A flame in the Storm

Chapter 42

I kept staring at my phone on my desk wishing it to ring, Raafay hadn't called or messaged since the day at the police station. And it's been a week. Reliving the memory, I felt like a horrible person. I knew he wouldn't hurt me even in his worst days and I had accused him of more than just that. Thinking whether to call him or not I took the phone in my hand.

It began ringing. Without looking at the screen, I picked it up

"Hello, Raafay."

"Sorry to disappoint but it's your grandmother" came the reply.

Feeling like an idiot, I kept my hand on my forehead. We hadn't informed grandma about the attack. We didn't want her to worry as she stayed at a distance from us. She was becoming weak day by day and her health scared us.

"How are you, grandma?" I asked

"I am fine. Isn't Raafay, Shoeib and Seema's son?"

"Yes" I said stomping my foot feeling embarrassed.

"He is a handsome guy" grandma commented. "I know it your age to miss a guy but miss me too, at least sometimes."

"I do but you are the one being stubborn," I said. We tried to convince her to move to Hyderabad and stay with us. But she refused every time. She didn't want to leave the city she had lived her whole life. It's peaceful here she says. We talked some more and after a few minutes we hung up.

Farah barged in the room with a file. "After reading, sign this" keeping it on the table she left

I opened it and moved the papers to and fro. I wasn't able to read anything as I couldn't focus on it. I kept tapping the pen on the file staring at a page. The only thing in front of my eyes was Raafay's face and the tear which hadn't fallen from his eye.

Someone closed the file and I looked up to see Farah standing with her hands on my table.

"Have you read it?"

"Where do I have to sign?" I asked, "I can't read it."

"I see that," she said. "I have been standing here from five minutes and all you are doing is tapping your foot and the pen."

"I am sorry. I will read it" I said extending my hand for the file. She moved it away from me.

"You can do it later. First, tell me what is bothering you? Is it Rizwan?"

"No" I sighed, though Rizwan did bother me he had bothered me always since the day he came in my life all those years ago.

"What happened?" she asked taking the chair opposite me.

I looked up and contemplated whether to say her or not. There was no point hiding it either. Maybe she could help me decide what to do?

"It's Raafay." I almost whispered.

"What did he do?" She asked in astonishment hearing his name.

I shifted in my chair feeling uncomfortable sharing it.

"He proposed to me."

"Finally!" She exclaimed. "When did it happen? What did you say?"

"What do you mean finally? Did he say something to you before?"

"No" she shrugged. "But isn't it obvious the way he always wanted to be around you? However busy he was, he always made time for you. Damn! He was running a start-up." She said throwing her arms up. "We know how hectic it is. But was there a single time you needed him and he wasn't there?"