IF YOU ARE HERE FOR THE FEELS THEN YOU HAVE TO READ THIS CHAPTER PATIENTLY!

"I always thought or rather believed, that I had tightly shut all the doors to my broken heart but Minha made me realise that they were still very much open!"- Hisham Hosseini.

Change!

The only constant in his life!

As much as he had literally been through an extreme, complete 360 degree whirling storm of change, the only thing that had kept Hisham greatly and deeply rooted through it all, were his prayers.

His very much sincere and very much deep, heartfelt prayers.

A tear.

A lone tear.

A lone tear heavily weighted with strong emotions slowly trickled down Hisham's face as he went down for Sujood after having completed his Salat Al Duha.

He remained on the ground for the longest time ever, more and more tears beginning to stream down his face as he softly whispered out the millions of his most darkest secrets while deep down wishing with all of his heart that he could just remain in Sujood forever.

The most gentlest of all knocks followed by the very much painfully slow opening of his bedroom door caused him to immediately though very much reluctantly sit and look up only for his entire heart to instantly and very much strongly clench, the very second his eyes met with hers.

Minha's.

A very much longing look immediately settled deep within his eyes as he very much sadly stared at her with his already broken heart breaking even more and more with every tiny little step she took towards him.

Those extremely beautiful dark hazel eyes.

That very much cute stubborn little chin.

The even cuter bunny like chubby cheeks.

Every single little thing about her loudly and continuously screamed only one and one thing to him...

She was not his!

She was Yasir's!

A fresh set of hot tears stained his eyes and he painfully looked away only for an indescribable amount of torment to further grip his aching heart when she called out to him...

"Amo Hisham?"

That name!

That name; Amo Hisham!

He just hated it!

He just really really hated it.

If only...

If only she could call him Baba.

He would give up his entire world just to hear that!

Even if it was just for a second!

Why would she call him that though?

Why would she call him Baba when...

"She was clearly not his but Yasir's! She could never EVER be his! No matter how badly he wanted her to be!"

His thoughts were cut short when she softly called out to him once again...

"Amo Hisham?"

"Yh...ye...yes, Minha?"

"Salam?"

"Salam Habibty!"

Instantly, he very much tightly bit his lower lip hating how his tongue had slipped out with an endearment only for him to be completely thrown aback and for his entire body to literally freeze when Minha cutely cupped his face with her tiny little hand, kissed his cheek and while staring deep into his sadness filled eyes, she whispered...

"I got you chocolate, Amo Hisham."

She then gently got hold of his hand and placed the huge bar of chocolate onto his palm and to say that Hisham immediately chocked on his tears would be a complete understatement.

Very much sadly staring at the huge bar of chocolate in his hand, Hisham tried his very best to quickly wipe away the many tears that were by now continuously streaming down his face and then said or more like stuttered...

"Th...th...thank you, Minha. I love...I...I...I really do love Dairy Milk. It's actually my most favourite chocolate."

"Mine too, Amo Hisham. Mine too. Now let's EAT IT!"

A small sad, very much reluctant laugh immediately escaped his lips and he couldn't help but simply nod his head in agreement.

He then slowly and silently unwrapped the chocolate, broke off the largest piece and lovingly handed it to her, only for a huge lump to immediately form at the base of his throat, which he quickly swallowed away bitterly, the very second Minha, instead of taking her very first bite, adorably offered it to him instead.

Hot tears immediately filled his eyes to the very brim and he remained nothing but extremely still and speechless for quite a few seconds and poor Minha couldn't help but feel greatly confused by his huge amount of reluctance.

Yasir never ever failed to lovingly share with her his very first bite of everything and anything and she too had merely learnt do to the very same with him.

Then simply why did Amo Hisham have or want to be any different?

He already however, was very very much different.

Amo Hisham cried! He cried a lot!

Her father didn't!

She moved closer to towards him, lovingly cupped his face with her little hand for a few seconds and then gently began wiping away the many tears that were continuously trickling down his face while whispering...

"Please don't cry, Amo Hisham. Please don't be sad. Why are you always sad?"

A huge, very much loud sob escaped his lips and in a flash, he pulled her in for a big teddy like hug, deep down hating himself to the very core for crying in front of a child.

His broken heart immediately sank to its greatest depths when she after barely a few seconds, pulled away only for the most warmest and most fuzziest feeling ever to settle at the pit of his stomach when she once again lovingly cupped his face and again offered him her very first bite while saying...

"Baba says that the first bite holds a lot, if not all the love. Love will make you feel better, Amo Hisham. It always does. Try it!"

"But...but...I...I..."

"Don't you like love, Amo Hisham?"

"I DON'T! I mean I do!"

"Then what are you waiting for, Amo Hisham?"

A huge sigh of defeat escaped his lips followed by a small laugh because Minha literally ended up placing her half of the chocolate right on top of his lips and as soon as he slightly opened his mouth, she almost shoved literally the entire piece in.

His eyes lit up like fireworks when she cutely smiled back at him, showing off her perfect set of milk teeth and his joy literally knew no bounds the moment she gently got hold of his hands and took a really huge first bite from his half of the chocolate.

Having been left utterly dumbfounded, he greatly struggled with what to say for a good minute or two only for him to be left even more speechless than ever, the very second Minha moved even more closer towards him and then gently laid her head against his strong arm.

Choosing to cherish this very first and maybe only precious moment he would ever share with her, he opted on remaining silent; and for the next few good minutes, a pin drop silence engulfed the room as they both very much delightedly munched on their favourite chocolate.

He couldn't help but smile so bad upon seeing her cutely and hurriedly gobble down her half of the chocolate with let's say most probably, half of it, melting and staining the corners of her little mouth.

He then slightly turned around so that he was now facing her, lovingly wiped away the melted chocolate from the corners of her mouth with his thumb and then offered her his remaining half of the chocolate and his poor heart couldn't help but flutter to its greatest heights when she shyly, did actually take it.

With the biggest and brightest smile ever on his face and with his eyes filled with nothing but immense adoration for her, he silently studied her as she endearingly munched down on the other half of the chocolate only for him to scrunch his face in confusion, the very second his eyes fell on her braided ponytail.

A very much messily braided ponytail to be very specific.

Being the slight bit of a neat freak and with curiosity coursing through him at the speed of lightning, he couldn't help but quickly ask...

"Minha?"

"Yes, Amo Hisham?"

"Who braids your hair, Habibty?"

Upon the realisation that his tongue had once again slipped out with an endearment, silence immediately overtook him and he tightly shut his eyes for a few seconds while exhaling sharply, only for him to open them and find her very much admirably staring at her ponytail and she too remained silent for quite some time before she answered back with an almost inaudible whisper...

"Baba! Baba braids my hair. He braids it every morning!"

Every single fibre in Hisham's body warmed up just at the mere thought and all that he was able to whisper back with was...

"It's beautiful. Just so so beautiful. It really is!"

While still proudly staring at her messily braided ponytail, Minha let out an extremely cute chuckle and then asked...

"It's also very messy isn't it?"

"I...umm...it's...it's not...it..."

"Mama always fixes it later!"

She then cupped his face with both her hands, widened her eyes while staring deep into his, almost as if wanting to scare him and with an extremely serious expression on her face, she whispered...

"Just never ever tell Baba, Amo Hisham! Mama said that she will never ever give me pineapples if Baba ever gets to know!"

To say that an extremely amused expression immediately settled on Hisham's face would be quite the understatement and as he tried his very best to bite back a laugh, he whispered...

"I would never ever do anything to compromise your delicious pineapples, Minha. I promise that yours and your Mama's secret will always stay safe with me. PROMISE!"

"Pinky promise?"

"Does it have to be pink?"

"All pinky promises are pink, Amo Hisham!"

"I don't like pink!"

"Yes, you do!"

"No, I don't!"

"Yes, you do!"

"No, I don't!"

"Amo Hishaaaaam, come oooooooon!"

"Minhaaaaa, come oooooooon!"

"AMO HISSSHAM!"

"MINNNHA!"

"It's a PINKY promise, Amo Hisham. Its name is PINKY. It has to be PINK!"

"But...but...but Minhaaaaa!"

"Can an orange be blue, Amo Hisham?"

He immediately threw his head back in loud laughter, it taking him quite a long time to get over her 'argument' only for him to double up even more the very second he noticed the 'Can you get dumber than this' look that she was continuously throwing his way.

He let out a series of coughs in an attempt to sober up or more so hide the laughter that seemed to have plans on killing him and then in the most defeated way one could ever pull off, he said...

"I pinky promise, Minha. I pinky promise. Now and forever!"

In the split of a second, she gleefully threw her arms around him and tears once again stained Hisham's eyes for something like the umpteenth time as he tightly hugged her back and as soon as she settled back down, he wasted absolutely no time in asking...

"Minha?"

"Yes, Amo Hisham?"

"Can...can...can I? Can I redo your hair for you?"

"Okay!"

Without being told, she immediately and very much timidly sat cross-legged, with her back facing him and Hisham almost choked on his unspilled tears because never had he ever thought that...

It would simply be this easy!

He began by very much gently and very much lovingly removing her beautiful multi-coloured butterfly hairclips only or him to stop upon finding one that had both of its wings broken.

It had to be the pink one!

Why hadn't it just simply died on its way to wherever?

"Minha?" he called out.

"Yes, Amo Hisham?"

"Your clip, its broken, Habibty!"

"Yeah!"

"You know that its broken?"

"Yeah!"

"Then simply why would you still be wearing it?"

"I love broken!"

His hands instantly stilled at her answer as an unknown emotion stirred in the depths of his broken heart and deep down he just couldn't help but wonder...

Could anyone ever like let alone love anything broken?

Wasn't broken just...broken?

Could it ever be considered to be anything else?

He was very much broken too!

Could it be that maybe someone somewhere out there, could love him more than anything just for this particular flaw of his?

Could it ever be?

Could it?

He immediately vigorously shook his head with this eyes tightly closed afterwich he frustratedly passed his hand over his very much short and very much neatly trimmed beard, hoping it would help him get rid of such thoughts and in the very end he only but ended up convincing himself with...

She didn't love it because it was broken. She loved it simply because it was pink!

That was it.

Nothing else.

No one and I mean no one could ever like, forget love; anything that was even close to being broken.

That applied to him too.

He was a broken man.

A man who could not be ever liked nor loved and it would only but stay like that...

Forever!

Feeling more heartbroken than ever by these very thoughts of his, he quickly wiped away the tears that were forever always streaming down his face and then called out...

"Minha?"

"Yes, Amo Hisham?"

"I...I...I can easily fix for you your broken hairclip."

"Can you really, Amo Hisham?"

"Yes, Habibty!"

He then reached for the sharp pointed ink pen in his shirt's breast pocket and a small smile crept up his lips when Minha literally glued the side of her face to his as she keenly watched him work his magic and the most excited gasp ever escaped her lips the very second the butterfly's wings sprang to life.

"It's winging again, Amo Hisham! It's winging again!"

That was the only thing she kept yelling as she excitedly ran around the room like a little ball of energy, with her little arms widespread and Hisham couldn't help but laugh out loud only for him begin frowning a few seconds later when the very same unknown emotion that he had experienced just a while ago once again stirred in the depths of his heart, with something like a light feathery whisper continuously fluttering through his entire heart and soul.

"Broken can heal, Hisham!"

"Broken can be fixed!"

"You too can heal Hisham!"

"You too can...

His thoughts were cut short by Minha abruptly and very much lovingly flinging her arms around him and just before she settled back down on the floor, he was able to catch a glimpse of her dark hazel eyes and within them, he was able to clearly see only one and one thing...

That he, was her Hero!

A modestly proud smile immediately settled on his face; a smile that lingered the entire time he lovingly braided her hair and one that only but continuously kept widening from ear to ear as he watched her admire the final result in front of his bedroom's tall mirror.

After cutely checking herself out in front of the tall mirror for the longest time ever, something that only but felt like microseconds for Hisham, Minha finally turned around and asked...

"Amo Hisham?"

"Yes, Habibty?"

"Thank you but now can I go show my Mama my fixed pink butterfly clip?"

"Sure, you can!"

A small laugh escaped Hisham's lips as he watched her run towards the bedroom's door, faster than a flash of lightning only for her to suddenly stop, turn around and with a very serious expression on her face, she said...

"Amo Hisham?"

"Yes, Habibty?"

"Mama said that you are like a pineapple!"

"Oh!"

"Yeah!"

"Why would your Mama think of me as one, though? I don't understand!"

"Oh that's because, pineapples are always all yellow like sunshine and sweet like honey!"

"Oh! Okaaaay but then like why? Why would she say that?"

"That's because I said that you are like rain!"

"Rain?!"

"Yeah! You're dark and gloomy just like it!"

The brightness in Hisham's eyes instantly dimmed by great levels just by listening to her words only for them to slowly start lighting up again brighter than ever before as Minha continued...

"I still think that you very are dark and gloomy, Amo Hisham but you are not a pineapple and you are also not rain!"

"Then what? Then what am I Minha?"

"You're a rainbow, Amo Hisham. A rainbow."

"A rainbow?"

"Yeah! Khalo Khaleel told me that when you mix sunshine and rain together, you get a rainbow. That's what I think you are. Nothing but a biiiiiiiig rainbow!"

"But...But...Minha, a rainbow is so colourful. I...I... I barely give off any of the colours, Habibty. I mean like... just how can I be a rainbow?"

She remained silent for quite some time, stared at him for what seemed like an even longer time, took in a deep breath and then said...

"My Baba can't see, Amo Hisham. He is blind. He has never ever seen any colour since he was a baby but he still says that rainbows are beautiful. I also have seen many rainbows in the sky but I have never seen all the colours..."

"You don't have to see all the colours, Amo Hisham. A rainbow is a rainbow and rainbows are beautiful. Just like you..."

She then immediately ran out of the room, not giving him a chance to reply and for a very long time, Hisham silently sat on his prayer mat as he slowly took in everything and in the very end...

Do you know what he ended up doing?

He laughed!

He laughed and he smiled!

He really really laughed and he really really smiled.

His laughs and smiles were however cut short when he heard the loud chiming of their living room wall clock and a look of alarm immediately crossed his face as he quickly glanced at wrist watch with only one thing continuously coursing through his mind...

He had told her not to be late!

In the split of a second, he wore his shoes, quickly grabbed his coat along with his briefcase and then literally went sliding down the huge staircase's railing.

Taking Yasmin by surprise by rushing into the kitchen, he lovingly placed a kiss on her head as he quickly grabbed himself an apple afterwich he bolted out the door but not before saying or more like yelling...

"Mama, please tell Yasir that I have told Khaleel to pick him up. I really have to go early today!"

It took Yasmin a good few seconds to get over what had seemed like a hurling hurricane and as soon as she comprehended what had just happened, she too rushed behind him, a glass of cold, freshly squeezed orange juice in her hand.

He had already gotten to his car by the time she got outside and her heart immediately warmed up as a smile broke out on her face because as soon as she softly called out to him, he respectfully answered back and as much as every part of his body screamed RELUCTANCE, he still came back and stood right in front of her, a small smile on his face.

"Hisham?"

"Yes, Mama?"

"Where do you think you are off to this early in the morning?"

"To work!"

"Well, I don't think so!"

"Mamaaaaa, come ooooon!"

"Hishaaaam, come ooooon!"

"Mama!"

"Hisham!"

"Mama!"

"Hisham!"

"No one ever leaves my house without having their early morning breakfast! You should be knowing that!"

"I promise its only for today, Mama. I really really have to go. I...

"NO!"

A mischievous grin crept up his lips as he playfully took her hand into his and Yasmin couldn't help but raise one of eyebrows inquisitively only for her to immediately roll her eyes for she very well knew what he was up to the very second he began by saying...

"I"

"No, Hisham!

"Love!"

"Not going to work!"

"You!"

"Nope!"

"So!"

"I promise that you're wasting your time!"

"Very!"

"I don't even know why you're still trying?"

"Much!"

"Fine but just this once! I never ever want to see you miss breakfast again and you have to have this orange juice and yeah I love you too, so very much!"

He immediately kissed her cheek, a look of triumph etched all over his face afterwich he took the glass of orange juice from her hands, sat down on one of the chairs in the patio and then slowly gulped it down.

Standing up, he gently placed the empty glass back in her hand, kissed her cheek once again and in something like barely a minute, he was speeding out the mansion's gates.

Sensing her husband's presence behind her, Yasmin continued staring out into the distance until she lost sight of their son's car and then asked...

"Why are you already overworking him, Hussein?"

"Yasmin, I would never..."

"It's only but his second day, Hussein!"

"I very well know that, Yasmin!"

"Then why? Why would he be rushing so early to work like this?"

Hussein remained silent for a while, a glint forming in the depths of his eyes afterwich he gently got hold of his wife's hand, lovingly brought it to his cheek and then said...

"Our son's interest has been sparked, Yasmin!"

"What do you mean?"

"There is this certain young lady..."

Fear immediately gripped every single inch of Yasmin's body as she clearly remembered every single word from the conversation she had had with Hisham just the previous night and as much as she knew and as much as she wanted for a woman to enter her son's life SOLELY to prove him wrong, she still very much knew that...

He wasn't ready!

He just wasn't!

Sensing her discomfort, Hussein tightly squeezed her hand in a bid to reassure her, only for her to whisper...

"He is not yet ready, Hussein!"

"When did I ever say he was, Yasmin?"

"Then why? Why would you say..."

"I am saying what I saw!"

"It can't be Hussein. It can't be! You must be mistaken. Our son hates women. He...he...he..."

"Yasmin..."

"He will only but end up hurting himself and anyone who comes near him, Hussein..."

"Yasmin..."

"You don't know, Hussein but I talked to him. Just last night..."

"YASMIN!"

She was immediately taken aback by his sudden outburst only for her heart to warm up when he got hold of her other hand too and while staring at her with nothing but reassurance in his eyes, he said...

"Don't worry about OUR son, Yasmin..."

"HE HIMSELF DOESN'T KNOW IT'S A SPARK..."

"YET!"

***

PLEASE DO VOTE AND COMMENT.

IT TOOK ME TWO WEEKS TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER SO I HOPE YOU LIKED IT!

WHOM DO YOU THINK WILL GET TO WORK FIRST?

ISMA OR HISHAM?

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

ASALAM ALEIKUM.