Father of the Bride

Chapter 16: Katastrophe

Khizar followed Kara into the dark apartment conscious of the ticking clock. He switched on the table lamp allowing a miserable glimmer of light into the wide lounge. He didn't want Kara to make herself comfortable, especially after the last time.
"I think you should sit down." Kara stood in the centre of the lounge and instructed Khizar.

"I don't have time."

Kara wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing. But one thing she was certain that she couldn't let Amirah go through the abortion. Her dad was a doctor and he knew best.
"Amirah is my best friend. I only want what is best for her. She needs your support and that's why I am telling you this. I admire you-"

"Please cut to the chase." He interjected glancing at his watch.

Kara's pause immersed tension into the conversation. Khizar shuffled impatiently holding his briefcase tight in his left hand.
"Amirah is pregnant." Kara announced nervously watching Khizar intently.
Khizar scoffed in disbelief.

"She only just found out and she's freaking out. She needs your support to tell her everything will be okay."

Khizar shook his head "Nonsense. I don't have time for your games. Please leave." He pointed to the door. He couldn't entertain her crazy schemes for a second longer. This was the girl who lied to everyone about her imaginary relationship with him. Who manipulated her friends and her online world that she was having an affair with a wealthy man. How on earth could he believe her? Instead he was infuriated for putting the two sinful words into once sentence.
"It's true!" Kara stepped closer to him forcing him to look at her. "I did the pregnancy test with her yesterday. She hasn't got a clue what is going to do."

"Get out!" Khizar yelled. He threw his briefcase on the sofa fuming with rage. "What will you get out of this? Making up lies about your so called best friend? Do you get off on it?" His narrow eyes and protruding brow line scrunched up in anger.

"No!" Kara pleaded. "Please Dr K, I know I've done stupid things in the past, but I promise this is the truth. You must believe me."

"My daughter is a sensible girl. She's not like-" He paused looking at her remembering the night she was scantily clad in his bedroom.
"I'm not lying." Kara held his arm tight forcing him to believe her. "I'm telling you the truth. I wish I had the test to show you, but it's true."
Khizar shrugged his arm free from Kara. He crossed his arms and turned his back to her. His mind was spinning. The thought of Amirah sleeping with Ayaaz set his pulse racing. No. It couldn't be possible. Amirah wasn't like that. She had morals and firm on her faith. She was disciplined. She was a decent girl. She was taught to wait until she was married. Sex before marriage was a cardinal sin in Islam. 

"You need to be calm doctor K. You need to talk to her calmly."

Khizar spun around and grabbed Kara's arm in his fierce grip. He pulled her towards her with his fierce eyes tearing into her. "You come with me. You look at her in the eyes and tell her what you told me. If I find out you're lying; you will be sorry for the day you were born."
Khizar dragged Kara by the arm as she hurried behind him tip toeing with her heels scraping. He hurled her into the lift and punched the button the ground floor. When the doors opened he snatched her arms and heaved her towards the front exit with his full force over her.
"You're hurting me." She called out twisting her arm.
But the rage that spun in his head didn't let him think straight. He threw Kara into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut.

Twenty minutes later, Khizar pounded Nadiya's front door with Kara behind him. Sonya opened the door to find her dad reddened with rage. Kara made her way into the lounge and Khizar proceeded into the kitchen. Standing against the counter with her head hung over a bowl of boiling hot water was Nadiya. She'd draped a towel over her head breathing in the eucalyptus fused vapour to open her blocked sinuses.
"I need to speak to you." His tone terse he ordered Sonya to call Amirah and made his way into the lounge. Nadiya lifted her head from the bowl and peeled off the towel. She wiped her moist face with her shawl and followed Khizar. The stern look on her ex-husband's face worried her. But who was the young woman in the pretty black dress?
"What's going on here? Who's this?" Nadiya looked at Kara.