Blow | ضرب

.دل نا امید تو نہیں، ناکام ہی تو ہے

لمبی ہے غم کی شام، مگر شام ہی توہے۔

(Dil na ummed to nahi nakam hi tou hai

Lambi hai ghum ki shaam lekin shaam hi tou hai)

The air — moist, sultry, secretive, and far from fresh — felt as if it were being exhaled into one's face. The direct rays of the sun were burning her eyes so much that she had to block the sun with her hands as she was walking towards the car at a fast pace.

"Assalam-u-Alikum", Faryal exclaimed in surprise as she saw Huzaifa sitting on the driving seat and climbed into the car.

"Walikum Assalam" Huzaifa replied with a smile, his eyes hidden behind the dark shades and he started the car.

"I thought Saleem bhai (driver) has come to pick me", She said.

"Saleem bhai is gone out of the city with mom and dad, they might come late at night. You don't know this?", He said with furrowed eyebrows.

Faryal face palmed herself and said, "It slipped out of mind, this week has been insane you know".

"It's okay", He replied understandingly.

"Thank God! midterm exams are finally over, now I'll take much-needed rest.", She heaved a sigh of relief and laid back on the seat.

"How did it go?" He asked.

"Great", She replied.

"That's good, Umm okay so in few more months you are graduating which means you are going to be officially unemployed", He said with the cheekiest smile.

A smile crept across her face. She moved her head towards Huzaifa and said with a pout, " I guess I'm doomed then".

"Hahaha you surely are", he said playfully.

Honk!.. Honk!

The traffic was in full swing, the crowds were swirling in honking cars and bolting bicycles. Although Islamabad is a well-planned and organized city but on Friday dealing with the traffic jam at peak hours is a struggle.

Huzaifa looked at the digital clock in front of him, which indicated 12:13 pm in large orange numbers. "I can get home on time," he thought as he got out of the traffic jam and was about to reach Durrani's house.

"Zain is at home?" Faryal asked.

"Yup, he is waiting for me. Dad is not at home but we both can go to the Masjid (mosque) together for Namaz-e-Jummah.", He replied.

"Yeah, but you got late because of me", She said.

"Aray na, don't say this. Behn ka farz hai muj pay (It's your right over me)", he said genuinely.

She was grateful beyond words. She looked at him and smiled "Thank you Huzaifa".

"For what?",

"For everything",

"No worries" he replied with a tight-lipped smile.

After a few minutes, they reached home. Zain and Huzaifa went to the mosque to offer their Jummah prayer, whereas Faryal took shower, recited Quran Pak, and offered her prayer at home.

Faryal was sitting on the prayer mat with raised hands for dua when Nadia baji said "Faryal bibi I've reheated the lunch. Please come downstairs they are waiting for you.".

Faryal nodded her head indicating a yes. She completed her Dua, folded the prayer mat, and went downstairs. Zain and Huzaifa were already waiting for her at the dining table. She took a seat beside Zain and they started eating.

"Thank God bhabhi you got free, I just realized I hate your exams more than mine", Zain said and the three of them started laughing.

"Let's go out for a dinner tonight, mom and Dad are not at home anyways. We would get bored at home.", Huzaifa said.

"Yeah, You are right. Without both of them, home doesn't feel like home", Faryal said.

They were busy in their chattering when Zohaib entered the house.

"Assalm-u alikum bhai, you are home early today", Zain said with surprise and happiness visible in his voice. Zain and Faryal were facing him while Huzaifa turned his head backward to see Zohaib.

"Come have lunch with us", He added with hope-filled eyes.

"I'm not hungry Zain. I'm having a headache so I'll take some rest". Zohaib pressed his forehead with his fingers and left the place.

Zain sadly shifted his gaze towards Huzaifa who was silently telling him "It's okay" through his eyes. Three of them finished their lunch together.

"I'll go and take care of Zahra, bhai is not feeling well so he might need me", Zain said and left the dining area, Huzaifa heaved a sigh knowing his little brother's concern for the elder one.

Faryal retired to her room and laid down on her bed. The silent summer afternoon and her inadequate sleep for few days drifted her into a deep slumber in no time.

*****

Faryal opened her window. After a hot sunny day, it was a cool and breezy evening, a strong gust of wind blew against her face. After taking nap she was feeling much better and relaxed. She looked down and saw Zain was playing with Zahra on the lawn but Zohaib was nowhere.

"He must be not feeling well that why he is no around Zahra", she thought.

"Zahra you love your Zain chachu naaa, I knew that," Zain said proudly and placed Zahra in her stroller.

Zain insisted Zohaib that he would take care of Zahra so his elder brother can get some rest. He felt bad for his brother because handling a kid alone for him is definitely very hard.

"Zain someone has called on landline and they are asking for a family member to talk to them", Nadia baji said.

Zain furrowed his eyebrows and thought for few seconds and said: "Okay Nadia baji please take care of Zahra I'll come back in few minutes".

"Yes", Nadia baji replied.

She was talking with Zahra when her eyes fell on running tap water.

"Saleem can't do anything properly. Look how much water is wasting here", She said in exasperation.

"I can quickly turn off the tap and come back, Zahra is playing anyways", she muttered. She looked at Zahra who was playing with her soft toy and left the place. Zahra was playing with her soft toy when suddenly it fell down from her hand.

*****

Faryal was coming towards the lawn when her gaze fell on Zahra whose half body was hanging from the stroller.

"Ya Allah", Faryal shrieked and ran towards Zahra. As she reached near the stroller Zahra had already lost her balance and fell off the stroller. Faryal caught Zahra and fell down on the sharp-edged paving stones. A sharp pain arose in her leg as the edges of the stones flung onto her skin.

Zahra didn't get any injury but she was frightened and began to cry loudly.

"Shhh Zahra it's okay love", Faryal was trying to calm Zahra but she was wailing unstoppable, her own pain long forgotten in front of her daughter.

"Zahr..", before she could complete her sentence someone snatched Zahra from her. She looked above and saw Zohaib who was standing in front of her, his face turned red in anger.

He was trying to soothe Zahra but her cries were getting louder and louder. Zain and Huzaifa hurriedly came towards them as they heard Zahra's voice.

"What happened to Zahra?", Huzaifa said in concern.

Zain moved towards Faryal and helped her to get up.

"Zahra please beta stop crying, daddy is here", Zohaib said helplessly with furrowed eyebrows.

Faryal moved towards Zahra but before she could touch her Zohaib showed her his hand telling her to stop. She knew he was angry but she couldn't see Zahra like this.

"Zahr..."

"Stay away from my daughter", He yelled in anger to which she visibly flinched, that was the first time in her life someone has raised his voice on her.

"You have done what you could now leave her alone, PLEASE ", he added with rage.

Her heart shattered after hearing his words. Tears started falling from her eyes making her vision blur. The lump in her throat got bigger and bigger. She wanted to tell him that it wasn't her fault but she couldn't.

Zain and Huzaifa looked at them worriedly.

"Zohaib baba (sir) it was not Faryal bibi's fault, I have left Zahra alone", Nadia baji said with a guilt-filled tone.

Zohaib shot his eyes towards Nadia baji and then Faryal. His expression softened a bit when he looked at Faryal.

Faryal left the place hurriedly, her leg was paining a lot but this time the emotional pain was much bigger than the physical one.

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Assalam-u-Alikum! I hope everyone is doing safe and well.❤

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