THE LUMINESCENCE

Chapter two

'I'll be there,' Shaaz disconnected the  call as he slipped his phone inside his trouser pocket in haste, he had to reach the hospital.

He drove like a madman through the never ending traffic, his heart beating erratically in his chest.

The moment he entered the spacious lobby of the hospital, he was greeted by his housekeeper Sabreena, who was in her fifties and had been working for them for almost a decade.

'Shiza met with an accident on her way back home from school and she lost an obscene amount of blood.'

Shaaz took a deep breath, 'How is she now? What did the doctor's say?'

'Raania donated blood and Alhamdulillah it has helped in shiza's progress. The girl had been so worried sick, she rushed to the accident spot as soon as they notified her.'

Shaaz murmured Alhamdulillah under his breath, and let out a sigh of relief.

'You made a good decision of hiring Raania. Shiza has been so attached to her from the past two years and now she has even stopped asking for her mother.'

Just then Raania appeared through the doorway.

Shaaz gazed her serene beauty and wondered why didn't he ever think of marrying this woman?

~*~*~*~*~*

'Rani mama, please let me play.'

'We will play loads after your exams. Studies are important, aren't they?'

Shiza pouted her small lips.

'Ok. We will play daily during your vacations.'

'Promise?'

'I do.'

'Will dad play with us too?'

'Baby, you don't have to bother him. I'll take you to the water park InshaAllah.'

'Oh, that sounds incredible. Thank you so much. Your the most wonderful mama of this universe.' Shiza hugged Raania and covered her face with soft kisses.

Raania gazed at the sleeping child and wondered how was she supposed to have lived, if she hadn't been hired for this job. It had marked a new beginning in her life.

All the scars of her past, all her insecurities had dissolved in the love and affection which was bestowed upon her by her darling husband and wonderful daughter.

She bent down and kissed her gently on her forehead, 'May ALLAH protect you from all the harshness of the world.'

Shaaz had been standing a few yards away, witnessing them from the past several minutes. His heart made a somersault as he watched the bond between the two important woman of his life.

He had been devastated when his wife had abondoned them. For a lot of months his faith had wavered, but now he couldn't help but believe the saying of the quran. Surely, after hardship comes ease!

He now realised that all that glitters is not gold. This woman might not have the picture perfect beauty but she had one of the kindest hearts he had ever witnessed and he wasn't ever going to let her go.

~*~*~*~*~*

A few years later.

Raania walked through the orphanage they had built for needy children, so that they could repay the world for the happiness their lord had filled their lives with. She spotted Shaaz standing at the free throw line, his knees bent, bouncing a basketball.

He had made it a routine to instruct children during weekends.

When he spotted her, he waved his hand and she smiled at him.

He joined her few minutes later, 'When you smile like that I just want to kiss you senseless.'

Raania laughed aloud, 'You are so cheesy.'

'Are you complaining.'

'Never in a thousand years.'

'What is worrying you?'

She gently touched his cheeks, 'We don't exactly complement each other. You are so handsome and alluring, while on the other hand I'm so dark and ugly.'

'Oh god Raania. Please don't start the argument again. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder and you are the most wonderful, loving, kindest and intelligent woman of this universe. You have mended by broken soul and made me whole.'

Raania wiped the tears that glided through her cheeks and rested her head on his shoulders. 'I love you.'

'We love you too,' Shaaz and shiza said in unison, who had just entered the room.

Raania closed her eyes and thanked her lord for the LUMINESCENCE in her life.

THE END

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This is written as an entry for the competition held by ProjectBeyondtheVeil

I would love to write a longer and complete version if my readers would love to read it.

Do leave behind volumes of comments.

Loads of love<3

-voracious_writer