Letters to Him#Wattys2016

Chapter One

Chapter One.

It was a serene and beautiful day. Unlike the other days there wasn't much movement outside. Strange but it felt like the winds were mourning for a very heavy loss. There wasn't much movement in the hospital too. It was too quiet in there with the occasional sound of feet moving and things clattering.

A young man walked inside the hospital breaking the silent atmosphere of the hospital. He walked towards the reception.

"Excuse me, May I know which room number is Qamar Ahmed in?" He asked.

"May I know your relation with her?" She asked.

"Her... Her Husband." The man said with hesitation.

"Room Number 202 on the Second Floor. The Elevator is on the right side." She said.

"Thank You." He said with a nod of the head and moved ahead without waiting for her reply. He went ahead towards the elevator. He was nervous, too nervous. He wiped off the sweat from his brows. He was seeing His wife after a year or so and he didn't really know how she was doing at the moment. He entered the elevator and pressed number two. The Elevator dinged and the doors opened. He wished it would take more time giving him some time to collect himself. But that was just wishful thinking. He took a deep breath and moved forward looking for Room number 202. He stood outside the door gathering courage to open the door, but he didn't have to wait for long as the door opened and out walked Qamar's Friend, which one he didn't know because she was wearing a niqaab. He lowered his gaze and offered his Salaam.

"Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh. I am Qamar's husband, Ameer." He introduced himself. Yeah, he never met her friends or spoke to them before. But know he needed to know how she doing so he had to speak to her.

"Walaikumasalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh. I see you finally had time to come see your ailing wife. Nice to know you still cared." She replied back bitterly with a hoarse voice. He flinched back. He knew he neglected her but it still stung.

"I had my responsibilities to look after." He told her shortly.

"If you're forgetting Mr. Ameer Khan I'll remind you again that Qamar was one of your responsibilities. You could have come at least once to check on how she was coping up. If she was still alive or not. But you did not." She said, her voice raising.

"I did come to check on her now." He said becoming annoyed running his hand in his hair. She clapped her hands sarcastically.

"Wow Bravo Mr. Khan. You should be given an Oscar Award for that. Tell me who forced you to come here? You're Mom or your Dad or that sister of yours?" She said sardonically.

"Look just let me meet Qamar at least once." He said pinching his nose.

"She is Gone. It's too late now for you to meet her. She is.... She is Gone." She broke off her voice trembling. Ameer felt like the world slipped from his feet. He lost his footing and fell down. He couldn't believe his ears. Qamar was gone? Just like that? His First Love was gone forever and he wasn't even there with her? He felt like screaming his pain to the world. But he didn't. Silent tars fell down his eyes when he thought about the times they had spent together. She was his life, a life he had neglected and caused hurt. He regretted it, he did. He wished he could change it. But he couldn't do anything now save pray for her.

"Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raje'eon." He read silently weeping bitterly for her. He lost her forever. He wished all this was a bad dream and he would wake up and Qamar would be standing in front of him smiling her beautiful smile at him. Something from his peripheral vision was calling for his attention. He turned his head to see her friend holding a book out for him. He looked at her questioningly.