That was a great time.

When my mother , father and I lived together.

Papa used to take us to the city sometimes.

We lived in the village

The people of the village were very simple-hearted but loving

... life was going very well

One day, papa's health suddenly deteriorated

Uncle Rahmat from the neighborhood came quickly

And they took papa to the doctor ...

The doctor told to take him to the city

But it was not time to move to the city

And papa passed away ...

I found out later that he had appendix pain.

My mother cried a lot that day.

I was very young ...

I didn't have any other siblings.

When I saw my mother crying, I would start crying myself ...

And sometimes I would sit quietly with my mother ...

We had two rooms in our house.

We slept in a room.

While the other was for the guests ...

Mama and papa relatives never came ...

But when papa was free, he used to take us to his relatives.

After papa's death, my mother had to do something to run the house ...

She was a wise woman ...

Such a big shock had made her strong.

But I knew inside that she was still miserable like the first day he spent without papa.

My mother used to sew ...

He started sewing the clothes of the women of the village.

She was really a hardworking woman.

She did not like to ask anyone ...

She used the money she earned from sewing to run her household expenses.

I still remember that it was the first Eid after papa.

My mother washed and dressed me ...

And loved so much ...

But the mother herself did not wear new clothes.

I told my mother that she kept doing it till evening so that I could do a little work and then wear it.

But that Eid day when there was activity everywhere ...

The children and adults were all happy.

My mother used to sew clothes ...

I used to be very sad that everyone has a father but why my father has left.

I was a little older now ...

My mother told me that now you will go to school ...

There was a school in the village till matriculation.

In which only boys read ...

At that time it was not common practice to teach girls.

I was very happy to hear my mother's words.

And started going to school

...

Aunty Abida had a house in the village.

She was a good friend of my mother.

She used to come to our house often.

She had a daughter named Khadija.

Because there was no tradition of teaching girls in the village

That is why Khadija was also uneducated..

But she was a polite and strong girl.

She would come home after finishing her household chores and would help my mother in sewing in addition to household chores. It was my mother who taught her to sew.

She was a busy but happy girl. Khadija was two years older than me.

I thought that maybe after matriculation my mother would put me in a tailor's or retail shop.

Because most of the boys in the village used to do that ...

But when I reached the eighth grade, I came to know that we can go to the city and study further.

And we can become a great man by reading and writing.

Is it a life to spend one's whole life only in the village?

From that day on, my thoughts changed.

I thought that after matriculation I would go to the city and continue my education.

It was Wednesday.

It was very hot.

I was in ninth grade ...

Dismissed and everyone went home.

I came home

Maybe there was no one in the house.

I walked quietly into the room.

Khadija was alone there. Her back was towards me. I went a little further and was surprised to see the scene in front of Khadija.

to be continued ......

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One end of Khadija's scarf was lying on top of our iron belt.

And there were some coins on top of it.

Which she was putting in pot one by one.

In which my mother used to collect money.

I stood in amazement and watched her do all this ...!

As soon as she did his job and turned around ...

So she was shocked to see me ... !!

"A. .aah.. .I ... wasn't doing anything ... !!"

She stammered.

"I know you were putting money in it , but why?"

I asked in astonishment.

"I am aware of the situation in your house Asif. aunt has been running out of sewing for a few days now. That is why I have given her a little help. By the way, if I gives it, she will not take it. Please don't tell your mother .."

After explaining, she spoke in a pleading tone. "Well I don't tell her."

That I went to another room!

I kept remembering Khadija's words about how that innocent girl was helping us.

I don't know how many times she has put his expenses in our money pot ..

I made up my mind to go to town

And I will make my mother happy by reading and writing

and I will also pay off Khadija's debt.

I didn't want to digest Khadija's expenses for free.!

She was a really kind girl..

I was really impressed with it!

I started reading more diligently than before.

One evening I was reading books open.

She came to me and sat down.

And when she started looking at my books,

I remember that it was an Urdu book ...

Which she was watching..

And then after a while she put her finger on the '' ٹ'"of the word 'بیٹ' and said

" what's this?"

I said it's "ٹ'"

Began to say

"But it wasn't when we read it."

I smiled helplessly at her innocence!

And she looked at me angrily

"You're making fun of my illiteracy ..."

And I suddenly became serious.

No, that was not my intention

In fact, the rule you read was not in Urdu but in Arabic

And the letter "ٹ" does not come in Arabic.

"Okay,"

she said, looking at the book again

"Asif"

After a while he say

"Yes"

I started looking at her

"Teach me to read Urdu too"

Khadija looked at me with hope and said!

"Ahh..... amm... you want to read?"

I said thinking!

"Yes"

She said in an optimistic tone ...!

Seeing Khadija's interest, I couldn't stop despite my busy schedule ...!

She proved to be an intelligent girl.

She soon learned to read Urdu.

She was a really smart girl.

One day she told me in an enthusiastic tone that three or four of her friends have also come to study Urdu.

I was really impressed with the girls' love of reading

And he promised himself that one day, God willing, there would be a school for girls in this village...Will open

Ninth exams were approaching

I was busy studying ...

So that good results come

and after doing tenth,

I can get admission in a good college in the city

I felt that Khadija had not been coming to our house for two or three days.

When I asked my mother,

she told me that Khadija's elder sister was getting married

She is busy preparing for it

I'm bored..😶

And the heart wanted,

Come only for a short time..

She was like a family man

Now that she was gone, she was missing . 😓

I packed my books and came out.

Sajid was Khadija's brother.

He was my best friend

He only read up to the fifth ...

Now he was often in the field with his father ...

I walked towards Sajid's house.

Khadija was embroidering on a framed cloth ...

Aunt Abida was very happy to see me

And she smiled and said

"Look who's here today."

Khadija looked and said

"Wow big guys have come"😁

I did not go to anyone's house in the village

So they were surprised when I came ..😎😎.

"I had some work to do, that's why I came ... is Sajid at home?"

I made an excuse while looking at the room ... !!😬

"No, he's in the field with dad."

Khadija said

"Okay, let's go then I'll go," I said and started to get up.

"How come ... go and make tea khadija"

She said lovingly so I sat down

Taken Tea !

And came home ...!

A few days later, Khadija's older sister got married

And so did my papers

Now I was in the tenth

Khadija still used to come to our house

But when she didn't come, I was surrounded by a strange sadness.

Suddenly one day I thought that when

Khadija will get married

Then what will I do ...!

Maybe she will go to another village....

Far away....!!!

My heart began to pound at the thought

I got up...

And the cold wind blew on the roof.

My heart was pounding ...

to be continued.....

Suddenly an idea came to my mind that ...

If I marry Khadija, she will always be with me.

I thought I would talk to my mother to talk to Khadija's family.

And when I finish my studies, I will get married.

That day I thought about my marriage for the first time in my life.

I don't know why this thought calmed my heart.

I stood up taking a deep breath. And the stairs began to descend ...

*****

For a few days I kept looking for opportunities and words to talk to my mother.

One day was a school holiday. Mother was not at home. Khadija was sewing clothes sitting on the bed ( charpaee) in the courtyard.

Does she want to marry me or not ...

Thinking this, I took courage and sat down next to Khadija.

And kept playing with the thread lying down for a while.

And then I gathered all his courage and said ...

Khadija, I have one important thing to say to you.

She stopped sewing her hand and she was surprised and asked what is the matter Asif.

"Actually, if I send a wedding message to your house, you won't mind ..."

I quickly finished my speech with the words I understood ...!

She stared at me for a moment

It was clear from his manner that she had never thought of that

Will be.. Because the girls of the village used to marry a boy at least five or six years older than them ... while I was two years younger than Khadija. Seeing her in a state of shock, I quickly said

I don't do that if you have any objections. It was as if she came to her senses after listening to me.

And said softly that I am older than you ...

I said ...

I know and I also know that age is not an issue if you don't mind, but if you don't like me then let me know. I will not do such a thing next time!

"I don't mind"

She said softly What I heard!

I took a deep breath.

I stood up and said

I will send my mother to your house soon and I left from there.

I was feeling very happy at that time.

*******

Preparation for matriculation exams, then exams

And then go to the city and get into college ...

I was so busy that I didn't even get a chance to talk to my mother.

I was also satisfied that I had talked to Khadija.

I started preparing to talk to my mother in the future.

Now I was admitted to the city college.

My mother and Khadija prepared me.

I remember my mother had made a bag by zipping on the parachute cloth..in which I had kept my clothes etc .. while preparing my mother's eyes would get tears again and again .. I hugged my mother and told her not to worry, I will come soon.

By the way, they used to be upset because they never took me away from them. Khadija's face was also down..

My heart was also very sad..but I was doing all this for them so my heart was satisfied .....

Lots of mother's advice and Khadija's sad farewell looks...

Left home with.!!

The fact is that at that time my heart wanted to cry.

But I smiled and said goodbye to everyone.

I didn't want to upset them.

*******

I just wanted to finish my studies as soon as possible and return to my beloved village to my mother and my Khadija. I will never go away from them again ...

I was sitting sadly in the bus thinking ...

But what I did know was that not always what a person thinks ...

to be continued ...