I HATE you too

Bitter reality

The world was still revolving. The streets were busy with people rushing to their destinations except for one. She stood there like a corpse, the only proof of her living was her heavy breathing. For 5 years, she suffered physically and mentally in that jail, yet she was not prepared for what she saw a few moments ago. Amaan stood there along with his wife and his son.

What was I to him then? A curse? What did he call me on that in court? He meant each word he said, she thought.

A rushing passerby bumped into her shoulder, yet she didn’t flinch.

“Are you blind? Stand somewhere else, why bother the passer-by?” he yelled at her while walking away in a hurry.

Abruptly she started laughing; she laughed like a maniac, earning a frightened look from onlookers. No one knew why she was laughing, but she laughed. She laughed till she couldn’t breathe, and she had to hold on to a nearby light pole to support her body. When she stopped and closed her eyes, a drop of tear escaped from her eye.

She was looking at the ring on her finger, tracing it with her thumb. She saw an old homeless couple on the street, who were shielding their two children from the scorching sun's rays. She walked towards them. They raised their heads to look at her expectedly.

“I am just like you. Please don’t look at me with expectations,” Asmaira said in her low voice.

“But I have something which is of no use to me. Maybe it can help you,” and with that, Asmaira removed her ring and placed it in the woman’s hand.

The couple looked at that diamond ring and were astonished at her generosity. They were about to bless her when she interrupted them, “Don’t give me blessings, then it will give me false hope that God will bless me. Take care,” and with that, she left the puzzled couple behind.

“Do you know where they went?” Asmaira was asking one of the neighbors.

“I think my husband might know. By the way, who are you to that old couple?” the neighbor lady asked Asmaira.

“Acquitant,” Asmaira said without blinking.

“Oh, I thought you were their daughter. Something unfortunate happened to their family, poor soul. I wish God would help them in their crisis,” and with that, she left and called her husband.

Asmaira was grateful to that lady for helping her find where her parents left after selling their house.

Why did they sell the house? She was anxious on hearing the revelation.

When she reached the address the neighbor gave, she was shocked. It was a slum area with no basic amenities. It was an old building with multiple unorganized rooms stuffed with more people than that place could accommodate.

She went on to the first floor and knocked on the second door. She heard a woman coughing while saying, “Who is it?”

Asmaira couldn’t reply. She knew to whom that voice belonged. She was overwhelmed to hear Suraiya’s voice after 5 years, how she longed to listen to her parent’s voice. When Suraiya opened the door on not hearing any response, she froze.

She saw her daughter looking pale and haggard. What shocked her was that she was not expecting her to be released from jail so soon.

“Hello, Ammi, can I come in?” Suraiya broke down on hearing her daughter.

“Asmaira, my baby, you came back,” Suraiya was wailing while holding her daughter in a firm hug.

“Yes Ammi, I came back…” but her words were stuck in her mouth when she saw Ehsan lying on an old bed covered in torn bed sheets.

“Abbu…” she whispered, but there was no response. How can she expect an answer from a person suffering from paralysis?

Asmaira was aghast and looked at her mother for answers. What happened to her family in those 5 years? Why did they leave their house, where was her brother, and most importantly, what happened to her father?

“Everything is finished, Aashi, everything is ….” Suraiya sobbed.

“Where is Hassan?” There was anger when she asked about her brother. Suraiya looked down and said, “ He is not here with us.”

“Where is he? How could he leave you like this?” she said with a raised voice.

“Do you want to meet him?” Suraiya asked with an unknown emotion.

When her mother asked whether she wanted to meet her brother, she never thought her answer would lead her to the graveyard. There she stood in front of his grave; memories of the past flashed right through her.

My sister never liked Kabir and wanted to get rid of him. She had already transferred his share of the property to her name and planned to kill him, claiming it was an accident. When I got to know about her intentions, I tried to stop her, but it was like she was not my sister anymore; she was someone else.

“Why did you do this to me, Hassan?” she said, but there were no tears. It was as if all her tears had dried up, and she forgot how to cry. If it was old Asmaira, she would have wept hysterically and would have been shattered, but the woman standing in front of her brother’s grave was someone else.

“I can’t even curse you now, can I?” she said again, but to no one.

After a few minutes of silence, she spoke again, “Don’t worry about Abbu and Ammi. I’ll take care of them. It’s funny, after what you did to me, I still can’t hate you, brother. I love you and will always do. I don’t understand why you lied that day in court.”

She sighed and added, “Whatever happened in the past, I can’t change it, but I’ll never blame you when luck was never on my side. You can rest in peace now. I forgive you.”

She stayed there for a few more minutes, clearing her brother’s grave and the surroundings. From the look of it, Asmaira could tell it was not frequently visited.

Mrs. Asmaira Hashmi, based on the testimony given by the witnesses, Amaan Hashmi and Hassan Sheikh, you are found guilty of attempting to murder Kabir Hashmi. The court hereby sentences you to 10 years in jail.

Amaan, please listen to me. I didn’t do anything; believe me, I could never think of hurting Kabir.

You take me as a fool; I saw you with my Goddamn eyes. If I hadn't come early that day, you would have killed my Kabir. Kabir himself said you were trying to kill him.

Kabir is a child. He doesn’t know what he is saying. How can you think I’d try to harm him? He is my son.

No Asmaira Sheikh, he is mine and Raina’s son.

Amaan, there is a misunderstanding. Please listen to me once. I don’t want to go to jail; I am scared, please. I love you with all my heart. Think about our kids, Kabir and Raina. They can’t live without me.

That’s where you are wrong. I’ll make sure they forget about you. And the place you are going to, you deserve it. Never come back to my life again, or I’ll kill you with my own hand—a happy life in jail, Aashi.

Amaan, please, I am pre……….