Umeed

Chapter 11

As Ayesha slept soundly, Shahzain quietly made his way out of the room. He saw Faris sitting up, awake and alert. Their eyes met, and Faris's face broke into a relieved smile as he immediately opened his arms for a hug. Shahzain embraced him warmly, sensing the strain of recent days in Faris's grip.

After the hug, Shahzain pulled back slightly and reassured Faris, "Sab theek hai, bhai." (Everything is fine, brother.) However, as he scanned the room, he noticed that Hoor was missing and felt a pang of worry.

Before Shahzain could ask Faris about Hoor, Zaviyaar, who had been speaking to Shahzain, interrupted their conversation. Zaviyaar was animatedly explaining something, and Faris's attention shifted. Just then, Noor entered the room with Ayaan and Hoor in tow. She greeted Faris with a warm salam and said, "Bhai, mai aapke liye nashta layi hoon. Aap kha lijiye."
(Brother, I have brought breakfast for you. Please eat it.)

Faris's face lit up with gratitude as he nodded. Hoor, spotting Faris, hurried over and wrapped her arms around him. "Chachu, maine aapko bahut miss kiya," (Uncle, I missed you so much) she said earnestly.

Faris embraced Hoor. Turning to Noor, he asked, "Hoor ne pareshan toh nahi kiya na?"
(Hoor didn't trouble you, right?)

Noor smiled and said, "Nahi."( No )

Faris then turned toward Hoor and asked, "How was the time with your phuphu?"

Hoor said, "Phuphu ne mera bahut khayal rakha."
(Aunt took very good care of me.)

Seeing Hoor's affectionate gesture with Faris, Ayaan also greeted Faris with a cheerful salam. Without hesitation, he joined Hoor in clinging to Faris. Faris, though visibly tired, managed to hold both of them in his embrace, his arms wrapped around their small figures.

Noor, Ayaan, and Hoor were so focused on Faris that they hadn't noticed Shahzain yet. Shahzain and Zaviyaar continued their conversation, with Shahzain's concern for Hoor still evident in his expression, though it was momentarily masked by his engagement in the conversation.

As Shahzain and Zaviyaar continued their conversation, Shahzain's attention was abruptly drawn to the sound of Hoor's voice. He turned towards Faris, expecting to see Hoor, but was taken aback to see Noor standing there. Shock washed over him as he tried to reconcile her presence with the lack of any prior mention from Faris or anyone else. Noor's arrival was unexpected, and Shahzain couldn't fathom why he hadn't been informed.

Stunned, Shahzain took in Noor's appearance. She looked noticeably different—more mature and distant than he remembered. The subtle changes in her demeanor and appearance seemed to underscore a new sense of formality and distance, leaving Shahzain momentarily at a loss. The sight of her evoked a mix of surprise and confusion as he struggled to understand the shift in her presence.

Caught off guard, Shahzain's mind raced with questions. The stark contrast between Noor's current state and his last memory of her was striking. He was left grappling with his thoughts, trying to piece together why Noor was here, and why no one had informed him.

Noor looked at Shahzain. He had changed so much from before— . She could see it, and she felt something familiar tug at her, but she just couldn't hold his gaze.

As Shahzain moved forward, Noor realized he was walking towards her. She had to face him, and she visibly paled. Noor dreaded this moment. She knew it had to happen, but she wasn't ready yet. However, she quickly regained her composure and greeted him with a formal, "Assalamualaikum."

Shahzain, though still processing his surprise, responded politely, "Waalaikum assalam."

Hoor, noticing her father, ran up to Shahzain with open arms. "Baba, aap aa gaye! Maine aapko bahut miss kiya," (Baba, you’re here! I missed you so much) she said, hugging him tightly. Shahzain returned the embrace, trying to maintain a conversation with Hoor while his eyes frequently darted back to Noor, who seemed increasingly uncomfortable.