Retrouvailles

In B/W 5 (iv)

Two days later

4:15 pm

It was still hard to believe that Fakhir had himself asked her to accompany him to his friend's place, but as was the case with this new Fakhir she had to believe that and the way Badi Amma forced them after Fakhir had informed her about their coming outing, to go and shop for something new to wear on the occasion was getting too much for her, Aiman also suggested her to visit the saloon, a second visit in less than 10 days but Amma and Faiza claimed Aiman was right and she needed that so the last two days had went in a mindless saloon session and a not so mindless shopping session with Fakhir, Faiza and Aiman.

Now sprawled in front of her on their bed was her midnight blue kurta set she had to get in this evening and though not convinced back then now she felt the dress indeed was beautiful.

Gathering her still damp hair in a loose bun she closed the different boxes of accessories she had opened to get things matching the dress when suddenly she recalled Fakhir's Blazer and trousers were still in the factory' laundry and the guy there had told them to remind him once in the afternoon.

So closing the drawers and fixing a last glance towards the room that nothing breakable or interesting to Anaya was left she walked towards Badi Ammi's room where Fakhir was discussing some legal papers related to the factory or so she heard him saying an hour ago.

"Annie, Bhabhi ki taraf ja rahi ho bachha?" her mother Ayesha called her with a tray of tea and some savoury dishes.

"Haan Amma," she replied and walked to her.

"Ye lo jao phir, it seems they are still discussing the issues in the factory... let them have the tea in Bhabhi's room and then come out in the hall, tea is ready," Ayesha told her while handing the tray.

"Amma, what is this...who told you to fry samosas at home?" Annie's nose scrunched. "there were so many things in the kitchen we could have taken with tea."

"Achha baba... after Fakhir goes back to his college I won't do anything for you guys, I am doing it all for him...Ab jao bhi varna sari chai yahi thandi ho jaani hai" Ayesha chided and without even waiting for her reply turned towards the kitchen leaving a fuming Annie muttering how mothers didn't listen to kids and then complained no one helped them.

Fakhir: "Amma...even if not legally he had known this place as his home from always and he is our blood relation...

Samina: "Fakhir...that's right but don't be an emotional man just like your father was, He gave Habeeb many chances yet he failed your father ."

"HABEEB." Annie was about to cross the window that opened in the gallery to Badi Ammi's room but the name hit her and she could not move.

Fakhir: I am not being emotional Amma, I am not in favour of that man ever knowing he is suffering ...do we need to be that ignorant?

Samina: and what about Ayesha...and Annie, even if we can make Ayesha understand what we want to do Annie would never accept it.

Her father was never discussed in the house at least in front of her mother or her sister so today when she heard her husband and mother-in-law talking about him she felt the same amount of anger and irritation starting to cover her and even after years of his betrayals, just the mention of his name turned her stone meant only one thing that she would never be able to move past his bad deeds.

She didn't want to face anyone now yet her feet wouldn't budge and she would have dropped the tray unless her mother called her to have the tea and this made her realise she needed to give the people in the room next to her the tea.