Namal {COMPLETED} (English Translation) By Nimra Ahmed

Chpt 24 : The Aquarium

(PART 1)

In the journey of life, everything has a counterpart. For the wing of love, there is anger; for the wing of fate, there is fear.

For the wing of pain, there is healing; for the wing that wounds, there is forgiveness. For the wing of pride, there is humility; for the wing of tears, there is joy. For the wing of dignity, there is humiliation; for the wing of letting go, there is holding on.

We can only fly with two wings, and they can only stay afloat in the air when there is balance between them!

Two beautiful wings are the true perfection!

Yet, there exists a kind of human who believes that perfection is the constant presence of only one wing. But if you ask me, a bird with just one wing is incomplete.

An angel with one wing is incomplete; a bird with one wing is lifeless. So these people who, in pursuit of perfection, have been cutting off one of their own wings have created...

A disabled human race!

- Joy Bell

*****

Somehow, the flow of time has changed us, Mohsin... We still hold on to loyalty, but we have let go of love.

Six days ago...

The lights in the Kardar mansion were still bright, even at this late hour. As Noushirwan stepped inside, he took a deep breath and then began walking forward. Each step brought him closer to the lounge until, finally, he stood directly in front of the large sofa where Hashim was seated. Hashim hadn't bothered with his coat; his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and his tie hung loosely. At the sound of footsteps, he merely lifted his eyes, which looked dull and lifeless.

It was only a few hours after the press conference that these two met.

"Welcome home!" Hashim's gaze was fixed intensely on Noushirwan, his voice cold enough to send a chill down Noushirwan's spine.

"If you have something to say about my press conference, brother..." he raised his hand, starting to speak, but-

"Do you see this aquarium behind you?" Hashim's gaze remained locked on Noushirwan, unchanging. Noushirwan turned his head slightly.

It was a beautiful aquarium (Aab Zeidan) installed against one wall of the lounge. The glass-walled rectangular tank had been a part of this house for years. Inside, there was water gathered within its confines, artificial plants and stones lined the floor, and a few fish were swimming back and forth, from right to left. Lights were set up in a way that illuminated the aquarium, creating a serene, glowing effect.

"Do you remember who brought this aquarium here?"

"No." He shook his head from side to side.

"Of course, you wouldn't remember," Hashim said, gesturing for him to sit, though he himself walked slowly towards the aquarium. His sad eyes were focused on the glass walls, watching the fish swim. Noushirwan didn't sit; he stood there, a mix of impatience and annoyance on his face.

"You were seventeen. I had taken you with me to an executive meeting. Dressed up in a three-piece suit, you looked older and more mature than your age. Even Dad was pleased with your presence, though he didn't show it, as usual. But you were indifferent, sat with us, and started listening to our conversations. We were about to make a deal, and we knew that the other party would, later on, try to manipulate things a bit. But that wasn't something we could directly address; we had to work through mutual understanding and subtlety." He was now gently tapping the glass wall. Inside, the fish swam faster, curving and turning in rapid circles.