Synthesis of Scattered Pieces ✔️

71.

"Abbu I've made soup for you." Shifa sat down beside her father and lifted spoonful of the soup. Aatish shook his head but eventually had it.

Yesterday when he passed out, Shifa and Daniyal took him to the hospital where they got to know that his kidneys weren't working properly and the liver was completely damaged. In the end of the checkup the doctor told Shifa and Daniyal to keep Aatish at home because now he didn't have much time left so there will be no use of him in the hospital.

"Do you like it?" Daniyal asked after sitting on the other side of Aatish, he tried to smile but couldn't. Shifa touched his forehead with the back of the fingers and looked at Daniyal. "Still feverish." She mouthed and waited for Daniyal to do something but there was nothing in his hands. Even after giving medicine Aatish's fever wasn't completely fine.

"Abbu aapke liye kuch aur laau?" Shifa asked when Aatish refused to have another spoonful of soup.

(Abbu would you like to have anything else.)

"Nah." He somehow managed to say this. Shifa nodded before dangling her legs down from the bed and walked towards the kitchen to put the bowl in the sink and when he went back to the room Daniyal was placing another pillow in between the headrest of the bed and Aatish's back. "Shifa."

"Ji Abbu?"

"Mere paas raho." He muttered with half closed eyes and Shifa sat down beside him. "Main tumhe har rooz yaad karta tha." He mumbled under his breath and slightly open his arm, understanding his gesture she placed her head on his chest. Aatish kissed her forehead and she couldn't control her tears. That's the same love she was craving for. Now she didn't want to go away from this love but soon Daniyal walked closer to both of them and gestured Shifa to move back. She was confused yet obeyed silently, only then she noticed Aatish, he was breathing with difficulty.

(Stay close to me.)

(I had been missing you everyday.)

"Abbu..." Shifa cried and Aatish opened his eyes. Exhaling loudly he lifted his hand and caressed her head, his weak hand moved to her face and Shifa held it in her left hand. 

"Shifa, recite Surah Yaseen." Daniyal whispered and Shifa suddenly looked up at her husband who was passing his mobile phone towards her which was showing the very chapter of the Quran which eases the pain of death. Shifa was stunned, she looked at Aatish then at Daniyal who slightly nodded like telling her that her father was taking his last breaths.

Shifa's eyes dropped two more tears but she grabbed the mobile and saw its screen..

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
یٰسٓۚ(۱) وَ الْقُرْاٰنِ الْحَكِیْمِۙ(۲) اِنَّكَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِیْنَۙ(۳) عَلٰى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِیْمٍؕ(۴).......

(In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Yaa-Seen.
By the Quran, rich in wisdom!
You ˹O Prophet˺ are truly one of the messengers. Upon the Straight Path....)

She didn't know how long she was taking to recite these verses while controlling herself to cry aloud with hiccups but she demonstrated one more time how strong she was! Before she could recite the complete chapter a hand lightly pulled her in an embrace and she suddenly looked at Aatish then looked at her left hand which was still holding his hand. The body which was feverish till a few moments ago suddenly turned cold.

"Dua kro Shifa... Dua e magfirat." Daniyal whispered while his free hand slowly closed the slightly open eyes of Aatish.

(Pray for his good afterlife, Shifa.)