شرر Sharar

Sixty-Three

Ussey maloom hi nahi intezar ka dukh
Main kabhi uske paas derr se gaya hi nahi

•••

Six years, that much time have passed. But to Ayat, everything happened yesterday, she had a fight with Hanan, everyone came to her room, she demanded divorce, she ruined Hanan's reputation, and when she realised her mistake, it was all too late. Hanan was too angry to talk to her. She doesn't remember what happened after that. All she know, she wake up in the empty room of hospital, her parents came there, crying, but happy, they told her how much time have passed.

It was hard to believe she was in coma for 6 years.

"Ayat! Kya soch rahi ho?" Ayla came to her room, she found Ayat sitting by the window, lost in her thoughts, sitting in front of her, Ayla asked.

(Ayat! What are you thinking?)

"Api, hume toh kuch bhi samajh nahi araha. Itne saal kaise beet gaye." Ayat looked at her sister, and told her, honestly.

(Aapi, I am not able to understand anything. How much time have passed.)

"Mat zorr dijiye apne dimagh pe. Sab kuch khud hi dheere dheere samajh ajayega." Ayla put her hand on Ayat's hand and told her, smiling.

(Don't force yourself to think. You will understand everything slowly.)

To them, it was no less than a dream that Ayat has woke up. They have lost all the hope, and now that she is with them safe and healthy. They didn't want her to worry about past.

"Api, ek baat puche?" Hesitantly, Ayat started saying.

(Api, can I ask something?)

Ayla nods her head.

"Hanan kaha hain?" She asked the question which was bothering her.

(Where is Hanan?)

After she woke, she stayed in the hospital for more than a week, everyone came there to meet her except for Khushnuma and Hanan.

While Ayat did met Khushnuma at home, but Hanan was no where to be seen.

This made her worry.

"Woh toh America mein hain. Tumhare accident ke baad hi chale gaye woh."

(He is in America. He left after your accident.)

He left?

He was still angry with her. But Won't he come to meet her when she is awake? Won't he ever forgive her? Ayat's heart sank. Thinking about her last conversation with Hanan.

He was very angry with her, didn't want to hear whatever she had to say. Maybe 6 years isn't that long to appease someone's anger.

"Ayat, na pareshaan kariye khudko yeh sab sochke." Ayat's emotions were visible on her face, it made Ayla worried.

(Ayat, don't worry yourself by thinking about this.)

"Achha chaliye, hum ja rahe the Azrin ko school se pick karne, aap bhi humare sath chaliye, atey waqt ice cream khayenge." Getting up, Ayla suggested.

(I am going to pick Azrin from school, why don't you come with me too. We will have ice cream in return.)

Ayat's always cheer up in the mention of ice cream. Ayla hoped it would work this time too.

But Ayat's mind was too occupied to think about anything.

"Kaif bhai kaha hain?" Slowly, Ayat asked.