The little bell above the bakery door rang again—ting…
As soon as Emma left, the woman—the owner of the bakery—had just turned to attend to other customers when a new face appeared at the door.
A boy, about sixteen, slim, a backpack slung across his shoulders.
His hair was slightly messy, but there was a strange calm on his face.
He smiled and said—
“Hello sister, I’d like two sandwiches and a chocolate cake, please… and if possible, could you make the cake in a little heart shape? Because it’s for my dear friend Ena.”
There was a soft innocence in his voice.
The baker smiled—
“Of course… but you’ll need to wait 15 minutes.”
She noted down the order and walked towards the kitchen.
Outside, a gentle wind was blowing.
Between the mist on the window and the warmth inside, the boy slowly sat down near the counter.
His eyes wandered over the corners of the bakery, as if trying to recognize a place he had never seen before.
As soon as he sat down, he pulled out a small, old box from his bag, its lid covered in a thin layer of dust. Cleaning it with his hand, he whispered softly—
“Today… I’ll give this to Ena.”
And then he looked out of the window—at the cold street, the cars, and that same parked car where, just moments ago, Emma was hugging her mom, holding her pineapple cake.
Inside the kitchen, while decorating the cake, the woman paused for a moment.
A strange thought crossed her mind—
“Since morning, so many new faces have come in. Maybe this little bakery is no longer just about cakes. Perhaps people are drawn here for some other reason too.”
When she came back, she saw the boy still gazing out of the window, a faint smile lingering on his lips.
She asked softly—
“What’s your name?”
The boy turned suddenly, and then smiled—
“Rayyan… Rayyan Malik.”
And his fingers tightened around the little box beside his bag.
The next 15 minutes passed in the scent of baking chocolate and the quiet thudding of Rayyan’s heart.
He kept looking from the clock to the window, as if waiting for someone.
And when at last the heart-shaped chocolate cake was placed in front of him, there was a soft sparkle in his eyes.
But… who was Ena?
Why was that little box so precious to Rayyan?
Was this bakery just a bakery, or was this small town about to witness the beginning of a new story?
After Rayyan left, the bakery door closed again with that same little sound—ting…
The sweet fragrance of cake still lingered in the air, but what followed was a peculiar silence.
The woman—who had only recently started her life over in this foreign city—stepped out from behind the counter and sank into a chair.
Empty chair, quiet air, and a mind full of unspoken voices.
“I don’t know why, but seeing that boy today has brought someone back to my memory… someone from a very long time ago.”
A tremor rose deep in her heart.
It had been a whole year since she shifted to Canada.
She had thought that in the noise of this bakery and the crowd of a strange city, she would leave everything behind—but the truth was, what she had been running away from had never really left her. It had followed her like a shadow into her soul.
Her eyes began to grow moist.
Looking out at the snow falling softly beyond the window, she whispered to herself—
“What kind of life is this… walking on strange paths? One thing never moves aside, and another never lets me forget myself.”
She bent forward on the chair and slowly rested her head on the table.
“All roads, all travelers… keep wandering like this. Even when the destination is right in front of them, sometimes the path just doesn’t appear.”
Behind her closed eyelids, she saw that old house again—that empty courtyard of the haveli, and those still, waiting eyes looking at her.
She thought—
“Will it ever end? Or wherever I go, will this story always walk beside me?”
Outside, snowflakes were falling lightly.
Inside, the clock in the corner of the bakery kept ticking softly.
But in that moment, her heart repeated just one thing—
“How long can I keep running?”
Zoboriya had her head resting on the table.
Her fingers traced slow, invisible words onto the wooden surface—things she couldn’t bring herself to say.
Outside, the cold wind brushed against the glass windows.
Inside, despite the oven’s warmth, an unfamiliar chill settled into her heart.
“Zoboriya…”
The name was spoken softly, but it carried a mother’s entire love.
She didn’t flinch.
She simply sat there, listening to that voice without lifting her head.
And then—those same hands that had been wiping away her tears since childhood came to rest gently on her hair once again.
Slowly, Zoboriya lifted her head.
Her eyes were wet, but there was a faint, weary smile on her lips.
“What is it, my child?” her mother asked tenderly. “Why are you sitting like this?”
Zoboriya sat up straight.
She looked at her mother—and then suddenly took her hands into her own.
“Nothing, Mom. It’s just that sometimes, certain bitter truths of the past pull us back for no reason.”
There was no complaint in her voice, only tiredness… and depth.
Then she pressed her mother’s hands to her eyes, as if this was the only place in the world where all her exhaustion could disappear.
“But Mom… as long as you and Dad are with me, I don’t need anyone else.”
Her mother’s heart filled up.
She pulled her daughter into a deep embrace.
In that small moment, after a very long time, a true smile returned to Zoboriya’s face.
Outside, snow was falling quietly.
Inside, a mother’s arms held all of her daughter’s sorrow still for a little while.
🔹 What Could Happen Next in This Story?
Ena is not just an ordinary friend—she represents hope for Rayyan. She may be a girl battling an illness, or a relationship struggling against time itself.
That small box Rayyan carries could symbolize a promise, a ring, a letter, or a precious childhood memory—something he has protected for a long time.
Zoboriya’s past may be connected to Rayyan in ways not yet revealed. Perhaps Rayyan is unknowingly linked to that old haveli and the story Zoboriya once lived.
The bakery is not merely a place—it is becoming a junction of destiny, where broken souls cross paths without realizing how deeply they are connected.
In the coming parts, coincidences will slowly turn into revelations, and silence will begin to speak.
🔹 What Do We Learn From This Story?
Every smile hides a story.
No matter how far we run, the past finds us at the right moment.
A mother’s love is the strongest refuge in the world.
Some relationships are felt deeply even without words.
Life does not change with noise—it transforms quietly, knocking softly on the door.
🔹 Next Short Part
Next Part: “The Name Ena”
That evening, Rayyan didn’t go home directly.
He stood across the street, the bakery still in sight, the cake box held tightly in his hands.
His phone buzzed.
Ena:
Did you get it?
Rayyan smiled.
Rayyan:
Yes. Heart-shaped. Just like you like.
There was a pause.
Then one message appeared—
“I wish I could come with you someday… to that bakery.”
Rayyan looked at the glowing window one last time.
Inside, Zoboriya was cleaning the counter, unaware that fate had already circled her name once again.
And somewhere between a boy’s promise and a woman’s memories,
the story quietly moved forward.
🔹 A Thank You Message for Readers 💌
Readers,
Thank you from the heart for reading this story, for feeling it, and for giving it a place in your soul.
Every pause, every emotion, and every moment you spent with these characters keeps this story alive.
I hope the silent beginning of Rayyan, Ena, and Zoboriya touched your heart.
Stay connected for what comes next—
because some stories unfold slowly, under the soft light of patience and hope
https://afsanawahidwrites.blogspot.com/2026/01/rukhsati-ka-faisla-kandil-doctor-bakhsh-story.html
https://timespeakestruth.blogspot.com/2025/12/tata-harrier-safari-petrol-launch-2025.html
No comments:
Post a Comment