"Free!" shouted Rehman. "I am free! Do you hear me? ... Come on. I have work to do." Pari trotted behind him, trying to keep up with his long strides. "Rehman..." "Yes?" She reached out and cupped his chin in her hands. His eyes were tiny mirrors that glittered like cold ice. "Rehman, trust me in this. I speak from experience. You don't have to be strong - it's OK to let go." "Let go?" he said. "Yes," she said, her hands falling to her sides. "Weep for what you have lost." Rehman stared at her with an unseeing gaze for a long moment, then sank to the ground as if his knees had turned to sand; his head dropped to his chest and he started crying... ... "How long does it take for a broken heart to heal?" he asked. "I have some knowledge of these matters," she said. 'The sadness will always be there. But your heart will mend and happiness can find a home in it sooner than you ima...