Ishq Kinara[Love Ashore] Complete

30. Crevice

Even after living under the same roof, the instances of Sarim and Nauman sitting across each other with nothing but silence between them was something that never happened often. They would prefer ignoring each other. If they ever indulge into a conversation that mostly consists of snide remarks and burning retorts, few disapproving looks thrown then and there mostly from Nauman and then either him or Sarim getting up and leaving the mess as it is.

Nauman was sitting straight on the couch with his hands clasped in front of him. Sarim's posture was no different. This was a telltale sign that they were indeed father and son. But that's where the similarities ended. They were two poles of the same spectrum which functioned entirely differently.

Farwa had silently stood close to them. Irma was asleep now and that was a relief. The more she took rest the more she would be able to have the stamina to fight the emotionally draining fight ahead. The Khula process wasn't going to be easy, if Mohid's anger and his family's desperation was to go by.

"Is Irma asleep?"

Nauman asked, earning a nod from Farwa.

"Mohid's mother called. She wanted to talk to Irma but I refused."

Farwa sat down with a tiredness of eons. She could only imagine what it would be for Irma who was living through this nightmare. Where did they all go wrong? Why was life punishing them like this?

"Make sure Irma doesn't talk to any member from that family."

Nauman's usually commanding voice boomed in the silent lounge.

"Always the same."

Sarim mumbled but it wasn't quite as low to not reach his parents. He looked up into Nauman's eyes. His usual way of declaring his defiance and by now everyone in the family was used to it.

"Can you stop ordering around for once, Baba? Knowing the fact that this is the same family you were once so sure would be Irma's second home."

His tone was biting and the effect of it seemed to get to both Nauman and Farwa because suddenly it felt the tension could be cut with a knife.

"Sarim, it's not the time to bring that."

Farwa's voice was timid, as if she wanted to stop a storm she knew would unleash itself no matter how much she hoped against it.

"For the first time in my life, I'm trying to not be that person who says I told you so because it hurts to even think about it, Ammi."

He ran a hand through his hair. His frustration was evident from every gesture of his.

"Remember, Baba on Irma's Nikkah day, I put across that condition of giving the right to divorce to her? How you and Ammi made me the bad guy in that situation, so much that Ammi didn't talk to me for days and you insulted me in front of those people."

He was eyeing his parents accusingly. Gone was the mature twenty something guy, instead a child who's angry and hurt because of his parents was sitting there.

"Was I not aware of the fact that my suggestion wouldn't be accepted? I knew it already. I was trying to gauge their reaction and seeing how hostile their approach was, made me wary of the decision more than I ever was. You both decided to back them up instead of seeing where I was coming from. And look at us now. A mess created by our own hands."

Farwa bent her head. She had no words to tell him. No reprimand. Nothing to make him stop. He was right. He had always been right.

"It's not about letting your kids have their way, Ammi, Baba. It's about trusting their guts or believing in them more than you'd believe in your acquaintances. Today, the same thing I wanted to secure, Mohid is threatening Irma with. That he wouldn't give her the divorce. It feels like a full circle like everything in our life and it hurts."