It's been six months now and Umar's life totally changed as if he evolved into a new species, a new version of his.
He went abroad for these 6 months and today he was coming back to his home country.
He got promoted and his income doubled, he was getting settled and his conditions were getting better. Even though he could afford numerous luxuries now but he wasn't wasting his money.
He wasn't even interested in spending money like he used to do before.
In these six months he learnt so many lessons. Even though he was living in abroad he would take his time out to listen to the sessions of Imam Hamza.
Imam Hamza used to record it on his request and whenever he used to get free time he would listen to it and it always brought him inner peace.
Slowly the thoughts of Eira was leaving him alone but whenever he gets tired and if something burdening him the thoughts of her automatically come back in his mind.
It rarely happens and sometimes he imagines her and talks to her about random things, his heart knows that he was imagining her but those few minutes would bring him inner peace.
"Assalam ul alaikum Umar." Imaad hugged him tightly.
"Walikum as salaam." He replied back and they both pulled apart.
"Look at this charm." Imaad teased and Umar rolled his eyes.
He took one of the bag from his hand and they both exited the airport.
They climbed in Imaad's car and he was driving while talking about random things.
"So, how was the trip buddy?"
"You are saying as if I went there to enjoy." Umar replied shaking his head and Imaad grinned looking at his annoyed face.
"Anyways how..." They started talking and after 1 hour they reached to Umar's apartment.
They took his luggage up to his apartment and sat on the couch leaning their heads back.
"Thanks man." Umar whispered.
"Well your thankfulness can be accepted by a good meal." Imaad replied with a grin and Umar shook his head getting done by his behaviour.
"Where do you wanna eat?"
"You can take me tomorrow but today we are going at my place for dinner."
"No, thanks."
"C'mon man Mariya made several dishes for you."
"Ya Allah why did you trouble her you are well aware that, I don't eat heavy dinner."
Imaad glared at him with displeased look.
"Okay, fine. Can I take a bath atleast?" He asked in a mocking way.
"Yes, but you have only 2 minutes." Imaad ordered in a demanding tone.
Umar stopped in his tracks and looked back at him with raised eyebrows trying to hide his amused expressions.
"What were you saying?" Umar asked taking a step towards him as if he will crush him down.
"You look so dominating and intimidating man, if I didn't know about you I would've thought you as a gangster or better a serial killer." Imaad stated looking at the one with the most dominating aura.
"What are your thoughts on Mafia?" He asked trying not to laugh.
"You can't be that cruel. Can you?" He got deep in his thoughts.
"So you mean serial killer is better than Mafia?"
"Ofcourse."
"How?" Umar was enjoying this conversation, he sat on the couch and looked at him.
"Look, serial killers will not destroy the entire Kingdom but Mafia can."
"You mean to say Mafias are strong."
"Bro, they are dangerous. I even heard they drink blood every once a week."
This made Umar to laugh loudly but on other hand Imaad was all serious.
"Vampires?" Umar asked with a low throaty chuckle.
"A type of, and there are even rumours that they kill their own families."
This froze Umar completely and his mind roamed back to his mother and sister's death.
"Have you heard about the name Alex? Before you shifted to this city, there was a Mafia King in this city itself."
"No way." Umar composed himself immediately shaking away the thoughts of his mother and sister.
"Yes way, I heard he was the cruelest beast. Alhamdulillah I never encountered a situation like that but one of my friend did. He told about how dangerous he was."
"Really? What did he do?"
"He killed four men on the spot in a minute."
Umar gasped at this only he knew how he was trying so hard not to laugh looking at those horrified expressions on Imaad's face.
"Where is he now?" Umar inquired trying to know what people are actually thinking about him.
"He is dead."
"What? But how?"
"No one know about that but there are rumours."
"What kind of?"
Umar's full attention was on him.
"That he have done suicide, but few of them says he was killed by his own Father and some says his right hand killed him."
"Suicide? Why would he?" Umar felt like as if someone is trying to say him weak.
"Because of the guilt of killing his own wife."
Umar's jaws got clenched and his veins got prominent on his forehead, his fists turned white due to the pressure he was applying trying to hold back his anger.
He stood up from his seat mumbling kalma, trying to control his anger.
Everyone has their own ways in controlling their anger and Umar's way was to recite kalma till his temper cool down.
"What's wrong? Where..." Before Imaad could finish his sentence Umar interrupted him.
"To get freshen up." He mumbled and walked from there not looking back.
He was trying so hard not to lose his temper, he went inside the washroom and threw his clothes in the corner and stood under the icy cold water.
Another way of his to cool down himself, those words pierced his heart but instead of feeling hurt he felt rage.
He was dying everyday dreaming about to spend just a minute with his love and here the people are thinking him as a killer of his own happiness.
"Calm down Umar, people are there to talk. You know the truth and the creator knows the truth. Don't lose your temper, let them waste their time thinking about nonsense."
He tried to calm himself down and it really worked. He took a bath and dried himself and walked out searching for the clothes in his cupboard.
He took a simple sky blue button up shirt and black jeans. He was towel drying his hairs and set it after they were little numb.
He walked to the living room while folding up his sleeves till his elbow, Imaad looked at him and smiled.
"C'mon, Mariya already called me 3 times."
Umar just smiled at him and they both got down after locking the door of his flat.
"What should we do now?" Imaad asked as if it was a rocket science to crack.
"We can take both the cars." Umar replied casually.
Imaad thought for a second but nodded with a grin. They sat in their respective cars and drove out.
They reached in 30 minutes, but if it were in Umar's speed they would've been here 20 minutes earlier.
Umar was so tired driving at the pace of Imaad as he can't reach his house before him and the old version of his car was not as fast as his luxurious cars were.
He can still use any of his cars from his collection as the basement was a secret place and only him and Daniel knew about that but he wasn't feel like using it.
One day he might eventually use it but that day was like far away for him.
They went inside Imaad's house, it was a cozy house on the ground with 3 bedrooms, a drawing room, hall and kitchen.
He rang the bell and a little girl opened the door.
"Baba." She excitedly jumped on Imaad and he immediately catched her taking her in his arms and kissing her cheek affectionately.
"My little princess." He cooed with a cheeky smile making her giggle.
"C'mon Umar." He said and they both stepped inside.
It was the first time that he came to Imaad's house.
They settled down in the drawing room and Imaad forwarded him a glass of water.
Imaad's daughter was still on his lap talking to him about her day and was telling how her mother forced her to eat. Imaad was listening her and giving her shocking expressions.
Umar's eyes were fixed on her and he had a genuine smile looking at her.
"Emaan, meet him, he is Baba's friend."
"Baba's friend?" She repeated.
Imaad nodded at her and she looked at Umar keenly tilting her head.
She then looked at Imaad and back at Umar, they both were looking at her amused.
"Baba, he is like my doll." She said and Umar coughed whereas Imaad started laughing.
"Doll?" Umar asked for the first time.
She hummed nodding her head and jumped down from Imaad's lap running inside the room.
Umar chuckled and Imaad went inside to get the dinner ready. Umar was deep in his thoughts when he felt a tap on his knee.
He looked down to see Emaan standing there with a male doll in her hand, Umar scooped her and placed her on his lap.
"See, you look like my doll."
Umar looked at the doll and chuckled. It was a male doll, well built and fair complex.
"But he has green eyes." She pouted.
"Yes, because it matches with the forest."
"Forest?"
"Umhm like those beautiful trees and grasses."
"Yeaahh!!! my doll have forest eyes." She celebrated keeping her hands in air.
Umar chuckled looking at her excited self.
"You are nice." She said giggling.
"Am I?" He asked amused.
"Yes."
"And why is that?"
"Because you are..." She started thinking hard "beautiful like my doll."
Umar started laughing at this.
"How old are you?"
"4."
"And what do you like to eat?"
"Chocolate."
"Okay, next time I come here I'll bring it to you."
"Really?" She got really excited.
"Yes really."
"Then I'll pray to Allah to bring you back early."
Umar chuckled at this and tapped her nose gently, she scrunch a little giggling making him smile in return.
He was unaware of the pair of eyes looking at him with a smile from afar.
Imaad came inside and still he had a smile looking at them. This was the first time that he was looking at Umar with genuine smile.
"C'mon time to eat."
Umar looked at him and nodded. He stood up from the couch carrying Emaan in his arms.
"What is your name?" She asked looking at Umar poking his cheek with her tiny fingers.
"Umar."
"Umal." She nodded like a granny, as if understanding something.
Umar laughed at her antics and Imaad shook his head with a grin.
"Masha Allah she is so cute." Umar said out of nowhere looking at Imaad.
"She is." Imaad nodded in agreement.
They got inside the dinning room and sat on the chairs after washing their hands. Emaan was inside with her mother.
They started eating while talking about random things, it was almost 3 years now that he ate the actual homemade food that was too prepared by others, usually he cooks for himself and most of the time he order something from outside.
"Umar, there is a one campaign for poor people. They will be taking you for some social service in orphanages and some deserted areas where people are suffering. Even I took a part in that, do you wanna tag along?"
"Insha Allah I will. When is it?"
"End of this month."
"Done, I will take leave for 2 days then."
"Great."
They again started talking about different topics and some related to business as he was away for 6 months.
"By the way food is really delicious." Umar commented.
Imaad smiled at that and served him another dishes, Umar felt as home after so long.
They were now in the lawn eating their dessert.
"Umar, can I ask you something."
"Go ahead." He mumbled and his tone matched to Alex.
Even after so many things changed something was still intact, his intimidating aura and his well built body language.
"I know it's a sensitive topic but where is your family?"
"Sleeping."
"Huh? Where?"
"In graveyard beneath the soil."
He said so casually as if talking about they are sleeping in their rooms.
"Father, mother, siblings everyone?"
"Yes."
Imaad side hugged him making him startled for a second, then he chuckled and patted his back.
"So, there is no one in this big world who you can call as your family?"
"I don't care now."
"How did they died?"
"My mother died trying to save me, my sister died..." He stopped in the middle unable to say that she was eaten as a meal.
"She died by some incident and Father died in a unfortunate event." He wanted to say it as fortunate.
"And you know about my Eira."
Imaad was feeling pity looking at him.
"Umar, listen to me. Marry a girl and start your life, you can't be alone all of your life. If you want I will ask Mariya to look for someone."
"No, I'll look at it myself."
Imaad was beyond shocked listening this, he didn't thought of this reply from Umar.
"So, you are ready for the marriage?"
"I'll see Imaad."
"Look, if you decide on marrying doesn't mean you are betraying Eira. You even told that she wanted the same then give it a try. She is dead and she isn't coming back, you have to move on and this is life. I guess it's been 4 years now."
Umar just nodded with a slight smile hiding those inner battles with in himself.
"4 years and 3 days." He mumbled to himself.
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