Syed: What did you say?

Syed had finally broken the stunned silence that hung in the air.

Zainab: Please Syed.

Syed: No, mum you can't just ...

Zainab: Syed please. Don't.

Syed: You can't just say something like that to me and not expect me to...

Zainab sat in silence, blocking out everything he was saying, trying her hardest to block out the images that came flooding back to her mind.

Syed: Mum! Stop ignoring me! Tell me what happ...

Zainab. Syed!

Her voice was shrill as it stop him

Zainab: It was a long time ago. A very long time ago. Please, I'm asking you to leave it.

Syed sat next to her, his wide eyes never leaving her face. She couldn't bear to look at him.

Syed: How can I? You can't tell me something like that and not expect me to ask you about it.

Zainab: I know what it's like Syed, I know what you're going through.

Syed. Really?!

Zainab: Yes, really.

Syed: You what this feels like do you? You know how much I'm hurting? How I know I shouldn't feel like this but there's nothing I can do about it? How I should stay away from the only person I've ever loved? You know all that do you? You know but you'll still let me go through with this? You'll let me be miserable?! Let me hurt?! What's wrong with you mum? I'm yours son! I'm your own flesh and blood! But you still want me to suffer?!

Zainab: It's the better option, believe me.

Syed: You're not making any sense mum!

Zainab: We could loose everything Syed! Can't you see that!

Syed: I already have lost everything mum! If I can't be with him then I have nothing. He's everything to me mum! Everything.

Zainab: Well he can't be. This has to stop Syed, it has to!

Syed: Stop changing the subject!

Zainab: I'm not!

Syed: Why won't you tell me what happened to you?!

Zainab: Syed...

Syed: Tell me!!!

Zainab: I was burnt!

Syed stared at his mother while she sobbed.

Zainab: I was burnt for loving him.

Zainab looked at him before dropping her eyes again. Syed could see the pain in her face and linked his hands with hers. He had gone too far as he realised that he had no idea who his mother really was. Her life before he was born was a complete mystery to him.

Syed: Please mum. Talk to me.

His soft voice calmed the atmosphere instantly while Zainab spoke through struggled words.

Zainab: I... can't.

Her entire body shook as she closed her eyes, her tears flowing quickly. Syed pulled her into him and felt her body break in his arms. Suddenly he realised that she did understand. He could feel her justification for everything she'd said and done at the wedding in his arms, as though it was emitting from her.

Syed: Why didn't you tell me before?

Zainab: What? And have you realise what sort of woman your mother really is? I brought shame to everyone Syed, everyone. I'm tainted.

Syed: You're still my mother.

Zainab looked up at him, surprise in her eyes and held him tightly, her relief that he wasn't rejecting her apparent.

Zainab: You're a good boy Syed.

Syed: Mum, I love you. You're the reason I'm here. How could I ever think badly of you?

Zainab: You could never think badly of anyone Syed. It's not in your nature.

Syed: So tell me mum. Please.

Zainab took a deep breath and began. Her voice trembling from a mixture of fear and anxiety.

Zainab: I knew the moment I saw your father for the first time that I had found him. The One! Love at first sight he called it.

She chuckled softly to herself.

Zainab: He still does. I tried Syed, I tried so hard to stay away from him but nothing I did worked. Everywhere I went he was there and I'd fall for him all over again. Every single time. Then he noticed me and that was it. I knew then that I would never forget the way his eyes smiled at mine the first time they met and I was his from that moment on. Nothing in the world could stop the way I felt about him.

Syed could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke but said nothing.

Zainab: Do you want to know what his first words to me were? "Do you believe in love at first sight or do I have to walk past you again?" I laughed so much! And the smile never left my face, not until I walked away from him. I had never seen such a beautiful man before. His eyes called at me every time we met, begged me to look into them. As much as I tried to resist I couldn't. For months we fought against each other, against what we felt, what we knew was right. But we couldn't stop it. Life threw us together so many times that we couldn't stay away from each other no matter how hard we tried.

Syed held her tighter, pulling her gently into his arms. Reassurance that he was there for her.

Zainab: We began an affair. The moment his hand touched me I knew I was in love. Your father was risking everything for me, just as much as I was risking for him. He begged me to leave my husband, that we could just run away together. He swore he'd protect me and I knew he would. I never doubted a word he said.

Zainab stopped talking.

Syed: Mum? What happened.

Zainab: Inzamam found us together.

Her voice turned bitter at the mention of his name. And Syed finally understood why she avoided his uncle whenever she could.

Zainab: He told us to stop, that his family's name would be destroyed. And we tried Syed, we really tried. But it didn't last. I couldn't not be with him. I was never unfaithful to my husband Syed, never. But just to be in another man's company was enough for punishment. When we couldn't take anymore, when we just couldn't keep away from each other Inzamam told everyone. And that was the end of it. I was locked away, forced to stop seeing him. I cried so much Syed. My heart broke just from thinking of him.

Syed: Shh.

Zainab: For weeks I was locked away, no one would talk to me, they couldn't even stand to look at me. My husband's family tried their best to keep it quiet, what I had done, but it wasn't long before the rumours started. Before I knew it I was divorced and thrown out onto the street. I had nothing apart from the clothes on my back.

Her sobs grew louder as her body continued to shake in his arms

Syed: Shh.

Zainab: I had no one Syed. No one. I didn't know where to go, what to do. I was suddenly lost, and all these beady eyes were staring at me, judging me. It was unbearable Syed.

Syed: Where did you go?

Zainab: I wandered around for hours my head was full but I couldn't think. And then I heard him calling my name.

Syed: Dad?

Zainab smiled.

Zainab: One of his work colleagues had passed me wondering around and told him. As soon as I saw him my knees gave way. He came running up to me and held me. In the middle of the street where everyone could see. He didn't care what they said, what they thought. He only cared about me.

Her voice turned into a hushed whisper.

Zainab: He asked me to marry him. That he never wanted to lose me again. So I said yes. It was the only answer my heart would let me speak. But it was hard Syed, so hard. His family disowned him, refused to speak to us. It was so hard for your father and I tried to leave him, for his sake. But I could see it in his eyes when he said he loved me and that as long as he had me he didn't need anyone else.

Zainab: Three months later I had a visit from my ex-husband. He wanted to know if the rumours were true. I refused to let him in but he saw my wedding ring. I'll never forget the look on his face. I should have taken it as a warning. He locked me in the house. Blocked the doors, waited until he saw me climb upstairs and he set it alight. By he time I realised what was happening, it was too late. There was no way out. I had brought shame on the family by leaving him son for another man Syed. He hated me so much he wanted rid of me, for good.

Syed: How did you get out?

Zainab: Your father turned up but he couldn't come near, the flames were to high and the smoke was so thick he couldn't see inside. But I could hear was him outside, screaming my name. His voice Syed, it was blood curdling, he was in pain.

She stopped talking and Syed turned to look at her. Her tears were thick as they rolled down her cheeks

Syed: Shh. It's OK mum. It's over now.

Zainab: Over? It's never over Syed! Every time I close my eyes I'm there all over again. I hear your father screaming at me to get out. Begging me not to leave him.

Syed's eyes filled as he held her tighter.

Syed: But you got out mum. You didn't leave him.

Zainab: I would have. I stood in the middle of the burning house thinking how I deserved it. How I deserved to die for what I did. There was no way in for your father and I watched him through the window as he fell apart. And then I felt something. Something so wonderful it saved my life.

Syed: What?

Zainab: You.

Syed: Me?

Zainab: I was pregnant with you Syed and I felt you move around inside of me. I closed my eyes and I thought of you and what it would mean if I never brought you into the world. What it would do to your father if he never got the chance to meet you. After that I found the strength That's when I realised I couldn't deny you your life. Couldn't deny your father the child he was so happy about and loved so much already. You saved my life that day Syed and now I can finally say thank you.

Syed: Oh mum.

Zainab: Without you I wouldn't be here. I know I'm hard on you Syed, too hard most of the time and I'm so sorry for that. I've put you on such a high pedestal that the only way for you was down.

Syed: It's OK mum.

He kissed the top of her head, neither hearing the front door closing quietly from the hall way.

Zainab: So. Now you know. Now you know what you could face if you leave her. What we all could face.

Syed sighed heavily.

Zainab: I know you love him Syed and I've started to accept that. But could you put him through it? Could you put Christian through all this, maybe even worse. I sometimes wish I'd never met your father. Everything we went through together was as close to hell as anyone could get. But I was so lucky Syed. He could have left me so many times but he didn't, he stayed with me. Fought with me every step of the way and he never ever stopped loving me.

Masood: And nothings changed