The Shards of Silence

Chapter 13

On the evening of a calm Tuesday, the streets of New York were slick with rain from the drizzling sky. Despite being a weekday, the streets were calm and quiet, with people taking shelter inside their homes to spend time with their loved ones. The weather was a perfect mix—not too warm, not too cold—ideal for a date with someone special. Taking advantage of the tranquil evening, Emma decided to go and meet her new love.

As Jabbar opened the door to Emma, he was stunned by her charming red dress. A bit soaked from the rain, she still looked beautiful enough to make him stare in awe. They locked eyes for a moment, and then kissed. Emma held Jabbar’s hand and led him out into the quiet streets, the city lights reflecting off the wet pavement, adding a touch of magic to their evening.

“Jabbar, I know you have been trying hard, so let me help you take the next step with me,” Emma said as she looked for a cab.

“What are you talking about?” Jabbar replied, stopping a cab as she had indicated. “I am in love with you, Emma. You are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

“I know, Jabbar,” Emma continued, holding his hand and pulling him closer. “But you need to let go of your past entirely.”

“Emma?” Jabbar whispered her name with a sorrowed sigh. “I…I don’t think I will be able to forget her.”

“Do you trust me?” Emma asked, piercing into Jabbar’s eyes as she moved closer into his embrace.

“I do,” Jabbar quickly replied, opening the door to the cab as a true gentleman. “But—”

“Then follow me and let me fix our future,” Emma softly responded, entering the cab with a warm cherry blossom smile.

Jabbar followed Emma’s lead. He was perspiring with confusion, yet he knew he had to try and be there for her. He had to grow into the person Emma deserved, and for her, he vowed to do whatever he could without questioning.

As they traveled, Jabbar held Emma’s resting hand on the wet seat. He kept staring at her, unable to believe how he had managed to lose Amara and yet find someone so similar again. Emma was a spitting image of Amara, with the same personality, looks, and aura. Above all, she loved Jabbar dearly, and he knew she would fight all his demons for him. They rode in the cab, enveloped in silence. The way Emma had her head tilted back on the seat and smiled at him reassured Jabbar. He knew he could trust her, and he felt that all his grief was about to end that day.

Time flew by in their warm yet silenced conversation, and Jabbar noticed the cab stopping at a construction site. He stepped out onto the curb, and in a flash, all his memories came rushing back.

“Why did you bring me here?!” Jabbar yelled at Emma, confused and filled with a surge of painful emotions.

“Jabbar, please calm down,” Emma replied, trying to soothe him as she held him in her arms. “I know this is not what you want, but this is what’s best for you.”

“But this is where my Amara died! This is what took my entire life away from me. Why would you bring me back to such a dreadful place?” Jabbar replied, struggling to understand Emma’s motives.

“Jabbar, I ask you once again. Do you trust me?” Emma asked, staring into his pained eyes.

Jabbar, after a moment of being still, nodded in response, and they made their way into the newly reconstructed World Trade Center, renamed the Freedom Tower. Emma took Jabbar to its top floor, the 104th floor, and there they stood near the edge under the rain that had now become a heavy shower.

“What do you want me to do now?” Jabbar asked Emma, standing there without a clue in his mind.

“I just want you to let it all out,” Emma responded. “Just scream as loudly as you can and let that grief out of your body. Let Amara go, Jabbar. You need to rest.”

Jabbar looked at Emma, his heart pounding with emotion. Without a moment’s hesitation, he started shouting as loudly as he could. His screams pierced through the air, blending with the relentless drumming of the rain. It felt as if the heavens were weeping along with him, sharing his pain.

Tears streamed down Jabbar’s face, mingling with the raindrops as they cascaded down his cheeks. His cries echoed through the air, enveloping the Freedom Tower in his anguish. The pain that he had held onto for the past decade was now being etched off his broken heart. The desperate screams of a tormented man seemed to reverberate like a plea to the heavens above.

Emma stood there, witnessing his pain. Her presence was nothing less than a steady anchor in the storm for a drowning man. As she watched Jabbar, her eyes started glistening with empathy and understanding. Emma felt the warmth and pain Amara’s love had for Jabbar, but she stood there silently, letting their world fade away with Jabbar’s anguished screams.

Even though Jabbar started panting, he still couldn’t let go of the echoes trapped in his heart. As he shouted with anger, sadness, and a feeling of despair that couldn’t be explained or felt by someone who hadn’t gone through what he had, Jabbar let go of the last of his tears. It was as if the sky answered his pain, wiping away his tears with the rain that followed.

After minutes of crying, Jabbar stopped and tried to catch his breath. With hands on his knees, he looked up at the figure standing there, silently watching him. A faint smile broke through, overwhelmed with emotions, he rushed towards her and embraced her tightly.

“I am sorry, I really am sorry that I couldn’t be there to save you. You were there for me and what did I do? I couldn’t even answer your call, the last call that you ever made.” Jabbar cried with his eyes closed, embracing the girl he held. “I should have been there for you, Amara. I am not a good husband. But I really tried, I looked everywhere for you but you were nowhere to be found.”

Jabbar stepped back, took her hands, and gently kissed them. "I am here now, and I will never let you go. I love you, Amara, and I will love you till the day I die. Please forgive me."

As Jabbar saw her smile, he felt reassured that she would never leave him again. "Amara, will you be mine in this life and the next?" Jabbar proposed, just as he did on the day he first decided she was the special one.

“Jabbar?” she replied. “I am going to be with you forever, but you have to understand—”

Jabbar held her close and kissed her under the crying sky. Their bodies stood cold, drenched in rain, yet the kiss was warm, reigniting the emotions in Jabbar’s heart.

"Just let it go, Jabbar. I know it wasn’t your fault," Jabbar heard Amara whispering into his ears as she forgave him.

As he smiled, Jabbar stood near the edge and glanced over the contours of the shadowy structure, resonating with the lives of those he imagined might be smiling. His gaze lingered, searching for the people he dreamt were in love. He wanted them to know that today, he had united with his true love, his Amara. There was no pain, worry, sadness, or grief in his heart. All he could feel was the warmth Amara brought to his life. Amidst the cold rain, Jabbar shouted out to the world, “I have what you could only dream of!” And with a smile on his face, he turned around and leaped for his rejoice with the love of his life.

As his body swayed with happiness in the winds that carried him away, he held Amara tightly and peacefully landed on the gravel beneath. The splatter that spread was quickly washed away by the rain, marking the end of a love reunited after a decade’s embrace.

Chapter 14

Tuesday, 9/11: A Tragic Tale of Love

By Jalees (Writer: Times New York)

Yet another life has been lost due to the injustices of the criminal justice system and the tragedies of life. There are few words to express the grief one feels upon witnessing the death of a young soul named Jabbar near the Freedom Tower. Jabbar was a loving husband and an obedient son who lost his battle with life last month. During the 9/11 attacks, his wife was tragically crushed to death by fleeing bystanders, and as a Muslim, Jabbar was wrongly arrested by local authorities.

If only he could have spoken about his grief and pain, perhaps today we would not have lost another young man so full of love. He was found alone, carrying his grief. As a plea, please speak up about the pain you feel and never think that you are alone in this world. We will help you fight your demons, and you are always welcome at our doorsteps. If you or anyone you care about is struggling, please contact us at the following number so that we can prevent another loss:

1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355)