CHAPTER 52- JUSTICE ~ Farhan 💀

PART-V

"‎ ذهبنا بعيدًا في التفكير ونسينا أن الأقدار كانت مكتوبة"

"We went too far in thinking and forgot the destinies were written."

-Mahmoud Darwish.

F A R H A N :-

"And to finish my case, all I would want to convey is that my client's late brother, officer siddque was innocent. The defendant, Gerdezi, allegedly framed him in a murder, and portrait it like a suicide.."

The lawyer I chose, Advocate Humza abbas says, finishing his closing argument.

"It was proved by the evidences provided by my client, officer siddque was falsely charged for theft by officer Karim yildiz and his team who's names were heard in the recording. The defendant had not only framed officer siddque, but the evidences also state that he has been indulged in human trafficking and auctions for a long time. Which was the reason officer siddque wanted to get him arrested."

Feeling overwhelmed, I reach beside me and grab Ayesha's hand, and she squeezes it reassuringly.

"Emir along with his team and everyone working for him, indulging their contribution in his heinous acts should also be punished. Especially Danish Ali, who not only worked for Gerdezi but also planned a deadly bomb attack at the bursa grounds fair in Ankara last month, in attempt to kidnap my client's wife." Ayesha's father, my mamu's voice harden but he continues,

"Ali was found to be involved in various cases with Emir helping him in Money laundering. I request you, your honour to give him one of the most deadly punishment."

"And lastly all I would say, with the live footage recorded by officer siddque, it was clearly shown Gerdezi shot him and cleaned all the evidences. With all the new and old evidences provided your honour, I firmly state Emir Gerdezi is a criminal along with the people working with him."

The tips of my fingers starts getting cold, and I felt ayesha rubbing my palms, it is getting too real now. I am having a hard time believing it.

Is this really happening right now?

The judge nods and looks at the other lawyer who was sweating in his seat.

"Does the defendant have anything to say?"

The lawyer nervously looks down and shakes his head.

The judge sighs and looks ahead,

"With the brief explanation and hearing the closing arguments, I have come to make the decision with the evidences provided to me, that the plaintiff was found to be not guilty and all the allegations put up against late fahad siddque was false and he was framed in a murder. Looking at the lack of evidence on the defendant side, I may announce a death sentence to Emir Gerdezi, to be hanged publicly for his crimes in human trafficking, kidnapping, framed murders and money laundering. Along with a lifetime of imprisonment to Danish Ali for attempted kidnapping and ruining the peace of the city by threat bombing. All the workers working under Emir Gerdezi must be given thirty years imprisonment. I therefore announce that late officer Fahad siddque was not guilty and did not commit a suicide as potrayed previously."

The court gets adjourned and people start leaving after the judge, but I sat there taking it all in, the words repeating in my head continuously,

Tears roll down my face as the words of the judge kept repeating in my ears,

Fahad siddque was not guilty.

He was innocent.

The world knows it now. My brother is innocent. It is proved.

"You did it Farhan." Ayesha says happily, "You did it."

I don't know how to talk, I nod looking at her, she had tears in her eyes but had a wide smile.

I did it.

I grab her hand, my heart beating dangerously in my victory, the smile on my face deter as I see the police dragging Emir away from the court.

Wiping my tears, I get from the bench and step in front of Emir Gerdezi, who stood in front of me in prisoner's uniform with his hands tied down behind his back, he was held down by two officers like a wild animal.

And it was the most satisfying thing of my whole life.

I step forward and look directly in his eyes, "Tell me now Gerdezi, did the fire destroyed you?" I dust off the specks from Emir's shoulder, "Remember, ropes are always better than bullet."

I hear Ayesha's gasp behind me as Emir tries to charge on me, but gets held down by the officers beside him and is dragged from the court room, he kept screaming but was held down by the officers,

To the destination he really deserves. Which my brother fought for years. It happened today.

Ayesha grabs my hand and I look at her,

Are you alright?

Yes I am.

I give her a nod and look behind her shoulder to see mama and baba silently wiping their tears.

My throat clogs up seeing them, Ayesha gestures me to go to them, I give her palm a kiss before walking over to them,

I walk towards them and kneel down holding both of theirs hands, "We did it."

Baba shakes his head, "No my son, you did it."

Mama nods, "You did what you always wanted, you gave your brother the justice he deserved."

"I am so proud of you my son." Baba says keeping his hand on my shoulder, "I cannot tell you how much happiness you have given me today."

"I did nothing," I shake my head, "It wasn't only me."

"Give yourself some credit, bhai." Mina says softly, "You completed something which Fahad bhai started and you won."

I mutter to myself still not believing my surroundings, "I did that?"

"Yes you did my child." Mama says giving my head a kiss.

"I still can't believe we are seeing this day," Mina chuckles, "This fight was so long, I never thought it would end, but here we are."

"There is media outside, waiting for your interview, Mr. Siddque." I turn to my right listening mamu's voice, he was standing beside Ayesha with a slight hint of smile on his face, "Would you like me to escort you out to your car?"

I wipe my tears and walk towards him, "Thank you so much mamu, you were the golden step to my win. It wouldn't been possible without you."

"Come on now." He scoffs silently, Ayesha nudges him forward and he reluctantly moves forward to give me a hug.

"They are so awkward, I swear." Murat mutters beside Ayesha.

I step away and Murat shakes my hand, "Nice to work with you Mr. Siddque."

I let out a chuckle, "Thank you Mr. Abbas."

Ayesha watches with a smile on her face, "What say, let's go out?" She extends her hand, "To a new start?"

I grab her hand and nod looking back at my parents and sister who were looking at me with a wide smiles on their faces, "A new start."

***

I stare down at the headstone and kneel down beside it,

Removing my sunglasses I trace the name of my brother on the stone.

Baba sits down on the stone beside the grave and looks at the headstone, he places his shaky hand on the grave and whispers, "My son."

This was the first he is here since bhai's death. I've lived in Ankara, I used to visit him all the time but baba didn't, the last he was here, we were burying bhai's body.

And I couldn't think of a better day to bring him here.

"Do you remember Farhan the last time we came here with him, we were so distressed, people called him so many names, accused him, and today.." I swallow the lump in my throat, "Today he got the justice he deserved, people are apologising now."

"They are apologising..." I whisper hoarsely, "Everyone knows he is innocent."

I look at baba hearing him cry as he moves his hands across the grave as if he could feel his son under his hands.

"They said so wrong about my son," he cries looking down at the grave, "What not had they said, how many names...he listened everything silently."

I move towards him and hold him by his shoulders. "Fahad didn't said any bad word, didn't complain, he took everything silently. They killed my son. They killed my son."

"Look now baba.." I say through my tears, "He got his justice...his killer got punished, he is innocent, everything he worked for, everything he ever asked for we got today.."

Baba nods, "My son is innocent." He laughs looking around, "The whole world knows now, my son was a hero, he got his victory today."

He looks down at the grave, "Fahad..my son, you won. Your brother did it for you. You got your victory my son. Your..your mother and I miss you very much..."

I cry holding my father,

"We miss you everyday," he cries, "There isn't a day we don't miss you... nothing could replace you my precious boy."

I look at him as he cries holding the mud on the grave, "Baba please don't cry."

"I am...I am happy today..so happy, your brother, your little brother completed what you started, he made all of us so proud, and I know you must be so proud too.."

Baba turns to look at me and holds my face in his hands, "I don't know if I ever said this enough...but you really handled your family so well... you became our rock, sacrificed so much for us, I don't know if I could ever thank you for that."

"Baba," I hold his hands, "Don't thank me, it wasn't my duty, if I don't look after you then who will? It was the least after I could do to fill the void bhai left."

"And you did it so well.." he says, "So well."

I wrap my arms around him and bring him in a hug, grieving, happy, emotional, overwhelmed every feeling expressed in one hug.

"We got everything we fought for." Baba whispers, "The cost was too heavy but you did it my son."

"I did nothing," I deny, "Allah guided me to everything. He takes and he gives, everything is done by him."

"Indeed it is." Baba sighs looking at the grave, "Indeed it is." He looks at me, his eyes shining with pride, "I am the most proud father...he took my son, but gave him a position of a martyr, I am not sad. I am proud of both of my sons."

A gush of wind passes through us and the leaves from the tree above us falls down,

I look up with a smile, "Fahad siddque got his justice today."

****

"Farhan?" I heard Ayesha call my name before she walks towards me, "What are you doing here?"

I look up at the dark sky and reply, "Looking at the sky, feeling content knowing the day I dreamed of was today...I want to absorb this day as much as I could."

She leans on the balcony railing and looks up, "Tell me how does it feel like?"

I smile, "So light, so peaceful. And you know I am having this feeling because I put my trust on Allah rather than fighting on my own. Now that I think, I don't think I could've experienced this feeling if I went with my original plan of killing Emir."

"And.." I look at her to see her already looking up at me with a smile on her face, "And you were my guiding light to it....now I understand the play of destiny. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have get to experience this feeling."

She chuckles, "We don't realise how our destiny plays, we humans always want to do our own, for once it wouldn't hurt so much to put your trust on Allah and watch our lives get fold into something even more beautiful than we imagined."

I bring my arm around her shoulder and bring her closer to me, "You know what else I realised after praying nafil with you?"

"What?"

"You are best gift given to me." I say giving her forehead a kiss, "Now I truly understand why marriage is said to complete your half deen."

She grabs my hand, "Our destinies completed our half deen, promise me we will complete the rest half together, guiding each other and always be there for each other, to be together in this lifetime and in jannah too?"

I give knuckles a kiss, "Inshallah we will."

She rests her head on my chest, her eyes on the dark sky, letting out a sigh she asks, "Farhan?"

"Hm?" I ask bringing my arms around her back.

"What do you think...of starting our own little family?" She asks lifting her head up from my chest,

I look down at her and move the strands away from her face, "I think I could handle a boy.. I don't know anything about girls."

She laughs, "We will learn everything slowly."

I nod and bring her closer to me, running my hand through her hairs,

"But a daughter sounds exciting."

She nuzzles her face in my chest. "And a son to me."

"We will see." I chuckle, "Let's go down to see what our family planned."

"Yeah let's go." She says grabbing my hand again, and walking out of the balcony.

"Let me grab my hijab real quick." She says walking towards the dressing table.

She ties up her hair and wraps her hijab around her head, she catches my eye through the mirror and raises her eyebrows,

"Can't a man admire his beautiful wife?" I ask looking at her,

She blushes looking down, "You never a miss a chance do you?"

"Why would I?" I say extending my hand towards her, "Shall we Mrs. Siddque?"

She places her hand in mine, "With you, Always Mr. Siddque."

Hand in hand we both walk downstairs to our whole family and friends waiting for us downstairs.

"And here is our beautiful couple!" Mina gushes seeing us stepping down the stairs,

"Come on Mina." Ayesha shakes her head, her cheeks turning crimson.

Mama and Ayesha's mother walk towards us with a wide smile,

"My two beautiful kids." Mama says giving both of us a hug.

Ayesha's mother gives her a hug and smiles tapping my arm, "Today I could say you really fulfilled the promised you made to me."

Ayesha frowns looking between us, "What promise?"

"That's our little thing you know." I say throwing my arm around her mom's shoulder, "Why should we tell you?"

Ayesha chuckles mockingly, folding her arms, "So we are making teams?" She brings my mom towards her and grabs her arm, "Alright then."

"You two." Her mom chuckles tapping my hand, "A mother doesn't need sides to love."

"Exactly," mama says, "We both really love you two equally."

"Mama we were just joking, of course we know you both love us equally." Ayesha says to mama and hold her mom's hand,

"Alright!" Mina butts in, "Everyone is here, let's go outside come on come on!"

Both of our mom's give us last smiles before walking out to our backyard where Mina organised the party.

Two days after the trial, today Emir Gerdezi was publicly hanged to death. It couldn't be a better day for us to celebrate with our family. So my over the top sister decided to throw a small get together and invited our friends and family to celebrate with us.

We all step out in the backyard and I look around at the large dinner table in the middle of our garden, decorated with colourful table cloth with candles on it, the ambience enhances more with the fairy lights hanged around the bushes and tress.

"FB!" I heard Yousuf's voice and walk towards them where he was standing with Bilal, Hajra, their son, daniyal, Hasnain and Dorok.

He is the first one to hug me and for the first time in four years I feel lighter around them, like they are more than just business to me.

I know they weren't, but it feels good to accept it.

Ayesha greets them all and talks for a while until she sees her friends entering the backyard,

"Mina invited them too?" She asks excitedly, "Excuse me, I will be back in a while."

She happily walks towards them and hugs the three of them.

"I didn't knew she is going to be here too, damn it." Dorok hisses, opening the front camera of his phone and adjusts his hairs.

"Leave her sometime." I say shoving his shoulder.

"Look at Murat, flying like a butterfly in front of his fiancée. Can someone say he was the lawyer who was giving solid evidences in court?" Yousuf chuckles looking at Murat,

"That's my sister." Dorok mutters dryly.

"I know." Yousuf replies.

"Where did Bilal went?" I ask looking around for him,

"He will be right back." Hajra says cheerfully, "A little surprise."

Ayesha calls Hajra to introduce to her friends, she pushes her son in my arms, "Here do some practice you might need it." She says before walking over to Ayesha.

"That's one way." I mutter looking at her son in my arms who gives me a toothless smile and pulls on my beard.

Yousuf looks over my shoulder, ignoring my misery and frowns, "Hey I know her."

I look behind me to see Fanaa baji walking in and is greeted by mama and Mina.

"She works at the hospital I am doing my home job at." Yousuf says. "One of the most important and kindest doctor of our hospital."

"She is my cousin." I say looking at her greeting Ayesha and her friends,

"Wow really? My boss is my ex boss's cousin? That's so weird isn't it nain?" Yousuf asks nain who just shakes his head.

Mina walks in the middle of the garden and claps getting everyone's attention,

"Now that everyone is here, why don't we all take our seats? Dinner is about to be served! Come in everyone."

As I start to walk Daniyal starts fussing around more and I could hear Dorok and Yousuf laughing at my struggle to shush him.

Hajra laughs walking towards me and takes him from me, Ayesha walks over to my side and chuckles grabbing my arm. "Seems like someone would need a little practice."

"A lot." I chuckle walking over to the table seeing everyone sitting on their chairs, according to their name tags, arranged by Mina.

"And you both's seats are here." Mina says pointing at the two seats placed as the head of the table.

"Why here?" I ask, stopping in front of the table.

"Yeah we are not bride and groom." Ayesha says as Mina directs us to our chairs,

"You both will forever be my bride and groom, now sit down." She ushers us down and taps her feet looking at the entrance,

"Here they are!" She claps before taking her seat between mama and Hajra on my left side.

I look at the entrance and smile seeing Bilal walking in with his brother on the wheelchair,

I get up from my seat and walk towards them, giving Babar a smile, I kneel before him.

He laughs holding my hands, "No matter the time, a siddque completed what one started. Congratulations on your victory."

I shake my head, "You played a major role in it too, congratulations to you too."

He laughs tapping my shoulder, I get up moving aside, "Join in."

He nods and Bilal pushes his wheelchair forward, Bilal pauses and gives me a hug before placing his brother's wheelchair on the empty space beside his chair. Now I understand why there was an empty spot between Bilal and Yousuf's chair.

I get back on my seat and Ayesha says, "Mina made the sides so spot on." She says pointing at her parents next to her side, her brother and his fiancée Safa next to them, Sakina beside her and Dorok next to her, beside him, Sania's husband Affan and next to him, his wife, Sania and at the end of the table opposite to us were two seats the same as us, on one Fanaa baji sat on Sania's side and the one next to her was empty.

After everyone settled down, I frown looking at the empty chair beside Fanaa baji.

"Is anyone left to arrive?" Ayesha asks pointing at the empty seat.

Mina gives a small smile and I instantly get it before she says, "On one side my one brother...on the other side my other....brother."

The table falls silent and everyone stare at the empty seat beside Fanaa baji with glum eyes.

Fanaa baji looks beside her as if she could see him really seated next to her.

The cheeriness which was buzzing on the table now simmers down as everyone stares at the empty chair, someone sees their son in it, some see their brother, some sees as their old friend, some see as the unsung hero who was wronged, one sees as her lover.

"It is really nice Mina." I say breaking the silence on the table.

Everyone was still silent at the table, an idea comes up to me,

I clear my throat and get up from my seat, taking a fork I clink it against the glass, diverting everyone's attention to me.

"First of all, I would like to thank everyone for joining us today and mina." She looks at me wiping under her eyes, "You did an amazing job."

She shakes her head. Hajra pinches her cheeks as everyone claps for her.

"As you all are aware, today me and my family are celebrating something which we all have unknowingly fought for past five years."

I look at my parents who gives me a supportive smile,

"My brother was on a road to make this world a better place to live, but people didn't let him, he was lead down, defamed, called names. But that didn't stopped him from doing what he wanted, he is an inspiration for us, to always do what you want to, the right things which you expect from this world, try to do it yourself.."

I sigh looking ahead, "All these years, after his death, I craved for his revenge. I was hurt and angry and that drove me to my path to revenge."

"I had it all planned out, I recruited my own team, my friend, Bilal, Dorok and these two talented boys I met, Yousuf and Hasnain, they had a passion for their talents, so I took them in and made a team to hunt down Emir all the while keeping it a secret."

There were known glances and gasps from the table.

"Unexpected I know," I nod, "Nothing mattered to me more than my revenge. I was ready to go greater lengths to reach my enemy. My friends over here was with me, my team helping me lay out my plan. I always thought this is all I want and if it happens, I would be happy. But I was wrong."

I look beside me to see Ayesha giving me an encouraging smile,

"If it wasn't for my wife to tell me that forgiving is much better than revenge, I wouldn't be here. I would not have experienced the win I felt in the court. There would've nothing but conscious regret in me..because I realised forgiving and putting your trust on Allah is much easier than that.

"As much as it hurts to say, I forgive the killer of my brother and left everything on my prayer, and when I did, I got my answer faster than my struggle in the past few years. Emir faced his consequences of his own actions. And I escaped from mine, which was the best thing to do."

I look at my left side to my friends,

"Bilal, Yousuf, Hasnain thank you for always accessing me in my plans, you all are amazing friends and I am sorry for leading you down suddenly—"

Yousuf cuts me off, "Come on FB, I think it was very clear that your win is our win. No matter how, weather you do it or by the court, we all got what we always wished for and that's what it matters."

Bilal nods, "Yousuf is right, and don't you feel guilty, it's a family thing and we won. Our brother's initiated it and we don't care how we won, what important is that you are content, and so are we."

I chuckle and look at Hasnain who gives a barely there smile and nods. And that's the affirmation I need from him.

"Thank you for understanding me." I say contently, "The thing I realise from all of this is that friends and family's unity is the most precious form of gift anyone could get. And from recent accidents, all I would say is always value your family because at the end of the day, they are the only people who would wait for you, be happy with you, stay with you in every trial of life, don't push them away, my brother always taught us that and now I understand it even more."

I look at my parents and Mina to see them having teary eyes. I look at my friends and gesture at them and at Ayesha's friends,

"And in family also comes supportive friends like all of you, who is there by our sides no matter what. Whoever said friends are the family we choose, they were right."

They all smiled looking at us, I take a look at them before saying,

"Today we won the long due justice for my brother, and I don't think there is a better way to celebrate it," I point at Babar, "Thank you for joining us Babar. And also thank you for guiding me, today was not only justice for Fahad siddque but also for his group who was there with him, stood with him in his difficult time, Deniz and Alp isn't here, but you are and you really deserve the appreciation on behalf of everyone."

Tears shone in his eyes as everyone clapped for him.

"After today," I say as everyone look back at me, "There would be new start for most of us, specially me, to apply what I've learned in my these years. There was a dark time, there are many demons hid in the dark, which even I couldn't see, but one day," I look beside me, my wife gives me a teary smile, "One day a light was pushed in my life and it was so bright that it burned down every demon in my life, and now I can see nothing except that light."

There was awing and chuckles from the table as I looked at Ayesha.

"I really hope." I say looking at them, "Everyone finds that push from their darkness."

I look at Fanaa's baji and she gives me a smile. Tears evident in her eyes.

She gives a nod, and I smile back.

"Now Mina," I look at her who was wiping away last of her tears, "Where is the food in your party?"

Mina laughs and gestures me to sit down, "Let me do it the dramatic way." She raises and her hands and claps two times.

A line of uniformed servers walk in from the backyard door with various food items in their hands and place it on the table, in less than ten seconds the long table was filed with lines of various food items, from appetisers to starters to the main course and desserts.

"Wow Mina." Ayesha chuckles, "Quite an organiser huh?"

Mina waves back, "One of my many talents."

We all chuckle and start eating our dinner with evident laugh, jokes, light hearted conversations, teasing and many dad jokes.

Every single member on the table had a smile on the table, everyone taking turns to tell a story and share a laugh.

Between those laughs and warmth my eyes drifted to the empty chair opposite to me and for a moment, just a moment, I saw a glimpse of him.

How he would be seated beside his partner Fanaa, how he would also join in to a share a laugh and give high fives to Babar, how he would join Mina to tease me and Ayesha, and then we would take turns to tease him and fanaa baji, who would just hide her face and would look at her husband lovingly.

But the reality set in, and the chair was empty again.

It pained my heart, but now I know and accept he is in a much better place than here. Away from us but still much better and in peace.

It would be impossible for me to forget him, the pain from his death will always be there, but his life before it will also be there, A lesson, A memory. A beautiful one.

An unforgettable one.

I felt my wife squeezing my hand, I turn to look at her and she gives me a warm smile.

I squeeze her hand in return,

You good?

I am fine, I promise.

I have a future to build now, with my wife. With my parents. Every thread binding me to my darkness snapped today and got lost in that darkness.

Because now, all I could see is my light. If the laughs of the people surrounding the table wasn't evident of it, I know more than that it will always be there.

And I couldn't thank Allah more than this.

***************

*****

A/N:-

YOU GUYS JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT AND THEN EPILOGUE

OMIGODOMIGODOMIGODOMIGODOMIGOD

AHHHHHHHHHHHH

I AM NERVOUS AND EXCITED

DO TELL HOW WAS THE CHAPTER!

Also I have completed writing this whole story so how should I update? Each chapter in two days or once in a week?

Vote. Comment. Share. 💕