Manzilien

5.

Flashback

Ten years old Abeer stood near a street jewellery seller and was constantly staring at the beautiful jewellery.

"You need something kid?" The seller asked her with a smile making Abeer pout in sadness.

"I don't have money aunty." She whispered making the shopkeeper chuckle at her cuteness. Abeer again started admiring the jewellery. Her fingers traced a beautiful pendant with infinity design.

The lady was smiling at Abeer and was about to pick up that pendant and gift it to her but a voice halted her actions.

"Abeer." Fifteen years Rayan stood there behind her with his bat in his hands. Abeer made a crying face before turning towards him with a smile on her face. The shopkeeper looked at her drama with amusement in her eyes.

"Rayan." She called him and he walked towards her and asked her," What are you doing here?"

"Nothing." She answered him and he pulled her arm to take her back home. The lady called Abeer from behind and said,"If you like it then you can take it."

"No aunty." Abeer told her while eyeing the pendant. Rayan had noticed her gaze and mentally noted to get her that pendant. So, after coming back home he went inside his room and took two hundred rupees from his pocket money and bought that pendant for her.

Abeer was very happy and fifteen years old Rayan felt content and peaceful after seeing her happy.

Flashback ends

It had been six weeks since Rayan went to Dubai and Abeer was sitting near the couch on which he slept and caressing it. She was missing him a lot. The pendant entwined in her fingers, which she had kept safe for almost eleven years now.

She wiped off the lone tear which escaped from her and picked her phone from the night stand. She opened their chat and stared at the message which she had received in the morning.

"I will not come to attend Zohib and Hania's engagement. Tell ammi that I have some work to take care of."

In the span of six weeks this was the first message she had received from his side. She had tried to contact him but he never responded and now she is getting used to all this. She was getting used to his behaviour.

°°

Rayan was sitting on the floor with his head on his knees. His head was hurting a lot and he groaned while pressing his forehead. It has been six weeks since he had a proper meal.

He again picked up his phone and dailed his mother's number again who was adamant to not pick up his call. This was happening for the first time or else she called him almost thrice a day to ask about his whereabouts but this time she had called him twice. Just twice. 1st time to ask him whether he had reached or not and second time to inform him about Zohib's engagement.

"Ammii.." His small whisper pierced Raziya's heart as she received his call after a lot of fighting between her heart and mind.

"Yes?" She asked him in a fake angry voice.

"I am not..."

"I know that you are not coming, Abeer told me." She didn't let him complete his sentence.

"I swear ammi I don't know what to do. I am trying , please understand me. I was hurting Abeer for no reason and that guilt was killing me. I wanted an escape. I wanted some time alone but still my heart is not at ease. It's hurting a lot." He broke down. Rayan cried his heart out. Raziya's heart pained a lot. Her kids were in pain and lost. They were not able to find their track. They were in need of guidance.