Spilled Paint

Ghazal was astounded, to say the least. Was she hearing correctly?

No.

Haaris Yousuf, the great snob was apologizing to her. He understood his mistake. Only falling due to faintness was remaining for her, after the shock.

"It's alright."

Ghazal said biting her lower lip in anticipation, she managed to found her voice back which had fled away from her just hearing Haaris's apology.

Haaris only nodded his head in reply, maybe it was also new for him to apologize.

"Where's Adam?"

Haaris asked after a few minutes of silence. Ghazal was forced to look at him again in surprise, that man was behaving too decently today. Asking about her son! She never knew Haaris bothered about Adam because her son was too frank and friendly while Haaris was Haaris, what she could say!

When she came here, Ghazal was in no mood of talking to Haaris, even to glance at him. She was dreading for this day, the day of his rehab session when she had to face Haaris and it would only remind her of his bitter words which would hurt her some more.

But Ghazal was grateful that she met his grandmother first. That lady was full of winsomeness, and she liked her for that. Ghazal felt light and fresh after talking to her. It was her talkative nature or cheerfulness that she forgot about her problems for the time being. His grandmother was happy hearing about Adam and took a promise from her to meet him soon.

"At school," Ghazal replied.

"Aren't you going to ask me questions?" Haaris asked with some surprise in his voice.

"No. As if you will answer them." Ghazal scoffed at him. She saw some changes in Haaris's expressions. She surely had touched the right chord.

"You haven't forgiven me Ghazal, have you?"

Ghazal's eyes widened as her name left his lips. How dare he? She was a doctor for everyone and nothing else. He was taking her name as he knew her, calling anybody with their first name was too personal.

"Firstly it's Dr. Ghazal." She warned furrowing her brows, "and it needs time to forgive and forget."

How could he think that she would forgive him easily? It was a statement against her family, husband. Ghazal couldn't hear a single sentence against him, whether he loved her or not. She respected him, loved him and that was more than enough for her.

"Why can't you just say that 'yes, I forgive you.'"

Haaris bellowed, his forehead creasing with anxious lines.

"Mr. Haaris, do you want another glass of water on your face?"

Ghazal's question was enough to make Haaris silent but for a short period because at the very next moment, she heard his chuckling. He was looking at her with amusement in his eyes.

This man is seriously in need of help!

Ghazal thought rolling her eyes and busying herself in her notebook.

***

Haaris glanced at the doctor with amusement in his eyes. His grandmother was right, he felt light after apologizing for his mistake. Yes, he did the right thing. Now it was in Ghazal's hand to forgive but he had done his side of work.

He was amazed by hearing her witty reply. That woman surely had guts, nobody ever talked with disrespect to him and this lady in front of him was threatening him and that was a whole new experience for Haaris.

"How you know my grandmother? "

"I met her at the canteen." Came another distracted reply, he was noting it from the start. Ghazal wasn't even glancing at him let alone talk, properly. Haaris shuffled around his pillows and shoved out the papers which Ghazal had given him at the very start of his session.

"Here, I have filled them."

Ghazal's eyes widened as she took the papers in her hand, she was looking at him from time to time while reading the information.

"How come?"

"My choice. I was getting bored." Ghazal nodded and closed her notebook with a sigh. She glanced at her watch and asked.

"You want to discuss something in the last ten minutes of the session?"

"Are you a widow or a divorcee?"

Damn!

The words left his lips till he could understand what he was going to say next. Haaris surely lost his mind. How could he ask her the very same question to which he apologized to her earlier? Something was definitely wrong with him.

But, that question was revolving in Haaris's mind when he came to know about Adam's father. He closed his eyes in frustration, he should do something about his tongue, blunt tongue.

"I don't know why that concerns you," Ghazal said picking up her notebook and standing up from her seat. "But next time Mr. Haaris, if I heard a single sentence about me or my family. I will surely take some serious actions."

"I am sorry."

Haaris mumbled but Ghazal was gone by that time. He had surely hurt her again, she was in anger, in extreme anger. Ghazal's face had become red, showing how much she was controlling herself not to pour out her wrath on him and he was expecting her outburst but there wasn't any.

Another big problem!

***

"Ok girl, talk to me."

Neha said trying to relax Ghazal who was breathing harshly, maybe due to her extreme anger. She shook her head and blew air from her mouth to calm herself down.

"It will help you, Ghazal. "

"That man, that Haaris..."

Ghazal started, looking at Neha who was eagerly waiting for her.

"Yes, go on."

"That Haaris Yousuf, I have never seen a man blunter than him. How could you ask a girl about her marital status just like that? He doesn't have shame. What does he think about himself? He is just a man hungry for gossip." Ghazal had now started walking briskly in her cabin. She was thankful that Neha was free at that hour and was keen to help in her problem by listening to her rants. "I never want to discuss my life with anyone, Neha and he is digging up my life as he owns it. Who has given him the rights?"

She was now verge of crying, tears were brimming the edge of her eyes. Ghazal tiredly sat on the sofa, hiding her face behind her palms. She was not angry with Haaris, she was frustrated with him. He had come to their hospital for his treatment, not for the discussion of their lives. Ghazal's head had begun to bang with severe headache, now she was only looking forward to the day when Haaris would get discharge from the rehab.

"It's ok Ghazal. Just ignore him." Ghazal nodded, sobbing to herself. Neha was hugging her sideways, rubbing her arm to relax her. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah. I will just come in a minute." She gave a tight-lipped smile and left her cubicle for the washroom. Washing her face with plenty of water, Ghazal patted her face to soothe her senses. Her eyes were bloodshot and burning like the raging fire but she couldn't do anything.

As she left the washroom, somebody grabbed her arm, putting a hand on her mouth and pulled her inside which was a supplier's room. Ghazal opened her eyes when her back touched the wall and the sight of the person was enough to escape a gasp from her quivering lips.

"Yawar." In return, she got a smile, a sly smile. His eyes were twinkling like he had won some kind of battle. But Ghazal's gut was churning in nervousness, he was clearly not holding a good intention.

"What are you doing here?"

"I have come for you, Ghazal."

Ghazal moved back a little more as she saw Yawar's ascending steps.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Shh..."

Yawar put his fingertip on her lip, shushing her. Ghazal moved her head to a side to remove his filthy touch and a tear slipped from the corner of her eye, giving clear proof of her helplessness.

Allah, please help me.

***

Haaris woke up abruptly, his every vein shivering badly. The reason was only his nightmare but his body was shaking badly. It wasn't his usual panic, it was something else, he was unable to decipher.

"What happened, child?"

Nanna asked moving her hand in his tangled locks, she might be noting his nervousness. Haaris shook his head in reply, he too didn't know what was happening to him. Barely fifteen minutes would have been passed when he got into his slumber after his pathetic ordeal with Ghazal and now unusual anxiety was building up in the pit of his stomach.

That time, he slept with the worry of unintentionally hurting Ghazal, maybe that's why still the worry was eating him from inside.

Nanna took her seat beside Haaris and put his head in her lap gently.

"Got a nightmare?"

Nanna asked slowly massaging his head. 

He nodded. "Nanna, I am feeling weird."

" Weird?"

"I haven't felt like this ever. I am feeling like something bad is happening somewhere."

Nanna patted his head.

"Don't stress your mind, Haaris. If you are feeling like this then pray to Allah to keep everyone safe."

Haaris took a long sigh, a long time had passed when he prayed to Allah. The last time he remembered, he was desperately praying to Allah to stop his mother from going away from him. He bit his lower lip in worry.

Allah, please keep everyone safe.

Haaris was feeling like his mind was rolling around only one topic, the safeness of all his close ones. He tightly shut his eyes and tears slipped from the corner of his eyes, showing the state of his mind.

Nanna kissed his forehead, "Try to get some sleep, Haaris. In Shaa Allah all will be fine."

"You are sure?" He asked just like a small kid who was not sure of the first day of his school.

"Yes, Haaris."

Nanna replied pinching his cheek. He closed his eyes, faces of his dear ones began to encircle his mind but that was not surprising to him but those two new faces that were stuck in his mind.

Ghazal and Adam.