REDEMPTIVE | ✔️

44. Things to take care of

"These are too many things to take care of but—."  His fingers sifting through his hair, at times pulling them out in frustration. "Abbu helps but I cannot burden him. There are so many files still needing my attention, so many mails to read, responding each of them with clearance in all details, one act of absentmindedness and boom!"

"Its alright give yourself some time"

"Time is something I don't have, Sweets"

They were sitting in their joined room, on sofa before LCD. Something was playing on it but they had muted it. Zalay had just finished her night prayer.

"I wish i had a brother to share work with"

Zalay took a seat beside him on sofa, slowly caressing the frowns on his temple. He took her hand from his temple and laid his head in her lap, placing her hand on his heart. With the free hand she started playing with his hair strands that now fell in her lap. He was watching the muted LCD, "i think i am growing old".

The room within next seconds was filled with Zalay's laughter, her hand from his hair now was covering her mouth. His eyes shot up, staring right at her as if she had grown two heads. "Thats not funny" he scowled. He got up from her lap in annoyance and she couldn't help but laugh even more at his expressions. "I cannot believe you are mocking me, Zalay."

She hugged his arm, leaning against his shoulder and intertwined their fingers. He turned his face to the other side still carrying a frown. His eyes held complaints for betrayal. "You haven't turned 27 yet what makes you old" she was still hugging his arm from the side. "You have been doing business since 6 years. I know you will get through this. I believe in you."

"I know" he retorted smoothly, his face still on the other dimension, stating anger. There was no way he could tell her how much she meant to him. How much her words and support mattered. But he believed at some point she knew it. He didn't know why his friends were always crying about their wives. His wife was his shining star in dark days.

Suddenly he remembered something. He got up from sofa leaving her baffled as she was leaning on him. "What happened?" She feared if she had said something wrong or stupid again. He shook his head at her question. Kneeling before her he sat on the wooden floor and rolled her trousers up. "Your leg. Does it still hurt? I forgot we had appointment next week with the doctor."

Zalay's knee, due to standing for 5 hours in school and then due to work in kitchen really pained and the prosthetic leg marked a wound. Zumeer had made her a new and comfortable one but still her wound needed to recover. Zumeer wanted her to rest at home but she couldn't take leave from school so she talked to principal and got herself a chair in class to sit on.

"Thats alright, we will go when you are back and it doesn't hurt anymore." she had treatment going with a doctor. Who was working on her very sincerely, she used to call on him twice a month.

He nodded.

"How many days luggage should I pack for you?" She asked, straightening her trousers.

"I don't know it might take me a weak or more than that"

She smiled, "i must start packing". He left her choosing suits for him in their room. His head had a headache and so he walked down to see his Mother so she could make him some chai. She was in the living room, crocheting something which he thought was Azeen's gloves. "Hi Ammi"

A smiled adorned Amina's slightly wrinkled face, "Khairiyat?" She asked in a sarcastic way teasing her son. She knew finding her son like this was only when he needed something.