(Long-term separation)

Meaning of the quotes in picture☝️:

These long term separation came in our fate,

Oh God,

What have you made love for?

_________________________________________________

Third person's POV :-

With thudding heart rate, Shahzaib walked through the empty hall towards the elevator. His steps, long and in hurry. Sweats covered his forehead, body felt cold. As if he committed a great sin... which is somewhat relatable.

"Suney! Suney! (Listen! Listen!)" Shahnoor called him, almost running behind him.

Shahzaib halted without facing her, his shaking hand clutched on the copper handle.

'Please... don't ask me..where was I.. please..I won't be able to lie..'

"Where..are you going? Everyone is waiting for you in the backyard." She said, shahzaib closed his eyes.

"I..am.. going upstairs. I don't feel good here." He said, now pressing the elevator button.

"What? Are you okay? Do you feel sick? Look at me.." Shahnoor respond in one breath.

"No!" Shahzaib exclaimed out of sudden, making Shahnoor's heart jump.

"Leave me alone... I'm...I'm okay..so..just leave me alone." He said, words breaking out of emotions.

"You don't sound so, please.. look at me." Shahnoor almost whispered, right hand clutching on Shahzaib's arm.

"I said I'm okay, why don't you believe? I am not a kid!" He aaid, trying to maintain his composure to look fine.

"I-I.. would have.. believe...Per mera dil nahi maan raha, kiya hogaya hai? Aap yaha se jane se pehle toh thik teh. (But my heart isn't allowing, what happened? You were all okay before going out.)" Shahnoor said, being all concerned.

"Sab..thik hain..tum jao. (Everything is okay..you go.)" Shahzaib said and enter into the elevator.

Shahnoor wanted to go with him but she is afraid of his anger. She doesn't want to make it obvious, especially when everyone is here. With heavy heart she went back in the backyard.

. . . . . . . . .

Removing his white pathani, Shahzaib walked in the cold shower. Cold water ran on his body, he closed his eyes but the pictures of his just committed sin flashed like a movie scene making his eyes snap open.

"ARHHH!" Shahzaib growled, slamming his hand in the wall.

"ARHHHHH...AHH..ARHHHHHHH....DIE.... DIE...HOW CAN YOU.... SHAHZAIB AHMED MIRZA!!!!!...Just..die~" Hitting the again and again, He shouted being crazy, heart loaded with the bitter reality of his sin.

He Shouted, Growled, Slammed until he had that last energy drained in the water. Tears mixing in the water, he cursed himself for not being himself.

'Will you...forgive..me? If I ask.' He thought, remembering the innocent face of his wife.

~Later at Night~

Shahnoor's POV :-

After everyone leaved, Rest of the family members went into their rooms. I sat here alone in the backyard, pulling up my knees to my chest.

'What happened to him? Should I go and check? What if he will get mad for not giving him space?' Thoughts of pessimism loaded my mind, I sighed in dejection.

"I am capable of nothing." I whispered, looking at the bonfire.

"What happened little lady?" Mr. Bodyguard interrupted my chain of thoughts.

I look at him, shook my head lightly.

"Nothing Mr. Bodyguard, I...wait!..Mr. Bodyguard early in the evening, you went with your bhai right?" I asked, his expressions changed.

. . . . . . . .

I entered in the room with my heavy heart, palms moistened as I gulped the forming lump in my throat. Closing the door, I walked in the room. My eyes landed on the masculine figure dressed in formal black suit, standing in the balcony, puffing out the smoke of favourite cuban cigar.

Taking a deep breath, I walked in the balcony and stood next to him. He knew I am here but didn't look at me. His face on the opposite direction.

"Are you alright now?" I asked, but he didn't replied.

I get close and place my hand on his. His hand, cold as Ice, clutching on the railing. With my right hand, I slowly stroke his broad back.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?" I asked, almost whispering.

No response.

"I.. Shahzaib..." Words becoming hard to express.

"I am..not your toy.." At that his face snapped towards me, expression of surprise in his eyes which is red and glossy as if he cried.

"I am your companion~.." The word 'companion' came out just as a small whisper.

"You should..tell me everything... everything..I have.. every right to know about your life...even if..." In the end, I couldn't stop myself from bursting out.

My hands halted, I clutched on his arms and cried while resting my head on his arm.

"Ev-even if..if..you...love.. someone else." I completed.

The worst is his silence, why don't he stop me? Why not telling me that this all is lie? He should say that he loves me. But he is silent...all silent. It isn't something I will accept.

"You should not!" I almost shouted, raising my head.

"You should..not stand like a statue! Tell me what happened?! I am your wife for god's sake!" I punched his chest, tears flowing down my cheeks.

His hand grabbed my fisted one, I look at his face. A lone tear fall down from his ocean blue orbs.

"I...I am..I am sorry meri jaan (My darling)" He said, before engulfing me into his warm arms.

"Please don't apologise..it makes my heart hurt..just tell me...you went on a work but it didn't turn out well so that's why you are depressed and nothing else happened. Huh.. please..tell me... this.." I begged him, just as I don't want to face the reality.

"I..am..I am so sorry..." He apologized again, which made my heart hurt.

"No!" I broke the hug.

"Shahnoor.." He whispered.

"I don't want to listen to your apologies! Why don't you just tell me that your work didn't go well as you expected that's why you are depressed!!ha?!" I yelled.

~Flashback~

"Nothing Mr. Bodyguard, I...wait!..Mr. Bodyguard early in the evening, you went with your bhai right?" I asked, his expressions changed.

"That...little lady.." He hesitated.

"Tell me what happened? You said I am like your sister than why don't you tell me?" I asked, he looked down.

"You are really is my sister and I am very much concerned for you that's why I am telling you..when bhai came out of the mansion, I took out his car but he told me he will go alone. He then leaved in his car but I can't let him go alone as I care for his safety So I went in another car behind him. Than he went straight to your parent's house..no one was there except....farah ma'am." Mr. Bodyguard said, a thick lump formed in my throat making it hard to breathe.

"But I don't know what happened next, Shahzaib bhai wasn't there for long after an hour." He explained.

~End of flashback~

"Why..do you have to be there..when everyone was here~?" I cried, slapping my hands on his chest.

"I.. don't know..I can't explain...I.." He isn't making the situation any good.

Third person's POV :-

Shahzaib's mouth dried, he find it hard to breath. Shahnoor's messed form broke his heart into thousand pieces. He don't want to reveal his dirty blunder from his mouth, in front of her.

Her red face, hiccups, glossy dead eyes and dry lips are all because of him.

'You are such cruel man shahzaib..' Shahzaib thought.

Wiping away her tears, Shahnoor walked back in the room and went towards her wardrobe. Shahzaib wanted to stop her, but he doesn't want to touch her. He feels he will get her dirty with his touch.

'You are not even worthy of touching her pious body.'

Shahnoor cried her heart out in the wardrobe, what was there she didn't done for him? Yet he went to her?

'Am I not worth of being happy, Allah?' She thought, looking at ceiling.

~Some days later~

The distance grew rapidly between shahzaib and shahnoor. No one tried to make a conversation, she kept doing her duties of wife well while shahzaib kept all silence. Neither of them made eye contact, this all tension didn't go unnoticed by the other family members.

"Shahnoor.." Mrs. Jamila called as Shahnoor look at the boiling tea with a dull expression.

"Hmm.." She replied.

"What happened? Did you and Shahzaib fight?" Mrs. Jamila asked.

"No." Shahnoor replied.

"Than Look at you, whats with the dull face? You look pale, I saw you don't even eat properly. Perhaps...is there any other good news~?" Mrs. Jamila asked while scanning Shahnoor's face.

"There can't be.." Shahnoor said, now looking at Mrs. Jamila.

"There can't be any good news aunty, I am not expecting anything as you are thinking." She said, with a neutral face.

"Why beti(daughter)? May Allah bless you and Shahzaib, this is the most important thing in marriage." Mrs. Jamila said, stroking Shahnoor's head.

"Is it?" Shahnoor asked, in a gloomy tone.

"Hmm..and inshallah you will blessed." Mrs. Jamila said.

But little did they know, a long term pause is about to come in their life.

. . . . . . . . .

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Shahnoor's phone rang, she look at the caller ID 'Ammi'.

"Assalamu alaikum Shahno.." Mrs. Rukhsar greeted with a concerned voice.

"Walaikum assalam ammi, how are you?" Shahnoor said, looking out of the huge glass window as she sat down on the floor.

"Shahno.." Mrs. Rukhsar said, her voice shaking almost.

"What happened ammi? Are you okay?" Shahnoor asked, getting worried.

"Yeah yeah I am fine..its farah." Mrs. Rukhsar said, Shahnoor clutched tightly on the phone upon hearing farah's name.

"What happened to her?" She asked.

"She..beti(daughter)..she is..pregnant." Mrs. Rukhsar announced.

Shahnoor's heart dropped, her body went cold and numb.

"Shahno?.. Shahnoor? Beti?" Mrs. Rukhsar called but she is too numb to reply.

. . . . . .

Shahzaib walked in his room, He decided to tell shahnoor what actually happened, he wanted to tell her everything.

'No more lies meri jaan..' He thought and walked towards further in.

The room is empty, no sight of her. He than checked the wardrobe, bathroom but she is nowhere. He decided to look in his study room, maybe she went there. Entering in his, he look around but no, she isn't there as well but a his eyes caught a small yellow note near there photo frame on his table. He took it and read it.

'We need space..I don't know about you but I am really tired. So let me have some of my time, please don't bother me by contacting. Allah Hafiz.

-Shahnoor' The note said.

A lone tear rolled down his cheek, crumbling the paper he sat down on the sofa, dejected. His eyes landed on the photo from her birthday.

"I am sorry meri jaan, I am.. really is a bad person and a bad husband." He said, crying his heart out.

. . . . . . .

Shahnoor entered her parent's house with a scowl on her face. Her mother quickly hugged her and welcomed her.

"Shahnoor... Assalamu alaikum." Farah said, knowing everything.

Shahnoor's eyes landed on her, fire ignite in her heart as she saw her infront of her. Acting as if nothing happened.

"Why are you here?" Shahnoor asked, gritting her teeth.

"Shahno..I..I a-"

"Go to your parent's." Shahnoor cut her off, farah look at her with surprise.

"Shahno, what?" Farah asked with disbelief.

"I said go to your parent's house! I don't want to see your face! Go get lost!" Shahnoor almost yelled, tears forming in her big doe eyes.

"Shahnoor..I will go..but please listen to me first." Farah said, pleading.

"I don't want to listen to anything! Get out farah!" Shahnoor stomped towards her and gripped her left arm than started dragging her towards the main door.

"Shahno please listen! Its not what you are thinking! Please listen to me!" Farah kept on pleading but Shahno didn't listen to her and pushed her out of the house, slammed the door on her face.

Farah bang on the door, crying.

"I am sorry shahno! I didn't mean to do anything anything.. please" Farah pleaded.

Shahnoor sat down on the floor, Mrs. Rukhsar hold her daughter and hugged her.

"I won't let anyone hurt me from now onwards. I don't deserve this ammi." She said, crying.

"You don't meri bacchi(my daughter) but listen to her too..it is not Shahzaib's baby.." Mrs. Rukhsar said, shahnoor broke the hug and look at her mother with questioning eyes.

"Its Azam's baby." She completed.

~8 months later~

"Your baby is doing fine, I think it will be a boy." Dr. Mira said, looking at farah with a smile.

"Alhamdulillah." Farah said.

"Yes, alhamdulillah." Shahnoor said with a smile, farah smiled at her.

After the checkup, the sisters went for a walk in the garden.

"Yes ammi, we will come soon." Shahnoor said and cut the call.

Farah look at her sister, who acts all fine. After farah told her the truth, she apologized to shahnoor until she forgive her. Shahnoor never went back to Noore' Chashem. She took care of farah and even joined her work at the clinic. She smiles and tries to act normal, yet the loneliness can be seen in her eyes, farah is afraid to even start the topic.

On the other hand Shahnoor tries to be fine but its hard. Its really hard to not to remember him. He is everywhere, he spoiled her to the point she can't sleep properly at night. She could have gone back after knowing the truth but she didn't because he never cared. He didn't even called her, although its a different thing he calls her mother after to know about her health but he never asked to talk to her. She wonders if she will have to live like this forever.

"Shahnoor, lets go back. My feets are swelling." Farah said, rubbing her thighs.

"Okay, lets go." Shahnoor said and helped farah to stand up as she finds it hard because of her huge baby bump.

. . . . . . . . .

Later in the evening, Shahnoor went again at Abu daud's house. It is locked as always. Silence all over, she didn't knew why she is here. Infact this 8 months was just like this, there were so many evenings she spent here. Waiting as if someone would come and help her with her loneliness. Her glossy gaze roamed over the huge house one last time like always, she felt sick.

"It is so sad." She whispered, tiring.

She turn around to leave but her eyes snapped at the person before her.

"Daud.." She whispered.

"Assalamu alaikum noor." Abu daud greeted with a light smile.

Shahnoor's vision blurred with the set of fresh tears, she smiled weakly.

"Walaikum assalam.." She again whispered and started to walk towards him but stumbled on the way.

Abu daud quickly hold her, she had fever. Abu daud got concerned and took off his blazer, putting on her.

"Noor, you are sick." He said, she smile again and rested her head on his chest.

His heart beats got faster just like before, nothing changed. She is capable, only she is capable of having such effect on him. His noor.

"I am happy, you came back." She said, slowly and fainted.

To be continued...