Scarred

Chapter 7

"You have the power within you to rise above whatever is seeking to bring you down." 

-Najwa Zebian

On the lawn swing in the late afternoon with her legs curled up, her hair tied in braid and in her long kameez and jeans, Daniyah was peacefully sitting with an Urdu novel, Mushaf in her hands, unlike the rest of her friends who loved to read as well Daniyah was one of the few who was was an avid fan of Urdu books and secretly she enjoyed them more, maybe it was the way they were written, or maybe they had the essence of home, or maybe how they somehow teach something about having faith in the Almighty. Gradually sipping on her coffee and turning the pages she was drowned in the world of stubborn yet a very hurt Mehmal, a charming and an intimidating police officer Humayun, a very caring and helpful sister Farishtay, deceitful relatives and the mercy of Allah and power of Quran.

She was drowned in her book so much that she didn't even noticed when the rest of her family joined her and her little niece was tucking on her shirt, asking her to pick her up. Keeping aside her book she smiled at the rest of her family as she picked a year old Inayah, her brother's daughter, setting the little girl with deep gray eyes on her lap, she kissed her cheeks and then involved herself with her family.

It had been months since Daniyah had joined the company and like every weekend she was enjoying every single moment of rest. After a long time she was remembering the value of weekend, picking up a sandwich from the patio table she chuckled at some old joke her father was telling and the rest of the family was laughing at it, at the same time she was feeding her niece who was slapping her hands to get the sandwich.

Laughing, smiling and remembering some old memories and even groaning as soon as her mother and sister-in-law start discussing the topic which were making her ears bleed, Daniyah enjoyed the evening and lived every moment of it. The family planned to have the dinner outside and it was told Daniyah to inform her elder sister and her husband so doing as told Daniyah went to her bedroom to pick out a proper outfit when her phone vibrated with a notification from Mohib. Daniyah who had turned on the notification for all her close friends now was regretting it, from last month Mohib had been actively posting pictures from Australia but today the picture he posted brought a nostalgic smile on her face. With a small, yet a caption she knew was from his heart, was a picture of three them on their first day at the university, after Mohib was pranked by their seniors, the three of them were resting or were more like hiding from their seniors when Janaan reminded that they haven't even clicked one picture on their first day and that's how the picture was taken. A passerby was handed the phone and they smiled widely, Daniyah was in the middle of the other two with her arms around their shoulders.

She left a comment on the picture and remembered how much she was missing their old meet ups and little moments, lately she hasn't got much time to spend with Janaan either and neither Janaan have been keeping up with her and the time they even talk it felt like Janaan was greatly stressed or was far away in another land and Daniyah was greatly worried about her, she even discussed this with Emaad but he ignored the topic like it was never raised. What was stressing Daniyah that not only Janaan was stressing herself she was also affecting her health, few days ago when Daniyah left office earlier to join her mother, mother-in-law and Janaan on one of their shopping sprees Daniyah was shocked to see that how pale her best friend was and the bag under her eyes were telling another story but on asking Janaan she pushed a tight smile and flatly lied.

The sad thing was Daniyah wasn't aware how far away the two of them are now, the agonizing reality was beautifully hidden from her eyes.

Daniyah found herself think about all the memories three of them had made together.