PERSONAL STORIES

I Desperately Needed A Friend While Suffering

I never thought I’d be that friend for someone else

My ice bear was with me through those dark days — Image by author

I recently visited a friend’s house in Islamabad. She came to meet her brother’s family, who live in the city with his wife and kids.

I have known her for the past year. She was a recent graduate, working as a house officer in oncology, while I was a senior resident. She is lively and jolly, and we developed a friendly bond.

Lately, we started having lunch together.

Despite her being junior to me, we didn’t let the age gap affect our relationship. We often worked the same shifts on weekends, and during our breaks, we would visit the nearby chaat stall. We would talk about her marriage proposals, as her parents were pressuring her to find a suitable match. While sipping tea by the roadside, we lightheartedly joked about every potential suitor she mentioned.

A few months later, she completed her internship and returned to her city. She occasionally visited Islamabad, and every time, we would go out for a nice brunch.

This time we met at her brother’s house. Her brother and sister-in-law were at work, and the kids were at school. She was alone, and we had the whole house and time to ourselves.