𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐈𝐋🥀

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 02

"Yes, I know you must have missed me too," she said with affection.

She picked up the cat again and returned to the lounge. After sitting on the sofa, she placed the cat in her lap and began to soothe its body with great tenderness.

"So, you've come back to me," she said to the cat.

Nano, who had just returned from the kitchen, smiled at her words.
"No, she didn't even realize. I brought her back myself."

"Where is Nana, Nano?"
As she spoke, suddenly it dawned on her.

"He was at home, waiting for you, then suddenly a phone call came from the gathering hall. There was some work there. He told me to come in three or four hours. Now let's see if it's been three or four hours. Whether it's been three or four....!"
Nano had approached her, sitting on the sofa, and said.

"Assalam-u-Alaikum, Aliza Bibi! How are you?"
At that moment, the cook brought the tea tray and addressed Aliza.

"I'm absolutely fine, Mureed Baba! How are you?" She inquired about her father's well-being.

"Thank God, Bibi! This time you took quite a while to come back," Mureed Baba replied, placing the tea tray in front of her on the table.

"Yes, it took a few extra days, but I'm back now, Mureed Baba!"
She smiled again. The cook put the tea and went back to the kitchen. Nano starts making tea for her.

"Oh yes, I did not tell you that Umar has come."
Nano said in a sudden excited voice while holding the cup of tea to him.

"Umar, when did he come?"
She was astonished by Nanu's statement.

"He came last week."

"Did he come alone?"

"Yes, he came alone. He's here to give CSS exams. He'll be staying here for a month or so."

"CSS exams? But wasn't he working, in London, and then...?"She was puzzled.

"He quit his job. He said he couldn't handle the pressure anymore. His routine had become too stressful. I think Jahangir has forced him to come this way. You know he's been pressuring him from the start. Last time when he came here, he was quite concerned about Umar. He's not consistent in any job. His interests change every six months, and it seems necessary to stick to one thing to move forward. Yet he's forcing Umar to join the Foreign Service. He's in a good position now and wants his son to join the Foreign Service too. So, he'll establish him there."
Nanu had explained it in detail while drinking tea, listening to her as she comforted Kristy's head with one hand.

"Where is he right now?" She had asked to conclude their conversation.

"He's sleeping now, trying to adjust his sleeping routine. There's a big time difference between England and here, so he has to make quite a few adjustments to his sleeping schedule after coming here. Moreover, it's quite hot these days. He went out yesterday to get some things on March 10 and when he came back, he wasn't feeling well. I was scared at first that he might have had a stroke. The doctor said everything is fine, just be cautious about going out for a while. He regained consciousness in the evening, but he was very optimistic. He was saying that if he had been completely English, he would have surely died. I'm a bit relieved because of being here. It seems like the heat has gotten to me, and it seems like there won't be another scare. I told him there's no need to be so happy, it's better to follow the doctor's advice and take it easy before going out again. It's not necessary that if you've escaped a stroke once, you'll escape it again."

Aleeza listened to her somewhat disinterestedly. They were continuously talking about Umar.

"You know what he was saying after seeing your pictures? He was saying that Aleeza is a carbon copy of his Phupo (Auntie). I asked him how he knew, how often do you look at Samina's photos or have you seen Aleeza well enough. Just seeing someone once is enough for him. In fact, he had also gone to Australia two years ago, with some friends, for sightseeing, and he had also gone to Samina's place. He was praising her a lot. He was asking me if you also talk like your mom. I said when you meet, see for yourself, whether she talks like her or not. He knows you're coming today."