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WHAT AM I? (PART 2)

I was frustrated, my mind was racing. Two weeks had gone by since that terrible night and I still had not recovered from the shock. What in the world was the man thinking? Why would I marry her? When it was the right time nobody cared about my feelings for her and now when there is nothing left they want me to make her my life partner all because her daughter was born in front of me. I am devastated and ashamed. What would Hira think of me? I am not a person who takes advantages of girls in need. When I gave up on my love, I did it because of her. Who are these so called people of the world to tell me that I have to marry her? How can anyone think that disgusting thing at all! I feel sick and nauseous; my pure intentions were given a wrong mold. I hadn't attended any call from them, Hira had called me several times but I still had not built up the courage to talk to her. I was going to ignore her till I get my head in the game.

After lunch I was walking back to my cabin when I saw Mrs. Colonel sitting outside on the couch waiting for me. She smiled weakly and I said my greetings. I told my secretary to cancel my meeting.

"That's a nice office you have got there" said Mrs. Colonel.

I smiled" Thanks. I got it right after Elif was born. She is my lucky charm. "

"She is missing you a lot. She doesn't say much but she runs at the door whenever she hears a knock."

"I see how children get use to the routines" I said, deep down inside I knew I too was miserable because of the disturbed scheduled. How would you feel if you are deliberately keeping away from your daughter? I missed her baby powder smell. Her soft hands, her small feet, the way she her tongue pokes out of the mouth when she is concentrating on fixing the Lego's. Her cute little pony tails brushes my cheeks when I lift her up, how she makes faces when I kissed her because my stubble irritated her. The cute little milk moustache I used to clean with my big thumb. The sound of her snoring when I put her to bed. I missed her so much.

"Will you come home with me?' Mrs. Colonel asked me

"Umm. I have a meeting afterwards. I am a little bit busy." I tried to make an excuse

"I just heard you canceling the meeting. Its okay you don't have to make petty reasons. I know why you aren't coming home these days." She said in a sturdy voice

"I am not going to force you to come. It has been hard on you but I really want to tell you something before it is too late." She looked worried

"Let's go to a restaurant nearby, we will not be disturbed there." I offered but she refused. "No it is okay son. I just want to talk to you alone this won't take much time, you are a busy man." She taunted

It felt weird, if she had said that some days ago I would have taken it as a joke and would have probably said something to make it funny but today it went right through my heart.

"Let me get to the point. Look I know that day things were said in a wrong way but if you like it or not they are true. People are framing you both and to be honest I thought you liked Hira from the very start." She said. I was stunned by her confession. Colors drained from my face if I were a color palate I would be pale.
She continued "I always pictured you both together but she married shoaib and I got accustomed to the fact that he was my son-in-law. They day Elif was born, the nurse mistook you to be the father and somewhere in my heart I was glad you will be the guardian of the baby whose father isn't alive. You came by every day to check up on her and after Hiras' idat I thought she was the reason you came. Don't get me wrong here and I am sorry I misjudge you but today I came here to beg you for my daughter and my granddaughters' future."

I couldn't look her in the eye so I bowed my head and stayed silent. She waited for me to say something but then stared again when she didn't get a response "Asif sahib is keen to get Hira married off to the first person who asks her hand in marriage. Please beta this is a request from a mother to her son, take my daughter away from the evil eyes of this world, she has faced a lot in a short period of her living. Give my granddaughter the life she deserves. I don't want her to face the hardships what my own daughter is going through. They ought to have a bright prospect and you are the only one I see here to give them love and accept them as they are. They are broken pieces of a mirror that can only be mended by you. Help me please. Help me" She was crying, I could sense it in her trembling voice.

"At least look at me and tell me that you have never loved Hira, tell me that you can't be the best father Elif will ever have. Tell me the truth! Be a man! Face the challenge!" she was now shouting in rage.

I looked up; my eyes were filled with tears. Instantly she stood up and hugged me; she caressed my hairs, kissed me on the forehead. I was sobbing; all the anger stored inside me had now formed a series of tears flowing through my eye ducts. "I know I loved Hira and I still do, I know I will be the greatest father to my darling Elif. I just can't betray my best friend."

She cleared my tears and held my face in her small hands. "Think for a second if shoaib would have been in your shoes, would he have left your family stranded. Wouldn't you want him to take care of your children?" Yes she was right, I couldn't trust anybody else with my family and my life none other then my brother like friend, shoaib.

She kissed my hairs and told me that she is going home "Do tell me your answer in a week or your loved ones will be shifted of to swat in a package for Major Khurram."

Short story by Farah Khalid
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Written on 2015-04-30 at 17:42