Hi !!

I know you guys aren't convinced with whats going on but be patient and let things settle on their own..

Know that Arsalan is a strong man and he'll pick himself up :)

***

Arsalan

I could see her, as her long hair cascaded down her back.The strands lushly black and thick as the air swiped them one way or another.

I could see her.

My Amal.

My hope.

Her plump lips were parted as she laughed, her hand reaching towards her mouth as she covered it.Her slender fingers supporting the wedding ring.Her large grey eyes twinkles in bubbling laughter.The sound becoming a sweet euphonious melody to my ears.

Her fluent language couldn't be deciphered by me.I wanted to hear all from her but couldn't.Only her lively figure visible to my eyes as she laughed.The white of her dress crisp and so pure that among the other things in the background, she stood out the most.

The white long dress kissed her toes each time she moved.The white flowy material swishing with the wind as her long white dupatta remained around her arms.Twirling around, she smiled my way.The dress surrounding all around her like a luscious dome.

The green fields behind her remained fresh and dancing.The green grass and fields dancing with the tunes of wind.The hovering mountains covered in green grass remained behind her, the snow covering the top peaks as they touched the sky making the clouds kiss them.The horizon smeared in hues of blues and light pink.The huge sun with its light rays falling onto the land.

The clouds were cottony and spread against the sky above our heads.The woman extended her hand towards me.I wanted to hold her but it seemed as if I was an invisible mass before her.

Amal turned her back to me as she ran on the hilly path, her hands taking hold of the long dress helping her walk more easily.The fields surrounded her as her laughter echoed.

" I am home."She yelled happily at the top of her lungs.Her voice reaching my ears.

" I am home."She yelled again and I smiled looking at my woman.She deserved it.The smile on her face, she deserved it the most in the whole wide world.And I prayed silently, muttering to my Lord to always keep her this happy.To always keep her in home.

Home-

Where she wanted to go-

Where she deserved to go-

I stared at the reports in my hands in bewilderment.My eyes not believing what was before me.Scratching my neck, I tried to ease the tension in my muscles.Chills running in my body.

Aunty Shahana had blood cancer.

A sudden realization dawned on me.In these past two months without Amal, I never figured out how was Aunty Shahana or how she was doing?I clearly knew that when Amal was here, she went to the doctor with her Aunty but I didn't know that the results would be the worst before me.

Sitting on the sofa, I placed the delivered reports aside.Closing my eyes, I felt the guilt weigh me down.How wrong was I to think that it was all Amal's fault.Truley it was neither of ours fault.It was the situations we were facing.

An idea sparked in my mind as I looked through the envelope and paper again.Finding the contact number, I dialled it immediately.

" Hello, this is the city hospital.How may I help-"

" Hi.Um can I get an appointment with doctor Brown?"

The lady on the other end fixed an appointment with Dr.Brown just the very next hour.

Wanting to change before leaving for the hospital, I took a quick shower as my mind collected all thoughts of negative and positives.A sudden panic running in my body.

Aunty Shahana had cancer.

Blood Cancer.

As I drove through the roads of London, my anxious fingers kept rubbing my forehead as my charcoal eyes kept looking at the reports laying on the car seat besides me.

Stopping on a red signal, I thought of every time Amal sat with me on the very car seat.Everything looked so empty and plain without her.But I was living.Breathing but living.And so was everything else.

Sixty five days and thirteen hours had passed without her.And I was living yet again.Time moved forward quickly, it didn't wait for me.Time didn't stop so that I could stand back up.It didn't and so I had to move forward.To fulfill the promises I made to her.

And here I was, defeating time in the hardest of races of life.Striving on so that the time couldn't taunt me.

" Sir, you're next."A voice said making me look at the young girl as she walked out of the room opposite to where I sat on the plastic chairs.The smell of medicines and hospital filling my nostrils as I inhaled.

I nodded and tightened my hold on the papers in my hand.My heart beats fastened in anticipation of was to be revealed.

When finally my number came, I stood up from the chair.The air moving around me.I ran a hand through my dark hair strands before entering Dr.Brown's cabin.

" Good afternoon gentleman, how are you doin' ?"The old man asked making me smile.His white long beard resembling to that of a Santa Claus.His glasses were on the bridge of his nose as he looked up at me.

" I am good thank you."I responded sitting on the chair before him.

Extending the reports towards him, I indicated as to how he could help me.His wrinkled hands, unfolded the envelope before he pulled the reports out.

" Some months back a lady named Shahana came here for her checkup probably and-"

The loud sigh that escaped Dr.Brown's lips made me stop dead in my sentence.He look his glasses off as his once smiling expressions changed.

" She sure did come here.I had some doubts so I prescribed her some tests.And her report came out as confirmation of Blood cancer."He paused and looked down at the reports.

" Then-"I asked impatiently wanting to know all.

The old man looked up as his light green eyes bored in mine.

" This is all about two months before.So yeah, I told her honestly and there was a young woman with her too, perhaps she was-"

" She was my wife."I interjected.My cells coming to life hearing about Amal from someone else.

" Yes,well they both came and the lady was crying profusely not because she was diagnosed with cancer but because she had lost her home in her birthplace.She wanted to go back right away but your wife was not agreeing with her.Your wife was agreeing with us as we wanted to start her treatment yet my patient was not getting back from her words. "

He paused again and my mind started to absorb all of the information.

What??

" When your wife and I couldn't win over the persistence, we gave in.Shahana said that she'll die happily in her country and that she needed no treatment.Your wife was very unpleased but we had no other option.My assistant came three days ago with this report and asked me what to do so I told him to send it back on the given address."

Just as he stopped, a knock on the door sounded before a familiar face appeared before my eyes.

" My wife Dr.Emma."Dr.Brown said as she smiled.

" I have ready met Mr.Khan "Dr.Emma smiled as I returned her gesture.

" He is here for Shahana."Dr.Brown said as his wife came besides him.A frown etched the old woman's face as she looked my way.

" Amal was very stressed about her aunty's condition.She panicked in the hospital when she came to collect the reports.Poor soul, she has a very sensitive build.May God have mercy on all of us."This time I frowned.Where was I when all of this was happening.

" How is she?"

" Where are they?"

" Is Shahana getting treated?"

The questions numbed by ears, as I stood up.The voices becoming distant as I pushed open the door.I had no answer to any of their question, but the main reason wasn't that.The reason I left them unanswered as the soft voice murmuring against my ears like a mantra.

" I am indebted to Aunty and Sikander bhai.And I have always been.I had no parents.No sign of parents and aunty took me in.I can not imagine leaving her in time of need.I will always be indebted to all those who are around me.I will always be indebted to you too."

She had said the words once on a dark night as we ate our dinner together.I couldn't comprehend anything around me.As if on autopilot I walked out of the building and into my car.

My heart was telling me thousands pf things and so was my brain.But I didn't know what to chose.One thing was crystal clear now, that Amal never wanted to go- she was under pressure.Her sensitivity made her take such a huge step.I knew my Amal would never want to go away from me.She would never hurt me for her happiness but she could not even hurt her aunty on the other side.

Silly

She lied so well and took all the blame on herself.Not telling me a thing about Aunty Shahana's cancer and the reason of her leaving.

Just as my heart was blooming again, a new worry knocked on my mind as I recalled Imraan's words.

" Arsalan, my brother.They never came here.And no one knows where they went but if you say, I could look all through Pakistan for you."He said.

" No Imraan, She can never go away from me.If she's not there then she's in my heart.Just where she always was."

I had replied to him defeated.Sighing out, I turned the key bringing the engine to life.Driving to the office,I couldn't decide what to think.Suddenly all of the information was over loading.

And then I made a decision.

Opening the door to Bashar's office I found the man speak on the phone.His words and the irritation on his face clearing telling that his mother was phoning.

" Okay fine.Bye."He said lastly as I leaned against the window in his large room.

His blue eyes looking up at my charcoal ones.Raising a brow at me, he turned to the laptop before him.

" What?"Bashar was never the man to beat around the bush.And so was I with him.

" I want to attend to the training in New York."I said feeling the blue eyes follow me as I walked around the room.The man stood up from the chair as I sat on the sofa.Bashar joining me silently.

" Are you sure?"

" Yes."I said masking away all the emotion.

" You know, it would take months for the training."He said trying confirm the idea he had given me a few days back so that I could start anew.

" I know, and I have no problem with it.Because I cannot bear going back to an empty house where she lingers."I said the last words in the whisper.

Standing up from the sofa, I walked back to the window.Stuffing my hands in my pants pockets I heard Bashar speak,

" Okay then I'll email you all the details."He said going back to his chair.

I looked straight at the window.But I wasn't looking outside.I was looking at my reflection.

I was looking at my broken pieces, as my scars and wounds remained open.The broken pieces all patched up on my body to show the strong man I was.

***

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