#8

In class, Naysal sat alone busy focused on her novel waiting for the session to start before she felt hand on her shoulder that startled her soul out, and without caring the friend of hers passed the greeting instead of the apology, Naysal who responded it with the eye rolling finally drifted back to her book ignoring her presence 

"mmhh.... I can see Nadeem got all your time huh!"

"ooh this man is a writer I swear... I don't even want to take my eyes off this book!" responded Naysal her gaze fixed on the cream pages that almost made her forget the outside world existed 

"aah did you find a pinned paper in your book?" 

"no I didn't... did you find one?" she questioned eyes locked on the book

"yeah.... It was written by hand... something like a poem,,, like a man describing the beauty of his lover" she explained

"well I didn't find such a thing in there,,,, sometimes the authors do such things in some of their copies!"

"you mean that memo was from the author!"

"you said it's a poem... maybe it's from him,,, like they put in a few books for the ones blessed to have them,, they can enjoy them... like I once bought a book with some flower stickers direct from the author and the stickers were in a few copies!" 

Finally after Naysal's reassurance Zahra agreed silently 

"now let me read peacefully please!!" she muttered shifting her gaze back to the book

--

The emails aren't getting read peacefully, the contract review remains incorrectly done, the intruder in his mind is doing her job perfectly well

He isn't thinking of anything I peace unless she is there invading his thoughts, lost in the thoughts of her ending up messing everything he touches or maybe getting things undone

"hey.. are you done reviewing the contracts I sent to you?" muttered Salim who stormed into Waqas's office without even knocking

"I didn't do anything bro... anything!" responded Waqas absentmindedly, unapologetically proud

And before Salim judged Waqas explained himself how he spent the whole night writing a non-rhythmic aligning poem just for him to have a hard time again to hand the book that somehow helped him present the letter

the same letter that went with no sender id, yet he still suspects she would be mad, or maybe she won't know that it's him

"And who sends love letters these days brohh?" 

"broh... what do you mean?... you mean I wasn't supposed to do that?"

"Waqas the whole world is modernized except you!" lamented Salim "You rae too old fashioned!" he shook his head helplessly mad

"what should I do then?"

Salim starred at his friend or maybe boss, or maybe just a boy younger than him seeking love advice from him "you are behaving like a lost teenager!" Salim chuckled lightly mocking Waqas who wasn't into "your own poem... or copied it somewhere?"

"do I look that dumb bro?... my own!"

"mmh I was just asking.... By the way.. he shot back a little too quick 

Salim's brows pulled up playfully questioning "when did you become a poet huh!" "love changes people... you are now this soft and romantic huh?" Salim chuckled

And just as Salim turned that into an unserious moment and started with his teasing suddenly Waqas turned cold again, yelling Salim's name like it he wanted to swallow him

"and suddenly the lover boy turned into a cold man again?" added Salim with the chuckles along that chocked his breath a bit

"okay let's get back to your issue.. so the girl reads books huh?.. then maybe it's better for the poem letter... it's kinda romantic for them" 

"really?"

"yeah... girls who read find love letters romantic!"

"uuuhhhh! Alhamdulillah!"

"Alhamdulillah what bro... go and propose her.. marry her... or else you will end into haram!" he scolded colder this time like the big brother mode was automatically activated 

"she is still studying bro!"

"you fell for a student bruh... you mean a minor?" Salim's eyes scanned 

"university student!" his response came together with the sigh of relief from Salim like it really truly mattered

---

as she walked through the long corridor going back to class, Zahra ended getting blocked from the front, then came the salaam she didn't want to respond to but did anyways, her eyes went on him briefly then looked away, frustratedly

everything about him did, his scent, his eyes and mostly when he tried the flirty thing he have been trying to do at the moment little did he know she wasn't mentally listening to him 

"aaannh can I go sir.... I'm having a session" muttered Zahra and that was a way seeking announcement not a permission one 

"yeah... nice session beautiful!" he added giving a way that he once blocked

"Zahra!,, not beautiful!" she shot back more pissed this time, the she silently walked away, anger eating her throat water till it went dry

"okay nice session Zahra!" he responded to absolutely no one with a smirk tagging at the corner of his lips finding her anger cute, his eyes escorted her till she disappeared from the view "my beautiful bird!" 

But behind him there was a girl who noticed again Alhaa

"what is exactly going on between these two..... this one now doesn't look like a student-teacher thing at all!" a evil smirk escaped her lips as she passed past Nawaz

"Assalaamu aleykum Nawaz Sir!"

"Waaalwykumussalaam!" 

he replied absentmindedly his thoughts still on the girl who just left him standing there and smiling alone 

----

The busy morning to Saad's side came again, after Aasif travelled on his behalf, and the first thing he remembered to do the next morning is check on him which turned out satisfying before he disconnected the call to have a morning chit chat with his last daughter that seemed to be on her way out

"Khuda Hafiz!" muttered Saad before the line went off

"Assalaamu aleykum baba!"

"waaleykumussalaam my princess... how was your night?" he responded with the forehead soft peck he always offers to his girls, 

"good Alhamdulillah and you?" she walked to him

"I don't know about my night but now that I saw you... princess then my morning is absolutely good!" he held her by her cheeks before he placed a soft fatherly kiss on her forehead

"Abbu!... you seem to be very romantic huh?"

"ask your mother.... I'm an expert!"

With some morning jokes finally he brought out that soft giggl;e he loved to hera from her before his mind drifted to another girl in the house, the other one he wouldn't dare to forget, 

"we always go separately... her favorite driver is uncle Ankush and mine is uncle Jalal!" responded Alhaa the moment Saad asked about her and Zahra not going to school together

"so you two cockroaches.... Failed to agree on one thing huh?"

"well we got different choices and we can't force each other so...!"

"okay... I won't interfere your sister-sister decision!"

"okay then dad... I will take a leave!" muttered Alhaa with a smiley face before it disappeared the moment Saad asked again about Zahra, again, she almost rolled her eyes but controlled before responding then 

"khuda Hafiz princess!"

"Khuda Hafiz Baba!" she replied before she turned to leave

"he always have to ask about her.... Can't even have his moments with his own daughter without involving that evil girl!" she hissed under her breath walking away

While Saad turned towards Zahra's room, it looked coldly shut like it hasn't been opened since it was last closed, then glanced at his wrist watch, there was enough time to say a short goodbye he told himself as he walked up the stairs

KNOCK KNOCK 

it came by Zahra's door, but there was no response from inside

"Zahraa... are you in here?" muttered Saad

"Zahraa!" he called again "Or maybe she has already left for school!"

"my little flower are you in there?" he called one more time but there was no response, he turned to leave before a soft tired tone hit his drums Mamoon 

"Zahraa!" his voice filled with worry in response to the way Zahra's tone came

he shot the door open without even rethinking just to find the poor girl laying on the ground holding her stomach lazily

"Zahraaaa!" he called voice filled with worry 

"Mamo!" she replied lazily tears threatening

"Oooh my poor girl... again!" he muttered walking up to her 

"is it that time Zahra?" he asked just to be sure but she didn't respond

"ooh come on Zahr tell me ... is it?"

she nodded shyly

"okay let me help!" he muttered " Seema!" he called out taking his coat off

A minute didn't pass before Seema arrived, then Saad ordered for everything he needed at the moment, hot cinnamon water for shower, ginger and cinnamon tea for drinking the one with zero sugar then Seema walked away with all the required details

"dear! I will prepare the bathroom for you... you should be resting here!" he muttered carrying her off the ground to the bed

"mamo!... you just let it be.. Seema aunty will help me out!" muttered Zahra shyness holding her like the second skin she didn't know she had

"Let me remind you that.. I have been doing this for you for so long.. okay!. so stay quite and obey your Mamoon before he gets angry!" he pinched her cheeks gently

she nodded slowly lowering her head shyly, like who gets cared by her uncle during her period

"I will be right back.... Hold on a bit okay?"

she groaned, watching Saad walking into her bathroom to prepare for her some space that would ease her pain made her feel the motherly love he has been trying to show her 

Minutes later Seema came back with a hot water bucket, she walked in giving Zahra the sympathetically looks like she really understood her pain, before she knocked the bathroom door and handed the bucket to the figure from inside 

"I will prepare your tea then!" muttered Seema who reached out placing her plam on Zahra's lowered head, then her soft duas followed before she stormed out of the room leaving Zahra into the silent Amins she didn't wasn't miss after any prayer was made for her 

"Hey little flower... your shower is ready okay!" muttered Saad who walked towards her "sorry... you will be alright okay?!" he whispered carrying his little baby then took her to the bathroom

Coming out of the bathroom, Saad headed to her wardrobe took some cloths for her and a sanitary pad, setting her bed then placed the cloths on a well set bed, he stood straight hands by this waist

"It reminds me when I used to do this for your late mother... May Allah forgive her sins... my beautiful flower!" he smiled painfully happy, before storming out of the room shutting the door behind him before his eyes met his wife's

"I thought you already left for work!" questioned Zurekha

"yeah I was supposed to... but Zahra isn't feeling well.. so I was helping her out!"

"or Saad that's women issues... you would have called me to help her out!"

"Zurekha.. my beautiful wife!" he held her hand gently like he was trying to calm her and avoid any drama she was to come up with

"doing this is the best way to preserve my good moments I spent with her mother!"

"May Allah grant her Rahma" she prayed half genuine half hypocritically

"Amiyn...Amiyn Yaa Rab!!!!" he replied walking down the stairs before his phone rang 

Saad picked it up, and before his assistant lamented on anything Saad explained his situation before he reached to the conclusion of changing the meeting location instead of calling it off completely

"Saad!... you can just go to office I will look after Zahra!"

"Zurekha.... It's not a big deal if I stay here is it?"

"okay... as you wish!" she forced a smile but truly it mattered, she hated how much he did for Zahra and wished he didn't

----

Time passed while Saad sat there waiting for his guests before they walked in with his assistance leading their way to the parlor with their host

Greetings were exchanged politely while Saad gaze's studied the two men standing behind him one in black Italian suit with files in hand a serious and almost frustrated stare,

And the other in a black Shalwar Kameez with a long dark grey shawl falling down his shoulders to his knees, leathers shoes with a Rolex tapped by his hand neatly, this one looked a bit frustrated but like it was easy to convince him

After reading the room finally Saad calmly offered the seat, the boys agreed

"thank you!" muttered Salim before he excused himself on the couch and Waqas followed

"Yeah I can see you are actually angry... and frustrated... like who brings a business meeting at home... that's too after making you take a long way to the office" explain Saad softly enough to be considered

"well I understand you... I would feel the same if I was in your position!" he added "but you know my daughter is sick.... I had to stay and look after her.. so... if you could forgive my excuse!" he smirked over his own honesty

Finally some sweet words softened them and the frustration cover left their faces before Saad offered either coffee or tea, the choice to be theirs

"nothing... we actually....!" Before he was done Waqas got interrupted

"I didn't know there was drink called nothing!" he teased making them all almost want to chuckle but they swallowed it leaving the smile lines on their faces

"coffee?... or I get it you all like karak tea a lot!... okay!" he paused before he mouthed "Anaya...!" minutes later a girl in her early twenties came by the Parlor

"bring three Karak teas and my coffee please... snacks are a must daughter!"

The moments to wait for the drinks and snacks were on the way is when the introduction happened, accompanied with Saad's endless teasing that lightened the mood and the atmosphere as whole

"Maa-Shaa-Allah!... but Mr. Assistant you should learn how to smile... it's sunnah by the way!" he teased as the whole room broke into a laughter they could no longer hold back over his jokes before his eyes landed on the figure passing 

"I thought you were supposed to be resting huh?" he muttered eyeing Zahra whose steps seemed to be lazy and tired as if her legs were forced into the action, his gaze funny expression quickly shrunk into the serious one as he stood off his seat walking his distance towards 

"mamo... I really needed some fresh air.....!" she lamented her tone low but loud enough to reach his soul

Waqas' mind went numb for a moment he recognize that voice very perfectly well, is it her or maybe his delusion mind is washing him over

"I'm just going to the garden!" she added lazily

"okay.... But you would have called for help... you legs can barely hold you straight and now you want them to drive you to the garden!" he teased seriously like he was already agreeing with whatever she wanted to do at the moment

"mamo!... it's not like I'm dying!" she smirked before his eyes landed on a person by the couch a face she saw by side but seems to recognize it too, giving a questioning look

"they are my guests!" muttered Saad after realizing the questioning look Zahra gave to their side

And thankfully she was heading to the garden so her hijab was on as the gardeners and gate keepers would see her, and yes they are non-mahrams

not a moment passed before Waqas raised his gaze and then their gazes collided

The whole world went empty filled with her presence alone, yes it was really her he wasn't imagining things, the deeper he looked the more he didn't want to look away as the Shaitaan beside him whispered harder he forgot his obligation on lowering his gaze

But Zahra didn't, she looked away quicker though she was already late, Yes when a man is around a right woman he gets brought back to his deen when he goes astray, the moment she looked away is when he remembered he took a moment to sin with his eyes "astagh-firullah!" he whispered regretfully happy

"Mamo... I will go .. you stay with your guests!" 

"you sure you will manage?" questioned Saad concern printed all over his face

"Maamo... I will!" she smiled lightly tired "I walked past those long stairs of your house... the garden is just a few steps left!" she added

And finally Saad gave in and let her lead her way out before he walked back to the so called meeting venue, unofficial but at least the meeting didn't go cancelled

"my daughter or to be correct niece... Zahra!" he smiled warmly adjusting himself on his previous position while Anaya came back with the tray with snacks and the drinks she was ordered gently placed it in the table before she left

"okay... let's talk about this contract... aaannnh you want to construct a oil pipeline from Lahore to Faisalabad... risky... but advantageous!" his expression changed to serious the moment he opened the papers and started re-reading the contracts he spent the night reading

"Okay the budgeting is perfect.. timing too but the resources aren't!" he added seriously reading "I read it last night and highlighted everything to be considered... and yeah Bilal..." the meeting went on slowly, but intelligently enough, with soft drink sips and some silent chews that filled the room after every said statement

while someone was fighting for his life as his heart and soul kept on thinking about the girl in the garden while his mind wanted to concentrate in the "home conducted meeting" that ended up making him lose his focus

-------

Finally the meeting ended and they were now exiting the house under the escort of Saad who kept teasing Salim and Bilal for being workholics and Waqas fully agreed with him 

Just like that they got along like it wasn't the first meeting, work well discussed while jokes brought up and lifting the moods and for that moment work didn't feel boring anymore

While someone in the group took little moment to glance at the garden were his soul rested, and his eyes landed on the book that hide her face as she giggled over the scene she read. It felt super blissfully seeing the gift he gave her made her giggle that much

A moment distracted by the vroom that packed at the parking lot, the school time was over and there she was back at home, the uncrowned miss Lahore

As she stormed out of the car Alhaa's eyes landed on the tall standing figure beside her father, in a black shalwar kameez sleeves folded up revealing his attractive veiny fore arms 

Few strands of his dark hair brushing his handsome face, his well kept fluffy dark brows, the jawline sharp and straight as his sexuality, the well kept shining beard whose angles are maintained not to interrupt the facial appearance 

his calm expression and mannered gaze making him more breathtaking than he already is "where in Lahore has this fine man have been hiding!" she muttered inwardly as her sharp gaze went deeper than she wanted, 

she kept staring, counting steps, anticipating to hear his voice but the man didn't speak even a single word till he fumbled into his car wit his assistant just to find Salman resting there freely since he refused to go inside with them

the car drove away but it was chaotic either in Waqas' mind or from Salim's mouth that didn't stop teasing Waqas on how he kept stealing glances at the introduced niece which shocked Waqas a lot because he didn't expect his crush to be his business partner's niece, and good enough she was

"I'm just wondering how did it turn out that she is Mr. khan's daughter?" he muttered absentmindedly his hand moving through his medium beard 

"that could be a nice starting!" muttered Salman

"absolutely... like look... now we have her name... address and her guardian's information!" mused Salim like he was just joking but it was real situation