Chapter 61

Saad's pov:

When I woke up the next day, she wasn't there beside me on the bed, nor was she there in the room. Instead, a sleeping Alayna greeted me the first thing in the morning during fajr. She was sleeping beside me in her place. And that was odd. Alayna used to sleep with Amira in her room so what happened suddenly?

Getting confused out of my mind, I decided to just do my wudu first and pray. Maybe she was in her ammi's room or downstairs. Maybe Alayna wanted to sleep beside me.

But when I came back from the washroom after doing wudu, the room was still empty. Deciding to go check up on her before praying, I left the room, and only then did I realise how silent it was. The house seemed eerily quiet, maybe because I wasn't used to watching it so quiet. It was usually filled with chatters or giggles. Or at least, it felt homey and warm unlike how it was giving cold vibes at that time.

My footsteps echoed as I made my way to Amira's room first, only to find it empty. Now where did she go? Furrowing my brows, I made my way to ammi's room before knocking on the door a few times. When I didn't get any reply, I twisted the door knob and opened the door slowly, thinking that she might be sleeping for not answering the knocks.

But to my surprise, no one was there too. Maybe shock would be a better word. "Atifa?" Confused and worried, I quickly made my way downstairs while calling her.

"Atifa!?" Maybe they were all downstairs in the kitchen or the living room. Or maybe in the drawing room or the guest room. Trying to keep myself calm, I checked all the rooms downstairs, hoping to find them, any of them. But to my utter horror, no one was there. In any of the rooms. They seemed as empty as they could look.

The hollowness of the house suddenly seemed too much. Like it would even swallow me up in its depth. And it scared me, the thought of actually losing them all. I never even imagined myself getting so close or attached to them so soon, but now that I think about it, unknowingly, I had grown attached to them. And suddenly, life seemed empty and incomplete without them. Shaking my head, I tried to get rid of these thoughts. It wasn't the time to think about all these things.

Ya Allah! What was even happening? Where did they all disappear? Where did they all even go? I desperately hoped that this was some kind of a prank which they were all pulling up on me because I really didn't know what to do if it wasn't.

"Atifa? Amira? Ammi?" I called out as I rushed around in panic, trying to look for them. "Anyone?" I asked loudly, getting frustrated and annoyed. For God's sake, this wasn't funny in any way! I didn't even know what to feel or how to react!

Sighing loudly, I ran my hand through my hair before heading upstairs to pray. Maybe they went for a walk or something and would be back soon. I should just pray and wait for them, I thought. Maybe I was over thinking too much for I knew she wouldn't do anything this reckless. Yes, I could expect something like this from ammi but not from her.

._._._.

I woke up with a jerk due to the continuous ringing of my mobile phone. Scanning my surroundings with a frown, I remembered falling asleep while waiting for them to return. I was still sitting, leaning on the headboard of the bed. My neck and back ached due to the position in which I slept. Alayna was still sleeping beside me, I noticed.

Sitting up straight, I rubbed my neck in hopes of lessening the pain. Sighing, I looked at the source of my disturbance with annoyance. Picking up my phone from the bedside table, I accepted the call. "Assalamualikum."

Suddenly, I noticed something else there. Frowning, I picked it up. Why didn't I notice this before? The person on the line was saying something but I couldn't make it out. My mind was too busy comprehending what I just found.

It was a note which had 'Sorry' written on it. I flipped the paper, trying to see if there was some other message written on it, but it was plain. There was nothing else written on it. What does this mean? Who left it here? I was not sure but at the same time I had an idea that maybe she left it here. But it didn't make any sense. Why would she leave this note here? Was everything alright? What did this note even mean?

I was brought out of my thoughts by someone calling my name over and over again. "Y-yeah, I'm here." I replied, still in trance as I gazed at the paper in my hand. I didn't know what to feel. So many emotions seemed to be roaming around in my head that it was getting difficult to get hold of just one.

"Are you alright? What happened? You weren't replying to me." I heard mama's concerned voice from the other side, making me blink my eyes and look away from the paper.

"Jee ammi, I'm fine alhamdulillah. How are you doing?" I questioned, now gazing at Alayna. How come she was still sleeping? What time was it anyway?

(Yes mom,)

Frowning, I glanced at the wall clock across the bed and realised that it wasn't even nine yet. "I'm fine too alhamdulillah. Ab suno meri baat. As I was saying, I haven't brought up that marriage topic since the past few days because you wanted some time and I understood. But now, I can't wait any longer. I have found the perfect girl for you and I'm sure even you will love her..." Mama started once again, making me internally groan as I squeezed my eyes shut, covering my face with my hand but the paper flapped in front of me instead.

(Now listen to me.)

Now how do I tell her I already have a wife? A daughter-in-law for her. And that I started liking her and even she would like her if she ever meets her, I thought. But here was the thing. I didn't even know where she was anymore! Where did she even go?

"Mama, I told you, please not this again." I mumbled in a tired voice, leaning back on the headboard again. A throbbing headache already making its way towards me. Keeping the paper on my lap, I rubbed my fingers on my forehead. "We will talk about this later, please?" I requested, hoping that she would understand me just this once at least.

"You whine and bail out too much! But I'm letting you go just this once. Aage mai tumhari koi baat nahi sunne wali." I could feel the pout in her stern reply, which made me smile slightly.

(From next time I'm not going to listen to you.)

The amount of relief which I felt when she dropped the topic was so immense that I exhaled loudly while closing my eyes shut. "Alhamdulillah." I mumbled under my breath as I continued to talk to her. My mind drifted off to the matter at hand so many times that I felt myself getting frustrated. I didn't even know what was I going to do when I found this crazy girl!

._._._.

I paced around in the room glancing at the wall clock time and again, hoping to see them getting back home anytime. I know it might seem weird, but I didn't know anyone here, nor did I know this place enough to go out and start searching for them.

And sadly enough, I didn't have any of their numbers to call and ask them about their whereabouts. I forgot to take it and weirdly enough, none of them even reminded me. I regretted not asking for it so much!

Alayna stared at me, her hands under her chin as she leaned forward with a bored expression on her face. My gaze landed on the brunch kept on the table in front of her, untouched. Getting annoyed, I glared at her and questioned. "Why haven't you eaten anything yet?"

Not answering anything, she continued to stare at me. Sighing, I looked away before continuing to pace around, racking my hand through my hair every once in a while. What kind of a test was this? Who even gets someone married to their daughter before leaving with her, leaving the groom alone? But most of all, why? Why would she even do this? What was the actual matter?

Wait... Were they robbers? Or were they scammers? Was it their work to marry strangers and rob them? I thought. Why didn't I think of this before? This could be it all along! Ya Allah what was this? Were they seriously like that? Was that seriously their work? I wondered, getting worried and not understanding anything.

I was lost in my thoughts, fretting over the new realisation when I felt someone pulling at my shirt. Looking down, I saw Alayna standing there, looking at me with her big eyes. Holding my hand, she took me to the couch and made me sit. "Even you haven't eaten anything yet, bhai. Please eat." She murmured as she sat beside me, looking at me, waiting for me to start eating.

I looked away before looking at the food kept in front of us. Sighing, I took some on a plate and gave it to her before taking some for myself. No matter how much I didn't feel like eating right now, I had to eat because of Alayna. If not for anything else or anyone else, I had to eat for her sake because I had to take her back home.

Alayna smiled at me before starting to have her food while I forced myself to eat. The food stuck in my throat and I grabbed the glass of water.

"Where could they have gone bhai?" I was halfway through my food when Alayna spoke, halting me midway. My heart clenched at her words, making me keep my plate away. I couldn't eat anymore.

"I have no idea." Even our whispers seem to be echoing in the empty house, reminding us of its hollowness.

"Why did they do this?" She whispered slowly, her voice heavy with emotions and her eyes filled with tears. My blood boiled thinking of the reason behind my sister's tears. How could they even do this? Here, I was being so worried about them when they didn't even for once think about us and just left? She didn't deserve this pain and heartbreak at such a young age.

"Just finish your food Alayna. Don't think about them much." I muttered angrily as I stood up while clenching my fists. They were going to regret doing this.

._._._.