Part 208 – The Green Envelope

As narrated by Zainab

I read the note inside the green envelope in my hand, in surprise. This was the first task that Riza had given us, only this time it was signed by Nemo and Aara. A smile crept onto my face as I received Arshad’s call asking me what time he could fetch me.

We needed to talk badly, so this was the perfect opportunity! Ever since Aara’s incident, we were each in our own world and didn’t get much of a chance to spend any time together..and we even wanted to postpone our wedding but Aunty Salma would hear nothing of the sort! So naturally, we had a lot to talk about, I mean, we had to obviously discuss how we were going to tell Aara that we were together and getting married in two weeks, without giving her a shock!

I got ready quickly and waited outside the gate. ..lol..just to irritate him! I had so much of preparation still to do but…it’s okay, I can’t say no to Aara anyway.

Arshad arrived at my house in no time at all but what was weird was…that he was dressed exactly like he was on THAT day and he didn’t talk to me much. ..

“Is something wrong? “,I asked him

“No”, he smiled and carried on driving silently

I was really starting to get annoyed with him, I mean hello, we are getting married in two weeks for crying out loud!

“Do you remember this task Zai? “,he asked me as we entered his consulting room

“Oh so you can talk?”

“Sometimes silence speaks louder than any amount of words…”,he said softly

“Well, we need to talk..we have so much to talk about but we’re just not getting a chance “, I said as I neatened his desk

“You think so too? “, he asked..His eyes full of hope

Why was he looking at me like this? ??

“This place needs a major revamp babe..but I think that it can wait until after our honeymoon….wait…you haven’t told me where we’re going for our honeymoon yet?”, I asked

Arshad stared at me in silence. He just stared and stared and didn’t say a word!

I was having a hard time understanding him these days and the silence really didn’t help much!

“Arshad. ..”

“Do you love me Zainab? “,he asked suddenly

“What kind of a question is that???”

“Do you love me Zainab? “,he asked me again

“Of course I do!”

“Then don’t push me away…Please ” he said as tears welled up in his eyes

“Have I done something wrong Arshad? ”

And the silence continued. ..

“Arshad please, if you’re going to make statements like these at least have the courtesy to back it up! ”

I was angry , I was so, so angry right now! How can he say that?? Despite everything, despite the circumstances,I was still making the effort of putting our wedding together, I didn’t leave anything for him to do because I didn’t want to burden him, but this is what he tells me? ?? This???

“I’m not interested in this task, I’m sorry. We needed to talk but you’re going silent on me after telling me something so hurtful…I’m going, bye!”

And I stormed out of the room.

The scene was all too familiar even though not the same and as I walked a few metres away from his rooms, I half expected him to follow me the way that he once did before. …but after a full ten minutes, there was no sign of him.

Tears filled up in my eyes as I waited for the private taxi that I had called to come and fetch me.

He still didn’t come nor did he call.

If you say that I am pushing you away Arshad, then what are you doing? aren’t you doing the same thing?????

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As narrated by Riza:

How cool was this! This time, I was on the receiving end of an envelope! Woohoo!

The first task. Wow. I smiled as I thought of it…I smiled as I thought of the two behind it. My heart truly went out to Nemo, standing with Aara despite the fact that his own heart was broken. My heart went out to Aara, who after going through a near fatal attack, still has the beans to do all of this!

My mother apologised to Laeeka, and our wedding was still very much on track…but somewhere along this rocky road, we had lost something. Things were not the same. It was not as though, okay it’s over now let’s just be happy, no..because the rocky road left boulders on our hearts. It made us see a different side of life, it made us feel the pain of separation and even after coming together again…it still felt different. I still loved her very much, but the thread that once kept us together seemed to have been untied…

I fetched her and we spoke a little, but that “something” was still there like an invisible wall between us.

When we reached our destination, a feeling of nostalgia swept over me, as my mind transported me back to the last time that we were here. I closed my eyes and relished this rare moment..

” Remember the reason Riza…remember the reason”, my heart told my mind

And as I walked slowly towards a silent Laeeka, I thought of the first day that I had met her…the many times that I would sneak glances at her and wonder if she had noticed me….the day that I finally plucked up the courage to ask her out.. the days that I spent at her bedside while she was in hospital….our engagement…our moments…she was mine…

I took her by surprise when I carried her in my arms and walked towards the same spot that we had stood on once before.

“Riza…what are doing?’, she asked in surprise

I smiled at her and carried on walking

“Currently…and according to an old wish of yours..I am taking you to where you want to be at two different places at the same time…but it doesn’t matter where we are Laeeka…it doesn’t matter who is where…it doesn’t matter if and why and what and whatever…what matters…is that we are together..what matters is that we are happy together…”, I said as I put her down

“Riza…”, she whispered

“Wish fulfilled…again..thanks to Nemo and Aara”, I smiled

She looked down at her shoes for a few seconds, and a tear fell from her eye…and then she did something that I will never forget for the rest of my life.

She took a step towards me, passing the invisible boundary line and threw her arms around me! And she cried…she held me tightly and she sobbed her heart out, without caring about the many passersby who stared at us, without holding back at all..she cried and cried while holding onto me…

What was unspoken didn’t need to be said…it needed to be felt…and in those moments, the love of my life was returned to me…

#
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Author’s Note:

I am so SO so sorry for the whole not posting this week…it really has been a terribly busy and beyond crazy week!
Make dua that time is on my side so I can type a weekend post that can be published during the weekend and not after the weekend okay:)

Links to refresh your memory for this post:

Part 18- The Envelope-Part 4

Part 16- The Envelope-Part 2

Part 21- I lost my way…

Jummah Mubarak and have a beautiful Friday:)

Much Love,

Shazia