Shattered Chains

10.0

"The melody of life is composed of the mundane notes, creating a symphony of resilience"

~ Unknown

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As the next day settled, Ali was in confusion on how to deal with this. He was feeling responsible to search for her but at the same time he was having his doubts. His brothers, aware of Amira's demisal, were pretty calm and so was his father, adding up to his doubts. Descending the stairs, he saw everyone gathered at the dining table.

"Ali, when did you come home last night? I did not see you," Sam stated with a long hint of confusion and a small vibe of teasing. He was aware of his younger brother and Sam also did know how to trigger which part of Ali. Ayesha wasn't the only one who witnessed his late arrival. Samad and Jasmine did too. "Do you need some lemonade? Casually Amira makes it for you and gives it to you before you step down, but now since she's not here, I am sure you must be having a terrible headache!" Samad did not step back from almost attacking Ali with his words carrying a hint of playful banter, a reminder of the routine gestures that had become a silent part of Ali's mornings. The absence of those small moments now reverberated in the quiet spaces.

"Samad, Stop it! Ali, come and have breakfast," Ayesha intervened before their conversation escalated in any sense. Be it Ali retorting back to Samad or Ali just losing control of his temper. The scene in the dining hall tensed up with Ali's gaze shifting between Sam and his mother. Sighing inwardly, Ali decided to sidestep the provocative comments. He pulled out a chair and took a seat at the table, attempting to focus on the breakfast spread before him. The clatter of cutlery against plates filled the room, but the silence that underscored the meal spoke volumes about the underlying turmoil.

As Ali tried to focus on his meal, the conflicting currents of responsibility and doubt surged within him. His thoughts were not giving him a break. The unresolved questions about Amira's whereabouts echoed in the corners of his mind. His wish to go back in the past and stop that day from happening was growing with every new thought about her where about reaching him. Ali struggled with the realization that decisions once made could shape destinies in ways unforeseen. The morning continued with everyone's routine. Ali wished to ask his brothers or father but his mind was stopping him. Halfthrough the breakfast, he excused himself from the table, the unresolved tension pulling him away from the semblance of normalcy.

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The night brought a lot of shadows, and Ali returned, weary and burdened by the weight of failed attempts. As he entered the living room, he found Zain, Raiyyan, and Samad engaged in a hushed conversation. The low murmur of their voices faded as Ali stepped into the room, his presence a silent inquiry into their shared concerns.

"Ali, where have you been? I haven't seen you in the office since afternoon?!" Zain pointed out after his entrance.

"I was trying to search for Amira."

"What's the use now, Ali? You should be happy. She's off your hook now!" Aggressiveness and some rage were evident in Raiyyan's voice. Ali felt weird towards his choice of tune, when they were on a pretty decent note earlier.

"I know, I wanted her responsibility not assigned to me, as you all pushed. But that does not mean I wanted her to go missing! She could be in some damn trouble. We should try getting the police involved. It's been days now."

Samad intervened without considering his depth of emotions while pointing his reasons. "Ali, involving the police, might bring unwanted attention. Our family's and mostly her reputation is at stake. We need to handle this discreetly." Ali, growing increasingly frustrated, added, "Bhai, we can't just sit here and wait. It's been days. Amira's safety is the priority.