Divulging Remorse ✔

Chapter 8

Riya argued, "Sweetheart, you're too naive to understand wickedness. You hardly socialise, men to be specific, I know everything. Besides, at first, even I thought that it's all a hoax, but now I don't think so."

"Whatever, just don't get your mind all whacked by what he says, ignore him, even better, stay away," Arshiya advised her.

She snapped, "As if I want to be near him, and I haven't seen him around since yesterday evening. Perhaps had gone out destructing some more lives."

Arshiya rolled her eyes at Riya's last remark while checking some messages on her phone.

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When she came down, a servant led her to the dining room where everyone was seated except Agha Jaan.

Aleesha tapped a chair beside her and Riya pulled it to sit down, "Morning everyone!" They all smiled at her.

"You mean afternoon." Hufaiz made a point.

She said curtly, "Well it's morning for me, I just woke up."

Shaking her hand, Aleesha interrupted, "Doesn't matter. Riya guess who's coming over today?"

"Umm, your fiance?" She took a guess.

Aleesha blushed slightly, she whispered, "Why would he come, you fool!"

"Then, just tell me," Riya responded

"My wedding planner!" She chimed excitedly.

"Cool! Which reminds me, I got some wedding shopping to do." Riya remembered.

"Sure, we'll go tomorrow," Aleesha promised.

"Riya?" Radmaan called her.

"Yeah, baby?" She grinned at him.

He riddled her, "Do you know why 6 is afraid of 7?"

"6 is afraid of 7... No idea, why?" She asked him blankly

"That's because of 7 8 9."

Everybody laughed at his silly joke, including Agha Jaan who had just entered. Taking his usual seat he asked Riya, "Slept well?" She nodded in reply.

The servants started serving and they all began eating a delish traditional meal of lamb chops, Kabuli Pulao, and Burrani; a dish of eggplants sauteed in tomato sauce and topped with yoghurt.

The dining room table had matching oak side chairs all around it, except for the position at the head of the table. That one was special, white, with arms and a broad leather backrest. There were some folksy paintings hung on the wall, which portrayed a rich Pashto culture. A warm ball of light cast squares through the glass sliding door onto the terrazzo floor and reflected on other things in the room. The fruit-laden orchard looked ravishing through it, while a gardener had switched on the inundation system, water sprayed out of little fountains, which was built under the ground. The water reached out to every tree in the orchard, soaking up each corner, all so full of summer greenness.

"Sorry, I'm late." Moutasim appeared suddenly.

Agha Jaan asked him, "Where have you been?"

"At a friend's place, Agha Jaan." He replied and got seated. It didn't go unnoticed by him that Riya's eyebrows shot up at his reply, though she chose to not look at him or say anything at all.

Moutasim ate in silence whereas everyone else chattered. They all discussed a hiking trip up in the mountains to go on after the wedding.

"I'm gonna take my hoverboard along!" Radmaan piped in.