Over again

Chapter XXXII

Zain walked in his hotel room and dropped on the bed. His thoughts and heart were with Aaliya. Laying in front of her feets, broken in million pieces. All he could think about was she and the man standing next to her, holding her hand. Her husband.

Aaliya was sitting in Zaid's room. She was watching outside, to the sea side. Zain's face was dancing before her eyes. His eyes full of tears, his heart broken, his feelings hurt. She wished she can go to him and remove his pain, to take him in her arms and hug him. But every time she wanted to do so, her mind crossed the day when he betrayed her. But still she wasn't able to hate him. So she decided. She's going to the same park where she saw him that day. She felt as if he will also come there. All she wanted to do was to tell him the truth.

Zain woke up quite late the next day. The first thing he thought about was Aaliya. The tears blur his vision. He saw her, with other man and their son. Zain wanted to see her again. At least one last time. He wanted to ask her how she could move on just like that. Did he meant anything to her? What he was for her? But he knew he can't go to her home. So he remembered where he should go. To the park where he saw her the day before.

Aaliya had a breakfast with her family and dressed Zaid in his best clothing. She said goodbye to her parents and went to the park. It was one of those days when the streets were full of tourists and cars but she didn't care. All she wanted was to come at the time. At the same time when she saw Zain. But this time she would tell him the truth. That's why her son was with her. It was time for son and father to meet.

Zain suddenly didn't like that American lifestyle. It was just too much for him. He felt like he's losing air, his lungs felt empty. He felt like he was losing himself in this big city. Again, the change was needed and he exactly knew what to do. He came to the park at the same time as he was the day before. There was so many kids and their mothers playing with them but he couldn't see the one he was looking for.

He turned around just to see her sitting in sand, laughing at her son. The boy was lying in the sand and laughing out loud. They looked so care free. He stood there for a while before he came closer to them. Zain feared that Aaliya will ran away but the moment she saw him, she gave him that million dollar smile that took his breath away.

She came closer to him and stretched her hand. He took her hand and slowly shook it. It felt so good to touch her skin again. The memories rushed back to him. He felt her skin under his fingertips and he remembered their night. He slowly looked up at her and felt ashamed. What if she knows what he was thinking about?

Aaliya smiled. She was looking at Zain and she could almost say what he was thinking about. That night. The night when she was his and the night when, out od love, their son came. He didn't know it then nor he knows it now. But it was time for the truth to come out. Aaliya interfered her fingers with Zain's and led him to closest bunch. They sat there and watched Zaid playing happily.

'Where have you been all this time, Zain? I've been waiting for you to come and take me home but you never did. Why you didn't come to search for me?"-she whispered.

Zain looked at her.
"I thought you were dead. That day when my dad shoot you..."
"Wait, Zain. What are you talking about? He never shot me."
"What? But I've heard the gun shot."
"Yea Zain we heard it too. But your father left his gun on the table that day. He simply asked me to leave and never come back. I did what he asked me to do. But I still had my hopes high that one day you will come to find me."

Zain was staring her.
"He never did it? But why did he said you died? I believed him when he said it. Whole family wanted me to move on but I couldn't. And Aaliya how could you? How could you move on with another man?"

"Zain you did move on. You did get married almost few months later when I left. How could you?"
"How do you know about it?"
"I was there Zain. I saw you with her. Sitting outside your hotel, holding hands and hugging her. I saw it all."-the tears stream down her face

"You were in India?"
"Yes. I came to see you. I came to tell you how much I miss you and to tell you to come with me. But what I found there? You having a wife who was pregnant. And why are you here? Shouldn't you be with her and your child?"
"I came to fulfill your dream. This was your dream. This city and it's beauties. And here are you. Having a life. Good life with your husband and son."
"John isn't my husband, Zain. He always knew about you. He always knew how much you mean to me. How much our son means to me. But he couldn't leave me alone. I needed someone to be with me when I was pregnant. So he came and took me under his roof."
"Of course he would take you with him. Why would he leave his son alone?"

Aaliya stood up and angrily looked at Zain.
"How can't you understand? I was pregnant before I met John again!"
"So it means you cheated on me?"

Aaliya took step back in disbelief. He thought she could do something like that. Without will to keep it to herself she blubber it out:
"Zaid is your son Zain. Not someones else. Your son. But his father didn't care about his mother. So John decided to take me with him."

The words just rang through Zain's head.
Zaid is your son. His son.

Without looking back at her and Zaid he headed to parks exit. He could hear her calling his name, but he didn't turn around. She hid his son from him. She hid herself from him. He was dying away from her and she still didn't care.

"Zain!!!" was last scream he heard before he felt strong pain in his head, back and legs. The rest was dark.