"Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."
-Marilyn Monroe
He was weak, so delicate, so soft and so pure. His skin was more pink than white making it felt transparent, and due to being born before the due date he was admitted in NICU, in the small incubator lying in the centre his bare body was attached to wires and tubes. They haven't even let her take her own child, the dream of having him in her arms was yet to be filled, all she could do was to touch him with her hands through the space provided and with multiple stitches it was unbearably painful for her to sit longer by his side.
But he has responded to her first touch, hours after being born, when she finally had gained her consciousness, she has begged all the people around her to let them meet and after hysterical sobbing which was shooting up her blood pressure she was allowed. Her heartbeat was rising as her wheelchair neared the doors leading to the multiple NICUs, he was in the second room, incubator number 14. When she entered the room there was already a baby crying and doctors were attending it, the feeling 'why the baby is not calm?' soon turned to 'that baby is going to wake up mine.' She wanted to laugh but all the thoughts were dismissed as soon as she was wheeled right in front of him.
There he was, right there in front of her own eyes, the one she had only felt in past few month was sleeping peacefully.
"He will struggle breathing and feeding but you have got quite a fighter there, Daniyah." The pediatrician whispered from beside her. "He was screaming and kicking till we put him here and fed him, he had the entire team running," she softly chuckled and Daniyah stopped herself from breaking, her cheeks were already drenched with tears.
"What are you going to name him?"
"'I am not sure yet," she had replied, and it was the first time he had heard her voice and moved, bringing his tiny fist to his face he rubbed it. "Can... Can I touch him?" fear, concern, and anxiety was lacing her voice.
"Go ahead!"
Raising her shaking hands, she let them meet him, and he squirmed under her touch, her heart stopped, her fingers halted as her son recognized her.
She could breath again, her baby was here, he would be okay.
"I love you," she had whispered and he had blinked his eyes.
"I love you," his lips gave the faintest of smiles.
"I love you," she choked and he blinked.
"I'll protect you forever." And he closed his eyes.
***
Armed men surrounded the buildings of the hospital, security guards lined up the corridors, the cars queued up in front of the main gate. Suited in the dark brown suit he walked firmly towards the corridor leading to VIP room, room number 507 where his wife was. With straight face he took turns as his assistant briefed him, they reached the door and his steps halted. There were whispers behind the closed doors and he knew someone was about to open it. Taking a deep breath Emaad shunned his thoughts as his fingers closed around the door knob.
"Emaad," his mother-in-law was the person which came in his sight, her surprised tone sparked sentiments in him which he didn't like much.
Was he not expected? He is here to meet his son!
"Asalam O Alikum," he found his voice turning into ice and moved ahead, a small smile covered Mrs. Shah's face as she softly replied and turned back, disposing the idea of leaving the room. Emaad slowly followed her lead further into the room which was coloured with sky blue shades, and light grey curtains decorating the windows.
He could feel others looking at him intently except Mohuiddin Shah, who wasn't acknowledging his presence but was on his phone. He stopped once he reached right in front of her bed, lying in the centre of the room with her eyes closed she was far away than his reach. The room had terse silence where neither Emaad nor Daniyah's family was ready to initiate a conversation. His eyes was fixed on her face, she looked fragile lying there, an IV tube was connected to the back of her palm, her face had lost colour. She was merely surviving.
"Emaad," the chain of his thoughts was disrupted as Mohuiddin Shah called out his name and for the first time Emaad realized that here in this room he was definitely not wanted and he was proved right.
"You must be here to meet the child—"
"Mohuiddin—" Mrs. Shah's sentence was cut short by a single look of her husband and she shook her head.
"He is in NICU, he will survive if that's what you want to know," the words which were spoken in the harshest tone made him clenched his fist as he listened with his jaws tightened.
"Dad, I—"
"Emaad I am really not interested in excuses which I have been listening from Day 1—"
"Mohuiddin, please! Please stop!" Mrs. Shah moved forward with a plea in her voice, "He is here and he has been through too much already,"
Emaad took the golden chance fate offered him.
"I know I have done a thousand and many mistakes, I didn't treasure Daniyah the way I should have, I have lost way too much Dad, my family broke when I was just beginning my own. My life is a big mess but Daniyah and our baby is the only thing I am holding on to. I just need one chance." His voice had passion and plea, he seemed like broken man, a man in dire need of just some hope.
But only if she would have been awake, she would have screamed that he was good at this.
He was beautiful with his words.
His strength was his manipulation.
He was the master of delusion and he had deluded them successfully.
***
"Izhan, I am naming him Izhan." She heard him when they both were left alone among multiple babies in which one of them was their own.
Daniyah was again on the wheelchair and Emaad was sitting on a chair at the foot of the baby's incubator. With her hand Daniyah was caressing her son's chest and he was peacefully sleeping.
"I want to name him Yousef," she said in a lower voice, "I must have some right over my own child."
"Our son." He corrected her and bitterness spread through her.
This was the first conversation they were having after his return.
"Izhan Yousef Kirmani, it sounds good." Daniyah heard the smile in his voice but she was the least bothered.
He was her Yousef.
"When are they discharging him?"
He didn't care about her. She was failing to understand why it still matters to her.
"I am sure the doctors who have your multiple orders must have told you this already."
The coldness descended in the room again, the silence which surrounded them now surrounded their hearts.
***
Talat Kirmani was rushing around the house in order to welcome her daughter-in-law and grandson. God has finally blessed her with some happiness and she wanted to grasp it with her whole being. Her life had just been a vicious cycle of pain and misfortune since her marriage. She curses the time her mother married her off to Faisal Kirmani but now, she had hopes and that was what mattered to her.
Light blue and white balloons decorated the entrance, helium balloons were tied to rocks decorating the front porch, from the entrance till Daniyah's bedroom and baby's nursery was a masterpiece done by the famous decorators of town. Flowers, balloons, lights and glitters; every wall was announcing celebration.
While on the balcony of Kirmani Mansion, he was standing alone with the bitter coffee burning his throat as he looked over the army of men walking around the entire house busy listening orders and fulfilling them.
Only God knows how many times he have imagined Mishaal walking through the large gates with Zaviyar in her arms, how many times he had wished for the day when it might happen, how many times he tried talking to his mother but he knew he can't.
His mother looked happy probably the first time in his entire life. She was smiling, she was humming, she was free. He knew she would even come around the idea but not yet.
Izhan was important, important for his future and for his success. He was the heir his party, his followers and corporate opponents have waited for. He can't risk anything.
"Emaad!" the call of his mother made him turn, she was rushing towards him. "You are still here why aren't you ready yet? Aren't you going to the hospital. Dani will get discharged in half an hour—"
"Maa! Maa relax!" He softly chuckled, "There are still two hours to that, I have called doctor Mominah. They are checking up on Izhan while we are talking," he wrapped his arms around her mother and then turned to enter his room again.
***
After almost a month Daniyah was returning back to her life, her parents were in her hospital room with her as she sat in an extremely loose long shirt of light brown shade paired with white trousers. Past one month had exhausted her, Daniyah and the baby both took time to recover but now they both were healthy to be with their family.
"You have to take extreme care of yourself from now onwards, Izhan totally depends on you." Her mother took her hands in hers giving them a light squeeze. She smiled as she saw her mother bringing the back of her palm to her lips.
"I will come to pick you up in a week, Dani! I have talked to Mrs. Kirmani you can spend some more time with us before going back to Lahore." Mohuiddin Shah spoke from the sofa adjacent to the bed.
Daniyah took a deep breath listening to her parents, she has just couple of more weeks with them, her husband had bluntly told them that he has missed out on all his work in past one month and after Daniyah would be discharged they will be leaving. However, when Daniyah presented the idea of staying back and going back later Emaad ignored her suggestions. Her mother also thought it was better for her to be with Emaad, because being together they can only bridge the distance and that is what she has explained from time to time to Daniyah, Davar and Mohuiddin. And the three had finally surrendered.
The knock on the door ended their discussions as they awaited for the person to enter.
"Mrs. Kirmani?" it was her doctor who was coming inside with little baby in her arms. "Finally the day is here, you and our favorite baby are leaving us."
Daniyah gave a small smile to the team of doctors and other staff who entered her room. They all bid their final goodbyes and after answering few of her last questions Izhan was handed over to her. All the paper works were already done and they were set to wait for Emaad to pick them up.
As promised he was there at exactly 12:45, dressed in crisp black cotton shirt tucked in, in his black pants Emaad was ready to pick his family. However, the crowd of people who had followed him all this time was not there, just his regular guards and driver. Entering the room he said his salam loud enough for everyone, Mohuiddin Shah was still not satisfied but like everyday Mrs. Shah welcomed him with a pat and a charming smile. The guards were already gathering all their belongings as the father and daughter looked around in silence. Izhan was still peacefully sleeping when Emaad came in front of them.
"Dad, from now onwards I can assure you that I would never let you down. Daniyah and Izhan are my responsibility and their happiness is what that matters to me. I just need your guidance and support. After he had left us," She saw him squeezing his eyes, his jaws clenched; the sudden divorce announced by Faisal Kirmani was an utter shock for not only media but their own families. No one was ready to come around the terms, Kirmanis were shattered into million pieces, however it was Emaad who had hold them strongly in front of the world and that melted Daniyah's heart.
"Emaad, you have to be strong for your family now," she heard her mother, "Beta, you have seen too much and we all understand it, Daniyah would be by your side every day of your life," he craned his neck as a small smile curved his lips and their eyes met.
Where various matters seems troubled, where it felt like Emaad had too much on his plate, where in front of the lens he was a broken man barely trying to survive, a tug in her heart always turned her mind towards the thought she didn't want to think. For once, she didn't want to build any negative image, for now she wanted to believe in him, in his words and in his promises but the calm in his eyes was the alarm which was continuously ringing in her ears.
"Chalay?" His voice broke the chain of her thoughts and in a daze she nodded.
There were questions which were again building in her mind. There were many questions she wanted answers of, but she knew that what was hidden from her was scarier than it seemed.
***
Flower petals were showered once she walked in through the iron gates, embracing her with love Talat Kirmani guided them inside. All what she was thinking through the way in the tense silence between her and her husband vaporized because of the warmth she received from her mother-in-law. Excitement was oozing from the old woman as she talked and wished for her, one minute she would order the butler to arrange the lunch table and the other minute she would ask one of the maids to prepare a bath for Daniyah. A lady from salon was already waiting for her when she entered her room, her mother-in-law was taking care of her from every aspect.
For her, for now, this was enough.
Her focus was her son, she had to be a better mother and a good daughter-in-law, while losing hope in her husband, her heart was finding a way to cherish through others and she prayed maybe this becomes the reason for both of them to grow closer.
"Ma'am now you can have your bath," the young girl who gave her services while Talat Kirmani handled Izhan announced that she was done with all her work. After a long while Daniyah felt much refreshed, thanking her Daniyah turned towards the washroom when Emaad's phone which was kept on their dresser buzzed, ignoring it she called her maid to put her fresh dress and towels when the continuous ringing irritated her enough to pick the call.
Sliding the green icon she pressed it against her ears, ready to respond.
"Emaad when are you coming back?" Her heart stopped for the passing seconds as the voice rang in her ears. She was demanding his return, she was repeating a name, she was telling how she misses him and all the while Daniyah listened as the tear slipped and she aggressively wiped it.
"Emaad! Are you listening?"
"I will convey your message," she had whispered as the phone slipped from her hands and crashed on the floor.
----
A.O.A!
How have you been guys? I hope you are all doing great.
We are almost half way through the book, there is still much left which we'll witness gradually but I hope that you guys are enjoying till now. Let me know what you think about the story and characters so far!
One important message btw, for a lot of you Daniyah is still a Damsel in distress and maybe she is but what you have to consider that there are thousands of women going through mental or physical abuse coming their way from different people and they take it silently. So, yes we would love to see her fight back and that will happen In Shaa Allah but we have to wait.
Anyways I'll stop my rambling, and yes don't forget to vote and comment. They are my sole motivation!
Till the next time...
TC,
Zehra :)