"You're going to be my present and my future. You're going to hold all my babies because I'm going to be the lucky man to marry you. You're going to love me again, Maryam Khan. Slowly and then all together. And I will watch you as you do."
Imran and...
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"I'm slightly concerned after looking at Imran's test results."
"Got fractures on his arm."
"There's a mild concussion on his head due to the blow he received."
"He's lost 15% of his body weight and is severely dehydrated."
Voices echoed in my ears as I sat glued to the seat in a daze. My body rocked back and forth, gaze zooming in and out of the white tiled floor. Imran's blood-covered face flashed across my mind. The scene where he dropped to the ground replays before my eyes.
"I'm sorry," the words leave my mouth. "I had no clue any if thud was going to happen. Had I known, I'd never ask you to even step in that neighborhood. I'm sorry, Babu. I really didn't mean to hurt you--"
"Maryam," my ears perk up at the sound of rushed footsteps coming my way. Turning my head, I see Mummy making her way towards me. Dread grips my heart and I freeze on the spot, mentally prepping myself to embrace the wrath of a mother.
Ya Allah! She is going to fire me for putting her dear son in this situation--
My thoughts are cut off when she throws her arms around me in an embrace.
"It's okay, bacha. Inshallah bohot jaldi theek hunga Imran. Fahad told me there wasn't anything serious, just that he's weak and will take time to recover. Aap apne haath ke khaana banare khilado usko, Saad aur jaan dono aajati."
"Aap. . ." I start but trail off, too stunned and overwhelmed by her words. "Aap merese ghussa nahi hai?"
"Ghussa?"
"Ha-an. . ." I blink, silently questioning my sanity. "Haan, kyunki, meri wajah se Imran ko maar padi. If it weren't for me, none of this would've happened in the first place. Na main Raeesa ke ghar jaati, na Imran ko bulati mujhe lene aur ba te sab hota."
"Ye to aap khud ich bolre. I didn't blame you for anything." She says gently.
"But that is the truth." I insist.
"I think the situation could've been worse. Aapko bhi kuch hosakta tha. Imran ko aur bhi zyada kuch hosakti tha. Lekin nahi hua."
I shake my head in disbelief. "How are you so calm, mummy?"
"Because I know, Imran is a fighter. He'll only come back stronger."
As much as I tried to believe in her words, the image of him not fighting back passed my mind. I recall how Nasir and the right-hand man beat him and he barely delivered a punch in return.
