Head Lines

She was in her bedroom and searching for something in the cupboard. She took the mobile by hearing its ring. “Hello” “switch on the news channel,” her friend said in a tensed voice. She immediately went into the hall and switched on the T.V. “26 soldiers were killed in the terror attack” she collapsed in the couch by seeing the headlines of the news. Tears were rolling down from the eyes. She was cold and scared. Her body was shivering. She got married to him just a month ago. They spent only a week together and he went back to his duty. She couldn’t think anything, her mind is filled with all his memories. Her heart is filled with pain. She was a strong girl but at that moment she felt like the weakest.

“What happened?” her mother in law asked in a worried tone by looking at her face. She didn’t answer anything. She just sat watching the news. The old lady came and sat beside her. “Did they give his name on the list?” her mother in law asked with low and shaking voice. She couldn’t watch anything as her eyes are clouded with tears, so she wiped her tears and nodded her head horizontally like “no”. “Then be brave beti don’t lose hope until you see his name on the T.V.” the old lady said by holding her hand. She wiped her tears as they continue rolling down. “Please god please” she started praying. Everybody wants their name on the T.V, to get popular, to be recognized by everyone. But not her, she doesn’t want her husband’s name on the screen.

She spoke to him last night. He promised her that he will come back home on her birthday. “I will kill you if you won’t come home on my birthday,” she said to herself with a shivering voice. For 2 hours she sat in front of the T.V without moving an inch. She jerked a bit by hearing the phone call. She took the phone slowly. “Hello” her voice was low. “Hi” the heaviness in her heart melted and the happy tears rolled down. “Don’t cry sweetheart am fine” there was a huge relief after hearing his voice. “I love you…..you scared me” "am sorry I love you.” After talking to him for a few more seconds she gave the mobile to her mother in law. She thanked god a million times. She hugged her mother in law “I am happy maa” “me too beti”

In the evening the old lady called her daughter in law to her room. “maa did you call me?” “Yes come here” she went and sat on the bed. “Are you ok?” “Yes maa,” she said with a smile. “Look beti this was the first time you faced this type of situation and you will be facing a lot, be prepared” “but maa……” “your father in law was an ex-serviceman and I lost him when my son was 4 years old, so be brave, be strong, be prepared for everything at anytime” the old lady said and kissed her forehead. She didn’t like what her mother in law said, she was so scared by her words. But at the end that is the truth, whether you like it or not you should accept the truth, and she accepted it.