The Last Ride

Hammad Mehboob heard his son’s voice, full of joy and wonder. “Father! Father! Look at our new car!” Musa shouted with glee, running towards the shiny orange Lamborghini parked outside their mansion. “Can we go for a ride, please?” The seven-year-old boy did not know that his father could only hear him, but could not or speak to him. He was in a coma, his body connected to machines that kept him alive. His wife Rahmah sat by his bedside, praying for a miracle. Hammad had everything a man could dream of: fame, fortune, success. But he had nothing that truly mattered: love, family, happiness. He had lost his parents and his sister in a brutal robbery, his first wife and his unborn child in a tragic accident, and his health and happiness in a stressful career. He had everything he ever wanted, except the one thing he needed: a family. After hearing the words of his son Hammad Mehboob could not control his emotions, a tear popped up from his left eye, flew down, and soaked in the pillow, he started crying but he could not help.

He remembered the day his father hugged him proudly, praising him for his academic achievement. He got second position in the city exam, a remarkable feat for a poor village boy. His father was a sweeper who worked hard to pay for his education. His mother was a seamstress who tried to help with the expenses. They had been invited to the village head’s house for dinner, a rare honor. They had been so happy then.

He thought of his first wife, Nosheen, the woman he loved more than anything. He had married her against the will of his parents. Nosheen was unhappy with his busy life, as he had no time for her. She had asked for a divorce once, but he had refused. He had been in an important meeting outside the city, when his pregnant wife met a horrible accident. He had ignored the phone calls, thinking they were not urgent. Bano, the maid, had taken her to the hospital with the help of the other servants, Ayna and Ali. Nosheen had no family nearby, as her parents lived abroad. She had been alone with Hammad, who had lost his parents and sister years ago. When Hammad reached the hospital, the doctor told him that they could not save his wife and baby. He had collapsed with guilt and grief. He had cried until he had no tears left. His second wife, Rahmah, had tried to console him, but he had pushed her away. He had slept for a while, hoping to find some peace, but he had found none. He had never been happy in his professional life, not even for a day.

He opened his eyes and saw a family picture on the wall. He was 18, smiling with his parents and his sister. His sister, Noor, was just 6. He had offered his parents to live in the city with him, but they had refused. His mother had also asked him to live with them, but he had chosen his work and business over them. One night, when he was in the city, some robbers had broken into his house in the village. They had taken the little jewelry they had, and killed his parents and sister. He had complained to the court, but some of his friends had advised him to focus on his work, as they were gone and never coming back. He had been angry with his friends, but he had eventually forgotten about the incident. He had sold the village house and left the village forever.

Today was his son’s 7th birthday, and the mansion was full of preparations for the party. Rich and famous people were coming. Rahmah had asked him not to go to the office, but he had gone anyway, promising to come back early. He had ordered an orange Lamborghini, the car he had dreamed of for 20 years. On his way back, a truck had crashed into his car. He had lost consciousness, and the doctors had told his wife that he would never walk again, and that he had blood clots in his brain that had put him in a coma.

At 43, Hammad realized that he had wasted his life chasing degrees, fame, and money, instead of making his family his priority. He had changed his life from a poor anonymous Hammad to a rich successful Hammad, but he had never lived or enjoyed his life. He had worked day and night, but he had never given enough time to his son and his wife. . He hurt the feelings of his blood relations as they left him, and who were alive and needed him, he was going to leave them. Suddenly a white-dressed angle appeared he knew that his time came so he closed his eyes slowly.

Disclaimer: The story has already been published on other platforms.