Regrets | ✔

I

Adeel shook his morning paper, crossed his legs and began to analyze the front page, filled with the latest atrocities politicians were committing.

Annoyed at having to always read about tragedies, he decided to call for his tea.

But when he folded his paper, he saw something, or rather someone, in front of him.

It was her!

But it couldn't be...could it? Adeel didn't remember any calls or notices of her arrival, not even the thrilling whoops of joy from the servants.

"Tea?" She asked, smiling.

Making Adeel believe further that it perhaps wasn't a trick of the eye.

"Y-y-yes." He answered.

She looked the same as always. Cute as a button nose, rosy cheeks and the most admirable beautiful brown eyes from which he had caused tears to spew from one too many times.

He so dearly wanted to stroke her silky brown hair.

"Adeel saab." Someone called.

It wasn't her thought, she was fully concentrating on pouring the tea from the pot.

"Adeel saab."

Yet again that voice called, now more distinguishably male.

"Adeel saab!"

Adeel startled out of his hallucination the third time he had been called. He noticed his servant, Gulab Khan, standing to his side.

He was in the exact same seat, but she wasn't in front of him.

"Adeel saab?" Gulab Khan called yet again, trying in vain to summon his boss.

"Umm...yes, what is it?" Adeel responded, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Of course it was another dream. She wouldn't come back, not after all he put her through. She had no reason, she didn't love him and never got to see his new side.
Like many others, this had also been just another hallucinations, a happy dream that will never become a reality.

"The man you told me to bring, Nurul Amin, he's arrived." The servant said.

"Bring him to me."

Gulab Khan purposefully walked away and went to the front door, where he had left the guest waiting.
He guided him inside, noticing how the stranger marveled at the grandeur of the house.

"Here he is." Gulab Khan bought the man in front of his boss.

"Assalamualaikum." The two men greeted each other.

"Please sit." Adeel pointed at the couch opposite him, where he had imagined his wife a moment ago.
"Now, Mr Nurul Amin, I've been hearing about your unhappiness with your new born child. Is the child unhealthy?"

"No, sir." Nurul Amin, respectfully replied.

"Is the mother sick somehow?" Adeel asked on.

"No, sir." The man said again.

"Then what is the problem?"

"I got a daughter, sir." Mr Amin said rather sadly. "What good is a girl, especially in a family like ours?"

"Mr Nurul Amin," Adeel sighed.
"Our prophet said that woman who's first child is a girl, she's lucky. It is also said in our hadith that daughters are a gift from Allah. Men's job is to protect them, make them happy, not shame them and view them as a burden. You should embarrassed for thinking this way."

Nurul Amin shamefully hung his head.
"I'm very sorry sir."

"So you should be. Now, Mr Amin, go home and spend time with your child and be grateful in your prayers for such blessing."

"Yes sir." The man obediently nodded. "Thank your making me realize my mistake. I'll take my leave."

Gulab Khan led the man out of the house, leaving Adeel alone again, with his thoughts.

If only she could see this.

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