The Cautionary Tale of Laila and Qais

Laila and Qais grew up next door to one another. Separated by a year, Qais's family moved in when he was just two years old. As young children do they grew up living in each other's houses. They played together as toddlers, games of "Cops and Robbers" and "Tea Parties" too.

As the years passed the two grew ever closer until they were virtually inseparable. By the time they reached high school they were much closer than any brother or sister; yet despite the urgings of mutual friends their relationship remained completely platonic.

Laila's beauty had had been apparent since she was a toddler but by the time she reached standard nine she had blossomed into a beautiful women. Despite being pursued by many young men she remained aloof until she began to be courted by Raees.

Raees, seemed to have it all, the scion of a prominent extremely wealthy family, he was also exceptionally handsome. His father an influential politician was grooming him to follow in his footsteps. Laila, wowed by the attention, fell for him hard. Qais, that firm friend of hers, wishing for her only the best, encouraged the blossoming romance. The idyllic life she imagined was illusory; one night after a romantic dinner he took her to a friend's apartment and attempted to rape her.

The trauma was unimaginable, the mental scarring seemed permanent. It probably would have been been without the support of Qais. On her journey through her own mental hell, he was with her every step of the way. Of course, the whole incident was hushed up, the police pressurised to lose the case. A few rumours bubbled around, but by and large, it was as if it never happened.

Three years later, Qais's mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. His father, always a hale, hearty man; seemed to collapse overnight. It took his mother four long years to die; his father almost an automaton the entire time. Only Laila's presence kept him sane as he tried to care for both his parents. They both somehow managed to finish their degrees during this tumultuous time.

Despite the hardships that they both faced; the two were a popular pair during their college years collecting friends by the dozen. At the urging of their many mutual friends they attempted a romance, it lasted almost a whole year before Laila broke it off.

"I don't think it's going to work" she said, to the stunned Qais. He slumped to the floor, "why?", he whispered. "It's not you it's me, i'm still not ready for this, for us". "I thought i'd fall madly, deeply, in love and it hasn't happened .. you know I love you as a friend - more than that almost like a brother. And we'l be best friends forever." The shocked Qais mutely nodded his head .. this abrupt end had left him speechless. "Don't be sad", she said stroking his head, "and certainly no crying", i'l still be here for you and you'l be here for me.. but as friends the way we used to be". Qais quiet acquiescence the product of his deep love for her, but more than that his desire to see her life filled with joy.

One short year later, their lives were forever changed, transformed by the arrival of Naeem. Witty, erudite, handsome and with a well paying job for a major corporation, he swept Laila off her feet. Within six months they were engaged, with the wedding set for six months later.

One week before the wedding, Laila called Qais, "we need to talk she said". Qais, his head spinning with the dozens of problems that could have emerged with a week to go before the wedding, agreed to meet her later that night for coffee. "Qais," she wept "I can't see you anymore". "What do you mean?", he asked, puzzled. "It's Naeem", she sobbed, "he feels threatened, by you. By the fact that we once had a romantic relationship". "But, but," Qais stammered "that ended, we ended it, almost two years ago now, how can he possibly feel threatened?". "I don't know Qais, but he threatened to leave, if I didn't agree to stop seeing you, to stop speaking to you, to stop being friends with you. And I like him, really I do; I want to marry him, spend my life with him. You want me to be happy don't you?".

"Of course I do", Qais breathing the words out. "You know, that all I want is happiness for you, that i'd give almost anything for your happiness". "So then?", she asked; "After the wedding, at which I will give you away, you won't see me again; Insh Allah, one day he'll come to his senses and realise that i'm no threat. But until then, I will abide by his wishes, so that you may know happiness." The words came from him, in one single exhalation, his upper lip trembling, his eyes, clouded over with tears, struggling to contain them. He rose from the table, "and now let me be off, before anyone should accuse us of some impropriety".

Many years have passed, Laila, in the terminal stages of cancer, wishes she could see Qais. The years have been good to her and Naeem, their marriage a happy one; their children, her beauty shining in them were themselves happily married. But still, she wished she could see her old friend once more, not that she knew where he was; despite the passing of the years, Naeem had never relented on the promise he had extracted from her almost fifty years ago.

Scant weeks have passed, the mourners slowly adding the last handfuls of sand to her grave; a wizened old man stands amongst the trees. "Oh Laila", he sighs; "how I wished that I may speak with you just once before we departed from this world". It begins to drizzle, as the mourners disperse, he slowly approaches the grave. "I think it's time for me to be with you again", he says as he stretches himself out and lies down, next to her grave.