#3

Waqas rested his tired body in the back seat of the car, eyes closed taking in the fresh air peacefully

"To the park... or home?" questioned Salman, his question hanged on air for a moment, Waqas really didn't want to go there his body and mind needed to rest after a long day of working non-stop like a cheap labor he wasn't

But something pulled him there strangely like how a magnet would do, something pulled him there, something he really couldn't name, he can't recognize and still would never dare to forget "Park!"

With that Salman drove off, quietly just the soft hum of their own drive, wind slapping their faces gently, making their way out of Gulberg, silently peaceful before A call interrupted their silence

He frowned over the caller Id, he read from his lit screen and before he would ignore the call his finger picked the accept

"Assalamualaikum Salim what is it?"
"You should learn to separate... the salaam and other questions Waqas!" came a voice from the other side on a louder speaker
He scoffed tiredly irritated
"Like you didn't make this day long enough for me..... huh?"

The man from the other end chuckled mockingly like he was enjoying whatever he was doing
"And mine isn't over yet.... I'm still at work!"
"Your problem!" He shot back curtly mean
"Okay listen... Khan constructions secretary called" his tone turned serious this time,

Waqas remained quite waiting for Salim to finish explaining whatever he had to
"They agreed we will have a meeting next week!"
"Good then... let's talk about tomorrow at work... bye!" with that the line went deliberately disconnected

"This man.... arrogant as always!" Lamented Salim to absolutely no one
"So rude of him to end the call he didn't start!" he hissed before turning back to his think book his gaze immersed back to the email he had been dealing with

"Your brother is a killer!" Lamented Waqas to Salman
Salman chuckled the one that comes out like a mockery, the unplanned one
"You're not dead yet... wait till he drains your blood !"
"Does he have to be such a workaholic!" questioned Waqas

"and he wants everyone else around him to overwork like him!" Salman splashed salt on the flesh wound
"pervert!" he hissed with a perfect frown set on his face

---

The park filled with the charm it always carries, the soft and soothing chuckles of the playing kids filling the air, before they jumped on Zahra who just walked in,
after a few soft greetings the kids sat themselves ready for the tales she made them addicted to

"Okay kids.... guess what I bought for you today?" Questioned Zahra playfully bringing the sleeping excitement in the kids back to life

"What is it sister.... Show us please.... Candies..... gifts ..... a new friend.... A new sister like you.... Tell us sister!" different suggestions came in response to her question and now their curiosity was clearly visible

"Well.... The one who said about a new sister is right!" She winked playfully" her statement exploded the crowd blissfully excited
"But... but... the one who said about candies isn't wrong either!" She added and that was it, the joy filled the whole park, screams that didn't seem to be ending anytime sooner

The voices somehow reached somewhere and that brought relief to some of the parents knowing their kids are playing and enjoying the safe space of a stranger they never paid to babysit them

"Come out now... the kids are dying of excitement!" She mouthed before a girl walked closer,
height like Zahra's wearing a light blue shalwar kameez with a white neatly tied hijab, her veil falling around her shoulders perfectly, a perfect desi style but make it modest

"How are you kids!" She smiled warmly before the kids ran to her, jumping on her till he had to pull her height down for a proper hug they seemed to demand for,

Zahra stood behind enjoying the view with that wide smile on her face the one that showed hos the moment mattered without stressing for anything she can't change

"Welcome new sister.... Wow... you are so tall... you are beautiful... you look like sister Zahra... you're so cute... what's your name!" Kids threw endless questions to the girl before them

"Where do you live... do you live nearby like sister Zahra?... do you go to school like sister Zahra?"

the interview prevailed till they lacked questions to ask despite that the others weren't answered

Naysal chuckled a truer one "Wow.. Zaza... these kids... are way too cute huh!... You have been enjoying with them all this long right?"

"I told you.... You will enjoy this... did I lie though?" she tilted her shoulders playfully proud "Okay kids let's sit there first... then your new sister will tell you everything you want to know okay?" added Zahra leading the way and Naysal and the kids followed suit

The candy supply started then followed sith some chit chat none of them understood yet they laughed their hearts out

As his feet hit the park his heart raced in a way it has never done it knew why it did that but the mind strictly denied it all

In a black shalwaar khameez with a cream shawl laying neatly around his neck, falling down his shoulders long enough to hit his knees

Sleeves upward lifted revealing his veiny forearms, his thumb slowly taping his fingers corresponding to his lips movement as he recited each dhikr slowly but accurately enough, gaze fixed to the grasses that brushed his leather shoes

Few strands reaching his face as the park wind did its magic, His shyness filled gaze fixed on the ground like rising it would be his end, while his steps gentle and slow like any pressure would bleed the ground

Then something hit his ears, her voice he heard once yet it felt like he spent his whole lifetime memorizing it the way it lived in his mind rent free, convincing himself to ignore her but fair enough the magnetism law doesn't work like that

Then her tone tore the sky again reaching his drums like she was that close
"you all are busy playing and enjoying without even introducing yourselves to miss Naysal huh?"
"Ooh we almost forgot sister!" one kid responded

Naysal fixed her sitting style now facing all the kids around "I'm waiting then!"

"Okay... this is Sameer the eldest among them.. just seven by the way.. this is Jameela beautiful as her name....Rumaysa the most polite one.... Khaleel... our hero boy!" She muttered pointing at each kid

"Yusra... ooh my little cookie... Shaam... the talkative one... Leyla... the most quiet.... Idris... ooh yeah.. Yusra's twin brother... Ayaan... our handsome young man.... Kartikey the one who gave the idea about the park.... Bright right!" Her eye curved into a small and mischievous wink

"Wasim.... Brown haired gentleman... Naya.. another cookie ooh... and this is Wareed... the youngest one ... he is three and half by the way!" She carried him to her lap

"He keeps following his brother Wasim everywhere...... won't let him breathe in peace!" She gently pinched his fluffy cheeks
"Except for school!" Added Wasim "And likes chocolate a lot!" he concluded

"Or really... did tell me I would bring a box of them!" She joked
"Mom says he shouldn't be having chocolates"
Then something crossed Naysal's mind and she didn't dare ignore it "Don't you kids live far?"

"No... they live around here... or else what parent would let his child come this far just to play"
Naysal's brows pulled up suspiciously "You know their homes?"

She shrugged her shoulders proudly playfully "Each of them.... I always take them back before I go home you know!"
Naysal smirked "Count me in!"

"welcome ma'am" she retorted before starting another story that cheered the kids again bringing on the louder giggles all over the place

While he stood there, a few steps away, not watching but listening, feeling taking to heart everything she said like it was meant for him,

Hardly fighting the urge to look up to her, his mind knew its Haram but his heart insisted for one just one glare, for a moment he wished he was among those kids maybe he would get to be a perfect closer view

"Zaza ...!" Called out Naysal the girl groaned in response like she was busy but doing nothing "It's time... let's take the kids back home...!" muttered Naysal

Zahra glanced at her wrist watch she have been wearing for longer than how she knew her friend
"Yeah.. one hour to Maghreb namaz... it's gonna take at least thirty minutes for all the kids to be home!"
"Okay kids stand up.... Let's go!" She said helping Wareed stand to his little feet again

And after the pack up and everyone was ready inspected the place and no toy or shoe was left behind, she then led the way

they walked down the neighborhood knocking door by door handing each kid to his or her home, wherever they passed their presence was recognized, the kids
giggles and chuckles filled the air before the air was filled with silence as their number reduced to two

"this creates so much joy Zaza!" Muttered Naysal who entwined their hands as they took their way back to their homes "No wonder you are hardly annoyed and easily smiling huh!"

"as it should be... darling!" she retorted joyful after enjoying whatever made her smile this longer ignoring whatever the future would bring as it's not yet to come

Unknowingly behind them there was a figure following from distant, maybe to protect or maybe to claim, but he did follow and surprisingly funny neither did he know why he did, silently there, secretly watching,

the distance between them didn't provide a chance to hear whatever they said but their gestures gave the happy girls vibe and that was enough to make his dull day

-----

Leaning by his window frame, letting the fresh wind of Johar town night splash his face, the city lights and night hums hitting his sight the perfect night view blessing his gaze and that filled his empty soul

but still Iqbal town charm never fails to remind him back there, the park, the pond he once fell into, the kids sound, the garden, and her ... Zahra

The nameless figure he has been following, not knowing her name, her family, where she lives, but still his soul wanted closeness with hers,
he didn't know how but he wanted that anyways, and there was no reason for that according to him

The face he saw once and didn't dare raise his gaze again to look and still it managed to confuse a huge space in his memory box, it lingered there clearly not planning to give him a chance to forget or ignore it, those eyes, the innocent ones, a side dimple

"Maa-Shaa-Allah!" the words didn't even reach his tongue yet his soul announced them in his head loudly
"What would be your perfect name beautiful soul"
his mind spoke unconsciously while his lips curved into a smirk he couldn't ignore, and his heart... flattered in a dangerous way he couldn't define

---

Another boring day in the Mirza mansion to wake up to, the same silence the walls and people in there always provided except for when the leader and pillar of the house are in the argument

The rest would just happen automatically, Khayra would always trail behind her mother like a little puppy, at least she is someone who listens to her daily yapping

Kaynaat would then rot in her room busy with her books in her locked room not interested in any disturbance if only she could quit school for that

Hania always with her last daughter Khayra otherwise she is alone again, or maybe sometimes her busy but loving son would come to have some chit chat with the rarest free time he gets,
as he spends almost the three quarters of his day working ..be it at home in the late nights or at the company his father left for him to look after as a burden he expects him to fail to hold

And Yazid, always on a business trip, or just traveling even if it's not a business trip, he had rather stay far from home or if he appears there then he either goes out with his favorite twins or stay home and argue with his wife over the mistreatment he is providing to his one and only and first son
any weekend would definitely be boring, everyone is lonely in their own way,

he now sat in his study the one that's attached in his room seating before his computer, reviewing the tenders, documents one by one, his fingers tapping the keyboard gently but accurate enough

Reading office emails, correcting the wrongly written proposals, work over took him for a long time, before the adhan came out, his lips slightly moving as the response to the Adhan

In response to the calling Muaddhin Waqas prepared himself then left his room for the mosque, walking down the stairs composed enough before his eyes caught a glimpse of the figure walking outside the house

"Abbu?" His voice low but in shock, rushing towards him was the first thought that came to his mind, and as he reached him he sent his greeting that was responded rudely but at least he did respond

Forcing the conversation to stay on Waqas sent his unnecessary question "You.... You are here?" He stuttered
"Why?... am I not allowed to be in my own house!" Yazid shot back curtly rude like he was talking to his biggest rival

"I left you to look after your mother and sisters not act like you own this place now... questioning me in my own house huh?"
his tone came out frustratedly rude and that was enough for Waqas to end the conversation as it was no longer going to be a soft one

"Welcome back home ... Yazid Abba!" He said lastly hardly swallowing his own sadness, anger and frustration in the same perfect mix like they didn't deserve to be seen or cured then lead his way to the mosque leaving the man behind leading the same direction
--
Upon reaching the mosque, with a few minutes left for the namaz to start, Waqas stood to pray (tahiyyatul masjid namaz). His finishing salam collided with the imam's iqama

The prayer began, behind the imam, before fate played a game with both Yazid and his son, the later he came made him find a space left beside him, the other end was full and there is no way he would start a line with the previous one not full yet

Yazid walked hi way towards his son who was already immersed in the heavy focus of his conversation with his creator, then joined in the prayer unwillingly but he did what was necessary

"Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakaatuh" concluded the imam by the second Taslim, The whispers of dhikr and some silent prayer spread through the mosque some stood to pray baadiyah some left to pray it at home including Waqas and his Father who genuinely hated sharing anything with him even the way back home

The way back home from the mosque became longer, and maybe tough, annoying, boring and even breaking as Yazid and Waqas had to walk alongside each other, No eye contact, no talking, but still their silence was screaming inside them, guilty burning their souls than how frames could do.

walking beside each other's like strangers they are not ached each of them yet none of them acted upon it

-----

He threw his almost dead body on his bed, laying on his back his hair almost covering his dark eyes "I hate weekends ...... boring .. and now he is here!" his mouth spoke casually but his soul knew how bitter those words tasted, and how much he hated whatever this situation was to be named

He closed his eyes letting his soul calm a bit, as if it was the only way to keep it alive, slowly his lips started moving upon the silent mention of his CREATOR

Then again the solace he has been looking for found its way to his soul, but it didn't come alone,

it came with a visitor he wasn't ready to welcome, her face again, her beautiful eyes full of Haya and Eman, her breathtaking smile, for moment ... he forgot to breath, he sat upright letting go of the breath he has been holding as if remembering her while breathing would be a grave sin

"what is happening to me" talking to himself even though he didn't understand himself either, he swallowed hard running his palm though his hair

"you need to calm down waqas..... she probably doesn't even remember you.... Let alone thinking about you" another bitter statement that ached his heart more than how he cared to admit
-
While the girl his mind was busy drifting back to was busy on a call with that one favorite person her soul recognized perfectly

"bored already.... You just missed me... ishq!" muttered Zahra playfully "
"well I miss you every moment...... who wouldn't miss a lovely soul like yours huh?" replied Naysal affectionately serious

And then before Naysal enjoyed the talk the studying addict friend of hers threw the question Naysal expected the most
"okay tell me.... Did the assignment already?"

"No yaarrr... I'm not even in the mood just feeling lazy all day!' she lamented lazily "You have been sleeping all day huh?"
"just woke up for dhuhr.... And then here I am lazily laying in bed again for another sleep too lazy to cook either!"

"you and sleeping are conjoined"
"you come separate us now!"
"okay I have a plan here.... Let's go to the library tomorrow.... We do the work there.. then we will get to read some novels!" suggested Zahra like she was sure her suggestion would definitely be accepted
"wow... perfect... I will choose the novel!"

"no problem my lady!" she teased
"okay then see you tomorrow In Shaa Allah!"
"In Shaa Allah"
"love you ishq take care"
"love you too khuda hafiz!" then the line off

------

Under the Mirza roof the arguments that restarted themselves between the pillar and the head of the family again caring less if it's moon time to take over and the sky is silent, and as always as it is the reason has to be him, Waqas

"You trust your son so much don't you?" muttered Yazid sarcastically mocking Hania's love over is son
"And you hate him so much don't you!" Hania retorted

"Mmmh.... Okay let's not take this too far... two years of controlling that company as you wanted... we'll see what he is capable of!"
"Only if you did that out of love for him.... Things would be good enough!"
"Love doesn't make a good business man.... Knowledge does!"

"So what did you think when you sent him to a local university?.... Places like oxford... Cambridge were forbidden huh!" she retorted her voice lower but the pain in that tone unhidden

Yazid frowned like that was the truth he never wanted to admit
"Lahore got good universities too.... He deserved whatever I gave him no matter how small it may be!" a pause followed, the fact avoidant he is made his way to retort over Hania's facts easy

"and by the way.. you wanted me to give him a position in the company..... I did ... I even made him a chairperson... what else do you want!" he added

Hania chuckled the one that carried sarcasm and pain in a perfectly mixed combo

"you made him a chair person?... huh... to test him if he can .... Doesn't that prove that you don't trust your own son? .... If you really want to assign him a position in the company then do it completely... testing him means what? .... You don't trust him? Or... the education you gave him?"

"the chairperson position Hania my darling... isn't assigned because of trust alone..... knowledge, experience and ability ... are involved also!"
his words came out soft but his tone slapped Hania like the satire she never wanted to take not over her son, not against his well designed name or well mannered shoulders

Her focus on the clothes she was folding
"a long way to say you don't trust your son!" she shot back with the same soft tone but sarcastic words, walking to her closet leaving Yazid in amusement like her words carried some fact he never wanted to accept

"Mmh.... What a father... Yazid!... How can you be a father to Khayra and kaynaat and not be a father to Waqas?... What did he do to deserve this?" She lamented

Yazid stared at her like the problem he felt she was his face frowned clearly fed up with it all
"Don't start the drama now.... I never said he isn't my son let me live... or at least let me sleep peacefully!" He covered himself with the bedsheets ready to take a nap
"I just came back" he added

"Ooh.. my Waqas you never deserved this!" she lamented raising her head and hands upwards maybe the above would help
"Neither did I!" He muttered under the sheets as if he wanted to swallow his own words