is everything alright with you two? Did you fight with each other?"
Shah Zain shook his head immediately and assured his dado
"No, dado. We didn't fight. Everything is ok between us."
Shehnaz Ammi sighed in relief. How happy she is to see her grandson happy in his married life. Zohra snorted before saying bitterly
"Shah Zain, focus on your food beta. She will eat when she feel like it."
Shehnaz glared at Zohra's lack of decency but didn't say anything. She doesn't want to ruin the peaceful tranquility. Shah Zain sighed before continuing his meal. He will talk to her after breakfast...
****
After the breakfast, Shah Zain stood up from his place. Zarnish noticed him and immediately asked
"Aren't you going to office, Shah Zain?"
He looked at her before answering
"Yeah, I will. But first I need to talk to Shiza."
Zarnish hissed at the mention of her name. When did Shah Zain started to care for her? Her insides burned with jealousy and she commented bitterly
"Let her be. She will be alright."
But he was not in the mood so he stated
"No, I have to talk to her."
With that, he went upstairs to his room. Zarnish clenched her jaw before storming out of the dining area.
Shah Zain entered inside their room and found her sitting on the window seat. She was staring out of the window. She looked lost because she doesn't even turn to see who entered. He felt worried. What happened with her? He took small steps before sitting beside her. She still hadn't noticed him. So, he grabbed her hand and that made her startled. She looked at him and visibly relaxed.
He then asked her quietly
"What's wrong Shiza?"
She shook her head not able to form words. He clicked his tongue before saying softly
"You can tell me. I won't judge, I promise."
She looked at him for few moments. Could she? Will he really not judge her? She was contemplating when his voice again reached her
"I know I did so wrong with you in the past but I'm trying to amend. You can share anything with me."
His voice held sincerity. His eyes were looking at her asking her to trust him. Can she trust him? But all this while, he proved that he was changing. He had accepted her as his wife.
Maybe, sharing with him will make her feel light headed. So, she finally stated
"I don't know but I'm having an uneasy feeling. It's been there since morning. I tried to focus on other thing but this feeling is like glued to my mind. I felt like I have a burden on my heart and it's getting difficult to breath."
Shah Zain looked at her in confusion. Why is she feeling like that? She doesn't look sick to him. But it can be. She hadn't leave this house since so long. Maybe, she was getting tired of the same atmosphere everyday. So, he proposed
"How about you visit your khala. You haven't visited her since so long. It might ease your tension."
She thought about it. It feels like a good idea. She missed her so much and the change of atmosphere will also refresh her mind. So she nodded her head. Shah Zain stood up smiling before saying
"Ok then. I'll take you there in the evening."
She nodded her head before he bade farewell and exited the room. She sighed taking a deep breath. Maybe, meeting her khala will ease her mind...
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Another chapter done. Do vote comment and share. I'll see you soon.
Allah Hafiz
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