Hasil e Lahasil | حاصلِ لا حاصل

8

Chapter 8

Sickness

The wild wind blew, rustling the scarlet and gold wilted leaves that had carpeted the grounds, shedding from the trees, a hint of petrichor in the air indicating a thunderstorm. It screamed, savage and unyielding, around each dwelling as if furious it should exist, pushing its way under every door and window as they were boarded up.

Amidst the howling wind and thundering clouds, if one might peek inside one of the rooms of the Shah villa, contrary to the storm brewing outside, the dimly lit room was warm and the curtains on the windows were drawn close.

Huddled beneath warm blankets was none other than, Laila Shah, with her light brown eyes puffed and swelled nose, a shade of crimson tinting her bronze cheeks. Sipping the chicken broth, her grandmother had brought up for her, she was feeling difficult to breathe with a clogged nose.

Zahida was sitting beside her on the bed, reciting verses from Qur'an and blowing them on her dearest granddaughter, who rarely got sick. The older woman felt paranoid. She always considered it a bad omen, whenever Laila got sick, blaming it on an evil eye.

According to Zahida, Laila was the most beautiful being existing on this land despite her brown skin. It was always the attractive aura emanating from her that caught the attention of the evil lurking around her granddaughter.

Unfortunately, no one could explain it to the woman that the current state of Laila is due to the mercy of the dip she had in that cold water, days ago. Her fever had subsided by now, but the aftereffects weren't compassionate to her.

On the other hand, as soon as Safiya heard about the well being of Laila, she had dashed towards the villa and made sure to have a word with her. But to her dismay, since the moment she had stepped into her room, no one let her breathe a sigh of relief. She had been running around the villa, tending to the various chores assigned to her.

And now she sat on the couch in her room, with legs crossed underneath her and her face resting on her palm, waiting for Zahida to leave them alone which wasn't bound to happen anytime soon.

She was here to interrogate Laila regarding the worries she had been encountering since that fateful day. And much reproachfully, Laila had been ignoring any looks she was supposedly giving her, focusing completely on her soup.

Zahida, had been observing the encounter between the girls from behind her glasses and had almost opened her mouth to question them when a soft knock on the door gained their attention saving them from the interrogation of the older woman.

Ibrahim Shah, peeked in the dimly lit room, a smile adorned his face as he saw Laila sitting in her bed. He made his way inside and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"How's my darling doing?" He asked taking a place on her bedside, gazing at her lovingly.

"Alhamdulillah," she replied meekly returning a warm smile to him. He nodded his head and turned towards Zahida Shah, who kept her rosary on the side table.

"Something's the matter, Ibrahim?" She asked her son, her hawk like eyes staring at Safiya who was now sitting upright in her position.

"Yes, our guest apologised to attend the dinner tonight." The older woman acknowledged as the situation dawned upon her.

Laila stared at them baffled, unaware of the matter of discussion on hand and couldn't stop herself from asking, "What guest?"

"Dilawar Malik," her father replied nonchalantly returning his attention back to Zahida Shah.