A House Beyond Horizon

Chapter 8

~Main tera maamla khuda par nahin chhod sakta,
Wo raheem hai, kahin tujhe muaf na karde.~

The ceramic floor wafted with the thin smell of phenyl as Hamida looked around the canteen for some vacant seat to wait for her order. Morning was dull as usual with gray clouds and no hope of sunshine, but despite that her heart felt at ease as Raaya gained consciousness a few hours ago.

Doctors checked her vitals, and advised rest and also light meals and warm beverages for some days. Hamida totally ignored Idris Usman yesterday and this morning too. He had no right to show his concern for her sister when he was the reason behind all of it.

"Sit down for a while, Hamida."

Her gaze shifted from the menu board towards Zahir's voice. He looked tired despite his annoying smile. Hamida didn't want to feel anything, especially the feeling of gratitude, looking at him.

Didn't know when he came downstairs, when Raaya came at their place. He was the one who suggested to take Raaya to the hospital when Hamida was panicking over unconscious Raaya. That silly girl had to sleep in her wet clothes!

And for two days he was around them like their shadows. Always on his toes for anything they needed.

"I'm good."

Before thinking anything good about Zahir, she looked back at the menu.

"Nope." Her wrist got in his hold and in a second he pulled up a chair for her across the order counter. 

Putting a little force on her shoulders, he made her sit and Hamida maybe was too shocked to respond.

"Stop forcing me."

She jerked away his hands as he sat in front of her.

"Stop pretending that you hate it." He winked. His stubble was rough unlike his crisp look and the creases on his black pathani suit showed his restless nights and days.

Hamida made a ball of two tissue paper and threw it at him, earning a snort. Her mind was a jumbled mess, stuck between Raaya, Zahir and Idris.

The faint fragrance of ginger pulled her out of her reverie as she looked at the cup.

"She's alright and will be. Take care of yourself, Hamida."

"She's for now. I can't trust Idris with her. He's the reason-"

His warm touch on her cold hand snatched her speech, "We can't jump to conclusions, Hamida. I know he's wrong but also regretful."

"I can't believe his silly apologies."

A ball of bitterness dropped in her gut. Men. She wouldn't ever trust them. They were the slaves of their desire. Earth was the easiest for men but hardest for women.

"You have to. It's Raaya's life, let her take the decision. We will be with her in whatever she will do."

His soft voice was reassuring and Hamida Sultan never felt the irony until now. She wanted to trust this man, to believe every word he spoke.

"I can't lose her like I lost my Amma."

He squeezed her hand, forcing the tears in her eyes to drop. "We won't. I promise you."

***

The frail sunlight from the glass window sifted on Raaya's bed, who was still sleeping. Idris sent Nani off the sofa to take some rest while he took the vacant chair in front of her bed.

She gained consciousness this morning. Idris left the room. Gratitude rested in his heart but courage went away. He couldn't make eye contact with her. Not after what he did. When he opened a cage of his own dark monster over her.