Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Humans seeks home in others. That's a natural thing, they seek for something that they don't have, and for Amaya Kareem, it's a father figure. Even if she tries to turn back the pages of her twenty-five summers of life, she fails to find a second day when she got her father next to her other than the day he died.

He was a free soul, much like Amaya, but she has parts of her mother too, responsibility and keeping relations intact comes from there.

But now as she spent a week with Mirza Amir, she knows what it feels to be pampered by a father feels like. Amaya never thought she will ever let anyone close to her but just like Zain, she got a Baba too, a father too.

As they sit on the dining, they talk about anything and everything, it's been a regular thing now, dinner at Zain's and breakfasts at Amaya's place if she is home that time, because generally she has her early morning flights.

"How is Aapi Baba?"

"Seher is good. Arhaan is taking good care of her."

A sad smile crosses Mirza's face as said those things, which didn't go unnoticed by Amaya.

"She still refused to join Ahmed's company; she is still there in Rizwan's"

"What's wrong with that Baba? She is happy there."

"No wonder she loves you so much Zain. I heard you went to see her two months ago?"

"I keep on going there Baba, but I can't stay there for long, and it's always been sudden trips, most of the times when Amu goes for three to four days flight, I goes back to India, I can't stay away from Zamaan and Ruhana you know.

And Ashana, she is growing way too fast Baba I'm telling you."

"So are you Zain. You are twenty-seven already."

"Baba don't please."

"I didn't say anything, right Amu?" She just smiles.

It's a treat to watch these two bickering. Who would have thought, the two great businessmen, will act like this in front of her? She thanks her stars again, wishing to keep them like this always.

"You know they shifted in Haytt Regency?"

"Yeah, that was the surprise gift for Aapi. Arhaan bhai really worked hard to keep it a secret though."

"That place is good, even Arhaan's brother shifted near them last month.

I'm really surprised by that boy though. He is doing great. He made himself a good chartered accountant, and running his firm greatly. I'm quite impressed by him to be honest."

As the words left his lips, Amaya loses her breath.

"I can't"

"You can, and you will, you have to, for me, for us and more than anyone for yourself."

Her hands start sweating at, the food is too difficult to eat now.

"I will bring the tea." With that she left for the kitchen.

Calming her heart at the moment is way too difficult thing for her too. Years of pain, years of suffering, years of faded memories are making their presence known now.

And she can't stop this, she can never. It is her fault, like always. Her brain warned that broken heart years ago, Zain Amir means going back to those past lanes, which she can't afford to walk again. But now is too late to realise that, to make her mended heart realise that.

Zain Amir had already given her so many things, and now even if she wants, she can't move back, the option to take a step back is long gone. So why can't her past can be gone like this? Like a memory, like her scars. Maybe because her soul is broken, maybe because her soul wants to be healed.

Entering the hall with a tray of cups she is calm now, at least in front of them she has to put through the act. Sitting on the long couch Mirza Amir looks at the girl in front of him.

What life does to pure souls? Nothing but breaking those to point where they refuse to trust again. But at least she is trying, and so far, now, she is doing fantastic.

Coping up with everything is hard, he had been there, but there is a difference between them, a huge difference.

As Amaya takes her seat next to him, straitening the wrinkles of her yellow sweater, he smiled at her. Twenty-five years without a father figure, she is bound to be this strong.

There is so many things about Amaya Kareem that Mirza Amir admire about, almost everything. But today he wants to tell her something, something she should know about this cruel world.

"Amaya bacchey"

"Yes Baba?"

"Amaya losing a family makes you too scared to start another one.

When me and Saira got separated, we both faced a lot, maybe Saira faced a little too much because women in general faces a bit more.

Maybe it defines why I can never be a father to Seher.

But as I'm here now, I want to be one for you, and I'm trying for that."

"Baba.." As she starts, he stopped her, he has a lot to say today.

"Divorce is not an easy thing you know, and as Zain told me about you, months ago, I know you suffered a lot.

But Amaya you have a life now, a new different life.

And about talking of him, once in a while, people will talk about him, and you are the one who made him reach where he is standing today, these are not my words though.

It's his, a truth one can't change, neither you nor him." She knows it too, a clear truth she can't deny.

"..No one knows about your past, because that was something that never matters in the present, what does is your happiness. Are you happy Amaya.?"

Unknowingly she looks up towards the glass balcony door, clad in his trousers and balck turtle neck sweater, with messy hairs, busy talking in his phone, stands her source of happiness.

"I am Baba."

She keeps her eyes on the door, and he turns around, their eyes clashes.

Hazel brown against amber. Happiness against love.

Mirza gives a knowing smile. He hadn't missed the shine in those brown orbs as they look at those amber ones.

They have found home in each other's embrace; they have found love in each other's embrace. But then a fear engulfs her, a fear she can't deny.

◆●◆●◆

Leaving Zain's apartment, Amaya is feeling uneasy today, a known fear makes her home it's residence. A fear of falling, a fear of emotions that was quite evident on those amber orbs.

Her hands sweating even in this cold December, a clog from in her throat, which is keeps on swallowing.

Black dots starts forming in front her, vision starts getting blurry.

She is home which doesn't feel like that. Everything is selcouth.

Breath in, breath out. She keeps on telling herself.

Was she that oblivious?

How can she let this happen? She keeps on scolding herself.

As she slides down to floor, keeping her knee close to her chest, her eyes drop a tear, one after the another and it's keeps on like that.

Unknown to her, she had forgotten something behind and an unlocked door. Seeing her in this state, he takes in his arms, she stilled for second but then a feeling of home engulfs her.

She is home, he is her home.

But then her fear is coming true. He is saying something which she can't make sense of. He is afraid, she can see that.

She is trembling in his arms, what had happened between these ten minutes? He was there the whole time; they are looking at each other with same intensity and then the next moment she left the place in a hurry. And now she is scared, having a panic attack.

"I am here Amu, I'm here" he keeps on saying this, but she is in haze, tears keep falling out of those hazel brown pools.

He has no other option left than to held her close to heart.

Minutes later, she whispers,

"What if I fall Zain?"

"I will be there to hold you tight Amu."

"...What if you missed my hand?"

"I won't"

Another promised he have made today. Never let her fall.

"...But what if you fly?"

That snapped her eyes open.

What if she flies?

She is meant to fly. Her dream, her job, her reality.

Amaya Kareem is meant to fly.

And reality seems to get through her. She is in his arms.

Zain looks at her, reading through her, "Don't think about it, don't you even dare to."

"...I"

"I won't let you suffer alone anymore Amu. I will be there for you, with you, always."

"...I need a break"

"You need me next to you"

"Zain please..."

" I told you this before, I'm telling this again. I will always find a way to Amu."

A promise he made two years back and he kept that, he intent to keep that.

"...and Amu" She looks at him this time.

"..am not him."

A sudden cold shock hit her hard. A reality check Zain Amir gave her.

He is Zain, not him.

He is home. He was just a feeling.

Holding her close to him, he stays like that, for how long no one knows.

◆●◆●◆

Another week had gone by the speed of wind, this week passed in packing and arguing with each other. They going on a break, but ways apart.

One to Delhi, another to London.

One is going near his family, another to near her only family left.

As they boarded to the airport, Zain holds her hands tight. Yellow turtle neck with black trench coat, paired with blue jeans and heel boots, her hairs are open with a signature fragrance, she hugs him this time.

"...London is much cold. Think again. I can stay back too."

"Zain I'm good. Maa wants me there and you need to go there with Baba. Give my love to Zaman and Ruhana. And regards to others "

"One week then"

"One-week Zain."

"No less?"

"No more."

With a sigh he hugs her tight. A week without her, a week without sleep, a week away from home.