Our Paths That Crossed

16.

- Author -

"Shehryar, this is the perfect opportunity, you're going back to Germany and so am I, we can reunite there and live together" I heard the squeaky voice of Maya, she was standing so close to Shehryar, holding hands with him. "And you could leave your forced wife here, I heard that you were forced into the situation because of her family. But it's okay we can get married when we go to Germany" "Maya-" "no listen Shehryar, I even have your mother's bracelet, see the one you gave me before you came to Pakistan, isn't this the symbol for the woman tou love?" Shehryar held her wrist up in front of his face to see the bracelet. Romessa stepped forward when both had realized she was here.

Shehryar dropped Maya's hand, "Romessa, it isn't what it looks like" but Romessa was still taking in all the scenes that had unfolded in front of her. "Romessa listen-" Shehryar went to grab her hand but she jerked it away  still in utter shock she couldn't comprehend saying anything. "Shehryar, just tell her, that we like eachother and that you were just being nice to her by marrying her" maya voice in background "MAYA SHUT UP" Shehryar roared, Maya had started crying and ran up to Romessa, "you came between us, and ruined our relationship, we were going to get married before you came and ruined everything" "Stop it Maya. Romessa listen, none of this is true, don't listen to her" "then why would you give me your mother's bracelet and promise me you would marry me in Germany" she fired back.

- Romessa -
I need a minute to myself to calm down. I put my hand up "Shehryar  please move aside, I need a minute to breath" with any left over energy I had I tried going back inside, followed by Shehryar who tried talking to me, but I couldn't understand anything I just saw or heard, I never noticed that maybe Shehryar married me since I was lost in the situation, and his nice nature thought of saving me from my animal like cousin  I never thought that he could have maybe liked or wanted to marry someone,  most the people had left, as I passed the hallway still being followed by Shehryar trying to say something. I felt so sick and disgusted with myself at that moment, whatever I had eaten threatening to come out, I felt like I hurt myself and him, I ahead of myself, I didn't think of Shehryar's feelings, but the thought of him being with someone else was also disturbing me, without me noticing, I was passing the living room to get to  the stairs, when khala had held my hand "beta, are you okay, you look pale and your hands feel cold" Shehryar had caught up behind me. Khala's soft warm touch made it worse.

All of sudden I felt up whole body go numb and paralyzed, I wanted to say something but I couldn't even open my mouth, within seconds I felt as if my body was freezing and go numb, and then my eyes slowly shutting, I went blank.

- Shehryar -
Romessa had misunderstood the whole situation, Maya had brought me out with another excuse and then suddenly started saying all that crap, hell how did she get my ammi's bracelet, ammi had lost it a few days before she had died, I was trying to chase after her and tell her she misunderstood the situation when khala had walked up to her and looked concerned  when I was right behind Romessa,
"ROMESSA" she had fallen uncautious in my arms. I gently tried tapping her cheeks "Romessa, rani please wake up, Romessa, Romessa please wake up" i kept tapping her cheeks trying to wake her up, her body gelt so cold, i brought her closer to myself to give her some boday heat "Shehryar, beta I think we should take her to the hospital, please" as soon as I took in what khala said  I picked up Romessa and carried her to the car, Zaid had driven us to the hospital while i still held Romessa, tightly like i was going to loose her.

We had gotten to the emergency ward of the hospital. As soon as I laid Romessa on one of the beds, doctors started running up to her, after Noor and Khala had explained what happend, the doctors started checking up on her  giving her IV and putting on the oxygen mask, checking her BP, while all I could do was sit there, this was all my fault, I shouldn't have listened to her, she always did that, and because of her, this was the second time I had dangered my loved ones. "Excuse me sir, but what relationship do you have with this patient" the nurse asked "I'm her husband" I managed to muster up. "If it's alright I would like if all of you wait in the waiting area, and the husband can stay here" the nurse had brought me the paper work to fill it out, and after alot of examinations.

"What is it doctor?" "Mrs Shehryar is alright, according to her tests, she hasn't been eating anything lately causing her BP to drop down, and she had taken sudden stress which caused it to drop even more, another thing is that because of stress and not eating her blood pressure has dropped dangerously low and her heart beat is double the normal rate, she needs to stay here for observation, until she becomes cautious, we will then run the remaining tests, to make sure nothing else is an issue.

After the doctors had left, I told khala, Zaid and Noor to go home, I told them that I'll be here to look after her. They agreed eventually and went home, but khala or Noor kept calling me every few minutes asking me about Romessa, but she was still unconscious. Holding Romessa's hand, the only thing keep replaying in my head was how hurt she looked when Maya said all that, the more I thought about it the more I felt hurt and broken, we hadn't spent much time together, but every moment we did was so special and meaningful to me, everytike she smiled and her dimple showed, lmfelt like her happiest smile, and I always wanted to keep her smiling  but I'm the one who brought tears in her honey brown eyes, each tear drop adding to the already guilt I had. The way her skin always glowed and how breathtaking she looked, she was now laying in a hospital bed, connected to machines and an oxygen mask, pale and lifeless, this is all my fault.

- Romessa -
I blinked a couple of times, adjusting to the lighting and setting of my area. I couldn't lift any of myself, I managed to open my eyes, observing my surroundings, I was in a hospital? 'How did I get here', questions popping in my head, I saw Shehryar at the side of my bed holding my hand he had fallen asleep, then all of it came flooding back, Maya, Shehryar loves her, Shehryar's mother's bracelet, he was forced to marry me. Puzzling everything back, I felt hurt again, maybe a part of me was anxious too about Shehryar. Their earlier conversation kept coming back to me, 'you're going back to Germany ', he's going back to Germany, is it true he is, how come he didn't tell me? And how come she knows? With all the thinking and questioning I moved my hand a bit causing Shehryar to wake up, he looked worried and immediately started asking "are you okay, do you feel pain any where, do you want me to call the doctors?" I retrieved my hand from Shehryar's hold, he looked at my hand and became quiet, "Romessa, are you alright?" He asked very quietly and carefully. I couldn't take it anymore, " Shehryar, are you going back to Germany" what answer was I expecting, "Romessa the thing is-" "yes or no, I don't need to know anything else" "but Romessa-" "yes or no" I sounded stern and rude but right now if Maya could have his mother's bracelet and know he's going to Germany, then maybe all she said was true too, "yes I am" I froze, I didn't know what I expected, I didn't mind if he went back but "when did you decide" "it's almost been 3 days, but-" "you don't ned to tell me the rest" I interrupted him.

I felt tired, all my life I hated the idea of getting into a relationship with anyone, it felt like a burden, I had seen many couples growing up and they all had issues, I don't remember one happy ever after couple, there was always something, and I didn't want someone to loose something nor did I want to loose something when and if I was getting married, but now I had, to Shehryar, I used his help to escape my dad's family and helped me, but what did he get in return from me, getting forced to marry a girl like me, I had separated two loved ones, and knowing how kind hearted Shehryar is makes sense how he agreed to marry me, I know I had started liking him more, but I think this is my punishment for loving someone who is already in love with someone else...