Meeting Dr. Yahya aka Papa.

It has been a few days after what happened and Shyra was feeling better and so was her ankle. It is all thanks to the help of Ayra and her father who never left her alone.

Shyra decided that it was time for her to go and meet Ayra's Papa because of how much she talked about him.

Imran was thankful that she agreed at her own pace which was better than being forced.

"Shyra, if you arent ready, he will understand..."

"No, thats not it. Are we going to see him at the office, right?" Shyra asked while Imran nodded. "I am just nervous about how the meeting will go," she added.

"I know what you mean but if you ever feel uncomfortable you can just tell him and he will understand and know what to do," Imran says and then opens the door of the car for Shyra.

Ayra couldn't be with them as she had school and wouldn't be home until late in the afternoon.

"Thank you, but you didnt need to drive me, I could have taken an Uber or even a taxi there," Shyra says.

"I know but I had promised Ayra that I would go with you to see her Papa and I can't let her down," he explained to her smiling.

This made Shyra smile knowing how much that little girl was with her father.

"Can I ask you a question?" Shyra asks.

"Sure, feel free to ask me anything," Imran answers as he starts the car.

"What did Ayra do when you told her about her mother and everything that happened to her?" Shyra asks cautiously not wanting to upset Imran with the question.

"She asked a lot of questions. Like where was her mother now? But overall she did cry but Dad and I assured her that her mother loved her so much that she would want her to be happy and smiling all the time," Imran says smiling thinking of the memories of her sister. "When my sister was in high school, she would sneak chocolates for us before dinner. And our father would try and scold us but couldn't because of our mother. She would love to pamper us even if we were almost grown up," he added reminiscing over the memories he has with his family.

"I would have loved to meet your sister and I would have liked her because of the way you speak about her," Shyra says looking out of the window as the rain starts to fall. "And I bet her character is almost the same as Ayra, right?" She asks.

"Yes, and it wasn't surprising to see how Ayra acted in almost the same way as Jasmina did. It was like they were twins," Imran says. "I would normally ask myself who is the grown-up between me and her? Because of the way she would tell me to do things," he added laughing.

This made Shyra smile and laugh along with him.

In about twenty minutes, they arrived at the building where Dr. Yahya's office was.

"We are here. Don't worry my father is someone you can joke around with and finds humor in everything he sees and does," Imran says assuring Shyra who took a deep breath before walking out of the car with him.

Bismillah.

They both walked into the building and then Imran led her to one of the elevators.

"Push the third button," Imran tells Shyra as she is near the buttons which she does.

"Thank you again for doing this for me. And if it wasn't for Ayra I dont know where I would be..."

"Don't think about the past. Look at the bright future that awaits you," Imran says while the elevator stops at the floor of his father's office. "We are here, this way," he added leading Shyra to the right side.

This is it, Shyra. The help that I will need and in shaa Allah I will get better for my best friends who are waiting for me to come home. Especially, now that Saira and Iman are getting married in a month. Plus meeting Armaan.

Shyra took a deep breath while walking behind Imran who walked toward a secretary.

"Hey, is my father in? Shyra has an appointment with him," he tells her pointing at me.

"Yeah, he is. Would you like me to let him know that she is here?" she asked Imran who nodded. She then picked up the phone and spoke to him. "Okay I will let her know," she added putting down the phone.

"You can go in but he also told me that if you feel nervous Imran will go in with you," she explained to Shyra.

"I think I will go in alone if you don't mind," Shyra asks looking at Imran who nods.

"I will be waiting for you right here."

Shyra nodded and walked to the door, she slowly knocked and then turned the doorknob when she heard a faint 'come in'

She looked at Imran who was sitting in one of the waiting chairs staring back at her and giving her an encouraging smile.

Shyra walked in to find a man behind the desk. He was wearing glasses and a basketball attire from head to toe.

"Asalam Aleikum..."

"Waleikum Salaam, welcome and take a seat, Shyra. I will be right with you," Dr. Yahya says not even looking up.

So Shyra took a seat in one of the big couches and waited for him to finish what he was doing on his desk.

"I am sorry about that," Dr. Yahya says getting up from his chair and walking up to take a seat opposite of where Shyra was sitting. "First before we start, I will ask you a few questions, is that okay with you?" He asked her.

"That's okay," Shyra replies in a small voice.

"You don't need to be afraid of me, my dear. I am here to help you," he says giving her a small smile. " This is a safe place, don't worry about what we talk about. Can you tell me what you wish in life?" he asks surprising Shyra with the question

"To be free of the nightmares in my life. To let fear win, to be able to see my friends again without having to fear what would happen if he saw me again," she answers him.

"What else?"

"To be the daughter that my parents wanted me to be. And to make them proud but I can't do that because he ruined everything for me. He ruined my future, my life and I couldnt even do anything..."

When Dr. Yahya saw the tears in Shyra's eyes, he knew that she would need more than therapy. She would need to learn how to forgive herself for what happened to her.

"Shyra, do you know why you are here?" He asks her.

"To get help and to heal myself from the pain and trauma," she says to him.

"I will give you a few exercises for you to do, okay?" He asks her. "One, I want you to write something good about yourself every day when you wake up. Two, I want you to treat yourself better and for the final exercise I want you to smile whenever someone smiles at you. Until your next appointment," he added.

Dr. Yahya's methods are different from any other therapist. He didnt want to use the same approach of the patient laying on the couch while talking.

He wanted them to heal themselves as it was the only way that they could get over what they had.

Shyra nods.

"But now, I need you to describe something for me," he says holding up an image of a lion capturing a gazelle.

"Weak."

Then he held a different image but this time a child in her mother's arms.

"Protection."

This went on for a few minutes before Dr. Yahya decided that Shyra would need to let her anger out before it poisons her heart and mind.

"At our next appointment, I will ask my son to take you somewhere. Don't worry I will be there waiting," Dr. Yahya tells her. "You do the exercises I told you about until the next appointment which will be in a week, in shaa Allah," he added writing in his diary.

He continued to ask questions and Shyra kept answering as best as she could but one thing was sure was that she would need to get all the anger out of her.

Everyone has a right to get angry but they shouldn't let it get in their way of living. They shouldn't let anger destroy what is pure in their hearts and soul.