Her Soulmate Chapter 3

 

Mid-December

ہمیشہ دیر کر دیتا ہوں میں 

(I always get late) 

.........................

Faris entered the house and saw his wife and cousin sitting and talking to each other. He narrowed his eyes and cleared his throat. They both saw him and stood from the couch. Daneen's face became pale while Dilawar remained unaffected. 

"How are you, Faris?" Dilawar asked him with a smile. Faris also forced a smile and replied to him. 

"I have come here to visit both of you. But, I came to know that you are not at home" Dilawar said. 

"Yeah, I have some work to do," he replied while glancing at Daneen, who is standing there nervously.

"Hmm... After tomorrow's reception, you both are invited to my place for dinner" Indirectly, Dilawar gave them an invitation which Faris accepted.

"Sure! "

Daneen remained silent throughout the conversation. 

"Dilawar! " Faris said, now with a serious expression. His voice made Daneen flinch. 

"Yes? " Dilawar also became surprised at his tone. 

"I will appreciate it if you visit my home when I am at home. And if I am not at home, you leave my house instantly. This will be a favorite of yours on me" Faris said with seriousness. Daneen and Dilawar were both surprised at his words. 

Daneen felt embarrassed at this. It was clear that he didn't like her and Dilawar talking to each other. 

"Don't repeat the story of Ahmad and Daneen in this house"

His words echoed in her mind and it dawned on her why he was saying this. She pressed her lip and a frown came on her face. 

Dilawar saw her and Faris' expressions and he understood the situation. He saw Faris with remorse and sadness. 

"Ok, Faris! As you wish" he said. 

"I have work to do, so I should better leave. See you at reception" Dilawar said and left. 

When the door closed, Faris turned toward her. 

"Except for Salma, no one should be there in my home," he said with a growl. She nodded. 

He moved toward the guest room but stopped. 

"Salma is not coming today. Her daughter has a high fever. So, lunch and dinner are your responsibility. I will be in the backyard" he said sternly. 

"What do you want for lunch? " she asked with hesitation. 

"Make whatever you want. I will eat it" he replied with a sigh and moved toward the backyard. 

              ..............................

It was 11 am but still Hassan was in his bed. He didn't sleep after looking at the message. It feels like his heart was going to burst with grief. Many past moments came into his mind. 

                      Start of May

It was the month of May and the weather was pleasant that day. 

A. S. P Hassan was standing in his uniform on the side of the road. A parliament meeting was taking place in one of the buildings and A. S. P Hassan had come here to ensure security. After getting satisfied, he left that place and started to take a walk. He was waiting for his friend.

He stood on the side of the road when a girl, wearing a white shirt and trousers with a red staller around her neck, came near him. 

"Excuse me? " she asked. 

"Yes" A. S. P Hassan saw her and said. 

"Those boys are disturbing me, so please take care of them, " she said, pointing toward some boys. Those boys' faces became pale on seeing this scene and they tried to run away. 

"Grab them! " he ordered his officers, standing near him.

Officers run after them and the girl remains standing there. 

A. S. P Hassan saw her confident face. Anxiousness was nowhere in her. This thing impressed him. 

"When do I have to file a report against them? " she asked him. 

"First let the officers grab the boys'' he said. This question was shocking to him. He was not expecting an eighteen nineteen-year-old girl to ask this question. Most of the girls in this region are afraid of such cases and situations. These situations make them suspicious in society, so most of them avoid the situation. But this girl is a different specie for Hassan

To Hassan's disappointment, officers came empty-handed. 

"They ran away," they said. A. S. P Hassan felt anger in him, and the girl shook her head in disappointment. Her ponytail moved with her head. 

"I think I should leave," she said and started to walk. He felt embarrassed. 

"Be careful on roads," one of his officers said and A. S. P glared at him. 

"Of course," she said.

Hassan saw her entering one of the restaurants. Her confidence and her personality impressed him. 

"May we meet again," he wished. 

             Mid May

His wish came true after twelve days. One of his cousins had to go to give her exam. No one was there to drop her off, so Hassan took responsibility. 

When he stop the car in front of the college, he saw her. She was standing at the front door of the college, with an anxious expression. 

"Amal" she called his cousin when she came out of his car. 

"Daneen! " he listened to his cousin's shout before she shut the car's door. Both friends hugged each other and started talking.

A. S. P Hassan saw these scenes while sitting in the car. His heart bloomed with happiness. 

After that, A. S. P Hassan took the responsibility of dropping off and picking up his cousin. That cousin, Amal, became aware of his secret. She often asked him. 

"Why don't you talk to her? "

"Why don't you tell her about your feelings?"

"Why don't you purpose her? "

And always his answers are

"I will never approach her or ask her to become my friend. I don't believe in boyfriend-girlfriend relationships. I will propose to her when she is ready for marriage. But before this, I want my feelings and our relationship pure, save from any sin and doubt"

He always wanted her benefit and well-being. He wanted to marry her but when she will be ready for it? 

Amal always says to him that he is getting late, but he ignored her. When her father died, Amal insisted he tells her his feelings or to propose her. But, he waited for some time. He thought that she is facing the trauma of her life and in it, introducing him and proposing to her is not a fantastic idea. Their relationship was so delicate that Hassan didn't want to crack it. 

But, he became late. Daneen had become someone else's bride. She can't be his now. 

This thought pierced. S. P Hassan's heart. 

Now, he had to grieve in the long evenings of December. 

            ..........................

           Mid-December 

In Islamabad, when on the other corner of the city, Hassan was grieving for Daneen, and on the other side of the city, Daneen was making lunch. She was making Chicken Karahi with carefulness. She didn't want to give reason to Faris to criticize her. 

Faris, on the other hand, was sitting in the backyard, staring at the tree. The coldness was in the air but he was mindless about it. He was thinking about something when his phone rang. He saw the screen and felt irritated. 

Dilawar Calling

"Yes Dilawar? " he asked. 

"Why do you say that I shouldn't come in

absence of yours? " he directly came to the point. 

"Because I think it is inappropriate," Faris replied nonchalantly. 

"Or is it because you doubt me and Daneen? " Dilawar asked. There was anger and hurt in his voice. 

Faris became irritated at his question. "Maybe," he said with coldness in his voice. 

"Faris! After spending two years in prison, you have forgotten how to live among people. How to manage the relations. You have become a different person. And the complete opposite of Momin! " Dilawar said with anger and cut the call. 

Faris also became shocked at his words. Irritation and hate spread in his body and his face turned red. He didn't like Dilawar's words but he also can't deny them. 

"I know that Momin and Momina are much better than me Dilawar"

He thought sadly about his brother's family. 

He glanced at the backyard and again the backyard changed into a small beautiful garden. 

                       Start of March

"Momin bhai what are you doing? " A boy of twenty years was standing near Momin, who was sitting on the floor planting something.

"Planting red roses for my princesses," Momin said with affection. 

"For Anaya and Momina bhabhi. But what for me? " The boy asked with fake arrogance.

"For you, I will plant Jasmine. I know my brother loves its fragrance, " Momin said with love. Faris smiled at his love. 

At that moment, Momina with her year-old baby, Anaya, came there. 

"Momin takes some rest" There was concern in Momina's tone. 

"Let me finish it," Momin said.

Anaya was making pleasant voices. She was seeing the mango tree and wanted to go near it.  

Faris took her from bhabhi and took her near the tree. She saw the mango and wanted to take it. Faris smiled at seeing her small actions. 

                   Mid-December

At this moment, a smile came to his face when remembered those moments. Daneen, who came here to call him for lunch, saw his beautiful smile. 

"He looks handsome with a smile".

She thought. 

"Faris, Lunch is ready," she said in a low voice. 

Faris came out of his memories. 

"Ok," he replied and stood from his chair. 

Daneen was getting anxious when Faris was eating lunch. She was sitting in front of him on the table and eating her lunch. She was glancing at him after some seconds.

"What is the matter? " She was startled by his sudden question. 

"Nothing, " she replied and took a sip of water. 

"Then why are you staring at me? " he again asked. 

"Is Lunch delicious? " she mustered her courage and asked. 

Faris saw her sweaty face and nervous eyes and averted his gaze from her nervous self. 

"Hmm," he replied and continued his lunch. 

Daneen sighed in relief and started to eat her lunch.

           .............................

A. S. P Hassan started to get ready for his duty. At this moment, he was wearing his uniform and getting ready for office. 

He didn't want to leave his bed and just wanted to grieve his loss. But, his duty came first then his personal life, so he left his bed and got ready. 

He entered into office, and his junior officer, Sohail, greeted him and gave him updates about the girl's murder. 

"Sir! Her name was Sana and she was ten years old. She got kidnapped when she was playing in the street. On Monday evening, she got kidnapped and we found her dead body on Friday. Her death occurred in the evening time of Friday '' His junior officer gave him a detailed report and he listened to it with a furrow. 

"Where are her parents? " he asked. 

"After postpartum, we gave them a dead body. They are busy burying it" Officer said in low voice. 

A. S. P Hassan could imagine that this part would not be easy for officers and parents. 

"Ok. We will call them tomorrow. Anything else Sohail" Hassan asked. 

"Yes sir. Most important part" Sohail said with reluctance. 

"What? " Hassan asked. 

"Sana's murderer raped her. He burned her with cigarettes and used her body. She got killed because of head bleeding. Something hit her head and she died due to it"

Hassan's lips pressed in a tight line. His blood boiled due to anger. 

"What a monster he is, sir! " Sohail again said with sadness. Sohail was also a well-built and handsome person at six feet in height. He was dutiful and a determined officer. But, there was something robotic about him. He didn't show many emotions. Looking at him, other officers whispered among them that Sohail had some grief in his life. Nevertheless, he became emotional after seeing the girl's dead body. There was something so hurtful that was piercing his heart. So, he showed his grief in this case. 

"Yes. And unfortunately, our society is filled with such monsters. Rape cases are increasing day by day. Our teens, children, and females are getting affected due to it. Abuse and rape are disgusting acts and nowadays they are getting common. " A. S. P Hassan said with bitterness

Sohail nodded his head. A lump formed in his throat which he swallowed with great difficulty. 

"Sohail. Alert all the officers. We have to solve Sana's murder case as soon as possible" A. S. P said with determination.

"Yes sir! "

                         .................

Meanwhile, a man in a dark room was sitting on a chair, with a cigarette in his hand. He was smoking with closed eyes. 

Flashes of a little girl, weeping and pleading with him, came in front of his eyes.  

I want to go to my parents. 

Please stop. Don't do this. 

Such sentences were echoing in his ear. 

Then, scenes of using her body came in front of his eyes. 

That man remained sitting on his chair, recalling that scene for the whole night. 

             ...........................