Nurturing Scars

preface

Mahnoor couldn't stop herself from walking to and fro in utter nervousness in their small, humble apartment . Her face was marred with extreme worry. Eyes scurring to the wall clock, she gasped, realising the time. 5.30 in the morning.

When did the time run so fast! Her heart clenched for her husband. Aylan was never this late! He had never spend a night out even with his friends since they had tied the knot.

But they haven't had an argument till date either! This was their first. Almost covering a year of their marriage, Aylan and Mahnoor had never really fought this nasty. Unlike last night!

A ring to her phone and Mahnoor ran for the device like she had never did in her entire life. Not even when she and Aylan used to court before marriage. More through phone calls and texts than dares, yet, her desperation for that one call from him was ripping her apart.

He had not called her the entire night!  Was he still so angry and pissed off! She wondered, taking the phone to check the caller.

Chitra! And she sighed, but received th call nonetheless.

" Is he home yet? " Was the first thing Chitra bellowed from the other side of the call.

" No chechi. He's not. I'm so scared. " Mahnoor was almost at the verge of crying out.

" Baby. Don't cry. " Chitra tried consoling her little sister. She wasn't that little as such, but innocent nonetheless. One righteous soul for this cruel world. A little too righteous, Chitra would feel at times.

Mahnoor had a heart of gold. And... A heartful of fret. A set of fret and phobia she had developed recently. And Chitra was the only one who knew about it all. She was th only soul who had a peek to her sister's soul. Mahnoor always had her sister's back till date at every little problem she had come across. The humongous age gap between them made Chitra more like her guardian than the chechi she was to her.

" Noori.. Just listen to me and stop crying!" Chitra exclaimed. Mahnoor managed to obey, how she didn't know. The fret was gripping her again. Had she overdone it! She wondered.

" Chechi. He is fine right! Tell me he is. I don't know what I would do without him otherwise. " She sobbed. Over the years of their courtship, Mahnoor had fallen head over heels in love with Aylan, now her husband for a year. The caring and the soft spoken Aylan, a complete contradiction of his silent brooding demeanour, it was only Mahnoor who had been able to break that wall of Aylan and get that soft spoken man out, but just to her and just for her.

Her Aylan!

And now he was infuriated and nowhere to be found and it was all because of her. Her baseless and insignificant fear.

But are fears really insignificant!

No, and who well to know that better than Aylan himself who walked that right moment through the main door of the house. Silent, like a delinquent!

" I can't live without him Chechi. I want to rise past my fear and give him everything. Everything that I have divested off him till now. I love him Chechi. I love him so much. Please let him come back to me unharmed. Let him come back to me in one piece. " Lost in her own pathos and Mahnoor couldn't register the man who stood like a stone, stoic and staggered at the door .

Aylan couldn't believe his ears! Did she just.... Fuck!  He muttered to himself.

And his guilt intensified! A small gasp rolled past Aylan's mouth as he thudded against the door, terribly contrite and extremely guilt ridden.

Oh what have you done! His conscience bellowed at him, but silently.

The thud made Mahnoor turn and look straight into the man for whom her heart had been crying ever since he had walked out of the door of their home in complete anger.

Twelve hours before!

A soft sigh of relief gushed out of her mouth as she bid her sister a humble adieu and walked to her husband.

Disheveled!

" Aylan. Oh my goodness you are back. I was so worried! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I lov.... " Mahnoor was quick to lurch at her husband, mumbling her relief in complete incoherence when her eyes widened with mere stupefaction, as her senses caught a strong essence  fluttering around him. Fresh essence of jasmine.

An unfamiliar essence.

A woman's essence.

Her heart, her tiny piece of that  lifeline throbbed against her ribcage.

Mahnoor was allergic towards jasmine!

And she felt her whole world crash apart as she pushed herself away to look at his eyes. Those pair of absolutely honesty, downcasted in shame.

" Aylan! " She gasped, as the reality sunk in little by little.

" I'm sorry Mahnoor, I'm am really sorry. It was just one weak....

And his words, his pentient, rueful words died on his lips as a loud noice of a smack resonated around, cracking up the undeniable silence .

A staggered, wobbling Mahnoor walked behind and ran to her room, only to break down into seclusion.

Her fears coming true rightfully.

She couldn't protect herself from the heartbreak and ruination after all.

***

Hello guys. The prologue of nurturing scars as promised. Do tell me if you found it interesting enough. Share your thoughts through your comments.

The first glimpse of Aylan and Mahnoor and I can assure you, the hatred for Armaan Waali is going to intensify most definitely.

Till I draft the first chapter, love to all of you in anticipation.

❤❤

Sanu.