Chapter 33: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Tapping her foot to the rhythm of the song bursting through her ear pods, Najmah patiently waited for her therapist to be done with her 2 o'clock appointment. It was a quarter after three when she had arrived at the hospital so she had to wait for the woman to be done with the person she was with.

"We meet again Miss," a voice chuckled, sitting beside her.

"Yeah," she smiled at him, pausing her music.

"I thought you had a four o'clock appointment," he speculated, angling his head forward so he could see her face clearly.

"Are you stalking me?" she quirked her eyebrow, a smile dancing on her lips.

"Am I?" he fake frowned, his lips stretching up into a smile. "Busted. Please don't call the police on me."

She laughed out loud, taking off her ear pods. "Would you promise not to stalk me again?"

"I can't promise you that," he smiled. "It's hard to stay away from you."

"Is it?" she questioned amused with his statement.

"Very much so," he nodded. "I've never seen a woman as beautiful as you are."

"And how many women have you seen Mr Stalker?"

"That's harsh," he pursed his lips. "And I've seen enough to know that you outshine them all."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere," she scoffed, returning her ear pods back in place.

"What would?"

"Honesty," she replied simply.

"I'm Fahad by the way," he thrust out his hand for a handshake.

"Najmah," she replied dismissively.

"Star," he mused. "Can we exchange numbers?"

"Why?"

"So I could ask you out on a date," he replied with a smirk.

"Work hard to earn it," she responded, gazing at him and momentarily getting lost in his smile before shaking her head at how dumb she must've looked then turned her gaze away.

"Playing hard to get?" one of his bushy eyebrows quirked up in amusement.

She shrugged, shuffling through her bag for a book. She needed a distraction from the man who has invaded her space again.

"We shall meet again soon habibti," he stood up just as the office door of her therapist was opened.

She watched him as he walked away, knowing that it wouldn't be the last time she would see him. She wasn't usually accommodating to strangers, but somehow, he was able to make her converse easily with him despite his cheesy line about her being the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"Fahad," she tested the name on her tongue, feeling a bit indifferent. There were no warm, fluttery, butterflies in the stomach feeling that girls felt at the mention of a guy they were interested in.

Maybe it was his infectious smiles, his hazels or his cheesy lines that drew her to him but she wouldn't know until they meet again, but she wasn't interested in him right?

'We shall meet again soon habibti.' he better make good on his promise. Najmah couldn't wait to see him not because she was beginning to like him, more out of curiosity.

{••}

Najmah dragged her fork around the plate distractedly, failing to summon her appetite as pieces of her past began to tumble down her mind like a hurricane. It only took one phone call for her to be disoriented and for her to remember those pieces she buried the day she married a stranger who wasn't her intended.

He was back and she had no idea what he wanted from her. How could he be back? She wasn't expecting to hear from him at least for almost a year or so from then. Truth be told, she hadn't been expecting to be in contact with him for as long as she was alive.

He was a drug dealer for Lord's sake. How could he expect her to want to see him again?

"Najmah are you listening to me?" Lale snapped a finger close to her face.

"Sorry," Najmah snapped her gaze back to Lale. "You were saying?"

"What are your plans for the eid? Have you bought any clothes?"

"Uhm...no?"

"What do you mean no?" Lale's eyes widened. "Eid's only three days away."

"I have been busy," Najmah defended.

"Busy doing what?" Afet chimed in, earning a reproachful glance from Najmah.

"If you must know," Najmah dropped her spoon. "Aslan and I have been going out."

"During ramazan?" Afet cocked an eyebrow, tightening her hold against her spoon. "Aren't you supposed to be doing your ibadah?"

"Yeah," Najmah shrugged.

"What do you guys do when you go out?"

"Oh, you know just the things couples do when they're out," Najmah drawled. "Hold hands, steal kisses and..."

"I don't want to hear any details please," Afet lifted a hand to stop Najmah from her ramblings.

"You asked for it," Najmah shrugged nonchalantly. "Might as well be woman enough to hear about it."

Afet sniggered, pushing back her chair then made her way out of the dining room leaving a plate of half-eaten pide.

"Aman tanrim!" Lale gasped, throwing her hands over Najmah. "Baldiz, I love you." (Oh my God! sister in-law.)

"Okay, I have no idea what you said," Najmah grinned, returning the hug.

"You are amazing," Lale kissed both of her cheeks.

"Thanks?"

"We will go shopping for your Eid clothes later in the morning and do not protest," Lale pointed a finger at her. "I won't take no for an answer."

"Yes ma'am," Najmah saluted, rising from her seat.

"This is the most entertaining suhr I've had in ages," Lale grinned, rising to her feet. "Do not let that woman take away your man."

Najmah could only nod as she listened to Lale rant about how in love with Aslan Afet was. She wouldn't lie, she felt a bit jealous of Afet. She envied how she was able to fall in love even if it was with Aslan. What she would do to be able to feel such emotions.

{••}

He popped open the bottle of pills, emptying its contents onto the vanity table. Using the bottom of the container, he began to crush the tablets with shaky hands, tears spilling from his eyes. His body shook with every intake of breath as his walls began to crumble down.

Satisfied with the powdery form, he wiped his tears and inched closer to take a sniff when the door was burst open.

"Aslan!" the intruder shrieked, her heart clenching at the state she found him in. She locked the door behind her before making her way towards him.

She stared at the vanity table before dropping her gaze on his form. She made her way to the sink and returned with a wet towel, cleaning up the mess he made without glancing at him.

The tears began to slip as she wiped the table, his ragged breathing increasing the sorrow in her heart. She loved him but she couldn't watch him be like that anymore. He needed help and she was going to make sure he got it even if it meant him hating her. A day would come when he would thank her and eventually forgive her for what she was about to do.

"How long?" she questioned softly, whirling around to face him. Her heart was beating erratically, and she feared he would be able to hear it.

He shook his head, refusing to meet her eyes but instead focused his gaze on the wall.

"How many?" she questioned, approaching him.

He shook his head, more tears spilling from his eyes. His long wavy hair tumbling down to form a curtain against his face. A three-day stubble was visible on his face, alerting her of how much pills he might have taken.

She sighed, dropping next to him and taking his hand in hers. She began to clean his injured hand, wiping the dried blood carefully. She applied an ointment around the injury before bandaging it.

"You need help," she voiced out her fears once she was done bandaging.

He retracted his hand, pushing her away from him.

"Get out," he pointed a shaky finger at her.

"Get out!" he roared, cradling his hand.

"Aslan,"

"Get out now!" he pointed at the door. "I don't need you, I don't need anyone. Leave me alone!"

Staring at him one last time, she stood up from the ground and exited his room leaving him behind to wallow in his sorrow. There and then, she made a vow to get him the help he needed even if that meant risking him hating her. He would hate her, she was sure of it, but it was a better option than losing him to a path of destruction he chose for himself.

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