I'll Hold On

CHAPTER 55

The door bell rang and Rayna's father opened the door to find his daughter standing before him in an all white Kurti and bottom with a brown hijab. Rayna smiled and entered her house. Her father called out to his wife that Rayna is home. Along with Rayna's mother her sister also came out of the kitchen and her brother from his room, 'Oh My dear, how are you home so early in the morning?' Her mother asks as Rayna settles down in the living room couch. Rayna just smiled to that and had a glass of water, 'Did you have breakfast, dear?' Her father asked and Rayna denied, 'Wonderful!' Rayna's sister said as she dragged her sister to the dining, 'I made breakfast today, Pancakes!!' Everyone laughed at her sister's joy as they all sat to eat.

After breakfast, everyone was settled in the living room with a cup of coffee when her brother asked her, 'What happened, Rayna?' Rayna kept her cup down and looked down, 'Thank God, something is the matter. Didi had such little breakfast, I thought my pancakes were not good.' She let out a sigh of relief, 'Did you know Aahil was a divorcee?' Rayna asked still looking down, 'What!?' Was Rayna's siblings reaction but what was off was that her parents only looked at each other. Rayna looked up at her parents in disbelief and spoke in a low voice, 'You knew, and didn't tell me.' Tears started falling down Rayna's face as she stared at her parents with pure hurt.

This is more painful than when Aahil told me.

'Ammi, Abba. You both knew?' Rayna's brother asked them as her parents just looked away, 'Why didn't you tell us?' Rayna's sister asked them, 'Cause we knew you all won't agree.' Rayna's mother pointed out, 'Obviously! How could I let my sister get married to him if I knew? But still, if the reason behind his divorce was nothing bad then maybe but you kept us in the dark.' Aahil's brother bursted out, 'You both kept Didi in the dark.' Rayna's sister pointed out.

Rayna got up from her seat and walked towards the front door. Her family followed her calling out to her, 'Rayna, where are you going?' Her mother asked, 'Rayna listen to us.' Her father said and Rayna immediately turned and wiped her tears angrily and spoke, 'Fine, I'll listen. What do you have to say?' Rayna asked looking at her parents angrily. Her parents were stunned at a moment at their good daughters behaviour, 'Why don't we sit and talk?' Her mother suggested but Rayna didn't want to and asked them to say whatever it is right here and right now, 'We didn't tell you because we thought it wasn't necessary.' Her mother blurted out as it was the most obvious thing. Rayna stared at her mother in disbelief, 'Rayna, we are your parents. Do you think we'll do something that is not good for you. You are our good daughter and you always listen and agree to us....' her father was interrupted by Rayna, 'So, you just assumed that I would be okay with it?' Rayna asked looking directly at her father, 'Yes.' Her mother replied. Rayna scoffed.

'C'mon, Rayna. Be a good girl and don't think too much about it.' Her father said, 'Yes, it shouldn't matter now since he is already your husband. Be a good wife and just let it go. A good wife should let her husband's mistakes go.' Her mother added. Rayna was fed up and held her head, 'Good girl, Good daughter, Good wife, enough. I'm so fed up of all this good girl nonsense.' Rayna burst out as tears flowed down her face, 'Rayna! It isn't good to talk to elders with a raised voice especially, your parents.' Her mather scolded her, 'And what you both did as my parents is good?' Rayna asked her mother.

'I agree, I am a good daughter and a good girl, but what has it gotten me, nothing. I've been the ideal good girl and daughter my whole life trying to meet up with your expectation of me but have you bother ever appreciated me for my efforts. Not even once. You both somehow found a flaw in whatever I did. What do you say, Abbu? That I do everything good but get yelled for that one wrong just like giving a good glass of milk but with a tiny raw pulse inside, right?' Rayna was finally standing up to her parents, 'Why do you need to point out about that one raw piece of pulse when you can just throw the raw pulse away and drink the milk? Why do you guys scold me for that tini tiny mistake but not appreciate me for the good I did. You guys have never seen me as your daughter, but just an ideal product that is to be saled in the name of marriage. But that product was already damaged....' Rayna said banging her chest, '....So, you guys thought of polishing it again and again so that it shines brightly, ignoring the scars it is getting due to too much polishing.'

Rayna took a deep breath to calm herself down as she was a crying mess, 'I am sorry as I am not behaving like the good girl you've trained me to be but this time, I can't hide my emotions. When my parents themselves are the cause of my pain, where do I go to find solace if not my home.' Rayna turned around and exited her house wiping her tears. She got off the stairs and was about to exit the building when she heard her siblings call out to her. She stopped and turned towards them. Her sister hugged her tightly while her brother just looked at her, 'Where are you going?' Her brother asked. She pulled her sister back and smiled at her and said, 'To someone I can trust to not hide things from me.' 'You can trust us.' Her sister said, Rayna smiled at her sister and looked at her brother and said, 'I do.' She turned around and hailed a cab.

Rayna rang the bell and her friend Afina opened the door. Afina looked at Rayna worried and took her in. Afina took Rayna to her bedroom and Rayna immediately went to the bed and layed down. Afina covered her with a blanket and sat next to her, 'Can I just sleep for now? I am too tired.' Rayna said to which Afina nodded and soothed her head as Rayna fell asleep.

Rayna slowly opened her eyes and sat up. Her head was aching badly, it felt like someone was hammering her head. She held her head as she slowly looked ahead. Before her stood a big silhouette. She blinked a few times as the silhouette Walked closer to her. Her eyes widened as she recognised that worried face.

Aahil!?!