Chapter Thirty Three – Beginning of the end

Saba sat on a chair at the departure as the announcements were made about the boarding of the upcoming flight. She stayed seated, knowing that it wasn’t her flight yet. Aleesha and Hamadh sat a couple of seats away from her as they both realized that Saba needed some space after she had come out of Zayaan’s house.

 

She hadn’t spoken a word in the entire half an hour-long trip to the airport and Aleesha stopped Hamadh from asking any questions. Aleesha was worried about Saba though, as she saw her wiping her tears even as she sat in the departure. Something told her that it would take Saba a lot to come to terms with the decision she had made.

 

Aleesha’s hunch wasn’t wrong. Saba was looking at a picture of her and Zayaan even then from her phone. Her heart ached as she remembered all the memories, she had shared with him. Even more so as she remembered what she got to know that day.

 

I didn’t tell you to cause an accident with a ginormous truck that would kill my son. You are done for, you criminal Sinaah Sameer!

 

Zeenath’s words echoed in her head. She was almost about to forget about them when she came out from Zayaan’s room. She heard his parents talking in the living room.

 

I told you it was only Saba. I allowed her in because Zayaan may want to meet her even though he isn’t conscious right now. What kind of a conversation did you have on the phone that you didn’t want Saba to know?

 

Farooq said those words as Saba reached their view. Farooq was the first to look at her and that was followed by a shocked look from Zeenath. Farooq was about to say something when Zeenath spoke.

 

Farooq could you give us a moment?

 

Zeenath had said, still looking at Saba. Farooq looked back and forth from Zeenath to Saba before sighing and walking away from Zeenath towards Zayaan’s room. When Farooq entered the room, Saba could not hide the anger that showed up on her face.

 

So, you heard it, didn’t you?

 

Zeenath said before coming face to face with her.

 

If you say a word about this, I will make sure you and your entire family suffers for your entire life!

 

She had said, leaving Saba shaken.

 

Saba heard the announcements from the airport saying that now the flight from New Zealand to Nigeria will be boarding. Saba wiped her wet eyes one last time before standing up to go. As she began to walk, she realized that she wasn’t just walking away from New Zealand. She was walking away from a life that made her so happy.

 

But she knew that it was for the best. It was best for her to leave Zayaan though it broke her heart. As she walked out of the airport, she made dua for Zayaan’s recovery. She made dua that he gets the happiness that he deserves. Saba didn’t realize at that moment that the happiness Zayaan will look for the moment he wakes up would be her.

 

 

**

 

About a couple of years later, Saba was sure about that fact as she sat on her bed, the moment she walked into the hotel room she was in after her duty that day. She sat still as she remembered what happened that day. She reminisced how she had seen Zayaan as she was about to get into the van. How he had taken a picture of hers. How that had reminded her of the first day they met. How she had seen Zayaan about to follow the van even as it drove away. And finally, how she had seen him waiting outside the forensic center just for her to return and then fell on his knees when he didn’t see her.

 

She had gotten to know that he had come to look for her from the receptionist who called her while she was still on an investigation. At once, Saba called one of her co-workers to replace her. That was her first instinct. Because she knew the consequences of Zayaan meeting her. If only she hadn’t seen the real evilness of Zeenath at the train station a year ago, she could have assumed better about the situation. She could have assumed that Zayaan’s mother may have changed her mind for her son’s sake. But there was no way Saba could think that way anymore. Not after the way she behaved at the train station on that day. She’d rather keep Zayaan safe by keeping distance. And her heart kept telling her that Zayaan deserved better than her.

 

Saba looked towards the dresser as that thought crossed her mind. She was still wearing the mask from work as she began to walk towards the mirror on the dresser. As she stopped in front of the mirror, she slowly took of her mask. She still had her smooth and glowing black skin, except a burnt scar ran down her right cheek till the jawline.

 

I told you to marry a beautiful girl from your ethnicity and to be happy. Why did you have to come here?

 

Saba complained in her heart as a tear came rolling down her cheeks.

 

**

 

Zayaan sat in his hotel room too, except he was on the floor near the bed. He was still looking at the picture he took that day, unable to believe that it wasn’t Saba.

 

At that moment, he was looking at the eyes of the woman in the picture and he compared it with the eyes of the woman he saw in the evening. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he couldn’t have been wrong. The eye shape and even the eye colours of those two women were different.

 

Zayaan sighed and finally got up with the determination of finding out further. Even if this leads him to a place where people might consider him insane. Without any delays, he transferred the picture on his camera to his laptop. He then sent the picture to Aleesha and gave her a call.

 

“Salaam Aleesha, I hope I’m not disturbing you, but can you please check the picture I mailed you just now?” Zayaan spoke as he kept the call on speaker.

 

“I’m looking at it Zayaan… where did you take this picture? She really does strikingly look like Saba!” Aleesha said.

 

“I know right! It’s a woman who works at the Lagos State Forensic center. Who else it could be, right? But I think she is trying to hide from me. And I’m going to find that out myself. Didn’t you tell me that she lived with Heena in Nigeria? Please send me the address. I’m in Nigeria right now and I could go there.” Zayaan spoke without a pause as he was relieved to know that finally someone believed in him.

 

“Yeah I can send you the address. But I don’t think you will find her there Zayaan. Even Heena and Hamadh witnessed the burying of her dead body.” Aleesha said.

 

“I said I’m not gonna believe that has happened. Not until…..until at least I’ve done everything I can. Please send me the address. I’ll ask around to get some clues.” Zayaan said, trying his best to stay collected.

 

“Okay Zayaan. Here is the add….. just a moment.” Aleesha said and her dialogue cut off someone else talking in the background. The sound didn’t appear clearly to Zayaan so he spoke when he thought the dialogue in the background ended.

 

“Is everything okay?” Zayaan asked.

 

“I…. I don’t think so Zayaan. My father just said that your father called him asking for help to get an attorney. Apparently, your mother is getting arrested for having involved with a criminal.” Aleesha said, leaving Zayaan in shock.