Love found me

20.You okay, Mumma?

"Where have you been?" He asked, looking at the setting sun over the ocean, casting a warm golden glow on the beach.

"I was looking for you." She spoke while tightening her grip on his hand while watching the waves crash against the shore.

His thumb caressed the back of her hand and she looked up and met his gaze and the world around them faded away.

"You know what I love about you?" He said, his voice low and husky.

"What?" She asked, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"Everything," he said, leaning in to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Your smile, your laugh, the way you light up my world. You make me a better man just by being in my life."

Her heart fluttered in her chest at his words. She had never felt so cherished, so loved, as she did at that moment.

"I love you," she whispered, reaching up to cup his face in her hands.

"I love you more," he replied, his eyes shining with sincerity.

He leaned in to kiss her, and as their lips met, fireworks exploded in her heart. She melted into his embrace, feeling his arms wrap around her protectively.

For that moment, they were the only two people in the world, lost in each other's embrace and the beauty of the moment. As they pulled away, he whispered in her ear, "I promise to love you forever."

She couldn't tear away her gaze from his-as her heart hammered in her chest and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. The sound of crashing waves increased and she frowned at being disturbed. She didn't want even the slightest bit of disturbance at that moment--she wanted to freeze it but to her dismay, the noise intensified even more. Irritated, she turned towards the shore to glare at it but she was amazed at the tiny waves hitting the shore. How could they make such a loud noise? She frowned and turned towards him-her eyes widened as she saw him fading away with the sun. She tried to keep holding his hand but it slipped like sand from her grasp. "Zavi-Zaviyar," She tried to call him but her voice came out as a mere whisper. She tried to run towards him but her limbs seemed paralyzed. She was in an extremely helpless situation-she felt choked by the helplessness.

" -mma, mumma," coming to her senses, she looked at Isha's worried face with a distant look. Her breathing was still frantic and she was drenched in sweat. "You okay, mumma?"

Isha's apprehensive voice broke the daze. Looking at her daughter she tried to calm herself down and took a few deep breaths. She remembered she slept beside Isha last night and fell asleep while thinking about her past. Maybe that had triggered such a dream. She couldn't even call it a nightmare because until the end it was the dream that she wanted it to be real.

"Yes, it was just a bad dream." She stretched her lips into a smile. "Sometimes it happens."

"Did you see monsters in your dream, mumma?" She asked as soon as she was sure that her mother was okay.

Dua drew her in her arms. "Hmm." She breathed in her scent, trying to find peace. She wished it was about monsters.

"Are you hungry?" She asked before her curious daughter could compel her to lie again. She nodded. "Let's get freshen up and then we will make breakfast." She said while checking Isha's forehead-the temperature was normal but she had to take antibiotics.

***

"Mumma, no," she pushed Dua's hand away making faces. Feeding her medicine was a task in itself.

"Honey, how about chocolate after you eat this?" The bait didn't work. Dua sighed.

"Don't you wan-" she was interrupted by a doorbell. She frowned and looked at the watch. Who was there at eight o'clock in the morning? Keeping the medicine on the dining table she sauntered towards the door. She flung open the door and saw a boy of twelve or thirteen standing there.

He greeted her tentatively. "I'm Adeel Rahi," he introduced. "I live in the third house from here." He gestured towards his left. Dua stepped aside and gave him the way to enter. "How may I help you?" She asked him politely while he slipped inside the slippers that were kept near the shoe rack.

"Adeel," before he could answer, an over-enthusiastic Isha ran towards him with her arms open. Since he was a neighbour, she assumed Isha might have met him while playing.

He patted her back with a flushed face. "Umm, I heard Farisha wasn't well so I came to see her."

"I am fine now," Isha pulled back and replied to him with a big smile.

Judging by Isha's excitement, Dua was sure that her daughter liked him a lot.

She ushered the kids inside and brought Adeel cookies and a fresh glass of orange juice.

She hadn't fed Isha the medicine so she brought them to the living room and tried to try her luck. To her astonishment, she didn't create any fuss and gulped down the medicine without even grimacing. Adeel had quite an effect on her daughter. While talking to him she found out that Adeel didn't play with the kids but he got acquainted with her while returning her the balls that went inside his house.

Fifteen minutes later, Adeel rose to his feet. "You are already leaving?" Isha looked grim.

He nodded. "I have to go to school."

Dua came to see him off and Isha followed behind while frowning.

"Are you in Moiz's school?" She asked with a glint in her eyes.

"No," he said while wearing his shoes. "Here, I bought this for you." Before leaving he extended chocolate towards her which she grabbed happily muttering a shy 'thank you.'

***

The whole day went in a blur. In between Isha had a bout of a slight fever and headache which was normal as the doctor had already warned her about this.

It was in the evening when Seema had arrived loaded with gifts for Farisha and her.

"I hope you didn't mind me coming." Seema looked at her tentatively. "I was worried because I saw her sick yesterday."

Dua nodded negatively even though she was anxious about her visit. What if Zaviyar found out? Eventually, he would but she didn't want him to learn about Farisha from anybody other than her. Seema spent an hour with Farisha and as she left, Dua sighed and loosened up her tensed muscles.

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