Matters of the Heart

Chapter 20

'Time heals all wounds', has been the saying for the longest of times. With time, the people we keep around also makes a huge difference. For Maheen, the latter happened to be yer saving grace. She not only had Adam as a rock through it all, but his whole family and her friends, carried her through the worst time of her life. Her grief had not vanished, but she had people around her who understood and help her cope.

After the demise of her father, Maheen was left all alone, with absolutely nothing. She had received her fathers saving from the bank but that was about it. With that money, she could not afford to have a house and go to school. Seeing her in this dilemma, Adam's mom offered a room in their mansion that she could call her own is she wanted to. Maheen was a girl who had integrity and commanded respect. She did not want to be a burden on anyone and moreover be a liability to the man she loved and adored. After a lot of persuasion and negotiations, Maheen and Adam's mother came to a mutual agreement that although Maheen would take board and bread, she still would work and pay for her own expenses.

Maheen took to no procratonation or comfort and was quick to find a job. She juggles her extra hours between the ice cream parlour and tutoring kids at school.

But nothing could fill the void of her father's company at the end of the day, and nothing could ever be done to repay the generosity that Adam's family had shown towards Maheen. Maheen did her best to not be a burden on them and soon she became an integral part of the family. She handled chores, had great relations with the maids, assigned them work and helped around Adam's mom with whatever she needed help with. She even helped, bathe and take care of Adam's grandmother. Everyone loved having Maheen around, and she loved to be around them. Adam couldn't help but fall further and deeper for Maheen and all that she was.

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After ger tutoring session, Maheen came back home to emptiness. The usual way around was, a maid would coming running to take her stuff, and make her comfortable. But there was no sign of anyone. It was empty and dark. The combination was never a good sign. Even after a year of her father's demise, Maheen was afraid to walk into emptiness, scared of what she might found out.

Wild thought ran in Maheen's head and she dumped all her stuff on the door and ran towards Adam's grandmother's room. Nothing empty. Granny was not there either. She ran to the nearest telephone and dialed the maids cabin. Nothing no answer. She took he mobile and called Adam. No answer. She tried his sister. No answer. No one answered her calls. She ran to the kitchen frantically. No one was there. Theiugh the kitchen door, she saw someone standing in the backyard. She cautiously walked towards the yard.

"Hello, is anyone there?" She spoke in soft tones. Terrified. Tears started to flow down her eyes. As soon as she stepped on the porch, the light came on.

The whole backyard was covered in fairy lights, they were on the trees, and they also covered the space giving it the starry night environment. There was a silent music which came on and Adam slowly turned to face her.

A releived Maheem galloped in the arms if the man she loved. "Where are you all? I have been calling for hours!!! And where's granny? What's going on?"

"Calm Maheen!" Adam said in a soft tone and embraced her again.

Maheen was in such a haste that she did not even realise that Adam was wearing a tux!

"What's going on Adam?" A confused Maheen finally whispered.

A familiar song started to play a little loudly, cutting the silence. The cold breeze started to blow, and Adam moved a couple of steps further from Maheen. The beat of a the Bruno Mars song, started to play.