Hadh...Out of Limit

Chapter 18 : The Blue Door

"Why don't you take care of yourself Mr. Seraj?", said Shiza handing him his BP pills, "Something or the other keeps on happening to you".

Parvez laughed and took the pill, "Never did I have a daughter before to take care of me". To this Shiza smiled. Parvez continued, "Why don't you call me Abbu?"

"Abbu?", Shiza, definitely was surprised, "How can I ?"

"Well, aren't you my daughter-in-law? That's your right", to which Shiza smiled and replied, "Yes, but I have never called anyone that in my life, besides Zuhaan calls you Baba?" To this, Parvez Just smiled.

Shiza remained silent for a while, but then couldn't resist her question, "Can I ask you something?", Parvez smiled and nodded, "From the time I am here, I have visited every room in the house, except for one", Parvez immediately knew what Shiza was talking about. He lowered his head, teary eyed, then he looked at Shiza, who looking shocked more than surprised to see tears in Parvezs eyes.

"I mean, I just wondered at times, what is inside that room with blue door? It is locked. The only room in the entire Villa, which is locked and no one has the key to it", said Shiza.

"I have never shared this with anyone, and no one has ever talked to me about it", said Parvez

"I am sorry Mr. Seraj, if its troubling you",

"...But I want to show you", getting up from his bed, Parvez signalled Shiza to follow him. They stood in front of the Blue door.

Parvez caressed the door with his hand, a single drop of tear fell from his left eye. Shiza looked at Parvez, the man she knew to be the strongest, and the most jolly person, was crying. She immediately sensed that the door's colour said a lot about the story of inside. Parvez, stood their for a while, until Shiza slightly touched the side of his upper arm, that broke his chain of thoughts. He took off his locket from around his neck and opened the heavy guarded padlock. As dusty as the padlock was, the room wasn't. The room was clean and tidy. It looked brand new.

"This is a kids play room?", said Shiza and then added, "Zaid and Zuhaan?"

To this, he paused and looked at the wall in front, that had a big painting covered in cloth, the only thing that looked old in the room. "It's theirs". Shiza took the hint and went closer to the painting and pulled the cloth, "They are Girls?". Shocked at this painting, Shiza turns to Parvez. His eyes now filled with more tears, says in soft shaky voice, "My Daughters". Shiza was silent as she looked at the man before her, Richest man in Allahabad, yet, standing in front of the painting looking helpless and the poorest man in the world.

Shiza was clueless, but chose to keep mum. Finally, gathering some courage, she spoke after a long silence, "Sir? Your daughters?"

"Yes, my babies. My Princesses...", he broke down into tears while speaking, "I lost them, Oh my babies, I lost them?". The old man, was confused, broken, anxious and angry.

Shiza, now, pale with confusion and shock at the same time, her mind racing with questions, but was finding words to describe her feelings when Parvez continued in a fresh Flashback memory and then added, "That Night was the night of horror in Allahabad, Cold November winters, 24 years Ago, I still remember the date, 17 November. I lost everything, My wife, my children, my entire family. It is said that tragedy strikes in abundance, true words had never been spoken. Tragic" said Parvez. He paused and then continued, "[Voice breaking] Rabia went to meet her family to sort out certain differences, to meet her sister-in-law and also took along Noor and Aayat with her. She wanted her sister-in-law to meet them. I went for a community meeting, just when at 7 pm we got a call that there was a riot break in Old Allahabad. This caused my soul to shiver, I realised Rabia was out there, with Noor and Aayat. I tried calling her, but to my vain. I rushed to the area, but couldn't find anything, only Rabia soaked in blood lying down. That was the worst site I had ever seen, and that would ever see. I rushed to her, but it was already dark"

"Dark?", asked Shiza

"My World,[Voice Breaking] I lost her. I lost my life, my love, the women who made me human again, she taught me love..", saying that he again broke into tears, then added, "I quickly realised, our daughters were missing, in a haste I picked up Rabia in my arms, and hid her in a car, my mind was not working, Shiza. I ran around like a mad man, searching every possible corner and house in the area, but to my vain", Mad man was indeed the right word. Even as he described the incident, 24 years old, he was still trembling and pacing around the room like a mad man, one could only begin to wonder what he would have been like 24 years ago, with the love of his life dead and his daughters missing.

"My angels were gone. My Noor, My Aayat, I could not find them anywhere. I ran back to Rabia, but she was gone too. Just a few moments ago I had everything, a perfect wife, two beautiful daughters and a perfect life; just in a flash, I lost everything". 

Then stood in front of the painting and continued, "However, I still am upset with God. I accept everything he gives or all his decisions with utmost grace. But, this one, I have my issues with him", He was a helpless man. An old man standing in front of two babies, who were no more. Shiza was just standing there, wondering what to do, or what to say.

Parvez looked at Shiza and continued, "You know Shiza, this was the only photo I had", he then took out his wallet and showed and old photo that was same as the painting and continued, "I think you might have looked somewhat like them"

"I don't know sir, I don't have a photo of myself", said Shiza, and added, "Mamu doesn't like photos, I don't even have photo of Ammi and Abbu. He says that taking pictures is prohibited."

Parvez looked at her and then continued, "I had it painted, I wanted it here in there room, they never even got a chance to live here", saying this he broke down on the floor. Shiza sat beside him and kept her hand on his shoulder, "Sir, please" . He looked at her and continued, "You know why I wanted you to get married to Zuhaan?"

This question certainly intrigued Shiza, "Sir?"

"...Because the first time I saw you, you reminded me of Rabia. Your simplicity, innocence and calmness" .., said he.

"Me?"

"Yes. I wanted you to marry my son, because I wanted him to became better. I don't want to fail this time Shiza"

"Why do you think I can make him better Sir?", asked her

"Because Zuhaan.."

"Zuhaan sir?"

"He is me. The way I was...", he paused as if recalling himself as the old Parvez, "Oh, I was worst. Zuhaan is better than me, much better."

"You? that is not possible!", said Shiza

"You did not meet me 24 years ago. Oh Shiza, you would have hated me. You would have ran, terrified of me. It was only due to Rabia, that I did shed the devil skin. I was a bigger devil than Zuhaan", this statement was suppose to calm Shiza down; the fact that her husband was less of a Devil. Parvez, without saying another word got up from there and stood outside the room his back facing towards the room. Shiza looked at the painting again and covered with with the cloth and left the room. She gazed at Parvez before they left. 

All this new revelation was doing roller coasters in Shiza mind. She was thinking about Aayat and Noor. The little angels, who lost their lives even before they even lived. A man who lost everything in a moment. She wondered about the unpredictability of life, also the justice that it serves. A man who has everything, all the money and luxuries in the world, has the same fate as Shiza, who had nothing.

Simultaneously, Shiza couldn't help but wonder about what Parvez told her. She had always respected Parvez, for his humbleness and politeness towards people. The way he handles difficult and stressful matters with ease and calm. She couldn't process Parvez being anything like Zuhaan. She had never seen any news or any photo or even a rumor that Parvez had done something wrong. "Why did he say that?", was one of the several questions of her mind-ocean. She, also was not a very inquiring person, and believed that people would tell anything if they wished to, but this time she wanted to inquire and wanted answers. She, but thought, it would be rude to interrogate Parvez. That was one dilemma most common to Shiza, she always thought things, but half she did not say, just because she thought that it she would sound rude.