Orphic

Episode 36.

The time was silent for the people around them. Neither of them had the energy to address the topics that needed attention. Neither of them was stable enough to even think what change their life had taken.

Her life was just now growing intense and he was oblivious of that. Merzia had called, their case was confirmed and now they only waited till she was able to travel to karachi and deal with it.

"Zoya I don't think we'll be able to go" Yasir tried again to coax her out of her determination.

"Baba. We've had this conversation before haven't we? It's done and finalized we're going and if you can't then I'll go on my own. This my fight after all" she said completing her assignments that we're pending. Two weeks were enough for her to stay in bed.

"Zoya—"

"Baba please. I'll go on my own if you're worried about that. I have to go, it's needed to be" she said keeping a hand on his shoulder.

"How's Einstein doing?" She asked after a long silence of her nerves attacking her.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Yasir asked going over his office work.

"Point." she said feeling butterflies swarm her stomach at the mere thought of just facing him. She didn't know why but it didn't seem as easy it used to be for her. They were on a  different platform now.

"He's doing good. He'll be alright in a few days" her father replied making her nod unconsciously.

"Do you want Zahan to know?" He asked making her eyes snap up from her computer screen to look at the wall ahead zoning out.

"No... I.. don't know. I don't want him to know now. It's my fight and about a life I don't want anyone knowing till I win" she said closing her laptop.

"He's your—" Yasir started again.

"Husband? Forced relations seldom last baba. Don't get your hopes high with this." She said not looking at anything in particular. Her head hung low.

"What do you mean?" Yasir asked putting his work away.

"Our lives don't align baba at one point this whole thing will come to an end and I don't want to bound any hopes. Only my finals are left and then I'll have to leave for my internship. This won't ever work" she sighed rubbing her forehead. 

"He can wait" Yasir suggested.

"For how long? Six months? A year? Two years? This whole thing is give years long baba. If i go there won't be a chance of me returning anytime sooner and I don't want anyone bound to me by something they were forced in" she said looking his way.

"Have you discussed this with Zahan?" He asked.

"No."

"Then how are you so sure he'd want to end it?"

"How are you so sure he'd want to keep this?"

"We'll never know if we don't ask?" They held each other's gaze and she looked away.

"Then you ask" she said

"It's your decision" he added

"And you're my father" she argued

"This is your life" he replied

"I'm confused" she said

"What are the possibilities you're confused between?" He asked.

"I... I want to give this a chance" her voice broke.

"Then what's stopping you?" He asked looking at her expectantly. He knew what was going on inside her head hut he didn't want to plaster his opinion on her.