Emanet

|34|: Truth/سچ

میں خوابوں کو جينے والی لڑکی
مُجھے حقیقتوں نے رُلا دیا۔۔۔۔۔

A strangled groan released from Subhan's lips before his eyes opened. The sky was still dark. It was the start of the winter days. He looked at the time, finding that only an hour passed before he last slept after praying his Salah. His eyes darted to the weight on his shoulder where his wife laid. Her back faced him as she snuggled into the comfy blankets. Her hair were lying carelessly on the pillow and he moved forward to tuck them. She looked peaceful. There weren't any creases between her eyebrows. It looked like she was in a deep slumber. He felt relieved at the thought. It's been almost a week since the last incident in the porch. She was terrified after that. She didn't talk the entire night. And when she finally slept, she woke up panting and crying as her nightmares chased her. He was there to catch her though, he stayed awake every night to help through the terror episodes. He placed his lips on her temples and let them stay there for a moment drinking in her softness and warmth. She stirred a little and then snuggled in his chest, plastering her back to his front.

He gathered her in his arms and stared at her. There was definitely something she was hiding. It's related to her past for sure. There's must be a reason she ran from her home. No girl would take that step for nothing. Is there some other man? The thought was bitter, creating an unsettling feeling in his heart. But then he shrugged it because why would she marry him then. She would have ran away with him. But she was alone. Neither did she ever talk about any other relative except for Bua Ji. Then what else?

"What are you hiding Safa?"

He muttered the question. Placing one last kiss on her forehead, he snuggled in her hair and tried to go back to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~

He descended the stairs after getting ready for the day. As usual, his wife was not in the room. She's been avoiding him this past week. She's not upset, but she's not being her with him. She's silent. She's scared and she's definitely not his Safa.

His Safa smiles like the sun.
Her eyes are bright seeming like they are speaking to you.
Her heart is kind and loving.

But the woman she's become in this past week is only a shadow of what she used to be. That upsets him. To see her light fading away. To see her sad and scared.

He heard whisperings from the kitchen and he walked to it to find his wife engrossed in a conversation with Mehreen. At least, she's speaking. He coughed to gain their attention and her eyes instantly darted to him. She didn't smile at him and that pierced his heart.

"Can I get a coffee?"

He asked while sitting on the stool. Mehreen nodded, but he told

"Safa please get me a cup."

He saw as she stared at him for a while and then nodded. He noticed that she wanted him to ask Mehreen. She turned her back to him and started the coffee machine. Mehreen looked at her brother finding it odd to see them interact that way. He nudged her to leave them alone and she compiled giving them privacy. He stood up from his place and walked to her. She was still acting indifferently, but from the stiffness of her shoulders, he knew she was aware of him. He caged her in his arms, plastering his chest to her back. Her hand stopped momentarily while he sat his face in her neck taking hold of the coffee. She wasn't moving. He brewed the coffee and glanced in her direction to see a tear escaping. Immediately, he embraced her. Coffee long forgotten.

"What happened, Safa?" She didn't say anything. Just tightened her arms around him. He held her. Like all the time he has.

"You're going to tell me what's wrong. Share whatever that is." She only sniffed and after a long moment of silence, she pushed her face from his chest and looked him in the eye.