Jaana : The Girl He Loved Too Much

Chapter 19

Shahzain let out his hand for her to hold. Slowly she slid her hand into his and got up stumbling and he helped her get up. He stepped closer to her. "For the first time, my Jaana has asked something from me, how could I have said no, hmmm" He said lifting her chin. "Dus minute. Tumhari zindagi ke dus minute tumhare hue. Jao laga lo inhe gale, aakhri baar" (ten minutes. I give you ten minutes of your life to you. Go hug them goodbye. For the last time) he wishpered in her ear.

She didn't have to be told twice neither did she wait to sink in his words. What if she keep pondering on it and it turned out to be an illusion so without wasting any second she turned to her family and hugged her mother.

She was crying too hard. She kept caressing her head and after long Sitara felt safe. She broke the hug after few moments and wiped her tears. "You promised me Ammy, remember the other day. The day I will leave this house no one will cry for me. You all have had cried enough because of me. Ammy ab is ghar mei pehle ki tarah hasenge sab. Jo hasi meri wajah se aap sabse dur ho gayi thi uske wapas aane ka waqt hai Ammy. Ab mat roiye" (Mom, now everyone will laugh in this house like before. The happiness that was lost because of me, the time has come for its return. Dont cry now) she said trying to control her sobs. "I am sorry Sitara. I am so sorry that none of us had the courage to protect you like you had to protect my son" she said "Ammy don't say like this. It's your strength that has kept me going till now and don't worry about me. I will be happy if you all are happy." She said and hugged her again.

"Rihan Bhai" Sitara folded her hands in front of her brother and he hugged her tightly "meri bacchi" (my child) "Thank you Bhai, thank you for everything" she said and he broke the hug and he kissed her forehead from over the veil. "Thank you Bhai, for taking care of all of us. You have done a lot for us, for me. There wasn't a day after Dad that we didn't miss him, but you never made us feel his absence. You took care of us just like him. You have made sure that we always food on our table, roof over our head, books in our hands. I know you sacrificed your dreams for us. Thank you for not letting Ammy stay in that wheelchair. Thank you Bhai. Thank you for loving my best friend so much. Hamesha Nargis se aise hi pyar karte rehna Bhai aur jab wo chote mote 7-8 bacchon ki ammy banke football ho jaegi tab bhi" (keep loving natgis just like this and when she will become a football after the birth if seven-eight children then too) she said and they chuckled. "Khush rehna beta." (Stay happy my child) He said patting her head and hugged her again. He kissed her head and she cried, hard. She didn't want to break this hug, she didn't want to loose his protection. It feels like till he has his hands on her head she is safe. Who will she run too if she has a nightmare now. She was crying hard reminiscing her days with him so was he. He wanted to protect her, to make her laugh like she used to, to fight with her, to scold her when he caught her coming back late, to bring her ice-creams hiding from their mother. He wants to grow up with her again and he want to do it right, this time.

Sitara reached Nargis and she was crying continuously and they hugged each other. It felt like she felt peace after so long. She needed it. She needed her. She didn't know for how long they kept crying in each other's embrace. It's like her childhood was leaving behind. She is her whole childhood. She broke the hug and cupped her cheeks. Wiping her tears she said "Shehar ki sabse sundar kudi ki aankhon mei mote mote aansu ni badi badi muskan achi lagti hai." (The big tears doesn't suit the eyes of the beautiful girl of city, instead she should have a smiling face) Sitara said and she chortled. "I don't know if I will ever see you again or not sweetheart, so I want to take the memory of your smiling face with me" she said and Nargis smiled for her crying. "Nargis, is ghar mei itni khusiya bhar dena meri jaan ki kisi ko Sitara yaad hi na rahe." (Nargis make sure that this house has so much happiness that no one remembers who was Sitara)