Contacts OF Hearts

Dua Is Not Feeling Well

Everyone gathers at the breakfast table.

Ani is also there today. Ans is already present.

But Ani ignores him. And Ans isn’t even looking at her at all. He’s just ignoring her.

Ani is not liking this at all.

Yes, she was angry with Ans, but how could she bear his coldness?

So she also sits quietly and starts having breakfast.

Then she says to Miss Ajmal,

"Mumma, listen. Mumma, today on the way back I’ll go to my friend’s house with brother to give her the invitation.

Do I have your permission?"

"Yes, yes beta. If brother is with you then you definitely have my permission."

"Okay, fine. Then if I get a little late, please don’t worry."

"Yes, okay beta. But still call and let me know."

"Okay Mumma, fine."

She finishes breakfast. Ali and she leave for university.

Ans’s heart feels like it’s wounded.

Ans thinks Ani is ignoring him.

Ani thinks Ans is ignoring her.

It was such an emotional situation.

The whole family is at the breakfast table except Zain, because mister is still sleeping.

Reena doesn’t like Ali’s cold behavior at all.

She’s drinking tea and making weird faces, thinking to herself:

"No problem Ali. Ignore me as much as you want.

The right time will come and I’ll definitely give you an answer for this."

After both of them leave, she says to Miss Ahmad Mohad:

"Mumma, I also had to talk to you."

"Yes child, speak."

"Mumma, I want to go to my friend’s today.

When Zain wakes up, tell him to drop me."

"Okay child. That’s surprising, isn’t it?"

"Yes, it’s just that I haven’t gone out in so long.

I really feel like going out a bit. And I was thinking, after telling you I’ll call her too.

What do you people say?"

"Yes beta, why would we say no?"

Then Miss Ajmal also says,

"Yes yes Reena she’s like your own sister. Call her."

"Yes Aunt."

The Khan family had no shortage of anything.

But when it came to the daughters of their house, they didn’t trust anyone.

Yes, they did have drivers. But they only used them when it was absolutely necessary to take the household members somewhere.

But Annie, Minkii and Reena were not allowed to go anywhere with the driver.

They would only go out with their brothers, or with Ali.

Like, really every day Ali himself would drop Annie to university.

Earlier they had arranged a van for her, but Annie had a lot of trouble in the van.

So for the past one and a half to two weeks, he himself drops her off and picks her up.

Before going to office he drops her, and after office he brings her straight home.

......

"Dua, Dua beta get up. Aren’t you going to university today?"

Nazima is waking up Dua, who is still sleeping. It’s already 7:45.

Dua has never slept this late before, so Nazima gets worried about her and goes to wake her up.

First she thought, "Let the child sleep a bit. Maybe she studied late last night."

But when it got really late, she herself came to wake Dua.

"Come on beta, get up," she says, running her hand through Dua’s hair.

"Hmm, Mamma," Dua says, stretching. "Let me sleep."

"Beta, it’s time for university. You’re still sleeping? Don’t you have to go?

If you don’t want to go somewhere, that’s fine too. Just tell me."

Dua rubs her eyes, opens them and says while getting up,

"Ohh God, my head."

"What happened beta? Are you okay?" Nazima asks worriedly.

"Yes Mamma, my head just hurts a little. Actually I couldn’t sleep last night. I fell asleep very late."

"Hmm, oh... it’s already 7:45," she says, looking at the clock.

"Yes beta, that’s why I came to wake you. My university time is almost here. I have to reach by 8."

"Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you. Ohh. But beta, if you’re not feeling well then don’t go today. It’s okay."

"Yes Mamma, I really don’t feel like going. I’ll take leave today."

"Alright. Okay, you do one thing. Go back to sleep. When you wake up I’ll make breakfast and then we’ll have it together."

"No Mamma, you have breakfast. I’ll make something for myself."

"Okay, then go to sleep if you want to sleep."

"Yes Mamma, I want to sleep," and she lies down again.

Actually, she had a really bad headache. She was feeling very lonely.

After all, how long can a person live alone? It’s human nature to need someone with them.

And Dua didn’t have anyone in her family.

So at night she was taking a lot of stress about this, and that’s why her head hurt so much.

But she didn’t tell her mother, because her mother would get worried.

Their mother-daughter love was like that they kept their worries to themselves,

and couldn’t even share with each other so that neither of them would get upset.

And Dua falls asleep.

Ali goes only because of this reason that he’ll get to see Dua and his day will be made.

But he didn’t know that today his day was going to be ruined, because Dua wasn’t going to come.

Ali stops the car at the university gate and gets out.

But he couldn’t see Dua anywhere around.

"Hmm, looks like Dua left earlier than me. She must have left without telling me."

After she leaves, Ali also gets down and looks around here and there.

He couldn’t see Dua anywhere, not even far off.

Then he makes a disappointed face and says,

"Come on Ali, your work didn’t get done today,"

and saying that he sits in the car, starts it, and drives off from there.

.......

Annie goes to class and sees that Dua's seat is empty. Dua hasn't come yet.

A girl gets nervous and says, "Listen Tina, hasn't Dua come yet?"

"No Annie, she hasn't come yet."

"Okay," Annie says and sits down there. Class time starts, the professor comes in, but Dua still hasn't come.

Annie thinks to herself, "Did Dua take leave?"

And she says in her mind, "If Dua took leave, she should have at least told me.

What will I do the whole day without her now? All alone. I should take leave too."

Then the professor takes attendance and after that starts the lecture, so she starts taking the lecture.

......

Anus wasn’t going to office today. He was feeling a bit under the weather, so it was around 10 o’clock when Misses Ahmed asked someone to make tea for him. She picked up the tray and was heading towards his room when Minkii stopped her.

"Mamma, what happened? Who’s the tea for?"

"For your brother, daughter. He’s not feeling well. That’s why he didn’t go to office today. Otherwise when does he ever take a day off?"

"Oh, brother... I was wondering too. Let me come with you."

"Yes, come along then."

Both of them went to Anus’ room together. Misses Ahmed knocked on the door.

"Anus, come in."

Inside, Anus was sitting on a chair with one leg crossed over the other. He was rotating the ring on his finger with one hand, and resting the other hand on his head.

Seeing her son like that, Misses Ahmed got worried. She thought he might have a headache. She quickly came inside, set the tea down, and went to him.

"Dear, what happened?"

"Nothing, Mamma. Just a little headache," Anus replied.

"Did you take medicine?"

"No, not yet."

"What are you doing, Anud? You don’t even take care of yourself a bit?"

"Yes brother, you don’t take care of yourself at all," Minkii added. "Tell me where the first aid box is. I’ll get you the medicine."

" Minkii, I don’t feel like taking it right now. I’ll take it when I feel like it."

"Mamma, see how he is! He doesn’t listen at all."

"Yes, I’m seeing. He’s become so stubborn. He won’t take it like this. You go get it, Minkii."

"Mamma, I really don’t feel like it, please."

"Shh. It works in front of everyone else, but not in front of your mother. Understand?" Misses Ahmed said firmly.

"Minkii, look in the dressing table drawer. The first aid box will be there. Get the medicine from it for him."

"Okay Mamma," Minkii went and brought the medicine with a glass of water and handed it to Anus.

Anus took the medicine and sat quietly.

"Minkii, what happened brother? Is everything okay? You look a bit worried," she asked.

Actually, Anus was very worried deep down.

"No, I’m not worried. I’m just tired. There was a lot of work. You do get tired, right? And the weather is changing too, maybe that’s why I have a headache. Nothing else. Don’t you guys worry."

"Are you sure?" she asked again.

"Yes, I’m sure."

Then Minkii pulled a chair right next to him and sat down. She hugged him and rested her head on his shoulder.

*Anus ran his hand through her hair and said, "Minkii, I’m fine."

"I know. I just wanted to sit with my brother, that’s why I sat here."

"Yes, you can sit."

At that moment Misses Ahmed came and did the evil-eye warding gesture over them.

"May no evil eye touch my children. Always stay happy and smiling like this."

Then she picked up the tea and said to Anus, "Here beta, drink your tea. This will make you feel better."

"Mamma, how did you know I was craving tea?"

"I’m your mother. I know everything. Now drink it quietly. You two talk, I’ll go help your aunty with the housework, okay?"

"Okay Mama."

She left, and Minkii and Anus stayed back, talking.

In between the conversation Minkii asked, "Brother, when will you get married now? I have so many dreams about your wedding. You’re my only brother."

"Hmm, you’ve started talking a lot these days, Minkii."

"Brother, tell me na. Please get married."

"I will, when the right time comes."

"You always say that. Please do it now."

Anus said in his mind, "That girl Annie will agree, then I’ll get married."

Just then Minkii asks him,

"Brother, Annie's birthday is the day after tomorrow, right?"

"Hmm, yes," he replies.

"Then... then what gift have you got for her?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean everyone is going to give her a gift. Aren’t you going to give her one?"

"Why would I give her anything?"

"Oh come on, brother. What will happen if you give her a gift?"

"I don’t know. I haven’t thought about anything yet. I’ll think about it."

"Yes, you should order something online for her. Something really nice."

"Hmm, I’ll think about it."

"There’s no time to think, brother. Her birthday is today. If you order it now, it’ll arrive by tomorrow."

"Oh fine. Okay, I’ll order it. Are you happy now?"

"Yes! Happy."

Deep down, he wanted to give her a gift himself too.

But he held himself back.

Now that Minkii had insisted so much, he thought... why not? Maybe he should get her a gift.