Vanishing Point

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Running and yelling of everybody around him, someone was ordered to keep the operation theatre ready, someone was telling how critically she was injured, someone was telling that it was mere luck she had been here on time. But all he could see was Ghazal's tightly shut eyes, all he could feel was her pale hand in his, all he could understand was Ghazal's life which was loosely hanging on a thread called hope.

How instantly destiny changes the role of a person! Some months ago, Haaris was on the stretcher-fidgeting with his life and Ghazal was doing everything to save him. His eyes were burning as more tears accumulated, ready to flow at any minute.

That jerk on the heart when Haaris heard the sound of the crash on the call, was the worst feeling he had ever felt in his entire life. He didn't want to lose her, Ghazal was becoming the reason for his life and he couldn't let her go.

"Ma will be alright?"

Adam's wet voice rudely pulled him into the present and he had to make himself strong to look at his tear stricken face. He was asking Mr. Yousuf who faked a smile and made him sit on the waiting chair.

"Yes."

Haaris heard his father's reply as he too took his seat beside them, his gaze continuously flickering to the operation theatre where his life-line had been taken. Didn't know his father's word had given him some kind of relief or not because his heart was shaking like an autumn leaf and he didn't want to dwell on the feeling of utter fear, losing Ghazal? Adam tiredly put his head on his lap surely the whole ordeal was not meant for him and Haaris moved his fingers in his hair in order to calm him.

"She will be alright, son."

Mr. Yousuf held his shoulder and Haaris pursed his lips, nodding in return. Resting the back of his head on the wall, Haaris quickly closed his eyes to wipe out all the dreaded surroundings from his mind. He didn't want to feel the cold gust of air which was bone-chilling, he didn't want to smell the pungent odor of phenyl which was pushing him back to the reality, he didn't want to see the dull colors of the hospital which was enough to remind him the reason of his presence there.

He just wanted to look at Ghazal, he just wanted to smell her jasmine fragrance around him and he just wanted to feel the touch of her soft hands on his. She was the one who had the power to calm his wildly beating heart, she knew how to soothe him in every utter difficult situation and when she was fidgeting with her life, this realization dropped on him like a bucket of ice-cold water.

Everything is stopping you from going away.

His own words echoed around him. If he would be more stubborn, if he had just stopped her from going, Ghazal would be safe with him. Haaris had no idea when that lady had occupied so much space in his heart so that seeing her in pain and thinking of losing her was only leaving him empty and worried.

He began to pray for the life of his love, he couldn't remember when was the last time when he had asked something from God but today Haaris wanted to try everything to bring back Ghazal to him. His lips were trembling as his heart wept in the conversation with his Lord.

"Haaris."

He quickly opened his eyes at the mention of his name. Gesturing his father to look after sleeping Adam, he stood up facing the doctor.

"I want to have a talk with you."

"How's Ghazal?" Haaris asked as soon as he entered the doctor's cabin.

"Operation is still going, Haaris. I wanted to talk about Ghazal's past life. I know you both have started your new life but it's necessary."

"What you want to ask?"

"Who used to abuse her?" Haaris took a long sigh, it was the question he too wanted the answer for. Those scars and scratches were the most dreaded things he had ever seen in his life.

"I don't know, doc. I have seen those scars and I know she has been brutally abused." The doctor nodded in affirmation, his fingers fiddling with the pen.

"That abuse is still showing its effects on her. Ghazal's immune system has become much weaker over the years, Haaris. Her blood pressure is getting low and I am afraid that we will lose it."

His surroundings felt cold as those words sunk in and he rubbed his sweaty palms together in order to move that feeling of anxiety away.

***

As she moved the curtains away from the windows, the shy sunlight made its way to their bedroom. It was just three days after their wedding and Ghazal knew Farzan wasn't too fond of her. He didn't look at her and it would be of very much need when he spoke to her.

But she liked him from the first day when he came to her home with his mother for the proposal. It was a typical arranged marriage and when Ghazal saw him after serving tea, butterflies erupted inside her.

It was all enough for her, Ghazal had so much love budding inside her for her husband that she could live all her life with his ignorance. The likeness and love were just because he was the one God had chosen for her as her better-half, he was the one who will be with her in heaven.

Farzan was still sleeping and looking so peaceful. Ghazal slowly tiptoed to his side and sat down, her knees gently grazing the carpeted floor. His forehead was covered by his messy hair and his lips were tightly pursed.

She hesitantly brought her hand closer to him, her fingers moving in his hair. Her cold fingertips timidly touched his eyelashes, the bridge of his nose and his dark lips. Ghazal didn't know what got over her but she shyly placed a kiss on his stubbled jaw.

As she moved back, Ghazal saw Farzan staring at her with furrowed brows. She blushed under his gaze, tugging the loose strand behind her ear. A smile whose meaning she couldn't decipher was present on his lips, she stood up and was about to turn when Farzan with a swift action made her sit on the bed. Her wrist was still in his tight grip and she was for the first time so close to him.

Ghazal tried to look at her husband who was watching her every movement. His warm breath was fanning her cold features as his face moved a little closer to her. Her gaze traveled to his lips then to his eyes which were boring in her.

"Ghazal."

"Hmmm..." Ghazal hummed in response as his thumb slowly grazed her lower lip. Her heart began to dance at their closeness, her husband was acknowledging her presence around him.

"Never ever try to touch me." A wince resulted from her lips as he held her hair in his furious grip. Ghazal held his shoulders to ease him which also ignited his anger.

"I am sorry, Farzan. Please leave me."

Farzan left her hair with a jerk and moved to the washroom without looking back at his wife, who was silently weeping at her humiliation and the hate she was getting from her husband.

***

Haaris covered his face in the goblet of his cold palms, his mind occupied with the doctor's words. He couldn't let her go, he couldn't let her die. Now he didn't stop his tears to flow, they were showing his helplessness, his nervousness and mostly his fear.

The operation was still going, her ribs and right knee had been fractured, badly. Her head had some injuries but the doctor's main concern was Ghazal's immune system. Her body was not giving proper response to the medicines and that's why her blood pressure was getting low.

Haaris was furious on everything around him or it was just the thought of losing Ghazal which was making him irritated over every single thing. Firstly his anger was on Ghazal's ex-husband who according to him pushed her to this limit that Ghazal was forced to stuck between life and death. Secondly, he wanted that person who had hit her. Haaris had determined to himself that he would do anything to punish the person due to whom his Ghazal was in this condition.

It was half-past seven and Haaris had sent Papa and Adam to Nanna's house. He didn't want to make his son more restless and that's why requested Nanna to take special care of Adam.

"How's she?"

Haaris looked up to see Baba standing in front of him, his appearance more than tired as if he had already lost hope in Ghazal's survival. He shook his thoughts in order to get rid of the feeling of terror.

"She's under observation." Baba sat beside him heaving a long sigh. His legs slowly shaking replicating his agitation.

"The doctors are saying that Ghazal is not responding properly to the medicines just because of her past's accidents."

Baba became pale as the colors vanished from his face. He wetted his dried lips and looked at Haaris as if Baba was his culprit.

"What happened with her, Baba? Who did that to her?"

A nerve-wracking silence enveloped them after his question as Baba was unable to look at him, Haaris was constantly staring at him for answers.

"It was her husband, Haaris. She never told me the whole story but his behavior with her gave me enough hints. Sometime when she used to come to meet me, I could see faint imprints of his hand on her cheek which Ghazal would excuse on the side effects of her make-up."

"You never asked her about him?"

"Many times but Ghazal never fully told me about the problems of her married life." Baba's voice croaked but he cleared his throat to continue, "You know Haaris, we shouldn't feel good on anyone's death but when I heard about Farzan-her husband's death. I felt a relief, a sense of relaxation that now my daughter would be safe. Else she would never leave him."

Haaris's heart fell in the pit of darkness. How could she be so selfless? How could she just tolerate these abuses so silently? That was not love. That was rubbish. A sense of envy took birth inside of him hearing about Ghazal's love for Farzan.

"Am I a bad father, Haaris?"

"I don't know Baba. I am unable to think properly but her past is definitely spoiling her present. She is fighting with death and we can't-"

His voice split with the weight of emotions bubbling inside him. Haaris covered his mouth to stop himself from crying out loud, the most difficult task he felt at that time. Why his destiny was again playing its cruel games on him? Even if it wanted to give him pain there was no need to pull Ghazal through it because it was hurting more than any hurt.

"Haaris."

He quickly left his chair on the doctor's voice who was looking equally anxious making him more than worried about his wife.

***

Ghazal winced as she wrapped the one more layer of bandage over the cut wrist. She was going to meet her family after a long time of two weeks and didn't want to give them any indication of her stressed married life. Farzan had started drinking for God knows what reason and when she came to know about it, she had cried and prayed all night for her husband to bring him to the straight path.

As she bent down to look for her sandals, Ghazal felt the dangerous pain coursing through her spine as the wounds on her lower back made her feel their presence. The sudden pain forced her to close her eyes and bit her lower lip to kill the cry of grief.

"How slow will you be, clumsy woman?" She instantly stood up hearing her husband's angry voice.

"Hurry. Or I will change my mind of taking you."

Ghazal nodded and left the room to save herself from his deathly stares. Her husband didn't bother to meet her family and left her at the gate. The more dreadful thing happened when her father hugged her, increasing the pain on her back.

"Why are you crying, Ghazi?"

"Nothing, I missed you."

She wasn't lying, yes Ghazal's every fiber had missed her father more than ever. Whenever Farzan used to hit her, she used to remember her father's tender care. Whenever Farzan used to yell at her she used to remember Baba's polite words. But now she was crying for so many reasons that she too was unable to point out.