Posted:
I don't know what to say. At one point I almost cried. I fell in love with Aahil again today. The whole thing, it was beautifully put. Waiting for the epilogue.
Just, loved it.❤️
~*~*~*~*~*~
Epilogue
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Lateef! Where are you?!" a cranky male voice called out. Hearing no response, he began to pace back and forth across the room. His movements were jerky, revealing the nervous energy running through his body. He couldn't seem to settle down, the anxiety within burning away any peaceful thoughts. The flower petals on the bed, the golden streamers and garlands dangling from the ceiling, did nothing to soothe. He strode to the one end of the room and then back, but all attempts to expend that energy did nothing to calm him down either.
"Kahan mar gaye sab ke sab?" he yelled out to the seemingly empty house.
"I'm coming, Aahil ba--. Haye Allah, I thought it was Aahil baba calling me," Lateef murmured, fluttering into the room. She gazed at the rattled man and moved over to pat him on the shoulder. "It's okay Rehan Ji. Why are you so unsettled?"
"I'm getting married today, Lateef. How can I not be nervous?" Rehan responded morosely. "I can't find my sehra. I can't get my scarf to look anywhere near normal on my clothes. Does this shervani even look good on me?" He tugged at the collar, irritated. "Why did I pick this damn color?"
"Because Seher Ji said she liked it," Lateef replied soothingly. "And you look very dashing. Haye Allah, if Aahil baba hadn't already taken over my heart, I would have spent some sleepless nights over you."
"Lateef!" a voice barked at her, interrupting any further attempts at flirtation.
Lateef jumped, turning around to stare at Aahil standing in the doorway. "Aahil baba, when did you come in?" Lateef asked, eyes flitting from side to side, chuckling nervously.
"Stop flirting with Rehan and go make sure everything is ready. The baraat will be leaving soon, and we can't come back to a plain house." He sighed heavily. "You're so easily distracted. Sanam left so many instructions. Go." Aahil moved to the side of the doorway, pointing outside.
Lateef chuckled. "Aapko to pata hai," she said, walking towards the door.
"What?' he threw at her, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorway.
"Main to hoon chui mui." Guffawing, Lateef raced out the door, her figure bedecked in sparkly clothes.
Shaking his head at her retreating figure, he turned to look at Rehan pacing in front of the closet. The other man muttered something to himself, as he continued to walk a rut into the poor carpet. The baraat was minutes from leaving, but it looked as if the pressure had gotten to Rehan. The late afternoon sun peeked in from the windows, highlighting the worry etched across his face.
Shaking his head, Aahil walked over to the other man. "Rehan, relax," Aahil ordered, blocking his way when Rehan made to go around him. Forcing him to stop, Aahil instructed in a soothing tone, "Take a deep breath. Smell the scent of the flowers in the air, the very orchids that your wife-to-be loves. Think about how carefully you and Sanam prepared this home, prepared you to welcome Seher into your life today. Your sehra is on the bed. Your scarf right next to it. Seher raved over this color for weeks. And the shervani looks damn good on you. In fact, I'd say you look almost as good as me." He smiled as he said those words, the teasing smile growing wider when Rehan glared at him, an affronted look on his face.
"Well, I should hope so, Aahil bhai," he shot back. "Since I am the groom and all."
Chuckling softly, Aahil picked up the leftover articles of clothing and brought them over to Rehan. Nudging the other man to stand in front of the mirror, he placed the sehra on his head. Turning him to face the mirror he was so studiously avoiding, Aahil carefully draped the scarf around his shoulders, placing it just so in the crook of his arm. "There. Now you look just a little bit better than me. As it should be."
He stared at the man who had become his family. As that lost little boy, betrayed by everyone around him, he would never have thought that someone like Rehan would come into his life. He had never dreamed that he, Aahil Raza Ibrahim, would one day have such a close friend . . . a brother of his heart. And now his brother was becoming his brother-in-law. He punched Rehan's shoulder lightly, trying to dissipate the heavy silence that had fallen between them.
A smile broke out across Rehan's face, the tightness of his features relaxing for a moment.
"What is going on, Rehan?" Aahil asked, staring at the shadows the smile failed to cover. "Up until yesterday you were so excited that you couldn't stop smiling. In fact, you were the more excitable one during your haldi ceremony. The one who urged the guests to keep on signing at the sangeet ceremony. What happened?"
"That damn 3 o'clock came around like it does every night. And it brought with it insecurity. Feelings of inadequacy," Rehan admitted with difficulty, the smile falling away. He turned his head, unable to meet Aahil's gaze.
"Insecure? Inadequate? About what?" Aahil asked, surprise flashing across his face. "You're Rehan Imran Qureshi."
"Yes. Rehan Imran Qureshi," Rehan said bitterly. "The son of a murderer. The boy who grew up in an orphanage. I'm marrying a daughter of the Ahmed Khan family, one of the premier families of Bhopal. How can I measure up to them? To their legacy?" Once the floodgates opened, the words began to pour out. "What am I doing even thinking about mar--"
"Rehan! Stop thinking like that." Aahil's face darkened. Grabbing Rehan's face, he forced the other man to meet his eyes. "Seher and that family don't hold your past against you. You know that. But you're not just Rehan Imran Qureshi, the son of a murderer. You're also Haya's brother. You're my brother. Your father may not have accepted you, but he has recognized you as a Qureshi. In Bhopal's eyes, you're also one of those Qureshis."
Pain flashed in Rehan's eyes, his expression clouding at the reminder of Imran Qureshi's refusal to have a relationship with his son. In his eyes, Rehan Imran Qureshi was Tanveer's son and Tanveer's son only. At Haya's urging, the man had accepted Rehan, giving him his name, but there had been no other interactions. That complete rejection still got to him.
"Rehan? Listen to me. It's too bad for him that he'll miss out on knowing such an amazing man." He clasped Rehan by the shoulders and gently shook him. "But most importantly of all? You're Rehan. You're a smart, compassionate man who never fails to put everyone else and their well-being above yours. You've never let your past hold you back. You made yourself into the man you are today, and no one can take that away from you. And no one," he proclaimed, shaking him for emphasis, "No one that you care about questions your right to get married to the woman you love, even if she is one of the Ahmed Khans. And aren't our opinions the ones that truly matter?"
Rehan grudgingly nodded, turning to stare at himself in the mirror. He straightened his shoulders, forcing himself to dawn the appearance of confidence, even if a part of him still doubted the validity of Aahil's words.
"And who would say no to this face?" Aahil quipped jokingly, pinching Rehan's cheek.
"I sure wouldn't," a voice murmured on a dreamy sigh.
The two turned to stare at Lateef standing in the doorway, her hands folded under her chin. "You both look very handsome," she murmured, stars in her eyes.
"Lateef!" two voices cried to in unison.
"Just joking, Aahil baba," Lateef said hurriedly. "I wanted to tell you that the arrangements are all done. The house is decorated. I've followed Begum Sahiba's final instructions down to a T. The guests have gathered and are ready to head out the door. We're just waiting for the groom and the best man. You can't get any more handsome Rehan Ji. And I must tell you," she relayed in a conspiratorial whisper, "No one really looks at the groom."
"Lateef!" two voices growled simultaneously.
She jumped, startled, and raced out the door. "Hurry up you two!" she threw over her shoulder. "Seher Ji's probably frothing at the mouth to get married!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Seher paced from one end of the room to the other, her movements jerky. Reaching the wall, she sighed heavily before turning back to trek across the room once more. This was her umpteenth trip across the room, but it sure didn't make the time go any faster.
Turning her head from yet another blank wall, she caught sight of her figure in the mirror. A red, heavily-embroidered bridal suit in covered her body, makeup on her face, and jewelry for all the spaces in between. Under the lehenga, her feet had been forced into uncomfortably high heels, golden payals adorning her ankles. Impatiently twitching the slipping dupatta back onto her head, she frowned heavily at the wall in front of her. She was ready to go, but couldn't really go anywhere because her groom hadn't come over from next door! What was taking so long? Well, if he was taking his sweet time, she was going to take these uncomfortable shoes off.
"Seher Ahmed Khan!" Sanam yelped from the doorway.
"What do you think you're doing?" Haya asked.
Seher stopped, her shoulders drooping in guilt before she casually sidled over to the chair to sit back down. "What?" she asked, turning an innocent gaze to her pregnant sister. Her eyes met Sanam's before flitting away to catch the accusing gleam in Haya's eyes. "What are you two harping on about? I didn't do anything," Seher said petulantly, kicking at the foot of her vanity. She gazed down at her hands, her fingers entwined together. Intricate designs covered them front and back, with very special R's hidden in the designs.
"The makeup artist just finished with you!" Haya muttered, coming to stand beside her cousin. "It took forever because you wouldn't sit still long enough for her to draw a straight line and now this. If you move around too much, you'll be the messiest bride in the history of weddings!"
"What is that gleam in your eyes?" Sanam asked in an aggrieved tone. "What are you planning now?"
"Well, what do you expect me to do?" Seher cried out. "You dressed me up, plastered makeup on my face and just abandoned me an hour ago. You both left, telling me to sit in my corner until the groom came. And you," Seher accused, glaring at Sanam, "even took my phone away!"
"You were calling Rehan too much!"
"I was bored!" Seher justified herself. "It's not like my talking on the phone or texting would have gotten in the way of the makeup artist."
"It so did," Haya argued.
"Do you know how many preparations still had to be completed for the wedding?" Sanam queried in exasperation. "We couldn't just sit here entertaining you."
Seher raised an eyebrow. "I do have an idea," she replied sarcastically, alluding to the work she had done for both Sanam's and Haya's weddings.
"Were we as hyper as you?" Haya asked musingly, tapping a finger to her pursed lips. "I'm sure I wasn't this bad."
Seher snorted darkly. "You were worse. Weren't you the one who just had to sneak out an hour before your nikah to tell Rahat some very important thing?" She shook her head, refusing to be distracted from a more important point. "Why isn't Rehan here yet?!" Seher shot back. "I feel like I've been waiting forever!"
"The nikah time is in half an hour," Haya retorted. "My brother is not late. You, my dear cousin and bhabi-to-be are just overly impatient."
"But . . . who even picked this time? Why didn't we just have the nikah in the morning?" Seher asked grumpily. "At least that way everything would have been over and done with by now."
"You picked the time. You didn't want to wake up that early," Sanam shot back, coming over to stand by Seher. Placing a hand on Seher's shoulder, she pushed her twin back down when Seher tried to get up. "Allah miyah, what am I going to do with you? You're getting married today, be a bit more sedate."
"Leave her alone, you two!" Zoya called out from the doorway, a twinkle in her eyes. "My little girl is getting married to the love of her life. Who are we to stand in the way of her excitement? Seher, the baraat is here. The wait is over." She smiled broadly at her daughter, feeling a pang at the thought that she would be losing her other daughter today.
"Don't think of it that way. Think of it as you're gaining a new son today. Both Rehan and Aahil are orphans. They don't know what it means to have parents who love and care for them. That will be your and Asad's job from now on."
Badi Ammi's words came to mind. Her daughters would be right next door. And her brand new sons? Well, they needed a mother's love, too, didn't they?
Feeling an arm come around her shoulders, she turned and gazed into Asad's eyes. He understood that aching sadness inside of her, but he also looked forward to having a new little person enter their lives.
After Tanveer's murderous rampage, the damage she had done to Zoya's body had prevented the conception of any more children. That, more than anything else that woman had done to her, had hurt the most. But now, she still couldn't believe that they were going to become grandparents. She smiled at the thought of holding a little baby in her arms, and how that child would change everything once more. He or she, since Aahil and Sanam did not want to know the sex before the birth, would be the first of many. She was ready for the changes. Just, as it seemed, were both her daughters.
Seher squealed in joy at the news, jumping up and hurriedly setting herself to rights. She couldn't wait to get out there. A smile grew across her face, hinting at the joy that filled her heart.
"What are you waiting for?" she asked Sanam, catching the matching smiles on Haya's and Sanam's faces.
"I'll see you out there," Asad murmured in Zoya's ears before heading out.
"Take a deep breath," Zoya murmured, heading over to stand next to Seher. "He's out there, waiting for you, but, now that it's time, I'm finding it so hard to let you go." She kissed Seher on the forehead, and pulled back. "But I have to. Now, you two," she said, turning to gaze at Sanam and Haya, "Take care of her."
The three watched Zoya walk out of the room. It was then, as she watched her parents leave one after the other, that Seher realized she would be leaving this home today. She would be leaving her parents behind. She would no longer be an Ahmed Khan, she would be Rehan's Seher.
"Let's go," Sanam murmured, her hands gentle as they gripped Seher's arm.
Straightening her shoulders, Seher brought that smile back to her face. Even if she was getting married today, family would always be family. The only difference now was that Rehan would be an official part of that family.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aahil turned away from yet another guest who had wanted a moment of his time, seeking to congratulate him on his brother's wedding. He shook his head at how quickly things had changed. The same people that had avoided his eyes and whispered behind his back were now eager to associate with him.
Months ago he had been the most reviled man in Bhopal. In society's eyes, he was a murderer, and he dared to be an unrepentant one at that. He was repugnant for blackmailing Bhopal's citizenry by holding their livelihoods over their heads.
At Sanam's urging, he'd allowed his PR team to go into action, releasing the truth through such sources that no one would doubt its veracity. It had taken months, but those details had eventually begun to spread like wildfire.
All of Bhopal now knew that he wasn't a criminal. They knew that he wasn't a murderer. In fact, there hadn't been a murder at all. As his reputation had improved, his father's had darkened, the reality of the kind of man he had been coming out. He was now known as the misunderstood Nawab of Bhopal. The public's sympathy was completely with him.
But none of it really mattered to him. It didn't matter that he was finally seen as their savior. And it didn't matter because of the very reason he'd told Rehan. The ones that he loved and cared for? They had loved him despite what they believed to be the truth. Sanam had loved him despite what she thought she knew of him.
His eyes moved over the Ahmed Khan home, where the nikah was being held. Seher had been adamant. No wedding hall, no big party. This was a nikah of two people who loved each other, and she wanted only their family around them when she and Rehan were joined in marriage. She hadn't gotten that wish, her home was filled to the gills with guests. But her parents had given in on holding the nikah at their home instead of a big hotel.
Seher's entire extended family were in attendance. Her uncles and aunts, cousins, and even little nieces and nephews had come. They were more welcoming of both Rehan and Aahil this time around, showing that whatever reservations they had had were gone. While it didn't matter to Aahil, their acceptance had made Sanam so happy. And it made Badi Ammi and Sanam's parents happy.
He moved over to stand next to Rehan. Absently patting Rehan's shoulder, who seemed to have calmed down somewhat, he gazed around the room. Every wall, every surface was covered with decorations, bright, silvery and gold. Flowers adorned the walls in straight columns and spiraled down the pillars throughout the room. They floated lazily in the pool, and rested in bowls strategically placed on the various surfaces of the furniture. Music played loudly in the background, the beat fast enough for the guests to dance to, if they so desired.
Guests, friends and family, all arrayed in their colorful finery, moved around the living room, socializing and eagerly awaiting the bride's arrival. A wooden frame, colored in gold had been set up between the groom's and bride's sides. Rose pink material had been fastened to the frame, the material thin enough so that Rehan could peek at his bride if the desire arose.
Hearing a sudden increase in volume, Aahil turned his head to catch sight of the bride coming down the steps. There were exclamations of joy and sighs of awe at seeing the bride in resplendent red, but the smile of joy on his face was for the woman at her side.
Sanam Ahmed Khan was his reason for being. She was his junoon. He knew that she loved him beyond all reason and doubt. The fact that she had loved the victim, the murderer, and the convict proved that. He placed a hand on his chest, rubbing at the ache in his heart. Knowing all of that, how could anyone ever doubt the love she had for him?
Over the past few months, Sanam's life had changed along with his. Or rather, it had gotten back on track after her connection to him had derailed it.
When people who sought LSB services discovered, with the help of Aahil's PR team, that the nonprofit organization had fired their own employee for being married to a victim of domestic violence, it had created distrust between the organization and the population it served. The furor had been loud, the condemnation real. LSB had lost all credibility with its clients. The management had then stepped up, taking the blame and inviting Sanam back to the fold.
Sanam had immediately agreed.
"But what about the fact that they fired you without a second thought? How can you trust them again? What's to say they won't fire you again without giving you the benefit of the doubt if another such situation arose in the future?"
"I don't care about that, Aahil. They did what they thought was the best for the public they served. And my going back? That's the best for the people I want to help. That's all I really care about. . . . And do you really think that I'm going to let your sacrifice go to waste?"
"What sacrifice?"
"Labels are important to you. You never wanted to be labeled a victim. But you did it so that I could do this work. That, more than any benefit to you, was your reason for releasing all of this information. You wanted to protect me. I'm not going to let your sacrifice be in vain, Aahil Raza Ibrahim."
Sanam had begun working with LSB once more. Her good works, at LSB and for other charitable causes, had led to the public lovingly calling her the Begum Sahiba of Bhopal. He had to remind her on daily basis that her new moniker wasn't because she was his wife, it was because she had won their hearts through her own goodness.
Just as she had laid claim to his. His eyes remained on her, carefully taking in the vision of her in a rose pink anarkali, her dress covered with delicate silver embroidery. She was laughing, looking so happy to be at the side of her twin on her important day.
He closely watched as she carefully came down the steps, her advanced pregnancy making quick movement difficult. It hadn't stopped her from making sure their home was beautifully prepared for her sister though. Sanam had spent the past few weeks planning and then overseeing the decorations. She had run everyone ragged in her quest to make everything perfect, down to the orchids and streamers in the bridal suite.
And right now, she was glowing, the joy in her face enough to light up a room. That light inside of her changed the world around her. And that light was enough to burn away any leftover darkness in his heart.
He had spent the past six months, since finding out about her pregnancy, obsessing over her and their child. Worries ate away at him, but his prayers for her safety kept him sane. His growing faith helped him to hope that nothing would go wrong. Nightly, he prayed for himself. For their family. For Rehan and Seher. He prayed that his sisters would come back into his life someday. He prayed that he could be the best father for his children.
And every moment, he prayed for their continued happiness.
Her laughter rippled through the air.
He prayed for her continuing laughter. He knew that his happiness was inextricably tied to hers, and if she ever lost her laughter, there would only be darkness in his world. His eyes lovingly traced her delicate features, an instinct growing inside of him to caress her face, to hold her in his arms. It was only when he held her in his arms, that he found true peace.
A small smile played across his features, as he thought about how desperately he had prayed for this very happiness every time he had seen a star as an abused child. And now . . . he prayed that there would be enough stars in his life to light their way and to make all of her wishes come true. He curled his fingers into fists, fighting the urge to go over to her. He had everything he could have ever hoped for, now his life would only be about making her dreams come true. Even if she did tell him on a nightly basis that she needed nothing more.
More laughter rang out. It was Sanam again, soon joined by Zoya, Haya and then Seher. The two younger women silenced Seher, admonishing her to be a more demure bride. He saw the irritable shrug of Seher's shoulders, as she chose to ignore them.
Sanam rolled her eyes and turned to face the groom's side, her eyes meeting his. She flashed him a cheeky grin as she moved towards the dais set up on the other side of the screen.
He knew that her grin matched the one on his face. The two shared a secret smile, as she indicated Rehan with a movement of her head, silently asking him how he was doing.
He shook his head, the look in his eyes hinting at the nerves that had been eating away at the man the entire day.
Sanam nodded her head in understanding, and then rolled her eyes, her way of telling him that Seher had not been like that at all. A smile grew across her face, and she mimed tying a rope around her sister.
The two shook their head at the silliness of the two.
"Will you stop with the telepathy?" Rehan muttered from under the sehra. His eyes were downcast, focused on his restless hands. "I know you're talking about me." He had watched the two wiggling their eyebrows at each other out of the corner of his eye. And it hadn't failed to annoy him, just as it had done the many other times when they had done this in front of him, their growing bond aiding this silent form of communication.
"Sanam says," Aahil began.
"Not says," Rehan shot back, "She said nothing. Now, tell me Aahil bhai, what did she tell about Seher?" As annoyed as he was, he really did want to know.
"Seher was nothing like you," Aahil informed Rehan, unperturbed by Rehan's crankiness. "She had none of your nerves. In fact, she was raring to go," he continued, sitting down beside the other man. "And you know why? She knew you would be here. She never had a thing to worry about, did she?"
Rehan smiled suddenly, his face openly expressing the joy he felt at being here. The anxiety was falling away, the nerves dying a silent death, and he knew he only had to remember one thing. The woman he loved was sitting across that fragile material, and in only a few minutes, she was going to become his. Just as he would become completely hers. "We had nothing to worry about."
Aahil patted his shoulder, as the maulvi sahib got up and came to stand in the middle of the two, beginning the nikah with a prayer for the couple and their future happiness.
"Rehan Imran Qureshi, wald Imran Qureshi, kya aapko yeh nikah qubool hai?"
Aahil tilted his head at Sanam, silently asking her if would accept him once more if given the chance.
"Qubool hai."
She nodded yes, tilting her head to ask him why he even felt the need to ask.
"Rehan Imran Qureshi, wald Imran Qureshi, kya aapko yeh nikah qubool hai?"
"Qubool hai . . . Qubool hai."
"Always," she mouthed the words to him. She raised a silent eyebrow at him, asking him the same question. Would he say "Qubool Hai" her to once more?
"Seher Ahmed Khan wald Asad Ahmed Khan, kya aapko yeh nikah qubool hai?"
"I'm all yours." He smiled at her, the love shining clearly in his eyes. "There will never be anyone else."
"Qubool hai."
She began to laugh softly. "For eternity," she told him with a gentle blink of her eyelashes.
"Seher Ahmed Khan wald Asad Ahmed Khan, kya aapko yeh nikah qubool hai?"
Placing a hand over her womb, feeling the baby kick, she silently mouthed to him, "I promise. You are, after all, my air."
"Qubool hai . . . Qubool hai."
His lips quirked in a big smile, shaking his head at her. "And I'll be eternally yours," he murmured softly, knowing that she read the sentiment in his eyes. "Both of yours."
"Aahil bhai! Pay attention!" Rehan barked at his distracted brother. "Newly married man here! Congratulate me!"
Aahil turned to gaze at his smiling brother and pulled him into a hug. "I wish you the joy that I have found. Mubarak ho, mere bhai," he murmured in Rehan's ear. "You have found your true partner. Never let her go."
"Never," Rehan responded, moving back to grin at Aahil. "Did you ever think that when we moved into this home that we would each meet our destiny living right next door?"
Aahil shook his head. "I'd h""
"Oh ho, Aahil baba, out of the way!" Lateef urged, pushing him aside with her hip. "Rehan Ji, mubarak ho! Mubarak ho!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I like it," Rehan said, looking around the living room and kitchen area. The floor plan of the home was open. It would prevent anyone from feeling too claustrophobic. The building was sturdy, and didn't require a lot of work. It would be easy to move in and settle without much work.
"That's a relief, Nawab Sahib," the realtor stated, "After all, this is the sixth property we've seen in the past week. I worried that we would never find anything to your liking."
"Would seeing more homes be a problem?" Rehan asked, raising an eyebrow in question. "I would think that my happiness was more important than the number of homes we see. After all, I'll be stuck for a long time with any home I chose."
"Of course, of course!" the realtor cried out, worried that he would lose his commission. "It is an honor to show you these homes. I just hope that you find something that you will like. If this home doesn't suit your tastes, I have tens more on my list."
"Aahil baba, I love this home. I love the kitchen. It's fully equipped," Lateef squealed from the kitchen. "Now, please tell me that you like it so that we don't have to see any more homes," she pleaded from the kitchen.
"What is with the pool inside the home?" Rehan asked incredulously, stopping abruptly to gaze down at the empty trench in the area between the living room and bedrooms. He gazed up, seeing the blue sky above.
Aahil, who had been walking around the empty home, wandered over to gaze down at the empty pool, as well. He raised an eyebrow.
"Imagine waking up at night for a midnight snack and landing in the pool while you're half asleep," Rehan quipped.
"The pool is a signature piece of one of Bhopal's most famous architects," the realtor hurriedly explained. "All of the mansions on this street have a pool situated within the home."
"What do you think?" Rehan asked again, gazing at the quite man beside him.
Aahil had rejected every home, refusing to say yes to any of the ones he had seen thus far. Since his return to Bhopal, Aahil had been looking for some way to find peace being back in a place that held so many bad memories for him. Rehan knew that he was finding that peace hard to find. And that was why Rehan hadn't balked, letting Aahil take the time he needed to find that perfect home. Maybe, if he found the right home, peace would be a lot easier in coming.
Rrriinnnggg. Rrriinnnggg. Rrriinnnggg.
"Excuse me, I have to take this," the realtor said apologetically, moving a little distance away.
"Sunita, what is it? I can't take that on right now," he muttered desperately into the phone. "I'm with the Nawab right now. No. No. Because it's all the way across town."
Aahil looked up impatiently. "I don t think this is it," he said abruptly. "I'm not . . . " He stopped, unable to find the words he needed to express how this home didn't feel right.
"That's fine," Rehan stated. "Whatever you need."
"No! I'm at the mansion next to the Khan Mansion. Yes. Ahmed Khan. That Asad Ahmed Khan's house," he said in a driven tone. "So you see, it won't work. I can't leave here and make it there. The client would be . . ."
Aahil jerked his head around, wondering.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Ahmed Khan?
"Are you okay?"
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"Please don't go! Please."
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"Don't go, just because I'm here. I'm leaving soon."
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"I'm not a kid! I'm seven years old. My name is Sanam. My name is Sanam Ahmed Khan. S.A.K. Ha!"
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"Do you have to go? Can't you just sit there and talk to me?"
. . . . . . . . . . . .
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
He'd frozen at the memory of that young voice calling out to him. Running a hand through his hair, his thoughts ran through his entire encounter with that little girl, remembering the youthful exuberance, the put upon tone that only a young girl knew how to use, the dawning horror, the grief as she had finally realized his reality.
Sanam Ahmed Khan. He shook his head. Asad Ahmed Khan couldn't be related to her. What were the chances that she would be a part of this family? And even is if she was, what did he think was going to happen?
He shook his head again, a bitter smile playing across his face. Any relation was highly unlikely, but it gave him a reason to stay. A reason that he could live with.
Sanam Ahmed Khan had made quite an impression, and he found that he wanted to meet the woman she was today.
Had that compassion survived?
"Bhai?" Rehan asked softly.
"I'll take it," Aahil murmured. "Let's buy this home, Rehan, and make it our own."
And maybe, while he was making his home in a city to which he had never wanted to return, he would come across that woman.
Maybe.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Here is the final chapter of Eternally Yours, the epilogue for our SaHil. I'm sorry for the long wait, but life and the fact that I didn't want to let go of this couple kept me from writing the right ending for them.
Thank you to those of you who are still with me, and I hope that this ending was worth the wait. Please leave a comment if you liked it. 😊
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