Broken Hearts, Hidden Secrets

Chapter Sixty-Five

“You Guys Are Lying To Me!!!” Part Two.

After paying the bill, Tayyal and Azhar walked back into the room to find Zianna already dressed to be discharged.
I hope this won't cause Zianna any health issues. I hope we are doing the right thing, taking her to the cemetery to see Zoya’s grave.
“Tay, are you okay? You seem distant. Is it because I want to go and see Zoya? I need to see her for myself,” Zianna says. “I know you guys are lying to me about her death and who gave me a new heart”, she added pointing at her chest.
The doctor gave them strict instructions on how to care for the incision especially when Zianna is too stubborn to stay for at least a week at the hospital.
“Nothing, Zia. Let's go,” Tayyal says. “Give me your bag, I will carry it for you while Azhar pushes your wheelchair,” he added, blinking away his tears that were almost on his cheeks.
It had been a week since he buried her, and this would be a week of visiting her.
Tayyal took Zianna’s bag and walked out leaving Azhar.
He couldn't stay there for a minute because he knew that whenever Zianna mentioned Zoya, tears would form in his eyes.
Tayyal didn't want his sister to see him like that.
Vulnerable.
Weak.
Tayyal wanted to be strong for her and for their little family. For his daughter who has the same personality as her mother.
“We are ready to go”, Azhar says, pushing Zianna in her wheelchair towards the elevator.
The two men looked at each other and knew that Zianna would need both of them there when the truth comes out about Zoya.
“I am sorry. I haven't been a good sister. I shouted at you. I didn't mean it”, Zianna says, looking at her brother, who was in front of her.
Tayyal knelt down and held his sister's hands.
“You have nothing to apologise for. I understand how much Zoya means to you but sometimes the truth seems to be darker than the lie. Zia, you need to understand that what we told you wasn't a lie…Zoya did die and we are going to visit her grave in the cemetery”, Tayyal says, holding back his tears but his voice cracking as he spoke about his wife. “I understand that sometimes we can deny what we are told until we see it with our eyes. That's what you want to be sure about Zoya's death”, he added wiping the tears from his face.
“Tay, are you telling me the truth? Or…”
When Zianna looked into her brother's eyes, she immediately knew that Tayyal wasn't lying to her about Zoya's death.
Zianna would always know when Tayyal would try to lie to her. His face would have an expression that only she would notice about him.
And now that expression wasn't there on his face, Zianna knew that her sister, her best friend and her sister-in-law had died and given her a new heart.
“Did she get tested for a new heart? How did she know?” Zianna asked, wiping the tears from her face.
“Zoya wrote it down on one of the letters, she left me. She explained everything that she wanted to do if anything happened to her,” Tayyal explained. “There's a letter for you too. It is from her. Dahlia will give it to you as soon as we get home, okay?” He added.
Zianna nodded.
“But can we just go and visit her, please? I just need to see her…”
“Zia, the doctor said not to overdo it. We will take you but you need to be calm about it, okay?” Her husband said.
Zianna nodded without saying anything. She needed to see the person who gave her a second chance at life.
Her second protector.
Her first best friend.
And most importantly someone who loved her unconditionally.
Aizah is barely a year old. Zoya, I promise you that I will treat that little princess as my own. And I promise to find someone who will care and love her as their own. I promise you, Zoya. Thank you for giving me a second chance at life.
The elevator ride was silent after Zianna's realisation that Zoya was dead and they were going to visit her grave.
I don't deserve this. I don't deserve to live…
“Don't say that Zia. You deserve everything. Zoya knew that, that's why she gave you her heart. Everyone loves you and cares for you. You have a family that would do everything for your happiness,” Azhar says. ‘My parents ask about you more than they ask about me. You are the light I need in my life, Habibty. I should thank my Uncle for hiring you”, he added, smiling.
“He is right, Zia. You do deserve happiness and love. And we will always be there to make sure you have it,” Tayyal says, agreeing with his brother-in-law.
The elevator stopped at the reception and Tayyal took a deep breath before getting off.
He looked behind to see his sister and brother-in-law trying to smile but he knew that the hole in his life might not be filled.
Zoya, my love. Zianna is coming to see you. I don't know if she will be able to take it. In shaa Allah some day I will tell Aizah about you and we will visit you.
The three of them got into the car and Tayyal insisted on driving them.
“Tay, let Azhar drive. You must be tired from staying up late with Aizah”, Zianna says.
“No, I am not tired. Plus Aizah has her aunts who barely let me hold her, and when I do, they would lecture me on how to hold her or even feed her”, Tayyal says, smiling. “So don't worry, let me drive”, he added, closing the car door.
Zianna sat in the back of the car while her brother and husband sat in front.
She looked outside to see, it had started raining.
Zoya would have loved to play in the rain. I wished that it wasnt true but that would be going against Allah. I remembered the first time we met. I was trying to tell Tayyal to talk to Dad about letting me go to college even if it's a secretarial course.
Flashback.
“Tay, did you ask him?...”
Zianna says but stopped as soon as she saw a woman standing behind Tayyal.
“I am sorry, I didn't know you had a visitor. Excuse me…”
She tried to excuse herself but Tayyal caught her hand and led her closer to the woman.
“Zianna, I want to introduce you to someone important like you in my life”, Tayyal says. “This is Zoya, my fiancée, and this is my sister Zianna”, he added, smiling.
“Asalam Aleikum…”
Zianna says, but before she could finish what she was saying when Zoya pulled her into a hug.
“Waleikum salaam, sorry but Tay never told me that his sister is beautiful, ma shaa Allah. And again sorry, I like hugging my sisters…”
“Sisters?” Zianna asked, as she pulled away from Zoya's hug.
“Yes, you, Dahlia, and Nour are my sisters”, she says, smiling. “But you are going to be my best friend. My crime partner”, she added.
“I am…”
“Zia, it is okay. Zoya isn't that type of person, I promise you. She and I knew each other from childhood. We drifted apart and went to different universities. When she came back I asked her to marry me…”
“No, tell her the truth. You were jealous when you saw me with my colleague. That's why you proposed,” Zoya says, raising her eyebrows.
“Fine, yes she is right. But you did say yes, in front of everyone…”
Tayyal turned to face Zianna who was confused about the engagement between him and Zoya.
“I am sorry, it is when you…”
“Don't worry, I understand. Congratulations to both of you. May you always be happy, Ameen”, Zianna says, smiling.
Their engagement took place when Nadia told Zianna to go and clean the entire house while they were out celebrating Tayyal and Zoya's engagement.
“Zianna, would you like to be my maid-of-honour?” Zoya asked, holding a bag.
“I…yes, I will be”, Zianna says, while looking at Tayyal who had a goofy smile on his face.
“Thank you, so much. The wedding date has not been decided yet because I asked Tay to give me time to establish my career,” Zoya says. “Alhamdulilah, he said yes to my request”, she added, smiling.
“I want you to succeed and be the person our future kids will be proud of. So yes, I agreed because it was the right thing to do”, Tayyal added, smiling.
This is what Zianna missed when Nadia would always try to keep her away from her brother and Zoya. But Zoya would be stubborn and go against Nadia to include Zianna in everything she planned.
End of Flashback.
“Zianna, we are here”, Tayyal says, bringing her out of the memory she just had.
One of the happiest memories she shared with Zoya.
Zianna looked out of the window to see the cemetery’s gate.
Zoya is really dead!!! She can't be!!!
Tayyal slowly opened the door while Azhar waited for his wife who had tears in his eyes.
“Come and see Zoya”, Tayyal says, taking Zianna's hand and leading her outside the car.
Zianna stood there looking at the gate and tears welled up in her eyes.
Both Tayyal and Azhar walked side by side with Zianna in the middle.
Each step Zianna took, tears started to fall from her face.
Tayyal opened the gate and they all greeted the dead.
He then led her to where Zoya was buried.
Her grave looked fresh and damp due to the rain.
“Zianna…”
Before Tayyal could say anything, Zianna knelt down at Zoya’s grave and started crying.
“Zianna, Zoya won't want you to cry. She would have been happy to see you alive, healthy and smiling”, Tayyal says, kneeling beside her.
“I pray that wherever she is…”
Zianna didn't finish what she was saying when all that came out were sobs.
Zianna took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her face. She then looked at her brother and her husband.
“I want to establish an orphanage in Zoya's name. Will you two help me?” She asked.
Tayyal smiled and nodded while Azhar said yes.
“I have a place already for that Zia. We just need to build it and make plans for it,” Tayyal says. “ And Azhar’s brother will help us with his contacts. Thank you for thinking about her, Zia”, he added.
“She is my best friend and my sister. Of course, I will always think of her. She saved my life by giving me her heart”, Zianna says, looking at Zoya's grave.
Thank you, Zoya, for this life and for the happiness you have given me. As for Aizah, she will know you as the best person and the best mother in the world. In shaa Allah.
“Can we go home now?” Zianna asked.
“Yes, we can”, Azhar says.
But before they left, they all said a small prayer for Zoya.
Tayyal and Azhar led Zianna out of the cemetery, but they all knew that life wouldn't be the same as before.
Zoya will always be a part of their life. They will see her in Aizah.
Her daughter.