My Tormentor, My Saviour

Fight

"Biya..... where is Biya?..... Biya " Her father came out, asking her mother in restlessness. Biya's mother, who was washing clothes with her daughter Haya, ran to him listening to his desperate voice. After searching Biya in her room and when he couldn't find her there, he came out and now was sitting in the drawing room.

  "What happened Zaman....?"

  "What happened, papa...?" They both also got tense, seeing his nervous condition.

  "Where is Biya? Why she didn't come yet? See it's quite late now.... I myself will have to go to see her...." In a state of agitation, her father was now roaming in the lounge, staring at the time every now and then.

  He then walks towards the gate, but before that he opens the door, Biya opened it and came inside. Looking at three of them standing near the gate, she moved forward.

  "Is everything alright? Why are you all standing here.....?"

  "Where were you? Why have you got late? Your mobile was also switched off..... I was so restless...." He doesn't let Biya complete her talk when her father, vanishing the distance between her, took her in his tight embrace and kissed her on her head.

  "Papa...." Biya took his face in her both hands and saw an unknown fear in his eyes. She also used to get worried about his fear. And now she was determined to ask him the reason of his fear.

  "Papa I have to complete my very important assignment... while in completing, I totally forget about time. And last night, I forget to charge my mobile that's why it was off. And now Hina and Ahad drooped me here. I'm sorry mama and Papa. I tensed you a lot.... from now on I will never make this mistake again...."

  "It's ok....it happens sometimes..... you go and freshen up yourself...... and Haya you go and serve the lunch." On her mother coaxing, they both went inside. While her father sat there on the chair in the lawn.

  After a while, Biya came to her father's room.

  "Papa...." Mr. Zaman, whose face was towards the cupboard searching for something in there, shut the door of the cupboard and turned towards her, smiling at her as he stepped near her.

  "Come, my daughter." Adoringly, he held Biya by her shoulders making her sit on the bed as he also sat beside her. Biya finds it a perfect time to talk with her father about his fear.

  "So my daughter..."

  "Papa, can I ask you a question?" She was asking his permission.

  "Since when my daughter has felt the need of taking permission? You can ask anything without taking permission...."

  "Promise me, you will answer me what I ask you?" Biya sat on the floor in front of him, forwarding her hand towards him, trying to take the promise. He smilingly took her hand.

  "Promise."

  "Papa, what is that fear which is always in your eyes in my absence? Why you got restless when I am out of home?"

  "N.... nothing." Her father was smiling as he stared at her. He wasn't expecting this question from her. Jerking her hand, he got up, walked towards the window of the room, and stood there.

  "Papa... you can't avoid me.... you promised me...." Biya stood beside him, peering into his eyes while stressing on her words.

  "Biya, I am just fearful of this world.... you go alone to university.... and I don't trust people there..... cunning and beast people are roaming everywhere here....so is it wrong that I get scared?" Mr. Zaman tried to make up a justification to avoid her real question. But she was also irked by his baseless lie.