The Shards of Silence

Chapter 12

As a new day dawned, Jabbar recalled his failed philosophy from the night before and realized he had made a mess of his life. He knew he needed to get back on track. Jabbar accepted that it would take time, but he also recognized the need for significant changes in his life. He began by making a list of tasks that he needed to accomplish in order to bring some positivity back into his life.

The first task was to clean up the apartment and pack Amara’s belongings. Since his return, Jabbar hadn’t found the courage to touch her things. Her clothes were still in the closet, her perfumes still on the dresser—everything was exactly as she had left it. It was difficult, but Jabbar began boxing up her things one by one.

As he went through her stuff, Jabbar could still feel Amara's presence in his life, but he also knew that she was gone. Thanks to Emma, Jabbar was taking a step closer to moving on. He still loved Amara, but he realized it wasn’t fair for him to dwell on what he couldn’t control. Packing up her belongings was a heavy chore on Jabbar’s list, and he worked on it diligently for the next whole week.

Each day, Jabbar would pack a piece of clothing or two, sitting in silence as he reminisced over the past. This time, the memories were filled with love and happiness. As he bid farewell to her things, Jabbar felt his heart beginning to heal, and he started smiling more often.

The next task on Jabbar's list was to reconnect with his friends and family. He made a promise to himself to call his parents every single day and to talk to them without having any specific conversation in mind. His Anne was happy that her son was ready to move on and was healing bit by bit. It had been a long time since she heard her son laugh and joke. Anne would cry during their chats, but this time, they were tears of joy.

Jabbar finally made a move to fulfill his long-held promise to reconnect with his friend Mark, who had been there for him since the day he joined the firm. One day in the office, Jabbar picked up the intercom and called Mark to set a date. They went out over the weekend, and it had been a long time since Jabbar enjoyed his weekend. Mark was happy and relieved to see Jabbar enjoying himself.

Everything had changed; it was as if life had been filled with colors again. Jabbar started focusing on his work, and his morale in the office had increased. Janette, the boss’s secretary, began to notice the change. The empathy in her eyes transformed into something more comforting and accepting. Jabbar started living once again, and it was as if he had never been thrown into a spiral of misery.

Back at the apartment, Jabbar had finished packing Amara’s belongings but didn’t know what to do with them. He still wasn’t ready to let go of her things, so he decided to keep them stored in his closet. The apartment felt empty without Amara, and to honor her love in his life, Jabbar framed their wedding picture and hung it in their apartment over the empty wall he used to stare at.

Time went by, and things were gradually getting back to normal for Jabbar. He often wondered about the life he could have had with Emma, but whenever thoughts of her surfaced, he would distract himself with work. It was a beautiful dream that he could have lived, but ultimately failed to.

Jabbar had started to accept what life had in store for him and didn’t wish to go against destiny.

“Jabbar,” Janette whispered as she entered his cubicle. “Aren’t you going home?”

“Hey, Janette,” Jabbar replied, looking up from the files he had buried himself in. “Yeah, I'll be out in a while. I just have to finish up this account.”

“Don’t worry about the account,” Janette spoke, a hint of unrest in her voice. “Mr. Johnson told me to let you know that you can submit it by the end of this week. He’s really happy with your recent performance.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Jabbar smiled. “I’ll get it done today. It’s on my checklist.”

“Um, Jabbar?” Janette continued the conversation. “May I ask you something?”

“Yes, please. Ask away,” Jabbar put down his pen to concentrate on what Janette had to ask.

“I’ve been wondering for a while now,” Janette spoke as she stepped a bit closer. “Would you like to go to dinner or get coffee sometime?”

"Janette, I'm flattered by your proposal," Jabbar blushed as he responded. His cheeks were red, and as he stood up respectfully, Jabbar continued, "But I don’t think this is the right time for me. I would really like to take you up on your offer soon, just give me some time if possible."

"It’s all right, Jabbar," Janette smiled as she leaned back from his desk. "I can wait for that coffee."

As Janette started walking away from the cubicle, Jabbar stepped out from his desk and moved towards her. "Janette, let me walk you out."

Janette smiled and nodded at Jabbar, and they both stepped out of the office towards the parking lot. As Janette sat in her car, Jabbar waved goodbye and turned back to head to his cramped cubicle that he had now started to like. As he entered the building door, he saw someone sitting in the lobby. As he moved closer, that person stood up and gave him a hug.

“Jabbar,” Emma cried. “I have missed you.”

The hug was unexpected, and Jabbar embraced her without hesitation.

“I am sorry that I went away,” Emma continued as she tightened the hug. “I really want to give us a try.”

“I wish for the same,” Jabbar replied. Gently pulling back from the hug, Jabbar looked into her eyes and said, “Would you like to go on our first coffee date?”

“I would love to,” Emma smiled and held Jabbar’s hand as they left the building together.

It was a perfect date, except for the café waiter who was inexplicably rude towards Emma. Throughout the evening, Jabbar and Emma exchanged few words, spending most of their time staring into each other’s eyes. Time seemed to stand still for them, as if the earth had halted its rotation.

For Jabbar, the date with Emma was the most perfect thing that could happen to him, and he was grateful that he hadn’t accepted Janette's proposal earlier that day. If he had said yes to her, he might have missed this encounter with Emma and the loving embrace he had been dreaming of since the last walk of silence.

As the newly found couple strolled around the city, they stopped at a nearby park to cherish their love under the beautiful night sky. They sat and talked for hours, with Jabbar listening intently to Emma’s stories and mysteries of her life. Soon, it was getting dark, and they mutually decided to end their wonderful date. Jabbar headed up the stairs of the park's exit, and Emma followed. She stopped midway and gently tugged Jabbar to turn him around.

Emma's hands gripped the railings as she lifted herself, rising onto her toes. With a tender embrace, her lips met Jabbar's in a passionate kiss, expressing her desire for him to be her partner for life. In that moment, Jabbar could barely make out Emma's face, but he could feel her warmth lingering against his body. He tried to keep his eyes open, wanting to capture the image of the girl who held him so tightly, but Emma's touch made him lose his grip on reality, transporting him to the stars shining above. As his eyes closed to savor her kiss, all Jabbar could think about were the surprises the future held for him and his newfound love.

After that day, Emma and Jabbar began meeting daily. They kept their relationship private, and even Anne and Mark had yet to meet the new girl who had changed Jabbar’s life. Jabbar, though deeply wanting to be with Emma, still wasn’t ready to let go of his past. In his thoughts, Amara and their unborn child still lived on, and Jabbar couldn’t give Emma the love she deserved. Despite his efforts, he felt ashamed of his inability to fully move on and commit to Emma.

Emma understood Jabbar well enough to support him and give him space when needed. She wanted more from their relationship but had the patience to wait for Jabbar to accept her and forgive himself for the loss of his first love.