High On Life

37: The Engagement (Part 2)

Hey guys :) So this chapter will have loads of POVs :P Try not to get confused ;) Enjoy ^_^ Love you :D ♡

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Rizwan's (Nida's dad) POV:

I waited outside the Radiology department for Asif and bhabi to arrive. I had informed them that I'd be here and their reaction was astonishing. They kept on asking me what the problem was but I didn't tell them. At least not until they reached.

At the end of this large corridor, I notice a couple coming ahead. I squinted to get a closer look and it was them. I held my heart.

Ya Allah, please mujhe himmat de. I can't break down in front of them.

They walked forward and finally saw me.

Asif hugged me. "Kia hua Rizwan? Sab....sab theek to hai na?" He asked, concerned.

I greeted them both and asked them to sit down. Both glanced at me and then at each other. I gulped the lump in my throat and already felt my eyes moistening. Ya Allah ! Nahi !

"Rizwan bolo to sahi, kia baat hai?" Asif put his hand on my shoulder and I finally spoke up.

"Asif, Ra..Rafia ko lung cancer hai." I finally said, unable to and meet their shocked faces.

Trying my best to contain my own feelings, I slowly looked up at them.

"K..kia?" A hollow whisper escaped Asif's lips while bhabhi had tears in her eyes built up instantly.

"Rizwan bhai.....cancer?" Bhabhi spoke up, her tone all shaky and I nodded slowly.

"Rizwan tum ne...tum ne yeh humein pehlay kiyun nahi bataaya?" Asif asked.

"Bas haalaat kuch aise thay, waqt se pehlay kuch keh nahi paaye mein aur Rafia. Aur...aur hum..." I broke down. Severely not wanting that to happen, I just...broke down as tears rapidly escaped my eyes.

I couldn't. I couldn't hold it in. The thought of losing her just kept eating me alive with each passing day. I had grown weaker and weaker just thinking about it, trying to process the thought that she's going to leave me forever but it just wouldn't leave me. And now I couldn't control myself in front of them.

"Riz..Rizwan sambhaalo apne aap ko." Asif was pretty much speechless and just hugged me.

"Aap log jaan-na chahatay thay na ke Nida ki engagement kiyun kar rahay hain itni jaldi? W...woh...iss liye kar rahay hain. Taakay waqt se pehlay Rafia uss ki khushiyaan dekh sakay. Mein k..kabhi bhi Shehryaar ko force nahi karna chahta tha iss sab ke liye itni choti umer mein magar...."

"Rizwan bhai, yeh aap kaisi baatein kar rahay hain. Aapne kisi ko force nahi kiya. Iss...iss faislay ko hum dono khandanon (families) ne mil ke teh kiya hai." She cried as she spoke to me.

"Bhabhi....bhabhi...aap logon ka mein kaise shukar ada karoon. Meri..meri Nida ko itni si umer mein....mein aap log apne sahaaray lene ke liye raazi..."

I was about to say more but Asif cuts me off. "Bas kardo Rizwan ! Yeh kaisi baatein kar rahay ho tum? Nida...humaari beti hai. Hum jo Shehryaar ke liye chaahein ge, wohi hum Nida ko bhi dena chahtay hain."

"Nida...Nida iss sab ke baaray mein nahi jaanti." I tell them, holding my tears in, and their eyes widened in shock.

"Bohat dard hota hai dil mein sirf yehi soch ke, ke uss ko bataayein kaise. Nahi bata saktay Asif. Meri bachi khush hai, mein yeh sab kar ke uss ki maa ki aakhri saanson tak uss ki aankhon mein aansou nahi aanay de sakta."

"Lekin bhai, aik din...aik din yeh sab uss ke saamne aa to jaaye ga. Pehlay chupa kar itna dard kiyun seh rahay hain aap?" Bhabhi spoke and I felt my heart being stabbed deep inside with each and every word she spoke.