Chapter 2

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My second chapter! I hope you people like it.

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My friend always told me that I was exposed to this world's reality way too soon. I put her off but sometimes, when I am alone at night and sleep leaves, I can't help but feel the same. I have been living all on my own. Of course, she too had a loss, but she'd always tell me that mine was more.

But hearing about this woman that I had been assigned to nurse made me re-think things. She's alive. But knows she's dying. I know that one day everyone has to go back to Allah.

But no one knows how or when. But this woman does. I wonder if she lives happily, thinking she should enjoy as much as she can, or she just lies on the bed, letting days pass and count them.

I stared out the window of my room as mixed emotions swirled through me. Tara ma'am gave me the information of this woman. She seemed like a kind lady to me.

Apparently, she has two sons and a daughter, whose names she did not reveal. According to her, its the patient's right to reveal anything to her nurse or caretaker. Her husband died years ago.

She lives in a house in Karachi. I dont remember the details but I remembered at least this much. I was still pounding over the fact whether I should go bag packing or just turn down the offer.

I stared at the file lying next to me on the bed. It had my approval form and all the formalities. I didn't want to leave Asmara but some part of me wanted to go and stay with this woman.

Just then, Asmara walked into my room. She had a smile on her face and her eyes were lit up in a weird sort of way. They had an emotion I couldnt trace.

She plopped down on the bed next to me and slung her arms over my shoulders, giving me a hug.

"Woah! Whats with all the smiling eh?" I asked her, as the corners of my own mouth tugged upwards.

"You remember Hassan? Hassan Javaid from my home town, Rawalpindi?" She smiled again.

"Ah! Your childhood crush! How can I forget him?" I laughed.

Hassan was Asmara's neighbour. When she came to the orphanage and after we bonded, she told me about him. Apparently, he's supposed to be super handsome. She fell for him when she was 12. And just because he offered her a chocolate when she had been crying over her dead puppy.

Then he became a close friend of hers. But her parents died when she was 15. At that time, Hassan had moved away to another city for higher studies. She came to the orphanage and had not heard a word about him since.

"So what about him?" I pressed as she kept sinking into La la land.

"Well while you were gone to the nursing home, I noticed that we didn't have anything to eat. So, I grabbed what was left of our savings and went to the market to buy some bread and jam. I ran into him and he was thrilled to see me! I told him that I'd lost mum and dad and that now I am here living with you."

I grinned.

"You must be on cloud nine right now. Gosh it must-

"Wait there's more," she cut me off.

"He said that he would come here tomorrow and take me out. He said you can come too." She smiled.

"Nah. I dont want to be a third wheel. Does he live here in Multan?" I asked.

"Yes, he moved out of his parents house and now lives somewhere here. He said that its a 2 hour drive from his house to here so he will manage just fine."

I tilted my head in confusion.
"If he lives 2 hours away, why was he at this place? There must be a market near where he lives." I pointed out.

"Oh, he's here to visit a friend for the weekend. He said that he would come tomorrow. OmG I feel so excited!" She squealed.

"Im so happy Asmara!" I gleamed. But then I noticed the file.

"Asmara, I found this job-

"You did? Oh great! Lets make this dinner a celebration dinner a-"

"Stop there's more. It's out of Multan. This woman has cancer. I have to be her nurse. Tara didnt give me much details, though. She said she'd tell me when I am ready to do it. She also said that the woman is pretty rich and offers a good amount of salary."

She placed a finger on her chin. "How long do you have to think things over?"

"Till the end of this month. That makes it two weeks. Because her previous nurse leaves after finishing her term." I bit my lip.

"Then let's wait till the end of week 2." She smiled, brightly.

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