"See the bad inside yourself, and see the good inside others."
-Imam Ali(AS)
*****
Five weeks ago
January 27, 2019, Sunday
The plane just landed in Kuala Lampur. Taking their luggage Faheel and Haris came out of the airport. The weather in Malaysia was mild and welcoming with a hot breeze. His warm dressing had been changed to lighter ones. His hair was covering his forehead messily. Running fingers through them he settled them backward. Put on black shades and a baseball cap to save himself from the eyes of people.
They stood there for a while eventually. glancing at the wristwatch. Though no one stopped by them. "Faheel I'll drop you." Haris offered him. "How will you go?"
"By cab."
"Why would you go by cab? Wait a little more. She must be on her way."
"No, I have to visit the hospital first. I have already taken much break. I will directly go there."
"Then you go If you are in a hurry. I will wait."
"Okay then. See you later." Haris stopped a cab and went from there. Being irked he again took a complete view of his surrounding. Where she had been.
Just then a car stopped by him letting a girl come out. Her fair skin was beaming under the sun rays. Her knee-length peech frock was contrasted with white jeans. Nothing was shocking about that girl but the hijab over her head. Coming near, she was about to hug him with excitement but stop in between.
"Hey, careful. You will make me fall too." Faheel was shocked at her sudden change. She was used to hugging him after a long meeting but today she stopped.
"I missed you so much." She took two steps backward. Melina belonged to Christianity following his mother. His father was an atheist. He had gotten apart from family leaving his wife and two daughters years ago.
"Yes, I can see. Where were you? I have been waiting for so long."
"Sorry, firstly I woke up late and then traffic."
"Shall we leave now?"
"Yes sure. Whatever you say." Saying Melina moved aside and gave him space. She was driving and blabbering constantly. "Melina, Can I ask something?" As he interrupted her, she turned her face to him.
"Suddenly a great change?" He was talking about her hijab.
"Don't you like it?"
"No, It's not like that. You don't do such things that's why I asked."
"I have accepted Islam." She told him with a smile while looking on the road though he felt like a bomb blasted over him.
He remained quiet neither did Melina ask anything. Faheel couldn't say anything in this matter. It was surprising for him because to change a religion wasn't a mere thing.
"Hijab is looking nice over you."
"Thank You."
"But Melina..."
"Not Melina, Rabia." Today Rabia introduced her new self. "Rabia have your family accepted this?"
"Not at all."
"Then?" Faheel was surprised at her confidence.
"People's happiness doesn't matter to choose the right path. All matters is your happiness, your choice, and the happiness of your Allah. As a matter of my family then I am independent. I fulfill my all needs on my own. I can survive alone." Firstly, he got impressed by her words, but still, he hadn't gotten the right answer.
Rabia saw him frowning at her which made her laugh."Okay Okay, my family has kicked me out of the house now I am living alone." He had got his answer. He didn't say anything...He was sad and happy at the same time.
"By the way suddenly how you got that thought? Before my departure, you were not like this."
"I got impressed by someone." This brought a new shine to her face. "An hn who is he. Tell me."
"I will tell. Wait for some time."
"Okay then."
Along the remaining ride, they kept on talking until they reached home. He got off the car and took out his luggage. "Bye Faheel." He moved to her side. "Why are you not coming inside?"
"I have some work. I just had to pick you up, else I could meet you after two days."
"Two days why?"
"You have done your concert without me. You got your one more point now I have to gain my other point. For the next concert, I have to meet some people so I am going out of town."
"So I come with you why will you go alone."
"I am not going alone. Araf uncle has arranged everything. You just take a rest for a few days. I will handle everything."
"Okay take care." Rabia went away. Faheel took his luggage and moved inside. He entered a two-storey bungalow. Two cars were parked on the porch, which brought a few wrinkle lines on his forehead. He called the guard there.
"Where is my car?"
"Sir Seebal mam has taken your car." This was enough to make him angry.
"Okay. You may go." As the guard left, passing through the corridor passage Faheel opened the entrance door and entered inside. On the right side, a staircase leads toward the upper floor. He left his luggage there...on the left side was the drawing room. Straight from the entrance door was a living area. Taking a few steps and moving through the passage he stopped at the start of living. To his left side was a giant LED placed on the wall before it was a set of couches. Above a huge chandelier was hanging with its full glamour. No one was present there.
Turning to the right side he slid a glass door and entered a big lawn. It was decorated beautifully and in an organized manner. Moving a few steps ahead he saw her, watering the plants.
"Mom" Being close to her ear he yelled loudly which startled Nazia.
"Faheel? You took away my life." But h enjoyed this. He hugged her warmly. "Why didn't you tell me that you are coming today?" He moved back. "I told dad and Melina and asked them not to tell you."
"And how was your tour?"
"Fantastic." He didn't let his emotion be visible on his face. "Leave it. For which happiness Seebal took my car. Mom, she will again hit it somewhere and then ask to repair it on your own." To hide his sadness he changed the topic.
Nazia laughed instinctively. Faheel looked at her narrowing his brows." Since you left she has been using your car. She has even hit it for once."
"What? Why did you allow her for this...One minute how can she take it? I have its keys."
"She knows to unlock every lock with her pins."
"What rubbish? Is she really your daughter?" Nazia slapped him lightly on the head. "Sorry."
"Would you like to eat something?"
"Of course. I'll just come getting freshen up." He turned around and took his luggage from the entrance door. Coming upstairs there were two ways, to left and right, in the center four couches were placed with a center table. Turning to the right he opened the door of his room. Stepping inside he put his luggage in the closet to his right side, coming out he crashed over the bed. To one side of the bed was a window with a small terrace that opened to the main road, and to the other side was a study table and his few instruments. In one corner were placed floor cushions.
After some time Nazia came to call him. He was still lying in that position. "Faheel? Faheel." He didn't get up, might be he had slept. Closing the door Nazia left his room.
¤----------¤------------¤
It was early evening when he opened his burdened eyes, looking outside the window he found complete darkness. He changed himself in a rough casual look. He came into the living where Nazia was sitting on the couch opposite her Seebal was present showing her back to Faheel.
Seeing him Nazia suppressed her chuckle. "You have been using Faheel's car for a long. Now leave it. He will be angry after knowing ."
"Mom nothing happens. No one will tell him and when he will return I will park it back to its place just like he left it." Faheel's blood boiled at this.
"As far as I know he took his keys with himself so what do you do?"
"My innocent mom. I have a great talent of my hands. I have to take work from them someday." Seebal said waving her hand in the air.
"I have also a great talent of my hands." Saying he moved towards her. Before she could turn to see him, Faheel clasped her neck with his hands.
"Who is this? Leave me...Mom!!!" Seebal became confounded.
"Faheel what are you doing? Leave her." Nazia interrupted him while sitting. She knew Faheel was just teasing her.
"Bhai?" Seebal felt her life hanging on a crucifix.
Just then at the opposite end of the entrance, beside the dining table from the wall having LED, she came out from the kitchen holding a mug of coffee. Seeing that scene she gulped down who was Seebal's twin sister and seeing Seebal she tiptoed back into the kitchen.
"Oh, Seebal ki bachi ruk!" Sonia called her diverting everyone's attention. As Faheel's hold loosened a bit Sonia made herself free.
"Allah Tauba you almost took away my life." Sonia put her hands on her neck. Seebal and Sonia had look-alike faces with little changes in features. The other difference was Sonia liked to tie up her hair in pony and Seebal used to let them open. They were in their early twenties.
"I am Sonia, bhai. She is Seebal. Catch her not me."
"So why didn't you tell before?" He got a bit embarrassed. "If I had any idea that you are behind me and this would happen to me I never say such things. I was teasing mom by Seebal's name." Faheel looked at Seebal who ran into the kitchen after sensing his eyes on her. Faheel ran before her. Entering inside Seebal shut the door.
"Seebal open the door."
"Not at all. You would definitely treat me like what you did to Sonia."
"Yes, I will. You come out."
"Sawal hi paida nahin hota."
"Me ne mana kiya tha na tumhen. Phir bhi tm baz na ayi. Mar di na meri gari." Faheel was banging the door.
"Who told you?" Seebal shook at his words. Sonia looked at Nazia who shrugged her shoulders.
"Aik to yeh mom na. Koi baat nahin rehti in k pait me." Seebal said from the other side of the door. "I said come out."
"I said I won't come out." Such a comedy scene was playing on to watch. Faheel's arrival had made a great hustle and bustle in a silent house.
"Fine! Don't come out. I am going." Faheel turned around to walk towards the Lawn which left Sonia pouted, how he could leave her so easily, but seeing him moving towards the lawn she smiled and followed him.
Stepping inside the lawn he turned left, there was another door of the kitchen, at the backside. Both stood there behind the door as she came out Faheel caught her by both hands at the back. "Now dare you to run."
"Bhai leave me. I won't do this again. Please leave."
"You hit my first sports car and what you had done to it. You want to do the same with this one?"
"I am saying sorry I won't do this again. Please leave me." As he left her she sat down on the grass. "Allah will ask you bhai."
"Same to you."
"How did you come suddenly?" Sonia asked, they were entering in living. Nazia was still sitting there. "Why? As if I had to live there forever?
"Your tongue pains by giving a straight answer." Sonia was irked by this behaviour.
"Anyways leave it...Mom, what happened to Melina suddenly? She has changed a lot."
"Isn't it bhai? We met her yesterday. We were surprised too." Seebal took interest in this topic. "Even her family has abandoned her," Sonia added in between.
"When I asked her the reason she said she got impressed by someone," Faheel told them. This was surprising for Seebal and Sonia although Nazia's expression didn't change a bit.
"Did she tell something else?" Nazia asked cautiously. "No. Why? Is there anything?"
"No, I just asked generally."
"Dad hasn't come yet?"
"Don't know. He got late today." Nazia said while looking at the wall clock.
"Bhai how was your tour? How's Hassan and Zohaib bhai?" Sonia was excited to listen.
There is a saying:
The events of the past so torment me,
Lord !! That I want taken away all of my memories.
Some memories of the past hurt a lot and you can only get peace by removing them from memories. These could never be erased.
Faheel lowered his face having an injurious smile. "It was too good. I haven't had such a tour ever. That place is a beauty. There is peace and some kind of attraction which continuously attracts you."
"Bhai you are exciting us." His lips slightly twitched at her pout face.
"Yes, it is. It becomes enjoyable when you have the company of some good friends." Just then they heard the sound of footsteps. Turning their faces they saw Araf. His broad chest was apparent in his suit. In his late fifties, he still looked young and energetic. Indeed Faheel got his looks from his father. He was looking tired but seeing Faheel his all tiredness had gone.
"Come young boy. Have you reached?" Saying he embraced him tightly, who responded to him with equal warmness.
"I missed you dad." His voice was dim that confused him for a while.
Moving apart Araf observed his face and sat beside him. "I'll have the food laid out." Nazia left for the kitchen. "So how was your concert at the new place?"
"Oh yes, bhai you had a concert. You enjoyed a lot without us." Seebal was displeased.
"We will go together when we get a chance." Faheel tried to change the topic.
"What do you mean by when we get a chance? You have also gone there before. At our turn, you are saying if we get a chance." Sonia felt bad too.
"Yes because now I don't want to go there."
"Why?"
"Every why doesn't have an answer, Sonia." His hard tone made the whole environment serious. Sonia and Seebal find it better to keep quiet while Araf must feel something.
¤----------¤------------¤
Faheel was sitting on a sofa on the terrace looking at the broad clear sky. Araf put his hand on his shoulder Faheel turned to his face seeing him sitting beside.
"You haven't told me the whole part." He reminded him. "What haven't I told you?"
"Concert...Dinner... Everything." He was his father whom he couldn't defeat. "Now there is nothing to tell about." He again glued his eyes towards the sky.
"So tell me what was there before to tell about." Faheel had admitted his defeat. He couldn't live in this house holding this burden, he had to tell this anyone. Faheel told him everything, the girl whom he loved had rejected him for her parents, for their pride and decision. He kept quiet as Araf was also finding words to respond to him.
"I am sorry but in Pakistan caste is all about your respect. How much people have become educated this ignorance can never be ended up there. I and Nazia were from different castes. One only married out of caste when there doesn't have any match for him or her, otherwise, it's impossible.
"Can't we talk to them?" Faheel still had a little hope in his heart.
"How this could be Faheel? You don't know anything about her except her name and a few details about her family. How can we talk to them without any reference and relation? You wouldn't have any picture of her?" Faheel shook his head.
After that neither Araf said anything nor Faheel. A little spark of that hope had been dimmed.
*********
Few words?
After aparting their lives weren't normal like before. So nothing can be at peace. At some point, life becomes so difficult and hectic. They had to pass through that hard time.
Did you like the character of Rabia
And Twins?
Prediction of next?
Amm! Guess?
❤