Madawa

9

Maher stopped the car in front of Amina's place and just sat there quietly for a while. He didn't know how to face her... but she didn't seem to recognize him. He knew for a fact that she wouldn't be so okay if she recognized him. Was it possible that she didn't know him by face and that he had been overthinking all along? Even if that was the case, Maher's conscience didn't allow him to look her in the eye.

He got out of the car and opened the back door for the girls to get out. Amina got out first and when Saman did, he couldn't help but catch his first proper glimpse of her. He had never seen her this close. She had immaculate features. She wore a gray outfit with a matching headscarf. There was a subtle hint of pink in her cheeks from the blush in her makeup. She didn't wear a lot of makeup but Maher thought she didn't seem to need it at all. Maher studied her face for what seemed like an eternity but was interrupted when she looked at him. He quickly lowered his gaze and stared down at his hand holding the door handle. He closed the door behind her. He opened the driver seat door but was stopped in his tracks by Amina.

"Aap nahi aarahay?" She asked him.

"Mujhe kuch kaam hai, I'll be back in a while," he replied and she nodded before heading inside her home. The engine of his car revved as he drove off.

Maher mindlessly drove. He didn't have anywhere to be. He did, at the wedding, but that was the last place he wanted to be right now. He didn't need a recap of what happened to that girl's family. He couldn't handle it right now. He didn't notice when the signal turned red and he was brought out of his thoughts by the sounds of horns. He slammed the brakes and screeched the car the a stop, realizing that he had almost hit a truck. The truck driver had also come to a noisy halt. Maher signaled the driver an apology by raising his hand and accelerated his car to clear the intersection. The driver, however, sped and passed him, stopping in front of him, making him brake as well. The driver of the truck got out of his vehicle, cursing. Maher closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. He opened his eyes and saw the driver from his window. He was fuming and physically red, right outside his car. He began violently knocking on the window. Maher got out of his car. The truck driver was swearing at his face, throwing curses, some of them Maher had no idea what they meant. He wanted to sock the guy for but he knew better than to engage with such people.

"I'm sorry, mera dhyaan kahin aur tha," he apologized. No matter how badly he wanted to yell "shut the fcuk up" at this guy's face, he knew he was in the wrong after all.

"oho gaadi chalatay huay munnay ka dhyaan kahin aur hai? kyun bey, sadak teray baap ki hai kya?" he retorted. Maher squeezed his hand into a fist and took another deep breath in before turning his back to the guy and opening his car door. He didn't want to talk to him.

"Oh hero, meri baat khatam nahi hui hai abhi," the driver barked from behind him. He didn't reply and just as he was sitting, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It wasn't the sympathetic kind of hand on your shoulder—it was one that invites you to slap the owner of the hand. His fingers dug into Maher's shoulder and he grabbed the collar of his blazer, pulling him towards him.

"Behra hai kya?" He spat, Maher's collar still in his grip.

Maher looked at his collar before facing the truck driver. Maher pushed him away, all his anger and hurt and emotions was translated into his actions. There was a group of people surrounding the two by now. The driver—taken aback by Maher's reaction—regained his balance before lunging forward and throwing a punch at Maher's face. Warm liquid pooled in Maher's mouth, followed by the distinct metallic taste of blood. He knew he had busted his lip. Maher wanted to punch him back but he suddenly felt lifeless. It felt like his knees gave up and he needed to hold on to his car for support. He felt like his brain would pounce out of his head if he didn't pop a painkiller and lay down. His pounding headache was back, this time followed by queasiness. Bile burned up in his esophagus and the next thing he knew was that he was clutching his stomach, throwing up on the side of the road. He wanted to drop to his knees, he felt weak like he had never before. A sensation of tingling took over his extremities and his brain. He wiped his face from the back of his hand and felt absolutely disgusted by it. A pang of pain shook him as he touched his busted lip in the process. The truck driver drove away when Maher felt sick. A few passers-by walked up to him and asked if he needed help. He raised his hand indicating that he was fine. He was far from fine. He got back in his car and realized that his phone was ringing. It was Asim. He didn't pick up. He couldn't. He physically didn't have the strength to pick his phone up. He wasn't sleepy but he closed his eyes and drifted off in his parked car at the side of the road. He fell unconscious.