Unexpected Promises

Chapter 69 ✓

Saad's pov:

We returned two days back from the hospital and Atifa was recovering; trying to heal. But it wasn't an easy journey. She had not only realized that she lost her best friend years ago but also that we were on the verge of losing ammi…

Whenever she would return from the hospital after meeting ammi, she would become silent. Her University and upcoming exams were long forgotten. Who could even concentrate on their studies in such mental and emotional strain? And her physical strain too which had limited her work.

Today Amira too had gone to meet ammi, and surprisingly, even she was silent. It made me wonder if there was something which I didn't know about.

I was trying to get back on track with my work. I meet ammi while dropping and picking them up, but I didn't want to invade their privacy. I wanted to give them their time, let them make their memories. But I was starting to wonder if I was wrong, if trying to give them their space was a bad idea. I hoped not. I wasn't prepared to hear any other bad news…

"What's wrong?" Finally deciding to break their silence, I glanced at Atifa cautiously. Since we were going to stay here for a while longer, I had rented a car for our convenience. "Atifa? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Let's just get back home soon." Looking out of the window, she replied quietly.

"Amira? Princess is everything really okay? Why are you so silent?" Glancing at the rear view mirror, I asked her, concerned.

"Bhaijaan, will ammi be okay?"

What was I even supposed to tell her? Was I supposed to give her false hope and lie? Or was I supposed to tell her the truth, break her heart just to mentally prepare her for what was to come in the future and possibly let her lose her sanity along the way?

No. How could I let her get in that state because of me? Just because I didn't want to lie? Just because I want her to be mentally prepared for the upcoming events? Which, by the way, I wasn't sure about myself! How could I even think of doing that! Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I heard my strained voice. "In Sha Allah she will be."

"But she keeps telling us that she is going to leave us soon. It isn't true, right? She is just trying to scare us. This is one of her plans to take us away from you again, haina?"

"No princess, no one is going to take you guys away again." Sighing, I parked the car at a side and turned back to look at her. Her doe-like orbs glinted with unshed tears as she stared at me, scared.

"So she might be telling us that so that I can forgive her, or else she's scared I won't forgive her, haina?" With a wobbly smile, she suggested hopefully.

(Right?)

"And why wouldn't you forgive her? I thought you said that you already forgave her?" When she stayed mum, I turned to look at her properly. "She is your ammi, princess."

"I- I did. But I don't know…" She turned her gaze away from me. I knew what she might be contemplating about.

"Okay. Let's go for a walk." Sighing, I opened the door.

"Yaha par?" Glancing around, she raised a brow while Atifa stared out of the window. Her silence was silently killing me.

(Here?)

"Haan, yahi par. Come on, both of you, don't be lazy now." Nodding my head, I got down and waited for them to get out. We all needed a breath of fresh air. And a little bit of talking too.

(Yes, here.)

._._._.

"Have you heard the story of prophet Yusuf Àlaihissalam?" As we strolled down the pathway silently, with my wife on one side and Amira on the other, I asked Amira quietly while looking up at the sky.