Out Of Wreckage?

Chapter Thirty Two

My vision was blurry as tears pooled my eyes.

I just can't believe it. It's him.

Hamza.

"Rabia!" I heard him mouth my name again.
I can never forget that voice. He was my confidante, my best friend.
I suddenly felt the guilt rise up my throat.
I couldn't meet his eyes. I'm so embarrassed.

I've been a terrible friend to him.
I left without telling him when he needed my support and then I totally forgot about him.

There are so many things I want to know but then this awkwardness is swallowing me.

Out of all days, I'm seeing Hamza when I'm in an open area, at my most vulnerable state.

"Take this." He whispered, breaking my chain of thoughts.

I peered at the clean white handkerchief.
The one he was offering. I gladly accepted it and gently wiped my face.

"Thank you!" I tightened my hold on it.

"You're welcome." He replied before the silence enveloped us again. He calmly occupied some space on the bench, keeping some comfortable distance.

"I never thought that I would see you again, here especially." He said after a minute or two, "It's unbelievable."

I nodded, "Yes but I've come to live with it." I joked sarcastically.

He appeared confused, "What?"

"Strange coincidences and surprises that the almighty throws my way have been very predictable to me." I told him.

He cleared his throat, "And how do you deal with it? Weeping on an empty bench in a secluded park?"

I looked at him to see him smirking at me.

"I didn't want to sound mean but the Rabia I knew was very brave and optimistic. It's like I'm meeting a completely different person here." His lips curved up.

I sighed, "Right. I was."

"Anyway, what are you doing here, in Lucknow?" I asked him, changing the subject.

"Following you, Of course!" He mumbled making my eyes go wide before he convulsed in fits of laughter.

I rolled my eyes.

"I was kidding, Rabia. I'm here for a business meeting." He replied.

My eyes squinted at him.

Obviously, his hardwork has paid off, he looks much better then the last time I saw him. There's more flesh to his skin.

"I completed a meeting in the nearby lane. I was on my way to my hotel when I saw you. I couldn't help myself but run after you. I'm just glad that it was you I was following otherwise I would've been beaten to death by now." He chuckled at his own joke and I joined him.

"I'm sorry that I left that day. I was getting late... for my.." I tried to justify but couldn't bring myself to complete the sentence.

"It's alright. I got to know about your marriage. I was disheartened to learn it from someone else rather than you but then I realised there must be something with the circumstances. So now, I have no complaints." He said.

I gulped.
"It happened so quickly that I couldn't tell you. I was too caught up in my life's mess." I spoke as my voice started shaking again.

"Now that I'm here. You know that you can tell me anything." He muttered as peacefully as he could.

"It was not that easy, Hamza." I spoke after a minute, "After that day, my life was not what I had imagined. I didn't have a choice. Amidst everything, I lost those who were so close to me that everything fell apart. I tried my best but things just slipped in the wrong direction and I couldn't do anything." I broke down.

His eyes held empathy and concern as I continued, "Just when I thought about the silver lining in the cloud, something just came and erased it and made the clouds get heavier.
It's your bad luck that you meet me today when I'm not at my best." I let out a laugh of irony.

"Rabia, I...."

"Enough about me. I want to know so much about everything. Anyway, how's Iqra?" I interrupted him, wiping my stained cheeks.

He paused but his eyes lightened up at the mention of his sister.

"Iqra is exhilarated with everything going on right now. She completed her studies and is working in a Multinational company in Chicago, staying with my mother and Yasir, her husband. They recently got married." He beamed at me.

"Really! That great. Is Ammi alright?"

His smile grew bigger.

"She still has some complications but she's better than she has ever been." He sighed before he turned to me again, "I couldn't thank you enough for it, Rabia."

"Thank me for what?" I quirked my eyebrows in confusion.

"It was because of you that Ammi's health improved. She heard you on that day, at the hospital. You encouraged her to become better. She had almost given up after years of trying but it was you who made all of us feel hopeful for a brighter tomorrow. Now see where we are."

I was awestruck as he rattled on.

"When I was a kid, Ammi always told me, Allah tests those he loves. Your tribulation is a sign of his love for you. Just hang in there. Things will be okay. Clouds would fade away. The silver lining will appear again. Believe me, everything will turn out fine." His words calmed me.

I couldn't be more thankful to him.

I smiled and nodded at him.

"I have to go. My daughter must have woken up by now." I told him.

We both stood up and looked at each other.

He grinned, "You have a little girl, Rabia."

My lips curved in a smile, "Yes, my Bushra."

"I wish I could meet this little angel today but I have to meet my investor at the hotel in half an hour."

A thought came to my mind,

"Why don't you come to my house this Saturday. It is my daughter's birthday. She'll be happy to meet you." I quickly eyed a waste paper on the grass and picked up.

I grabbed the pen from his front pocket and scribbled the address before giving it to him,"I'm inviting you. It's just a small celebration. Please do come."

He exhaled sharply.

"I'm sorry." He spoke as he eyed the address, "I have a flight to catch tomorrow. I want to attend Bushra's birthday but I have an important deadline at the business, back home." His voice came as an apology.

I shook my head, "It's okay but you have to promise me that you would meet us whenever you're in Lucknow."

"Definitely! After all, I want to meet this little replica of yours."

"How can you be so sure that she's my replica?"

I was amused as he uttered those words, "Call it my intuition and I know when I'm right."

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