Not That Interested

Chapter 28: The One With The Missing Fiance

They are stretching out a cell-phone tracker plan as well.... We could have had some results by now, but they are deliberately dragging it out in hopes of squeezing more money from our misfortune.

We are desperate, so it works in their favor.

Areeb's Dad is a deeply religious, and principled man who has never willingly crossed any moral, or legal boundaries. He is being reduced by his fatherly worry, and desperation to pay greedy officials all sorts of hefty bribes.

A sobbing Farah Auntie (Areeb's Mom) told me the updates for today.

His parents want to wait another day before they tell anyone else about it. So I have managed with inhuman strength, to keep mum about it at home.

Everyone's chalking up my lack of appetite and sleep with pre-wedding jitters.

I am not arguing with this statement.

Although at this point, I am worried whether there will be a wedding.

.............

Someone's playing the piano.

Right beside my ears. I moan softly. "Make it stop. Please."

It plays on. And On. And On.

"pleasestopitplease." I mutter, incoherent with sleep.

It stops. Sigh.

Then it starts playing again.

I almost cry with the torture of it. The process repeats itself.

Piano Tune. Pause. Piano Tune. Pause. Piano Tune. Pause.

Sleep eventually sheds its weight.

My phone is ringing.

Holy Shit. My Phone is ringing at 3:30 in the morning. I fell asleep at 1, which explains my stubborn sleepiness. It takes a few groggy minutes to re-orient myself with the land of the living, because I honestly feel freshly resurrected from the dead. My phone reads 16 Missed Calls. From Areeb's parents.

My heart immediately jumps into my throat.

I suddenly don't even want to hear what they might want to tell me. Shaking fingers press the call back button.

"Hello! Assalamualikum Auntie. You called?" I rasp out.

"Walikumassalam Beta (child). Just wanted to let you know that his phone call was traced. We just got the address. He is at a new apartment he bought a month ago. It was sitting empty, so it never occurred to us that he might be there....We're on our way over there right now!" Areeb's mom sounds just as broken as i feel. I cannot even fathom what she, as a mother must be going through.

I push myself towards my brother's room. "Auntie, can you explain the address to Ali? I am on my way."

.................

It took a healthy amount of shoving and prodding, and threats to wake Ali up.

We sneaked out quietly somehow, without waking up our sleeping relatives. I had blindly grabbed two coke cans. I handed one to a bleary-eyed Ali who was driving.

He looked at me like I was insane.

"You need to be completely awake right now. I don't want us to die without anyone knowing where we are." I pop open the cans. "Caffeine. It helps."

We gulped down the cold liquid. Grimacing at the strong taste to our sleepy taste-buds.

Approximately a 30 minute drive later, we reached the address his mom had described. It was near the sea-front. Areeb loves the sea, which explains his choice of apartments.