Love found me

15.Just answer me

Coming to her senses, she looked around to find her phone. It was to her left. She reached for it. Eric's name flashed on the screen, frowning, she picked up the call.

"Hello," she winced as her gruff voice hit her ears.

"Are you alright?" Eric sounded apprehensive. She put her hand on the speaker and took it a little away from her. Clearing her throat she brought the phone near her ear and replied softly. "Yes, why?"

"No, it's just that you sounded-"

She cut him off knowing what he was going to say. "I just woke up from sleep."

He didn't say anything after muttering sorry for disturbing her sleep and the silence prevailed. "Why did you call?" She asked, pressing her aching temple with her fingers.

"Ehm, a-are you free yesterday?" She stiffened at the question. She knew where it was going.

"You know I work on weekends."

"Half day, you work for a half day." He countered.

"I have a job as a mother as well if you remember." She knew she made him speechless. It was true though. The hectic workdays didn't allow her to spend quality time with her daughter. It was only on weekends that she got such a privilege to do so.

"Good night," she heard him before the call was disconnected. She sighed, rising to her feet which felt numb. She was thankful that Eric had called, otherwise she didn't know how she was gonna come out of that stupor. It had been a long time since she had done anything like this. She didn't know what had triggered it to happen. She needed to see a doctor ASAP. She didn't want it to affect her daughter in any way and she knew if her wailing would have woken up Farisha she would have been horrified to see her mother like that.

It was past twelve already and before going to her room she thought to check on Farisha. She was fast asleep. She sat beside her and pecked her forehead. Fixing her cover, she moved out. 

***

The next day, dropping Farisha off at Ghazal, she headed to the restaurant. Wrapping the apron, and putting on a mask, she moved behind the counter. It was quite busy on the weekdays and today was no different. She worked continuously without a break. 

"Sally, could you please handle this for five minutes? I'll be right back." Sally smiled and took her place and she moved aside while her wearied gaze wandered to the continuously pouring customers. She had taken a step ahead when she froze in her place and she felt someone had knocked her out in the celiac plexus, leaving her breathless.

"Hey, D, are you okay?" Sally asked worriedly as she noticed her breathing heavily, and almost on the verge of collapsing. She averted her gaze from the heart-wrenching scene and looked at Sally blankly.

"Let me take you inside, I think you are falling sick." Sally supported her form and helped her inside while her brain was transfixed to the scene that had unfolded before her eyes a few minutes ago.

Her boss, a kind lady, sent her home with one of her employees.

***

Locking the door behind her, she dropped to her knees and howled in pain while remembering the lies that he had fed her.

"Zaviyar, how much do you love me?" While walking hand in hand after dinner she had asked him.

"What kind of question is this?" He looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"Just answer me." She had insisted. At that Zaviyar looked at her for a moment intently. "I can't imagine my life without you."

His reply had brightened her face and she looked at him with literal heart in her eyes. 

"What a fool was you Dua?" She derisively laughed at herself for believing in his words while the picture of the lady beside him and the baby he was holding flashed in front of her eyes. He had moved on so easily. The baby looked two or three years old which meant he didn't take time to jump into another relationship and here the fool that she was, she wasn't even able to move on after almost five years.

She felt pathetic and she didn't want to feel like that. 

***

Ghazal had ringed her but she didn't pick up her calls. Ghazal was worried sick. She had come to drop Farisha off after not getting any reply from her side. Reaching her home, she pulled out sleeping Farisha and carried her to the door. She pressed the doorbell but nobody opened it. Thankfully she had brought the extra key that Dua had given her for emergencies. 

Unlocking the door, she deposited Farisha on her bed and started looking for Dua and when she found her, she was furious.

"Dua," she called and marched towards her, who was curled up inside the covers. 

But as soon as her hand touched hers, Ghazal stumbled back. Dua was burning.

She had called her another friend, Daisy, who lived across the road and told her everything. Asking Daisy to look after the house and Farisha, she had taken Dua with her to the hospital.

***

"Dua," Ghazal groaned as Dua kept crying. "Can you stop moping over that idiot? He doesn't deserve you."

"I wish I hadn't met him." 

"I have been telling you since Farisha was born that find a nice guy and move on." Ghazal reminded her while she fixed her gaze on her clasped hands.

"I think now is the time. Meet him. Tell him about Farisha and get done with it." Listening to her suggestion about Farisha she jerked her head up, giving her a helpless look. "He will take Farisha from me."

"He can't. First thing, he has a daughter and the second thing is that you are in Canada." She tried to convince Dua.

"Also I have told you many times that when Farisha will grow up, she will hate you for keeping her away from her father."

She was showing her the real picture but she didn't want to look at it.

"I will beg her to forgive me when the time will come." Dua looked at her as if she didn't want to talk about it. She had been doing this these past years as well. Ghazal knew her insecurities but she wanted her to come out of them. She was scared to be left alone and right now Farisha was her only family but hiding her from her father was not a nice thing in Ghazal's opinion. But she couldn't do anything except try to convince her, which she had been doing for the past few years. Hopefully, she would realize before it was too late.

Happy reading!!