His Ignorant Lover ✓

Chapter 2

An old woman having white hair entered the room. She was wearing a grey colored dress, having a white dupatta delicately spotted on her head. She had a puckered face but the freshness was still present on it. The first thing her eyes did was see the bed's side table where once again the tray of the food was placed untouched. She sighed desperately before looking at her son but what jerked her heart was the picture which he was tugging near to his chest and was sobbing heavily.

She walked near to his bed and sat beside him. He didn't move a bit, discerning the fact that he was too engrossed in the memories that he didn't even notice that his mother came. She plopped her wrinkled hand bearing a tasbeeh on his weak arm which actually brought him out of his thoughts. He looked at her with red and teary eyes.

"You again didn't eat, my son," she said, adorably stroking his arm.

"I don't feel like it, Amma Jaan. For a few days, food isn't going down my throat. Looks like my ending days have--"

"Sufiyan! Don't say this. May you get my age too," she reprimanded him. Every time he said such things, her heart felt like someone is chopping it into small pieces.

"Amma Jaan, don't deny it. The time has come. But...but I am still dying for the forgiveness. No one is giving me peace of forgiveness, Amma Jaan....I...I don't deserve to have it either. Whatever I did was horrible and maybe it's good she isn't forgiving me. Neither she nor my brother..." He stopped when the mass of the tears obstructed his throat and halted his speech.

His mother; Rutba Behum pressed her both lips together to stop herself from bursting out in tears and suddenly the affection in her eyes changed into a rage for this man when she recalled her other son- her beloved youngest child whom she loved more than anyone else. But as soon as her stare traveled from his face to his paralyzed legs, her heart melted in sympathy and hurt for him. She cupped his cheek with her hand and slightly squeezed it.

"My love, don't talk like this. Your mother can't hear this. Be assured, your brother had forgiven you. He was not someone who would have hold grudge against someone. He loved his elder brother, " she tried to convince him and pulled him into a cozy hug. His warm tears started wetting her white shawl.

After a while, the man pulled away from her and held her fragile hands with his shivering ones, "Amma Jaan. Ask her to see me at least once. Ask her to talk to me. I...I will plead to her. I will ask for forgiveness from her. Let me do it before I will die. Please Amma Jaan, I beg you."

She nodded as she wiped his wet face with her shawl, "I will, my son. I will. Don't worry, she will listen to you this time."

"How? It's like this every time Amma Jaan. She doesn't want to talk to me. I...I will accompany you to her house and I will bend down to my knees and...and if needed I will hold her feet and ask forgiveness. Please take me with you," he begged her.

She again moved her head in acceptance and promised him that they would go to her place tomorrow.

"Now you should have dinner," as she saw him getting a bit normal, she told him. Rutba Begum grabbed the tray of food in her hand but made a face when she found out that the things were too cold to eat. She called a maid out loud and ordered her to bring a warm meal for her son.

"By the way, I have to tell you something, Sufiyan. " When the food arrived, she asserted as she fed him the first morsel with her hand.

"What is it, Amma Jaan?" Sufiyan questioned in confusion.

She licked her lips as she looked away from him and all of a sudden, her expression changed.

"Today morning, Ruhaan called me. Between the talks, I ended up informing him about your condition. He got anxious and told me that he will come to Pakistan on the first flight he would get. Most probably he would reach tomorrow."