1 1. AND SO IT BEGINS
"Moona come down, dear, look what is going on here." The voice of her brother laid her back to reality. She was standing at the balcony staring at the beautiful lawn of her brother's villa. Everyone was present there. Her brother, his wife, his three children; Humna, Yumna and Asad; She looked at them and sighed. She had everything. Love, health, wealth, beauty, relations, and... ( she put her hand on her round belly) now a child. She smiled and looked at her brother who was now looking at her with concern.
" What is it?" He asked. She shook her head still smiling. "Nothing."
"Then come down please. Have dinner with us." She nodded and went downstairs towards them. When she had sat on the chair with her nephew...
"Where is Taimur? He has not come? Why?" Salma, her brother's wife, asked her.
"He is very busy, appa. He will not come." She told her filling her own plate.
"Are you staying tonight?" Humna asked.
" No, my love, I really have to go."
" But you never stay, phupho (aunt)." Humna said.
"I will stay someday but not today."
" You dont have your car." Her brother Khalil said.
" I will go by taxi bhai (brother)."
"It's not safe. You know that. I will drop you." He said and motioned everyone to eat silently.
.................
Khalil had dropped her at home. It was one in morning and her husband hadn't yet came. She decided to wait for him so she took a book from the shelf and came into the lobby. There she sat on the sofa and started reading her book. It might have been half an hour when the main door opened and her husband entered. She stood up from her place and watched him came over to her. He smiled towards her which she wanted to return but was very tired to do so.
"You should have been asleep." Taimoor said with concern in his almond eyes as he embraced her.
"You know I can't." Moona replied.
"Have you eaten?" Now he was sitting on the couch beside her.
"Yes, I went to the villa for dinner." She told him.
"That's good. How are they?"
"They are good. Have you eaten?" She asked. But before he could say anything his phone rang and he answered. After the phone call he stood up.
"I am sorry. I really have to go. This is urgent." He leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead and put his palm on her belly. "Get some sleep. I want her healthy." And then he was gone. Moona wanted to stop him, to ask him not to go, because deep down she was afraid. She was sfraid of loosing him, she was afraid that she might not see him again. A tear rolled on her cheek as she watched the closed door... After all, he was a police officer. She knew he was busy in some foolish mission. With heavy heart she walked over her bedroom where she laid down and when sleep took hold of her she didn't know that this was really the last time she had seen him.
...............
Do you accept this Nikah?" The man with a beard asked him.
"I do!" He heard his voice.
"Do you accept this nikah?"
"I do!"
"Do you accept this nikah?"
"I do!"
"Congratulations! Let's raise our hands to ask Allah Almighty to shower His endless blessings on this couple." The man raised his hands. He looked at her bride, she was also looking at him with a bright smile on her face.
And his eyes were open. He looked around frantically. The only voice in the room was of his panting. His throat was sore. He sat up in his bed. The light coming from the street through the window was the only source to reduce the darkness in the room. The habitant was now drinking water from the glass which had been placed on his bed-side table. After drinking the water he picked up his phone and came out of his room. Entering the lounge, he turned on the lights and sat on the couch. There he started recording a voice note.
"I just had a very bad dream and I am not feeling very good about it. I saw I was getting married." He stopped the recording and pushed the send button. Then he placed the mobile beside him. He was wearing a shirt and trousers, his hair were a mess after sleeping. Suddenly, the mobile rang, he quickly picked up the call.
"Is everything okay?" He asked. After hearing the answer he quickly stood up.
"Okay I am coming," He picked up the keys of his car, his pistol, and his wallet and went outside the apartment. There was an expression of deep worry and sorrow written on his face.
.............
