Chapter 42: Independence

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Abbas' POV

“NO NO NO in capital letters.
I’m not going to come in between the two of you again, nor am I going to interfere”
Samir paced the room

“Come on Samir, you wouldn’t have to do anything.
You don’t have to even speak to her. Just marry her in the morning and divorce her by nightfall.”
I convinced him

“Not happening Abbas.
You are my best friend but this is not something I would ever get myself involved in.
I’ve been dragged down once but I’m not going to let that happen again. Plus does she know what you’re planning?”
he stood in front of me, eyes bulging

“She...no she doesn’t but I bet she’ll be convinced when I tell her my plan and then imagine; you will be the reason for all our happiness. Stories will be told about how you reunited Zahrain and Abbas”
I painted a picture in mid air, all airy and excited

“I’m tempted to be there when you tell her this stupid idea and watch you get slapped. Hard”
he laughed

I gave him the ‘meh’ look

The next day at Abbas’ residence

Zahrain’s POV

I thought things would be awkward between Abbas and I but contrary to my belief, everything was fine.
He spoke to me as if nothing had happened

And then from a general conversation he brought ‘that’ topic up again

“So I went and looked up the rules of re-marrying as you told me”
He causally stated

“Abbas stop come on you..”
I tried to stop him

“No just listen to me.
I’ll hopefully convince Samir and he’ll be ready to marry you and then divorce you so that we can be together again.
I guarantee that he will not touch you nor do any harm and will stick to his words.
We just need to talk to our parents and remind them that Zainab will have a better upbringing with all of us in her life, united.
All you have to say is yes Zahrain, and I will take care of the rest.

I love you and I’ll do anything to bring you back into my life and I know you still love me because the time we spent together is unforgettable.
Just say yes and we’ll make new memories that will erase the negativity of distance between us”
He got straight to the point, no beating around the bush which made me all the more mad

“You think this is a game? You think I have nothing better to than wait for you to use me however you like?
How can you make such immature decisions.”
I started off seriously

“No Zahrain I didn’t mean it like that” He tried to but in though I was already at boiling point by then

“Shut Up!
Just because I’m neither independent nor successful you think I’ll accept everything you say?
Just because I’m soft-spoken and caring does not mean that you can mess with my life.

‘Ow hey look; there’s Zahrain she gives more importance to other people’s feelings than her own brain. Let’s marry her then divorce her.
And just to make matters all the more fun, let’s marry her again to show her who’s boss’.”
I pretended to talk in a chirpy voice, my hands air quoting following my body language

“Just because I’m a woman does not mean you men can take me whenever you want and then leave me when you realise that you don’t have full control over my thoughts and beliefs. And then once you see that I’m not holding any grudges and being nice to you, you think I still love you and will happily come back to you.
Well you’re wrong!
I have been raised to be the perfect wife not the perfect maid; who you can send packing one day and apologise to and bring back the next.
Your ego is still the same.
You will not always get what you want Abbas!

Don’t take the fact that I’m naive as my weakness.
It’s my strength.
It’s taught me who really cares about me and who has supported me in times of need.
Don’t think that just because you’re the father of my child I respect you and will tolerate your anger.
You had that right over me once upon a time but now you don’t.
The sooner you learn that the better.

And don’t you dare indicate to me in the slightest of ways that my daughter will not have the perfect childhood if she is brought up by a single mother. She is my Jaan and I can do anything for her as well as sacrifice my own needs and wants.

And now I’m saying it.
I’m saying what I didn’t believe until today.
It was your fault.
The divorce was your fault.
It was your mistake and not all mistakes can be resolved”
I seethed.
I could feel my face red hot and my breathing quick

I felt bad. No to be honest I felt like sh*t.
I hadn’t been this rude to anybody ever but at least I got my point across. At least he wouldn’t bother me with such trivial ideas anymore.

I admitted to myself that yes I secretly wanted him to regret what he did and come crying back to me, and a part of me thought that I might think over his offer.
But that would have been the stupidest thing I have done in my life and mind you I have done some pretty stupid and embarrassing things in comparison.

Yes Zainab would have had an amazing childhood if her parents were together but they are not.
End of story.
I had vowed to myself to give her an amazing-er life by moving away from home; to give the both of us a fresh start.
I couldn’t live here anymore; I couldn’t be reminded of my past every time I looked at the sadness in my parents’ eyes or at Abbas.

I had to start a new life.

~And that was Zahrain’s first step to independence~

Abbas’ POV

You can’t live happily ever after, it’s just a myth

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