CHAPTER 20

Shehry’s End

Hussain can’t you drive a bit faster?” Shehry said, irritated he was sitting with Hussain in Waqas’s Mustang, Waqas and Atif remained in Brooklyn while they both headed back towards NewYork.

“bhai am driving …… and please relax hum puhanch jaen ge bhabi k check in se pehle” Hussain was assuring him for like 10th time and Shehry moved his fingers in his hair. Anxiety was evident on his face, he was mentally cursing himself for the way he behaved with Maryam.

“I should have listened to her, how the hell I can behave in this way with Maryam, man!.... am such a….. such a

“Retarded jackass?.... Yes, you are Bhai, I agree” Hussain completed his sentence and Shehry kept quite. He took out his phone and tried Maryam’s number, but she didn’t pick up, he tried Mehru’s…. And there was again no response. He then texted Mehru about his coming to airport

“sorry Shehry, we just left her on the airport, she might have checked in already… don’t waste your energy now, and by the way you didn’t do good to her at all” he read her reply and punched on the dashboard hardly. Hussain literally jumped in his seat

“Bhai! Cool down… what happened?” he asked entering the airport

“Drop me here, you just park the car” Shehry instructed him and Hussain slowed down the speed, Shehry didn’t even wait the car to get stopped, he opened the door and jumped out

“hey! Bro watch out steady…..” Hussain got really worried and shouted back, but Shehry was already crossing the entrance

Shehry kept on running and pushing people, he ran to the check in area and started looking here and there but there was no sign of Maryam around

He dialed her number, but her mobile phone went unreachable “Shittttt!” he went to the check in counter and inquired

“Excuse me! Emirates’s  flight to Lahore, Pakistan… when is it due?” his expressions all lost as if he just had lost his most precious possession

“Sir, you can just check the status slide”…the blonde pointed towards the big screen …… “the check has already been completed and the boarding will start ……. With in 20 minutes” the blonde replied, looking at the computer screen and Shehry without even saying a word stepped back when he suddenly bumped by something hard

“Hey bro! What happened?......” it was Hussain

“She has checked in” Shehry said in a very lethargic tone and started taking slow small steps outside the airport. Hussain kept on walking behind him in complete silence. Once they came out Hussain lead the way to the car where he had parked and Shehry silently sat in.

“Bhai….. Come on, that’s okay man!” Hussain put a hand on his shoulder and he looked out of the window, lamenting on what he did and knowing that it was too late to even lament now.

They were on their way home when Shehry’s cell phone rang up;

“I am so sorry Shehryaar, I let you down, I know I should have told you, it was my fault, but right now am feeling a hole in my heart as if am alone in this world, I needed you by my side. You lied when you said that you will always be with me…. You are not with me, you are not here when I want you to be with me. I wanted to meet you before going to Pakistan, I wanted to see you before leaving. Now I don’t want anything. I don’t know how I am going to spend the next whole month”

Shehry read the message and kept on staring at the screen, his eyes moistened and heart was aching…. He couldn’t reply at all, he was feeling heartless that moment. Hussain looked at his face, he looked torn and terrible, Hussain again puts a hand on his shoulder and pat him

“Bhai don’t worry everything is going to be okay…. Let bhabi reach Pakistan, then get her number from Aqeel uncle and call her.” He said one hand on the steering one on his shoulder and Shehry nodded silently.

“I don’t know man! Am just feeling so lost” Shehry moved his fingers in his hair.

“I know, I understand Bhai…. But please relax now, what is done is done, you can't change it now so just relax your mind, ” he assured him.

“Man! I so want to hear her voice… I just want to see her face, her smile” Shehry’s heart was not at rest at all…. All he wanted was to change the past two days of his life, of Maryam’s life, how can he make her cry… why did he do that, his heart ache and he closed his eyes.

Maryam’s End

She was sitting in the first class Emirates boaing, her eyes wet and heart aching. All she wanted to see his face, his calm boyish smile, but at the top of everything she wanted a goodbye hug. His smile can make her day great, he was magic for her and she was missing that magic. She switched off her cell phone after sending him a text and put her head on the head rest and closed her eyes. Flights are always sad for her…..

Maryam landed on Lahore airport and after collecting her luggage she put her SIM in her cell and went to exchange some money and buy some credit… she called Aqeel, he was in hospital, she told him about her safe and sound landing and he, who was really worried for her, felt happy and satisfied

“Maryam beta enjoy your stay there and do call Ali, I had informed him about your arrival and strictly told him to reach at the airport to pick you up” Aqeel told her and she smiled, how caring he was about her…. In his presence for last few months she hardly missed the presence of a father.

“Thank you Chachoo, and do inform Mehru and Nabi and give a tight hug to both of them from my side” Maryam said and Aqeel smiled. They hung up and then she thought to inform Saba as well, so she dialed on their land line

“Hello!.....” it was Shehry and Maryam couldn’t utter a single word, she kept on standing there his voice was enough to bring tears in her eyes

“Hello….. Maryam?” Shehry said, his voice was all tired and lethargic. Maryam felt pain in his voice, but didn’t reply at all

“maryam is that you?... damn it! Talk to me” Shehry’s jaws tightened, he knew that it was hers, for last 18 hours he was waiting for her phone or text….

“Kia Hua beta? Who is this? And did Maryam call” Saba heard his voice and she came in the living room, Shehry reluctantly handed the receiver to her

“Hello!” Saba said softly

“Hell…. Hello! hello aunty… mein puhanch gai hoon theek se” Maryam stammered her tears rolled down her cheeks

“maryam beta tum ro rai ho?.... is everything okay?” Saba asked and Shehry at once looked at his mom’s face when he heard Maryam was crying, he looked down felt all embarrassed

“No aunty am fine, am just landed and going home now” Maryam said, trying to compose herself and Saba smiled. They hung up and when Saba turned she looked at Shehry who was standing as if he had lost his everything.

“Beta….. Shehry! Mere bache kia hua? You are looking so depressed” Saba put her hands on his shoulders

“Mom, I am not good at all… am so bad” Shehry said as if he was going to cry and hugged his mom. Saba patted his back

“Beta everything is going to be okay….. Give her some time, then talk to her” Saba said patting his back

Maryam came out of the lounge, dragging her only wheeler with herself. The first thing she saw was a white chart board in somebody’s hands with a writing on that in bold “Maryam Azaal from NewYork” Maryam stopped in her tracks when she saw the person holding that was not Ali neither Asad…. He was rather a young, dashing guy in his early twenties, holding the tag and smiling widely. Maryam slowly went near him and they looked at each other… then he smiled warmly at her and asked

“Are you Maryam Afzaal?” he asked showing her his perfect white teeth

“G… mein he hoon” maryam said, thinking he can’t be her brother’s driver because he was all dressed up in a chic way

“Oh! Thanks God you have come finally, you know am standing here for last one and a half hour, ” he said showing her his watch and Maryam felt uncomfortable

“Am sorry for the inconvenience, but who are you/” she asked trying hard not to become rude

“Ummm chalet chalet bataoon?” he smiled at her and took and extended his hand to take her wheeler when she suddenly stopped him

“It's okay… I can manage, where is Ali Bhai?” She asked again simply ignoring his sad face

“Am he had an important meeting at the office so he asked me last night to pick you up, ” he told her while they were heading towards the car

“Am really sorry… meri waja se ap ko takleef hui” maryam said and he put her bag in the car

“It was my pleasure Maryam and seriously doing anything for you is not a takleef” he said very casually, looking closely at her face and opened the front door for her… she looked at the opened door the she slowly moved and opened the back door.

“Hey!...... why not here?” he pointed towards the front seat

“Am comfortable here” Maryam this time said a bit harshly and ignored his sad face again. She closed her door and he took the driver seat.

“By the way… am Arsalan… Arsala Muzaffar” He looked in the back view mirror and said, Maryam hardly gave a fake smile and then she closed her eyes.” And by the way, you are beautiful Maryam Afzaal… more than I thought” he winked at her in the mirror and her blood started boiling

“Thank you very much I take it as a compliment… by the way I am no more Maryam Afzaal now, am Maryam Shehryaar” Maryam said a hint of pride in her voice but Shehry’s name even gave her pain in heart. Arsalan turned suddenly and faced her his expressions shocked

“I didn’t get that…. Care to explain?” his tone no more friendly and calm

“I am a married woman Mr Arsalan Muzaffar” she said firmly and showed him her wedding ring

“oh!.......” he could just say that and swiftly he put on his shades as if to hide his reactioncoming in his eyes and started the ignition rather sternly.

“I don’t know what this drama is all about now… I hope everything is okay”

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in one of the posh areas of the city, she quickly notices the place because her college was in the same locality, and she remembered how her brothers loved this place….. “ This is what you both wanted Bhai…. A big home made of mud and brick at a lavish place, a place with no relations or love, but luxuries only… worldly luxuries”she smiled sadly

Arsalan stopped the car in front of a big bungalow and thegunmann hurriedly opened the gate, he moved the car inside and parked it infront of the garage. Maryam after a couple of seconds opened the door and came out, she saw her bhabi (Sara) was already standing there with a smile on her face. She recognized that smile, but this time she couldn’t judge it was fake or not. She came close to her and hugged Maryam

“Maryam at last…. After so long dear, how are you” Sara said looking at her face and no matter how fake she was Maryam felt good to see her

“I am fine bhabi, how are you… you look good” Maryam said and smiled

“hahaha but you look very weak Maryam….. apna khayal nai na rakhti then tum” she said giving her a sad and concerned look and she smiled weakly

“ohooo Arsalan… am so sorry I just forgot everything after seeing Maryam after so many months, aao na come in” Sara said and Arsalan and Maryam went inside. The house was lavishly decorated and Maryam could feel how costly her father’s house was sold

Maryam sat on the big leather sofa in the middle of a huge hall, luxuriously furnished and Arsalan sat just in front of her and kept on giving her smiles and looking at her face. Maryam felt very uncomfortable in his presence.

“Maryam! Arsalan se to tum mil he li ho gi……. Bara he piyara bacha hea MashaAllah…. He works with Ali as the head  HR in his company, and Arsalan you have already met Maryam… hamari bari he laadli bachi hea ye . Sara introduced them, Maryam could sense something fishy in her tone. She looked up and saw a dark shade on Arsalan’s face his grin was suddenly no more on his face and his gaze was piercing through her eyes… she looked away

“bhabi how is Aliya bhabi and Asad bhai?” Maryam asked

“They are good, happy you know, they always wanted to live separately maryam” she said, faking a sad smile and Maryam literally wanted to roll her eyes at her but didn’t…

“acha Maryam you better take some rest… the food is about to get ready in a while” Sara said and Maryam nodded

“Um… Arsalan why don’t you show Maryam her room” Sara said and Maryam looked at her in shock.

“Yeah, sure… with pleasure” Arsalan said Maryam felt there was something in his tone that alarmed her. He got up and showed her the way. Maryam reluctantly followed him upstairs. She was not feeling good at all…. They came upstairs and Arsalan turned into the lobby and showed her her room. The door was closed and right when he was about to open the knob Arsalan held extended his hand and their hands touched… Maryam hurriedly backed off, her face color all drenched and Arsalan smirked. He opened the door and entered Maryam entered kept on standing near the door as if wanted to run away.

“Thank you… I can manage now” Maryam said in a very uncomfortable way and Arsalan instead of leaving the room came closer to Maryam and while putting one hand on the wall above Maryam’s head he leaned closer to her face. Maryam tried to get disappear into the wall at her back

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” she spatted

“I am just looking at your beautiful face…. I admire beautiful people you know” Arsalan said in a husky voice and right when he was about to bring his other hand near her face, she turned her face away and closed her eyes tightly

“Don’t you dare come close to me….. I told you am married, can’t you understand? Don’t you have least respect for women?” Maryam asked feeling disgusted

“You are too naïve or you are too clever baby…. Either way, it's not going to work with me, your brother had a deal with me and there is no way am going to forget that… keep this in your little brain” Arsalan spatted at her and left her standing there all shocked, as if she was paralyzed

“And don’t you dare show that bloody ring of yours again to me…. Better throw it away baby” Arsalan turned to face her again and said like an order.

Maryam looked in the space not knowing what to do… what to say. her fate cheated on her again.