THREADS OF LOVE

MY PAST

" Shahista are you done,?", called my friend tanya.
"Yes, i am, this is just my last case." I said.
As i finished treating my last patient i heaved a sigh of relief. Today had been a toiling day. I looked at my friend tanya, who was already packed up waiting for me. I assembled my stuff together and took off my apron.
"Come on , i will drop off today", said tanya.
"No its okay i will take an uber"., said I.
Tanya just nodded.
Together we went outside the hospital. It was just getting dark. I booked an uber and bid tanya goodbye. The uber came shortly and as i sat inside it, i messaged my aunt that i had left for home . I knew she would be waiting for my message

As i looked outside the uber window at the busy lanes of New Delhi. I started reflecting back on my life.
My name is Shahista Ahmed and i am 24 years old. I am a doctor by proffesion, currently doing my postgraduation . I live with my uncle and aunt in Delhi. I was born in a very effluent indian family in the city of Mleiha . Its a small city near SHARJAH in UAE(DUBAI) . My mom died when i was very young around three years old. But its not as bad as most people think because i had other people in my life who never made me feel the absence of my mother. I have 5 elder brothers RIZWAAN, AZHAAN, REHAAN,YAZDAAN, FARHAAN who had always loved me and pampered me. When i was young my dad decided i need a mother in my life so he sent me to india to live with my maternal aunt NAFISA. I had lived most of my life in India with my aunt and uncle , i was schooled over here. I used to visit my home in UAE a lot when i was small though, and used to spend months with my brothers. They had always helped me with anything that i ever needed. They have loved me and cared about me infinitely. Being the youngest & the only daughter of the family they always made sure i never felt my mother's absence.
So life was really happy back then!
But things changed. It started to change on my 16th birthday when two of my elder brothers got a job. I remember that year very well , i had gone to dubai as usual during my vacations. I was ranting about my school and board exams to my other brothers when RIZWAAN BHAIYA came home. I jumped in excitement to see him after so long. He looked very happy and was busting with news about his new job and his company etc. He came inside and straightaway went towards dad, he didnt even notice me. Finally when i called him he turned to me and smiled , but somehow his smile didnt reach his eyes. "How are you shahista?", said he. But he didnt even wait for answer, he turned and again started speaking with dad.
That was the first time i felt something missing because it was the first time Bhaiya had addressed me as something other than "choti". He never uses my name. The whole night my elder brother talked about his new job to my brothers and dad and i felt left out. That was the first time i felt the absence of my mother because their was noone to listen to what i wanted to speak.
Slowly and slowly years passed, things grew worse as all my brothers got good jobs. They became busy, they stopped calling me everyday. I stopped going to dubai everytime because of my studies. My father buried himself in my brother's sucess that he rarely asked about my studies.
But the final blow came or the line was crossed on my 18th birthday. That was the most happiest as well as the saddest day of my life. It was the happiest because i had just completed my class 12 and my results of NEET were coming out that day. I was still in India i had to leave for dubai that day itself. I was very very nervous , my aunt was constantly their for me praying and she assured me i will do good. Finally the results came and i had qualified in it with great marks. I was soo happy i couldnt believe it. My aunt and uncle hugged me feeling proud and my cousins were cheering for me . After that it was time to leave, I rushed to the airport to board my flight. As i boarded my flight something dawned me , i realised none of my brothers or dad had called to congratulate me. I felt unhappy, but thinking that they would have seen the results but forgot to call me because of their busy work i reassured myself.
The plane landed on the dubai airport . I got down as usual expecting any one of my brother to be waiting at the airport but none came. Their was a taxidriver outside the airport that was waiting for me. I got in the taxi still confused. I reached my house and was suprised to see it decorated. Suddenly i guessed what was happening my brothers were giving me a suprise party .I smiled end to end thinking about this . I hurridly got down the taxi and reached for the door. I opened it to see my house filled with unknown people bustling around as if there was a gathering going on. I searched for a familiar face and finally saw my brothers sitting at the far corner with my dad in the middle and a beautiful young women sitting next to them.
My father saw me and smiled ," Shahista come here"
I went there. He turned to the young women amd said "this is my daughter Shahista she aspires to be a doctor".
" Shahista this is your brother's fiancee AYESHA."                             
Then i realised that my brothers had actually forgotten about my results and this party was thrown for my future sister in law
My heart crushed into millions of pieces. I dont know which hurt me more the fact that my dad didnt cared to know about my biggest achievement or the fact that this posed perfect looking lady would enter in my life forever. That day i cried , i cried my heart out on my bed . That day i realised things will never go back to normal between me and my brothers. That day i decided to stay in India and cut off my ties

6 years had passed since then, almost all my brothers are married now. They also have children. I rarely talk with my brothers or even their wife or even dad. Uncle and aunt have became my mom & dad,. I love it here in India, my cousin sisters are always their for me. It was as if i didnt care about my family in dubai. If it hadnt been for one link between me and them, i would have literally cut off all my ties. That link was my youngest of elder brothers FARHAAN. You see both of us were very small when ma died, so dad sent him also with me to india . But after his primary education he went back to dubai to follow my other brother's footsteps. But he didnt loose contact, he was the only one who called me everyday till now, the only one whom i had told how i felt , he was the only one who understood me perfectly. In short i considered him as my only brother.

Uber came to stop and i was jerked back from my thoughts.
"MADAM 100 rupay hua hai,", he said in hindi. I payed him and entered my small house. My uncle and aunt belonge to a very middle class family in india, and frankly i love it in here more than that big bunglow in Dubai.
"ASALAAMOALAIKUM SHAHISTA, " said khala.
"WAALEKUMASALAAM", said I.
" It took you a lot of time today."
"Yes there were a lot of patients."
"You must be tried , dont worry i have prepared the food you eat and rest.
I thanked khala and walked in the house.
"Hi aapi , you are back, can you help me with this math problem.", said my cousin shabana.
"Sure just give me a moment." I smiled at her.
I freshened up and ate my food and then went to the living room with her.
"Must be tired aapi .?"
"Dont you worry now tell me where do you need help."
I sat down to help her with the problems for some time. Then we took a break and watched some indian movie on television.
" Aapi do you want to meet someone like shahrukh khan in real life?", she asked smiling.
"Dont be silly", said i, "its justa movie."
We started laughing as we made stupid plans.

An hour passed by and khalu came home form work
"ASALAAMOALIKUM, girls,".
"WALAIKUM ASALAAM.", said I
"How was your day khalu?"
"Same as before nothing new", he said.
I smiled at him. I respected my khalu for his simplicity and devotion toward his family.

After dinner, I retreated to my bed . I picked up my phone and checked my messages. I saw some usual messgaes form work , few from tanya and i saw a missed call from FARHAAN bhaiya . I was about to call him back, when i heard a voice
"Shahista!"
"Yes khalu?", said I
"Come here for a moment i need to speak with you."
"Coming!"
I decided to call bhaiya later.
I went to my khalu's room and saw him holding his phone.
"Its Ahmed bhai he wants to speak with you."
I was shocked that my father had called. I had not spoken to dad for a long time , he barely ever calls and he wanted to speak with me ?, I really didnt want to!
But i  picked up the phone dreading and then i heard the voice i had stopped loving
"ASALAAMOALAIKUM my daughter.", said he
"WALAIKUMASALAAM"., said I.
"How are you?" , said he.