شرر Sharar

Forty-Eight

"Bhai, yaha sign karna hai bas..." Shahzain said, as he gave Azlan a file. They were sitting on the lawn.

(bhai, you have to sign here...)

"Office mein work load zyada toh nahi?" Signing the file, Azlan asked. It's been months since he last went to the office because the matter of his home needed more attention.

(Is the workload too much in the office?)

"Nahi, bhai! Huzaifa bhai aur main sambhal le rahe hain sab. Aur phir Kaif bhi hai. Sab theek hai." Shahzain shook his head and said, as he picks teacup from the table.

(No, Huzaifa bhai and I are taking care of it. And Kaif is also there to help. Everyone is fine at office.)

"Bhabhi ki tabiyat kaisi hai?" Shahzain asked.

(How's bhabhi now?)

Taking his specs off, Azlan took a long grieving sigh. "Theek hi hai, doctor ne bas medicines di hai aur kehte hain khas khayal ki zaroorat hai."

(She is fine. The doctor had prescribed some medicines and advised to take care of hr.)

Silent lingers between two brothers, Shahzain didn't know what to say or ask anymore. He couldn't even console Azlan by saying 'everything will be okay.' nothing seems to be okay there anymore.

•••

"Farida! Farida!" Rubab loudly called the maid in her room.

Maid rushedly came there, "Ji?" standing in the doorway, she asked.

(Yes?)

"Curtains change kare yaha ke, kitne gande hogaye hain." Rubab ordered her as she points at the curtains.

(Change the curtains of this room. They are do dirty.)

"Ji, main abhi badal deti hoon." Maid nods her head.

(I'll just change them.)

"Hum apko naye curtains nikal ke dete hain. Aur sune, vase mein fresh flowers bhi laga dein." Rubab got down from her bed and went to the cupboard to take curtains out.

(Wait, I'll give you new curtains. And put some flowers in the vase too.)

Meanwhile, Farida went to the window side to remove the old curtains. In doing so, her feet slipped as she bumped into the glass vase, making it fall and break into pieces.

The loud noise startled Rubab as the curtains fall from her hands.

"Ayat!" Ayat's bloody and lifeless body flashes in front of her, as she shouted.

"Ayat! Koi Ayat ko bachao..." Rubab's mind took her 3 months back.

(Someone save Ayat.)

Azlan and Shahzain, who were on the lawn, also heard Rubab's anguished cries.

Azlan quickly stood up and ran inside, Shahzain was just behind him.

When they reached the bedroom, they saw Rubab sitting on the floor while Farida was trying to reassure her.

"Kya hua?" Asked Azlan, ss he went inside and sat beside Rubab.

(What happened?)

"Woh vase gir gaya aur..." Scaredly, Farida replied and points at the broken vase.

(The vase fall down...)

"Rubab, kya hua? Sab theek hai." Azlan held her shoulder firmly and told her.