A flame in the Storm

Chapter 28

When I finished my prayer Raafay was nowhere to be found. It gave me panic attack thinking he abandoned me in this deserted mosque. I ran to my car, it was there but Raafay wasn't. My heart started beating faster again. I was scared to death standing alone in an unknown place when I heard my name.

I turned around to see Raafay coming towards me with water bottle and snacks. A wave of relief washed over me. "There's nothing much to eat here" he was saying "I found a small shop where I found these."

"Do you want to drink?" He asked offering the water bottle.

"Yes," I said taking it from him.

"Are you tired? Shall I drive?" He asked

"Okay," I said throwing keys at him. He caught it smiling and walked towards driving seat. I thought of asking him what made him cry and what is it he asked but felt hesitant.

"We will stop to eat," he said "I am feeling hungry"

"Me too" I added. I had felt anger at both of our parents for sending Raafay with me but now I was grateful that they did. I wouldn't have survived such a long trip alone.

Raafay slowed the car as we saw a small hotel at the side of the road.

"Will you come inside? Or shall I take the parcel and will eat in the car" he asked

"I will come," I said I felt safe with him. Seeing him bow down to the lord made me trust him. The person who loved God would never hurt another human being.

I stayed close to Raafay as we moved through the hotel to the family section at the corner.

"What do you like?" He asked flipping pages of the menu.

"How about laccha paratha ?"(Punjabi chapatti) I suggested seeing through the menu.

"What to go with it?"

"Butter chicken" I wondered

"Good choice," Raafay said. "3 lacha paratha, one butter chicken and one biryani" he ordered to the waiter.

"Do you eat out often?" I asked

"Not much and You?"

"Has been a long time" I shrugged. "Why are you not working in Bangalore?" I asked.

"I have my reasons," he said gravely and I wondered if it had anything to do with the thing he cried for.

"When did you shift?"

"A year back."

"Nice," I said not knowing how to continue the conversation.

"Do you plan to stay in Hyderabad from now on?" he asked sipping water.

"I don't know," I said shrugging "one day at a time, remember?"

"Yes." He was about to say something when our food arrived.

"Yumm," he said rubbing his palms together and that got me chuckled.

He kept serving the food or nudged me to eat more.

"Oh my god! No wonder you are so slim" he had said when I stopped eating after having one chapatti and my mind again drifted to Rizwan who had asked me to diet to maintain my shape. And here was the man who was doing exactly the opposite. No matter how much I didn't want to think about the devil who destroyed my life my mind always found its way back to him.

"If I take one more bite I will puke," I said stopping him from serving more Biryani into my plate.

"We will have cool drinks. It will be digested"