Why, We Fall (Book One)

36: Reunion

Hasan was pacing in his living room. Nothing new, the only change in the scenario was his two best friends kneeling on the couch, watching Hasan's every move with puzzlement.

"So... bro, are you almost done with your steps? How many do you need for today?" Zakir asked earnestly. All this pacing was making him doozy.

"Yeah Hasan. You're making ME agitated, and I'm the calmest person I know. " Ahmad added from the side. Carefully observing his friend.

"Yeah, yeah. Just waiting for a couple of people to join. " Hasan answered absentmindedly. His pacing slowed down a bit though.

"What's this about?" Ahmad asked.

"You'll see. " Hasan answered curtly.

"If it's about your wedding, you know I forgive you right? Not all of us can be perfect. " Zakir assured. 

Ahmad began to reprimand Zakir for his comment when Hasan said,"it IS about that. "

That surprised the both friends.

"Care to elaborate? " Ahmad carefully asked.

"In time. " Hasan replied, looking out of the window, engrossed in thoughts.

Everyone remained silent for a few moments. Zakir glanced at his friends, from one to the other. He was itching to say something. Gallons of questions were flooding his mind and the dam was about to break when someone rang at the door.

"That must be them. " Hasan hastily said. Instead of the urgency in his tone, he deliberated a moment too long to finally approach the front door to let the visitant in.

His behavior was grossly peculiar to both of his friends who have known him for more than a decade. They knew about Hasan's decision to marry for his father's convenience and even though neither of them supported it, they were supportive to their friend and planned to be through thick and thin.

"Do you think he wants to elope?" Zakir whispered to Ahmad, still looking at Hasan's retreating figure.

"Whatever do you mean?" Ahmad asked his friend quizzically.

Covering his mouth behind a hand Zakir whispered in a conspiratorial tone, "I mean, obviously he doesn't want to get married. I mean, who would?"

Ahmad raised a brow and Zakir quickly backtracked, "I mean, who would marry someone they don't like, and we both know Hasan doesn't like that Persian snob... "

"Gibah! " Ahmad warned. Muslims don't talk bad behind someone's back.

"Right, sorry. Persian princess," ignoring Ahmad's still disapproving look Zakir continued, "I'm telling you, he is planning to fizzle out. "

At Ahmad's confusion he clarified,"you know, vanish, go underground so no one can trace him let alone get him to an alter or in his case a mosque. "

"You're delusional. " Ahmad concluded. 

But Zakir wasn't deterred, "I'm telling you, it's one of the underground people at the door. They are here to provide him with fake IDs, safe houses and the likes. He must wants us to come with him. I don't know about you but I'm definitely going."
Then after some thinking he added,"I've wanted a fake id all my life. Maybe I'll ask the underground people for one... "

Hasan entered the room in the middle of Zakir's daydreaming with a radiant looking Anna on his heel. 

"Huh!" Ahmad scoffed, "there's your underground people. Go on, ask for a fake id. " Ahmad retorted patronizingly and nudged Zakir's shoulder.

Zakir on the other hand, has never been so disappointed to see a woman before.

"What's with you?" Anna asked at Zakir's slumped expression after passing greetings with Ahmad.

"He thought you were someone from the underground. " Ahmad supplied.

"What?"

"Shut up man. " Zakirs attempt to shut his friend was in vein, "oh, let me rephrase that, he WISHED you were someone from the underground. " Ahmad exclaimed with mirth.

Zakir scorned.

"Oh well, if you really need I can manage someone for you. I know people. " Anna said with an air of confidence that quickly disapited when her brother reentered the room with a glass of water in hand.

"What does that mean?" Hasan carefully asked. His previous worries are disappearing for this new one.

"Never mind that. " Anna quickly said. "So, why have we gathered here again? You didn't say anything on the phone. "

"That's what we've been wanting to know for the past hour. " Zakir remarked with an unappreciated shake of his head. 

"I'll tell you soon. We're waiting for one more person. " Hasan replied while looking at his watch.

"Who?" Anna asked after taking a sip from the glass.

Almost as to answer her question, the calling bell rang again, announcing the presence of a person.

Contrast to the grim expression Hasan bore while answering the door for Anna, he seemed rather excited at the progress of this one.

He moved enthusiastically from his position and sprinted towards the entrance of the apartment.

Zakir leaned towards the other two people in the room and again began in his conspiratorial tone, "who do you think it is?"

"Could be an underground person. " Anna whispered back in her own conspiratorial voice even though mirth was dancing on her eyes.

"Don't encourage him. " Ahmad groaned.

Anna stifled a giggle. Zakir was about to protest against people making fun of him when some very joyful steps bounded into the room. Seeing the owner of the footsteps everyone rejoiced and got off of the couch to welcome and embrace Cyrus Hussein Nadir. Anna shrieked and threw herself into her twins arms.

"Now, even though I'm a little disappointed that I'm not gonna get a legitimate fake id, I'm really happy to see you. " Zakir said after giving Cyrus a firm hug.

"You want a fake id? Well, I can arrange that. I know some people..."

Hasan stared at them astonishingly, "seriously? What have both of my siblings been up to in the last four years!! Who are these people you know that do illegal things! Why do you even know them? " Hasan exasperated then pointing at Zakir he added,"and you, stop asking for illegal things from my little brother and sister. "

"We are 25. " Both Anna and Cyrus said in unison then looking at each other broke out laughing.

Hasan rolled his eyes. "Well, to me you both are still those sneaky teenagers trying to steal dad's car to go to watch meteor shower in the middle of the night. "

"Good times. " Both Anna and cyrus said at the same time again and smirked.

"Always in tune, these two," Ahmad said joyfully and asked," so, not that I'm not enjoying this reunion but what exactly are we doing here?"

The joyous expression left Hasan in an instant. Cyrus understood and asked,"they don't know yet, do they?"

Hasan shook his head.

"Know what?" It was Anna who asked the question. Her voice held a little undertone of jealousy at the secret both Hasan and Cyrus clearly seemed to share, excluding her.

Everyone looked at Hasan expectantly.

"You guys would wanna take a seat for this. " Hasan said after a few moments.