"How are you now?" Jahan asked sitting beside her bed.

"I'm fine. Thank you" she said cradling the bouquet in her arms. She looked down at her lap not wanting to make the conversation any longer.

Buraak stood in the doorway keeping an eye on the man who silently gazed at his wife. If wafa hadn't allowed to see him then he would've thrown him out the very moment he showed up at his door step.

"Get well soon. I hope to see again soon" he said rubbing his hands on his knees before getting up. Wafa passed him a forced smile as he showed himself to the door.

Wafa kept the bouquet on her side. The curtains of her bedroom were drawn apart making the soft glow of the winter sun fall in her room.

They discharged her a while back but her mental state was still a big question for her. Her mind was making things up and making her go back to the same way she used to be.

She could feel someone lingering near her, she could hear shallow breathing from dark lurking corners of the house. A nurse was assigned to stay with her since she had silently denied staying with buraak.

Safa came over often but wafa denied of that also. She didn't leave her room nor did she respond to him when he went to meet her.

Her vision blurred as the face of a man appeared before her. The glowing face of her father made her throat clog with unwanted emotions.

"Salman don't spoil her. She's challenged already don't turn her into a brat" the stoic voice of her mother pierced through her giggles.

"Fakhra begum humari beti apne baba ke pass hai. Karne den jo karti hai. Apne baba ka ghar hai uska" Salman said smiling at his daughter who smiled lively back at him.
(Fakhra dear wafa is with her father. Let her do as she pleaded. It's her father's home after all)

"It's only because of you that she's the way she is, whether be it her obnoxious behavior or her slow brain" she threw venom at her husband who's smile ceased alittle. A frown framed his features.

"Wafa is completely normal Fakhra. Don't try categorising her soft heart for a challenged one" he said caressing her hair who frowned looking down at her lap.

"I still don't see why you're not sending her to the special child boarding school?"

"No baba I don't want to go to a boarding school" tears poured out of her eyes as she hugged her father tightly. Salman glared at his wife making her leave the garden stomping her foot against the ground.

"Baba I don't want to go" wafa cried in her father's chest. Salman patted her hair hugging her tightly.

"I won't let you go anywhere Chanda. Don't worry. Your baba is there to steal you away from this world" he whispered rubbing her back. He sighed at his wife's behavior and decided to take his precious daughter out from ice cream.

Salman loved his daughter truly. His wife may not accept her for how she often behaved but he knew wafa was born with a purpose to make his life brighter and full of happiness. She was his little ball of sunshine who he refused to let anyone harm a single hair of.

"Baba ki jaan. Meri Wafa" he whispered to his sleeping daughter as they sat in her room. He kissed her goodnight leaving her secure behind.
(Baba's life. My wafa)

"Wafa" she jumped at the hand that landed on her shoulder. She blinked the moisture away from her eyes. She looked up at Buraak in a questioning manner.

"Are you okay?" He asked sitting down taking her hand in his.

She nodded her head taking her hand out of his hold not liking tht skin to skin contact with anyone.

His fist clenched at the lack of contact but he knew it was bound to happen.

"Your cat. What's his name again? Uh.. nugget. He's been scratching at the door like crazy. I guess he's missing you" he said making her nod her head not looking up at him.

"Wafa? What's wrong? Why are not talking to me? I've apologized please. I didn't know" he said turning her face towards him meeting her eyes.

"Aap sab jaante hain jabhi aise behave karrahe hain na? Just because aap ko sab pata hai tu ab tars kha rahe hain mujhe pe? Mat Karen. Pehle meri shakal dekhna aapko gawara nahi tha ab hain ke do do ghante yahan bethe rehte hain, baatein karte rehte hain. Mat Karen. Humdardi nahi chahiye mujhe" she said making him look away in guilt. Her eyes studied his posture and a painful smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
(You know everything that's why you were behaving like this right? Just because you know everything now your pitying me? Before all this you didn't even like seeing my face and now, you come and sit here for hours and hours talking? Don't bother. I don't want your pity)

"Aisa kuch nahi hai Wafa" he said after a long silence making her nod her head.
(It's nothing like that Wafa)

"Aap keliye nahi hoga mere liye bus aisa hi hai ab se. Please aap mere pass mat aya Karen. Please" she pleaded, her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't necessarily let him in after being exposed in a way she had been trying to avoid.
(It may not be for you but now it's this way for me. Please don't come near me. Please)

"Wafa yeh kia bachkani baatein hain? Just because I know everything doesn't mean that I see you any less than how you were to me" he said loudly making her flinch an inch away from him.
(Wafa what childishness is this?)

He sighed rubbing his forehead with is palm. He scooted closer to her taking her hands in his.

"I'm trying to try a new. Whatever that I've done wafa I take responsibility of it and I'm ashamed of it all. You don't have to forgive me or accept me but can't we pretend to at least be friends. That's the least I'm asking" he said gazing into her eyes feeling her hands squirm out of his hold.

She didn't say anything more did he try explaining any further. He had been warned by Dr Zarish that this would be her nature for some time and if she wills then she may even go back to normal.

Her step father came to visit but Safa had strictly told him to turn him down the moment he sees him and he had been doing just that ever since. Her mother didn't bother showing up neither did wafa seem to mind. She had been lost in a shell of hers all this while.

He could feel her absence in the silent walls of this house. Her smiling face kit greeting him first thing in tht morning or her not barging in through the main door made him want to shake her out if her muteness but he couldn't.

Why was always that we noticed people when they were gone or far out of reach?

He was feeling just the same. He had been trying to feed nugget as she used to but that cat would turn down the food as soon as he would register his presence. Even the cat didn't like him. That was bizarre.

"I nearly forgot I got you something" he said running out of the room leaving a confused and internally excited wafa behind. He returned with a gift bag in hand.

"Here. I hope you like them" he said cheerfully passing her the bag. She took it and glanced at him one more time before opening it.

She pulled off the lid revealing a pair of beautiful earrings. A pearl dangled from the diamond stud. They looked heavenly as she gazed at them, the more she stared the more the diamom shined brighter.

"Thank you. These are very nice" she said trying to force a smile but he saw right past it. He stared at her pale face and dull eyes and sighed. He messed up big time. Her heart condition was the one that made her panic attack worse. She almost dodged a stroke and it merely exhausted her physically.

"Alright then. Just text me if you need anything I'll be in my room" he said after she gave no response to his talking.

She stared as he walked to the door, a loud crack of thunder made her jump out of her body. It was loud and almost punishing for the living.

She shivered as the cold around her grew and the harsh pitter patter of tht rain grew intense. Her breath quickened as she did what she thought was best.

"Buraak?" A meek voice stopped in his tracks. He turned around and found her playing with her fingers.

"Yes Wafa?" She looked up with nervous eyes but she needed it the most at the moment. She needed to hold someone or I'm better words hug someone to let her tense muscles loose. She needed her baba to put her to sleep on a stormy night but now when eh couldn't she didn't have anyone else but Buraak near her.

"I.. I need a favour" she whispered feeling embarrassed at the request she was about to make.

"Yes go ahead?" He said walking closer.

"I... I need...." She ducked her head down feeling warmth spread on her nod and cheeks.

"Are you alright?" He asked sitting down beside her rubbing her arms seeing her shiver.

"Yes. I just... Can you... Can you sleep here tonight?" She asked hiding her face away.

"I.. do you want me to?" He asked hesitantly.

"I'm.. I'm scared.... I don't like loud noises and thunder" she rephrased her sentence recalling his remark about her being scared of everything.

"Oh.. alright I'll stay here for the night. I'll be there on the couch" he said getting up but she held his wrist.

"No.. I.. I mean here. I need someone to hold me. Baba used to do that for me and then Safa aapi did that always. They're not here." she said looking away.

His frown threatened to turn into a smile as he lowered himself down beside her again.

"It's okay. I'll be right here" he whispered looping his arm around her and pulling her tightly against himself.

"I know you don't like this but I'm sor—" he shushed before she could complete sentence.

"It's okay. I've realized that we're married and I need to place my tantrums aside" he said adjusting her pillows and helping her down. He dimmed the light just enough to keep the room lit and slipped in along with her.

She flinched and covered her ears with her palms as the thunder stroke again. She blew some verses on herself, him and around the room calming herself down.

A tiny gasp escaped her lips when she felt him pulling her closer to himself. She looked down at his chest then his brining brown eyes. He hugged her firmly letting her know she's safe.

"Thank you buraak" she whispered in his chest amused at how fast his heart was beating.

"No problem" he whispered  rubbing her back and running his other hand through her hair.

She felt herself falling a sleep as his fingers did wonders to her brain. She made herself comfortable ok his chest she let sleep engulf her. The occasional tightening of his embrace with each clap of thunder made her hug him tighter like her life was dependent on him.

He spent his time gazing at her who slept soundly on his chest. It was a progress he never paid attention to. He liked her hugging him like child. He like her flushed against himself and he would do anything to keep it that way........

Assalamualaikum guys how are you doing?

I don't have much to say but here's an update.

I'm very sleepy so I'mma head out but lemme me know what you think of this.

Enjoy.
Allah Hafiz

Love
Hafsa_tahir