ETCHED IN FORBEARANCE (A MINI SERIES)

EPISODE 04: "THROUGH HER EYES"

Reality is complex and life is unfair but neither of them promised otherwise.

"Mr. and Mrs. Zavir Ahmed" that is the reality, this is the life

In silence we strolled down the lane. There wasn't much to say nor much to tell. We both are pieces of a picture puzzle who don't fit but are glued together by fate. Today fate didn't fix us, Safa did, and I agreed to, this little act of caring because it's our last day here at her house. It was also because she insisted too much and said she had reserved the table a week ago. She was the only one who was sensible around the house, or maybe because she knew me back in the days.

The view was breath taking, you could see the magnificent Hudson right in front of you. The usher showed us a table for two near the river bank. The usher pulled up the chair for me and I sat down as he handed us the menu. Without a word about what was I going to eat, Zavir ordered for both of us. I was a little taken back with his attitude. He was rather quiet today, absorbed in his thoughts. Usually, he doesn't say much either but today he radiated some repelling force, unfriendly and ignorant. Why was it bothering me?

They served us the popular "Bang Bang Shrimps" and the "Walking Bridge", a fire grilled salmon with lettuce and tomato sauce seasoned with marbled rye and spring onions. I am glad he ordered for me. The food was delicious, I got a break from all the fuss I had in my head and enjoyed the ambiance but I was getting annoyed by his silent treatment so I thought about breaking the ice and waving the white flag. "I wanted to see the empire state building, is it near here somewhere?" To increase my agony he didn't reply. I knew he had the right to resort to silence after all that I did to him. But...

As we headed home I sadly gazed out of the cab, to my utter surprise I saw the great empire state building emerging in front of my eyes. The gigantic constructed art was shining bright. As I stepped out of the cab; I lifted my head up to look at its top but couldn't locate the end of the skyscraper. I glanced at Zavir, he was scrolling something in his cellphone so I stared and admired the building. "Follow me now", I turned around and saw Zavir making his way to the entrance. I quickly followed him through the immense crowd scared to be left behind. He showed something on his cellphone to the guard at the entrance and he pointed to a man in blue blazer. Mr. Schmidt, said the name tag on man's feeble chest, was the tour guy for the top deck express. Without a wait he led us to the golden elevators.

He stood aside, apart from everybody leaning with his back to the glass wall. The people around him where looking through the tower viewer, capturing all the sentiments of the very moment but he was standing still. I couldn't interpret his behavior today. Lost in his thoughts he continued to stare past the sky. His inscrutable poker face wasn't revealing his search in the firmament.

New York is not a city, it's a world. The view from the top deck exposed the city's true colors. Words can't express this city, the love is beyond script. I inhaled the air deeply, inflating my lungs with the hustle and bustle around. The tour guide was blabbering something about the facts. He said that many celebrities and people from all around the world choose this spot to propose their loved ones. Out of the blue I cracked a laugh, a very embarrassing one I must say because everybody started to look at me. With nervous exterior and a bowed head I made my way towards him, he was standing to the very end of the deck like a loner. Deeply ashamed as I was, I found my refuge with him. As we both stood alone staring in the night of the big apple, all of a sudden he said "Why did you marry me?" He had broken his vow of silence with an odd question.

There was nobody around us; the tourist pack had shifted off to another piece of attraction. The only thing I could hear was his inquiry. The sudden change in the atmosphere was not enough to bear. Why had I married him? The answer was simple yet why was I reluctant to say? His catechizing eyes wanted an answer but all I could say was "hmm?"