Light Upon Light

#14 The Maternal Family

The four walls of the house nestled a huge courtyard in the middle. It was the center of activity and liveliness. Nani had potted plants line all the four hallways which bounded it. A beautiful old world charm hung about the place.

My Mami Arifa looked out from the hallway upstairs on hearing us arrive. She was a petite lady and it was her beauty that was passed on to all of her three of her daughters.

She came down quickly and made me and Chachu sit at the table right in the middle of he courtyard. Nana's wicker chair was empty. He probably had a lecture at the community college.

"Ammi! Junaina is here!" Mami called out in the direction of the huge kitchen that took up most of the room downstairs.

The only other room even remotely close to being that big was Nana's study and library. It was my favorite room in Dar-e-Rahma.

Nani and Sara Di came rushing out of the kitchen to meet me. Sara Di was my Mamu's eldest daughter about the same age as Di. She had a big smile on her face as she saw me.

Chachu stood up to greet Nani and I did the same. Honestly I felt really awkward. I'm visiting after so many years and every time I visited India, I barely spent any time here. I'm not close to these people as I am to my family at Ashiana.

"So kind of you to drop her here Dawud. We've been anxious to meet her since she's arrived." Nani gushed.

"It wasn't a problem at all. Please allow me to leave, I have to get to work." Chachu said smiling.

"Please have some tea before you go!" Mami insisted.

"Oh no no! I've had a nice breakfast at home and I'm quite full. Do excuse me."

Chachu said his salaams and hugged me before leaving.

"Juni beta you have grown into quite a pretty girl!" Nani remarked after analysing me from top to toe.

I smiled in response.

If Dadi looked stately and royal then Nani was quite the opposite. She was short and chubby and cute with pink cheeks and snowy curls of hair tucked under her shawl. Her eyes twinkled as she smiled. If it weren't for the same amber eyes and pinky complexion, my Mom could not be called her daughter.

She took after her father, my Nana.

"Nana has got a lecture today? " I asked as Nani led me to the kitchen.

"Nah. He has gone with Khalid to fix Sara's wedding dates."

I was totally taken by surprise. I didn't know Sara Di was engaged and I said so. Sara Di blushed as she said, "It all happened way too quickly. They came to see me only yesterday and then this morning they accepted our proposal."

Mami and Nani smiled fondly at her as she blushed. Sara Di looked a lot like her mother but she had Mamu's amber colored eyes. Like Mami, she was thin and petite and dainty. In fact, I stood a couple of inches taller than her.

"What's the lucky guy's name? He seems to have quite an effect on you." I said smirking.

Nani and Mami laughed as Sara Di stuttered.

"Rizwan." She said, tucking a stray strand of hair away.

"Rizwan, huh" I said dragging out his name.

"Juni!"

Laughing, I pinched her pink cheeks. She pushed my hands away. Nani and Mami left us to talk as thy headed to the kitchen. Nani promised to cook all my favorite dishes. Nana and Mamu would be with us for lunch along with Safa and Sana. They had gone for an Islamic class nearby.