Make Me Yours

Chapter 12

Life had to move forward, even amid sorrow and pain. Mantasha and Zainab returned to their daily routines, trying to focus on their studies as best as they could. The burden of upcoming midterms loomed over them like a dark cloud, and they had to face it head-on. Assignments, stress, and the relentless screaming of professors; it was university life as usual.

Amid the chaos, Tasha's world was a blur, quite literally. Her vision had deteriorated over the past few weeks, to the point where the blackboard in the lecture hall appeared as a sea of incomprehensible scribbles. She couldn't see her notes or the expressions on her friends' faces, and her frustration grew with each passing day.

Finally she could not take it anymore and one afternoon, she couldn’t see at all. This just gave her a bad panic attack and she cried loudly. Thanks to Allah that she was in the washroom of the university and her friends were with her as it is a universal fact that when one friend needs to use the bathroom, all the other girls go along to accompany her.

Anyways, so when she cried loudly from the bathroom stall, her friends Sana, Laraib, and Faizia rushed to check on her. Once they calmed her a little and gave her some water, Tasha finally was able to say something.

“I can't see anything! Please call my mama! Here’s my phone and you guys already know the password!” She finally said after calming herself down. Laraib took her phone and quickly called Tasha’s mother. She explained the situation and within the next 20 minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Abid were there to pick the girls up. Zainab was also informed and she skipped her classes too. It was like the family was facing another tragedy. They have not recovered from the death of their baby and another misfortune was already there to attack them.

Tasha was taken to the emergency room and the family was informed about her blindness. The only option was surgery. Hospitals were looking to be a bad news for them. Last time they were there, they lost a baby. Now, it seems like they are losing something again.

‘I'm so scared!’ Asma said with tears. She was feeling so stressed about her daughter. How will they tell this to their spoiled little girl.

 “Begum, tashi is a brave and mature girl! I know she will take it well! You gave my daughters the best of everything! Yes, she is picky about many things but meri beti bohot brave hai. Moreover, you already know how determine she can be. Or meri Zainab tou MaShaAllah har tarah sy sabar or shukar wali beti hai! Mjhay apni betiyon pr aitbar hai! Tasha will also be fine! (Wifey, Tasha is a brave and mature girl! I know she will take it well! You gave my daughters the best of everything! Yes, she is picky about many things, but my daughter is very brave. Moreover, you already know how determined she can be. And my Zainab, MaShaAllah, is a patient and thankful daughter in every way. I have full trust in my daughters. Tasha will also be fine.)” Abid tried to console his wife and hugged her with one arm. The other was on Zainab’s shoulder on his other side. He was sitting in between his wife and daughter and hugging both of them.

Zainab looked at her father and smiled with misty eyes. She felt so proud by her father’s words of affirmation. She was always thankful to Allah for this great family as even after losing her biological father and mother, she got this family that raised her just like they raised their own daughter. Tasha was the best older sister. Well, more like a mischievous baby sister but a sister nonetheless.

There were so many times that Tasha took the blame when they were young. She would always beat the bullies in her class. Being shy and an introvert by nature was not easy as it attracted so many bullies no matter in which grade she was. So, Tasha was always checking on her in her lunch breaks. She always fought with the younger girls and boys of her class back in the UK. And when Tasha and Zainab were called to the principal’s office for fighting along with the bullies and their parents, Tasha always took the blame that she just didn’t like the way those bullies were disturbing her sister.

 “I will beat them with a stick next time if they again disturbed my sister!” A 9-year old Tasha said with a glare towards the group of 3 friends. One girl and 2 boys that were bullying Zainab. A 7-year old Zeni was standing behind her sister while hiding her face in her back. Zeni only had scratched knees while Tasha was all ruffled up. Her uniform shirt was untucked and her skirt was all dirty from rolling in the ground while beating the younger bullies. Her knees were scratched and her hair was out of her ponytail. It was a bird’s nest to be honest. Her lower lip was a little swollen and her cheeks were dirty with dirt.

Her mother looked at her with disapproval in her eyes and a serious face while her father was shaking his head lightly, as if to tell her to stay silent or in disappointment. Or maybe both! The parents of the other kids were glaring at her.

“Miss Mantasha, if you fought with children again then you will be put in detention next time. This is your 3rd time in a week that you caused disturbance in the school.” The principal warned her with strictness as it was against the rules of the school. Although the other kids were at fault, Tasha was also in the wrong. She should have told a teacher and not fought the kids on her own.

 “Baba, me in ka butha torh don tou ap mjhay police sy bacha lain gay na? (Baba, if I break their bones, will you bail me out from the police?)” Tasha innocently asked her father, as if she was asking for an ice cream after school. Her innocent statement elicited two completely different reactions from her parents. Everyone else was looking at her in confusion as she was talking in Urdu and not a single word was understood by them. Good thing that they were not able to understand Tasha or else she would have been expelled for sure after this statement.