Memories We Hold Together

"The Questions"

( C h a p t e r  7 )

"W....what did he say?" Rania couldn't believe it.

She was walking angrily towards Rehan when Hisham stopped her.

"Wait! Let me do the talking." And ran to his room,

Hisham opened the door, Rehan was lying straight on the bed.

Hisham walked up to him.

"What nonsense have you said downstairs?"

"It wasn't nonsense. It's the truth." It was said with satisfaction,

"It means that you are married and no one knows about it!"

"What'd you want me to do? Write it down he got furious

"Were you out of your mind? All this happened and you didn't even think about telling anyone? He was furious

"Maybe i was so?" Rehan sat up.

"When did this happen?" Hisham knew how much anger he felt in himself.

"A few months ago..." came the brief reply,

"The reason for marrying secretly?" Words were barely coming out

"It was forced..." He was now overwhelmed by Hisham's questions.

"What a compulsion....."

"Dude! Stop it now.  He folded his arms and said angrily,

"Now leave my life and go from here."

"No! Until I get answers to my questions, I'm not going anywhere! He was also stubborn.

"Then sit here and think about the answers to your questions, I'm going..."

Cast a sharp glance at him, he angrily closed the door and went out.

Hisham just breathed.

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

Sitting on the floor next to the bed in the dark, she was barely holding herself together.
wet eyes and dry lips,

How broken is the one who pretends to be strong inside, Only they know.

How much Gul was broken by his words she could not tell,

The rope of patience that held him was loosening,

"I'm a drug addict."

Those words were enough to drive her mad,

"What have you done, Dad?"

She wanted to runaway,

"You have ruined my life." Her heart was broken badly,

She was crying with hiccups, clutching her hands,

Suffering was the end, that which was suppressed within,

There was a feeling of helplessness, that she was not being able to take care of herself.

Gul was just crying and crying.

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

It was evening and they were both sitting by the living room window

There was no longer any use in hiding, Rehan had understood,

"How did all this happen?" Hisham's first question came,