"Shouldn't you be asking your parents if they want something? They haven't moved an inch since they arrived at the hospital."

Taking her chances — knowing very well that she would inflict on her sore heart the fury of her husband, and perhaps the taunts of her mother in law who was still a bit skeptical about their sudden marriage.

"Alayna I don't want to fight you right now, but we've got this under control. Just don't create unnecessary ruckus."

"What do you mean? Unnecessary ruckus? Who do you take me for? This disrespect will cost you a lot!" She whisper yelled.

"Boy am I scared!"

Emir rolled his eyes. Resting his head against the cool plaster walls of the hospital he was forced to stare at the bright white lights of the waiting room. Each moment was shrouded in heavy silence and anticipation, as the doors swiveled by and by, the anticipation in their blood curdled ten times more. It was a painful realization, his own chest filled up with a stabbing pain the tightness inside his ribs squeezed the life out of him. His eyes pinched shut, a steady stream of tiny vibrations littered the left side of his face. A dryness like the Sahara filled his mouth as Emir waited for the doctors to announce their verdict.

A long week had passed and the pain invoked inside their chests had yet to dull. Their had been no communication between his mother and her best friend. Their was a cease fire amongst their affections. Unknown to the situations on both the sides, they let hate build up without reason. Emir had spent more than a handful of hours comforting his mother, his wide shoulders just enough for her head to nuzzle on to and sob. He had, disregarded his duties towards his wife who was rushing in and out, looking after their affairs in the hospital and making sure that they were looked after — all the while her own spirits had taken a toll.

"E-Emir?"

"Madre?"

He ran to her side, sinking to his knees. Her hands clasped his in a death tight grip. The reddened eyes rose and took in the sight of the young woman pacing around the room. The curls of her hair softly tumbled over her shoulders and the deep dark circles that had marked her once supple skin, gave birth to feelings of pity inside her heart.

"Janice khala?"

The breathy, familiar voice broke the depth of silence inside the room. Alayna froze in her location, Yusuf looked at Lilah with clear eyes, Janice neared her figure as Emir tried to maintain peace. He hoped for his brother's sake that things would not go wrong — the hopeless lover inside Taimoor that had just been given birth to deserved to thrive.

"Where did you go? Why did you do this to my son?" Janice's tone was free of all former affections.

"I had- had to go. Na–nanu was in a coma." She whimpered.

"What?"

"Y-yes. I pr-promise Janice khala I want to marry Taimoor. I wouldn't have hurt him like this. Can I — can I see him?"

"Oh Lilah!"

Janice hugged the tired girl to her bosom. Kissing the top of her head the two women cried tears of anguish and pain, reinstating Alayna's belief that she would never have a mother figure in her life. Wiping the tear that fell down her soft cheek, she stepped out of the room. All of them — they already looked like a family and she in no way was hoping to be a third wheel in their moments.

Cool winds blew outside the hospital, following behind an upset Alayna who had slipped out almost unnoticed. Her legs walked with a mind of their own, without any thoughts, she crossed the busy roads, passing into a garden nearby. Sinking her weight on to the first bench she found Alayna raised her legs to her chest. Soft, painful cries escaped her lips and lay themselves to rest on the satin material of her trousers. Her shoulders shook violently, the dark abyss of inanimate pain that she had feared, was once more taking over.

"Alayna?"

Emir's calm voice gave birth to a frenzy inside her heart. Peaking from between her arms she shuffled to the other side, making some space for him — all the while keeping the words that fought to roll off of her tongues to herself.

"Alayna why are you being like this?"

"Why am I being like this? Do you hear yourself Emir? Your mother has subjected me to taunts for forcing her son to marry me. When you could have easily walked away — but no! Khud ko bara aadmi bannay ka shoq tha tou uss chakar mein mujhe hamesha keh liye zaleel karna theek samjha ap nai. Ap kyun nahi samajhte mein thak chuki hun. Aur bardasht nahi hai mujh mein!" She said.
[You had the passion for being the bigger person but for that you've gotten me the right of being ridiculed forever. Why don't you understand I'm tired. I can't handle it anymore!]

"I—I'm sorry. I didn't know that's how you felt Alayna."

"Theek sai baat kartay nahi tou ap ko kaisay pata chale ga? Apni aulad ki ghalti ki saza de rahi hain woh mujhe. All mother's are the same!"
[You don't even talk properly to me so how would you know? She's holding me accountable for the mistake of her own son.]

"Listen—"

"I'm sorry Alayna. You're right, it's not your fault. Maybe this is how it was meant to happy. Please forgive me."

Janice who had followed them out, apologized.

Alayna stared into her eyes. Searching through the stormy abyss of her eyes for lies. Only upon finding no signs of betrayal did she nod her head. Her heart wanted her to apologize, to explain that she shouldn't have to say those words — but then the rational part inside her brain, the one that was held responsible by her mother and then by her mother in law, wanted those words. They were like cool water falling on to the red, hot burns of her skin. Soothing her soul, they gave her a bit of her respect back, and the glint of mysteriousness made itself back into her eyes.

📜

Emir sipped on the roasted coffee, mulling over the deep flavor that washed down his throat. It's velvety embrace languished the scratchy feeling inside his muscles, it calmed the red flesh and he felt relief flood his veins. The throbbing that pounded against his skull settled for the first time in a few hours, his mouth dry like the desert, sandy as the beach, gained back some of it's life the longer he sipped on the coffee. Crossing the ends of his ankles over each other, he placed them on the velveteen foot rest.

His phone rang beside him, only to go unnoticed. He was lost, deep in thought to far gone in the abyss of his own mind. What was? What would be? He questioned with all that he was. Returning from Pakistan, his younger brother married and his wife in England, he had way more time on his hands than he thought. In the midst of all action, at the end of the day, when his tired body lay on the bed in frozen motion, as his hands gripped the pillow and then the strands of his hair in a tight, squeezing grip, he realized something very important. The notion made his heart still and the burden that weighed down on his body like concrete rocks floated into the air like tufts of white cotton candy.

Leaping off of the grandfather chair nestled in the crook of their lounge, he dashed out of the door, his fingers slamming against the glass screen of his phone. With an undefeated urgency he ran with a force unlike ever seen. His heart beat increased ten folds and the loudness of his beat was palpable in the tips of his thumbs. Tiny snow flakes fell into the oily coils of his hair — ever since she had returned home he had failed to do even the minutest of jobs. She had left, taking with her the sun that were her eyes, the joy that were her words and the spirit that was her presence. Leaving behind an ever widening hole of disappointment.

His calves burned and the muscles of his lower abdomen clenched in a tightness. He licked the dry skin of his cracked lips, tasting the remnants of coffee on them. Emir squinted his eyes as the vision was covered in a morbid white. It was like the insides of his body, the warmth and gentle red of his flesh that throbbed with life brimming in all it's capacity — had lost it all. Withering away, until it was but a mess of dead limbs and nerves, the feelings inside of him lost to the cold outside. Practically useless, to the point that his own father had to kick him out of the kitchen at more than one incident.

His breath fogged in-front of his eyes, much like his thoughts that like a cerulean storm over the foggy seas with their threatening torrents would crush all that ever walked into it's paths. Emir's eyes filled with clear tears and inched nearer by the second to his lashes, tightening his fingers under the leather gloves he had thrown on in the last minute before he dashed out of the door. Placing his wrist in the chilly air he waved at a taxi, throwing his weight inside Emir whisper yelled his destination, resting his head against the cold window.

"Sir you okay?"

The driver looked at him from the view finder, Emir's worry stricken eye brows that were in a fight against each other, gave away his thoughts — the painful thoughts.

"Yeah I'm fine."

The Italian man, with blue eyes and a sun kissed skin nodded, still skeptical over the man's reply.

"You don't sound so sure, but okay."

The rest of the ride was full of silence. Emir rested his head on the car's seat, rolling his finger around the ring he wore. Slipping it in and out of his grip, he sighed. Underneath his breath he cursed, in silence and in pain. Paying his fare he walked into the large building. Bagless, with nothing but the weight of his head on his shoulders walked towards the aisle. Typing away a long note addressed to his parents, he sent into the family group, that now had one new addition.

"When is the first flight to England?"

"First flight of the day? Or the next one?

The woman at the desk raised her brows, her lips painted red, pointed upwards on the left side as she waited for him to reply.

"The next one!"

Emir groaned.

"In fifty minutes, only one seat available in the economy class."

"I'll take it."

A few minutes later, he boarded the plane, sliding into the aisle seat he squeezed his legs. The leg room made it almost impossible for his legs to relax. Sweating he wiped his sweaty brow, staring out of the window, the seat beside him still unoccupied. Snowfall, tiny short flakes that were falling on the tarmac stopped shortly and the plane took flight. Emir, despite the regret he faced as soon as the young children behind him began crying violently and stabbing his seat with their shoes, let out a breath of relief. It was only a matter of moments now.

His fist smacked the red wooden door of his wife's childhood home. She was pissed at him — he had refused to accompany her to her home. He ceaselessly hit his fist, not caring that the splinters of wood were crushing against his skin. The door opened and a woman, he remembered remotely from the fashion magazines his mother purchased when he was a kid. He pushed past her, coming face to face with Alayna's sobbing frame.

"Emir?"

"Alayna I—"

"You what?"

"I love you."