Chapter 97: Chapter 97

He was in ICU.

His guard told her that he was driving the car fastly to home and suddenly the his grip loosened, the tyres slipped and the car crashed.

She couldn't stop the tears coming out of her eyes.

She knew the reason behind his eagerness to get home as fast as he could.

It was because of her request to come home early.

She felt utter guilt clipping her heart.

That guilt too that she has suppressed within her.

She still thought that Haider died because of her. She considered herself as the culprit of Shehryaar. She took his father's life away. If she hadn't given that dary to him, maybe Haider would have been alive today.

She took his father's life away.

And now he was fighting for his life because of her.

Although, Shehryaar had told him numerous times that it was never her fault behind his father's death but she never agreed to him. There was a part of her which still told her that she was the culprit and that part of her was again taking control over her, inciting suicidal thoughts within her.

She couldn't stop the tears in her eyes.

The guilt was eating up her so badly.

Haider's death ran in the back of her mind and again that feeling and emotions took control over her that told her that she was the reason behind his death.

She looked to her right and found the space empty.

Whenever she felt that, she always found Shehryaar there to support her. And now he was nowhere. Rather behind that door, at the brink of death.

She cried and cried that her eyes got swollen. She prayed for him all night and waiting outside that ICU she didn't realize when she slept on the bench.

...

The sun set in the sky. The morning came and Sheharzaad had woken up. She had a rosary in her hands praying for him. She did not allow his guard to inform the haveli members yet.

Her eyes were stilled on the ICU door, wishing a good news to come out.

Her heart was beating so wildly in her chest.

Every second had made this realization hit her hard that how much she needed him as well.

He has become a habit of her now.

As much as he needed her, she needed him as well.

She took care of her when she was in the pit of depression after Haider's death and considered herself as the culprit.

That sense of guilt and being a murderer would have killed her long ago if not for Shehryaar supporting her.

The door of the ICU opened and the doctor walked out.

"Your prayers are needed ma'am," he told, not giving her much information.

"Can I meet him?"

"He is not conscious yet,"

"Can I see him?" she asked, sniffling.

He looked at her and nodded, "who am I to stop," he told and Sheharzaad ran inside, with tears dropping down her eyes.

She sat beside him on the bed.

His eyes closed.

Various tubes connected to her.

The sound of electrocardiograph giving the status of his heartbeats was the only source of sound in the room apart from her heavy breaths.

She cleaned her tears before caressing his face with her fingers. She kissed his cheeks on either side before rubbing his nose with hers as he used to do with her.

"Wake up, Sherry," she muttered against his lips.

"Wake up," she placed her lips on his now. Her tone implied her helplessness as a tear fell from her eye and landed on his cheek, "I love you," And she kissed him.

....

Haider was with Jaha Ara.

They both were happy. Content.

Their eyes filled with love as they stare at each other. Smiling faces looking at each other.

'I love you my Jahan,'

'I love you, Haider,'

And a smile sprawled on Haider's face, revealing his teeth. It was as if he had always waited for this confession, this admission from the lady that sat beside him on the grass of that beautiful garden.

'My Jahan,'

Haider smiled.

'Did you tell my sherry that your jahan loves him so much?'

'He loves you too, Jahan,'

'My handsome son,' Jaha Ara uttered as she smiled looking at the sky, 'mama loves you,'

Sucking in a sharp breath, his eye-lids opened revealing his grey eyes to the world which connected with the ceiling.

He took in a deep breath.

The dream he just had.

After decades, he had seen his mother's face. Cursorily, ran in his mind, the conversation he had with Sheharzaad at the night his father had died.

'Visit her grave,'

'I can't,'

'It'll free you from the dilemma. Free you from the darkness that has still captured you,'

'She'll never forgive me,'

'She is your mother. Mothers can't keep grudge with their children for long,'

'I don't have the courage to face her'

'She is still waiting for you to pay a visit at her grave,'

And he didn't reply to her afterwards. Rather he still hasn't.

He did not go to the haveli after his father's death because that haveli reminded him of the atrocities inflicted on his mother and he knew if he visited that haveli then he would eventually have to visit his mother's grave.

He tried sucking in a sharp breath again but felt a heaviness on his chest. It was when his eyes landed on a woman lying on his chest.

'Take care of women. They're delicate flowers'

These words from his mother's letter always broke his will to go to his mother's grave because every time he saw Sheharzaad, the days she had spent in that cell ran in his mind.

The woman had wrapped a blue veil around her head and a rosary was in her hand. His eyes fixed on the blotch on his shirt and he knew she was crying on his chest.

"Zaad," he whispered, but she didn't move. She slept like a baby on his chest as if it was her safe haven. The place where she felt the most protected.

"Zaad," he called out to her again after a few moments and this time she stirred in her sleep. She raised her head and suddenly her eyes got wide opened as soon as she saw him awake.

A shivering smile came over her lips as a tear fell from her eye.

"Sherry," she placed her hand on his cheek as her lips shivered, "where did you go?" she asked, "where did you go?" she held the collar of his shirt, "did you not care about your wife? where did you go? why did you not come home last night? why?" She sobbed, tears coming out of her eyes and falling on his shirt.

"I'm here, Zaad," he whispered.

"Promise me, you'll never go again like that. You don't know how did I spend this night without you," she cried out and a smile broke on his lips.

"Sheharzaad," he held her face with both his hands, gaining her attention and she stared at him, "have you forgiven me?" he asked and it took a few seconds for her to process these words.

Sheharzaad smiled after a few moments before nodding her head as this time she kissed him first.

Their lips connected and he felt utter tranquility and coolness reaching the pit of his existence. He closed his eyes and let her kiss him.

He had waited for this moment for so long.

She sucked on his lower lip, holding his face as their noses brushed against each other. She bit his lower lip before pulling back and placing her forehead against his, "I love you," she whispered and his heartbeat increased.

It was the first time she had expressed her love for him without any force.

His increased heartbeats was depicted on the heart machine and they both smiled.

"Now even the machine can tell you how much I waited for these words," he smiled and hugged her.

"We're going to haveli, Zaad," he announced, "to my mother's grave," he whispered.