chapter: 4

Wearing a navy blue T-shirt and jeans, his hair scattered over his forehead... There was a wrinkle on his forehead due to the afternoon sun and summer hotness...... He opened the door of the house at that time and entered... He had come to the house to get some papers that his father had called him to bring .......

"Ami.......Ami " ( he called out to his mother loudly after entering the house)

"What happened Zain? Why are you screaming loudly???" (Mary Begum came out of the kitchen, she had a spoon in her one hand while a vinger bottle in other...)

"Your husband has ordered that he needs the documents of his plaza's shop......and I should leave all my important work and deliver them to him" (Zain said in an angry and bitter tone)

"Okay, just put this vinegar and spoon in the kitchen, I'll bring it..." (She said, pushing the bottle and spoon towards him)

Zain silently held it and moved towards the kitchen.... The wrinkles on his forehead and the boredom in his eyes were clearly showing that he was not at all willing to do this, but he was there because of Ibrahim Sahib's pressure......

"By the way, tell me which shop's papers your Abu need... There are many shops in the plaza" (Maryam Begum immediately asked when she remembered)

"Someone like Rameez Mughal's cafe or tea shop's papers" (he said, remembering his father's words)

"Oh, alright.." (Maryam Begum said and moved towards her room, he also turned towards the kitchen...)

In a short while, he left the house with the documents...after leaving the house his eyes fell on the truck full of furniture and other home things.....standing at the door of the empty bungalow. He saw the workers unloading the things from the truck in a confused manner......

... Before he could ask one of them about all this, his mobile rang..... Seeing his father's number, he immediately answered the call and sat in the car.

 "Yes, I'm just on my way, Baba, I'm coming" (He said after greeting in a polite tone and sat in the car)

After listening the other side he said * okey * and cut the call put his mobile on his pocket...He started the

 car and drove towards the plaza.....

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Laylaa along with Abbas,had come to "Khan Plaza. " First she went to the office of their family lawyer for the key of the bungalow and the rest of the paperwork....then,she came The same place where her father had rented a tea shop in her name.

She had come to know this from their family lawyer today that her father had not bought the shop but had rented it. There had been a slight mistake in telling about this matter from their lawyer...

This means that out of all the property, her father had only transferred that bungalow to her name... Despite all this, Laylaa had no complaints. She did not have much bonding with her father in his life....She had been very close to Yasmin Begum...While ,Zoya and Rameez Sahib were very close to each other. But she loved her father as same as her mother and had no grudge or anger about this property matter. In fact, she was happy thinking that her father had chosen and think that she is fit to run the cafe/ tea shop......

Khan Plaza... It was a beautiful and luxurious 3-floor-mall... It is a kind of shopping center... The owner of this shopping center was "Ibrahim Khan".

 People here rent shops and sell all kinds of clothes, shoes, jewelry, bags, food items, and many other things there...

Khan Plaza was a well-known and famous shopping center in Karachi... On the first floor of this shopping center, in the third shop, Laylaa, Abbas, and Ibrahim sahab were sitting on chairs.......

" I am sorry to hear about your father's death, son. I met him three years ago. He was an honorable man." ( Ibrahim sahab said in a soft voice )

" It's alright uncle, my father in law died a year ago in a car accident..... But how did you both know each other ???? " ( Abbas ask respectfully)

" I met him when he bought a banglow in my neighborhood......when we talk to each other He told me that he was looking for a shop in a suitable place for his daughter. Because his daughter is very keen on being independent. I mentioned this shop in my plaza to him then and from then on he asked me to make a contract...... "(Ibrahim Sahib was speaking softly and politely replied with a smile)

" Baba never mentioned about meeting you and about this shop we got to know about it from his lawyer..."(Abbas replied to him)

" That's strange....you know at first he came to see the shop for few months.....he even came to see the banglow sometimes..... But then he disappear i thought he doesn't want the shop anymore because no one ever contact me ...... Even the banglow he bought the property dealer try to sell it to other party..... I thought rameez not want this banglow anymore or the shop too ..... " ( Ibrahim sahab said and got up after seeing zain standing outside the shop )

Laylaa was quiet all this time..... The excitement of going to be the working lady was too much that the words refuse to came out of her mouth and the smile was glued on her face......

" Uncle when did baba stop contacting you??" ( Abbas suddenly ask the question in a strange voice )

" About 1 and half year ago ... But i never try yo rental this shop to other people because he signed the five year contract with me ...... " ( Ibrahim sahab replied and then open the shop door )

Zain who was standing outside talking with Abdullah about some work in the phone startled in a sudden *ding* of the door...... He looked at his father who is looking at him with a serious face...... He took a deep breath and said:

" Baba there was a traffic that's why i was late "

" we talk later about this, come in " ( ibrahim sahab took the documents from his hand and walk in )

Zain muttered THANK YOU ALLAH and walk in ......

Laylaa was looking around when her eyes fall on the person came in with ibrahim sahab......

For a moment laylaa forgot to breath......She doesn't know what happened. She just forgot to breathe. The noise of the vehicles outside, The conversation between Abbas and Ibrahim sahab, And the joy of becoming an independent lady..... Everything lost its importance. If anything was visible at that time, it was that person.

The person she had met 6 months ago. Involuntarily, she heard Sarah's words echoing in her ears. "If it's fate, you two will definitely meet again." So did she consider it fate? Was fate and destiny in her favor? She feels like she wad dreaming an impossible dream this person was standing in front of her right now......

Laila... Laila... (Abbas shook her shoulder and she came back to reality) Ibrahim Uncle is asking you something" (Abbas drew her attention)

"Yes... Yes Uncle" (She blinked and spoke in a halting tone, feeling her irregular heartbeat)

"Child,are you okay? ... Zain, please give her some water" (Ibrahim Sahib asked her lovingly and then ordered Zain immediately)

"No, there's no need for that, I'm okay... Uncle, what were you saying?" (It was very difficult to take her eyes off from that person and taking water from this person was like her soul was out of the body, but Laylaa took the water from him and turned her eyes away from him and she turned to Ibrahim Sahib and with difficulty start listening to him )

" By the way, your father had signed the contract, but I want you to see it and review it once. After that, you also sign it here....then,if you want to do any renovation work... and if you have any other problem, contact me... " (Ibrahim Sahib explained to her all the terms and give her the contract papers)

"Yes, Uncle... " (Laylaa nodded in response to his words and immediately fixed her eyes on the contract)

After that abbas and ibrahim sahab again gt busy in their conversation and laylaa with shaking hand and irregular heartbeat..... Try to focus on the contract papers.......but her eyes at the end fell on the person who was sitting Infront of her......

* LAYLAA RAMEEZ MUGHAL please be careful.....why are you acting like some kind of failed lover...... don't be too obvious.....take control on your eyes and heart....if he found out it will be a serious problem....... * She was thinking and scolding herself in her mind.......

After few minutes of this war between her mind and heart she decided to leave this place as quickly as possible.......

" Jiju do you have a pen ??? " ( She looked toward abbas and asked in a slow voice )

" No laylaa.... It was on my coat's pocket and i forget my coat in the car...... " ( Abbas said after checking his pockets)

" I have it..... You can use mine " ( zain interrupt in thier conversation and moved his pan towards her.)

" Thank you " ( with great efforts she took the pen from his hand in the process their fingers brush lighly and laylaa feel the thousand vault current running through her body )

She immediately sign the contract and after few words and exchanging of their farewell she left the shop with abbas........

When she sit on the car she looked at her hand which was still holding the black pen with the name engraved " zain khan " in fancy writing........

She looked at the pen in a confused manner.......

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Abbas and she reached the bungalow straight away. Where the workers had unloaded all the things from the truck...

All that was left was to take them inside... Abbas immediately opened the door and got busy with the workers...

Laylaa walked around and reached the back side of the bungalow... There she saw a wooden door... When Laila reached near the door, she saw a big black lock on the door. Blue, red and white threads were wrapped around the lock... At the same time, red paint had settled on it...

But it was hard to tell whether it was paint, blood or something else... Laila immediately put her hand to her nose... Because as she approached the door, a strange and unbearable stench hit her nostrils... She immediately took a few steps away from the door...

" What's that strange smell " ( she said in an unpleasant voice )

As this strange smell was unbearable..... She immediately turn away, took big steps and walk out.... She entered in the banglow....she saw her Amma and zoya also reached..... They were also busy cleaning the house.....

" Api when did you and amma came ??? " ( She walk towards zoya and asked her )

" A few minutes ago..... Laylaa can you do me a favor ??? Please see where the kids gone... When we reached here they immediately ran inside and go upstairs please look at them " ( zoya replied and asked her as she was taking off the white dusty sheets from the sofa)

" Okey api " ( laylaa nodded and walk towards the wodden stairs )

She reached the first floor and saw 3 rooms there... Each room was different and covered with white sheets and dust...... The first room was white and blue, the second was gray....... and the third room was a contrast of brown and chocolate color.....

Laila climbed the wooden stairs to the second floor this floor also contain 3 room .... But 2 was an bedroom while the third one is look like a storage room........

she again walk towards the third floor There were 2 rooms there... Then she reached the fourth floor where there was only one room... When Laila opened the door to this room, it was a contrasting color of black and red strangely all the rooms was covered with white dusty sheets this room was covered with red sheets..... As Laylaa step inside the room....she felt someone presence..... She look around in hope to find someone but she didn't see anyone or anything.....

Suddenly, under some impulse, she moved towards the dressing table covered with a red sheet...she removed the cloth from the table... As soon as she removed the cloth, she saw her blurred reflection in the dust-filled glass of the dressing table.......laylaa looked at her blurry reflection in the mirror... "I was waiting for you." Suddenly, a sweet, melodious, and eager voice sounded right near her ear, like a gust of wind,as if someone had whispered.......

Without moving,without blinking, Leila kept looking at her reflection in the mirror... as if under the influence of some spell... as if she were not a human being but a clay statue......

"Layla, what's up... Laylaa, Madam..." (Suddenly someone shook her by placing a hand on her shoulder)

It was the spell that was broken... It was the effect that was gone... It was the dream that was shattered... She woke up suddenly as if she had regained after a very long time consciousness... She saw Zoya standing behind her... Zoya was looking at her irritatingly.....

" Yes ??? Yes api " ( laylaa asked in a confused manner )

" What yes ... I ask you to see where the kids were and you also disappear like that..... Do you know i was looking for you for an hour..... " ( Zoya scold her in angry voice)

Laylaa looked at her in more confusing way...... She remembered very well she just came in here.....then how can it be hour since she came here ??????

" But APi i was here a few minutes ago.... I checked in other floors and room but meera and Ali wasn't there so i came to check but________(she try to explain herself in anxious manner)

" Leave these but shut.....and listen to me.....came down with me there is alot of work to do....this banglow is so dirty yrrrrr i was tired.........i am sure it took at least about 2 weeks to bring this banglow in a shape of a place called home......i will going to tell Abbas bring some maids who could help us in cleaning..... " ( Zoya start rumbling about her own worries....)

Laylaa again looked around the room........

" Api let's go i will help you " ( laylaa said after took a deep breath....she felt kinda normal again )

" Yah let's go do you know ..... Ali and meera also demanding to have thier room settled first... I don't know where to start ______ "( zoya hold laylaa's hand and Pulling her out of the room ... Laila turned and looked at the room once again. For a moment, she saw silhouette of someone..... But before Laila could understand anything, Zoya closed the door of the room......

They both walk down the stairs...........

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It's been two weeks since they move in the banglow ....... They finally cleaned the banglow and now it really look like a place where living humans exits.........they gave the room in first floor to yasmin begum ...... Abbas and zoya with their children shift in the second floor...... Laylaa as always wanted to stay away all kind of chaos...And she was an introvert girl who always lived in her own personal space...

And somehow she felt the need to understand whether what had happened in the fourth floor room the first day was true or an illusion. She had stubbornly decided to take the only room on the fourth floor, ignoring everyone's words.

Yasmin Begum try to talk to her a lot, scolded her and even got angry, but she was Laylaa She did whatever she want to do..... Finally, after Abbas talk to Yasmin Begum she agree with laylaa's decision......

In the room that was now Laila's... At that moment,, Laila spread her books on her bed, kept her laptop in front of her, glasses on her eyes... was staring at the laptop screen in a very busy manner...

The spacious window of this room, which was always covered with contrasting black and red curtains, was open today. But the window was still closed. Leila had not made any special changes in this room. So the room was in a fairly old state. Yasmin Begum entered through the open door of the room. Seeing the condition of the bed, a frown began to appear on her forehead.....

Oh Allah, what should I do with you, Laylaa? What is this mess? Why are these books scattered around? (She scolded her angrily and start cleaning the mess around the bed, putting the books on the table and shelf )

"Oh amma , don't bother me right now, I'm doing something very important." (Laylaa replied in a busy tone, without looking away from the screen)

"There's no need to talk too much to me...one slap on your face and all the nonsense will come out." (Yasmin Begum angrily removed the laptop in front of Laylaa)

" Amma " ( laylaa streamed loudly )

" Shut up and listen to me..... There is something important i want to talk to you " ( yasmin begum said and sit Infront of her on the bed )

" Amma if you came here to talk to me about staying on the first floor with you then my answer is no " ( laylaa replied with boredom leaning against the bed crown)

"I know you are bold, shameless and stubborn, this is not the thing i want to talk to you " (Yasmin Begum said, rolling her eyes)

" If you want to talk to me about not to open my cafe or tea shop. then, my answer will also the same i am going to open it. ( Laylaa again declared firmly)

" Laylaa.... You're 22 already....zoya got married when she was 21..... You should also married too..... Please if you open shop what will people say......you know laylaa in our society a working woman doesn't consider as a respectful and noble one " ( yasmin begum explained her worry in a weak voice )

" Amma ( laylaa looked at her with widen eyes ) I can't believe you said this to me....."Amma, these people you are talking about has ever respected me before? I am a tanned skin girl... Is it a bad thing ???? No i don't think so it's a bad thing ..... But Amma , these people made my skin colour the biggest flaw in my life. And Amma, these people, the world, society, have you ever heard these people speak well of a woman? Describing women as shameless and bad is a favorite hobby of this society. Don't give such advice to your daughter out of concern for these people." (controlling her emotion with difficulty try to explained to her mother in a serious tone...)

" "You know...laylaa I'm worried about you ..... If people got to know you are opening your cafe then it will became hard to find you a suitable proposal " (Yasmin Begum argued)

" Amma,Why do you think that???... I wonder when you started caring about people?... People are not important, but those our own and our loved ones happiness is more important." (Laylaa softly replied while holding her mother's hand)

" Quiet, ( yasmin begum pull out her hand from laylaa's ) you don't need to tell me these bookish things... I know and understand the world better than you. Don't try to teach me," (Yasmin Begum said with rolling eyes.)

" Amma, ( laylaa called out to her ) please try to understand your daughter's happiness is in this..... please let your daughter fly....Why do you want to imprison your daughter because of people who never look into their own dirty collar but consider it their right to stain the collar of others?" (Laila argued helplessly.)

" Shut up don't argue with me..... it's my decision you are not going to open any shop case closed ...... " ( Yasmin begum said while showing her finger to laylaa and walk out of her room)

Laylaa pressed her lips together and closed her eyes tightly try to calm her emotion when a small tear came out from her closed eye.......

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Thank you for reading ❤️

Next chap next Tuesday......✍️

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