Destiny

Chapter 8

SALAAR' POV

At around 2 in the morning I was sitting in the garden sipping coffee, lost im my own trail of thoughts when I felt someone's gaze on me, I turned to my side only to find my father sitting on the chair right next to me.

"Baba, when did you come?"

"Just now, I couldn't sleep so I came out for some fresh air and saw you over here."

I nodded, as he spoke.

"You couldn't sleep either?"
Baba questioned.

"No, I was just about to go to bed."

"Salaar, I am aware of your condition, I have seen you alot of times sitting here staring into the darkness in the middle of the night. I know you are not fine son."
His eyes were full of concern.

"If you have seen me many times, then that means even you haven't been able to sleep, which is not good for your health baba."

"Don't turn this around Salaar, I know you are trying to be the guy in charge over here, trying to take responsibility of everything, but I am your father, I know why you are doing all of this, I know what exactly you are feeling."

"I..." I began to say something but there was nothing I could say.

"If I ask you to do something, will you do it?"
Baba asked in a manner, which seemed like he was requesting me.

"What is it baba? Is there something bothering you?"

"Alot of things are bothering me Salaar and I cannot do anything about most of them, but there is one thing that can be done to make things a bit better, or I should say there is something you can do to make things better. So tell me Salaar will you do it, if I ask you to?"

"Baba I will do everything I can, if that's gonna make you feel better, i..."
I was about to say something more when he interrupted me.

"Salaar I want you to marry Izah." 
He had almost whispered, but I had heard him clearly.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

"Baba please! You know this is not possible, and I can assure you this will not make anything better, in fact it will just make it worse."

"why is it not possible, you have to get married someday so why not get married now and why not Izah?"

"You know why, you know very well why, I can't marry Izah. How can you even think about it, I just can't baba, please don't make all of this more difficult than it already is."

"Salaar I know you love.."

"Baba please, never ever say what you were saying, I hate that sentence and I hate myself whenever I think about it. I can never marry Izah, please understand."

He was about to say something, something that I never want to hear, something that I try to run away from everyday, something that makes me feel like my brother died because of me.

"I want you to do this for me, I want to see Izah happy Salaar, she is dying inside, she can't continue living her life like this, she deserves to be happy and she is like a daughter to me I would love for her to be a permanent part of this family."
There was helplessness in his tone.

"What makes you think marrying me will make her happy? Because it will not, it will just further complicate things."

"Salaar please! Please son, take it as my last wish, I beg you."

He could have asked for my life and I wouldn't have thought twice,but what he wanted from me was impossible, if I do this how will I ever look myself in the eye, how will I ever overcome my guilt, only if I can tell baba that Izah was not the only person who was dying inside, I too was feeling the same. Only if I could tell him that I blame myself everyday for my brother's death. I can never face Izah. What he wanted me to do will further break my heart into million pieces.

"Baba, she will never agree." Was the only thing i could say to him.