شرر Sharar

Sixty-Four

You people either don't trust me, or don't trust Hanan, and both cases broke my heart. 💔

•••

Ab jo aye ho toh ehsan hai tumhara, lekin
Woh qayamat jo guzaarni thi, guzar bhi gayi.

•••

Paying the cab driver its fare, Hanan picked his bag and went inside. It's been six years since he last saw the haveli, it was same as ever, magnificent. So many good and bad memories replayed in his mind. Shaking his head, he went inside.

Was it the weather or the environmental around haveli felt somber, so silent? Chill rushed through his veins, thinking something happened.

He has jus reached porch when he saw a figure in the lawn, he has only saw her back, and thought it must be Ayla.

He went to her to ask about Naziya Begum's health.

"Aap stray toh nahi lagti, ab apka ghar kaha hai kaise pata kare?" He heard a soft voice.

(You don't look stray, where is your home, how Would I figure this out?)

His heart skipped a beat. It was the same voice haunting him in his dream.

"Koi baat nahi, tab tak aap yaha reh sakti hain."

(It's okay, until then, you can live here)

Was it a dream? Hanan took a step forward to take a look at her. He was about to put his hand on her shoulder when drops of rain started falling.

She turned to leave, only to bump into his chest, and was about to fall. Instantly, his arms reached out to hold her and bring her closer to him.

She didn't opened her eyes, while his eyes got stuck on her face. Not believing it was indeed her.

The heavy downpour of rain made it harder for him to look at her properly. But he did took a better look of her.

How much she has changed. Her once a curvy body was thin now, her short hair sticking to her hallow face, her lips was shivering due to cold. And her eyes tightly shut, she was waiting for herself to fall down, but when she didn't, Confusingly, she opened her eyes.

His grey eyes met with her blue eyes, both staring at each other with shock.

A look of warmth and familiarity crosses her eyes.

"Hanan!" Her lips bloomed into a beautiful smile.

Hanan felt an electric shock in his body, as he left her.

Ayat was about to fall but managed to hold herself.

"Hanan..." Before she could say anything, he left the lawn. Not turning to even glance at her.

There were millions of emotion in his heart, he wasn't able to calm it down.

•••

"Hanan!" Khushnuma's face brightens up seeing her only son. "Bataya hota tum arahe ho driver ko bhej deti... yeh kya, tum toh pure bheeg gaye ho..." Going to him, she was saying when she noticed his wet appearance, she tch at him, then called a maid to bring towel for him.

(You should have told me you were coming, I would have sent driver to pick you... what's this, you are completely drenched...)

"Apne mujhe bataya nahi Ayat ko hosh agaya hai." Hanan's low voice came. He was still trying to figure out was it a dream or she was indeed real, in front of him.