Dard-e-Dil

Shehla was hell scared after watching Tameem in that situation, she asked to Mrs. Mirza, Aaqil, Shahid and everyone else about Tameem, that what happened to him but no one gave her any satisfactory response, she was still believing that Tameem had some peranomal issue so she was not going back to her room since two days, nor Tameem was coming downstairs. They both didn't meet each other from that night. Shehla was feeling scared of Tameem. She was a girl who felt scared even with a single glance of horror movies, and then she saw the whole scene of Tameem.

Finally Tameem came to breakfast table after two days and Shehla didn't came out from the kitchen, due to her fear. When everyone was on breakfast table Tameem went to kitchen where Shehla was standing carrying her two month old daughter. Tameem opened his arms to held his daughter but shehla shook her head without wasting a second.

"Kya hua tha tumhe?"

(what was that?)

she asked fearfully

"Tumhe kya lga?"

(what do you think?)

Tameem asked with furrowed brows

"Koi bhoot woot aa gya tha kya?"

(Was that some evil spirit?)

She again asked fearfully. She was very intelligent and clever in every matter but still she had a childish side. She was only nineteen and she need to know many more things about this world.

"Haan.. Bhoot aa gya tha, lekin main usse bada wala bhoot hu to wo mujhse dar kar bhaag gaya"

(Yeah.. That was an evil spirit but since I'm more evil than that one so he ran away)

Tameem said with a small chuckle and Shehla felt more scared. He again tried to hold Tasmia but Shehla stopped him.

"Tasmia se dur raho please.... Ye chhoti hai, ise kuch na ho jaye"

(You please stay away from Tasmia, she is very small, I don't want anything bad happen to her)

Shehla said to Tameem but he ignored and pulled his daughter from Shehla's arms. Tasmia who was sleeping suddenly opened her eyes and smiled looking at her father. Shehla loved Tasmia more than anything but Tasmia love her father more than her mother. No matter how much she was crying but if Tameem picks up her in his arms she stopped crying in a single moment.

"Papa ki yaad nhi aai?"

(Haven't you miss papa)

He asked after kissing his daughter's cheek but Shehla was feeling frightened

''Theek hu main.. Darne ki zazurat nahi hai.. Agar koi bhoot aaya bhi tha to wo chala gya... Ab dubara nahi ayega"

(No need to be frightened, I'm completely fine. If that was an evil spirit then it has go back and will never return)

Tameem said and Shehla nodded.

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After five months....

Tameem was changed totally, he use to take care of his daughter more than anything else. His business was going very well, Shehla always gave her advice in business matters and he followed that without pulling his manly ego in between that. He always took Shehla for shopping when he got some deal and they both go for dinner every Sunday.

But there was something which always make Shehla tensed. Sometimes Tameem say same thing and keep repeating that without without any reason or sometime when Shehla says something to him he doesn't understand the meaning of those words.

shehla was confused because Tameem didn't insult her like before But he still use to slap her. Sometimes he beat Shehla and keep beating her without any reason, until he himself felt tired by beating her. He doesn't care what he was using to beat her, sometimes he used his hands, sometimes leather belt, sometime electric cord. Shehla always try her best to save herself from his beating by pushing him hard but she wasn't that much powerful in front of him. Before beating Shehla he always locked the door from inside so that no one could come in. Sayra always play a small and happy smile whenever witnessed any Bruce on Shehla's face or arms. But shehla wasn't from the people who like to share their problems and weaknesses with others so she keep them secret and show that she was living happily with Tameem. Sometimes Tameem loved her so much, as if she was the queen for him, if she slept without having dinner he brings her favourite dishes and made her eat with his own hand, if she says that she was sleepy and can't eat then he gave her warm milk, so that she didn't slept empty stomach.

Shehla was confused that did she love Tameem or hate him, she had the same question for Tameem too, that he loved her or hate her? . But even after everything shehla wanted to forget everything and live a good life with Tameem and Tasmia.

One morning the landline phone started ringing and Shehla received the call, that was Laiba (her younger sister) , she informed Shehla that she scored highest in the class so Mr. And Mrs. Khan desided to arrange a small dinner for Shehla and Tameem just to celebrate their happiness.

Tameem and Shehla went to Mr. Khan's home after breakfast. Tameem was playing with his seven months old daughter sitting on terrace to bask in sunlight because the weather was cold. Shehla was helping her mother in household works.

Whole day passed in the same way... Mr. Khan was satisfied to saw Tameem and Shehla were happy together. Tasmia's playing with toys was making everyone laugh

The dinner table was full of delicious items. One of Mr. Khan's friend was also invited on the dinner.

"Shehla I'm going home, you stay here after dinner" Tameem whispered in her ear and she shook her head with stubbornness

"No."

"Shehla I have massive headache, I can't stay here" Tameem said in slow voice.

"Okay but do dinner first... Ammi has made every dish that you like." Shehla said and Tameem nodded with a small smile.

"But I'll not stay after dinner, you can stay here tonight" Shehla nodded and the dinner was served. Everyone filled their plates with their favourite food.

After taking some bites Tameem suddenly stopped eating and stud up with a jolt.

"Shehla I'm going" Saying that he took steps towards the door.

"Tameem at least complete the dinr...." Mr. Khan who lifted the bite to eat, said to Tameem but his words were stucked in between when Tameem collapsed. Everyone uttered his name loudly and ran towards him, in no time his body was shaking, eyes were rolled up, the tongue was tightly pressed between the teeth. Fuzel and Nasir were trying to understand the situation, Laiba hugged Shehla tightly she was feeling scared, as so was Shehla...

Mr. Khan was shocked on his place, he didn't said anything, he was looking like a statue, his hand was still stopped in air which was holding a bite.

"What is this?" He uttered in almost no voice.

"Abbu.. in par koi bhoot aa jata hai... Mujhe bohot dar lagta hai.."

(Abbu he has effect of some evil spirit, I felt scared of him)

Shehla said while crying and Mr. Khan placed the bite back in the plate. That was second time when Mr. Khan compromised with his meal, first time he placed that his bite just in the same way when they got Tameem's proposal for shehla but then the situation was totally different.

"Esa pehle bhi hua hai?"

(Is something like This happened before too?)

Mr. Khan asked in hushed tone and Shehla nodded while crying,

"two or three times.." Shehla informed and Mr. Khan side hugged his daughter and embraced Tasmia.

"Khan... Ye bachchi ki zindagi ka kya feesla kar diya tune?"

(Khan you took a wrong decision for your daughter's life)

Mr. Khan's friend said and he just listened.

"Abbu... I felt scared of his eyes, I felt scared that this spirit don't harm me and Tasmia" Shehla said while crying and holding his father's arm very tightly

"Yeh koi bhoot woot ka chakkar nhi hai.. Doora pad raha hai ise.."

(Its not a case of evil spirit... Its brain stroke)

Shehla was shocked to listened what her father said

Mr. Khan made a phone call to Tameem's home and informed Shahid about everything happened in their home. After some fifteen minutes shahid and Aaqil came to Mr. Khan's home.

Tameem was still laying on the floor in half conscious state, a doctor was checking his BP which was enough higher which could lead to brain hemorrhage.

Aaqil sat beside him and placed his head in his lap, and asked for a glass of water. He slowly opened a small medicine bottle and drew out two orange coloured pills from that, hiding from everyone he put that pills in Tameem's mouth and made him gulp that with water. But Nasir saw the medicine bottle in Aaqil's hand.

"Aaqil bhai... Show me this medicine..." Nasir said and Aaqil made some excuses but in the end he gave that medicine to Nasir.

"Abbu this medicine is used for brain treatment" Nasir informed his Father. Nasir started pharmacy shop with his friend's partnership so he had knowledge about medicines and their uses.

''He takes this medicine daily, he said it's supplement because he is anemic" Shehla informed and everyone was shocked.

"How much cheaters you people are... You are hiding everything since one and a half year." Mr. Khan yelled on Shahid and Aaqil, but shehla was shocked she was looking at her daughter who was in her arms.

Shahid and Aaqil was left with no way, they told that Tameem had some mental health issues, sometimes he behave like a fully mature man, sometimes he behaved like a boy around ten or twelve, sometime he keep saying the same words and many times he don't understand the proper meanings behind the words.

Shehla was numb to know that... At that time she got understand the reasons behind Tameem's different types of behaviours. Tameem never took correct decisions. He felt scared of Shahid's glare and shouting, he behavior weird many times, he became sad if someone said anything wrong to him instead of fighting back for his right and many more

Fuzel and Nasir told Aaqil And Shahid to bring the medical papers of Tameem, they both were bound to do so as they were the culprit behind hiding everything and playing with an innocent girl's life.

After some half an hour Tehseen bring the papers of Tameem's treatment and Nasir just held his head and couldn't control his tears.

"Abbu these are the papers of mental asylum, Tameem bhai's treatment is running in Mental Asylum" Nasir informed and Shehla was numb, she felt many times that Tameem had some mental illness but she couldn't even think that in her worst dream, so she ignored the signal of her brain.

"Main apni beti ko ese insaan ke sath nhi bhejunga... Abhi to ye sirf use maarta hai... Yeh to kuch bhi kar sakta hai, agar is ne meri beti ko koi nukhsan pohcha diya to kon zimmedaar hoga?"

(I won't send my daughter with him, now he only beat her but he can do anything with her. Who will be responsibile If he will have been harm my daughter?)

Mr. Khan yelled. Temeem was something better than before he slowly shook his head looking at Shehla.

"I'll never harm her." He mumbled.

"I won't send my Shehla with him... Divorce her right now, I am alive, I'll bear all her expenses, you just divorce her right now" Mr. Khan yelled again with full of anger.

"No.. No.. Abbu..." Shehla cried

"Baar baar rone se achha hai beta ek hi baar roo kar Beth jao." Mr. Khan said in advising tone

(it's better to cry for once instead of crying whole life)

"She is only nineteen... She has a long life ahead, how will she face her life with a man who is not stable with her brain" Mrs. Khan said while hugging shehla.

"Ammi.."

"Hmm..."

"He loves Tasmia very much..." Shehla cried and said in her mother's ear.

"How will you live with a man like him? Don't be an emotional fool!" Mrs. Khan whispered in her ear.

"Maybe He is not a good husband but he is be a good father. Ammi how will my children live without their father's love?" Shehla cried and looked at Tasmia who was crying in Fuzel's lap and Tameem was caressing her head with his fingers in his so much poor condition.

"Shehla.. You have your whole life ahead, we will remarry you" Mrs khan whispered without breaking the hug.

"Ammi... From Where will you bring a real father for my children?" Shehla mumbled while crying

"What? Children?" Breaking the hug Mrs. Khan asked and shehla nodded.

"I'm two months pregnant" Shehla mouthed. She wanted to give that new after dinner but everything was upside-down

Shehla knew that a step father wouldn't love her children like a real one. And moreover she thought about what would happened with Tasmia, if she would do second marriage!! There were many possibilities and one of that possibility made her tensed for her daughter. If Shehla would do second marriage then at the time of Tasmia's marriage this double standard society would treat Tasmia as a 'B catagory' girl because of her mother's divorce. In our society divorcy males are not effected but divorcy females always suffer. No matter that the fault was made by woman or man but the tag of divorce gives a chance to everyone to manipulate the woman's character which could directly or indirectly effect the future of that woman's daughter. And Shehla thought that what was the guarantee that she will be happy after divorcing Tameem?! what was the guarantee that she would get a better husband?!

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