Her Vocation

7. The Secret haven

"Amo? Are you awake." I knocked at her door.

''Yes love. Come in." Amo's gentle voice resonated through the door. I saw her sitting with Quran on a bookstand placed infront of her. She looked at me with that smile full of warmth. I smiled back at her.

"Am I disturbing you?'' I inquired in a small voice.

''No love, never. Come on here.'' She said and patted the place next to her on the carpeted floor. I took my place beside her.

"Want me to read it to you?'' she asked while turning to face me. I could only watch her blankly at the proposal before turning away with a shrug. She smiled before opening the Quran. Her melodius voice echoing in the room, as she began the recitation.

أعوذُ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

I dropped my head on her lap and made myself comfortable as she brought her free hand to caress my hair.

يسٓ
وَٱلْقُرْءَانِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ

Even though the weather of Hunza remained chilly all year round, inside Amo's room was considerably warm. Yet, on hearing those words come out of her mouth, I felt a shiver run down my spine.

Amo continued her Qira't. It was very beautiful. Her voice adjusting to the high notes in a graceful manner, stirred an old memory within me. I remembered memorising this Surah. The words were still imprinted on my mind and unconsciously,  I found myself silently reciting along Amo.

After Amo finished reciting the last Ayah and closed the quran with a dua, I turned up my gaze to her. She bent down and placed a kiss on my tear stained cheeks.

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''Exactly what is it that you are trying to do?'' Hadi asked while looking at me like I had grown two heads.

''Why Captain, I am kneading the floor! Can't you see? I thought they didn't take medically unfit people in the Pakistan army. Guess there can be exceptions.'' I nodded to myself in mock understanding.

"Is that what you call kneading? Can't you see the wreckage in front of you? If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I couldn't have believed that it was possible for anyone to make such a mess. And YES, my eyes work just fine.'' He ended with a scoff.

I rubbed my forehead with the back of my arm to push back the fringes before turning up to glance at him.

''Jeez Captain! You just like to make a mountain of a molehill. See! It's not THAT bad. And you don't have to get so worked up about your fitness. I do find myself doubting it but I guess I'll just have to take your word for it.'' I remarked cheekily and earned an eye roll in return.

Shooting me a glare, he touched a finger to my freshly made dough and made a face like he had just got in contact with something too disgusting for words.

''Hey! Stop infecting my dough with your germs. Some people are going to eat that.'' I yelled at him and pulled away the dish from him cradling it in my arms.

''You call that sh--I mean that thing a dough? Bless the poor soul, whose willing to go through that torture.'' He remarked visibly appalled and I could only glare at him with puckering lips.

''Amo..I am sorry. I tried my best, but..." I turned to Amo, looking and feeling dejected. Amo, who was making breakfast and silently listening to mine and Hadi's squabble, took in my demoralised look and turned to rebuke Hadi before taking me in her arms and placing a kiss on my cheeks.