7. THE SECRET HAVEN

“And you will have therein [heaven] whatever your souls desire, and you will have therein whatever you request [or wish].” (QURAN 41:31)

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 "Amo? Are you awake." I knocked at her door.  

''Yes love. Come in." Amo's gentle voice resonated through the door. I saw her sitting with Quran on a bookstand placed infront of her. She looked at me with that smile full of warmth. I smiled back at her.  

"Am I disturbing you?'' I inquired in a small voice.  

''No love, never. Come on here.'' She said and patted the place next to her on the carpeted floor. I took my place beside her.  

"Want me to read it to you?'' she asked while turning to face me. I could only watch her blankly at the proposal before turning away with a shrug. She smiled before opening the Quran. Her melodius voice echoing in the room, as she began the recitation.

I dropped my head on her lap and made myself comfortable as she brought her free hand to caress my hair.

Even though the weather of Hunza remained chilly all year round, inside Amo's room was considerably warm. Yet, on hearing those words come out of her mouth, I felt a shiver run down my spine.

Amo continued her Qira't. It was very beautiful. Her voice adjusting to the high notes in a graceful manner, stirred an old memory within me. I remembered memorising this Surah. The words were still imprinted on my mind and unconsciously,  I found myself silently reciting along Amo.

After Amo finished reciting the last Ayah and closed the quran with a dua, I turned up my gaze to her. She bent down and placed a kiss on my tear stained cheeks.  

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''Exactly what is it that you are trying to do?'' Hadi asked while looking at me like I had grown two heads.  

''Why Captain, I am kneading the floor! Can't you see? I thought they didn't take medically unfit people in the Pakistan army. Guess there can be exceptions.'' I nodded to myself in mock understanding. 

"Is that what you call kneading? Can't you see the wreckage in front of you? If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I couldn't have believed that it was possible for anyone to make such a mess. And YES, my eyes work just fine.'' He ended with a scoff. 

I rubbed my forehead with the back of my arm to push back the fringes before turning up to glance at him.

''Jeez Captain! You just like to make a mountain of a molehill. See! It's not THAT bad. And you don't have to get so worked up about your fitness. I do find myself doubting it but I guess I'll just have to take your word for it.'' I remarked cheekily and earned an eye roll in return.

Shooting me a glare, he touched a finger to my freshly made dough and made a face like he had just got in contact with something too disgusting for words.  

''Hey! Stop infecting my dough with your germs. Some people are going to eat that.'' I yelled at him and pulled away the dish from him cradling it in my arms.  

''You call that sh--I mean that thing a dough? Bless the poor soul, whose willing to go through that torture.'' He remarked visibly appalled and I could only glare at him with puckering lips.  

''Amo..I am sorry. I tried my best, but..." I turned to Amo, looking and feeling dejected. Amo, who was making breakfast and silently listening to mine and Hadi's squabble, took in my demoralised look and turned to rebuke Hadi before taking me in her arms and placing a kiss on my cheeks. 

''Hadi! Behave.'' She scolded him in her sweet voice and I wiggled my eyebrows at him who gaped at me too stunned for words.  

"Oh love, just ignore him. You did great. It only needs some additions and then it will be just  perfect.'' She remarked sweetly. I nodded my head at her eagerly when Hadi interjected. This guy sometimes—

''Just some additions? Amo that thing is beyond the help of a normal human being. Only Allah can make it right with His divine powers.'' He clucked his tongue with a shake of head. I glowered at him through clenched teeth and his response came in a sweet smile.  

''Hadi. Don't you have any work to do? I will fetch you when the breakfast is ready.''Amo remarked quickly and I giggled as he left the kitchen with a pout on his face.  

I felt that he was being like this to not make me feel awkward about last night. He must've heard my screams. His room was on the ground floor along with the guest room, in which I was staying. Usually, I get knocked out right after taking my sleeping pills but yesterday, I fell asleep before I could take them. When I woke up screaming, he calmed me until my tears dried and my body had stopped shaking. Eventually, I felt a little composed and made him leave. He seemed reluctant to leave me on my own but complied in the end. 

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''Amo. Are you going somewhere?'' I inquired looking up from the book I was reading on the Veranda to find Amo come out while holding a basket in her hands.  

''Yes, Jaan. I was going to pick some Apples from our garden.'' She answered.

''Really? I was going to the valley anyway. I can pick them for you?'' I suggested helpfully.  

''But love how can you--'' She remarked surprised.

''Please let me do it! I'll do my best! And if I don't do well, then—then—'' I started enthusiastically but was cut off midway by Amo's laughter. 

''Alright. Alright. I was saying so only because it might be too heavy for you to carry. Just bring what you can carry easily and be careful. Okay?'' I stood up with an excited hoot, which made Amo laugh out loud again. Shaking her head she caught my face in her hands and kissed me on both cheeks. 

"Fee Amanillah." She said a prayer while watching me with soft eyes. I nodded a smile before taking the basket from her hand and going on my way. 

"God. Is this heaven?" My voice got carried away through the deserted garden. I had finally come upon the ethereal beauty, after getting lost more than a few times along the way. With a heave, I shook away my entrancement and got on with my work.

I had filled the basket up to the brim with the apples and was about to leave, when I noticed something behind the vines. Without a second thought. I stepped closer and began pulling away the vines with my bare hands.

After successfully accomplishing my task, I was glad to find that the effort wasn't wasted. I had stumbled upon something like a secret hideout except there was only a small lake.

With a huff, I sat down on the rocky ground, placing my basket beside me and quietly watched the brilliant blue water, that was as beautiful and calm as everything else in this land. I felt a sudden sense of peace filling me. 

It's like, I am in heaven.

 "If you think Switzerland is beautiful then just think how beautiful Jannah would be? When Allah has said that we cannot even imagine anything like it."

Suddenly, a stray memory flashed across the screens of my mind and I brushed it away brutally, before it could make me think any further than that. 

I continued to stare at the still water when something made me pull up my jeans to my shin and I started walking towards the lake. I had just placed both of my feet into the water, when a voice coming from behind, startled me; almost making me slip. 

''So you were playing, huh?'' Hadi questioned in a bored tone. I craned my neck to shoot him a glare but didn't come out of the lake. Instead went in deeper.

''Hmm. Yeah, its not always when I get a chance to do it anyways. So, I ought to enjoy it while I can.'' I remarked easily without facing him.  

''Because you are a doctor?'' I heard his inquiry as he made himself comfortable on the rocky ground. This time I turned to look at him but instead of replying, I watched him with a small smile.  

''You know, Captain. This is my secret haven at which you have just trespassed.'' I raised an eyebrow at him.  

''Really? I am assuming you just made that up.'' He remarked in a bored tone while picking up a pebble from the ground and twisting it between his finger. I straightened with a shrug, slowly splashing my feet in the water.

''Yep, you got me.'' I returned in a monotone.  

''So, what do you do at this secret haven of yours?'' He asked without any hint of emotions. I turned to face him with a cheeky smile.

''Why? Are you curious, Captain?'' His poker face changed to make out an eye roll. This was something new that I discovered about him. He eye rolls.

''Not even if you wanted me to be.'' He remarked easily and got up dusting off his jeans.  

''Too bad. Your loss.'' I returned with a shrug before returning to kicking the water. After flat out rejecting my offer, he picked up the basket and continued.

''Amo was getting worried that you might have gotten lost." He explained.  

''And you?'' The words left my mouth, before I could think them through. Shit.

His eyebrows raised ever so slightly in surprise. Oh well. The damage was already done. Might as well go through with it.  

''Were you worried?'' I was staring down at my feet, which weren't making any sound anymore. For a few seconds, there was only silence before I heard a chuckle. I turned abruptly to face him.

"Do you always flatter yourself?" His response came with a smirk. My eyes widened before narrowing into thin slits. 

''Ha ha! So funny.'' I rolled my eyes and started walking out of the water. He shrugged coolly before turning away while I pulled down my jeans.

''You know that I am not going to wait for you. Right?'' He remarked carelessly without stopping.  

''And you do know that you are not a gentleman AT ALL, right?'' I answered through clenched teeth as I caught up to him.  

"I might've heard that? What? You are actually upset about what I said—?'' He chuckled and abruptly turned around, startling me. Somehow, I lost my footing and almost fell until, he caught me by my arm. 

I stared at him from my half-fallen position in shock. Only a few feet away from the ground before I made a painful impact. I turned to him slowly, still very much in shock and found him staring at me with matching expressions.  

Suddenly, his hold loosened and I inched closer to the ground with a shriek. Just before the impact, I closed my eyes instinctively. But instead of the cold hard ground,  I felt Hadi's hands wrapped around my waist. 

Slowly prying my eyes open, I witnessed the look of extreme shock and worry on his face. Gaping at him with an open mouth for a moment before I felt my lips quiver and I burst out into fits of laughter.  

After carefully pulling me straight, he let go of my waist. I was still laughing my ass off but on peeking an eye open, I caught a pout on his face. He looked so cute that I willed myself to control my laugh and reduced it to a grin. He shook his head and bent down to pick up the fallen fruits. I didn't help him instead pulled out my phone from my pocket and aimed it for him.  

"Captain!!'' I called out and he abruptly looked up with remnants of shock on his face and I clicked his picture, grinning from ear to ear.

He looked even more dashing with his ruffled look. My smile dropped when I caught his glare and had to bite on my lips to hold in my laughter. Swiftly, tucking the phone in my jeans pocket, I helped him pick up the rest of the fruits.  

On the way back home, he didn't say anything but I could feel the angry vibes coming from him. It didn't intimidate me instead made me unusually happy.  

''I am not going to delete the picture, you know?'' I remarked cheekily. He didn't reply and continued to walk straight ahead. I watched his back with a small smile before skipping to his side.