CHAPTER 6:  MARYAM AT SHEHRY'S PLACE

 They arrived home and Shehry carefully carried her inside and put her in Maha’s room. Maha was terrified to see all that and Hussain took her hand and warmly smiled at her to assure all was okay, she had never seen her brothers like that; worried all she had always seen was a huge smile on their faces

“Bhai who is she?” She went and tugged Shery’s pent and asked

“Hey! She…. ummmm she is a friend, just got fainted because of cold, so we brought her here” Shehry calm her down

“ what is fainting?” And which friend I have never seen her before……” she innocently asked

“Yeah, she is our new friend u remember! Our drama? She is our heroine in that…. Now go call dad” Hussain scooted down to her and said with a smile and Maha went out to call their dad

“ Beta call Aqeel Bhai…..ise Buht tez bukhar ho rah ea” mum said after touching Maryam’s forehead

“Yeah mum lemme call him” Hussain said and took out his phone. Aqeel was a doctor plus their family friend.

“Hey! What happened…. who is she saba?” Their father entered and after looking at Maryam asked his wife

“pata nai Atif k block mein rehne aai thi bechari shaid ….ghar walon ne ghar se nikal diya….pakistani lagti hea Shehry bata rat ha” Saba said

“Shehry?.......And how come you know her Shehry?” His father looked thoughtfully towards him

“AAA! Dad…. I’ll let you know latter, I think Aqeeel uncle has come…..” Shehry excused and right at the moment the doctor entered…..

“Aqeel thanks God you have come here is the girl” Saba said and got up from the bed. Aqeel went towards the bed and suddenly he stopped in his track

“Maryam?......What is she doing here?” Aqeel got stunned to see her over there and turned to Asif

“Uncle u know her?” Shehry asked

“ Yeah, how can I forget her, she is my best friend’s only daughter…. Maryam Afzaa” Aqeel said, looking at Maryam rather worriedly

“But what is wrong with her?” He said and sat beside her he took hold of her wrist and examined her, she was in high fever and her clothes were still wet

“Saba bhabi I think you should change her clothes she won't get rid of this fever, otherwise…. am giving her an injection, but I don't know, she has eaten anything lately or not……” Aqeel looked really worried and sad as well

After giving her the injection Aqeel along with Shehry and his dad went to the hall and Saba asked Hussain to bring Maryam’s suitcase inside so that she can change her clothes.

After few minutes Maryam was changed into fresh clothes and Maha was only left behind with her the rest were in the hall…..

“Maha take care of her okay, dear and don’t make noise she is sleeping” Saba kissed Maha’s forehead and went out

“Aqeel uncle if you know her then you must know Rohan as well….” Shehry asked him

“Rohan?.....No, I don’t know any Rohan? Who is he? “ Aqeel asked

“Ummm, actually where I found her… she was banging somebody’s door pleading him to open it, but… am the person was not opening actually he has literally thrown her out…. I saw all that his name was Rohan” Shehry explained and Aqeel’s expression got grave

“I don't know what is happening in her life man…. Don't know who this Rohan is…. I hope she is okay, I don’t understand what is she doing here? Aai kab wo yahan US? It's so strange to see her here” Aqeel said

“Ummmm, she arrived today I guess… we saw her at the airport when we went to receive Waqas”… even Shehry didn’t know she did arrive today but yesterday

Meanwhile Saba brought a tray of tea and some snacks and put it on the middle table. Hussain handled the tray from his mother’s hand and started making tea for everyone.

“Aqeel bhai bataiye kuch maryam k bare mein, itni piyari bachi hea MashaaAllah najane kese is hal mein survive ker rai hea” Saba was a real kind hearted lady

“bhabi Maryam is my best friend’s daughter, Afzaal Ahmad. He was a very reputed man rich, respectable and really worth a praise we used to be pall since our high school, went to medical college together… I still remember my father hadn’t much to pay for myself finance studies Afzaal was the one who supported me and never said a word… we did our practices together in the same hospital… then I came here for specialization while he was always patriotic to the land decided to serve in Pakistan. After many years when I went to Pakistan I met him and his family bhabi was a definite classic lady they had twin sons and then came Maryam, she was the apple of their eyes intelligent, sober yet very cute…. You know bhabi… his family was the happiest family I have ever seen..Asad and Ali got married at the same time… apas ki bat hea mujhe Afzaal ki bahuen bilkul pasand nai then pata nai q they didn’t just fit in the family…. And then one dark day… Afzaal, bhabi and Maryam got into a terrible accident, bhabi passed away on the spot while Afzaal died a couple of years later… I always wanted to pay him back for the courtesies he had shown for me always but I just couldn't pay him back…..And…. Maryam was left alone terrible poor kid……” Aqeel’s eyes got wet, Asif tapped his shoulder, Saba was already weeping…..Hussain and Shery were stunned, may be because they were a happy little family and they have never even thought about sufferings

“Yeah, I… I heard from a friend that her brothers found her a match, but then I didn’t get any news about that…… in fact, just 3 years back when I visited Pakistan I went to Lahore specially to meet her…. She was so happy to see me… just a couple of days back my arrival, she got a gold medal she had topped her college in bachelors…. Such a gifted child Azaal and bhabi must be proud of her…..”Aqeel said thoughtfully

“Aqeel yarr…. Have some tea its getting cold” Asif try to soothe him

“yarr do let me inform once she is up…..And feel free to call me anytime if there is any trouble….” Aqeel after having tea got up

“Sure man, thank you v much” Asif hugged him and he went to leave

“Hey! I owe u ppl this…. Thank you v much for making me see her once again” Aqeel said with a tear in his eyes and off he goes.

After being with her for an hour Saba felt that she is now in a deep sleep so she thought to take Maha in her room and let her sleep peacefully, so she called Shehry who was in the hall doing something on his laptop

“Yup, mom?” Shehry came inside 

“beta mein soch rai hoon Maha to apne sath le jaoon tum aesa karo ise utha k mere room mein letaa do…” Saba pointed towards Maha and left the room.

For a couple of seconds Shehry couldn’t move he kept on looking at Maryam. “How can someone bare so much suffering,, so much pain… she must be strong, man” he said to himself and went to pick Maha up while he was picking her up, his gaze went to her left cheek once again…. He seriously felt bad for her and he hated whoever had done that… don't know what made him do that, but he touched her cheek the finger print were still there right then Maraym started to nudge she started shaking her head left to right Shehry suddenly moved aside from the bed…..Maryam was looking terribly disturbed as if she was in hell pain….

“nai… na..nai… Amman!...Amman! nai… Amman please mat jaiye… Amman I need you… Am… Aman!” Maryam was yelling in her sleep moving in bed, her eyes were shut tight…. Shehry couldn’t think of anything he called his mum, but she didn’t respond, maybe she was in the bathroom or maybe just slept away, she wasn’t used to getting up late… Shehry went near her and tried to hold her head or shoulder or arm…. Anything but he just couldn’t she was shaking and yelling.

“o! Shit Maha….” Shehry knew Maha would get up and if she will see her like this she will freak out….

Just when he was trying to do something Saba entered in the room

“kia Hua?....Shehry what's wrong? She asked and went to Maryam

“Maryam…. MAryam beta open your eyes”

“Amman…..mat jaiye mujhe le jaiye apne sath….Aman!...Amaaaaaaan!” Last time she yelled aloud and with a sudden jerk she got up straight her eyes wide open, sweat all over her face… panting heavily she looked around her then at Saba….

“Maryam?....Beta you must have seen a dream…..Are you okay?” Saba asked while she removes sweat from her forehead with a tissue

“Mum…. May be she needs some water….” Shehry handed Saba a glass of water and she made her drink… Maryam drank as if there was no tomorrow she didn’t remember when the last time she drank water….

“You okay darling?” Saba put the glass back

“Mo… more…. More water please”… Maraym said and Saba smiled Shehry went to bring it and this time he brought a jug….

“Maryam beta how are you feeling now?...Don’t worry Apna he ghar samjho…. I am Saba and ye Maha hea… my daughter”… Saba introduced herself and then when Maryam looked at sleeping Maha she said

Shehry was still standing there when suddenly Maryam looked at him… this time he wasn't wearing any hoodies and his face was bright, clear… Maraym noticed him and fear spread over her face… Shehry felt her discomfort which wasn’t pleasing this time…. So he left the room silently

“Wo…wo kon thy?.....Maryam asked Saba

“He is my son… Shehryaar… there is another Hussain, but he must be sleeping, tomorrow is his some important presentation at school” Saba smiled

“M really sorry aunty……. I must have bothered you all a lot” Maryam said and looked down

“Ohio… no, sorry worry okay?....You are just like Maha you know..When I first saw you I felt as if Maha was crying in front of me” Saba said the pain was evident on her face

“ I.. I think I should be leaving now…” Maryam suddenly said

“Leaving?....nai nai but how can you leave at this hour” Saba got worried

“What is the time?” Maryam asked

“It's 2 in the morning beta” Saba looked at the clock at the back

“Oh! Then I will leave in the morning: Maryam said and Saba smiled even more

“kaheen nai ja rai ho tum,……oka! Stay here now sleep well” Saba patted her back and stood up

“Hey! You must be hungry right? Let me bring u something to eat first”

Saba said and went out of the room…..Maryam lay down again and started thinking….

Ub ye konsa naya morr hea? Ya Allah! Ub kia hone jar aha hea meri zindagi mein itne twists q hen Allah….