DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH ME,YOU MURDERER

Days later...

Its was the third day after Mrs Karina died,she has been laid to rest according to Muslim rights and today there were observing her third day prayers.

According to Muslims,after the death of a person,the family members,relatives and even friends and neighbours perform a 7 days prayers for the deceased.

During this time,they cook a lot of meal in large quantities and give sadaqah(charity) to peaole especially the poor so they can also pray for the soul of the deceased to rest in peace and to be accepted in heaven. The first seven days prayers and sadaqah is very important and then the 40th day too.

The prayers was conducted in Mrs karina's house and everyone gathered there. The hospital staff also came to send their condolences to the bereaved.

The director just sat in a corner and seem to be in a trance. Since the day Mrs Karina left the world,he hasn't said a word to anyone.

Leylah locked herself in her room and won't let anyone come in. The family were very worried for her and if not for the constant shouting,wailing and hitting and throwing of stuff she does in the room. They would have thought something has also happened to her.

"My love please let me in,I beg of you. I can't take this anymore. You are hurting yourself and our baby and I can't do anything to stop it"

"Please baby,stop making me feel miserable and pathetic and let me in please. You can cry in my arms,hit me and vent your frustration on me but please don't hurt yourself anymore please".

"Okay at least come out and eat something,you will get sick from starving yourself my love. I beg you listen to me just this once".

Suraj was worried that Leylah would hurt herself and something bad will happen to their baby, since she hasn't eaten anything for three days.

When Leylah wasn't responding to him,he broke the door and got into the room since he couldn't find the spare key.

He found Leylah lying on the ground unconcious,she has fainted due to exhaustion. Suraj was petrified,he picked Leylah from the floor and quickly called his mother.

Leylah slept for hours and didn't wake up until the next day. Suraj attached an IV fluid in Leylah. She was very weak and hasn't eaten for days.

He begged his mother to force Leylah to eat something,since she doesn't want to listen to him nor Nabeela. Mrs Najma made some healthy food for her and brought it to the room. She told suraj to call her when Leylah wakes up.

When Leylah finally woke up,she felt her head pounding,her whole body was weak and she could barely move her body. She stared at the room for a while then she remembered that she was in her mother's room in their house.

The memories of the death of her mother came rushing to her mind,her heart ached again and the pain she was feeling in her body was replaced by the pain she felt in her heart.

She wanted to get up but she felt some strong hand holding her waist that was when she noticed that she was in Suraj's embrace and she had her head on his chest.

She looked at him as he was sleeping peacefully,she felt angry seeing him sleeping peacefully like this.

She stood up quickly forcing her body from out of his embrace. She hissed when the IV fluid that was attached to her hand,stung her when she moved too forcefully. The pole fell down making a noise and Suraj woke up startled from the noise.

Suraj was woken up from his sleep from a loud noise. Just like Leylah he hasn't slept properly since the day Mrs Karina died.

He looked at Leylah who winced in pain and was adjusting the IV fluid in her hand. He reached out to help her but she flinged his hand away.

He was puzzled at her action but didn't say anything. He stood up from the bed and said "you are finally up,you were very exhausted so you fainted. My love you need to eat,you don't look good and I wonder how our baby is"

"Mother made something nice for you,here" he said as he brought the food to Leylah.

when Leylah saw he wasn't leaving the room she removed the IV fluid from her hand and stood up from the bed trying to leave the room but she staggered and fell on the floor.

Suraj quickly went to help her up but Leylah glared at him "don't you dare touch me, you murderer".

Suraj stood transfixed 'wh....what.....murderer?..... What does that mean? Did she call me a murder.....'he wondered inwardly.

He shook the though off and yet again tried to help her up again but leylah slapped him this time around. " pak"

"Don't you ever touch me again. I will never forgive you for causing my mother's death. I will never forgive you" leylah said as she started crying still sitting on the ground.

Suraj was dumbfounded,he still didn't understand what she was saying it felt as if she was speaking a strange language he didn't understand.

In that moment, an infinite amount of emotion flash through his chest.

Mrs Najma and Nabeela came running to the from when they heard the noise.

"Hey Leylah what are you doing on the floor? Get up. You....you are crying again....Leylah..." Nabeela said as she helped Leylah up and hugged her. Mrs karina's death has really taken a toll on everyone,how could she even ask Leylah not to cry.

Mrs Najma sat beside Leylah on the bed and wiped her face since Nabeela was all emotional now and has started crying too.

"Its okay dear,everything will be fine. Allah knows why he took her away from us now. So stop crying and let's just continue to pray for her".

" here I made you something,I know you don't want to eat but just eat a little at least. You are pregnant Leylah and you haven't eaten for three days. do you want something to happen to your child? Even Karina won't forgive you if you let anything happen to her grand child"

"Mother,mum didn't want to leave us now. she....she...promised she will stay with me until she sees her grand child gets married. She was even preparing a list of names to give to her grand child" Leylah said crying.

"She just found her life again,she decided to let a new person in her life after living alone for years without my dad. but That devil....that evil Zara took away everything from her. she took away my mum from me....." Leylah's voice broke as she cried and hugged Mrs Najma.

When Suraj heard Leylah's words,he abruptly spent a lot of energy to suppress the agony in his heart. He kept a poised expression as he listened to her.

"She shouldn't have jumped in trying to save me,she should have let me be the one to die and not her....Ahh! Mother I don't think I can survive without my mum in this world. I rather go join her"

"No....my dear don't say such....a thing" Mrs Najma tried to say as she started tearing up too. Mrs Karina was indeed a great part of their lives,how will they survive without her.

"You have to be strong for your child,you can't cause your child to die. Think about it, if your mother has left you when she lost your dad how will you feel? If she had tried to kill herself and harm you too in the process"

"this is when you give your mother reasons to be proud of you,let her know she did a good work raising you well. This is when you prove to your mother that all her sacrifices and struggles for you were not in vain".

" You have to live and let your child live. then your mother will be able to rest well and Allah will accept her"

"Mother that will be hard...ho....how will I have the strength to live now"

"Don't worry dear,we are here for you,we are your family and will never leave you".Mrs Najma comforted Leylah in her arms.

Nabeela wiped her tears when she heard her mother's words of encouragement and went to hug the both of them. While suraj just stood there looking at them,he remained calm but his fingers curled into a fist.

The next day....

Nabeela helped Leylah take her bath and helped her changed into new clothes. because Leylah was very weak and frail,she wouldn't be able to do that herself.

Mrs Najma noticed Leylah wasn't talking to Suraj,so she asked Nabeela to stay with Leylah in her room and take care of her.

She made breakfast and brought it to Leylah and Nabeela since Leylah didn't want to out and prefers to just stay inside the room.

After breakfast Suraj went to Leylah's room. Nabeela was scrolling through her phone and talking to Leylah while Leylah was just listening to her.

"Nabeela will you please give us a moment,I want to talk to my wife" Suraj said and Nabeela smiled. She was just about getting up from the bed when she heard Leylah's sharp and decisive voice.

"Don't go Nabeela,I don't have anything to talk with him so he should just leave"

"What? My love what's wrong? What did I do wrong?...tell me and I'll apologise"

"Oh! You want to pretend you don't know what am talking about ?"

"Calm down baby,don't stress yourself you don't look too well. I'll leave just call me when you are ready to talk with me".

" that will never happen because I don't want to ever see the face of the man who cause my mother's untimely death" Leylah spat.

"What are you talking about Leylah what does that have to do with Suraj?" Mrs Najma asked standing at the door.

"how is my brother the cause of aunt's death?" Nabeela asked stunned.

"You all know that Zara attacked my mum right?"

"Yes"

"Yeah"

"She wanted to stab me and not my mum because she was angry I got married to 'her Suraj'."

" I told Suraj several times to take Zara to a mental asylum because she really needs it. but he wouldn't listen to me. He claimed I was jealous and over dramatic".

"Zara kept threatening me and I always told Suraj about her dangerous threats. I told him to keep her away from me and my family and send her away from us".

"but Suraj insisted on keeping her close to us where she can see us everyday. he refused to send her to a mental asylum,despite everything I told him".

" we fought because I was scared for him and for my life. I was scared that she was going to do something drastic someday but Suraj wouldn't have any of it"

"She tried to kill me but unfortunately she...killed my mum instead" Leylah sniffled as she wiped the tears from her face.

"So tell me,is he not an accomplice to my mum's death? You see someone who posses a threat to your family's life but you don't want to keep them away from you"

"He let Zara in on everything that happens in our life and whenever she sees us together she get more angrier and her sickness worsen"Leylah pointed out calmly.

"My love I didn't know Zara was such a person. I am so sorry for not believing in your words when you said to take her to a mental asylum".

" Am sorry I didn't listen but I just thought I could make her realise that I will never love any other woman except my wife"

"I thought if she sees us together she will realise I cannot love her and forget about me. That way she will become better and stable and her grandma will be relieved....."

"She has erotomania and not just delusional disorder,it can't be solved" .

"Am sorry baby,I really am. I guess I didn't....."

"Enough!! just save it. you've done what you wanted and now my mum is no more. Now I will do what I want and don't you dare stop me".

Leylah took a deep breath and tried to pacify her anger before she spoke again," leave my room,my house and my life. I don't want to ever see you again".

"Come on Leylah dear it hasn't gotten to that yet,we can fix this."

"You Suraj,leave already. go out until she's calm down". Mrs Najma said and brought Leylah to sit back on the bed.

"Leylah please calm down. Don't say things like that" Nabeela said holding Leylah's hands and rubbing them softly.

"Am sorry mother but THIS can't be fixed".

Suraj felt like there was a lump in his throat brutally choking him, It was uncomfortable. yet he was so flustered,he couldn't speak.

He dragged himself out of the room when he saw Leylah's ferocious glare,his heart sank as he left the room.