HUMSAFAR

19~ Ayesha

MANNARA

He called out my name asking me to stop but I did not want to listen to anything.

I walked out of the hospital, my eyes welled with tears, clouding my vision as I struggled to make sense of the scene that was before me. Confusion, anger, and hurt swirled inside me. He reached out desperately and pulled my hand. I couldn't bear his touch and pushed his hand away.

"Mannara..listen to me"

"Jo tum samajh rahi ho waisa kuch nahi hai..please meri baat suno" 

"mujhe kuch nahi sunna"

"Mannara!!" His grip tightened.

"Mujhse shadi kyun ki tumne?" I asked pushing him, anger brimming inside me.

"Maine tumse hazaar baar kaha ke mujhe nahi karni yeh shadi lekin tum-" 

"Kyun meri zindagi barbaad ki tumne!!?"

"Mannara..tum iss sab ko ghalat samajh rahi ho..tumhe poori baat nahi pata please ek dafa meri baat sun lo"

"Mujhe tumhare jaise ghatiya insaan ki koi baat nahi sunni"

He fell silent.

"Aisi baatien mat karo..jinka tumhe baad mein pachtava ho"

His eyes..made me want to believe him. But how could I deny what I just saw inside? Confused, I tried leaving from there but he followed me.

I ignored his pleas and briskly walked down the road determined to distance myself from this turmoil. The sound of screeching tires and a loud crash suddenly broke the silence around me. My heart skipped a beat, and I turned around in a panic.

There, Munawar, lying on the road,motionless,his head bleeding.

Panic consumed me, overriding any lingering anger or hurt. Without a second thought, I rushed towards him, my mind racing with worry. The driver of that vehicle, seemingly snapped out of his shock quickly approached along with the people around who helped take him inside the hospital.

I felt a whirlwind of emotions seeing him like this. I picked up my phone, my hands trembling, and dialed Maa.

*************

I felt a sigh of relief when I saw her. Maa approached me along with Nazila and Amreen. They all bombarded me with questions.

"Bhabhi..bhai theek hai na?" Amreen asked concerned.

"Yeh sab kaise hua Mannara? Tum Munawar ke saath hi thi?" Maa asked.

"Kuch bologi bhi? Munawar kaisa hai?" Nazila said while our attention diverted to the doctor. 

"Unke sar pe chot aayi thi, humne dressing kardi hai..here's nothing to worry about, you can meet him," the doctor reassured us. Relief washed over me, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

We entered the room and looked at Munawar, who lay there, his head bandaged. He weakly turned his head towards me and called me closer. His voice was barely a whisper, but it carried a sense of urgency.

"Munawar! Yeh kya halat hogayi hai mere bacche ki" Maa said.

"Ammi kuch nahi hua..bas ek chota sa accident tha..aap kyun tension le rahi hai"

"Chota sa accident? Munawar humari jaan nikal gayi thi jab hame yeh baat pata chali" Nazila exclaimed.

"Patient ke saath itne saare log ek saath nahi reh sakte..aap please bahar jaye aur inhe rest karne de" the nurse told.

"Mannara..tum yahi ruko" Munawar said and everyone left. I sat by his side and he held my hand tightly.

He was about to say something when the door swung open. There she was, the woman who I saw him with earlier. Everything came back to my mind. The betrayal. All his words were just lies. I left his hand and tried to leave.

"Mannara" the woman called out. She knew my name.

"Munawar bhai ko ghalat mat samjho please" she pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. Those words echoed in my ears, piercing through like a sharp dagger. In that moment, everything I thought I knew came crashing down around me.

Flashback to 8 months ago [Author's POV]

Munawar, Aman and Zafar were inseparable from their college days. Their bond was unbreakable and they stood with each other always.

Zafar fell in love with Ayesha. Ayesha's family had been in business dealings with Munawar's company so Ayesha and Munawar knew each other.

Ayesha's family and Zafar's family had a long-standing rivalry. Her father didn't agree to this marriage. Munawar and Aman helped Zafar and Ayesha in eloping and getting married.

They kept Zafar and Ayesha hidden, shielding them from the prying eyes of their families. They knew that Ayesha's father, consumed by anger and hatred towards Zafar's family, would seek revenge. He broke the business partnership with Munawar's family due to which they suffered losses. In order to protect his family's honor, Ayesha's Father Siddique sent men to hunt them down. Munawar couldn't pick Zafar's call that day on time. Aman managed to take Ayesha away, but couldn't save Zafar. Munawar blamed himself for Zafar's death. Consumed with guilt, he shut out others only finding solace in his work. When Aman and Munawar got to know Ayesha was pregnant, they took care of her, as they always considered her like their sister.

[PRESENT]

MANNARA

My heart filled with regret for the accusations I hurled at Munawar as Ayesha revealed her identity. How could I have jumped to conclusions without knowing the truth? How could I be so quick to judge? Overwhelmed with remorse, I apologised to her.

TIME SKIP 

[FARUQUI HOUSE] 

MUNAWAR

With a gentle touch, Mannara made me sit on the bed while she brought food for me. Feeling weak and weary, my heart swelled with mixed emotions. I felt cared for. I could see the concern in her eyes as she spoon-fed me, making sure I ate every bite. It may seem like a trivial gesture to some, but to me, it meant the world.

My injuries were not even severe, but I craved for her love and affection.

I couldn't help but notice that today's incident was bothering her. She was quiet, a cloud of sadness and guilt surrounding her. I decided to make her feel better. I looked at her as she fed me.

"Agar pehle pata hota ke tum mera itna khayal rakhogi..toh main khud gaadi ke saamne lait jaata"

"Astagfirullah!" She replied.

"Chup chap khaana khao" she said giving me another bite. Today her voice was not loud as always, it was feeble.

"Allah ka shukar hai tumhe zyada chot nahi aayi. Yeh sab meri wajah se hua hai"

"Mannara..isme tumhari koi ghalati nahi thi.. tumhe yeh sab nahi pata tha.."

"Phir bhi! Mujhe tum par bharosa karna chahiye tha. Kal tumne mujhpe bharosa kiya, sabke saamne mera saath diya..lekin maine-..I'm really sorry Munawar"

"Please ab yeh baatein mat socho.." I tried to console her. I couldn't see her upset.

"Mujhe nahi pata tha ke tumhari zindagi mein itna sab kuch hua hai.." she said.

"It's been hard" I tried to compose myself. She looked at me with compassion in her eyes, a stark contrast to the usual indifference and distance she maintained.

The weight of grief had been crushing, and I've been carrying it alone for far too long.

Opening up about Zafar was not easy. I had grown accustomed to Mannara's indifference, the cold shoulder she often presented me with. But today, she allowed herself to see me, to hear me, and to console me. We talked for a while and she listened to me.

She held my hand, offering a glimmer of comfort amidst the darkness that had engulfed my soul. I found some solace in her presence.