LOVE TRIALS

vii

For weeks now silence had been her constant companion, not Sufiyan Ameer. He had broken all of his promises one after another, devastating Maysa. As far as Maysa knew their marriage was over, not on paper but who cared about papers when dark nights and lonely days witnessed their lives in shambles around them.

"Mummy, do you want me to help?" Maysa asked, quietly as she stopped behind her mother while she poured tea for her father and in-laws.

Roseena didn't even speak, she simply turned away from Maysa, carrying the tray with teacups. 

Maysa took a deep breath as she poured herself a cup of tea, blinking back the tears swimming in her eyes. She wrapped her hand tightly around the cup, comforting herself.

She ascended the stairs, her shoulders slumped, her hand nearly burning but she didn't draw it away. She left it there, punishing herself for everything she had wrought upon herself and people around her.

Like most of her evenings, she spent it on the terrace of the house on a single chair with a book in hand, alone and hurting, she hadn't opened the book, yet. Not even once, she spent all of her time gazing at the blue, empty sky just as her heart.

Maysa walked to the metal bannister and peeped down at her parents, Sufiyan's parents. Their conversations scattered, they sat together in the garden before Maghrib as per routine.

Roseena held onto her husband's hand on the arm of the chair. Happiness had deserted them just like their daughter.

Maysa swallowed, thickly and pulled away from the bannister. It dug into her lower back as she stood against it, she remained there until the call to prayers echoed in the air.

Sufiyan Ameer stayed at work until late at night, he suffered by Maysa's side, always had and he didn't think it would change ever. It had taken him far too long to realise that- sometimes love hurts.

It kills. It killed him, did it not?

"Eli," Sufiyan groaned, removing her hand from the nape of his neck.

Elizabeth pulled her hand to her lap, resting her head against the velvet cushion of her couch as she gazed at him.

"I can't do it," Sufiyan mirrored her. "We can't do it."

"No, we can't," Eli said. She smiled ruefully. "We can't marry each other."

"Why?" Sufiyan mumbled. He knew all too well why he wouldn't marry her, why she wouldn't marry him.

He would stay true to the traitor Maysa Yawar Ameer was.

Elisabeth Marseille would stay true to the traitor Shahzaib Nisar was.

Their eyes flitted to the little girl snoring softly, cocooned in a furry, pink blanket.

Sufiyan Ameer leaned towards as she closed her eyes. He lightly pressed his lips to her forehead and then, stood up dusting his pants. He hovered over little Nadine, kissed her pink cheeks.

"I'll see you," Sufiyan said. He added as an afterthought, gathering his car keys from the coffee table, "Maybe."

"Maybe, you won't," Eli said, her eyes glazed over, she pulled her chaddar up to her neck.

"Maybe, I won't," Sufiyan affirmed. His throat rippled."If you ever need me, I am only a phone call, away. Okay?"

"I know," Eli nodded with a smile when the doorbell rang.

"Stay. I will see to it," Sufiyan instructed, slipping his feet into his Italian shoes when Eli begins to rise, she stayed put heeding Sufiyan.

Sufiyan's mouth thinned when he opened the door to find Shahzaib at Elizabeth's door.