Part: 14

After two weeks

I've been talking to Mr Stranger for more than two weeks now but it feels like I know him for ages. We're coming closer to each other with each passing day. I'd never thought that one day a stranger would become an important part of my life. Life is indeed unexpected, anything can happen at any moment. Now I'm not talking to him because he wants to talk to me, I'm talking to him because my heart feels good when I talk to him. I like talking to him. Seriously, time flies like magic when I talk to him.

Mr Stranger has changed his thinking so much within these two weeks. He stays happy now and says thank you to me for giving him a new life. He says, now his problem doesn't affect him anymore because he doesn't care about them. The most important thing is that he starts sleeping at night. He says I'm like an angel to him who has shown him the reality of life. I feel happy that I'm the reason for somebody's happiness. Really, it feels so good to become the reason for somebody's happiness.

"You know, Inaya, when I used to remain sad earlier, I could only see sadness around me, I used to think that in this world there's only sorrow and nothing else, and now when I look at the world, I only see happiness around me. The world hasn't changed, my thinking has changed, the world is still the same way it was earlier. You said right that I need to change my mind, not this world. Now I've understood that it completely depends on us how we're seeing the world. If you look at the world when you're sad, you'll feel like the whole world is sad along with you and when you're happy you see the world, you'll feel as if the whole world is happy with you. I'm glad you made me understand this indirectly, thank you." He'd said this to me last night. I was so shocked to hear this. He is gradually understanding what is life. He's seeing the reality of life as me. I'm happy to see this.

Inaya: I'm doing the work that professor Zain has given.

I'm chatting with Mr. stranger during professor Zain's class, hiding the phone under the desk. It's fun to chat like this, really.

Mr Stranger: The work which your crush has given?

Mr Stranger teases me a lot by calling Zain sir my crush. I moved my eyes from the phone to him. He's sitting idle on his chair and staring at the table. Maybe he's lost in his thoughts. He's hot but he's not my crush anymore because he's rude. I moved my eyes back at my phone and typed the message.

Inaya: He's not my crush after that library incident. I don't even look at him now.

Mr Stranger: If you see him with love, you'll find him cute.

Oh god, now he's becoming too much sensible.

Inaya: No, I don't want to look at him with love, and will you please change the topic? I don't want to talk about him.

I rolled my eyes.

Mr Stranger:  Don't lie to me. I know deep inside you're falling in love with him and that's why you're avoiding his topic.

Now, this is too much.

Inaya: Haha, very funny. Good one.

He sent the laughing emoji.

Inaya: I'll talk to you later. If professor Zain sees me using the phone during the class, he'll throw me out the window with my phone.

Mr Stranger:  I'm laughing after reading this. Is he so rude?

Inaya: Yes, he's the sardar of rudeness. You know at the start I was ignoring his rude behaviour because I was attracted toward him but after that library incident, I just can't bear him.

Mr Stranger: You shouldn't hate anybody so much.

Who said that I hate him?

Inaya: I don't hate him. It's just that I don't like him. Bye, Mr. stranger. I'll talk to you later.

Mr Stranger: Okay bye and take care, princess.

I put the phone into my handbag back after reading his message. I looked at Anu and found her glaring at me.

Now, what happened to her?

I raised my eyebrows at her, she just shook her head and started doing her work without saying anything to me. I also got engrossed in my work and decided to talk to Anu after this lecture.

___

"What happened, Anu? Why were you giving me that type of look?" The bell rang and I asked Anu after turning my face to her as professor Zain strode out of the room.

"Inaya, I think you're talking a lot to this stranger. You don't even know him." I can see the concern in her beautiful brown eyes for me. She's just thinking too much, my caring friend.

I placed my hand over her face. "Don't worry, he won't harm me. He's my friend now." I reassured her, blinking my eyes.

"Still just be careful." She warned me.

"Okay, my soul sister. I'll be careful. Now let's go to eat something and I'm starving." I stood up from the desk, I'm really famished because I had nothing in the breakfast.

"Tell me, Inaya, when aren't you starving?" She asked, putting up her all things into his bag. I chuckled softly.

***

After college, I reached back home. I pushed the door open after unlocking it with the spare key and sauntered inside. My heart skipped beating for a second and my eyes became moist as I found dad crying, sitting on the sofa of the hall. He is sitting, resting his head against the sofa. His eyes are closed, tears are trickling down his cheeks. I pursed my lips and squeezed my eyes shut to control my emotions. I can't see him like this, broken and shattered.

It hurts to see him like this!

I sighed and lumbered toward him. "Dad." I placed my hand over his shoulder and squeezed it slightly, his eyes snapped open.

He looked at me with his sorrowful eyes. "Inaya, I can't see your mom in this condition anymore." He cried, shaking his head. I'm just fighting back with my tears. He's sounding so helpless. We both are helpless.

"Today, when, when I went to, washroom." He stammered. "Your mom, when I came back, she was not in the room. I became crazy and found her everywhere in the house, but she was nowhere. I, I became so scared." He choked up, tears rolled down from my eyes mechanically. "I started asking the neighbours and then the watchman informed me by calling me on my phone that Anju was in the garden. I hastily reached the garden and found her staring at the kids emotionlessly. Inaya, I can't see her in this condition, I can't bear this pain anymore. I want my Anjali back. I miss her and I can't see her like this." He started crying hysterically like a small baby, hiding his face in my stomach and my heart also cried with him.

"Mom will be fine soon, dad. Just be strong for her. We'll bring her back." I'm trying to calm him down by rubbing his back, tears trickling down my eyes constantly. It is hurting me a lot to see him so shattered and so broken.

After a moment, he just stood up and strode to his room silently, without looking at me. He cried for the first before me. He always shows himself strong in front of me, but he's completely shattered from inside. Mom's condition is killing him from inside a bit by bit. I have to do something, I can't see my family, shattering down in front of my eyes.

I strolled into my room and shut the door. I slumped down on the floor with a thud. I started crying mechanically, hugging my knees closer to my chest. I don't want to cry but still, I'm crying because I can't bear this pain anymore. I know, good days will surely come because life is like this only, after every night in life, there's always a bright morning. But when will the bright days come? How long do I have to wait? I just want those days to come soon, god, please. I can't see my family suffering more before my eyes, I just can't.

I sobbed, burying my face into my knees more and more. It's hurting me so much.

I came back to my senses as my phone started ringing inside my bag. I wiped my tears with the back of my palm and took the phone out of the bag.

I looked at the caller id, Mr. stranger is calling me. I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply before answering the call. "Hello," I answered after placing the phone over my ear.

"I was waiting for your call. You said you'll call me after five minutes but now it's been more than half an hour passed. That's why I called you myself." He is sounding upset because I didn't call him on time.

"I'm sorry, it just skipped out of my mind." I lied to him, rubbing my temple with the forefinger.

"You're lying. Tell me what happened?" I raised my eyebrows in shock.

"How did he come to know that I lied to him?" I wondered, staring at the phone in shock. Then I placed the phone back over my ear.

"I'm not lying." I lied again after composing myself.

"We're now friends, Inaya and friends don't lie to each other like this. Tell me what happened." As he uttered, I felt lumps in my throat forming.

I don't know what happened to me the next moment, I suddenly started crying over the phone mechanically. After a long time, I'm not hiding my emotions from someone.

"Hey, What happened? Why are you crying?" He asked, sounding very tense. I didn't answer him, I kept sobbing.

He freaked out. "Tell me what happened, Inaya. Please just stop crying. You're scaring the hell out of me." He shouted, going crazy.

After that, I told everything to him while crying. About my brother's tragic demise, my mother's condition and also told him about my father's breakdown. He listened to everything patiently.

"I'm tired. I can't bear this pain anymore. I want my mother back. I can't see them in pain." I cried and cried. After so long, I'm crying in front of somebody.

"Relax, Inaya, first stop crying. You're a strong girl, right? Your mom will be fine very soon. It's good that today you shared all this with me. I know about a great doctor who can help you in your mom's case. I'm assuring you, she'll make your mom fine." I instantly stopped crying. I felt so relieved after listening to his words. Finally, a ray of hope came.

"Thank you." I hiccuped, wiping my tears.

"Your mom will be fine soon, don't worry." He reassured me. My lips drew up into a small smile. I'm so relieved.

"I'll message you the hospital name and doctor's number after talking to her. Now go and have some water first. Then we'll talk." He ordered me.

I smiled broadly now. I'm glad that Mr. stranger becomes my friend. Everybody needs a friend like him in their life with whom they can share anything because they know that friend will never judge you. I trust Mr. stranger. He's a good person and most importantly now I can share anything with him.

"Go, Inaya. I'm waiting." I came on the earth back as he shouted like a strict father.

"Okay." I stood up and went into the kitchen to drink water.  "Done," I said after taking a few sips of water.

"Are you feeling better now?" He asked concernedly.

"I'm fine now, don't worry." I sighed.

"You take some rest now. I'll call you back after some time." I felt a sudden urge to talk to him more. I don't know why. What is happening to me?

"Bye and thanks again." I thanked him from the core of my heart.

"Take care, bye and please take some rest." He requested me. He cares for me so much.

"I really need a nap now. Bye." I hung up, having a small smile on my face. I can't even describe in words how I'm feeling right now. Finally, I got a ray of hope. I'm extremely happy.