I'll Hold On

CHAPTER 24

'Oh My God, Rayna. Are you okay?'

Aahil heard Salma bi's voice say over the phone and he tensed up. Aahil had called Salma bi to ask her to send his lunch a bit earlier than usual as he ran away from home before.having breakfast. Yup, he ran away. As soon as Aahil got up in the morning, the events from the previous night flashed in front of him, him being friends with Rayna. At the moment Aahil was really ready for a change but now, he was nervous, extremely.

'I guess I'm not?' Aahil heard Rayna's voice over the call, a bit distant but audible enough to get her words right, 'Whay do you mean "I guess"? And did that come out like a question? Girl, your hand is shaking.' Aahil heard Fazil chacha's voice from somewhere and Aahil's heart beat picked up.

What the heck is going on over there?

'Oh Rayna, your hand is swelling! Come here dear, we need to go to the hospital.' Aahil heard Salma bi say, and the rest went silent. Aahil pressed his mobile almost into his ear when he didn't hear anything for sometime. He stood up from his chair and brought the mobile away from his ear to see at the screen, the call had ended. But still he kept the call to his ear and spoke, 'Hello? Salma bi? Hellooo?' 'You know, once a call ends, you can neither speak or hear what the other line says. I thought you knew that.' Aahil glared at a chilled Lufti who was chatting with his fiancee. Aahil kept the mobile down with a bang and Lufti looked up to his friend, 'Sup?' He said.

Aahil just wanted to bang his friends head on a desk right now but he refrained, he had a rather bigger worry in hand, what happened to Rayna? Aahil unlocked his mobile and dialled home once again. The ring rang and rang and rang but no one picked up. That's it, Aahil couldn't take it anymore, he was going home. Aahil walked out of his desk and was out the door. Lutfi stared at his friend dumbfounded. He looked back at his desk to see the files open and pen uncapped, no matter what the rush was, Aahil always tidied his table before leaving from work, but not today. Lutfi smiled at his friends behavioural change.

Aahil got into his car and asked the driver to rush home. He was bitting his thumb as he looked out in worry. A thousand things were running in his head, if Rayna was severely injured was the biggest among the rest. As soon as the car stopped at the front gate, Aahil ran out of the car and towards the door. He was just about to open the door when he stopped midway. He retrieved his hand and started pacing in the front. He needed a good explanation to be home so early, he cannot say he came because he was worried. But what?

Right now isn't the time for you to worry about that, Rayna is hurt. Just go in.

Aahil nodded to himself and calmly opend the door and walked in. He saw Faisal chacha running over at the sound of the open door with a worried expression. On seeing Aahil, he just slumped. Aahil thought that he was not happy to see him, 'Not happy to see me, chacha?' Aahil asked him walking closer, 'Oh no Aahil, I was just expecting someone else.' 'Who?' Aahil asked, 'Rayna and Salma.' 'Oh, so they have gone out for shopping.' Aahil asked, looking around, 'Oh no Aahil, You have no idea what happened?'

I think I kinda do, but you don't need to know that.

'What happened?' He asked, 'Well, Salma was making kheer today, Oh, which by the way is really delicious. Seeing what had happened earlier, I was worried alot but the site of kheer, I couldn't help but have a taste. It's so good, and the cardamon and cinnamon touch Rayna added was the cherry on top, really yummy...' Fazil Chacha got side tracked and went into kheer land and Aahil was getting impatient. He wanted to know about Rayna, not kheer.

Just ask him about Rayna, it's not that hard.

'.....Perfect consistency, if it was stirred continuously maybe some rice wouldn't have gotten stuck at the bottom but Rayna burnt her hand trying to do that..' that's when it striked Fazil chacha that Rayna burnt her hand, '...That's right! Rayna burnt her hand! You know how Salma loves to use the steel ladles more than wooden. So, she left the ladle in the pot when a call came earlier, by the time Rayna held the ladle, it was quite hot which ended up in her burning her hand. Salma has taken her to the hospital right now for check up.' Fazil Chacha ended with a worried note.

Aahil didn't know how to react, he was feeling really anxious and he wanted to see Rayna to know if she was injured badly or not. And the fact that he was the one who called earlier which made Salma bi leave the ladle in the pot to get hot inturn Rayna injuring herself, he was kinda blaming himself for her wound. Just when all these thoughts were running through his head, the sound of the front door opening was heard, Oh, you are back. What did the Doctor say?' Fazil chacha walked past Aahil to the just arrived duo. Aahil turned around to see a smiling Rayna staring at her bandaged hand.

'Oh, It's nothing, Chacha. Salma bi made a big fuss for nothing and got me all wrapped up.' Rayna said, smiling at Fazil chacha, 'Oh, shut up, child. The Doctor said it was first degree burn, of course we needed to wrap it up.' Salma bi scolded, 'A mild first degree burn, Salma bi, Mild.' Rayna added, Emphasising the word mild. Salma bi was about to speak up when her eyes landed on Aahil, 'Aahil, when did you come home?' She asked and walked past Fazil chacha to stand before him, 'Sorry about earlier, dear. I cut your call abruptly, but I had to. You see...' Salma bi turned and eyed Rayna, '....she injured herself so...'

'It's okay, Salma bi.' Aahil said and cooly walked over to a fidgeting Rayna, 'How is your hand now?' He asked. She looked up ay him surprised at first then showcaswd her dazzling smile, which made Aahil's heart skip a beat, 'It's better. Salma bi just over reacted.' Salma bi was about to interfere when Aahil spoke, 'Well, she was just worried for you. That's how she is.' 'Yeah, very endearing isn't she?' Rayna said looking at Salma bi while Aahil was staring at Rayna and replied, 'Yeah.' Aahil was staring at Rayna and for some reason he didn't wanna look away, 'What's in the bag?' Fazil chacha asked which made Aahil look away immediately.

Rayna looked at the bag and said, 'It's some cold ointment for the burn and Henna.' 'Henna?' Fazil chacha questioned, 'Of course, it's Eid in three days and no Eid is complete without Henna on our hands.' Rayna replied smiling, 'But your hand is injured?' Fazil chacha pointed out, 'This will heal in three days, it's not as big as it looks you know.' Rayna said, smiling at the black bag, 'By the way, isn't it lunch time yet?' Rayna asked, 'I'm getting hungry.' 'Oh dear, I didn't even make lunch yet.' Salma bi voiced out her worry.

'I'll order take out.' Aahil said, pulling out his mobile, 'Really? Then, can we have pizza?' Rayna asked with hopeful eyes, 'With that hand?' Aahil asked, pointing at her wrapped hand. Rayna pouted looking at it, 'I'll order some curry rice for all of us, which comes with a spoon.' Aahil said, emphasising the word spoon. Rayna pouted at him to which he just chuckled.

Salma bi and Fazil chacha were looking at the couple. Aahil had really changed a lot since Rayna came, and it was visible. Fazil chacha and Salma bi gave a look to each other and smiled.

We can expect our old Aahil back.