Reconnection!

11/01/20: “Baba, could we please go to the park this Friday? All my friends and their parents are going and I thought maybe we could go too, after all I am leaving for college in a few days.” said Fatima who was so very desperate to spend some quality time with her single father. Bilal, on the other, hand was an ignorant father, who no wonder loved his daughter dearly but just didn’t seem to fulfill her needs. Ignoring Fatima , Bilal merrily asked her to bring him a book from the library, related to leaves.

               Fatima, a very considerate daughter, like a ghost, did whatever her father instructed. She knew how important his work was. She brought a brown leather bound-book. It was a book Fatima would never have been engrossed in. She silently placed it on her father’s weathered hands. Bilal was a botanist. He was presently researching on an undiscovered leaf. Without even taking a glance at Fatima’s choked up face, he acknowledged her help saying,

                “Oh what would I do without you, my sweet sweet Fatima?” even though it seemed to Fatima that he did not need her at all.

                12/03/20: “Baba I have prepared the chapattis*, come let’s have lunch!” Fatima was just back from college and wanted to spend all her time with her father. She knew it would be boring in comparison to her friends company, but she just wanted a chance with her father. Bilal, in his old way ignored Fatima and asked her to bring his food to his study. With a big frown on her face the poor girl did as she was instructed.

                Fatima neatly placed an appropriate amount of curry, rice and chapattis* for her father. the poor girl, mutely turned back, without even waiting for her father to acknowledge. Seeing this Bilal knew that Fatima was in need of a father who would help her with her troubles, support her in her decisions and make her feel that she wasn’t lonely. So he decided to take a break from his work and spend some time with his daughter, after all she did have some rights too. He put a large smile on his face, impressed by how quick a solution maker he was, said,

                 “My dear Fatima, we both need a break why don’t we go for vacation!”

                  Fatima replied in her most jolly voice, “Oh Baba that would be absolutely wonderful, we could go to Murree* or Gwadar *or or…”

                Her options could have gone on and on but thankfully Bilal interrupted her.

               “Fatima I have already decided, we will go abroad, I have a project in France. I have to research a new type of plant… we could stay for a bit longer and spend as much time together as we can.”

The cheeky father knew that he wouldn't be able to fulfil his daughters demand and expectations, but seeing the girls blissful and jolly face, he found that he was unable to change the girls will.

               Brimming with joy Fatima agreed to whatever option she got. Her soul purpose was to spend time with her father, who was the only family she had. Both of them immediately packed their luggage and within a day they were set to go.

                 13/03/20: The blazing sun was piercing through the skin of Fatima and Bilal as they packed their luggage. There were two bags, as heavy as bricks. It wasn't a very ideal beginning of vacation, but they made the best of what was available, without complaining about the heat or the heavy bags. The airport was about a hundred meters from their house. Finally the two bags were loaded on to Bilal’s antique automobile, its tires seemed to have been punctured and the paint seemed to fade away. Fatima had tried to convince her father to renew their car, but always, the argument ended on an unpleasant note.

                As they entered the grand ‘Jinnah International Airport’ of Karachi*, there were lights and people and all the things which Bilal hadn’t seen since quite a while. The last time the father and daughter had travelled was when Maryam, Fatima’s mother was alive. The two never discussed her death; both of them were in a great shock. It was like one minute she was there and the second she was gone.

               Avoiding their past memories, father and daughter, both, were silent. Bilal was busy with his work. Finally Fatima broke the silence,

             “Baba, will we go to Paris?” ignoring Fatima, Bilal silently studied his documents. Upset, but not hopeless about their future encounters, Fatima silently turned her head towards the window as they flew from the land straight into the sky.

              23/03/20: Ten days had passed and Bilal had still not come out of his room. It was supposed to be a vacation trip, now it just seemed to be a business trip. Tired of the waiting Fatima went to her father’s room and knocked on his door. The argument then begun, Fatima remained calm and kept asking her father to come out so that they could spend some time together. However, there is always a breaking point in life, which you may regret, but it can never be reversed back into the past.

             Crying and sobbing Fatima quickly packed her things and left. Bilal ran out of his room and down to the crowded street, searching the seven seas for his beloved daughter, but she was gone, she had vanished into thin air.

            22/05/25: Bilal, got out of the cab and stood outside his daughter’s house. He stood there studying his daughters success, but was unable to do so as he had wasted all his life studying his own success. He went inside, and rung the door bell. Two naughty children came running to the door. As soon as they saw his face they shouted,

          “Mommy, grandpa is here!” Fatima, who was upstairs in her room came rushing down. She ran like a cheetah and hugged her father. 5 entire years and the two found their way back to each other. 

chapattis*- A type of bread

Murree*-A mountainous valley in Pakistan (A vacation spot)

Gwadar *-A coastal city in Pakistan(A vacation spot)

Karachi*-The business hub of Pakistan