It had been two weeks since the death of her father, Zara
had spent most of her time with her mother, Salma had clutched onto Zara as if
she were a life line and with the help of their relatives she was slowly
picking herself up but it killed her every single day waking up to an empty
bed.
Zara though spent her time with her mother, she was oblivious
to her family and friends surrounding her, she was seemingly lost in her
thoughts. She ignored them for the most part, she did not acknowledge their
existence and it was slowly hurting the family members.
This had not gone unnoticed by Salma.
"Zara bete... Zeenat tumse kuch puch rahi hai?"
Salma touched her daughter's shoulder.
Zara looked at her mother then at the woman who'd held
out a plate of food.
"Kuch aur chahiye, Zara?" Zeenat repeated
assuming she had not heard.
"Yes, stay away from me" Zara stood.
"Zara!" Salma straightened holding Zara's arm
firmly. "Kaise baat kar rahi ho apni bhabhi se" she raised her voice.
"Woh meri bhabhi nahi hai" Zara argued.
"Teri chacha ke bahu hain" Salma reminded
pointing to Shahbaz. "Kashaan ke begum hai" she gestured to Kashaan. "Aur
teri..."
"Amma" Zara warned. "Kuch aur mat
kahiye" she stated firmly. "Do hafte hogaya hai, main wapas UK jaa
rahi hoon" she informed leaving the room.
"Wapas..." Salma whispered and turned hurrying
behind Zara.
"Salma" Ayesha called out and followed.
"Wapas matlab?" Salma questioned holding Zara's
arm.
"Amma, I only came back for abba" she replied.
"Aur main?" Salma cried. "Main yahan akeli
ho jaungi".
"Toh aap mere saat chaliye" Zara suggested.
"Main yahan nahi rahungi" she shook her head.
"Zara..." Salma gasped. "Aise mat kaho bete.
Main tumhare begair marr jaungi".
Zara smiled sadly, "5 years ago, you didn't think like
that when you asked me to leave".
"Zara" Salma blinked unable to believe this was
her young innocent child. "Tab ki baat..."
"Nahi amma, nothing has changed" she responded
shaking her head.
Salma inhaled sharply unable to take the accusatory eyes
that were focused on her, she pressed her hand to her heart feeling as if
someone had gripped her heart and squeezed until it burst, she collapsed.
"Amma" Zara crouched down in a panic. "Call
the ambulance" she called out.
~~~
Zara gripped the edge of the chair as she waited patiently,
she ignored the impatient pacing of her uncle and didn't bother acknowledging
anyone else.
She turned her head watching a doctor walk through the
glass doors and approaching them, she stood. "How is she?"
"You are?"
"Zara Siddiqui, she's my mother" Zara
introduced. "Is she going to be okay?"
"Ms Siddiqui, your mother suffered a heart
attack"
"Angina or Non-ST segment elevation myocardial
infarction or ST segment elevation myocardial infarction?"
The doctor looked at her curiously, "Are you a doctor?"
"I've finished medical school recently, which one is
it?" she questioned.
"Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction"
he replied. "The blood supply had been blocked and given the stress, it
overworked which led to the heart attack" he informed. "I'll be
taking your mother in for a Coronary angiography so we can determine where
exactly is the blockage and see what is the best treatment for her" he continued.
"It shouldn't take more than an hour. After that you should be able to see
her".
"Okay" Zara nodded, he smiled and walked
through the double doors.
Zara sighed returning to her chair and slumped down.
"Zara bete, would you like a coffee or tea?" Ayesha
asked as Kabeer and Kashaan were going to bring some hot drinks for everyone.
"I respect and thank you for being there for my
amma, but chachi please don't speak to me" Zara said without even looking
at her once.
"Yakeen nahi hota ke tum mere bhai ke beti ho"
Shahbaz said firmly narrowing his eyes.
Zara ignored his response and pulled her phone out from
her jeans pocket.
The family members were certainly taken aback seeing such
a different side to Zara, they knew she was upset over what happened 5 years
ago however they didn't think she'd be so cold and rude towards everyone.
"Iss ladki ki jurrat toh dekhe..." Zeenat
whispered to her husband. "Yeh Irfan chachu ke beti hain?" she
questioned. Kashaan unfortunately nodded.
Kabeer looked at Zara feeling disgusted at her behaviour
with his family, but he didn't say anything right now given the current
situation. He told Kashaan he'd get the drinks and walked away before he loses
his temper.
Zara stood walking away silently as her phone rang,
"Hey".
"Hey back, how are you?" Iqbal softly asked.
"I don't know" Zara shrugged moving to a quiet
corner and continued speaking. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to be
feeling. I was hoping to return by the end of this week but amma had a heart
attack".
"Shit. Is aunty okay?"
"They're running some tests then decide what's best
method of treatment" she replied. "I just want to come home" she
sighed heavily.
"You want some company?"
"What? You're going to come all the way to India for
me?" she giggled.
"Just ask and you'll find me there" he grinned.
"Thanks Iqbal, but I think I'd be okay. I'm hoping I'd
be able to convince amma to come with me. That would be the best
solution".
"Check with the doctor if she's going to be able to
travel" he suggested.
"Yeah, I'll be checking that out first, I know she wouldn't
be allowed to travel for at least a month so I may have to hang back for a month
to be with her" she said with reluctance. "Can you speak to Saira and
let her know whats going on. I'll try calling her but given she's away at
medical camp, I don't think I'd be able to reach her before you".
"Yeah sure" Iqbal assured.
"Anyway, I'll speak to you later" she said bidding
him bye and cut the call. She moved away and came to a sudden halt gasping as
she nearly bumped into Kabeer who was holding a cup holder with hot drinks in.
"That was close" Kabeer commented with a small
smile.
Zara scowled and started walking in the same direction.
"Zara" Kabeer called to her hoping to speak to
her before she returned to the waiting area.
"Don't" Zara glanced over her shoulder
narrowing her eyes. "I don't want to speak to you or any of your family
members".
"You're probably forgetting that they are your
family members. Tumhare abba humare abbu ke bade bhai hai" he reminded. "Aur
Zara, shayad tum bhool rahe ho ke tumhara ek aur rishta hai humare ghar se. Tum
hamare ghar ki bahu ho, meri biwi ho".
Zara clenched her fists by her sides, "Kabeer Ahmed,
I am not tied to any of you. Not your family or you. Main uss nikah ko manti nahi
hoon aur na kabhi manungi" she stated firmly then stalked away without a
glance. Kabeer grated his teeth watching her retreating back, he closed his
eyes inhaling sharply gathering himself together and returned to the waiting
area.
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