Umeed

Chapter 16

Noor awoke early the next morning, her body stiff from the tense, restless sleep she had managed to get. The events of the previous night replayed in her mind like a bad dream, but the gentle rise and fall of Ayaan’s small chest beside her brought her some measure of peace. She watched him sleep for a moment, his little face so innocent, so peaceful, as if the chaos of the world outside didn’t exist in his dreams.

Gently, she brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead and pressed a soft kiss on his cheek. Ayaan stirred, his long eyelashes fluttering open, revealing his big, sleepy eyes. He smiled up at her, his lips curling into that sweet, trusting smile that never failed to melt her heart.

“Mumma...” he mumbled sleepily, reaching out to hug her.

Noor’s heart clenched. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m so sorry, beta. Mumma didn’t mean to hurt you yesterday.” She kissed the top of his head, inhaling the sweet, familiar scent of her son. “Please forgive me.”

Ayaan hugged her back tightly, his small arms encircling her neck. “Mumma, I love you,” he whispered into her shoulder, his voice soft but certain.

Tears pricked the corners of Noor’s eyes as she held him tighter. “I love you too, jaan. More than anything in this world.”

For a long moment, they stayed like that, mother and son, wrapped in the warmth of each other’s love. It was moments like these that reminded Noor why she had fought so hard to protect Ayaan, why she had made the choices she had, even if those choices had come at a cost.

Eventually, Ayaan pulled back and looked up at her with his bright eyes, full of curiosity and joy. “Mumma, can we go outside today? I want to go somewhere fun!”

Noor smiled, grateful for the chance to make up for the hurt she had caused him. “Of course, beta. How about we go out for breakfast, just you and me?” She reached over and ruffled his hair. “We can go somewhere special.”

Ayaan’s face lit up with excitement. “Yes! Pancakes!”

Noor laughed softly, feeling the weight of last night begin to lift, if only for a little while. “Okay, pancakes it is. Let’s get ready and go .”

The house was still quiet as they crept down the stairs, the early morning light filtering through the windows. Noor had made sure to avoid any signs of Shahzain—she didn’t want another confrontation, not today. She just wanted to spend time with Ayaan, to enjoy the morning with him without the tension that seemed to follow her everywhere in this house.

They slipped out the front door unnoticed, the cool morning air greeting them as they stepped into the sunlight. Noor took a deep breath, feeling the crispness of the morning calm her nerves. She held Ayaan’s hand as they walked to the small cafe not too far from the house, his chatter filling the quiet morning.

The cafe was cozy and quiet, the kind of place where the regulars knew the menu by heart, and the smell of fresh coffee filled the air. Noor ordered pancakes for Ayaan and a light breakfast for herself, trying to push aside the worry that had settled deep in her chest since last night. For a while, she managed to focus on Ayaan’s laughter, the way he smeared syrup all over his face as he devoured his pancakes.

“Mumma, look!” Ayaan giggled, pointing to the mess he’d made.

Noor chuckled and reached over to wipe his face with a napkin. “You’re such a messy eater, Ayaan! But that’s okay. As long as you’re having fun.”

“I love pancakes, Mumma! Can we come here again?” Ayaan asked, his eyes wide with hope.

Noor’s heart ached at his innocent request. She forced a smile, even though the thought of leaving loomed over her. “We’ll see, beta. We’ll see.”