Gunnah e Shab

28. Truth • سچ

I wait and ache — Sylvia Path

"Sarah why are you here?" Raeed walked over to her.

"How can you ask me that? When you yourself are standing infront of me!" Sarah huffed.

"It wasn't up to me you know. A lot happened that year, when I walked out," he sighed.

"Excuses!" Sarah spoke, on the verge of tears.

Ayna stared at the two in shock. Her body frozen in place and eyebrows shrugged together. Confusion was evident from her face as she tried to make sense of the interaction.

"Ho—how do you guys know each other?" Ayna choked out.

Her mind could not comprehend what was happening. Her hands wrapped around her kneecaps and pinched the soft skin. Hoping, praying that there was a rational explanation. That things would not fall out of place. Zaeem wrapped a hand over hers, his eyes reflecting sympathy in them as they stared at the two.

"Ask him".

"Ask her". The two spoke in unison.

Azmaray let out a loud laugh, groaning as Laila punched him in the abdomen. It was a serious moment, not a comedic scene.

"Will someone tell me something?" She groaned in frustration.

Seeing as the two people in question were engaged in a serious staring contest, Sardar Shams decided to break the tension.

"Let me tell you Ayna," he spoke.

Her head shook in agreement, eyes fixated on the elderly man as he began to speak.

"Your mother Sarah is the wife of my son Raeed". He announced with a casual air.

Ayna jumped off of the expensive couch. Colour leaving her face as she stared at the man that was supposedly her father. She finally began to understand why he seemed familiar. She looked like him. A female manifestation of the male that stood with pride. His hands now wrapped around a softly crying Sarah.

"But—but you died!" She pointed.

"I suggest you sit as I explain to you the whole truth, my love," Raeed replied.

Like a robot, she took a seat next to Zaeem once more. Her face flushed and eyes free of carelessness. Did it mean that all her life her mother had lived a lie? That her own identity was not real? That she could have met her husband sooner and without all the heartache? She could only hope there was a reasonable answer to the big question mark about his absence.

"Your mother, Sarah and I were married. She had met my parents but on time of our private ceremony, Salma was not at home. She never saw your mother. Three days were all that we managed to spend together before I was attacked. Our car was shot at, a bullet hit me in the neck. For a time my breathing stopped and from what I understand, Sarah had to run away for the sake of you".

"How come she was pregnant already?" Ayna questioned.

"You were conceived before our wedding, hence why the rushed process. Anyways, she ran back to her mother's brothel and hid all tracks of escaping the attack. When I was found, the police informed my family. There was a body badly mutilated thrown by my side. The clothes were Sarah's. I mourned her death, up until this very moment," his eyes filled with tears.