A Midsummer Weekend (The Extended Version)

3. One year After that Weekend

Kamran had sulked like a baby when I told him that, and had warned me then too that he wouldn't get any gifts for me from the US. But like I said, I too was a sister who knew her brothers very well and held some cards that they weren't even aware of.

"Oh bhai saheb, you will be getting me Louboutin pumps when you hear where I will be next week"

"Where will you be next week?", Kamran stared straight at me.

"Karachi, for some training my office wants me to do at the headquarters. And I already messaged Farah that I am taking her out to lunch one day"

"Wait...what...why...why would you take her out?", Kamran stuttered, just as I had gleefully expected him to.

"First she is a good kid, and second to do some jasoosi for you. You do want to know what is happening in her life, don't you?" (jasoosi = spying)

"Yes"

"Then I'll be sending you a link to the shoes I want", I grinned.

"Fine, but for the record I think you're a bully", he stuck his tongue out at me again.

After a bit more banter we hung up and I couldn't help smiling as I booked my online ticket to Karachi. I worked in marketing for a multinational company. It wasn't a flashy job, but it kept me busy till I found my real purpose in life.

At the moment, that was to make sure that my brother smiled again the way he did that one weekend about a year ago. I had not forgotten his soft sobs at night when we were young kids and lay in our bunk bed. It was about time that he was the center of someone's attention too.

Farah

The smell of formalin mixed with ethanol and disinfectant permeated every inch of the anatomy lab. A place where I knew I was supposed to learn about everything there is to know about the gross structure of the human body, but one look at the faces of my fellow classmates told me that we all felt the same way; nauseated and ready to bolt out of that room as soon as that class was done.

Komal was picking me up for lunch today, so I had an even greater incentive to hurry up and finish dissecting the heart and lungs that lay in front of me, and hand in my assignment. I had no idea why she wanted to have lunch with me alone. But I hadn't given too much thought to it either. When the sister of the guy you have a crush on wants to take you out for lunch, you keep quiet and make that happen.

"Ughh...stupid, stupid pen", I cursed at the ballpoint pen in my hand that had stopped writing again, halfway through the question and answer sheet I was filling out.

"Osman", I turned towards my lab partner who seemed to have just finished his work, "Could I borrow your pen if you're done with it?"

"Uhh, yes sure...but I...I need it back right away", he said hesitantly, which surprised me because usually he was a very generous person, and as med students we always stole each others pens.

However, one look at that particular one made it obvious that it was no ordinary pen. It was one of those fancy ink pens that I had only seen my grandmother's generation use. And on closer inspection I could see that its beautiful, sleek dark grey metal casing was engraved with a name in silver.

"Who is Sanam?"

"Uhh...my sister...my sister's friend, I mean", he stuttered again and I could swear that I saw him blush.

Why would he have his sister's friend's pen?

"Anyway, are you coming to the group study session at lunch?", he asked, I am pretty sure in an attempt to change the subject from whoever's pen seemed to be so precious to him.

"No, I am meeting someone for lunch"

"For lunch? In the middle of a weekday when you're supposed to be at college? Who are you meeting?"

Then it was my turn to stutter, because I really should not have been missing that study session where a bunch of us had agreed to do practice questions for our upcoming exam.

"No one...uh...she is my friend's sister...I mean she is a friend too"

By then it was clear to both of us that there were parts of our lives that we wished to keep private, even if we were lab partners. So I kept my head down and quickly finished answering the rest of the questions, while he hovered around me waiting for his pen to be returned. 

Half an hour later I was sitting at a nearby restaurant where the tantalizing smells of curried chicken and biryani made me forget all about the formalin scented room I was just in. Across from me sat Komal as she looked over the menu.

I was a shy woman, generally speaking. But I never felt intimidated by anyone, except for Komal. With her almond shaped eyes accentuated with a black eyeliner, her thick shiny black hair, the high cheek bones, and full lips like her brother, as well as her tall height, she could easily be a runway model in some Eastern fashion show. The white silk shirt with minimal embroidery that she wore paired with straight black pants and pencil heels made her look like the professional woman I would probably never look like.

But when she looked up and smiled at me, I was instantly reminded of the warmth her brother had once shown towards me.

"So Farah, how is college going?"

"Very, very busy. I barely get time to sleep or eat, I am always behind schedule and I feel like I live at the hospital even though I haven't really started my clinical rotations", I blurted out without taking a breath.

She gave me a sympathetic look, "Ohh that sounds terrible, but I am sure it will get better"

The waiter came so we placed our orders after which Komal jumped right back into asking me about my life and work. And then she asked me something that made my heart flutter for a second as I wondered if it was really her brother that may be interested in my answers.

"You're such a pretty girl, have the rishta aunties started hounding you yet?"

"Thank you", I told her, getting a compliment from a beautiful woman like her meant a lot, especially now when I looked like I had stepped out of a meat shop.

I did answer her question too, "And...yes the aunties are definitely making their presence felt. But there is no way I am getting married right now"

"Good girl, I wouldn't either. You need to focus on your studies", she smiled.

And then she leaned in, "When do you think you'll be ready to get married? Or even to entertain a proposal? You don't have to finish medical college to do that, right?"

"I...I don't know. Maybe when I am in 4th year of college. I know people who have gotten engaged around that time and then gotten married right after graduation", I told her honestly.

"Fourth year of college? Ok, I will remember that", she replied with a look on her face that made me feel like I had sealed my fate somehow.

But if my fate had anything to do with her brother, I would be the first to admit that I was excited about it. As long as my parents were too, that is. And he had my Nano's approval.

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First time POV for Komal! Will Komal and Safdar become an unintended union as a result of that one weekend that Kamran and Farah spent together? You'll have to wait and see!! 😏

Sneaky Komal found out exactly what her brother was dying to know!

Kamran's childhood wasn't the happiest one, but more on that later.

Also, recognize someone from another story? Lol...that is another tale I know you'll love, when I am done with it 😉

Hope you liked the chapter. Please vote and comment!