The Life of Zara

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Ahmed

I peek at the door once again. There is no Zara. I closed the door and sat on the bed. I picked my phone and checked the phone again. 9:56 am. She usually comes out as early as six why is she taking time today when I want to see her. After her outburst yesterday she avoided me like the plague.

I heard the crack of her door and jumped to my feet ready to go out when I realized I'll either startle her or look to desperate. Deciding I should wait I sat back on my bed staring at my phone.

Just 30 minutes!!

Ahhh... Since when is 30 minutes so damn long? I roll to the other side frustrated that I have to wait.

Wait!!

Why do I even have to wait??waiting is just a wastage of time.

I opened the door and make my way straight to the kitchen. I stopped at the door to peak inside I'm sure she is here since I'm hearing the clicking of utensils.

There she is!! She's busy washing something I couldn't see because her back is blocking and I'm too occupied staring at her. She's wearing a long Red sleeping dress. Her hair is in tiny braids falling at her back and held loosely at the end with a ribbon. She's wearing an over-sized slippers.

Cute!!!

As if sensing my presence she turned and stepped back placing her hand on her chest.

"Good morning wife."

She mumbled something touching her hair and looking at her gown. It's easy to see how uncomfortable she is.

"You wanna go and grab your head-tie?"

I stepped away from the door and she practically ran to her room. I waited for her to come back but she didn't. Now I'm knocking at her door.

"Zara please come out I just want to talk."

"What is it?"

"Can we please talk after breakfast?"

She stared at me for a minute her face expressionless.

"Please?"

"Okay."

She cooked breakfast and placed it at the dining. She picked her own plate and is about to walk away when I stopped her.

"Where are you going?"

"To the room." She answered pointing at her room.

To the room!?.not my room

The way she said it is scary.

"I was thinking if we could eat together but if you are not comfortable you can go."

"I'll see you when I'm done is her cold reply." She walked away to her room leaving me disappointed.

After breakfast I'm knocking at her door for the second time today.

"I was just coming out."

Liar

"Can I come in?"

She opened the door and I entered. I sat beside her on the bed leaving a decent amount of distance.

"Zara I'm sorry. When I said I'm sorry yesterday I meant it. I want you to forgive me. I want to be good to you from now on. I know what I did is not something you can forgive in a day but can you please think about it? Can you consider it?"

"Why are you sorry?" She asked softly.

I shifted and sat in a kneeling position before her. I want her to look at me. To see how sincere and desperate I am for her forgiveness.

Without thinking I held both of her hands in mine. She didn't pull away. I hope that is a good sign.

"Please look at me Zara."

"I know what I did is totally wrong. What I have of a reason is not enough. I am ashamed to say that I was manipulated by the people I loved. I was misinformed about you Zara.. They blackmailed you. Said that you are..."

What an irony? Names that I called her everyday I couldn't even bring myself to say it out loud now?

"That I was a w***e are witch?"

"Zara.."

"Do you know how much it hurts?"

"Do you how scared I was when you locked me out?"

"Do you know how scared and alone I felt?"

She is now full on crying.

I stared unable to form a word. Hearing her said it out loud made me feel worst. Worst than I could ever feel

"Zara..."

I moved forward and hug her.

"I'm sorry Zara. I really, I'm sorry. She hugged me tighter and cried out. I rubbed her back telling her it will be okay. The moment is so emotional. Even though it's not under the best circumstances it felt good to be like this. After a few minutes she pulled away.

"What changes your mind?"

"Huh?"

"What makes you think I'm not.."

"I.." I injected. I don't wanna hear the ending of that sentence.

"Because you are not that kind of a person. When I look at you it's hard not to notice your innocence. Despite how I treated you, you helped me when I was sick. You are a good person. You cooked for me everyday without fail that only means you do it for the sake of Allah without getting tired. If you have married me for money, you never asked for it. You never seemed to care about any of these things. And when I look at you it seems you have a lot bothering you to care about such things. When I look at you it seems you have a story to tell. I wish that one day I'll be the one you will tell."

"And I asked aunty Hafsa. She said you're a good person. She's never going to lie to me."

"I'm forgiving you."

"You're what?"

"I'm forgiving you. May Allah forgive us all."

Just like that she's forgiving me.

"I forgave you long ago Ahmed."

"You forgave me Zara." I didn't realize when the tear fell. "I'm thankful Zara. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

"I'll not be here till the rest of your life Ahmed.'She smiled with teary eyes. It's the best smile I have ever seen. And I want to see it again and again and again.

I'll make sure you will be with me till the end. I wanted to say but I don't want to scare her.

"Don't say that." I said instead.

"Are we friends now?" She asked changing the topic.

"We are best buddies and husband and wife too." I added.

She stared at me without a word. Why does she like staring at someone?

"Let's take a walk later? Please? You can't say no please."

"This is not asking."

"We are going then. Get ready by four. It's not far we are walking".

"Okay."

"Are you really going?" Just to make sure I asked.

"No.. I'm sorry I can't go."

"Zara.."

"Is that not what you want me to say?"

"Noooo. I want you to go."

"Get ready by four then."

"What? Who is this?"

You should see your face she smiled.

I smiled back. "I'll get ready by four."

****************************

By 4:00 pm zara got ready in her Atampa and skirt. She tied her head-tie. After putting powder she applied a light shade of red lipstick and some mascara. She picked out her veil and shoes. A purse to put her phone and sprayed some perfume. Despite the light make up she looked beautiful. She locked her door to find Ahmed already sitting in the living room he has a casual jeans and a black shirt. The moment she stepped into the room he jumped to his feet. She truly did look Beautiful.

"You look beautiful." he complimented her.

"Thank you."

"Let's go." They locked the house and went out. They walked for about 15minutes when they reached the park. They sat down on a bench watching other families who brought there kids to the park. He thought the atmosphere will do good to her. They exchanged a few words here and there as they sat. She saw a group of girls her age sitting a few feets away from them. When they noticed her staring at them they waved at her and she waved back.

"You want to go say hi to them?" Adeel asked her but she shook her head.

After a few minutes one of the girls came up and ask Zara if she'll snap them. She followed the girls and started snapping them.

Ahmed was watching them from the distance. They have finished snapping and are talking he walks towards them and ask Zara to wait for him for a few minutes that he's coming back.

After a few minutes he came back with the car. She said bye to the girls and went with them. He took them to the supermarket for grocery shopping. She pushed the Cart around asking her to pick things she like. She picked a few things. He is not satisfied he began picking random things until the cart got pull.

They were checked out and they left the supermarket. It's on their way home that he told her they forgot something.

"What she asked?"

"Ice cream."

"We'll go out and get them after isha prayer."

Her eyes lit up. And he was glad he mentioned it. He just want to spend more time with her that's why he didn't pick the ice cream at the supermarket.