www.thefuraavaru.com UPDATED
The new born slept tight in his arms, as if her world was limited to the little space inside those. Her minuscule five fingers closed firmly around his one finger, the little thing cried, totally alien to the world which felt inscrutable for her tiny eyes. And then suddenly he saw his daughter take her ever first step, standing up effortlessly as she pulled her self up from a sitting position all the while holding onto the baby bed railing. She took two steps towards her father -as he jumped in excitement- before she finally tumbled wearing only her diapers which needed changing. And suddenly the picture transformed. He saw his daughter again, a little more grown up now, as she sat on the bench on her first day to kindergarten. The morning sun shone on her jet black hair; the light breeze making them sway like satiny, all the while kissing her smooth skin. Gloomy and untrusting, she agreed to go in with the baby nursery teacher only after seeing the reassuring smile play on her father’s lips.
And without warning, the image in his minds eye changed yet again and he saw the little girl crying, frightened of the dark, while figures moved and shouted around her. He saw his daughter still crying, as his wife sank to the floor as her water broke. He saw his daughter stop crying, at her uncle’s final shout .And then he saw the three year old look at him, through eyes that were still groggy as he prayed to god, that she never comprehended what she saw, that she never knew her fathers sins, that she never carried a grudge against him, desperately. He prayed that Lana never remembered or knew what happened on that dark night, as her father had pitilessly destroyed the faith her mother had in him.
A tear streaked Athoafs’ eye as he hugged Lana, his little daughter who had grown up to be a beautiful young lady.
“God… I’ve missed you so much…” he whispered in her ear.
“Father… is this true?..... Is this real?...” Lana started crying for real, this time tears of joy as she grasped her father hard, not wanting to let go, ever again.
She had received her fathers call when she had felt so hopeless and scared. And since From that night onwards till today and up to this moment she had been desperate to see him, to hug him and to tell him how much she had missed him and prayed for him to be at her side.
She had never felt so happy ever in her life yet she also felt angry. She had so much to tell and so much to listen. Why hadn’t he called her before and why did he disappear from her life to start with? Why didn’t anyone tell anything about her father to her? And what made her father resurface now?
Questions crowded her mind, waiting to be answered yet she smiled from the heart. The mysteries can get uncovered later; she had a moment to savor. She might wake up tomorrow and realize it was all over, who knew? She just couldn’t trust her luck
* * * * * * * *
Nizy crushed the remnants of fried chicken on her plate, her eyes fixed on the stranger who now sat at her fathers place at the dinner table. Sure, Lana looked so much like him and Nizy had never seen her so happy before yet somehow she didn’t like this change and she didn’t know why. Where had this person been until this time? And why had he picked this time to jump in their life? And where was her father?
“Hey Nizy. We are planning to go and have an ice cream. You coming?” Lana had already finished her dinner and she was up with Zareen closely following her.
“Yes come on. It would be nice” promised the stranger who stood beside Lana who had the biggest smile on.
“Okay” and she got up, unsure of herself.
As the door closed behind them, grandma turned to Aleesha, who sat quietly at one corner of the dinner table. Her eyes were fixed on the plate which was still untouched and she looked pale
“ Aleesha?.. you alright?” grandma asked, her voice concern-filled.
“ nothing. Mom…. Its just… I need some rest….” Aleesha strolled to her room and closed the door behind her. She just needed some time alone.
It hadn’t occurred to her that it would be so difficult for her when grandma first told her about athoaf arriving. After all it was her past and she loved Fathih. A lot had happened over the time and a lot had changed as well. Life was no longer beautiful and easy for her. What Lana had told her about her husband and now athoaf arriving with her husband not here left her distressed and more, lonely too. The knock on her door made her jump, slicing through the silence like a sharp knife. She opened the door expecting what came next.
“Can we talk...” without waiting for a reply grandma entered and closed the door shut.
* * * * * * * * *
The ice cream parlor was packed. It took them full ten minutes to get their order and find a table among the crowd. Lana sat the right side corner of the rectangular table, the laughter from the next table irritating her.
“Tastes great right?” athoaf mumbled out, his mouth full of ice cream.
“Yes…” Lana was the one to reply, her lips curled up in the widest of her smiles. And like that went the conversation mostly between Athoaf and his daughter.
“Hey nizy!” one of the boys seated in the next table called. Lana looked at him. He was a good looking guy, with black curly hair and tanned skin. He got up from his table and so did nizy
“Ill be right back” and then Lana turned back to her father, lost again in their own world.
When everyone had finished, athoaf paid the bill and they made their way out of the crowded place. On their way home, Nizy grabbed Lana’s hand.
“I have something to tell you….” She had a wicked grin playing across her face.
“ what?” Lana asked her one brow up.
“ that guy.. Shaahin … he graduated last year… “
“so?...”
“ well… actually.. he has had a longtime crush on you… and has told me many times to…you know… help him in this…” Nizy babbled out her tongue hanging on her last words.
Lana started laughing and Nizy stared, puzzled.
“come on lets go” and Lana turned and hurried to catch up with her father. she couldn’t care any less.
* * * * * * * * *
It wasn’t that athoaf never tried to contact his daughter. He did and many times. But every time he did, she found some reason or the other to keep him away from his daughter. He used to call like once in two months, to check up on Lana, as he was a busy man and spent most of time abroad, traveling. And she used to say that Lana was sleeping or was at school or she was unable to come to the phone. And she never told Lana that her father called nor did she ever want her to know.
She was selfish. Selfish as a mother. All she had thought about was her own son. All she remembered was what he had to go through because of Athoaf and how his married life and family had been at risk. But now she was guilty. Guilty for the pain Lana had suffered because of her own son. Guilty for her endless love she had for her son. And maybe that was the reason why she had decided to Aleesha the truth about her husband, her son.
Grandma watched Aleesha dial her sons number.
“ I want divorce” she heard her sons wife say.
TO BE CONTINUED....
Dont 4get to vote our poll.
0 comments:
Post a Comment