BEYOND THE REALMS #wattys2018

Chapter 8

Next morning started as usually for the three occupants of the Ahmedullah Khan household. Alisa did not know when she had fallen back asleep, but her mind seemed a lot clearer than the previous day. Strangely her dream had made her feel ...better...and she had made her decision to abide by what her dream and her strangely familiar messiah tried to tell her...

Instead of getting ready for the office, Mr. and Mrs.Ahmed saw her casually coming to the dining table for breakfast. They both looked at her with puzzled eyes, and then Razia asked,

"Alisa, honey, how come you are not ready for the office? Are you feeling alright?"

Alisa sensed her worry and immediately brought a smile to her lips, and replied,

"Yes yes Mummy, I am alright. I will go to the office late today. But before that, I will go to the Indian Consulate to apply for my visa." She calmly stated, while spreading butter on her toast.

"Visa, what Visa? What are you talking about, Alisa?'' Razia exclaimed.

"My Visa for India, Mummy. I am going to India, to Azamgarh actually. I need to know the whole procedure and then I will apply for it. I hope I get it as soon as possible. Daddy, you can contact Mr. Tripathy and let him know that you are sending someone from here." She explained very calmly, without ever looking up at the startled expressions on the faces of her listeners.

Mr. and Mrs.Ahmed looked at each other, wearing identical expressions of astonishment. They knew Alisa really well. They knew she had stopped going out, stopped meeting new people...she was afraid of becoming attached with someone...she was actually afraid of human company...

But the Alisa this morning was actually saying that she was going to travel...and that too to a place where she had never gone before. Let alone she had not even heard about Azamgarh before yesterday!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alisa, how is it possible for you to go there all by yourself? We still don't know what kind of strange things are happening there and I fear that you may get in danger. I thought about it yesterday and I was about to contact Mr. Tripathy and request him to vacate the place as soon as possible, because I don't want him or his family facing any trouble too." Mr.Ahmed said in a decisive tone.

"But Daddy, if it was so important for Reza and you all, then I can't let it go like that. I am his widow and I am your daughter. On both accounts, I have the responsibility towards that house. Please let me go there and check on this issue myself. Like Reza's all other incomplete tasks, let me handle this one too. I am sure that's what Reza would have expected from me too."

"But child, you have never been to India before. You are not really familiar with the culture, you may be an Indian but still it is a foreign land for you. How are you going to manage there alone?" Mr.Ahmed exclaimed. He did not know how to dissuade her from her plan.

"It's okay Daddy. You can ask your travel agent to prepare and schedule my journey and all the routes and plans. Mr. Tripathy will guide me in Azamgarh and he will show me around the house too as he lives there. So there won't be any problem." Alisa explained him in a serious tone, maintaining her calm expression.

Mr.Ahmed heard her and he saw that determination in her eyes. He looked in her eyes carefully for several seconds and then sighed and leaned back in his chair. A hope had burst in his heart. He kept gazing unwaveringly at a calm Alisa, who was eating her toast and awaiting his reply in silence. And then he made the decision.

"Okay. You may go Alisa, but you will have to promise me that you will take extremely good care of yourself?" He said, finally.

A smile reached Alisa's lips, and she said,

"Sure thing, Daddy. I will just go and check on this house for you and will try to handle the situation if possible. I will keep you updated too."

"Yes, and don't worry about the office. I will take care of it in your absence. I will take care of your travelling preparations too. You just give me your passport and I will get everything ready for you." He smiled back at her.

Razia, who had forgotten to eat and was anxiously listening to the whole exchange between her husband and daughter, now stared at them unbelievably.

"What are you saying, Ahmed? How can you allow her to go by herself? She has not set her foot out of this house and that office for some time now and you are talking about sending her outside USA? What are you even thinking?" she finished angrily.

Mr.Ahmed looked at her and silently shook his head, signaling her to stay quiet. He then asked Alisa not to worry about her and assured her that he will make her understand.

Then he laid his hand on her head and she hugged him. She left the dining room with a smile on her lips.

"What did you do? Why did you silence me?" Razia exclaimed angrily.

"Razia, didn't you see that smile on her face? Today something was different in her. She smiled, Razia, she smiled." His voice shook with emotion. "She smiles only to make us feel better, you know. But today her smile was spontaneous. I agree that it touched her lips only. It did not reach her eyes but at least she was calm. She took a decision by herself Razia. In two years, I have never seen her so independent. But today, I saw a little change in her. I don't know why but I have a strong feeling that sending her off on a voyage alone is going to help her somehow.

Let her go Razia."

Mrs.Ahmed looked at her husband thoughtfully, and saw his eyes that had followed Alisa, and were shining with unshed tears, a beautiful smile playing on his lips, with hope of better days to come. Understanding dawned on her and she smiled and patted his hand with assurance. Mr.Ahmed looked at his wife, who had stood by him through all thick and thin, and had always remained his source of constant support and love, and suddenly overwhelmed with emotions, he hugged her tightly. 

+++++++------------------------++++++++
If you liked the chapter, please VOTE and SHARE. Your comments are also welcome. :)