"Baba."
The baby voice bounced off the walls of the Aqeel Villa as little Zainab called for her father. Her little legs were supporting her weight onto the ground as she banged her tiny fists against the door of the study. Her pigtails were bouncing off of her head as she continued her ministrations on the door.
"Baba."
She called again and when the door didn't open, her lips formed a pout. Plopping on the ground, she sat down and waited for her father to open the door. Her eyes shined when she heard footsteps coming toward her. Her lips broke into a wide beam when she spotted her father coming toward the study.
Irtiza stopped short in his tracks when he saw his little toddler waiting for him outside the door. A small smile adorned his lips and he bent down to hold the enthusiastic Zainab in his arms.
"Baba!" She shrieked and started playing with her father's stubble.
"What are you doing here, baby?"
He softly talked to her and placed a kiss atop her head.
"Baggdhha ahuwban."
Zainab started blabbering to her father as he walked inside his study while Zainab actively talked to her father. Irtiza sat in his chair and pulled out a file and started reading it while Zainab started playing with her father's stuff. He smiled and answered patiently whenever Zainab asked a question and kissed her head occasionally as he worked.
After many minutes, Irtiza noticed that his little daughter has slept on his shoulder after tiring herself from playing. Irtiza's study door knocked and Jaweria came inside the room.
"Aww, give her to me."
Irtiza shook his head, a soft smile occupying his lips
"Let her be. She's been waiting outside my door."
Jaweria smiled at the beautiful sight before her. Little Zainab's head was resting on his shoulder while Irtiza was patting her back.
It was one of the last moments the daughter and father duo spend together in affection.
Afterwards, everything changed.
Nothing was the same again.
******************
Zainab's eyes opened to the bright light blinding her vision. The familiar smell of antiseptic and medicine wafted past her nostrils making her queasy. Confusion attacked her from all sides at her new surroundings before reality came crashing down on her like a tsunami wave.
Her Baba!
Shot!
She sat up with a jolt, the sudden movement causing her head to sway, but she paid no heed and put her feet on the ground and ran outside her room. She needed to see her father. She needed to see her Baba. Barefoot and quite discombobulated, she roamed through the corridors of the godforsaken hospital, searching for her father. Quickly stopping a nurse, her voice was frantic when she asked
"Where is my Baba?" The nurse's face broke into a mask of confusion and annoyance and Zainab quickly amended her words
"Irtiza Aqeel, he was brought here...where is he?"
The nurse shook her head and said
"We can't share any information to outsider."
Zainab's lips pursed and she almost cried out
YOU ARE READING
Qurban
Romance"I'm lost in the darkness residing in me... consuming my existence, bit by bit untill I'm left with nothing but ruins..." Zainab Aqeel has lost her will to live. She's withering away like a flower does in fall...only she may never bloom again. "The...
