𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 ✔︎

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" You never deserved this, Husna. We- we.... thou- Hai Allah, what we have done to you. Forgive us", I couldn't get enough with the shedding tears rolling mom's cheeks after I narrated the whole frustrating thing to them. I camouflaged some of my miseries,some of my pain from them considering I would lose something which I do not want to.
Those words were scattering my mind every bit. I bit my inner cheeks,fisted my hands to not break down in weeping.

" It's my fate. It's Allah's will. No one can deny it. "

" When will Bilal come? " Father asked with his cold eyes, I was amazed to see him calling Bilal by name which was once unrespectful for him to call his son-in-law.

" I don't know " my lips could hardly utter any more words.

Tabassum stood still staring at mother-in-law with great curiosity and strangenesses,she was the one to reveal her in front of mom and dad. It was not her fault. It had to be done,soon or later. I was prepared for it,but not able to face it.

" You will not stay here any more,take your clothes and accessories , you brought from village. We are returning right now " the words were like thunder in my ear.

" Baba,listen to me- "

" Not any more discussion,Husna. We are responsible for this state of you,so we will mend it."

" I won't go anywhere. I have to look after my family," I don't know if my soft voice reached his ear or not.

" Family? Who? Your runaway irresponsible husband and your ailing,helpless mother-in-law? " Mom spoke unexpectedly.

" Bilal is not at fault. He loves me. And it's my duty to look after his mother after I became his other half. "

" What magic did he do on you? Can't you see they have used you? "

Used?

I am used?

Bilal used me? He doesn't love me?

A scream inside my heart echoed hardly.

" Husna! " Mom broke my trance with a shook in my shoulders.

" You want to live here forever? Like her servant ? Think what you wanted ! You wanted a beautiful life,a comfortable life , a FREE life. You wanted to taste the city life,but not like this. You wanted to shine! What have gotten into you? You have been fooled....Husna...fooled. " Tabassum kept saying those words keeping her eyes in mine. I drowned in my heart of deep sentiments. I got lost.

" Mom...I- "

" Dear,you are too naive,you are too innocent. You don't need to do any of this. You are to live,with a husband,a small family where there is normality," she consoled me so delicately that I melted for her words.

" Think about this ill woman, can't- can't you all see, she is paralyzed ? She needs someone to take care of her! She needs me! " Hiccups started in my throat between soundless weeping.

" She needs you? Why? Where is his son? You are not her own daughter. Put some sense in your daughter's head, I am calling in the bus station to see any bus is going back to village or not " father eyed mother with rage full of eyes. The last time,he offered me a death glare which hammered my heart hardly.

" Husna,Husna,....please! Ya Allah, bless her. Allah,bless her," mom ushered my numb body in her embrace,her hands started caressing my back as my eyes filled with tears.

" mom, I don't know why I am doing this. But Inn Sha Allah, I am doing the right thing. You, please understand" I mumbled keeping my chin on her left shoulder,her beating heart found the rhythm of mine.

" Husna,my child. I know,you have grown closed with her. You have served her with this hands. But have you thought,why are you doing this? "
she took my hands in hers with motherly affection. I felt my sickness vanished then.

Both of us,felt in deep emotions passing through the each time. I never grew closer to mom before then. I realized that day how much I loved my mother.

" Mom, if you were ever in my mother-in-law's place, would you want me to leave you? " My eyes drowned in hers, I could see the pain she had holded for me for years.

Perhaps,my question raised some different flows of trances in her mind.
She kept herself in silence.

" But are you happy with this? Do you like to live with her? Do you like doing all the works without any rest,any reward ; not even an appreciation ? Is this what contents you? How long will you live in this misery? Without your own husband?
With a debilitated person? " Tabassum lost her volume when constantly triggering oceans of questions towards me.

" I- I..."

" NO! HUSNA NO! You can never do that. Why you? No woman can bear this kind of misery. Handling a paralyzed patient in home? You gotta kidding me. If your husband was so concerned why didn't he admitted his mother in a hospital? " Tabassum hit at the essence. She was all right in her place. But she couldn't understand how I was feeling in my shoes.

" No,Bilal loves his mother. He has been serving her for years on his own! Which son does that in this age,Mom? His brother also left them-"
I protested before father came and again shrugged,

" Let her stay. Maybe she will get to sense after some months more pass. If she can,let her bear the pain forever. Don't come to us saying we didn't care you ".

" What are you saying? She's our daughter! We have to-" mom tried to say, father didn't let her finish,

" A daughter who has no trust on her own parents ? " He said. I was agonized brutally, unable to believe it was my own father who was saying those bitter words.

I bursted out in tears.

" Let's go. Bus is gonna come in half an hour. " He again said.

" Husna,for the last time, please! " Tabassum pleaded. I couldn't accept her pleading. She was one of those people who understood me,felt me. But she was someone else in my eyes that. How fate changes our perceptions so easily !

" I thought you would understand me, Tabassum. But- sorry. I won't be able to be the same Husna who melted very easily and agreed so fast. Because it's not for my own, " I wiped my tears and hugged mom the last time, knowing we will be hardly able to see each other again.

" I heard,City deceives people but didn't know it will turn out to be my own daughter. " father said before he crossed the door of my house.

They were gone. Heartbroken and despaired. I felt like dying with breaths hurting my family but-
There were only buts.