A hundred silent ways

Chapter 32

عمر بھر غالب یہ ہی بھول کرتا رہا
دھول چہرے پہ تھی اور عائینہ صاف کرتا رہا

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Amarha woke up to a deadly quietness. She blinked her eyes for a couple of more times and looked around, her mind stomaching the surroundings and soon she realised what had happened last time when she was in her senses.

Zaman had said that the road might not open soon.

She snapped her head in his direction, causing an abrupt pain to shoot though her neck as it has been lying against the mirror all the while when she was sleeping. She didn't find him in the driving seat and worry swelled in her stomach.

She slowly sat straight, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. She soon acknowledged that she had something on her upper body. She looked down and found Zaman's denim fur jacket, it was as if he had covered her with it.

She picked up the phone from dashboard and instantly dialled his number. She taped her foot as the bell went for the second time, her eyes constantly looking around through the mirrors. Her heart bowing in gratitude as she realised that the rain had stopped and sight was restored.

"Hello?"

She heard his voice, and this was it; she started with her rambling.

"Zaman? Where are you? Can't believe on have left on the deserted road. No one is around!"

He lifted the phone off his ear, his eyes scrunched as her voice broke through his eardrums. He placed the phone back slowly and listened to his woman.

"Relax! What's with you women freaking out all the time? I had locked the car. Don't worry." Zaman pacified her.

"You what?" She gasped. "How can you even?---I am c-claustrophobic. Oh No!--" She started to wail again, her breaths getting unsynchronised and her words started to jumble.

"I left your side of mirror a bit open." He hushed her. "Besides I am here. I see the car. Hang up!"

She heard the call being cut and she looked at the mobile phone's screen incredulously. It was past 10 pm. A tap on her side of window had her jump but her heart warmed to see Zaman. He used keys to unlock the door and extended a shopper to her.

"Such a crybaby you are!"

She took the pack that felt warm to her hands.

"I got scared." She spoke in her defence.

He bent forward so that there faces were levelled, his fingers caressing her cheeks and lines of anxiousness formed on his forehead as he found them wet. It was dark so his touch brought it in his knowledge that she had cried.

She didn't know about that either until now. Her fingers fumbled as she looked down in mortification.

"Have you cried?" He asked with a soft voice as if he was taking to the most precious thing of his life. She could say nothing.

"You cried because you were scared that I left you here?" He kissed her right cheek and looked into her eyes again, "Never ever think of that again. ALLAH Sent me as your husband to protect you." He placed his lips on her forehead and let them stay there for a while before pulling away. "I will never abandon you." He whispered to her assuringly before standing up to his full height. He looked at her for a few more seconds and then closed the door, walking to his side.

"Why did you take off your jacket?" She pointed at the jacket in her lap and asked the one who had just sat in his seat.

"I got the shawl." He hinted at the shawl that was wrapped around him.