Ghazal looked up from the book which she was reading to Adam as Haaris came in the room with hurried strides, his posture furiously shaking and he began to pace around the room with ragged breaths.

"Ma, what happened to dad?"

Adam's worried and somewhat fearful voice made her realize how grave the situation was. By the time, Haaris had tiredly sat at one corner of their bedroom balcony. From the glass door, she could easily see him blowing puffs of air in the bowl of his hands, clearly showing his disheveled state. Ghazal gave a fake smile to Adam in order to move his mind away from the fear and pressed his small hands.

"Nothing, baby. He's just stressed. You wait here."

Ghazal placed a kiss on his temple as Adam nodded with a smile and she made her way towards Haaris who was still engrossed in his cluttered thoughts. She wrapped an arm around his slumped shoulders, moving his damp fringes away from his glossy eyes and on the cue, Haaris rested his head on her shoulder as if he was waiting for her support.

"It all will be alright. I'm here."

"Tigeress, I am breaking apart."

She shushed him kissing his temple to soothe Haaris. Ghazal didn't know what had happened downstairs but whatever it was, it was enough to shatter his being. Maybe the reason that Papa had told him was fierce which had affected him badly or was there something different?

"Why you never left me?"

That query was sudden as Haaris bored his questioning, wet eyes on her face. What was the answer? What she would tell him? The idea of leaving him never came to her mind because they got married, they were husband and wife because their relationship was destined to be beyond the afterlife or was there something more to say?

"Why will I leave you, Haaris?"

"Because that's what Azkiya did. She left me when I was dying when I was fighting for my life with death."

Her eyes widened at the revelation and a huge weight fell on her heart. How could one be so heartless? Did the human inside her die? Didn't she feel the pain of leaving a dying man? That man who was spoiling himself just in the guilt that he took her life. That guilt was proof how true his feelings were for Azkiya. But she didn't even care for those feelings too.

"I'm not Azkiya, Haaris. I had told you that we will be together and In Shaa Allah we will."

"Don't you think I can handle this reason? Why Papa had to lie to me?"

Haaris's mind was jumping on every worst possible situation. He was thinking about the bad part of his life, which was very acute for his health especially his mind. She could now understand Papa's reason behind the lie. He had proved how much he loved his son and what he had gone through taking this decision.

"Haaris he knows the pain of betrayal. His reason was valid, he just wanted to save you from that pain."

"By giving me more pain? Ghazal, I only prayed of dying just because of those haunting memories, those nightmares. I-I..."

Haaris stuttered as he was unable to form words enough to show his pain, Ghazal again shushed him cupping his face and taking him in her embrace. Everything was futile to make Haaris understand because he was not in his right mind, he was living in his past and going through every dark memory of his mind.

"Do you want some water?"

Haaris nodded and Ghazal called Adam to bring the glass of water. Adam's face was still worried as he took a look at his father's upset face giving him the glass. He had never seen him like this and definitely he was not liking his great dad being so weak. She gestured Adam to come near her and made him sit on her lap.

"Okay, tell dad what Ma do when Adam is upset."

Adam beamed at her getting the opportunity to make his father smile. Haaris gave a teary smile to his son as Adam leaned closer to him and wiped his tears carefully, placing a kiss on both the cheeks.

"Do you want chocolatesh, dad?"

Haaris questioningly looked at Ghazal and she gestured him to answer in affirmative and he did. Adam shoved out a chocolate bar from his pant pocket and gently put it inside Haaris's pocket.

"Eat it one by one elsh your teeth will break."

Adam's innocent advice earned a chuckle from Haaris and he didn't waste a moment to pull his son closer and hugging him tightly. It was these small things which would push Haaris out of his past and she would make sure to bring him out of that hazy bubble because everything which was waiting for him at the other side was more blissful than anything else. Haaris glanced at her from the embrace and she gave him a warm smile before he wrapped an arm around her, securing them in his protective circle.

***

Haaris felt her warmth seeping inside him as Ghazal tightly held his hand, walking on the lush green grass. The sun was about to end its long journey after a few minutes and before that, it had beautifully painted the whole sky in hue shades of orange making everything ethereal.

"I like this place. You know why?"

Haaris shook his head in negative, trying to get a grip of his wandering thoughts and enjoy the moment in which he was living.

"This is the place I had talked to Baba about your proposal. "

"And what did he say?"

"He agreed that I can't get a better husband than you and also requested me to invite him to our wedding. "

Ghazal ended with a giggle, rolling her eyes at her father's memory forcing him to smile. Maybe it was the sadness that was surrounding him that his mind got pulled towards his own father. He couldn't remember such memories with Papa, only some days of his childhood and just that. They both had become strangers after his mother left him, then came his addiction which made him forget about every single person in his life. It was after meeting Ghazal that he began to acknowledge people in his life, Papa and Nanna. But it all was feeling like getting foggy due to the lies which had created a wall between them.

"Dad, shee I'm taking a high shwing."

Haaris showed a thumbs up with a smile to Adam and glanced at Ghazal who was already staring him as if trying to read him. She gently pulled him towards the nearby bench and watched Adam before turning her head to face him.

"Do you want to talk?"

"What's there to talk, tigeress? I'm getting tired of everything in my life."

Ghazal held his hand and patted it with the other, "Haaris, sometimes the best solution is to face the situation rather than ignoring it."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm seeing Papa and you for four days. You both want to talk to each other but your fears, your egos aren't letting you do it."

She was right! They were doing the best to ignore each other. Haaris had started taking his meal in the bedroom in order to stay away from his father and Papa used to leave whenever he found Haaris's vicinity. Haaris didn't know what he was trying to prove by ignoring his father? Maybe his anger, hurt and more like he had no guts to accept that his father's decision was right.

"Haaris, there are many decisions which you will not understand now but once the situation comes in front of you regarding your son-you will definitely relate to it. We as children are unable to understand the pain of parenthood."

Haaris gave a teary smile to his wife. She was the only one in his life who understood him or tried to. Didn't know what he did in his life to get Ghazal as his wife who was his constant companion, a better half which he never wanted to lose.

"How am I going to meet Papa?"

"Just like a son goes to his father. If you need any help, Adam is here."

Haaris chuckled nodding his head, his body relaxed to the edge, feeling like a calm sea after a tremendous storm. His heart swelled looking at Ghazal whose face was glistening with last shades of the sun as she glanced at the setting sun.

"Can I just kiss you, tigress?"

Haaris teasingly asked, nearing his lips closer to her ear smiling at her hitching breath as Ghazal stared at him with an incredulous look on her beautiful features.

"You won't do such things here."

"Are you challenging me, Mrs. Haaris?"

Ghazal shook her head, her hands gently pushing on his chest to keep a distance between them forcing him to laugh at his wife's nervous self. Haaris pried her hands and held them on his own.

"Where's my tigress now?"

"I can't trust my husband's display of affection."

Haaris chuckled placing a soft kiss on her cheek, surprising her again and he took her in his embrace putting her head on his shoulder as they both witnessed the sun pausing its journey for a while with a promise that it would come again soon.

***

Ghazal splashed a handful of water on her face after emptying the entire dinner of last night in the sink. It was just a phase of her motherhood, a sign of a life that was slowly growing inside her. Patting her face with a towel she left the washroom, it was almost the time for the morning prayers. On the thought of prayer, her gaze found Haaris who was peacefully sleeping with his son at his side, his hand protectively around Adam's curled form.

Making her way towards him, she silently sat in front of him watching carefully the evened out breaths. Ghazal moved the fringes away from Haaris's eyes as she gently placed a soft kiss on his cheek smiling as he slightly squirmed from his sleep. It was for the first time in their relationship that her husband didn't get any nightmares and had a peaceful sleep. Maybe it was because he had sorted out everything with his dad, the whole past ordeal was revealed in front of him and there were no guilts in his heart for the same.

"Will you please come with me, tigress?"

Ghazal looked at Haaris who was looking beyond nervous wringing his hands together, his habit of worry. She fixed the duvet on sleeping Adam and came near her husband.

"To meet Papa?"

"Yeah- I am afraid. I don't know how will I-"

Ghazal tightly held his hand halting his anxious speech in the middle and forced him to look at her. "You know who is the strongest person? The person who knows his mistakes and has the courage to ask forgiveness for them. Haaris, you're brave, no need to be afraid I am with you." She gently pecked his lips and ushered him out of their room towards Papa's study.

With a knock, they both entered a dim-lit study and found Papa sitting at one corner reading a book. Probably he hadn't heard the knock as he was still busy in his own work, Ghazal felt bad seeing him so disoriented surely his son's foul mood had affected him severely. Haaris glanced at her pursing his lips and cleared his throat to grab Papa's attention.

"Oh, Haaris."

Papa stood up from his place with a smile and kept the book aside. There were no signs of previous talks in his appearance, it was holding the same warmth and his smile was still heartwarming. Perhaps Haaris felt that too that was why he just moved ahead and hugged him tightly catching Papa off guard. She gave a small smile to Papa as he looked at her confused about his son's gesture.

"I'm not so good at words. Let's just say, please forgive me."

He held Haaris's arms smiling at him with slightly wet eyes and kissed his forehead before hugging him again. Papa mouthed a thank you and she just nodded her head in return, beaming at her father. Her heart fell at peace as if Ghazal had attached a long lost missing piece of a puzzle.

"Hey, tigress."

Haaris's gentle grip on her arm and his husky voice pulled Ghazal in her present and she looked at her husband who was childishly rubbing his eyes to remove the sleep from them.

"Let's pray Fajr."

"Yeah."

Haaris pulled her closer to himself wounding his arm around her and kissed her forehead lovingly glancing in her eyes, "Thanks for everything tigress."

"Thanks for bringing me in your life."

Ghazal nuzzled his nose patting his cheek lightly to wake him up. After finishing their ablution, the couple offered their morning prayers together. She was grateful for everything which she had gone through with the help of her lord because those things were the reason for her calm present and if Allah wills that merry future which she was about to experience with her small family.

She was reading some after prayer supplications when there was a loud and hurried knock on the door. Ghazal opened the door to reveal one of the maids worried in front of her.

"What happened? "

"Mam, Mr. Yousuf. He isn't well, something is wrong with him."

Ghazal's eyes widened in horror as she gripped the door edge for support. Her heart sank in a pit of blankness, every fiber of her body shaking as her only silent plea was to God to keep everything fine and safe. The heart is the silliest thing in the entire world, as it comes to know about something dreadful it begins to show us every worst possible scenario. That's what was happening with her, Ghazal didn't want to think anything bad happening to her father-in-law, everything would be alright. She glanced at Haaris who was engrossed in his prayer before leaving their room towards Papa's room.

***

Haaris ran with the stretcher, his hands tightly gripping his father's hand as if he was scared to even let go of him. Papa's eyes were closed, a thin sweat gathering on his forehead scaring him more about his father's condition. As the operation theatre came near he hesitantly let go of him, dejectedly taking a step back when doctors took Papa inside the theatre. His eyes were not ready to move away from his face, tears of sadness making his vision blurry and hazy.

"They took him inside."

He informed Ghazal over the call, Haaris didn't want to exert her that was why despite her denial he had kept her at the house. He heard her sniffing from the other side and her voice heavy with the weight of tears making his heart quiver in anxiety, "In Shaa Allah, all will be fine Haaris."

"Yeah, I hope so. I'm not ready to lose him yet."

"Shh, don't say anything bad. Just pray for him, okay?"

"Yes."

Haaris wetted his lips taking the seat on the corner chair, shoving the cellphone inside his pocket. He rested the back of his head on the headrest and closed his eyes allowing the waiting tears to flow freely from the nook of his eyes. Now he was feeling how much he needed his father in his life. Even if he used to be absent from a scene but there had to be a faint assurance in his heart that he was around him to support him, to save him, to pick him up when he would fall.

That's what made him scared, his heart was shaking badly thinking about his life without his father. Only one day had passed since they had resolved everything between them and started a father-son relationship. He couldn't tolerate the pain of losing him, just yet. Haaris wanted to make some memories with his father like many other kids had, which he didn't bother to care about because of his tainted childhood and addiction but it was never too late to take the first step.

There were some moments though, of his childhood which never faded away with time, just like when Papa used to sit outside his school so that whenever Haaris would come crying out he would find his father to console him. He was always there when he had gifted him the Den of Passion, when his mother was leaving him, after every hangover he used to see Papa with a glass of lemonade, he was with him when he was in that rehab-yelling at him but he never left his side. These were the memories which he took for granted but now it felt like they were made for this time when all he would had would be their company to hold on.

Haaris always behaved with him like a jerk, never ever respected him properly but he stayed glued to his side. Then why he would now leave him, when all Haaris wanted was to care for him, love him, respect him and make him proud. It seemed like destiny was executing its own plans and they were again becoming some puppets in its hands, as always. Did he get his senses very late? Would he never be able to meet his father again? He shook his head to drop every negative thought from his brain, his breath coming slowly due to the worry he was feeling.

"Mr. Haaris Yousuf."

The authoritative voice forced him to look up to find a middle-aged doctor impatiently waiting for him. He quickly stood up from his seat gulping the lump which had formed due to the sadness, fear, and dread.

Everything will be alright!

"Yes?"

"Mr. Yousuf has gotten a severe heart attack. We will need to perform a heart bypass on him. There is a blockage in his arteries."

Haaris pursed his lips tightly, furiously nodding his head. His mind was unable to put any thought on everything which was happening around him. He was holding a very thin hope that his father would be fine after everything but Haaris knew how much he was shivering from inside, how badly he was scared just thinking about the consequences.

"He will be alright? "

"We can't say anything now, Mr. Haaris. Let's just hope for the best."

The doctor moved inside patting his shoulder and Haaris defeatedly fell on the chair, keeping his head in the bowl of his palms. Tears just slipping out of his eyes on his helplessness and in fear of his own destiny.

Allah, I don't pray to you often but just help me now. I don't want to lose my Papa. Please keep him safe, I just don't want him to go. Please let him be with me. I want him with me, I need him. Please...