Talkhiye zindagi na bhulenge
Waqt ki behisse na bhulenge,

Hum tere hote howe tanha the
Hum tere dosti na bhulenge.

Saboohi

My heart plummeted in my chest. The sweat dancing down my spine as I paced in the living room. My breaths shook as I pulled at my hair strands.

" How could this happen to me. How did I let matters reach to this extent? No, this is not my fault. This is not my fault. " Pushing my hair out of my eyes I convinced myself. Large tears rolled down my eyes as I slumped down on the mustard bean bag. My eyes flickering to Jahan's photo frame on the wall.

" Jahan please don't break my heart. I don't want to be left alone. I don't want to be left out. You'll look at me like moma and Rubi look at me and I'll hate every bit of it. Why are you doing all this? Papa said you'll give me all the happiness I've been deprived off. He said you'll fulfill all the voids then why-"

I sniffed wiping my nose with the tissue paper. Rubbing away another set of fresh tears away, I sobbed clutching the tissue box.

" You don't understand. I don't know what to do. How- how could you say all this to me. You'll leave me and I'll be another burden on you. Please don't play with me. Please don't." My lungs protested and only then I let go of the breath I was holding. My hands trembling as I folded them together.

" You know, moma hates me and so does Rubi. Papa loves me. He loves me the most. He assured me, he assured me that you'd be the man that will love me and accept me. But- but look at you. You betrayed me. You played with me. And you don't realize what you're doing to me."

The once warm tears trailing down my face became cold and anger raised within me. Making me jump out of my seat. I paced again and hiccupped. My heart beats raising as I clenched my fists.

" I've been hated all my life and all you do is become another person to turn me down. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. Papa will leave me. I know he has to. He will die and then I'll have no one to love me. And I did wrong trusting him. He send me away to you and you broke my trust more. You know what? Rubi will laugh at me. She'll laugh at my face. She'll mock me that I don't have anyone as she has been doing ever since-" I yelled on the top of my lungs before taking the tissue box and throwing it across the wall. Making his frame fall and shatter on the floor.

" You hurt me badly. You upset me." I fell to my knees seeing them scarp against the wood. But my internal pain was more than this.

" Uh huh. Saboohi? Are you alright?"

Iffat, the house help asked as she came in through the door. Making me look up at her with my tears burning eyes. Shaking my head at her, I held my hair seeing the woman bent to my side.

" Why are you crying? Tell me? What happened?" I remained at loss for words as I stared at her soft features. Snuffing between my cries, I held her hand as she supported me to stand.

" Come, I'll take you to your room." She helped making me nod.

We climbed up the stairs and the energy drained from my body as she lowered me on the bed. Making me instantly clutch the comforter.

" Can you please get me a glass of water?" I asked before she could say more.

She nodded and smiled at me softly before leaving the room. Making me cast my eyes to the cupboards.

•

Jahan

My heart fell in the pit of my stomach. Replaying last night's events. Saboohi behavior had left me speechless. And her turning nature had made me feel guilty. My one mistake her lead her to behave so drastically. Was she hurt to that extinct.

I only realized how much she had prepared for dinner once she left for the bedroom. And guilt clawed at my skin. Taking a bite felt forbidden without her and so I had placed the dinner in the fridge and went upstairs but she had already changed and was under the covers.

We had already said so much.

That I felt speechless and without a word, I changed and slept. Farzan wanted me to check up on a hotel site we were working on. The site was a two hour drive from here and so I had to leave today as well. While I dressed I felt her butterscotch eyes on me but when I turned she had her eyes closed. Pretending to sleep. And I left wordless.

Having the guilt looming over me, I rushed to the first supermarket I could and got all the chocolates I could find. I cringed as the cashier looked at me with a weird face. I shrugged my shoulders.

What? Girls love chocolates.

Perhaps I could make up with Saboohi. She had done so much last night and I knew she was worthy of something huge and special but for now I could start with small things. Deciding to leave for home, I grabbed some flowers as well.

I am sorry Saboohi.

I scribbled on the note and sighed my name. Looking down at the note, I sighed and cut my name, instead wrote 'your dear husband's as she liked to call me. Once satisfied, I started the engine to go home. The sun was still high against the horizon indicating the early afternoon. Parking the car, I took the chocolates and the flowers and got down. Before pushing the door open, I felt nervous. My breaths steadied down already thinking of how I was going to face her.

" It's okay." I whispered building up the courage.

Opening the door, I called out.

" Saboohi."

My loud voice boomed against the walls and I heard the shuffling. Making my eyes trail to the television lounge.

" I..I didn't do anything Jahan."

I looked at the woman as she cried. Cold chills ran down my spine and I felt my knees turn weak.

" Whaa..what?" I blabbered and ran to the women. The chocolates and flowers long forgotten on the floor. My amber eyes widened as I knelt down before Saboohi's lifeless figure. Iffat was besides us as she rubbed her cold hands. I lifted my trembling hands and touched Saboohi's face. It was cold and pale.

" What did she do?" My voice was a shaky breath as I stared at my wife. My eyes flickering to Iffat. Seeing her forehead crease as she cried.

" I don't know. She came down from her room a few minutes ago and I was busy cleaning until I realised that she went unconscious on the couch."

My breaths picked up as I looked haphazardly at the woman. My mind swirled as I kept a finger under her nose feeling her low breathing. I didn't know what to do. How to act? I remained paralyzed as I stared at her. My heart thudding against my chest.

" Jahan. Hospital." Iffat cried out suddenly and only then did I realise.

Nodding my head at her. I stood up before leaning down and picking up Saboohi effortlessly. Her thin arms dangled down as I hurried to the main door. Shivers running through my body seeing her dried lips. I gently lowered her on the back seat before rounding the vehicle seeing Iffat run towards me from the main door. My eyes widened as she handed me an empty bottle of pills.

" Fuck." I growled as I sat in the car and slammed the door.

" Saboohi what the fuck have you done!" I growled as I sped for the hospital.

Running my hand through my hair, I slammed my hands against the wheel seeing the signal turn red. A train of curses left my lips and before I knew I was pressing on the gas and racing down the road. The bottle swaying on the seat besides me.

You have to make me happy Jahan.

You'll have to make me happy.

I ran a hand down my face, feeling my chest burst. Parking in the emergency spot. I hurried out and carried Saboohi in my arms inside, seeing the guard from outside already rolling in a stretcher. I placed her on it before yelling for the nurses.

" What has happened to her?" One of them asked, making me sigh and hand over the bottle to them. The nurses shared a glance before nodding their heads and rolling the stretcher. Reaching at the end of the corridor they stopped me.

" Sir, you'll have to stay here. We'll inform you of the patients condition. Please fill her admission form at the counter. I nodded my head.

" Please.. just- her.." she raised her eyebrows expectantly but I couldn't find the right words to say. I shook my head and she closed the emergency doors behind her.

I breathed out loudly, slamming my fists against the walls. I caressed a hand under my eye and pulled my hand seeing the lone tear stare at me sympathetically. I gulped and heaved feeling the fear crawling over my skin.

" Saboohi. Please be alright."

Running my tongue over my dry lips, I strode to the reception. Taking the form, I sat in the plastic chair seeing other people also cccupy the chairs. I looked at the form and filled in her name. Her husband's name. And then the paper blurred before my eyes and I stood up rushing out of the door I had come in.

I cupped my mouth. The past minutes replaying on the curtain of my mind like a film. And then her smiling face came into my view. Her streaked hair and her absolutely silly humor.

What if I lose her today.

What if you lose her today, Jahan?

I couldn't hold myself up any more and slid on the marbled floor. I couldn't even trust the hospital. Knowing these hospital couldn't afford the necessary equipments, half of the hospital wing was still under construction. What if they can't save her-

Thousands of what ifs roamed my mind and I pulled my knees to my chest. Rolling my lower lip inside my mouth, I pulled out my phone. Wondering if I had chances to call Zaryaab and inform him everything. But my mind stopped me. Mom's words rolling through my head.

Now that we won't have to babysit him anymore.

" Hell."

I stood up and went inside, getting cleared by the reception, I strode to the emergency doors again and sat down on one of the chairs. A nurse rushed outside and I stood up seeing her talk to another nurse in a language I couldn't decipher. My eyebrows frowned as I looked at them.

" Excuse me. Um- my wife.."

The nurse with the greying hair snapped her sharp eyes at me.

" What were you doing when she was overdosing on antidepressants?" She scowled and went inside again.

But the floor beneath my feet was snatched. As I breathed out.

" What!"

The other nurse looked at me pitifully before she beckoned me to the chair.

" The doctor and the staff are doing their best to normalize her heart beat. Please pray. Your wife is in a critical situation."

I sat down hearing the words echo down the corridor. For the next hours I sat idly staring at the emergency doors seeing the doctors and nurses and patients walk in and out. Night fell before I could even decipher. I grabbed a cup of tea before returning from the prayer room.

One of the male nurse offered me a pillow and I declined. Sitting on the plastic chair, I waited. And waited until the same scowling nurse came out from behind the door.

" We had to pump her stomach twice. She's still under observation. And will not wake up until early morning. She would be shifted in the room down the hall and you'd be allowed to meet her only for 5 minutes. The doctor will meet you early morning after examining the patient."

" Thank you." I said before she walked away.

Minutes later, I stood before the room Saboohi was shifted into. My clammy hands twisted the door handle and I stepped inside. Feeling the chilling room pour goosebumps over my skin. A nurse injected something into the IV bag before offering a polite smile and leaving.

" Only five minutes, Sir." She said before closing the room behind her.

I looked at the walls, the ceiling, the table and lastly at her. And my heart bled. I walked to her lying figure and stared at her features. Noticing the hollow under her eyes and her thin nose. A tube was going through her mouth and an IV through her arm. She looked like a porcelain mannequin. I reached my hand out and held hers. Feeling it warm now and I breathed out the breath I had been holding in for hours.

The monitor was beeping from besides her showing her low blood pressure. I leaned towards her ear, my anger returning as I remembered what she had done.

" You better wake up and have a nice explanation for this." I growled.

" You wrenched the breaths out of me with this stunt of yours." Tracing her hair, I held a tendril.

" Now everyone would think we aren't happy with each other." I hissed lowly.

Moving back, I sniffed feeling the heart beats turn steady seeing her face. Shaking my head, I turned away from her and walked to the door before returning to the seat again. Removing my suit jacket, I leaned my head against the wall.

Ya Allah, Please return her back to me.

•

I titled my head, seeing the man smile at me and round his desk as he walked in his room. We greeted each other, shaking hands warmly. I stared at the doctor, the man probably in his early fifties as he settled his glasses over his nose and read Saboohi's file.

" Hm it ringed to me when I read her name. It seemed so familiar." He looked at me from above the file. Making me raise my eyebrows.

" You must be her husband?" I nodded my head. Averting my eyes to his silver plate.

Zaeem Haider.

" I stressed it alot of course that is what I could do. But looks like she didn't attend the sessions-"

I lifted my eyes to his as he paused and folded his hands.

" I will go very straight forward with you Jahangir. That in this condition patient attempts suicide when ever he gets chance. It's a syndrome. And same is for Saboohi."

My eyebrows knit in confusion as I stared at the man as if he was blabbering something obnoxious.

" Something must've triggered her to take such a drastic step. Her thoughts would have over wrecked her and she did what she knows the best. Ending her life."

He said it as the most obvious thing and my fists clenched together.

" Syndrome? Suicide?" I voiced out. Seeing the man nod his head.

" Yes. A rare syndrome that causes her to suicide instead of acting rationally. And Saboohi is one of the unfortunate person to encounter it."

" What do you mean, doctor?" I asked.

My heart dropping, putting piece to piece together.

" Yes, Jahangir Ali Khan-" tension was coiling around my pulse.

" your wife has a mental condition in which she wants to attempt chances of suicide more than she wants chances to live."

Those words had hell breaking loose as I stood up grabbing the doctor by his collar.

" Shut your pretty mouth or else I'll have to slit it." I growled.

The doctor panicked. Fear stricken eyes staring at me.

" Mr. Jahangir, this is the ultimate truth." The man choked.

Choking up my emotions and hopes altogether. I left his collar and moved back seeing the man relax and hand me the glass of water.

" Please calm down Jahangir or else I'll have to run some test to check if your suffering a rare syndrome or not."

I growled lowly, narrowing my eyes at him. The doctor shuddered and straightened his tie. I flickered my eyes to Sabooh's file and sat down.

" It was some years ago when I was still working in Swat and Saboohi and her father used to come. Saboohi was still coping up with things and she had promised to take the psychiatric session I lined her up for. She did take some session and then I got to know she left it in the middle. Her father claimed that she was getting better and I agreed upon her behaviour only. We had her under observation and then I prescribed her some medicines and she was good to go."

I swallowed the information thickly.

" For now. We'll observe her for some more time and then you'll be able to take her home-"

I stood up and rushed out of the doctor's room. Leaving the doctor to call behind me. I unlocked my car and sat in. Suddenly I felt as I hadn't known Saboohi for even a day. She felt so unknown. A mystery.

The first time we met, she gave me loathing looks.

The second time she was weird.

The third time she was enjoying tea with mom.

I lost count as I rolled my window down and drove through the roads. My mind swirling with so many unsaid questions. The sun was hiding behind the clouds as I drove through the highway. The car only speeding up as I kept thinking about everything I was told.

Papa said you'll make me happy.

He said you'll keep my happy.

I bit my clenched fist as I sped up the car. My muscles tensed from the hours long drive but I didn't care. Today I wanted answer and answers were what I'll get. By the time I rolled in the society, the late late afternoon sun was pouring it's rays. Parking the car, I got down and knocked the door.

Seconds later the door was pulled open by Abbas, a teenager that worked for them, and without being welcomed I walked inside.

" Where's uncle and Aunty?" I asked looking around the silent house.

" Aunty went in the neighborhood and Uncle-" he started but I was already walking towards his room.

" Jahangir." The man looked surprised as he glanced at me from his newspaper. He smiled and then looked behind me.

" You guys are back already." He stated as I moved towards him.

" What? You didn't bring Saboohi with you?" He asked confused as I dragged the stool and sat it next to his bed.

" What happened to Saboohi? Why does she has the syndrome, Mirza sahib?"

The man paled as he looked at me before averting his eyes and sat the newspaper next to him. Taking off his glasses, he kept them in the night stand and looked at me. I eased the scowl off my face and expected his answer. But the silence was thick and once he broke it, it shattered painfully. And what he said next blew my brain off.

" She was kidnapped."

•

Babes!!

Who's blown away? Come on drop a line for the chapter!

So what is going to happen next will be revealed soon. And this time I don't want yeh story to prolong by hiding the past and all and instead the last will be revealed super early and we'll see how Jahan and Saboohi evolve after that.

Hope you guys love the Chapter!!  I'll see you in the comment section lovelies! And yes today the internet is paying with me!🙊

Till next time<

Love,
_Hafsa♥