Aaban

K H A T A M - T H E E N D

1 3 M O N T H S L A T E R

H A N I Y A H ' S P O I N T O F V I E W

A sigh left my lips as I looked at the precious life in front of me. His little feet trying to kick the blanket I had placed on him, as it was cold out. His bright green eyes glared at me, just as his father used to, as I placed the blanket back on him, this time even tighter. I smiled as he pouted and squinted his little eyes. I took a deep breath and continued to post the stroller down the pathway that led to where my love laid.

As I made my way, my heart filled with pure sorrow, my heart ached, it cried. My eyes filled with tears as my eyes laid on the gravestone.

The loving son, brother, husband and father.
AABAN ZAVEER WAHEED
April 7, 1995 - February 27, 2017

A tear fell from my eye as I lightly brushed the snow off the stone as I traced the name of the man I loved with all my hearts.

It had been 13 months since he was killed, yet the hole in my heart feels like that the events took place a mere moment ago.

He never got to meet our son, he never got to be there through my pregnancy, he never got to be there when I found out we were having a boy, he wasn't there for the baby shower our family threw to make me feel content, he never got to be there for me when I went into labour, he didn't get to be there to hear the first cry of his child, he didn't get to cut the cord that attached our baby to me, he wasn't there to hold our baby for the first time, he never got to experience fatherhood. It was all because a selfish man took his life away. Took his life away because he couldn't handle the fact that my heart belonged to another man. I felt lost, I felt hopeless.

My baby never got to meet his father.

As I sat there for Allah knows how long, my mind wondered to the dreadful night.

He turned around and his bright green eyes meet my teary ones.

"I love you, Aaban," I said, I just wanted him to know, I felt like I had to. Whatever was going to happen was going to be bad, really bad. I had a feeling that this was the last time I'll be saying I love you to him, and that scared me.

"I love you too, doll"

And with that, he walked out.

"Aayan what did he say to you?" Asiya turned to her son.

Aayan smiled a small sad smile and shook his head. "Whatever happens tonight, remember that he loves us all more than anything, especially you and the baby Appi." I lightly smiled at my brother-in-law.

I slowly made my way around the room to Asiyah. She opened her arms and welcomed me into her warm arms.

"He'll be okay, right mama?" I spoke

"my darling." She spoke softly, "He'll be fine, he will never leave his wife and child, he won't." she spoke as if she were trying to convince herself "everything will be okay."

We stayed there for how long, I can't remember, but I remember the fear that crept into my heart as I heart three gunshots. I remember me praying, praying that it was the enemy that was shot and not the man I love. I remember the lights turning back on, and pure terror on everyone's face in the room, including Aayan.