Tapish تپش

three

Rayyan was glad he had taken his driver with him that day. Having an important meeting in a business complex just across the cafe he had spotted Abrar dining alfresco when he was coming out.

Seeing him so relaxed and content had irked him to no end. Reason why he had stormed up to him to give him a piece of his mind.

But what a turn of events. It was him who had ended up,yet again on the receiving end of the surprise. How he hated that word now.

Duaa used to love surprises. Thinking about her and their child had him tearing up yet again. He didn't think there was anyone lower than him. The way he treated his wife and his baby, was appalling.

She was going to surprise him that day. She had been so happy and what did he do? He can't even think about the events leading up to this moment without having the urgency to vomit.

He needs to keep it together if he wants to bring his woman and child home. Home.

What a joke he had made out of that one word, he laughed derisively. He would give anything in the world if it would mean that Duaa even spares him a single glance let alone forgive him.

The sudden halt of the vehicle brought his attention to the surroundings. The car had stopped in an extremely pitiable area.

But he was in no condition to criticize. This has been his wife's abode for the last few months. Now is not the time to self reflect on his actions with disdain.

He got down from the car, the contrast not lost on him. Him and his swanky town car stood out like a sore thumb in the neighborhood. He looked up to see the barely there signboard reading
'State Govt. Shelter for the homeless'.

The place looked no better. It was dingy and smelled bad. His senses assaulted with the stench but he resisted the urge to barf.

How did Duaa survive here! My sweet little baby girl.

He strode ahead with purpose but his legs halted when he happened upon two extremely drunk men who were vividly describing a woman. A pregnant woman of sorts.

He didn't know what made him eavesdrop, but he did.

"...and she's always covered from top to bottom. Playing hard to get that little sl**. Lucky bastard whoever got his hands on her."

The other man guffawed, "the one inside her is surely one- A bastard. It makes her all the more appealing. How I would love to have her in every way possible."

Rayyan followed their gazes and what he saw had him raging mad. Apoplectic. He stomped over to them and had one of them in his clutches.

"That is my wife you're talking about. My wife and my child."

Each of his word was punctuated with a blow to his face.

"Biwi hai wo Meri. Meri biwi hai wo!"

The men were too far gone to even retaliate. He only left them when the commotion attracted attention from the crowd and they separated him from them.

He rushed over to Duaa who was oblivious to the racket only because she was engrossed in what seems like Dhikr.

She was dressed in what could only be hand me downs. The dress was a little too snug around her baby bump. His precious little bundle would be suffocating in that thing.

But he didn't have any right to judge her. This was all his doing. Each and every suffering was due to his actions. He could only repent now and pray she hears him out.

Duaa was busy reciting aayats for the safety of her child, when she felt a shadow over her.

She was tired of fending off the lecherous advances of the odd men here who felt it was their duty to offer her Moral and Physical support.

The authorities however slack, is what was holding them off from taking any bold step. But she knew she was testing her luck each day she lived here.

She needed to make arrangements for her accomodation. Maybe she should take up Myra and Abrar on their offer.  This is what her husband had reduced her too.

She wiped the angry tears of frustration and got up with a scowl. The sudden movement gave her a heady rush. She had to hold onto the wall to stabilize herself.

It wasn't another benevolent leech but who she saw instead had her seething.

Her so called guroor- Her pride, her protector, her husband. That word now left a bitter taste in her mouth.

But wait, something was not right.
His eyes were watery and he looked remorseful? That wasn't possible. For having such a quality one needs to be humane. He was struggling to even be a human.

"What do you want? How did you even find me? Nevermind, if you're here for the divorce papers, please give it to me. Apparently the state doesn't provide facilities to the abandoned rich wife of a tycoon."

In response he hugged her tightly and bawled his eyes out. He was mumbling an apology of sorts.

How many times had she imagined this same thing. Each time it was a different scenario. She almost wanted to console him. He was finally here. But he was a couple of months late.

The things that she had to go through had steeled her spine and she was in no way the old, pliant, naive little chit anymore.

She was a mother now. She pushed him away from her body and slapped him hard.

This was thrice within the span of an hour that has happened to him. But rightly so. He deserves to be beaten to a pulp.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart, I have no excuses for my behavior. I've wronged you. Please look at me. Please Duaa"

"Congratulations on your realization. But you're a little too late. Please leave, you're disturbing the others."

" Please sweetheart, just listen to me once. Please just come home with me. You don't even have to look at my face but please come back. You slap me or hit me or run me over with a car but please come home with me."

This had her tearing up. All the pain and anguish she had bottled up inside her was coming out and it was too much to take in all at once.

She has a very fragile heart. And being pregnant didn't help. But she was done being a doormat. She'd show him that.

"Don't call me with any endearments. The ones you bestowed upon me before throwing me out of  your  house are enough to last me a lifetime if not more. We're fine without you. You can go back to your perfect life now that you've appeased your guilt and...."

She didn't seem in her senses suddenly because her eyes glazed over and she started to sway.

Lack of nutrition. She knew she had to eat more but she obviously can't.

Food was scarce and the hungry mouths were innumerable. The faster you were the better the chances of you being fed that day.

Owing to her condition, she couldn't move much let alone clamber for food. Some kind people would always share theirs with her but she couldn't impose much.

That was her last thought before being swallowed by darkness. She faintly heard the frantic cry of Rayyan asking her to get up but try as she may, she couldn't respond. Then she was engulfed into oblivion.

Her mind only praying that her negligence hadn't cost her the life of her baby.